Okay folks, so my family is finally all moved in to our new house. Things went well and we moved in without too much trouble. It took awhile for us to get our computer set up and get the internet hooked up, but we finally did and now you all can have a new chapter. Yippee. Now I'll stop my babbling and let you all read the chapter since that is the reason you clicked on this story in the first place.
Chapter Ten
The second that Galahad's lips touched hers, Juliana felt the earth shake beneath her feet. Thunder cracked and a streak of lightening lit the sky. And, as if the meeting of their lips had unlocked the clouds, the rain came flooding from the sky.
Juliana's clothing was soon soaked through, but she barely noticed. Her mind was completely focused on Galahad's warm mouth and the feelings that he was invoking within her. It was as if God himself had reached inside her and twisted her insides together. The feelings that coursed through her were strong and powerful and intoxicating to the extreme.
A third crack of thunder could be heard across the plains, and it jolted Juliana back to herself. Quickly, she pulled away from Galahad.
"Oh Lord, forgive me." She whispered, placing a trembling hand to her swollen mouth. Her eyes looked up into Galahad's. He was staring at her as if she were something precious and desirable. But Juliana knew that the look in his eyes was there only because she had given up to him something she had vowed never to give. Her heart.
She had not meant to give her heart to him. She had not meant to give it to any man. But she had. Slowly but surely Galahad had stolen her love like thieves in the night steal horses and cattle from the pastures. He had weaseled his way into her life, had consumed her every waking thought, then he had taken the one thing that Juliana had vowed to give only to God.
Hot tears cascaded down her cheeks, mingling with the rain. Her body was wracked by the tremendous sobs that came from deep within her soul. She had broken her covenant with God. And all for the wanton desires that Satan filled her with. How could she ever again show her face in church? She could not go back to the church and pretend that everything was as it had been when she left. The others would be able to read her sin on her face as surely as they read the words in the Bible. Juliana would be shunned and cast from the only life she'd ever known.
An eternity seemed to pass since her lips had left Galahad's, but in reality it had only been a few seconds. But seconds was all Juliana needed to drive herself crazy with worry and self-loathing.
"Juliana?" Galahad sounded worried as he brushed his hand against her cheek, wiping away the tears and rain. She turned her head quickly from his touch, and stared at the ground. But Galahad would not be deterred. He took her face within his strong hands and forced her to look at him. And what Juliana saw made her heart stop.
He was looking at her in very much the same way that she wished she had the freedom to look upon him. Emotions played across his face: desire, want, need, fear…love. Juliana wished more than anything that she could return all those feelings, but she couldn't. It was forbidden for her to do so.
"No." She shook her head and pulled away. She could not allow her heart to rule her at this moment. "No." She repeated more forcefully and took another step back from Galahad, turning her back to him as she did so. If she was to keep her wits about her, then she dare not be close to him.
"This is wrong." She continued, saying the words more to herself than to Galahad. "It is wrong and I never should have allowed it to happen."
"How can it be wrong to follow the direction of your heart?" Galahad spoke as if he were a world-weary sage; a man with the answers to life's most mystifying questions.
Unbridled anger surged within Juliana. Anger at herself for allowing her actions and anger at Galahad for making her question the beliefs she had once held so dear.
She whirled about to face him, eyes flashing furiously.
"I broke my vows to God, to the Church. You tempted me and I gave in, like one of those harlots that frequents the tavern." Her voice was filled with an uncharacteristic vehemence. "I am not like those women, Galahad. I will not give myself in such a way. And I should not have kissed you."
She shook her head slowly, all fight seeming to have drained from her.
A bolt of lightening lit the sky and ignited sparks on a tree not far in the distance. A loud crack of thunder, like that of many hooves, resounded across the plains, echoing in Juliana's ears. But despite the noise of the raging storm, silence engulfed the pair. They stood, Juliana afraid to meet Galahad's eyes now that her wrath had been vented, in a silence that was nearly deafening.
Then Galahad spoke.
"Why?" His voice echoed more loudly than the thunder ever could have within Juliana's ears. It startled her enough that she looked up to meet his gaze, which now shared the pent up anger that Juliana had, only moments ago, shown.
"Why?" He repeated. "Why should you not have kissed me? It was what we both wanted. I know it was. I felt the way you were trembling. I felt your heart racing against my own. Why should it not have happened?"
He took a step towards her, and then another and another until, finally, he was face to face with her.
Juliana stared up at him in frightened awe. For seeing him with the rain beaded in his beard and on his eyelashes, and the fire sparking in his eyes, he had never looked more powerful and handsome. Juliana's breath caught in her throat and she found it difficult to breathe with him so near.
"See," he said, as if he could read her thoughts, "even now you feel the connection that there is between us."
He held her shoulders firmly, as if to shake her. But instead, he pulled her closer to him until there was naught but a bit of air between their bodies.
"You cannot tell me that you feel nothing for me." He continued, his voice now barely above a whisper. His head lowered to hers and he once again placed his mouth against her own.
He kissed her. Kissed her with all the passion and want and love that he held for her. Juliana did not return the kiss at first. She resisted, pushing against Galahad as if to make him release her. But he held her tightly, not allowing her to pull away. Finally, she relented and gave in to the kiss.
> > > > >
As she crept back to her room later that evening, Juliana felt a chill through her bones. It was not from the cold nor being in the rain for so long, but from inside her very soul.
She had allowed her passions to rule her. She had given in to the feelings of pleasure and excitement that Galahad's attentions had stirred within her. And for that, Juliana was very sorry.
Everything had felt so new and exciting as it had happened, but once she and Galahad had departed company, the enormity of what she had just done filled Juliana and weighed heavily upon her shoulders.
The apartments above the church were silent and dark as Juliana opened her door and slunk inside her own room. Quietly, she lit her one candle and carried it over to her wash basin. She picked up her comb, the one earthly possession she could truly call hers, and proceeded to work the knots out of her hair. Satisfied that all the knots were sufficiently combed out, Juliana pulled her black dress over her head and folded it neatly. The cold of her stone room penetrated her light shift and Juliana shivered. Wrapping her arms tightly around herself, she quickly blew out the candle and climbed into her bed andburrowed beneath her heavy quilt.
> > > > >
A semi short chapter, but the next one should be longer…I hope. Lol. Anyways, please review and tell me what y'all thought.
quizzabella: Thank you so much for the compliment.
Wander of the Roads: I just love your long reviews :). Your insight and nit-picking is always a welcome thing to read. And I totally know what you mean about romantic rainy scenes. I just love when people kiss in the rain. Lol. I hope you liked this chapter and I can't wait to read what you have to say.
Evenstar-mor2004: Don't we all. Lol.
KingArthurgirl, TRISTANLOVER, greenDayzIdiot, Makayla, the sarahnater, I'm Seeing Stars, kim, grullo-cowgirl, problemgirl088, June Birdie, andMedievalWarriorPrincess: Thank you all so much for reviewing this chapter. I love to read what you guys have to say and I can't wait for your thoughts on this chapter.