Thorn gave a battle cry as he drew his sword and headed for the man who had been chasing Aura. Edwin followed close behind his brother. He also drew his sword to lend his brother support.

The man, who had been preparing himself to pull Aura off of her horse, had been doubly surprised, first by Aura's sudden disappearance then by Thorn's appearance. Thorn's battle cry was successful in causing the man to freeze in his confusion. A few moments later he lay dead on the ground. The man's supporting staff scattered, faced with the prospects of the two fierce warlords before them. Thorn, noting their defection, turned his attention to Aura's retreating form. He saw her pull herself back onto the horse's back, and saw that she continued to ride. He decided to leave her go on her own.

"That was Roberts," Edwin stated as he rode up beside his brother and watched Aura right herself, her wolf hot on her heels with his tongue lolling out of his mouth as he ran.

"I know." Thorn answered his brother as he chuckled at her earlier action. "I guess I will not have to worry about him anymore. I will tell Vernon about it when we get back. Roberts, for all his faults and weaknesses, was still a good fighter. He will be sorely missed.

"She has learned a few tricks or remembered some old ones. I must say I am glad she did not ride like that when I chased her. I am not sure what I would have done if she had disappeared in the darkness of the night. It would be an interesting battle trick."

"I would not want to try it in full armor, think on that. You might also take note that the maneuver takes time. It could be time you don't have in a fight." Thorn pointed out.

"Perhaps not, but it is still an interesting trick." Edwin refused to be swayed from his admiration of the feat.

'Doubtlessly it has a place and you probably saw where it is best used." Thorn's voice was toneless, although a hint of a smile touched his mouth, belying his words.

Thorn was amused by his brother's awe, almost as much as he had been with Aura's actions. He knew his brother would have hared after her, if it would have been his place, but he also knew that with any other woman than Aura he would have had to personally escort her home. Then, with a short laugh, he revised that thought. With any other woman than Aura he would have never had to worry about riding to her defense in the first place. The Lady would have stayed in her room all day, preparing herself for the marriage and the arrival of her bridegroom.

Life was definitely going to be interesting with Aura, but he had decided on a method of taming her down. Fall was in the air early this year, which meant that it was time to head for home. She would find herself stranded on the North Western corner of England with nothing better to do but to see to his home, and bear his child. He had every intention of making sure she conceived his heir as soon as possible. The thoughts of long winter nights lying with Aura brought a full smile to his lips and a sparkle to his eyes, and he urged his horse into a trot. It was getting late.

Thorn did not have to tell Edwin what was going through his mind. Edwin had noted the changes that had pa.s.sed over his brother's features. Edwin smiled at Thorn's impatience and wondered just how welcoming his brother's bride really would be tonight. He had listened in on the maids gossiping in the courtyard earlier as they had labored. All the talk had been of nothing other than how the Lord Thorn had been so hot and impatient for the Lady Aura that he had taken her on the cover of the bed, without the blessings of the church and without even letting her get into the bed, as was considered proper. It seemed they approved, and in some cases, even envied her. As far as Edwin was concerned, it gave his brother a more human aspect. Thorn had always been so d.a.m.ned methodical before and although he had often shared his bed, Edwin knew that none of the women had ever meant anything to his brother before. Not like Aura.

Aura arrived in her room and slammed the door behind her, leaning against it as she raised shaking hands to her face to cover her mouth as she burst into great racking sobs. It was too much. Nothing was unfolding as it should. She was caught in a horrible time. She had to get away, but could not. She had given her word that she would remain for the ceremony and she felt trapped.

FELT TRAPPED! She was trapped. If she was back at home right now she would get onto to the first seven forty seven out of the country and disappear into one of the great cities of the world. Unfortunately she was not at home. She was stuck in some time where there were no cars, planes, trains, or any other decent forms of transportation for that matter; nothing that she could find, nothing they could not strip her of.

She had just had a narrow escape from one man, was destined to marry another, and felt the whole world hated her, or something did. She was scared, tired, and wanted no more than to crawl into her own bed and just go to sleep. For once she wanted to wake up to a normal day in her own time. She just wanted to wakeup and find that this had all been a long and terrible dream.

Signi, after being told of Aura's return, went to Aura's room and knocked at the door. Aura, hearing the rap and guessing who it might be, got up to let Signi into the room. She knew that anything different would be a waste of time. Signi just took one look at Aura's white, tear streaked face and took her into her arms to comfort her as she crooned.

"It will be all right Aura, Thorn will make everything right, you will see. Why, any woman at court would have killed to become his wife."

"I do not want Thorn," Aura wailed. "I want to go home. I do not want to be here any longer. I am sore and tired, and I just cannot stand the idea of spending another night in your ill.u.s.trious brother's arms. I am sorry Signi, I just cannot help it, but that is just the way it is. I want to go home."

Signi was shocked. Thorn was the most sought after bachelor in the realm, and Aura did not want him? It did not bear thinking about. Come to think of it, where was Thorn? He should have been here seeing to this mess. In her confusion Signi went to seek out Vernon for help. He would know what to do.

"Something is wrong with Aura, Vernon. I cannot stop her from crying and she does not make any sense at all. She says she does not want to marry Thorn. Nor is she in any kind of state to attend the wedding."

Vernon chuckled and commented. "Pre-wedding nerves. I would have thought her beyond those after last night. Did she say anything else?"

"I think it is a bit more than that Vernon. She said something about wanting to go home."

"d.a.m.n," he swore as he strode to the door and threw it open on his way to Aura's room. "She gave me her word."

Signi had been hard pressed to keep up to him as he made his way to Aura's chambers. When he got there he did not even knock as he crashed through the door. Aura was sitting on the bed, shaking as if she were freezing cold. Vernon, seeing her condition, yelled at a pa.s.sing servant.

"Get some strong spirits and be quick about it." A moment later he was by her side shaking her by the shoulders. She stopped shivering and looked up at him as if she had never seen him before.

The servant Vernon had sent off for the alcohol ran into the room with a container of the raw spirits and he grabbed it from the man, pouring some into a cup and forced Aura to drink it. He watched her for a moment as she coughed and sputtered then poured her another cup and forced her to choke that down as well. She began to settle down as the effects of the alcohol began to take effect.

The liquid must be some sort of medicine, Aura decided as the drink burned all the way down her throat then threatened to come straight back up. Vernon talked a third cup of the fluid down her throat then sent the flask away. Signi watched as Aura quieted down and even grew placid.

"Was giving her so much a good idea Vernon?" Signi asked as it became clear that Aura was feeling more than a little drunk from the beverage.

"Would you have had her face your brother the way she was?" Vernon clipped back.

"No, but she is drunk." Signi protested. "You gave her too much. Thorn will not like that either."

"Just get her dressed and make her presentable Signi. Thorn probably awaits his bride already, along with the priest below."

Thorn's name registered on Aura's mind and as Vernon rose from his place on her bed, she rose with him to plead. "Please Vernon, do not make me do this. Release me from my promise." She clung to him and buried her face in his shoulder. He put his arms about her and drew her close to himself in a gesture of comfort. He then turned bleak eyes on Signi and spoke in husky tones.

"Thorn better appreciate what he has here, d.a.m.n but she is dangerous. If she were anyone other than who she is, and did not have Thorn waiting for her downstairs, I might have seriously considered keeping her for myself."

"Vernon!" Signi was more than just a little shocked by his statement. She had thought his devotion to Chatelaine absolute.

"Do not act so shocked Signi. The woman does something to me when I hold her close. I cannot help what my mind and body thinks."

"And what of Chatelaine?"

"Chatelaine is the d.u.c.h.ess of my heart and we understand one another very well. You wondered why she seemed so pleased to see Thorn, in particular, offer for the maid? Now you know. She feared no other man could keep me from Aura's bed."

"And Aura?" Signi asked, not wanting to think that her brother was about to marry a woman who loved another.

"Aura is ready to go down to her future husband's side." Vernon led her to Signi and leaned over to add for her ears only. "She thinks of me as a father figure. As I do not feel the same way I tend to not think of it as flattering, it is enough to make me glad that she will not be around to remind me of my age anymore."

Vernon left and Signi got Aura dressed. She got her to wear her white gown again. She then led her future sister in law to her brother, who, like Vernon had said, awaited their arrival. Along with Edwin, Vernon, Chatelaine, and the priest.

Aura was beyond caring about anything at the moment. She felt lightheaded. She had eaten nothing all day and had only the alcohol to drink. The two did not mix well. She took her place beside Thorn, and repeated her vows with extra care on the p.r.o.nunciation and delivery. She wondered whether she would remember her own wedding ceremony as she spoke then decided it would not matter if she did or not. After all, she would still be married and still be the property of the Lord Thorn.

The priest p.r.o.nounced the couple before him man and wife, after blessing their marriage, and Thorn smiled. It was over and Aura was his, by all that was holy and by the laws of man. He turned to look at her, noticing her for the first time as more than a mere future possession. He also noted that she was very drunk. He frowned over that, his eyes snapping in anger at her condition and as he took her into his arms to kiss her. She pa.s.sed out against him. He swore mutely under his breath, lest he scandalize the priest then picked her up to start for what was to be their room for the duration of their stay.

Signi caught him before he got to his destination and pleaded for his attention. "Thorn, please?"

He glared at his sister as he turned to face her and growled. "Yes Signi?" It seemed she somehow knew something about this.

"It was not Aura's fault and if you will take the time to hear my story I can explain everything."

"It seems I suddenly have lots of time on my hands." Thorn remarked dryly then went to put Aura to bed, before returning to his sister.

"Alright Signi, she is sleeping, and since you seem to know so much about it, perhaps you had better tell me all about it." Thorn demanded.

"She was hysterical when she returned from her ride and she was not fit to attend the wedding because of it. Vernon gave her a couple of drinks to settle her down, and I guess she reacted strongly towards them." Signi reported.

"I think that would be putting it mildly. What was she reacting to or may I ask?" Thorn wondered if she had reacted to Robert's attack. He was suddenly feeling guilty that he had not followed her back to her room as everyone else seemed to thought he should have.

"You, if you must know. She seemed absolutely terrified of her future, as well as of tonight." Signi replied.

Signi's announcement caught Thorn by surprise and he answered. "After last night, which she did not seem to fear almost at all, I cannot begin to imagine what she might have thought she had to fear."

"She said that she was sore and tired and that she wanted to go home." Signi watched her brother's face as it cleared and he nodded with sudden understanding.

"She feared I might hurt her Signi. You will understand better after you have been wed yourself."

Signi did not want to tell her brother that she had a good idea of what he was talking about already because she had heard enough about the relationship between a man and a woman to piece together a picture of her own. Some of the stories told by servants, and people in general, were graphic enough to paint a very vivid picture, even to a very naive or stupid person. Signi was neither.

"You had something special planned for her, am I right?" Signi asked.

"Nothing that cannot wait. I wanted to tell her that tomorrow we would be leaving for home. Now I will go to advise Vernon of my plans instead." He had had other plans as well, but thought better than to voice them to his sister.

"Why so soon?" Signi wanted to know, she had hoped to spend time with her brother and his bride as a couple to see how they got along.

"I think it would be for the best if she is to start thinking of my home as our home. She might accept me in her life quicker that way."

Signi nodded. "I am going to miss her, we have become quite close."

"I am glad," Thorn hugged his sister as if he meant what he had just said, and gave her a wide smile. "It is a good sign. It shows she has excellent taste and judgment when it comes to choosing her friends. We should deal well with each other."

"And when will I get to see you again big brother?"

"Before you wed for sure. Perhaps for the yuletide if things go as they should. With luck Aura should be carrying my heir by then. I think I shall enjoy the task of getting her with child." Thorn replied with a wide smile.

Signi nodded, smiling at her brother's train of thought, and felt pleased at her part on their matching. She gave him one last hug and left to go on a bit of a walk. She wanted to do some thinking on her own. Thorn was not alone in his attractions towards Aura, but he was by far the safest. Signi hoped she would have time to tell her this before they left, for her friend had won a special place in her heart and she wanted her to know it.

Thorn joined Vernon as his guest for the evening meal much to his amus.e.m.e.nt. Nor, Vernon decided, was he going to make it easy for the newlywed, for while they shared an easy camaraderie, it was seldom that he got the opportunity to tease his favorite in such a manner.

"We are honored by your presence Thorn. Pray, tell us what is so important that it could drive a bridegroom from his bride on the night of their wedding? I would have thought you otherwise occupied." Vernon teased.

"The Lady Aura rests, as you know, and I am reluctant to disturb her. Besides, I have some news to convey to you Vernon."

"Really? What else have you done today of importance besides killing one of my fiercest fighters and getting married?"

"As far as doing, I thought that would have been enough. What I came to tell you is that we are going home tomorrow. It has been a while since I have spent any amount of time at home, although I have made sure all is well. I need to take my land in hand. There is much to do."

"You are telling me now that you have a wife you will not be so available anymore, am I right Thorn?"

"I will be still available, just not so conveniently so."

"Good. It is what I might have hoped for Aura. She needs someone to care for her, someone to make her feel she is not so alone."

"I want to make my home hers and I want to share it with her. I do not want to just leave her on her own to bear my children and raise them." There were other things that Thorn would have liked to have said, but didn't. He wanted to tell his friend that he wanted to spend more time in his own home, raising his own family. It was time Vernon no longer thought of him as no more than his primary warlord, to be poised and ready to travel at moments notice.

"Who dwells in your house during your absence Thorn?" Vernon asked, knowing he had not yet had time to build much of anything and had little more than what he had heard Aura call a cottage.

"None dwell in my house now, but they will. Over the winter we will build the main stronghold. Over the spring and summer we will build our new home. In the meantime we shall dwell in my house, as it now stands."

"Hardly sounds like the life for a lady like Aura, perhaps you would consider leaving her behind, where she could dwell in comfort." Vernon teased smoothly.

Thorn just smiled as he countered. "Would you leave her behind if she were yours Vernon?"

Vernon laughed as he answered. "Probably not."

Beyond the entertaining conversation, Vernon was actually glad that Thorn had decided to join him. Thorn was always good company, someone he could speak freely with. He needed someone like that tonight.

"Tell me Thorn, as we are alone, I have always thought that beneath Aura's mask of mystery that she hides behind so well, lays a mountain of pa.s.sion. Is this so?"

"Only I will ever know the real answer to that." Thorn replied then gave a smug smile as he added. "And I am not about to complain about what I have found. Oh, and Vernon?"

"Yes?"

"Never ask again. She is my wife, she will never be with you." Thorn gave a subtle warning. He wanted everyone to be clear on how he stood when it came to his feelings about Aura, even his Duke.

Vernon looked as if he was taken back a little at Thorn's words. Had he been so obvious? He was quick to cover his tracks. The last thing he needed was for his most powerful warlord to think he might be harboring a l.u.s.t for his wife.

"You need not worry about me Thorn, I would protect her name and body with my life, but you must admit, she is slightly out of place here. A part of me will always wonder where she came from."

"You have never asked her? That is very unusual for you." Thorn was surprised. Vernon was usually much more curious than that.

"I asked, but she refused to answer." Vernon admitted.

"Perhaps she hides something." Thorn stated, more as fact than anything else, for he had felt the same thing about her since the beginning.

Vernon just gave a bark of laughter then, slapping his friend on the back, he teased. "If she has, she has found the perfect person to hide her secret behind. Go now to your bride Thorn, although I doubt if she has even woke to have missed you."

"That is another thing Vernon never feed Aura strong spirits again. She cannot handle it."

Vernon's expression turned grim as he remembered the way he had found Aura before the wedding, and he replied. "Be happy I did Thorn, you would not have been any more pleased with the way I found her. She asked, or should I say, she begged for a release from her promise to show up at the ceremony."

"I gather you refused." Thorn commented with equal grimness.

Vernon smiled to lighten the mood and answered. "She showed up."

Thorn nodded then made his solitary way up to their room. He was about to claim his bride, and tomorrow he would take his Lady wife home, and although it was a fair sized house, it was not quite what he had even begun to imagine Aura living in. He wondered what she would do or say if he invited her to help him design their new home. He wondered what she would suggest. She seemed so unusual it might be one way of getting to know what she was really like.

CHAPTER XVIII.

Aura woke to a pounding headache, one for which she felt justified in cursing Vernon for. After all, he was the one who had poured three cups of alcohol down her throat. She moved her head, in an effort to find a more comfortable position and gave a slight groan as the movement caused the pain to intensify.

Thorn opened his eyes at the movement, as the sound of her voice woke him, and he looked at his suffering wife. He knew and understood what she was going through for he had often suffered from excesses in the past. He tried to think of a way to help then turned to her for ideas, as none of his had ever worked for him.

"What would you have me do?" He almost whispered.

"In my backpack," Aura pointed to her old sack in the corner with a shaky finger. "There is a bottle of aspirin. Get me two tablets and a gla.s.s of water. You will find the pills in one of the secret compartments."

Thorn had no idea what she was talking about so he brought her the whole bag and she got the bottle herself. A few seconds later she reminded him about the water and he hurried to fetch it for her. He then watched with interest as she took the pills and washed them down with the fluid.

"Thank you." She expressed her grat.i.tude as she pa.s.sed him the cup and set her head carefully back on the pillow.

"Is there anything else I can do?" He asked in concern as he took the cup and set it aside.