After MacLeod paid his friend a visit, The Kurgan asked her about what they shared. She claimed he was had only come to see if she was well and then left, it was a story he easily believed. She intentionally left out the part about Belfiero because she didn't want to worry him. A week passed without incident and soon she forgot all about the mysterious Belfiero, believing that MacLeod had overacted.
A week later they left their castle and went to the village down the road. It was busy day in the village "Count Von Krohn" ruled. Despite being a brutal Immortal he had his village run with a just hand, of course it was only because he put other people in charge. If he had run it directly himself it would be full of slaves to his every wish. He decided to pay the rare visit to the people to look for MacLeod, although he knew the Scottish Immortal would be long gone. He passed up the tavern where Arielle had first gotten drunk after her arrival and instead took her to another place and there they were treated as royalty.
The people were more than gracious as they turned the day into a celebration of the Countess's return. While his mate was distracted by the over enthusiastic hosts, The Kurgan demanded to speak to the keeper of the place. It was a fit, middle aged, and happy man. When he approached the count he bowed his head respectfully and was most formal with his ruler. The Kurgan liked a man who knew his place.
"A man came to my castle last night, a Scot by the name of MacLeod. Have any newcomers arrived?" He asked, his deep voice rumbled in his chest.
The man nodded, he was all business, "Yes my lord. Three men actually. The most recent was the Scot as you said, and he gave his true name, he left during the night." He seemed to falter when the thought of the other two crossed his mind.
"The others?" His count demanded to be told who they were with two short words.
Behind them was an order he dare not go against, "Two other men came while you were away some time ago. The first was an old man, long white beard, clothes the likes of which I've never seen. He spoke with a strange accent and gave me the name of Franz. He had a companion with him, another man. A dumb mute, by the looks of it, he said naught a word but did as his master told him without question. He had no name."
The Kurgan looked over at his woman and saw how her eyes shone with happiness. But it also hid another feeling deep inside that he could see. One of confusion, she was still lost within her head. He left the young man and went back to sit by her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and holding her close. An old man with a younger dumb mute for a companion, there was only one such person he knew who traveled like that. It was yet another Immortal, an Italian named Belfiero. It was an enemy The Kurgan knew all too well, obviously since he could deduce who this Franz really was with nothing more than the description of his companion to go by.
Belfiero was his oldest enemy to date besides the Highlander and Ramirez. A damn Italian, born and raised in Sicily. His first death was a spear to the chest as a fishing accident covered up by his brother. After that Belfiero learned what he was, got a mentor, and then killed him just as The Kurgan had. They were nothing alike though; while The Kurgan relied on his brute strength and surprise attacks, the Italian was more taken to kidnapping his Immortal opponents and torturing them before beheading them. He was secretly filthy rich and didn't try to hide it, was addicted to opium, and always had a human man slave whom he'd use to rape and impregnate women from time to time. He was one of the fastest Immortals and wicked clever. He was also one of the few people that The Kurgan hadn't been able to kill in their first fight.
If he had been here there were only two reasons why. The first of which was obvious; he wanted The Kurgan's head and felt that he was ready to take it. The second was that he had come for the only weak point in his life, Arielle. He had heard of other Immortals who foolishly took human women as wives, Belfiero would kidnap them, rape them and then kill them. The Kurgan didn't believing in putting the women he had raped out of their misery and had let them live with the shame he filled them with. Of course ever since he had come by his mate he hadn't felt the need to touch any other woman.
He remained silent while Arielle laughed at his side, his dark thoughts brooding over the fact that yet another man had his sights on his mate. If word reached The Kurgan that Belfiero came again he would go after him with a vengeance and message to all other Immortals; his mate was his alone and no would take her from him again. He would make sure every Immortal knew of Belfiero's horrific death after he gave it to him. In his since of uneasiness he decided to leave Arielle in a crowd of people where he knew she was safest and decided to go ask other people around the village of they remembered about this "Franz".
While he was gone Arielle happily stayed where she was and laughed with her people. She felt more at home among these people than she ever remembered feeling anywhere else. As she ate what was given to her and watched the people celebrate her she began to doubt that all of her past memories were real. What if they were lies? She didn't believe she was a Hartmann anymore but what if The Kurgan had found her elsewhere, as he said, before the Hartmanns?
At that time he could have easily filled her head with images of some insane time and place and after the Hartmanns too her they were dormant memories, only to be brought back by the man who claimed that she was his. For all she knew she could be anyone and the possibilities about her self identity were physically hurting her head. After a while the inn became stuffy, the air hot, she needed to go outside for moment and politely excused herself.
Once out she ventured to the backside of the inn, a place that led directly off into a small wooded area and beyond that she could see a glen with tall grass and bright green trees. She walked to the glen and enjoyed the scenery. Not long afterwards though she felt a pair of eyes on her back, the same feeling she had when her mate was teaching her how to fight and when they were out hunting when MacLeod visited her. She looked all around but could see no one, and felt in no immediate danger. On her own will she walked back to the inn following another path out. She came upon the same stables where she had the memory of getting sick in when she got drunk a long time before.
She heard the soft whiny of horses inside and entered with a smile. The place was strangely vacant as she walked in through the back, not even a stable boy was around. She thought nothing of it as she went to someone's deep chestnut colored horse, horse being an understatement because this goliath of a creature was the biggest horse she had ever seen. It's head was well above her own and was even taller that The Kurgan's horse! Such a magnificent creature, and when she went to it, it lowered its head to look her in the eye. She smiled and spoke to it softly while she gently stroked its velvety nose.
She heard the shuffling of feet too late, reacted too slowly to turn around and face her attacker. When he grabbed her he threw them both into a clear stall into the soft hay within. He straddled her and fought to pin down her wrists over her head. When she tried to screamed he grabbed both her wrists in one hand, effortlessly pinning them down. He then covered her mouth with a surprisingly clean hand and press down hard to silence her, it worked.
The man wore a dark brown, worn cloak that covered most of his body and face, all she could see was long graying hair. The man shook her hard and then spoke, "Stop shouting you blasted woman and let me speak!" It was a thick accent of a country she couldn't place but knew.
She stopped for a moment and when she felt the man relax she yanked out of his grasp and tore away from him, tripping on her cloak and falling down in the process near the entrance of the stall. He grabbed her ankle and pulled her back to him. She lay on her back breathing in short, quick breaths.
"Who are you?" she asked.
The man held both of her wrists in each of his hands now, he leaned in close to whisper in her ear. "You tell your filthy lover that Belfiero has come," he said.
"MacLeod told me you would come. Are you going to kill me?" She asked.
He laughed, "Not yet. I'll let your weakling of a master have his final way with you before I kill him."
Arielle scowled and glared back at him, "Shut your mouth you pig!" She stood up and balled her fists . "You attack me and then insult my mate? How dare you challenge a Count of Saxony!?"
Like a snake she kicked him in the gut, catching the man off guard. She shot up and jumped on him, forcing him to the ground. She began beating her fists against his chest and for a few minutes she stunned him but when he regained his senses she would be sorry. With a growl of rage the man flung her away from him and then got into a crouch and pounced on her, sending her on her back with him on top of her. He pinned down her wrists again and she looked into the face of her attacker. He was older and she knew for certain that he was an Immortal, he looked too foreign and wise to not be one. His foreign qualities included dark hazel eyes, long graying hair, darker skin. It clicked as to where he came from, she knew it had to be Italy.
While he was on top of her he raised a flat palm and sent it into her cheek, flinging her head to the side and severely dazing her. She cried out and her head rolled in daze. Belfiero's breathing was just a little above normal and his death glare made her cringe. At least when The Kurgan glared at her she would see a hint of sexual tension but in this man she saw something far different. He showed her fury and made her afraid of him. Yes she feared The Kurgan but in an entirely different way from this man, she knew her life was on the line with him. When she looked back at him she took a calming breath and glared at him.
"I have a little message for your Kurgan. While he may already know, tell him Belfeiro is back and he knows all about his little woman. He's lucky that I don't kill you now. Think of it as a warning." Suddenly he leaned in close. "If he wasn't walking in here in a few moments I'd give you something he never could." His hand trailed up her leg and she glared at him while trying to keep her breathing from quickening and giving away her fear. "Actually, come to think of it. I have a friend who would be more than happy to give you what The Kurgan obviously can't." He smiled darkly at her.
She could hear her lover walking closer and looked towards the door, "I doubt it," she hissed. A strong exotic smell crept into her nose and she shook her head trying to get rid of it.
He sat back, "Children," he whispered. He chuckled and then whisked away from her and was gone.
Just as he left through where she had entered she felt an overwhelming sense of dizziness wash over her and let her head fall back in the hay. The scent of her attacker lingered in the air as The Kurgan barged in. He walked down the rows of stalls, not intending to find his mate. He had heard of a Draft Horse being kept in there and he wanted to see the creature. When the mixed smell of opium and insence met his nose he drew his ever-ready sword and spu around. No one was there, where he did find was a stall door open and he went to look inside. There was his mate laying unconcious in the hay. His eyes widened and turned black in ager as he growled and went to her, picking her up in his arms and gently shaking her awake.
"Arielle," he rumbled. "Come to me pretty."
She fraintly grumbled a response, a single name. "Belfeiro." She slumped aginst his firm body and he carried her back inside.
He carried her to the inn and was quietly led to an upstairs room where the wife of the inn-keeper attended to her and made sure she was alright. The name was all he needed to ignite a malstrom of fury and rage within his head. The next time he saw Belfiero the man would pay dearly for getting this close to his lover. Why the italian had let her live was a mystery to him, it could only mean that she carried a message. One he would heard when she woke up
This was an awkward meeting between Arielle and Belfiero, along with his back story, brough to you by Sataria Zardania. Tune in next time to see what happens. The horse I described was a Shire Draft Horse, and I want one so badly. Look them up they're impressive creatures :)