"If you are not happy with the pace I set, go off on your own." Thorn snarled back in undisguised ill humor. He was also tired and sore, but he wanted to get home and the quicker the better. He badly needed to see Aura in his home. None of what happened would feel real until he could see her in the house he had built for them to share.

"Thorn, look at Aura. She can barely stand. Signi fares little better, although she does not try to hide it as your wife does. You keep on at this rate and you might as well just start digging her grave now."

"Drop it Edwin. Aura is my wife she travels as I say we do. Just like everyone else."

Sillgrim broke into the argument, growling as he did. "Had I known this was how you actually felt about Aura, Thorn, I would have asked Vernon to disallow your vows and I would have offered for her myself. Aura would have made an excellent peace settlement."

Thorn's frustration fed rage snapped and he lunged at Sillgrim. He had noticed how the man watched Aura and he had been looking for an excuse to take him to task over it.

"Aura is mine, do you hear me? MINE."

Sillgrim sidestepped as Thorn rushed him, which caused Thorn to overbalance and land face down in the mud. Sillgrim considered it a good indication of how out of control Thorn was, for he knew that there was no way Thorn would have made such a move if he would have been thinking straight. He placed his foot on Thorn's back to hold him down as he snarled.

"I am quite aware of the fact that Aura is yours, just as Signi is mine. Signi is also your sister and you owe them both more consideration than you have given them. I have no intention of allowing you to treat my wife like this. As for Aura, hurt her and you will pay. She saved my life and I owe her a debt. I offer, in return, the consideration and protection a sister, like Signi, would expect to get from a brother, like you. She has no one else to depend upon for her protection. I want you to remember this Thorn, like you, I am also a great warlord. I have no reason to fear you. Even if you have beaten me in the past."

"What do you mean?" Thorn asked as Sillgrim eased the pressure on his back and he rolled over to face him.

"It was through injuries suffered at the end of your sword that I laid in that field. I recognized you the moment I saw you at the banquet. I doubt if you even noticed who you fought, for the fury burned deep within you at the time."

"I felt fury only once, at the trampling of Aura's wolf. He was a part of her, the only part of her I thought I had left."

"It was my horse that trampled the wolf. I did not know whom he belonged to, nor would it have mattered. He was a danger. He had just ripped out the throat of one of my finest warriors. He fought, as we did, against an enemy, and like any other he took the chance at losing. He died an honorable death, now he sits at the right foot of Odin in the halls of Valhalla."

Aura heard her name being brandied about in anger, as well as the news about Wolf. Thorn had not told her wolf was dead. In her overtaxed state, she thought they argued over her. That was not why she had come back. Tired, and with nerves stretched to the limit, she backed off from the men, turned and ran, while they continued to argue. Signi noticed her distressed form of departure and rushed to her bother's side.

"What do you think you are doing? I just saw Aura run from here, looking as if someone had just struck her."

"Aura!" Thorn yelled, as he scrambled to his feet. "Where did she go Signi?" He grabbed her by the shoulders as he blurted his question, with an emotion filled voice.

Signi pointed the way then stumbled against Sillgrim as Thorn shoved her out of the way.

Thorn chased after his wife, although he had no idea where she might have gone. As luck would have it, she had not traveled far. She crouched at the bottom of a tree and cried. It was there that he found her.

Aura turned on him, even as he knelt beside her and took her in his arms. "You did not tell me. How could you have kept something like that from me if you really loved me?"

Thorn shook visibly as Aura spoke and as she finished he held her even closer as he rasped out his reply. "I could not. I did not want to hurt you. We have just gotten back together I thought to give you more time. He died protecting me, although I think he knew you had returned. He tried to tell me, the night before, but I refused to listen. You did return the evening of the battle, am I right?"

"Yes."

"And now you want to leave again. Please, Aura don't go, I could never stand it if you left me again."

Thorn's mouth closed over Aura's in desperation. She understood, she was needed, he did love her after all and wolf had died trying to keep her love safe for her. He had died a valiant death. The kiss began to change in its intensity, becoming more demanding and Aura felt herself spinning out of control as she clung to him. A moment later she fought to retake possession of her feelings, despite a burning desire to go along with what she was feeling. She could not let their need for each other to get out of hand, not now, not like this. Thorn held her, hugging her close and she relaxed against him, shortly after she fell asleep.

Thorn felt her go limp as he held her, still pressed against his chest. He rubbed his cheek against hers, feeling the velvety smoothness of her skin, and he kissed her tenderly. He did not want to wake her. She was so tired. He held her until he quit shaking then with a tired sigh he rose to carry her back to the camp.

Perhaps Sillgrim and Edwin had been right. Perhaps he was pushing them all too hard, but wanted, and needed to get her home. He needed to be sure she was not a product of his imagination.

Edwin, Sillgrim and Signi met him by the edge of the encampment and before they could ask any questions, he spoke.

"You were right. I have been pushing too hard. Tomorrow we will travel at a more relaxed pace." Thorn then took Aura to his tent and put her to bed in his own blankets, before crawling in beside her so he could hold her close.

Signi would have followed her brother to check on her friend, but Sillgrim put a hand on her arm to stop her. "Signi, Thorn will let no harm come to her. He would rather die than to see her sad, never mind hurt. Things will work out if we leave them alone."

Signi nodded and they left to retire to their own bed. Signi and Sillgrim, however, were not content to sleep. They found that despite their fatigue they could not rest until they had exhausted the pa.s.sion that had grown between them. When they settled within each other's arms, their desires fulfilled, she found that she had a few questions for her husband.

"How is it that Thorn can lay with Aura as he does, feeling what he does for her and not want to do what we do? Are not all men naturally l.u.s.ty?"

"I would say no more than most women, not all men are the same. Thorn and Aura have just found each other again after being apart for a long time. They will work it out between them."

Signi snuggled closer to her husband and murmured, as she hugged him to herself. "I am glad that you are mine and I need not worry about being mistreated."

He placed a soft kiss against her forehead and replied. "Any man fool enough to beat you would deserve the death he would receive at Thorn's hands." He then rested his chin on the top of her head and went to sleep.

They woke later than usual and found both Thorn and Aura missing. No one commented, or went in search of them, as it was a.s.sumed that they would be together.

Thorn and Aura were together, but not in the way anyone thought. Aura had woken and had, as was normal for her, slipped away from Thorn for her morning bath. He had felt her leave this time and had followed her. He now guarded her bathing time from the edge of the forest, in case someone happened to come upon her by accident. It was at times like this when he missed Wolf. Thorn felt bad about the wolf's death. He had proved himself to be a faithful friend.

Thorn found himself watching Aura, as she cleaned herself and swam, more than he watched for danger and he frowned at his carelessness. Of course he had a portion of an army within a good stone's throw from them, but that meant little sometimes. Experience had taught him that anything was possible. He was definitely going to keep an eye on his wife. It would take them another two and a half days of riding to get home. He had already been shown the error of moving too aggressively. He was not about to make the same mistake twice.

Aura rode seated before Thorn for most of the day, held against him by an arm that curled about her waist. Signi looked askance at Sillgrim several times before she got him to comment.

"Why do you never ride with me in such a manner?"

"Because Signi, we would hold up the speed of our travel. We would not make a mile before we would be out in the woods, otherwise occupied. Perhaps Thorn feels secure with Aura in his arms and finds comfort in it, but I could not do the same thing. Not without stopping to pull you under me several times a day during the trip. You would wonder if you were sore from riding, or from being ridden."

Sillgrim had remained awed by Thorn's control. How could the man; feeling as he did about Aura, hold her all day and not feel driven to drag her off to be by themselves for a while? It was simply not natural. Sillgrim rode beside Thorn, as an end to the day was announced and watched as he dismounted to help Aura down. He then gave a smug smile at what he noticed.

It had taken a lot of control for Thorn to be that close to Aura all day without succ.u.mbing to urges to relieve his need, but he had done it. He had every right to be proud of himself. After Thorn had seen to his ch.o.r.es, he went to a secluded area of a stream and doused himself. The water was cool and managed to sooth his inflamed desires to a level that he found controllably comfortable. He was determined that he was not going to use Aura as Sillgrim did his sister, so that other men could hear them at night from a distance. There were only two more nights until they got home, he was sure he could wait until then, perhaps even an extra day or two, if he had to, until she recovered from the trip when they finally arrived at their home.

Thorn had already decided that Signi could use the cottage to live in, until things got started on their home. That way the couple would have the privacy they would need. It would also allow for Sillgrim to retain a bit of his shattered pride. Thorn was sure that losing the war had cost Sillgrim in more ways than one. It would do them good to be on their own. Thorn wanted Aura to move into the house he had build for her, even in its state of incompletion.

Thorn had seen Signi return the jewels she had worn on her wedding day to Aura and had not commented about them. He had wondered how Aura had gotten them and from who. Was she a Princess who had gotten lost somehow? He remembered asking that question before. He had not received a satisfactory answer. He then decided it did not matter who she had been. She was his now and that was the way it would remain.

Aura rode her own horse the next day and Signi decided to ride beside her. She chattered in excitement about her future plans and what she expected her life to be like as Sillgrim's wife. She seemed pleased and Aura was happy for her. Towards the middle of the day Signi turned the subject on to a more personal topic and Aura quickly grew uncomfortable with the coa.r.s.eness of the conversation.

"Sillgrim says that your relationship with Thorn is next to non existent. Is that true Aura?" Signi asked too loud.

"This is not the place to discuss it." Aura whispered as she tossed her sister in law a disapproving look. She wondered what Signi was thinking. This conversation was not something Signi would have started in the past.

"Perhaps Thorn no longer desires you in that way." Signi gave a smug sniff, speaking in retaliation for her set down. After all, who did Aura think she was anyway? Telling her, Signi, that she was not behaving properly.

Aura made no comment about the remark, hoping that if she remained quiet Signi would catch the hint. She didn't. So Aura picked up the pace a little until they were riding beside their husbands. Thorn had heard several of Signi's barbed remarks as they had joined him and he shot her a warning look. Signi turned up her nose at him and gave a petulant sniff. She was now a married woman and not subject to reprimand as a child would be.

Thorn leaned over to pluck Aura from the back of her horse, and transferred her onto his own. From his place behind her he whispered something into her ear and smiled as she gave a short musical laugh. They then moved off to join Edwin, leaving Sillgrim and Signi alone.

Sillgrim moved his horse closer to Signi's so no one else would overhear them and he snapped at her.

"Even with my background I could tell that the subject you were attempting to force Aura to talk about was crude and not fit for a lady."

"The ladies at court speak of these things, I have heard them. I thought that as we were both married it was a subject we could speak freely of."

"Then you have failed to learn that those at court who actually are ladies do not speak of such matters." Sillgrim did not know about these things first hand, but he thought it was a logical a.s.sumption.

Signi sighed, feeling suddenly meek and guilty then asked, hoping to appease her husband. "What would you have me do?"

To make matters simple he answered: "Just be yourself Signi, do not try to be one of the women at court. I think we all like you better that way. Think on that for a while."

Sillgrim pulled on the reigns of his horse and rode off in another direction, to check on his men. Signi rode alone, looking like a beaten kitten. Well, she decided; if he thought Aura so perfect, perhaps she should try to emulate her. She had often heard how Aura used to fall asleep before Thorn got into bed at night. She would see how Sillgrim liked the same treatment. They were just one night away from home. Let him sleep alone tonight. She was going to deny him access to her bed.

Signi's well-made plans turned out to be a waste of time, for when Sillgrim entered the tent she found she could not feign sleep, even enough to fool him for a moment. He just chuckled at her little game and decided to join in. His wife was not only predictable, but so very obvious in her efforts to retaliate. He also thought she might be a little jealous of the bits of attention that he gave Aura. He could have told her that the sentiment was wasted. He did not want Aura. He was curious about the woman, but he did not l.u.s.t after her, not anymore. He had Signi and he was happy with his bride.

"Thorn says when Aura falls asleep before he goes to join her, he just spends the night holding her. It makes him feel closer to her. It would make it easier on me to hold you if you would at least pretend to sleep properly and relax Signi." Sillgrim half instructed, half teased.

Signi turned to face Sillgrim as she hit his chest. "I thought such things were not spoken of."

Sillgrim laughed and answered: "Amongst ladies they are not. Amongst men they quite often are. Signi, from what I have heard from Thorn they have a very different kind of relationship than we have, perhaps for them it is best. But it does not mean that it would be right for us. Let them live their lives their way."

She nodded then asked. "Do you know what the plans are for tomorrow?"

"Yes," he answered. "Edwin will leave us at first light. Thorn says we are to prepare for a change in the weather, he says we are due for some cold rain and we are to dress with this in mind."

"It is only a little over a half a day ride from here to Thorn's home. With weather such as you describe I am surprised he does not rise now and rouse the men to get to their homes, instead of waiting until morning." She gave the matter a moment thought then asked. "Does he do this for Aura?"

"No Signi, he does it for all of us and this includes the horses. We all need the rest. Tomorrow will be soon enough to get home. Everything will turn out, you will see."

"Yes," Signi answered with a sigh. "We will."

For once Signi and Sillgrim just went to sleep, silently curled about each other and content to be that way. Signi woke at first dawn and seemed surprised to feel so cared for, why? She almost felt precious. No wonder Aura and Thorn seemed so pleased with their lot in life.

Early in the morning Edwin bid everyone goodbye and galloped off with his men. In a few hours he would be home with Elizabeth and his family and he could hardly wait to get there.

Thorn decided to make use of whatever they had left of the good weather and followed Edwin's example. Sillgrim rode alone amongst the men for a while then moved up to join his new family. An hour from home the weather broke and the rains began to fall.

Sillgrim laughed at Thorn as he once more pulled Aura from her horse, and sat her before him, covering her with his cape. Aura was engulfed in darkness, caught between Thorn and the cape that covered them both. Sillgrim followed Thorn's lead and pulled Signi before him, to cover her. Their horses were taken to seat two men.

The people of Thorn's neat little town watched from their huts as the combined forces from Thorn and Sillgrim's army swelled the population. Thorn's men soon dissipated as they had homes to go to. Sillgrim's troops were ordered to make camp. Sillgrim had been told that Thorn would show them where their new home would be. There they would settle, make homes, plant crops and hopefully find a way to live in peace.

Either way there was no real hurry for Sillgrim to build his new home. The cottage would do for a time, but he did not want to make it a permanent thing. He wanted to be near his people, so he could rule over them properly and guard his lands.

Thorn smiled as he rode to the middle of the town and called to his people. "I bring you two surprises. First: the company of the new neighboring lord, his lady and his men. You all know Signi, my sister. She is now the wife of Lord Sillgrim, whom Duke Vernon has placed under our supervision. Sillgrim will guard and protect our South East gates. Now," he paused as he opened his cape and got off of his horse, so he could reach up to help Aura off the horse.

Signi looked at her husband's face and saw a reflection of the admiration shown by the people and she asked. "If Aura would have been free to wed, Sillgrim, would you have married me?"

He read the question right and gave her a direct answer. "Aura was not for me, I soon realized that. I would never have wed her, but it does not stop me from admiring her. She is a great lady." He then kissed her on the side of the head and rea.s.sured her. "She does not have your beauty or pa.s.sion. We are well matched my wife, and I am sure you will be every bit the lady she is, in time. I do not regret my choice of bride. Never doubt that."

Signi leaned back against him in grat.i.tude and sighed. She would not disappoint him. She could be every bit the lady Aura was. She would just do it differently. After all, she was born to it, but was Aura? She watched her sister in law, as she got soaked with the rest of the people around her and smiled. She decided it probably did not matter. Aura was just being herself. It was a natural thing.

Signi called out to Thorn and Aura, as she surprised Sillgrim by sliding off the horse. "We should be getting in, we are getting soaked."

A few of Thorn's subjects recognized Signi and they flocked about her, as they had done with Aura. Thorn, wound his arm about Aura's shoulders and they watched as his sister greeted her old friends together. Signi was obviously uncomfortable, but managed to appear gracious. Sillgrim smiled at his wife, knowing she sought to impress him with her mimicry. He dismounted to stand beside her in order to encourage her. Signi smiled at him, did a quick introduction then suggested they retire to the estate house, where they could change into something dry, warm up, and get something to eat.

The foursome made their way into the house and settled. They dried themselves then ate. Thorn watched the looks of surprise that crossed Aura's face, as she looked about at the house he had built. Now she had a real household, with servants to command. He wondered how she would take to that, knowing that she had loved the little cottage for it's cozy intimacy.

After the meal Thorn took Sillgrim and Signi to the cottage to get them settled. He had sent servants to see to the care of the building earlier and was pleased to see that they had followed his orders so well. He now stood before the fire in the cottage and warmed his hands before getting ready to return to his wife's side as he spoke to Sillgrim. "I thought you might appreciate a bit of privacy as you have been very recently wed." He teased.

"I think this piece of consideration is as much for you as it is for us, am I right Thorn?" Sillgrim teased back.

Thorn just gave him a sheepish grin then answered. "You think my home not large enough to lose you in, Sillgrim?"

"More than," came the answer.

"That is the idea." Thorn replied. "In the meantime, I hope you are comfortable. If you need anything you have but to ask."

CHAPTER x.x.xIII.

Thorn looked through some of the things Aura had brought with her, wondering at the texture and quality of the clothes and other items before dismissing them as unimportant. He then noticed a small stack of jewelry cases placed on the chest.

He opened each one and spread the cases out to display the jewels. Who had she been? The question struck him again. He looked at the a.s.sortment of diamonds, emeralds, sapphires and other precious gems. She had told him that she was the unwanted daughter. He wondered what the daughters who had been wanted owned. He walked up to her side and brushed the petal softness of her cheek with the back of a finger. It no longer mattered, whatever she had been before, she was his wife now and there was no question of how much he wanted her.

Thorn undressed, doused the light, and climbed into the bed to gather Aura close. He noted the warmth and softness of the feather blankets that surrounded them and smiled as the heat of the covers soaked through him. He approved of her ideas on comfort. It was his last thought before he sighed and fell asleep.

Dawn broke and with it Thorn noticed a chill. He reached for Aura, to share her warmth, and found nothing. Within moments he was out of bed, dressed and out of their room. He ran down the stairs yelling her name. When he got to the front door he jerked it open. There was a heavy morning mist rolling in from the river towards the house and he could see next to nothing.

It had happened again, he had just gotten Aura home to lose her again. Thorn could barely breathe his chest felt so tight. Somehow, as he stood on the threshold of their home, he managed to take a deep enough breath to fill his lungs and he screamed her name to the world. The name sounded as if it had been ripped from his throat.

It was time, Aura noted as she heard Thorn scream her name. She braced herself and took a deep calming breath. She had been standing near the edge of the forest awaiting a sign that he had noticed that she was missing. It had not taken long. She dropped the cape onto the ground. She would collect it later. She then began to walk towards the house with steady, measured, steps. It made her feel as if she was in a theatrical production. And well, when a person thought about it, she was trying to create an effect so the description fit. She got to the edge of the mist and kept walking.

Thorn saw Aura the moment she began to emerge from the fog and he stood watching her mesmerized by the view. She looked like she was materializing out of the mist itself as she was coming towards him. A breeze lifted the fog. It swirled about her, giving him a clear view of her and he noted her state of dress, or was it undress?

His first inclination was to rush over to her to cover her, she was almost naked, or at least there was not much of the dress to cover her upper body. He did a quick scan of the area then realized that they were alone and that the show she was putting on was for him alone. He slowly smiled in appreciation of her efforts and decided to watch her come the rest of the way to him. As Aura got close enough for him to hear her she began to speak. Thorn listened in wonder at what she said.

"I have been sent to you through time over many centuries from the future, to be your bride and wife. I have left my life behind of my own free will, to be with you. I will never return to my own time again."

Thorn said nothing as she reached him. He picked her up and carried her to their room. As he put her down he kissed her then murmured. "You will drive me crazy woman."

Aura smiled as he said that, pressing close to him as she returned his kisses and guided his hands to her back to teach him how to undo the clasps and zipper of the gown. Thorn gave a throaty growl as her gown slipped from her to form a silken pile on the floor. She was driving him wild, his hands shook so hard he could not seem to get his own pants undone.

Aura was not being any help to him, as he fumbled with the ties on his clothing. She was standing next to him, casting him molten looks, touching his shoulders and chest, running her fingers down his arms. He stopped his struggles for a few moments as he captured her and kissed her with a deep growing pa.s.sion. Her mouth opened in silent invitation beneath his and the kiss deepened, to go on and on until neither of them was quite aware of where they were.

Aura had not quite expected to be so affected by the teasing of her husband. She had meant to rouse him into wanting her, but from the moment she had touched him it had seemed as if she could not keep her hands off of his body. No matter how fast he moved he wasn't able to get himself undressed fast enough to satisfy her. They kissed, his arms crushing her to himself and her hands moved from his shoulders to the knot he had created on his trousers when he had tried to undo them. She undid the knot and raised her arms to encircle his neck as he picked her up.

Somehow, Thorn found, he had managed to get rid of his pants and he was on the bed with his wife. He was frantic in his need for her. He had planned this moment, although it was not happening the way he had imagined. He wanted to love her slowly, showing her what she had missed but he couldn't wait. He parted her legs, as he devoured her lips with his and entered her.

Aura's body moved to meet his and she whimpered in her search for release. Their joining was wild. Frantic. Explosive. Thorn felt her climax a heartbeat after his and as he lay over her, trying to catch his breath while listening to her fight for her own, he chuckled to himself. He had forgotten how abandoned and wanton she could be. G.o.d had been kind to him.

Thorn then remembered her words to him, as she had come to him from out of the mist. "I have come to you from over time, many centuries in the future." Could she be a witch? Thorn wondered then answered himself. It was not possible, but n.o.body was going to know about this but them.

Thorn rolled over onto his back, taking Aura with him and she gave him a self-satisfied smile. Well, he thought, why not? She had every right to feel pleased with herself. He was definitely pleased with her. He felt her move against him as she reached to nibble at him from his chin up to his ear and he squirmed as he felt his body reacting again to her love play. He could not believe he was ready for her again and he could not believe she wanted him so soon. He had been sure that he was going to have to exercise restraint with her. Now he felt anything was possible. He was not about to let her take the initiative in their lovemaking. He rolled back over onto her, pinning her beneath him, and gave a wickedly seductive laugh.