CHAPTER 16
After the last few days, I desperately wanted life to return to normal. I had another sword lesson with Will in the afternoon, but Father let me sleep in and come to the market an hour later than usual. It was greatly needed and much appreciated. I decided that it would also be wise to check on the supply of our most valuable clothing in the lily grove, which I had only looked in on once in the last month. For obvious reasons it was painful to go there, but still the best hiding place I had found yet. I made a mental note as I was washing up for the day that this needed to be done in the next few days.
I headed to the market, keeping a sharp out for Sir Guy and any of his guards that might happen by before I took my secret path to the market. I was now very aware that he might take more extreme measures to find out where I was, so I felt it necessary to be painfully conscious of my surroundings at all times, and these days I never traveled anywhere without my practice sword concealed beneath my long cloak.
The morning flew by quickly, with many purchases made by other tradesmen. The positive thing about our business is that everyone needed clothing to stay warm, especially as winter arrived. Hats, cloaks and scarves seemed to fly off of our table as the weather grew colder, and I kept my hands busy with another headdress, one that I planned to wear for my own wedding someday. I tried not to think of that the one I had made for that brat Sabine.
Soon it was two hours past noon, and Father released me to go to Will's for my lesson. I knew the way and so felt confident walking there by myself, and enjoyed the crisp weather and the bit of damp in the air. It was raining only lightly when I arrived and found Will in the smithy, sparks flying off of a piece of sheet metal that looked familiar. I called out, "Will!"
I had not realized it from my distance, but Will was only wearing his tight fitting breeches and no shirt while he worked, swinging a hammer against the sheet metal. Despite the rain and cold, a light sheen of sweat shone on his muscled upper body, and I had to force myself not to stare. He was very lean, almost coltish, but with strong muscle tone that rippled down his shoulders and back as he swung the hammer again and again. I ran my tongue over my lips, wondering if I should call him again or simply enjoy the sight in front me. I forgot that Will had a keen second sense, and turned to see me staring at him. I blushed as he grinned slowly.
"Spying on me, eh?" he said cheekily. He reached to his left and pulled on a stained shirt, then looked a bit embarrassed. "Sorry if I shocked you. The sleeves get in the way when I'm working. I didn't realize the time." He glanced at his work. "It's your sword. Want to come have a look?"
I nodded, stepping towards the hot forge, and peered inside. Will had cut a pattern to the sharp tip and been filing and hammering away at it. The shaping was beautiful, though unfinished, and I regarded it curiously. "So the hilt will be there," I said, pointing, "and the end there."
"Yes, Will said, taking a pair of tongs to pick up the hot metal. "I'm not done crafting the hilt yet. I'd like to make it special, if there's any request you want to make at this point."
"Just make it strong," I said firmly. "Not that you wouldn't. I'm just more aware that I may need it."
Will gently laid down the metal and looked at me, concerned. "Sir Guy again?" he asked.
"Yes," I replied. "But Will, you don't know the whole of it. I haven't wanted to tell you because I care for you. Sir Guy and I have...a history."
It came out of my mouth before knew I was going to say it, and I immediately regretted my words. Will's eyes grew sharp, anger simmering underneath them.
"Do you?" he said.
"Yes."
He considered this for a moment. "This sounds like a conversation to have sitting down, not standing in the rain."
I waited.
He sighed and indicated the door to the house. "Come in. I have some decent wine inside and I'm going to need it." I grimaced but politely followed him indoors, and sat at what appeared to be the family table. It was much simpler and cruder than the one at our house, but a fire crackled nearby and the house felt full of good spirits. Will returned, bringing a jug of red wine and two cups. He filled each to the brim and then held his out. "To Sir Guy," he said, his face unreadable.
"Sir Guy," I said, feeling odd about this whole toast. I took a good large sip, relishing the taste of the alcohol, and the way it burned a little going down my throat. Will had drunk his whole cup, and reached to fill it again. Before I could take another sip, I stared, watching him drain a second one in front of my eyes. I paused for a moment, then downed my own, deciding that perhaps I didn't want to be sober for this conversation either. Almost coughing, my eyes watering, I put my cup down to see Will laughing. "Steady now, I'm more practiced at this," he said. "Though I think two cups will do for the moment." He breathed out once, deeply. "There. Now say what it is you have to say. The drink will do the rest."
I felt nervous suddenly, and began plucking at my shift, avoiding his eyes. "Sir Guy and I were…courting."
Will's eyes widened. "Courting you? Sir Guy?"
I looked at him crossly. "Am I so repulsive, then?"
"No, no." Will said quickly. "I had imagined he was trying to win you over in some way, but courting—"
I suddenly felt the need for another cup of wine, and quickly refilled. "I know, it seems utterly impossible, but I swear to you, Will, it is true. He brought gifts every day. He said—"
Will's eyes looked wounded, but he regarded me clearly. "That he loved you?"
"Yes," I managed to say. "And I believed him, fool that I am." I took a great gulp from my glass, and began to feel a curious spinning in my head. "He came back from France with a horrible woman that he's going to marry. Now he tries to tell me that he does not love her." I drained the last of my glass, feeling slightly unsteady.
Will regarded me plainly, a smile playing about his lips. "To Sir Guy," he said, lifting his cup.
I smiled just as ironically. "Sir Guy," I said. My head was positively spinning now. "And to Will Scarlet, who told me to never assume it's safe. I think it saved me from being bullied by him again last night."
I reached for the wine jug again, but Will's hand stopped me. "Nyssa, that's enough," he said.
I looked back at him playfully. "Perhaps I want to be drunk," I said. Along with feeling much warmer, I also felt much more free to act as I wished, and I found myself standing unsteadily. Will looked up at me, concerned, and I noticed how his eyes shone in the firelight and his pulse beat gently in a vein along his neck. Feeling evil, I found myself slowly crossing the distance to Will. I leaned down, touching his cheek affectionately.
"Perhaps I want…other things as well," I said.
"Don't encourage me, Nyssa," Will said seriously. A fire had come into his hazel eyes and burned there. "Not unless you mean it."
I laughed, feeling lighter than I had in a long time, and abruptly tipped myself too far to one side. Will reached out to catch me and ended up pulling me into his lap, where I sat, giggling like a simpleton. "You're quite a flirt, Will Scarlet," I said, tapping his long nose. "Giving me too much wine and then taking advantage of my state."
"Oh yes, I'm quite the tease," Will said, his voice a tone lower. His hands went around my waist. "You should be careful. I might not let you go for a while, either." His eyes searched me, seeming both inscrutable and knowing at the same time. Despite my lack of inhibition from wine, I tried playfully to squirm away, but he held me there in the strong grip of a metal worker, and gave no quarter. "No, no, I don't think so," Will whispered sensually. "You started this game, so you'd best learn to finish it."
He reached up gently to touch my face and draw it closer. "Seduction is much like swordplay, you know," he said softly, tilting my lips to his. "This is just like a sword thrust," he said, breathing on my mouth. His lips grazed mine before I turned to the left.
"Ah, so that's your block. So what if I did this in return?" he asked, turning my head back to his, his tongue dancing along my ear. I felt heat rising in my body and flushing my chest as Will's hands crept up to my shoulders, gently pulling the fabric away from one. "Or this?" he asked, tasting the bare flesh there. I sighed, feeling the heat gathering under my dress as his tongue grazed along my skin. "No defense? Does this mean you surrender to me?"
In answer, I moaned sinfully. I felt an answering hardness grow underneath me and shifted, hearing Will gasp in response. His mouth open, his eyes half closed, he looked remarkably erotic, and I felt myself growing warmer where our bodies touched. I shifted again, feeling his manhood against me, giddy with the control I had over him. Another gasp escaping his lips, Will then seemed to decide this was enough. He abruptly pulled me up to a standing position so that we were face to face and took my head in his hands.
"Kiss me, Nyssa," he said. "You know how I've wanted this."
I did. I leaned in and pressed myself against him as he gently explored my mouth with his own. His hands travelled down my neck and shoulders as he did so, wrapping around tendrils of my hair to come back up to my face. I let my hands roam through his hair as well and down his narrow frame. Both of us began breathing heavily as the kiss went on, the wine deep in our heads and bodies. I felt Will grasp me, pulling me against him as he stood, then pressing me down on the table as he began softly assailing my neck and chest. I pulled him closer to me, missing this, missing the feel of a sexy man pressing himself against me, and Will was sexy, gentle and aggressive in a completely different way. His hands travelled down my body, over my breasts to meet between my legs, and I let out a small gasp. I felt him reach beneath my skirts and was surprised by his boldness as he touched my wetness and then took his hand away, staring at me as he ran his tongue down a long finger.
"Mmm," he said. "You taste as sweet as those lilies you always smell of."
The lilies. Now I could not help it; my last private moment with Sir Guy came rushing to the front of my drugged consciousness. I tensed, suddenly far away and remembering how I had experienced the same feelings of euphoria, only to have them end in misery. I saw Will's hand go back underneath my skirt, and started to resist…but then was under his spell again as he teased my womanhood with a practiced hand, drawing moans out of me. Oh this was torturous…he was really quite skilled…and not only with a blade….
I felt his hand move faster and faster against me and was unable to combat the screaming tyranny of my body. The pleasure rose up in waves from my lower body, cresting and falling until I was nearly there. Will continued his pattern, faster and faster, and just as I was about to arrive…
…Guy's face intervened, and it was his lips I was imagining against me, his voice I wanted to hear, his burning eyes I wanted to see. I turned, biting my hand, so that Will would not see my reaction and that I could not finish. My body went limp, and I grasped his other hand.
But Will Scarlet was no fool. He took his hand away from me, and gently covered my legs again, stroking one as he did so. "What happened, lovely? I had thought I was doing rather well," he said impishly, smiling a bit.
I took a long breath in, then out, and looked up at Will. "I'm sorry. I just haven't…done that…"
"With me?" he asked.
I looked away. "Yes, with you." I answered tonelessly.
"But you did that with him?" Will said, his voice a bit cold. "And it went better, I can tell."
Stung, I sat up and swung myself off the table. "I should go. This was all a mistake. I'm sorry, Will. I had too much to drink." I tried to smooth my skirts and my hair before Will gently blocked me.
"Nyssa, this was not a mistake. It is the most wonderful thing that could have ever happened. Don't blame the drink; I know it was more than that," I knew it too, but was afraid to admit it.
"Forgive my jealousy; it enrages me to think of him touching you. He's unworthy," Will said, cupping my face in his hands. "Please don't go, lovely. I never want you to be ashamed or hurt when you are with me. You know my feelings for you, and they are stronger than ever."
I took Will's hand and attempted a smile. "It's only that I don't want be caught up if I'm not myself from drink, and I have no wish to hurt you either. You've been so kind to me." I tried to brush past him, but was stopped by his words.
"Then let me prove that neither of us needs drink for me to care for you and give you pleasure," Will said. "Nyssa, I want you to come back—"
"I will come again for a sword training lesson, Will," I said carefully, still holding his gaze. "You don't have to prove anything else to me."
"If I win our first sparring tomorrow, then you must give me the chance," he answered persistently. "If you win, then…you decide what you want."
I rolled my eyes at him. "You always win," I said churlishly.
"Exactly! But I know you will practice now," he winked at me, caressing my cheek.
