mattress and met my back, pressing my body closer to his. I felt myself melting at his touch. Butterflies rushed from my stomach to my heart, and then through my arms to the tips of each of my fingers. I wanted more, but…
This wasn’t right. I pulled back slowly from his tender kiss. Blood rushed to my brain. I felt dizzy, as though I was balancing on a cloud in a storm. I fisted the cloth of his shirt in my hand and focused on the dark weave.
Now I could think more clearly. I had brought Eric to the party to break up Aurora and his relationship, but I had never meant to hurt her. She didn’t deserve Eric, but I hadn’t meant to…
She didn’t deserve to be hurt by a friend. Especially not this friend, her lifelong friend, her best friend.
“Eric, I have to go. This was wrong.” I cast down my eyes as I left his room, feeling utterly ashamed. I had put my trust in silly visions and not in reality.
Aurora and I have our differences, but this can only lead to ruin.
1204
I sat on the doorstep of my house, waiting, as always, for my love. I knew his travel schedule perfectly, and he knew that I would be waiting for him. Any minute now Eric would walk down the beaten path, leading his pony and cart to the armory. He did this once a month, my only chance to see him. All the other days, he would toil with metal in the shop under his master’s watchful eye and command. He would work his hands stiff. He had no chance for romance on those days. His master would never permit it.
So there I sat with a basket in hand, awaiting the arrival of the man I desired more than anything or anyone. I awaited the chance to gaze into his perfect eyes and share a swift meal with him. These were the days I longed for. When we would share loving moments together and wish it would never end.
I saw his figure emerging from the dust in the distance. A sandy shadow of a boy, horse, and cart. I stood and hurried down the road to greet him. He trudged ahead, face down, leading the horse after him. I called out his name and he slowly raised his head at the sound of my voice. I stared, horrified at the large gash that cut down his left cheek. His torn flesh was raw and crusted over with dirt and sweat. Parts of it still bled and the blood was smeared thinly over his face.
“What happened?” I asked as he hugged my body tightly against his chest, as he always did.
“I was disrespectful. I deserve this.”
“No, no one deserves to be whipped. No matter what they’ve done,” I told Eric.
He laughed. “Understand that you are the only person in this world who believes that.”
“Then I stand alone, tall and proud.”
“Hardly tall,” he teased with a grin, but he winced from the pain it caused.
“Come, now,” I told him, tugging at his arm. “We must clean that out before it festers.”
“I can’t. A battle is brewing in the east. The armory has been cleaned out. I tow this lot to the king. It’s much farther and I must be prompt.”
“Surely you have a moment,” I said as I ran ahead, stumbling into my house. I emerged from the structure with a bowl containing water and a cloth and hurried to return to his place on the dusty road. Gently, I began to clean his face as we walked side by side, followed by a horse and a cart.
CHAPTER 7
HEART TO HEART
I sat on my bed trying to forget my last dream, as well as the night before, when Eric kissed me. I felt so lost and alone. It was early afternoon and so far I had accomplished avoiding everyone. I simply stayed in my room, door shut and locked. A knock came and I ignored it. There was no reason to answer. It came again.
“Sandy? Are you in there?”
It was Eric. I should answer. I needed to set him straight before he had time to think about last night. The kiss was so short, maybe it had slipped his mind. I heard alcohol could make you forgetful. I opened the door and guarded the opening.
“Hi, Eric. Sleep well?” I asked, trying to act completely
This wasn’t right. I pulled back slowly from his tender kiss. Blood rushed to my brain. I felt dizzy, as though I was balancing on a cloud in a storm. I fisted the cloth of his shirt in my hand and focused on the dark weave.
Now I could think more clearly. I had brought Eric to the party to break up Aurora and his relationship, but I had never meant to hurt her. She didn’t deserve Eric, but I hadn’t meant to…
She didn’t deserve to be hurt by a friend. Especially not this friend, her lifelong friend, her best friend.
“Eric, I have to go. This was wrong.” I cast down my eyes as I left his room, feeling utterly ashamed. I had put my trust in silly visions and not in reality.
Aurora and I have our differences, but this can only lead to ruin.
1204
I sat on the doorstep of my house, waiting, as always, for my love. I knew his travel schedule perfectly, and he knew that I would be waiting for him. Any minute now Eric would walk down the beaten path, leading his pony and cart to the armory. He did this once a month, my only chance to see him. All the other days, he would toil with metal in the shop under his master’s watchful eye and command. He would work his hands stiff. He had no chance for romance on those days. His master would never permit it.
So there I sat with a basket in hand, awaiting the arrival of the man I desired more than anything or anyone. I awaited the chance to gaze into his perfect eyes and share a swift meal with him. These were the days I longed for. When we would share loving moments together and wish it would never end.
I saw his figure emerging from the dust in the distance. A sandy shadow of a boy, horse, and cart. I stood and hurried down the road to greet him. He trudged ahead, face down, leading the horse after him. I called out his name and he slowly raised his head at the sound of my voice. I stared, horrified at the large gash that cut down his left cheek. His torn flesh was raw and crusted over with dirt and sweat. Parts of it still bled and the blood was smeared thinly over his face.
“What happened?” I asked as he hugged my body tightly against his chest, as he always did.
“I was disrespectful. I deserve this.”
“No, no one deserves to be whipped. No matter what they’ve done,” I told Eric.
He laughed. “Understand that you are the only person in this world who believes that.”
“Then I stand alone, tall and proud.”
“Hardly tall,” he teased with a grin, but he winced from the pain it caused.
“Come, now,” I told him, tugging at his arm. “We must clean that out before it festers.”
“I can’t. A battle is brewing in the east. The armory has been cleaned out. I tow this lot to the king. It’s much farther and I must be prompt.”
“Surely you have a moment,” I said as I ran ahead, stumbling into my house. I emerged from the structure with a bowl containing water and a cloth and hurried to return to his place on the dusty road. Gently, I began to clean his face as we walked side by side, followed by a horse and a cart.
CHAPTER 7
HEART TO HEART
I sat on my bed trying to forget my last dream, as well as the night before, when Eric kissed me. I felt so lost and alone. It was early afternoon and so far I had accomplished avoiding everyone. I simply stayed in my room, door shut and locked. A knock came and I ignored it. There was no reason to answer. It came again.
“Sandy? Are you in there?”
It was Eric. I should answer. I needed to set him straight before he had time to think about last night. The kiss was so short, maybe it had slipped his mind. I heard alcohol could make you forgetful. I opened the door and guarded the opening.
“Hi, Eric. Sleep well?” I asked, trying to act completely
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