6 - Two Years Ago: Interrupted

Neither of us can look away as the cord begins to slip. She’s holding her breath and I pause, bending to steal it from her with another kiss. I bend to meet her mouth with my own, only to pause. There’s shouting outside the door. I draw back, glancing down at Lana. She’s frowning, confused as she watches me. Wondering why I’ve pulled back.

There’s another muffled from outside in the courtyard, over the torrential rain it’s hard to make out the exact words, but the name Lana is undeniable. I watch her face, and the moment that recognition overtakes her desire. Her eyes widen and she flushes, spinning suddenly into the door. So close to the panels that she seems to bounce off it. She’s scrambling for the look like a captive promise freedom and all my unspent passion fades as quickly as it came.

I put a hand on her shoulder and she jumps, startled as she looks back at me, unable to meet my eyes. Whatever magic spell was holding us, it’s broken now.

‘Take a moment,’ I warn her, my voice far calmer than I feel. Low and gravelly, catching in my throat. She stares at my shoulder and I see her inhale. Whoever is looking for her, shouts again. But she closes her eyes, gathering herself. I hesitate before catching the side of her face with my palm once more. She blinks, looking up at me, wary now and I let my fingers fall away.

‘Your dress,’ I gesture to the open fasten and she curses beneath her breath. Fingers fumbling with the bow. I watch the door, fighting the sudden surge of lust that’s so quick to return and betray me. She turns then, back to the door and lifts her chin. She’s ready to face what’s beyond. I can’t help the sick sense of jealousy, it sounds like a man calling.

Claim her! Kilak snarls as I reach around her to unlatch the door, letting it swing open under its own weight. The skies are still pitch black, low hanging clouds pelting the cobblestones with heavy rain. No wonder she was soaked.

‘Lana!’ There’s no denying the man’s voice and she steps out into the courtyard towards the noise.

‘I’m here!,’ she calls softly and he spins. He’s taller than most men I’ve met. His long red hair pulled into a knot at the back of his head. Kill him! Kilak is being unreasonable, but I can’t help the possessive surge I feel as the red-haired giant's expression relaxes at the sight of her. He looks like a descendant from the Northmen in Boren. I wonder if any of my contacts know him.

‘Where have you been?’ It’s another figure who dives out from the side that throws herself at Lana. I pause, watching as the two women quickly embrace.

‘I was looking for you,’ Lana retorts as they step back from another, ‘I got the wrong room,’ she explains and the dark-haired stranger laughs. The unexpected sound steals all the tension between the pair of them.

‘Oh Lana,’ the woman lifts her hand, pushing it through dark hair, ‘I thought’d get washed away in the storm, or fell down a well or something.’

‘I’m not that accident prone!’ Lana’s flushing, and I step out of the door behind her.

‘You-’ the woman stops talking. Words fading as she sees me. She blinks, moving to stand beside her friend, protective. ‘Do we have the pleasure?’ She’s quick, this dark-haired woman. Not missing a beat she takes control of the situation. I can only respect her confidence and determination to protect her friend. The giant has wandered down the line of rooms, in no hurry to join us. He stands on Lana’s other side, silent as he watches me.

‘Madder,’ I touch my fist to my heart, bowing my head as a gesture of respect. I can see the woman thinking, whatever information she’s recalling flashing behind her eyes before she returns the gesture. The giant followed her lead. Lana’s chewing her lip between them both, her eyes fixed carefully on the wall behind me. I can see that she wants to squirm, a drop of water falling from the roof overhand and sliding over her shoulder. But she doesn’t move.

‘Ferrick, Sir,’ she answers, ‘Rune Ferrick and this is Timian Neil.’

‘I’m sorry to have disturbed your rest, Sir Madder,’ Lana looks up then with a smile that doesn’t touch her features, ‘we probably should be going, before we disturb anyone else.’ She glances at Rune then and her friend nods.

‘It was my pleasure, Miss Lana,’ she’s not a Knight like the Giant Timian, or her protective friend Rune, or she would have greeted me as one, so miss it is. I consider that she might be a noble. But outside of accepting their daughters might become Knights like Lady Ferrick, I don’t know any noble family that would let their daughter travel beyond their immediate reach.

‘L-’ Timian moves to speak but a severe look from Rune and he falls pauses, ‘Lana, we have you bags.’

‘I realised,’ Lana grimaces, ‘which is why I was coming to find you,’ she replies, each word pointed. She wants to leave, and can’t wait to get away from me. Taking a step back, but Timian doesn’t move without Rune and she pauses, her blue eyes narrowed with thought before she too forces a smile and turns to leave, ‘good night, Sir.’

‘Good night,’ I nod in response and fold my arms over my chest. The three of them go, vanishing down the corridor covered by overhang and into the dark. I see Lana glancing back, just once before she fades from sight. The thunder and lightning have rolled away but the storm doesn’t seem to be stopping.

You can’t let her go like this, Kilak snarls again, I can feel his disdain and I growl as I turn back into my borrowed. I’m not. I assure him. I can’t let her slip out of my life like that.