Author's Notes: Here's Chapter Eleven! Enjoy! Hope you guys are enjoying the story so far!
Chapter XI
Iliana had no room to argue with Tristan's declaration that she was going to be staying with him in his room tonight. If anything, it provided her with a sense of relief. Not only did she not want to be left alone tonight, it also confirmed how much Tristan truly cared for her. She buried her face into his neck as he carried her, breathing in his scent that calmed her down from her panicked mode almost immediately.
She eventually felt the softness of a blanket at her back as he leaned over and set her down gently on his bed. She begrudgingly pulled herself away from him, resting her head on the pillow, and she watched as he removed her boots and set them at the foot of the bed. Before he could do or say anything else, he heard a soft knock on the door.
"Tristan?"
It was Vanora, calling from the other side of the door.
"Come on in," he called back.
The door swung open to reveal the redhead with a panicked expression on her face. When she saw Iliana, she immediately calmed down and breathed out a sigh of relief.
"Arthur wants you to meet him in the conference room and give a report of what happened," she announced.
Tristan nodded.
"Can you stay with her until I get back?"
"Of course," Vanora replied.
As soon as Tristan left the room, Iliana sat up as Vanora approached the bed and sat down on the edge.
"Here. I brought your slip from your quarters," the redhead said, handing the fabric to her.
"Thanks," Iliana said with a nod, letting out a groan as a slight wave of pain racked her head. "Can you help me up?"
Vanora nodded, giving the young girl a slight tug up to her feet off the bed. Another wave of pain surged through Iliana's head, and she waited for it to pass before going behind the screen in the far-off corner to change.
"Galahad told me what happened when he came to the tavern. Are you okay?"
"I'm still a little shaken up from the initial shock of it all, but I'll be fine," Iliana replied. "Based on that guilty tone you just used, it sounds like there's more to the story."
Her sharpness surprised the redhead, and, knowing that she was waiting for an explanation, continued.
"The men and I were fully aware of Gregor. During the late evening before the men left on their last mission, Tristan and Dagonet overheard him boasting about how you were going to be his, body and soul, even if it meant taking you by force. They informed all of us about it, and Arthur suggested we didn't tell you anything about it so that you wouldn't worry over it as part of their plan to trap him and his cronies.
"Two wenches who frequent the tavern told Arthur that three of the girls they knew went missing after leaving with Gregor. Unfortunately, there was no solid evidence to nab him until now, even with his history of harassing women."
Iliana hummed as she emerged from behind the screen in her slip, running her hands over the fabric to straighten it out.
"Basically, I was the bait to trap Gregor and catch him and those bastard friends of his."
"Are you angry that we used you as part of the plan?" Vanora asked.
Noting her empathetic tone and the hurt expression on her face, Iliana shook her head as she laid back down on the bed.
"Nay. In honesty, I'm grateful that you and the men have been watching my back and caught those bastards," she replied. "It was at the expense of me taking a kick to the stomach, getting grabbed by my hair and thrown down to the ground, but I'm glad they got caught in the act."
"Galahad told me that Tristan was ready to choke the life out of Gregor for what he intended to do to you," Vanora pointed out.
"Had I not been stunned from getting thrown on the ground, I would have stopped Tristan from killing Gregor," Iliana announced. "Men like Gregor are not worth killing, and I wouldn't have wanted Tristan locked up for it. If anything, I am a firm believer in karma, and it will come back to bite him and his cronies hard in the ass now that the truth has made itself known."
Vanora nodded.
"Because of your attack, I'm giving you tonight off to recover. Are you going to be okay?"
"I should be better by around this time tomorrow, and I will definitely be back to work by then too," Iliana replied. "Oh! Before I forget, Elsie, the seamstress, wants to see the both of us tomorrow. She has some dresses in mind for us to wear at the upcoming festival."
Vanora's eyes lit up, but before she could inquire any further, the door opened to reveal Tristan.
"We'll talk about it more tomorrow. I'll leave you two to it," she announced before taking her leave, leaving Iliana alone with the scout once she shut the door behind her.
Iliana rolled onto her left side as she and Tristan stared at each other. He moved to sit on the chair just across from the bed, but she cleared her throat and patted the spot on the bed next to her.
"Look, while I appreciate the fact that you're trying to be noble and respectful, this is your room. I don't want you thinking you can't sleep in your own bed just because I'm occupying it. Come."
Tristan felt his stomach flip when she suggested he lie down next to her. After a moment of hesitation, he removed his jacket and boots before lying on the other side of the bed.
He didn't miss how her cheeks were flushing a slight shade of pink as they stared into each other's eyes. They just stared at each other in silence for what felt like an eternity before she reached out towards him. Her fingertips barely grazed his skin, stroking the side of his face before pressing her palm into his cheek. Her thumb stroked the ink that marked his cheekbone, the talon marks symbolizing his Hamaxobii roots. When he reached up to stroke her arm, his touch sent a surge of warmth and pleasure throughout the expanse of her arm. Her hand descended downwards to his neck as if it had a mind of its own, and to her surprise, she felt his pulse racing beneath her fingertips. Was it because he was so close to her, or was it because of something else that she didn't know about?
When she attempted to pull her hand away, he surprised her by grasping it in his hand and entwining his fingers with her own. While her hand was tiny compared to his, they complemented each other perfectly.
"Thank you for watching my back and ensuring I was safe from harm," she said, despite her throat going dry and her voice threatening to falter. "I also want to apologize for being such a royal pain in the ass this past month. I'm sure all of this regarding you following me around has led to me being a thorn in your side that you can't shake off."
The scout was silent in response, but Iliana saw his reply in his eyes. They had an affectionate look that she had only glimpsed twice before, and it made her heart flutter.
Yet, she couldn't help the doubtful thoughts that were racing through her mind.
Am I truly to be his ray of light? All I've been doing this entire time is keeping my distance, made brief contact with him in the few moments we've mingled, and I've even pushed him away when I was at my most vulnerable. How am I to really see myself as the woman he wants when I don't see myself that way?
"Ili, there's something that I want you to hear. So, I need you to listen closely," Tristan spoke, his voice soft and gentle as he kept his eyes locked with hers.
Her voice caught in her throat, and unable to speak her reply, Iliana simply nodded.
"Of all the things to describe you, cursed is not one of them," he began. "I know you doubt yourself. It's clear in that sad look that I've caught behind your eyes so many times. When I look at you, I don't see a cursed girl, but I can see the light that has shined and broken through the darkness clouding my heart for as long as I can remember."
"Really?" Iliana asked, the doubt clear in her voice. "The last time I can recall, I lost my light and my ability to shine the night my father died. I still view myself responsible for him dying a slow, painful death throughout the years he fought his illness."
He didn't miss the bitterness in her tone as she spoke those words.
"Your father did not leave this Earth wanting you to be unhappy, nor does he hold you responsible for his death," he argued gently. "He loved you, and he wouldn't have wished guilt and pain on the daughter that he loved and cherished so much, especially because she was the last connection he had to her mother, the woman who shined through the darkness that clouded his heart."
His words struck the depths of her heart as she thought things over. She never doubted her father's love for her; it was clear on how he always doted on her and made time for her, regardless of whatever demons he was battling in the depths of his mind. He wanted her to have the life that he never got to have, and she received that said life besides a fresh start in Britain.
"I don't get it. Why do you care so much for me, Tristan?"
There was a moment of silence that dragged on for what felt like an eternity, and right when she was about to give up and drop the subject, he spoke up.
"My father was also a knight for Rome, but he couldn't handle the darkness that his time in servitude plagued his mind with. He died by suicide when I was five, leaving just me and my mother."
Iliana had to swallow the gasp that threatened to leave her throat. She knew that there were some men not strong enough to handle the demons of this servitude, and when they can't stand it any longer, they simply end the pain the only way they know how. Had her father not met her mother, there was a high probability that he would have taken that same route.
"I grew up quickly to ensure that I fed myself and my mother. I never had a normal childhood. My father's suicide turned me into an outcast that the other parents didn't want their children around me, and I still feel that way, even now.
"During my eighteenth spring, my mother fell deathly ill to where all we could do was wait until it was her time. It took three days before she died, and when she did, I felt I lost my reason to live. When the Romans came to collect their latest band of knights to train, I jumped at the chance, deciding to meet the end that I wanted in combat.
"At least, that was what I originally hoped for."
Despite having kept a straight face, Iliana felt the shock throughout her entire body as she took in Tristan's story. She had a nagging feeling that he had a darkness of his own that ran deep, but she never expected it to be as deep as it was. It sounded similar to her own story, except that it was from a different angle compared to hers.
"I know what the darkness can do if you let it control you long enough," Tristan stated. "I don't want to see the remaining light that you still have in you go out. So, I'll ask you again. Please let me in, Ili."
He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, and for the first time in the month since arriving, Iliana saw a hint of vulnerability in Tristan's eyes. He wasn't just sharing this story because he wanted to, but also because he didn't want her to suffer the same way he did for most of his life. She still wasn't sure what he saw in her, but his actions regarding Gregor in combination with what he just told her confirmed how much he cared for her and that there was a man beneath the silent, distant, stoic mask he always had up.
"Considering all the trouble you went through for me and even allowing yourself to be so openly vulnerable to me, I will try for you as a courtesy of your honesty," she announced in a soft voice. "At the very least, is there something that I can do to repay you for your noble actions tonight?"
She watched as he thought it over before he spoke.
"I overheard you and Vanora talking about the festival when I came back this way. Would you allow me the honor of being your escort?"
His gentlemanly behavior surprised her, and if he was reserving it just for her, she would not complain. Perhaps her curiosity about what he was like as a charming lover was going to be satisfied after all.
"It would honor me to have you escort me, my lord," she replied with a smile. In response, Tristan brought the hand he was holding to his lips, giving her knuckles a gentle, tender kiss. Touched by the gesture, Iliana's smile widened before allowing herself to get comfortable before falling asleep.
Tristan brought the hand he was holding close to his heart, which he felt pounding madly in his chest. He wrapped his free arm around her, running his fingers through her hair and taking in the soft feel against his calloused touch. He took a whiff, breathing in her familiar scent of lilac and lavender that never ceased to intoxicate him. If not for his self-control, he would have had no qualms about getting lost in her scent, eyes, body and mind.
At this rate, there was no point in denying it. He had feelings for this young, adolescent girl that breathed life back into the heart that he considered "dead" for so many years. If any other man dared to take her from him, be it another Gregor or someone else entirely, he wouldn't give her up without a fight. The only time he would stand down and let her go was if she ever gave herself to another man willingly. However, he would inform her he loved her, and that he always will love her before letting her go.
As much as he hated to admit it at first, understanding her belief of not being capable of love thanks to their respective darkness clouding their judgments, she captured his heart. Now that she brought her light and life back into it, he wasn't sure that he ever wanted it back.
He leaned forward and planted a gentle kiss on the top of her head, burying his nose into her hair as the moon shined down on her through the window. Her ivory complexion glowed in the moonlight, and he wondered if the rest of her body glowed the same way. He wouldn't dare pressure her into something she wasn't ready for, but when that time finally came, he would worship her like a goddess. She deserved the world, and he would give it to her.
Sleep soon took its hold on him, and he let himself doze off with her in his arms and her intoxicating scent flooding his nostrils.
When the sun rose from the horizon the next morning, it was as harsh as it could be. The light crept its way toward the holding cells, shining through the barred openings of three particular cells. Agonizing screams replaced the silence that usually flooded the town during the early hours of the morning as it flooded those three cells with the intense, bright, burning rays of the sun.
Iliana groaned as she rubbed her cheek into the pillow, breathing in the scent of pine, wood and earth, which she realized wasn't the scent she usually breathed in. When she blinked a few times to clear her blurred vision, she realized she wasn't in her room, but in Tristan's room. She then remembered Gregor and his attempted attack on her the previous night, and it soon came together in that moment of clarity.
Unfortunately, she had little time to dwell in the moment of calm when she discovered that the other side of the bed was empty of Tristan. His scent was still fresh, and she could still see the outline of his body from where he lay. Based on that, he had just left the room. If anything, Arthur probably summoned him again regarding her and the status of Gregor.
Just as she was about to relax and enjoy the tranquility for a little longer, there was a knock on the door.
"Ili? Are you up?"
The sound of Vanora's voice made her smile, and she allowed herself to sit up, stretching her arms up over her head.
"Come on in, Vanora," she replied.
The door opened, revealing the redhead with a tray of breakfast for her.
"Oh, Vanora. You didn't have to do that. I was going to take a walk to the tavern," she said, rubbing the back of her head.
"My dear, I wanted to, especially after what you endured last night," Vanora said with a chuckle as she sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Thanks," Iliana said as she tore off a chunk of bread.
"How are you feeling?"
"I'm okay now that I'm not as shaken up as I was last night," Iliana replied.
"Good to know, because I have some news to share," Vanora announced, catching her attention. "They whipped Gregor and his remaining two cronies many times following their apprehension, and when the sun came up, it shined so brightly in their cells that their eyes and hands burned. There was screaming heard from the cells earlier this morning, according to what Bors told me."
Iliana couldn't help but chuckle in the depths of her mind as she glanced over her shoulder out the window behind her.
Did you have something to do with this, Father?
When the light shined down on her, she had her answer.
"Speaking of the men, were they summoned again?" she asked. "Tristan wasn't here when I woke up."
"Aye. A couple of reports came in of a group of Woads getting too close to the Wall up north," Vanora explained. "They left earlier to investigate, and they should be back within a few hours."
Iliana nodded, internally praying for them to return safely.
"Before I forget, Elsie wants us to see her today," she announced. "Dresses for the festival and I have an order for a new set of riding clothes to pick up."
"Ah yes. The festival. I cannot wait for us to enjoy it with the men," Vanora said, expressing her glee and delight. "I'm dying to see what you're going to pick out to wear. Whatever you decide on will surely make you stand out amongst the crowd."
"Let me finish my breakfast first and we'll find out soon enough," Iliana said with a smile.
Iliana had her arm linked with Vanora's as they made their way towards the tailor's shop. Vanora opened the door, the bell chiming as Iliana followed behind her. At the sound of the bell, Elsie emerged from the back.
"Ah, Vanora. I was hoping I would see you and Ili fairly soon," she announced with a smile.
"Considering that Ili informed me you had some dresses set aside for us to pick out for the festival, there was no way we were going to pass this up," Vanora said.
"Oh. Before I forget, that new set of riding clothes is ready for you to pick up, Ili," Elsie announced. "You can get them after you pick out what dress you want to wear."
"Thank you, ma'am," Iliana said with a smile and a nod.
"Now, if you lovely ladies will follow me to the back, I have the dresses all set up for you to look at and pick from."
The two of them followed the seamstress to a particular room in the back, and there were several dresses hung and ready to be looked at.
"Here it is. You ladies look around and take your pick," Elsie announced.
Iliana exchanged an excited look with Vanora before the two of them split up to browse the collection of many dresses Elsie offered for them. The two of them browsed for about at least twenty minutes before Iliana heard Vanora gasp in delight, causing her to look up.
"How about this one, Ili?" she asked, holding out a floor length, Celtic-style, V-neck burgundy dress with simple long sleeves.
"Ooh. I love the color. Try it on!" Iliana exclaimed, to which Vanora smiled and nodded before stepping behind a nearby screen. She then emerged from it a few minutes later, and Iliana gaped in delight at how the dress hugged her figure like a second skin. When she did a twirl, Iliana knew the dress was perfect for her.
"It's perfect for you, Vanora," Iliana said with a smile.
"I agree," Elsie said with a nod, before turning to Iliana. "Now it's your turn to find something, dear."
Iliana nodded before resuming her search, coming to see that none of the dresses she came across really stood out to her. She wanted something simple with a hint of elegance that stood out, but also not too low cut or exposing too much that she looked like a desperate whore. Just when she thought there was nothing that would suit her, she saw a hint of yellow from the corner of her eye. When she pulled out the dress, it surprised her to find it was a floor length, Greek style dress. The colors were of an ombre pattern, starting with red on the top, orange in the middle and then yellow on the bottom with a golden belt for the waist.
"Ooh. You picked out a good one, Ili," Elsie announced. "The upper part of that dress can wrap into many styles for the arms and shoulders, and I think I know just what kind of style would suit you perfectly. Try it on, dear."
With a nod, Iliana slipped behind the same screen to change into the dress, and when she emerged from it, she was holding the upper part up to cover her chest as she approached Elsie.
"Okay. Turn around, sweetheart."
She did as she was told and had her back to the seamstress. Once Elsie got a hold of the fabric, Iliana let it go and allowed the seamstress to work her magic. A few minutes later, she settled on having it wrapped to where it hung off Iliana's shoulders, and she adjusted the belt to where it hugged her waist.
"Now it looks perfect on you, Ili. It looks like it was made just for you," Elsie announced.
"Wow, Ili! You look beautiful!" Vanora exclaimed.
"I can make a few adjustments to where you will really stand out," Elsie announced. "I should get them done before the festival starts, and you will thank me for it later when you see it.
"I also have the perfect hairstyle in mind for it, too. Come back first thing tomorrow, okay?"
Iliana nodded.
"I know Bors will escort Vanora to the festival, but are you going to be escorted by someone, Ili?" Elsie asked.
"Aye. I will be," Iliana replied, surprising the two women.
"Who?" Elsie asked.
"Tristan," Iliana replied, feeling her cheeks grow warm.
Elsie gasped in surprise, while Vanora squealed in delight.
"Oh. I cannot wait to see him dance with you in the plaza!" Vanora exclaimed.
"Guess you'll have to wait for tomorrow and see for yourself," Iliana announced with a smile.
End Notes: Aww...a little moment of vulnerability, because Ili has such an effect on our scout. So, I am not going to wait until next weekend to publish the next chapter, for you I will publish Chapter Twelve tomorrow, and as an added bonus, I will publish three chapters next week as well. Call this my thanks for your continued support and patience as I slowly get back into the rhythm of things. So, thanks a lot, and check back tomorrow!