kitchens. It was the entrance used by the cooks and dogs, so was quiet in the still of night. The path to a locked side gate was unmanned. Digging into the front of her low-cut top, Anna pulled out a heavy iron key and brandished it with a theatrical gesture.
Lena blinked rapidly and forced her mind to concentrate. She opened her eyes like slits to fool the abducting pair into thinking she was still unconscious. Lena watched as though part of a macabre dream, as Haigh took charge.
“Just get it open,” Haigh spat.
Obeying with a sullen meekness, the gate was soon ajar, and the trio made their way into the dense wood beyond the keep’s sturdy wall.
Lena counted ten men all mounted. Their horses were moving in agitated circles around a small clearing. A fine looking chestnut horse was the only one awaiting its rider. With a motion that defied his frail looking stature, Haigh flung Lena over the front of his saddle. He pulled himself up behind her and grabbed the reins.
“I thought I would ride with you.” Anna pouted prettily, right next to Lena’s slumped body. From here she could read the desperation in Anna’s face. Lena knew that Harris would be most perturbed to find his prisoner missing, and his wrath would soon turn to the few inhabitants of the keep. Anna had evidently thought that she would be away from any retribution, and safely back working as Haigh’s whore. The very thought of that made Lena’s blood run cold.
“You will return to the keep and inform Harris that his prize has escaped.” Haigh dug his heels cruelly into the animal’s flanks and pulled its reins tight. “I do not wish to be interrupted when I break the spirit of this slut of Rwenor.”
The laughter of the men joined with Haigh’s as they turned away from Harris’ keep. Lena watched as Anna’s eyes flashed with jealous anger as she stood still, watching them depart.
Lena cursed the night, knowing that Pride would have reluctantly abandoned his vigil to seek a place to roost in the surrounding trees. She could rely on the animal to track her the next day, and held onto the hope that help may follow.
Chapter Seven
Dawn saw, Stref Harris arrive at the gates of his keep, breathless yet eagerly anticipating the challenge that awaited him. To think that within his walls he held, not only the infamous Green Bow, but also the clan ruler of Rwenor. All the power was in his possession, and it filled him with a sensation akin to lust. He dismissed the feeling as a pure surge of control, ignoring the small part of his mind that continued picturing the raven-haired girl that he held in his tower room. In his mind, she was licking her parched lips in that beguiling way and looking up into his eyes waiting for his mouth to possess hers. He vowed that his hardening member would not rule this day. The girl would be used merely as pawn to get the lands he so desperately needed to challenge the strength of his avaricious neighbours. Stref had barely time to stable his horse before Anna burst in wide-eyed and panting. Her ample breasts strained at the ruffles that ruched around the plunging neckline. Stref gave nothing more than a cursory glance at the goods on display; then raised his eyes to the flushed face of his servant.
“Could you not await me to step inside the keep,” he drawled. “I too seek satisfaction, but have a task to attend.”
“A task that resides in the tower room, I suppose,” Anna snapped with a deepening flush.
Stref laughed, trying not to allow his mind to return to the girl who awaited him. “If you refer to my future wife; the clan chief of Rwenor then you are correct.”
Anna drew in a breath, her eyes widening in shock at the revelation. “Wife?” she repeated.
“Aye, lass, wife indeed.” He moved closer to the trembling maid and leaned in, his breath caressing her cheeks in a deliberate seduction. “If she is found to be unsatisfactory in the marital bed, I will know where to come.”
Reaching
Lena blinked rapidly and forced her mind to concentrate. She opened her eyes like slits to fool the abducting pair into thinking she was still unconscious. Lena watched as though part of a macabre dream, as Haigh took charge.
“Just get it open,” Haigh spat.
Obeying with a sullen meekness, the gate was soon ajar, and the trio made their way into the dense wood beyond the keep’s sturdy wall.
Lena counted ten men all mounted. Their horses were moving in agitated circles around a small clearing. A fine looking chestnut horse was the only one awaiting its rider. With a motion that defied his frail looking stature, Haigh flung Lena over the front of his saddle. He pulled himself up behind her and grabbed the reins.
“I thought I would ride with you.” Anna pouted prettily, right next to Lena’s slumped body. From here she could read the desperation in Anna’s face. Lena knew that Harris would be most perturbed to find his prisoner missing, and his wrath would soon turn to the few inhabitants of the keep. Anna had evidently thought that she would be away from any retribution, and safely back working as Haigh’s whore. The very thought of that made Lena’s blood run cold.
“You will return to the keep and inform Harris that his prize has escaped.” Haigh dug his heels cruelly into the animal’s flanks and pulled its reins tight. “I do not wish to be interrupted when I break the spirit of this slut of Rwenor.”
The laughter of the men joined with Haigh’s as they turned away from Harris’ keep. Lena watched as Anna’s eyes flashed with jealous anger as she stood still, watching them depart.
Lena cursed the night, knowing that Pride would have reluctantly abandoned his vigil to seek a place to roost in the surrounding trees. She could rely on the animal to track her the next day, and held onto the hope that help may follow.
Chapter Seven
Dawn saw, Stref Harris arrive at the gates of his keep, breathless yet eagerly anticipating the challenge that awaited him. To think that within his walls he held, not only the infamous Green Bow, but also the clan ruler of Rwenor. All the power was in his possession, and it filled him with a sensation akin to lust. He dismissed the feeling as a pure surge of control, ignoring the small part of his mind that continued picturing the raven-haired girl that he held in his tower room. In his mind, she was licking her parched lips in that beguiling way and looking up into his eyes waiting for his mouth to possess hers. He vowed that his hardening member would not rule this day. The girl would be used merely as pawn to get the lands he so desperately needed to challenge the strength of his avaricious neighbours. Stref had barely time to stable his horse before Anna burst in wide-eyed and panting. Her ample breasts strained at the ruffles that ruched around the plunging neckline. Stref gave nothing more than a cursory glance at the goods on display; then raised his eyes to the flushed face of his servant.
“Could you not await me to step inside the keep,” he drawled. “I too seek satisfaction, but have a task to attend.”
“A task that resides in the tower room, I suppose,” Anna snapped with a deepening flush.
Stref laughed, trying not to allow his mind to return to the girl who awaited him. “If you refer to my future wife; the clan chief of Rwenor then you are correct.”
Anna drew in a breath, her eyes widening in shock at the revelation. “Wife?” she repeated.
“Aye, lass, wife indeed.” He moved closer to the trembling maid and leaned in, his breath caressing her cheeks in a deliberate seduction. “If she is found to be unsatisfactory in the marital bed, I will know where to come.”
Reaching
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