WORRLGENHALL (67 page)

“
I know such words are only from love,” Aderac said, moved by them, “But they stay deep within me.”

“
You are bonded to me as long as you live,” Belon’s avow, as again he caressed his back and rear while urging him to move inside him, “And let those words stay deep within as well.”

**

After Baric and the others visited Kings Hurus’s tomb with Aderac, they waited in court to talk to him about the horses, and while they listened to him make decisions and judgments, as he spoke to people from near and far who came to Ivodgald, even to some in their own native languages, they were impressed with him.

“
King Hurus has taught him well,” Laad commented to Baric, “His mind for reason is sound.”

“
I gather so.” Baric noticed as well, “His father and mother died when he was just a boy, and with no brothers, King Hurus knew he would be the only king and groomed him for such.”

For most of the morning, they listened; then when most had left, he let the council of men take over, and had Laad and Baric escorted to his priva
te chamber to speak with them alone.

“
Now,” he said, and sat, “The matter of the horses.”

“
The heat has taken its toll,” Baric spoke, “They are not breeding as they should.”

Aderac nodded as he listened, Ivodgald
’s land was vast and wide with an endless count of horses running free, and the word Ivodgald meant land of horses.

While Baric spoke, Belon walked inside and stood quietly by the window not to interrupt.

“Some of the best horses are to the west,” he generously offered without hesitation, “We shall all ride there so you may choose your horses for mating or whatever needed with your own eyes, and as many as you need without charge.”

“
Are you well sure?” Baric questioned surprised by the abundance of his generosity.

“
Our kingdoms are as one by blood, as well as loyalty,” he answered, at once and proudly, and then added, when he looked over at Belon, “and love.”

“
We thank you,” Baric graciously said; then stood, bowed and left with Laad.

Saying nothing against it while they were there, Belon voiced h
is concern when they left.

“
Aderac,” he spoke, as he sat on his table in front of him after the door closed, “The horses far to the west are near an unruly kind. I ask that you not go and have another go in your place that you be safe.”

“
I am always within these walls,” he complained. His mind already made, “I want to ride the lands and my guards shall ride with me.”

Belon gave him a skeptical look.

“Do not go,” he warned, “I ride the lands, and know well they have no regard if you are a king.”

“
My guards will be with me,” Aderac said confident, “I want to go.”

Belon snarled expressing his misgivings of Aderac
’s glorified display guards, but Aderac spoke first, before he said more.

“
I want to go and shall,” he said, as he raised his eyebrow. His mind set.

“
Well if you must, I am riding as well,” Belon said, as he looked at him sternly, and from his look, Aderac knew he meant it.

Aderac shook his head and looked up at Belon; then smiled, as he put a hand on Belon
’s strong thigh before stroking it tenderly, and when he did, Belon’s stern look now cracked; could only smile back.

“
So fiery and shielding you can be,” he said, as he looked up at him.

Slowly, Belon bent down to kiss him.
“Well true,” he assured him, “Over the one I love.”

**

Baric and the others stayed at Ivodgald and enjoyed Aderac’s hospitality, then when close time for them to leave, rode west to the open lands to chose which horses they wanted for herding, and just as Aderac said he would, rode along with them.

Although, he had his guards
with him, Belon went with him and after they rode for a while, when they reached wide open land, playfully Belon and Aderac raced each other, and since they rode and openly played, Ovfren and Ogorec raced and played as well.

“
Playful are they,” Loth said to Laad and spurred his horse ahead challenging him.

“
I was a messenger,” Laad yelled his warning, “And know how to ride hard and quickly.”

“
Then why are you behind me and not ahead,” Loth playfully taunted.

As the guards rode behind them not bothering
to try to keep up, the others got far ahead of them, then after Aderac stopped when he won, he turned and teased Belon.

“
So slow you are,” he taunted competitively, “And on such a fast horse.”

“
Dare I outride a king,” Belon played, “I let you win.”

Ogorec
right behind them, then Ovfren, followed by Loth and Laad, and eventually Baric, when they stopped, they let their horses rest and graze, and relaxed in the sun, until they saw several men on horses approaching them.

“
Dare you trespass and graze on land not yours,” one man hostilely said, as the others with him looked on.

“
Land not mine,” Aderac commented puzzled, as he looked around, then he noticed he wore just a tunic and pants, and had nothing on indicating he was king or on his horse.

As they spoke,
his guards rode up behind them, and when he saw the banners with horse emblems around their necks, his demeanor turned even more hostile.

“
The king’s crest,” he said, as he looked down at them, “For which of you.”

None spoke, as they looked up at them.

“Well,” he said and withdrew his sword, “As you all lay bleeding, I shall know by the stench, which is king and send his head back to Ivodgald.”

“
I am the king,” Aderac spoke up.

The man scowled contemptuously.
“Then it is your ugly head I shall send.”

After
he spoke, another moved slightly forward on his horse.

“
Boldly you ride and openly graze on land that you stole from us. This land is not yours,” he said defiantly before he spat on Aderac.

Ogorec standing close to Belon, and Aderac on his opposite side,
as soon as he spat on Aderac, enraged, Belon grabbed Ogorec’s axe from his belt and with exact aim threw it at him striking him in the center of his forehead killing him instantly.

“
Let another insult or spit on the king and be the next to die,” Belon dared then withdrew his sword, and as he spoke Laad and Loth spread apart with swords drawn, as did Baric and Ovfren, but Ogorec stepped forward with his withdrawn prepared to defend them both.

As he spoke, suddenly three charged forward, and as they did, Belo
n cut off the leg of one and sliced into his chest, when he fell off his horse.

“
Stay back Ogorec, we have them!” Laad and Loth yelled, as they easily killed the other two.

Suddenly, the others turned and fled and although Aderac
’s guards chased them, all got away into the forest.

“
We could not catch them,” they said when they returned.

Belon grunted annoyed they got away, then when he looked down noticed the one whose leg he cut off still alive, he pressed his boot down on his wounded chest

“Who was he that spoke first?” Belon asked, as he pressed hard, anger rising within him with each passing second, “Speak it!”

 
The man cried out in anguish, but would not speak, then when Belon removed his foot, one of Aderac’s guards took his knife to slit his throat, but Aderac stopped him.

“
He is dying already,” he intervened, “There is no need for it.”

Furious, Belon walked in front of Aderac.

“Were not my words this?” he asked beside himself so angry he could hardly speak, “That you could be in the way of harm?”

Aderac knew from the look in Belon
’s eyes how furious he was and said nothing.

“
Let us ride back with haste.” Baric shrewdly said, “They may have joined others in the forest to gather and come after us.”

As they rode hard back, Belon did not speak the en
tire time, and when Aderac looked over at him several times hoping he would glance over back; his head did not turn to him at all.

Once they got back at Ivodgald, Belon quickly jumped from his horse and walked away from all, and when Aderac jumped down an
d began to follow him, Ogorec stopped him.

“
I beg you king,” he said respectfully, “Let him cool from his anger. It is such only from worry for you.”

Although, distressed he was angry with him, Aderac nodded and agreed; then walked the other way.

Later, in front of the fireplace, Aderac sat staring at the burning crackling embers deeply lost in thought about Belon while he waited for him, then when he came inside, he stood right away, and walked to him quietly passively looking up, and as Belon looked down at him, he responded to his silence in kind.

Both staring at the other and saying nothing, as they looked into each other eyes, suddenly, as if pushed together by a force unseen, without even knowing who had moved first, both found themselves wrapped in
the other’s arms.

“
So lonely I would be should something befall you,” he admitted the reason for his anger and silence, “So lonely Aderac, and is why I am so guarding of you.” 

“
And my heart soars knowing you are of me,” Aderac confessed truly sorry, “I confess, I only rode from pride, and is the reason for not heeding your warning.”

Belon pulled him tightly to him.

“I will be away from you,” he said, as he kissed him and knowing why, Aderac didn’t speak against it.

“
Your will be done,” he only said, and meekly put his head on Belon’s chest, as they walked to bed to go to sleep.

**

After promising to have the horses herded to WorrlgenHall by next spring, Baric and the others returned to WorrlgenHall, and once gone Belon and his choice band of men rode west.

Those he chose to ride with him well trained, none they came across could stand against them, but since only one he sought, which was the man who spoke of sending Aderac
’s head back to Ivodgald. He only allowed them to torment the villagers by disrupting their daily way of living.

Adding to his torment of them, he burned down some of their huts, but ordered no one killed other than whoever attacked them first and finally, after grieved by constant torment from Belon
’s band, several village heads rode to Ivodgald to stand before Aderac.

“
We beg you King Aderac,” they pleaded, “Remove the yolk of the red headed one from around our necks.”

Aderac merely looked at them all, and kept his words few.

“Bring me the head of who spoke against me,” he told them, “And I will.”

“
We have no power over those who rebel,” one said, “They gather men for their own cause.”

“
My grandfather may have stolen the land from those men,” Aderac said, “But with me, I shall make a treaty. Bring me fifteen mares and five studs every spring, and the land is theirs again.”

At once, they agreed, but as they turned to leave, Aderac reaffirmed.

“It shall be only so, if you bring me the head of the one who spoke against me.”

Just days later, a covered basket arrived for Aderac in co
urt, and when he looked in it and recognized the face, he nodded.

“
Send word to Belon,” he ordered, glad it was over and that he would soon be returning, “The body is headless.”

When Belon got Aderac
’s sealed letter, he knew what he meant and set his course back to Ivodgald, and when Aderac received word he was on his way back, as always when close, rode out to greet him.

“
Welcome back, I have missed you,” Aderac greeted him.

“
Follow me,” Belon said, riding slightly ahead so the other men could not hear their words; then after Aderac followed, once alone, he jumped from his horse and pulled Aderac close, when he jumped off his.

“
I have three things to speak of before all that you will let set well within you and heed,” Belon asserted after he kissed him, and walked with him for a while, “First above all, you are my life and I only breathe for the reason you breathe, and I shall always be guarding of you. Second from now on all your guards will train under my command before they guard within Ivodgald.”

Aderac
looked at him curious about his second matter. “The guards are trained.”