Author's Notes: Another week, and new chapters yet again. Enjoy!
Chapter XX
Iliana struggled in vain against a Saxon that had her arms pinned to her back. The bastard was breathing heavily against her neck, and she could see his sadistic glee from the corner of her eye. When a second Saxon attempted to lift the skirts of her dress up, she kicked him in the face, making him spit out blood and a few teeth. In response, another Saxon kicked her in the stomach, knocking the air out of her and making her wheeze. He then grabbed her by her hair, forcing her upwards, and with his other hand, ripped the neckline of her dress open until her breasts were hanging loose.
Someone then slapped her across the face, the impact knocking her down to the ground. A hard body pinned her in place, a pair of hands forced her legs apart, and they ripped the skirt of her dress open. When she tried to scream, no sound came out of her mouth, and she could only cringe and clench her fists in anger at the leering, sadistic Saxons before they raped her.
Iliana gasped slightly as her eyes shot open, her body trembling and her forehead covered in a thin layer of sweat. She lifted her head up off the pillow, and after taking a quick look around, she realized she was in the cottage's bedroom she and Tristan made love in for the first time. When she tried to shift, Iliana looked down to see Tristan's arm wrapped around her waist, and she also realized that she was naked.
That's right. We came back here following the belly dancing performance and made love. Since that first time, he just can't get enough of me, and I don't think he'll ever get enough of me. Once he's satisfied, he'll want more, and I do too.
Despite the memory, her breathing was still erratic thanks to her vivid nightmare. She willed herself to calm down as she tried to steady her breathing.
Calm yourself, Ili. You were just dreaming. The Saxons are nowhere near Britain at the moment.
Thinking back to what she knew about the Saxons from the girls and the letters from Andres, she could only hope that what she had been told was just speculation and nothing more.
She bit her bottom lip to suppress a moan threatening to escape her throat when she felt a warm pair of lips kiss the spot where throat melded into shoulder. She felt the bed shift beneath her as he gently pulled her hair back behind her ear.
"I know that fresh batch of sweat on your brow wasn't from our romp earlier," Tristan purred in her ear, making her shudder with pleasure. "Did you have a nightmare?"
Unable to speak thanks to her throat being as dry as the sand on the beach, Iliana nodded.
He slipped his arm underneath her, rolling her over so that she was facing him. He pulled her closer, and he used his free hand to wipe the sweat off her brow. After cleaning her up, he caressed her cheek affectionately.
"What did you dream about?" he asked.
It was silent for a moment before she spoke up.
"Three raiders held me captive, and they were raping me. I tried to scream, but nothing came out of my mouth.
"They had this sadistic leer in their eyes as they ripped the skirt and the neckline of my dress, and there was nothing I could do to stop it."
She averted her gaze from his eyes, biting her bottom lip as she fought back the tears threatening to pour from her eyes. She kept the part about them being Saxons out, not wanting to concern him any further than she already did.
The hand that was caressing her cheek moved down to her chin, and he tilted her head up so that he could see her face. When her eyes met his, a tear came down, and he wiped it away with his thumb.
"I will let no harm befall you, Ili," he announced. "I will protect you, and I won't let men like Gregor touch so much as a single hair on your head."
She leaned forward, pressing her forehead against his, and she relished in the closeness of him. His presence, scent, and reassuring words provided her comfort, allowing her pounding heart a chance to calm down. As a few more tears escaped her eyes, Tristan kissed them away and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.
"Can I ask you to kiss me to sleep again like you did the night of the festival?" she asked.
He nodded and moved down to her neck, beginning to smother her throat with attention as he rolled over, positioning himself on top of her. Iliana moaned and shuddered as her fingers tangled in his hair, holding him close as she became lost in a haze of pleasure that was Tristan's kisses.
It took some time, but after showering her neck, chest, collarbones and breasts with kisses, Iliana finally fell asleep. Tristan propped his elbow up on the pillow, running his fingers through her hair and also stroking her neck. His gaze fell on a fresh lovebite on the hollow of her throat, smirking at how much of her neck it covered. That spot emitted a loud moan from her that could have flooded the whole cottage out to the beach, and it was music to his ears.
Watching her sleep soundly next to him wearing nothing but the bedsheet was the most beautiful he had ever seen her. It highlighted her vulnerability and how much she trusted him to drop her guard. Seeing her in this state added to his growing love for her, and he wondered how he continued to fall so deeply under her spell.
He replaced his resolve to find death in battle that he spent the past fifteen years looking for with a reason to live. His experience of fighting, shedding blood and killing made him certain that he would never have a normal life once he earned his freedom. Then, when he least expected it, Iliana appeared and resurrected feelings he believed he would never feel. The heart that he believed to have died the day Rome recruited him was beating in his chest, and she was the one responsible for it.
He stilled as she shifted in bed, rolling over so that she was on her side with her back to him. In the moonlight, the tribal tattoo adorning her left shoulder glowed, and he gazed at the picture adoringly. He had not seen it until he and the men watched her dance with her Sirens, and it surprised him he never saw it when they made love for the first time. Considering he was concentrating on her expressions that night, he struggled to think about anything else but her moans and the pleasure he was giving her.
When Bors pointed out the tattoo, Andres explained to them that Iliana wanted a tattoo reflecting her Sarmatian roots for a while, but she never got the chance until recently. She figured better late than never, and he gave her the tattoo. The surrounding skin was still a pale shade of red, but he could tell that it was healing fairly well with the antibacterial liquid. She just needed to allow it a few more weeks before it healed completely.
He reached out to stroke the tattoo with his fingers, and he heard her breathe out a content sigh in her sleep. He cast her hair away from her neck and shoulder and planted several kisses on her throat and on the tattoo. She moaned in her sleep, leaning back towards him until she was pressing against him, her body molding into his perfectly. His heart raced in his chest, and he wanted her yet again. Unfortunately, he had to resist the urge to wake her up and take her. They were due to head out come morning, and they both needed their rest.
He wrapped his arm around her waist, and she took his hand and kissed his knuckles, bringing it to her cheek. He positioned himself comfortably on his side, and he rested his forehead on her shoulder. Her scent of lilac and lavender engulfed his nostrils, and it soon lulled him into a deep sleep.
Iliana stirred from her slumber when the brightness of the sun crept its way into the window. Opening her eyes, she discovered she was lying on Tristan's bare chest. She lifted her head up so that she could see his face, taking in the serene sight of him. Her fingers curled around his chest hair, giving them a slight tug and earning her a sleepy groan from him. A part of her wanted to shower every inch of his toned physique with her mouth, but unfortunately, she had to save it for when they got back to the Wall. She had a lot of making up to do with him, and this would be amongst that list.
For now, she needed to put her scouting skills to the test and show Andres everything that he taught her.
After slipping away from the hold of a sleeping Tristan, Iliana left the cottage and changed into her riding clothes. She then made her way over to the stables and prepared Arion, ready to scout and take in the fresh air, the scent of the grass, and the trees. Her longing to be near the beach satisfied, she was ready to go back to the greenery that most of Britain offered.
"Heading out to scout, my dear?"
She turned to see Andres entering the barn, and noting the look on his face, Iliana nodded.
"Aye. It's about time I put what you have taught me about scouting to the test and show you what I'm capable of."
"It is about time," Andres said. "Be careful out there. I know the Woads have been getting bolder with their ambushes. At the very least, make sure the road is clear enough for the journey."
Iliana nodded.
"Of course. I'll be back soon."
An hour after Iliana left, the Greek refugees were ready to head out, as were Andres, Arthur, the men, and Iliana's Sirens. Being the leader of the refugees, they would leave at Andres's command, with Arthur and Iliana providing additional instruction to the respective groups they commanded. It was a surprise for Iliana to play both leader and scout, but she decided on Sophia to act as commander whenever she scouted to ensure the smoothness of the overall mission.
Tristan leaned back against a wooden post planted in the ground behind him, sharpening his sword as they waited. He prepared Siria for the ride and she was antsy to see Arion again. He pictured Iliana scouting atop Arion in the tunic and breeches that emphasized the body he gazed upon the past two nights, and he realized how addicted he really was to her. Even years down the line, he would never tire of mapping out her slender form with his hands and kissing every inch of her bare skin. He could only imagine the things that he wanted to do to her the second they returned to the Wall.
The sound of galloping and a familiar whinny from off in the distance cut the thought process short. Looking up, Tristan saw Iliana and Arion heading towards them, and she halted the stallion near Arthur and Andres. When he saw her, alarms were ringing in the back of his mind at the sight of the dirt on her face and the bruise he caught on her knuckles.
"The road is clear mostly, but I found some faint tracks that were heading towards the village and fresh ones heading north," she announced. "When I went to inspect, a Woad that was lurking in the brush attacked me. Thankfully, I got the upper hand, and I asked if they followed the men here. He confirmed that, and I inquired if they were going to be lying in wait to ambush them. He told me they had no plans to attack, for they retreated up north before dawn broke, and apparently, they followed the men to confirm if I was still on the island."
Arthur and Andres exchanged looks, while the alarms in the back of Tristan's mind continued to go off. Why were the Woads wanting to know if she was still in Britain? Did Merlin possess some kind of interest in her? If that was the case, they were gathering information, with none of them knowing.
"Hmm…what the hell do the Woads want with you?" Andres asked. "Last I checked, you haven't tangled with them in combat since you got to the island."
"Nay," Iliana confirmed with a shake of her head.
"Merlin must possess some kind of interest in you to send his men out after us to confirm your whereabouts," Arthur said. "However, I would still advise you to be cautious since we don't really know what his interest is with you."
"He must have sent his men to gather information without you or the men knowing about it," Andres said. "Arthur is right, though. We will have to be careful heading to the Wall. Even if the Woads aren't intending an ambush, they're watching us, and will focus on you."
"Don't expect me to be hanging back," Iliana announced. "I do not fear Merlin or the Woads he commands, and someone needs to flush out his spies lying in wait if they intend to attack."
Andres knew the determined look she had on her face, and when Arthur attempted to say something, the Hamaxobii veteran placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.
"She won't take no for an answer, Arthur, and honestly, we could use a second set of eyes scouting ahead. I know she's more than capable of looking after herself, for the best have taught her: me and her father.
"Okay. Ili, you're going to take the lead and ride ahead so that you can also scout. It's not just the Woads we have to worry about. It's also the bandits and raiders that have touched down here."
"Tristan, you will go with Ili and ride alongside her," Arthur instructed, to which the scout nodded.
"As we talked about the other day, we will escort these refugees to the Wall," Andres announced. "Should the Woads or any bandits or raiders attack, the Sirens will commandeer and lead the refugees to the Wall with Ili riding ahead."
"Damn. So much for the opportunity to behead some raiders," Sophia said.
"You'll get your chance soon enough, Soph," Dimitra said, patting her on the shoulder.
"You ladies have nothing to worry about," Lancelot chimed in. "You have knights in shining armor to protect the lot of you."
The two girls shot a look at the jovial, curly-haired knight.
"Define 'shining armor' since I don't see it on you," Sophia said, earning her a few laughs from the others.
"Touché, my dearest Sophie. Too bad you're not in my lap right now or you would have known the accurate definition of a knight in shining armor."
"Yeah. I'm sure I would have," Sophie countered, a hint of sarcasm in her tone.
"Hey! Save the bantering for when we get back to the Wall. You'll have plenty of time to exchange blows then," Iliana announced. "In the meantime, let's focus on escorting these refugees to the Wall safely while the path is clear."
With that, she turned Arion around and kicked into his flank, heading out. Tristan mounted Siria and followed her.
The journey from the village to Hadrian's Wall began. Tristan and Iliana rode about thirty meters ahead, and he taught her some scouting tricks of his own that she never learned from Andres. They proved to be beneficial, for she sniped at least three Woads that were lying in wait, forcing the other Woads that she sensed hiding nearby to retreat. Were they truly intending to ambush them, or were they merely observing for the time being and waiting for the right moment to strike?
She glanced over her shoulder at the refugees, and she noted they seemed to take the trek well so far. The men and the girls tended to the charges assigned to them in their respective positions.
"Did Andres mention where the refugees came from?" Tristan asked, snapping her out of her trance.
"They came from Greek villages up in the far north," she replied. "They fled from the Saxons."
The mention of the Saxons surprised the scout.
"Do they intend to come to Britain?"
"According to what Andres told me in his letters, it's a possibility, but it's unknown for sure," Iliana replied. "I really hope it's just speculation. My girls have been through enough, as is with having to flee what was once their homes to not one unknown island, but two. Ireland and Britain."
Tristan was familiar with how sadistic the Saxons could be, and he could only imagine what her four new friends went through during the process. At the very least, they were safe now, and he wished for all of them to be safe, including Iliana.
"Let's hope we'll be off this island before they come here."
"Aye. I hope so too."
She then turned to look at him.
"When Rome finally discharges you, what do you plan to do?"
Her question caught him off guard, for he didn't know what he was going to do once Rome freed him from his duties as a knight.
"I don't know for sure what I intend to do once I'm finally free. However, one thing I would like to do is return to Sarmatia.
"If I do, will you come with me?"
Iliana couldn't help but smile.
"Wherever you go, I'll happily follow. At the very least, I would love to return to the Greek island of Corfu and see if my old village is still around. Plus, you would get to see my birthplace and why I called it my kingdom as a child."
"I would love to see Greece someday."
"And I promised you I will take you there. You have my word."
She held her hand out to him, and he took it, intertwining his fingers with hers.
"For now, I want to get these refugees to the Wall safely, greet Vanora and the children, and introduce the girls to them."
To Iliana's surprise and concern, the trek back to Hadrian's Wall turned out to be a lot smoother than she expected. Either the Woads had no intention of ambushing them, or they had something else up their sleeve that she didn't know about. As relieved as she was to have returned after a little over a week away, something felt off, and she didn't like how it made her feel.
Upon discovery that the road was clear once the Wall was in sight, there was no need for Tristan and Iliana to ride ahead. So, they ended up riding with the others as they trekked the dirt road next to the Wall.
"Wow. The Wall is a lot larger than I thought it would be," Sophia said in awe as Belen trotted casually down the road.
"It explains why the Woads and the raiders can never trek over it, even with enough stamina and strength," Dimitra commented.
"This is our chance for a fresh start after everything we've been through," Catalina stated.
"I agree. I've grown tired of fleeing and not having the chance to settle down for more than a month," Estrella said.
"You'll have the chance to settle down now," Iliana announced. "When we get into town, I'll introduce you to Jols and he'll help get your horses settled in. After that, I will introduce you to Bors's lover, Vanora, who is also my employer at the tavern. I'm sure she can use more barmaids to help."
"As long as we have a job and a roof over our heads, I think we'll be fine here," Sophia said.
"You'll fit in here just fine, and we'll all see to that," Iliana said.
Once they arrived at the Wall, Iliana left the men to their duties and directed the girls to the stables. When they got to the barn, Iliana saw Jols making his way towards the entrance.
"Jols!"
The keeper turned around at the call of his name, and his eyes lit up at the sight of her.
"Ili! You're finally back!" he exclaimed as he made his way towards her while she and the girls dismounted their horses. "Good to see that you're okay. We were all worried about you."
"I am sorry for leaving without saying a word, but I assure you it had to be done. I just needed to find myself again."
He nodded his understanding before glancing at each of the girls.
"And I see you made some new friends while you were away."
"Aye. Sirens, meet Jols. He tends to the stables here at the Wall. Jols, meet my Sirens, Sophia, Estrella, Catalina, and Dimitra."
She pointed to each one of them as she said their names, and they each smiled and waved at him.
"A pleasure to meet you, and welcome to Hadrian's Wall," he greeted with a smile of his own.
"The pleasure is all ours, Jols," Sophia said.
"Arthur and his men have headed to the council room. Care to take our horses in?" Iliana asked.
"Of course," he replied.
No sooner did he take Arion's reins did a bell of distress ring in the far distance, followed by the call of a Roman guard.
"We're under attack! Woads invading the town! They're coming in from the northern gate!"
Iliana looked at the girls before turning to Jols.
"We'll talk later. Sirens, prepare for battle!"
End Notes: Sorry to leave it on a cliffhanger, but the next chapter will be out tomorrow!