Slave Chappie4
"My Lady, the Normans are returning," Lavender said, breathlessly as she rushed into the room.
Ginny fold the letter into thirds and placed it back into the warlord's trunk. Discreetly, she brushed away the moisture gathering in her eyes. "Thank you, Lavender." Ginny dragged the trunk back to it place, next to the clothes chest. She stepped back to study the position. Satisfied, she turned and said, "He'll never know."
"Did you find anything?"
"Aye, he is fond of his family." Ginny shook away the thought. She didn't want to see the warlord in a different light. "I must find a way to defeat him," she said aloud.
Lavender dabbed at the sweat on her forehead. "If he finds you digging into his personal things-"
"Don't worry, Lavender," Ginny said. "I know what I'm doing."
"That is why I worry."
Ginny didn't say anything. He words were honest and from the heart. Lavender left the room. There were a few things out of place, so Ginny quickly began to right them, but stopped upon hearing a strangle scraping sound. It made her nervous.
Suddenly, Kayla's voice scared her, distant yet urgent. "Come quickly, Ginny," she called.
Ginny threw open the door and immediately stumbled, falling straight toward the balcony rail. Her face cracked into the top of the balustrade and slipped passed the rail. She hung over the great hall, catching her momentum with a death grip on the rail. The room below started to spin as dizziness engulfed her. She had nearly been killed. Taking a calm breath to still her racing heart. Ginny sank to the floor, holding her cheek. Her gaze traveled to the doorway and what she tripped over.
Merlin's teeth, Ginny could have swore she placed that bucket away and safely away of harm's way. Hell, she had used magic to lock the closet, her nephew's new wand was within as well. If she hadn't grabbed the rail, Merlin, she didn't want to think about it. Despite the evidence before her, it was still hard to believe that she could be that careless.
"Ginny, are you okay?"
She looked up to see Kayla hovering above her. "Aye, sister." Ginny accepted her help to get up and then asked, "Why did you call?"
"I wanted to tell you that the Norman was calling."
I knew that, she felt like yelling but the sound of horses walking over the stone courtyard, Ginny pulled herself together for the coming ordeal. Through the chamber door, she noticed steam raising from the tub and grimaced.
The Norman's bath awaited the master of the house. The thought soured her mood even more. This was her home, not his. With frustration and anger, she rose and grabbed the offending bucket. She would store it safely away this time.
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Everything was read when the warlord and his men enter the hall. Ginny hated the foreign conversation that floated to her ears. She kept her eyes down and prayed to Merlin for the patience when the warlord's brother made a unpleasant comment about the flavor and fare in Saxony.
"No worse than the homely women who love on this isle," said Draco. Ginny's head snapped up and she found herself looking into the laughing eyes of the warlord. He knew she could understand them and by the pleased look on his face, he was baiting her. Suddenly, his humor vanished and his face grew solemn as he looked at her cheek, "Who struck you?" he demanded. When she remain silent, unable to understand his interest, he grabbed her chin and tilted it upward to get a better look. "I know the mark of a hand. Who did this to you, chéri?"
She didn't want his concert and what was worst, she did not want to explain. "Leave me be."
"She tried to pull away but he held her tighter. "Do not refuse me, Nevra."
"'Twas no one's fault. I had an accident."
At her explanation, the tense lines about his mouth and eyes disappeared. Softly, he her cheek. "Take care, chéri. A face so lovely should not be marred."
Beneath his gentle touch, Ginny felt a warmth surge straight to her heart. His tenderness and flattery unnerved her. She did not want to let her guard down. To feel anything besides hatred for this man would be traitorous. She steeled herself to retreat behind a barrier of anger and mistrust.
A slow smile teased his lips when she squared her shoulder and jutted her chin up in order to look down her nose at the invader. When he winked at her, she whirled around and picked up a flagon of ale.
"Nevra,-" His deep voice carried an edge of warning, "-do not even think it."
She stared up at his face and wondered how he knew what she was thinking. Still, it would be worth the punishment. Just as her heart won out over her common sense, she noticed Kayla's pale face. It was easy to tell that the episode had scared her. Ginny would not get her revenge at the price of Kayla's peace of mind.
With a great deal frustration, she slammed the tankard down. Damn. Meek didn't have its rewards. Several deep breaths brought her emotions under control and slowly she raised her gaze to meet the insufferable Norman's.
"Slave, see to my bath!"
Slave Chappie5
This time when she crept back into Draco's room, Ginny was wary. The sunrise had lit the way as she carried the water and wine into the room. Last night she had been victorious but today she would see her defeat. Her stomach twisted with every step taken toward her aversary. Matching wits and wills with Draco de Malfoy was dangerous. She hated to admit it but it wasn't his strength but her weakness that placed her at a disadvantage. For the first time in her life Ginny was aware of the opposite sex- and not just any man but the man who took away her world. Thank goodness it was daytime.
The door opened and she looked inside. There was a pile of blankets on the bed. She looked around the room in a full circle before continuing. There was no where in the room that a man of his size could hind. She placed the wine of the table and poured the water into the basin.
"Where were you last night?"
She gasped and whirled around. "Where did you come from?"
He stood with his arms folded across his bare chest and looked down at her. "Nevra, I am not a mystery. You are." He was to close to her to think. She tried to step back but the table was blocking her. Draco placed a hand on the table on each side of her, cutting off her side escapes.
"I am back now," she said with a false brightness.
"Oui, Nevra, you are here now."
"Is that not what you want? A slave to server your needs?"
A smile spread across his lips and the sight of it warned her before his hands closed around her arms. "That is exactly what I want."
"Nay, 'tis daytime."
"That, my dear, would serve you well if I had any duties that needed my attention."
"But you have duties. EVERYONE does," she said, feeling a rush of panic. Could she have been wrong about men and their bed needs?
"I have entrusted my brother with more responsibilities."
"Why?"
"Because you keep disappearing at night."
Her heart was doing summer-salts. Oh Merlin! She had made a grave error. She knew that her time of out-wit him was over. Her knees began to weaken and she felt the panic raise into her chest. "Would you force a maiden?"
"'Twill not be force, my dear."
Ginny relaxed. If he would not force her then she had nothing to worry about. "I am relieved to find you a man of honor."
"Honor?"
"Aye, you will not force me, so I have nothing to worry about."
"Have you never been with a man before?"
"Nay, I have not chosen my mate."
"You would do the choosing?" His question mirrored his disbelief.
"Aye"
"You have strange customs here."
"Our customs are different. I am sure that you would not like to be at someone else mercy and yet, you expect me to be overjoyed."
"Enough. I realize it is better to be among the victors than the vanquished. But you cannot expect me to feel sorry for you."
"I did not ask for your pity."
"Oui, you not ask for anything. I actually admire that about you."
"Why would you admire me?"
His hands cradle her face. "Why do you make things so hard, Nevra. Is compliance to a Norman betrayal?...Is that why you fight me? There is nothing you can do. Nothing. I have won the right to you and I plan to enjoy it."
"Why?"
"Because you are a beautiful woman." Then it hit Draco, she didn't think she was beautiful. Draco moved her in front of a looking glass, "Look at yourself, what do you see?...Well?"
"Well what?" she asked. "It the face I have looked at for the pass eighteen summers."
"Can you not see what I see?"
"Ginny studied the image in the mirror." Red hair, too many freckles, and eyes the color of a field newly churned for planting."
"I see hair, a rare color that I have never seen before." He let his fingers drift through her hair. "The shade has all the warmth and fire of a flame but it soft and cool like a flower petal. Angel kisses on your cheeks that beg a man to kiss each one of them. The proud chin, bright eyes, lovely mouth that has driven me wild every night that I have been here."
She shuddered as his hand continued to work their magic. He stroked and massaged her skin with feather-light touches.
"Please, I can not think with you so close to me."
"Passion is not a matter of the mind. I am a man and I cannot resist you." His lips grazed her cheek. "Are you a witch?"
Ginny felt her heart stop, did he know? "If I were, I would not be a slave. Please..." she answered trying to hind her fear.
"Please what, Nevra?" His lips moved over her face. A shiver of pure delight shot through her spine. Then a strangle weightlessness came over her, as if her bones were gone and her support was coming from him. "Just trust yourself." His breath caressed her ear, then his lips were on her chin and making there way down her throat.
"You must stop."
"Why, does this not feel right?"
Right and wrong didn't matter at the moment. Ginny was lost to Draco's soft touches. To a maiden never kissed it was overwhelming. He nuzzled her neck and then her shoulder. His arms slipped behind her and suddenly she was lifted and held against his chest. She could hear his heart pounding at the same fast speed as her own as he crossed to the bed. Just as her was about to protest, Draco's lips covered hers again and the bed beneath her.
Draco joined her there, his hands all over every inch of her body. The tunic she wear was open and pushed around her waist. Ginny gasped as he took to kissing and licking her nipples.Ginny was lost. She could stop him as much as he could stop the rain from falling.
She wound her arms around his neck and shoulders, drawing him closer in a silent acceptance. He gathered her into his arms, embracing her within caress that promised much more. His month covered hers and his tongue slid across her parted lip, teasing, stroking, and tasting, before consummating the kiss.
Suddenly, there was a loud pounding on the door. "Draco, are you in there?"
Ginny felt her tense as he raised his head and glared at the door. "What is it, Aden?" he called out, his voice was husky.
As the door open, Draco cursed, and hitching up the cover to shield Ginny's naked body from his brother. "Draco, there is a Scottish entourage. They had sent a message to ask for a audience."
"What do they want?"
"Within the hour they will be at our gates with a man that swears he is your slave's betrothed. He says that he will challenge you to fight for the maiden."
"What?" Draco turned his gaze on her. The warmth that had singed Ginny moments before was gone. "Who is he, Nevra?" he demanded. When she remain silent, he said, "You told me that you had not picked a mate."
"My brother must have taken matters into his own hands."
"When the Scotsmen arrive, send the intended up here," Draco said to his brother.
"Would you wish to shame me?"
"I wish to see how matter the man desires you." She looked at him confused. "It is simple, if you intended walks into the room, sees you look this, and still wants to fight than it is greed, not lust, drives him." apparently, she still saw the confused look on her face. "There is still the matter of your missing fortune. Did you think that I had forgotten it?"