Chapter 6
Okay gang, this is a short one but it's sweet. I thinks you'll likes. J
The ride proved to last for days. Several times they stopped, and Adriana was treated decently, if not with cool courtesy. It was still enormously better than the kind of treatment she had received that first night. In a nearly five day ride Adhemar had not spoken a word directly to her. Not that she minded. She was still shocked and sickened by what had happened in the forest. She was upset with herself, not for letting it happen, for enjoying it.
She felt her stomach turn when she confronted herself with the bitter truth. Part of her had taken pleasure in that fumbling blur of heat and lust. What she couldn't bring herself to think about was why. Why had his moans produced such a tremendous heat inside of her? Her relief that he initiated no conversation sprung, not from her dislike for him, but from fear of her own emotions. She also avoided contact with those burning green eyes. They seemed to search her for something in every waking moment. She even felt them on her in her sleep. What was he searching for? So many questions.
One was soon to be answered.
On the fourth day of riding, after her legs were rubbed raw and her muscles throbbed from clinging to the horse for so long, they arrived at the knight's manor. It was grand with the wealth his other assets had implied he possessed. She gazed up at the stone and mortar edifice with trepidation. This was to be her new home? Another prison… and this time she did not have the luxury of being waited on. No… this time she was the servant. Oh what had she gotten herself into? She asked herself this many times as they passed through the gates into uncertainty.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Adhemar spoke nary a word to her as they dismounted and she was silently led into the manor. Her guide, Donal, directed her through the main hall and down several long corridors. The place seemed to stretch on forever. Finally, he halted beside a large oak door and gestured her inside. She tentatively stepped in and the door shut behind her quickly. Not a word had been exchanged.
Adriana could hardly believe what she saw. It was lavish room, done up in expensive looking cloth and furnished with rugs. There was even a fire place big enough to fit the girl inside of it. And then there was the bed… with silken sheets and finely carved. It was enormous, sitting blatantly in the middle of the room. Her heart nearly stopped. Such finery could only mean… she was in his room! She panicked, racing to the door only to find what she had already expected. Locked. She was trapped. And now she would have to wait until he came to her. She slowly made her way around the bed, finally hoisting herself up on it. It was as soft as she had imagined… softer maybe… and despite her fear, it wasn't long before her eyes shut and she slept.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Waking with a start, she sat up. She had no inkling of how long she had slept, nor what time of day it was… or if it was night. To be truthful, she did not even register her surroundings upon waking. Then it all cam flooding back. She glanced about the room swiftly, finding that she was still very alone. But something was different… she looked down to see that the covers had been drawn up around her to ensure that she was warm. A roaring fire had been started in the fireplace, and then she saw it-- at the end of the bed. A chemise made of the softest silk she had ever seen. It was more lavish than anything even her parents could have afforded. Someone had left it for her. Her confusion was hasty and fierce. Who had done all this? Surely not Adhemar… surely… What did he expect in payment for these small kindnesses?
The answers became more unclear as well as her feelings when-- for some strange reason-- Adhemar never came to her that night.
Okay gang, this is a short one but it's sweet. I thinks you'll likes. J
The ride proved to last for days. Several times they stopped, and Adriana was treated decently, if not with cool courtesy. It was still enormously better than the kind of treatment she had received that first night. In a nearly five day ride Adhemar had not spoken a word directly to her. Not that she minded. She was still shocked and sickened by what had happened in the forest. She was upset with herself, not for letting it happen, for enjoying it.
She felt her stomach turn when she confronted herself with the bitter truth. Part of her had taken pleasure in that fumbling blur of heat and lust. What she couldn't bring herself to think about was why. Why had his moans produced such a tremendous heat inside of her? Her relief that he initiated no conversation sprung, not from her dislike for him, but from fear of her own emotions. She also avoided contact with those burning green eyes. They seemed to search her for something in every waking moment. She even felt them on her in her sleep. What was he searching for? So many questions.
One was soon to be answered.
On the fourth day of riding, after her legs were rubbed raw and her muscles throbbed from clinging to the horse for so long, they arrived at the knight's manor. It was grand with the wealth his other assets had implied he possessed. She gazed up at the stone and mortar edifice with trepidation. This was to be her new home? Another prison… and this time she did not have the luxury of being waited on. No… this time she was the servant. Oh what had she gotten herself into? She asked herself this many times as they passed through the gates into uncertainty.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Adhemar spoke nary a word to her as they dismounted and she was silently led into the manor. Her guide, Donal, directed her through the main hall and down several long corridors. The place seemed to stretch on forever. Finally, he halted beside a large oak door and gestured her inside. She tentatively stepped in and the door shut behind her quickly. Not a word had been exchanged.
Adriana could hardly believe what she saw. It was lavish room, done up in expensive looking cloth and furnished with rugs. There was even a fire place big enough to fit the girl inside of it. And then there was the bed… with silken sheets and finely carved. It was enormous, sitting blatantly in the middle of the room. Her heart nearly stopped. Such finery could only mean… she was in his room! She panicked, racing to the door only to find what she had already expected. Locked. She was trapped. And now she would have to wait until he came to her. She slowly made her way around the bed, finally hoisting herself up on it. It was as soft as she had imagined… softer maybe… and despite her fear, it wasn't long before her eyes shut and she slept.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Waking with a start, she sat up. She had no inkling of how long she had slept, nor what time of day it was… or if it was night. To be truthful, she did not even register her surroundings upon waking. Then it all cam flooding back. She glanced about the room swiftly, finding that she was still very alone. But something was different… she looked down to see that the covers had been drawn up around her to ensure that she was warm. A roaring fire had been started in the fireplace, and then she saw it-- at the end of the bed. A chemise made of the softest silk she had ever seen. It was more lavish than anything even her parents could have afforded. Someone had left it for her. Her confusion was hasty and fierce. Who had done all this? Surely not Adhemar… surely… What did he expect in payment for these small kindnesses?
The answers became more unclear as well as her feelings when-- for some strange reason-- Adhemar never came to her that night.