The moon stays bright, when it doesn't avoid the night.
Tony impatiently waited for the sneaky woman to get down from the stable roof. He couldn't believe her audacity. He saved her from drowning, let her rest in his home and she brained him with his own candlestick! To add insult to injury, she had taken his coat and ran across his rooftop to escape. As if all the demons in hell were after her. Why was she trying to escape so badly anyway?
"Sir", the woman said nervously, "Please call your beast off. He won't let me move."
He smirked at that and whistled. Tigliath obeyed his summons and jumped down from the roof. Then he saw her lean frame walk across the roof, her features hidden in the shadow of the night. She gracefully climbed down the trellis and stood in front of him, still in the shadows.
Tony stared at her, slender and tall, impudently wearing his coat with her arms shoved in the pockets. Her strawberry shaded hair was ruffled. He wanted to see her face clearly. Before he could move towards her, she stepped into the moonlight.
God's teeth, this woman is beautiful. She was willowy with fine, delicate features and porcelain skin. She had a regal bearing. Even though she was shorter than him, she had straightened her shoulders and was somehow looking down her nose at him. The coat had opened and now his libido was busy leering at the sight of her in the short tunic. Skinny but curved in all the right places, with a gentle flare to her hips.
Alabaster, long, lean, firm legs, that seemed to go on forever. They would fit around my hips so perfectly, moving with me in passion. The unbidden sensual thought sent a surge of lust through him. He forced his mind to focus on her face. I was right, she has cerulean blue eyes. They looked at him piercingly and he felt as if she was searching his soul. There was defiance and fear in their dark blue depths. You should be scared, this is no ordinary man, the dragon hissed and Tony tightened his jaw.
She raised her head and asked defiantly, "Are you quite done looking me over, my lord? Or should I turn around?" in a low, cool tone.
So she was determined to be brave and face him down.. Tony chuckled inwardly. He would use a domination tactic to show her whose in charge. "Face the wall and put your hands behind you, now".
She looked at him askance but did as he told. He closed the gap between them, picked up a coil of rope from the ground and bound her wrists together tightly. She did not struggle and he turned her around to face him. The fearful look in her eyes was more pronounced now but she still stared straight at him.
"Do you feel safe now, my lord, since I cannot attack you?"
He smirked at that. This one seems to be a fighter. I admire that. No tears or histrionics for her.
He gestured towards the workshop and said "Step into my parlor, said the spider to the fly."
They walked to the workshop and he unlocked the door and stepped in. He lit the lamp by the door and gestured towards the large bench. She sat down on it, looking at the floor.
He stood in front of her. "So tell me, my lady, what were you doing out on the frozen lake, pretending to be a man?"
She murmured, "I do not have to answer you my lord. I'm not one of your serfs." not looking at him.
"Agreed but these are my lands and I have a right to know why you are trespassing."
'
That seemed to irritate her and she gave him a stern look. "I did not intentionally trespass and I was trying to get to the village before night fall. I did not know these are private lands. I thought they were the abandoned lands of the ..." she trailed off.
Ah, the lands of the infamous Iron Knight. Little do you know you are sitting right in front of him.
He said "My lady, that's just a myth. Designed to scare marauders and children. I hope you weren't running from the Knight in your foolhardy flight across the frozen lake." He chuckled at that. "Now why don't you thank me for pulling you out of the lake and saving you from drowning?"
His charm didn't work. She snorted derisively and said "Why should I thank you? I ran across the lake because of you and your threatening demeanor."
He stared at her incredulously. Here she is tied up in my house and SHE is showing me attitude. "I tried to tell you to stop. And what was so threatening about me? And why were you out there in the middle of nowhere in the first place? What sort of lady dresses up like a man and wanders around alone..".
His question streak was interrupted by a low growl. At first he thought Tigliath had followed him into the workshop. But the big cat was nowhere to be seen. Then he looked at his house guest, who had turned a deep red in a most alluring manner. He was fascinated by the way the redness seemed to bloom across her face and spread to her delicate neck and ears. He was oddly charmed by it.
I think I've never seen a woman do that. My preferred feminine companions are too jaded to blush, even with all my innuendos.
He realized with a start that the noise had come from her. "Are you hungry?"
She looked at her feet and nodded slowly.
He stood up and walked to the table in the corner. There should be something to eat around here. Jarvis would bring his dinner out to the workshop when he knows Anthony was too busy tinkering to bother about eating. He found an apple and brought it to her. Then he reached behind her and untied her hands.
She took the apple and bit into it daintily. It seemed as if she was trying to control herself. Then her control slipped and she started to bite into it with gusto, like she hadn't eaten in a long time.
Where are your manners? She's starving! There's definitely a story here but it can wait.
"I'm sorry." he said contritely and she looked at him inquiringly. "I didn't realize you were hungry. My questions can wait. Let's go back to the house, I'm sure there are left overs from dinner."
They walked to the main house and went to the kitchen. Tony found some thick soup and bread. He placed it before her and silently watched her wolf it down with some cheese as well. As she finished, he poured her a glass of milk and she drank it noisily. She rubbed her mouth with the back of her hand and stared at him warily.
Play it cool Tony. Don't frighten her. She seems so vulnerable.
"Let's have some introductions. What is your name?"
"Virginia Port..." she hesitated here. "I am Lady Virginia Port".
Hmmmmm, a lady. His instincts were never wrong
"And I am Lord Anthony Edduard Stark." She instinctively smirked at his pompousness but then quickly, controlled herself. "What happened to you, milady?"
"I, was uh ambushed... I mean, I was travelling to a friend's wedding and my caravan was attacked by robbers. I managed to escape in the chaos but no one else survived. I was wandering through the woods, trying to find my way to a familiar place."
"Where are you from?"
"From... Upper Cumbria. My land... My keep is in Cumbria. The wedding was in Midgard."
Midgard was a two day ride from here.
"You were travelling alone?"
"Yes, I mean I have, had a maidservant." Her eyes brimmed with tears and Tony grimaced. "But she died in the attack. I was left with nothing but the shirt on my back."
"Why were you dressed as a man?"
She hesitated and he said, "To avoid unwanted attention?"
"Yes" she murmured.
He rubbed his jaw and asked "Is there anyone in Cumbria we should contact? A husband, parents ...?"
"No my lord, there is no one. I'm an orphan."
Just like you. No one to contact if something happens. And no one will cry when you die. whispered the dragon.
He looked at her earnestly and said "Well my lady, for what it's worth... I'm sorry I scared you and you nearly died for it. I would never have hurt you. I hope you can forgive me."
She looked at him from under her lashes and then bit her lip. He felt his groin jerk.
"My lord, I am sorry too. I shouldn't have hit you with the candlestick. It was cowardly of me."
He smiled and said, "Since apologies have been exchanged, let's get some sleep. Tomorrow is a new day and we can discuss more in the morning."
