Vagabond

The Beginning and the End

1100 BC

     "Hmm, darling, wait we should really stop." Adras couldn't stop the groan that left his lips as I kissed down his thick neck.

     Pulling back I leaned up to brush the tip of my nose against his, our breath intermingling in the space between us. I could see the lust swirling inside his azure eyes, his muscles tensed under my fingers as I trailed them underneath his tunic.

     "I don't want to stop."

     We were sitting inside his bedroom, upon his large bed. The wedding is tomorrow night, we aren't supposed to be participating in such activities until then but I needed him to be utterly devoted to me. Over the last few months I have made Adras fall in love with me. What I ask for, I get and if there is any information I needed all I had to do was get him drunk on ouzo and my lips.

     After we had finished, we ended up laying wrapped in each others arms, his fingers trailing across my bare back. Turning over I tucked myself against his chest and looked up into his eyes. I know that he loves me and I know that I feel something for him. Maybe not love, maybe not yet. But part of me knew that I could grow to love him one day. In the process, he could get me and my family what we wanted and I would be the perfect wife and mother for him.

     "You're so beautiful my love." He whispered into the silence of the room.

     My smile was genuine looking at him, "We get married tomorrow."

     He kissed me once again, passionate enough to steal the breath from my lungs and my stomach to flip.

     "I should go," I sat up, "before anyone comes to my room and notices I am missing."

     Before I could make it out of the bed, Adras growled and threw himself back on top of me. My laughter filled the room as his scruffy face pressed into my neck. His long fingers danced across my bare skin as he playfully nipped at my pulse.

     "Or," he started, "I could keep you here forever. My precious bride, keep you locked away in here so no other man can look upon your beauty."

     "Where's the fun in that my lord? I thought you liked the thought of everyone wanting me and only you getting to have me?"

     "You little concubine." He pretended to be serious but I could see the playfulness in his gaze.

     "My big strapping husband."

     "I'll see you tomorrow my love, when we are bound together for all eternity as one."

     He kissed me once more, licking into my mouth and making sure I had something to remember him by for the next 24 hours. It was filled with love, lust, and a promise of something more to come when we met again. I left him there after getting dressed and headed towards my own room. I had grown used to feeling safe in this place. My sisters and I had spent hours exploring the twisting hallways, grand library, and sparkling beaches down below. My room was on the side of the large house, it was as big as our entire house back home and filled with everything I could ever ask for.

     My favorite part of the room however, was the balcony that overlooked the ocean and city lights. If I tried hard enough, it almost felt as though I could see each individual person. I took my tea that was left by my servants and walked out to sit on the lounge chair out there. Sitting underneath the bright moon I couldn't help but imagine what my wedding was going to look like the next day.

      I had picked out the most beautiful dress and my sisters were going to help me get ready before I was given away to Adras and became Lady of the house of Doukas. I was so lost in my thoughts that I failed to notice the door opening in my room. I didn't notice the silent footsteps that made their way across the room to stand behind me. I didn't notice until the lights from my room were blocked by a shadow.

     Flipping around in my chair I expected to see Margareta, she sometimes came to my room to discuss the gossip from that day. A gasp flew from my lips when I found a strange man standing behind me. Within moments I could feel the rush of fear flooding my veins. Before I could do or say anything the man had pulled me inside the room with a rush of speed unlike anything I had experienced before.

     "Who are you? What do you want?" My voice came out much shakier than I wanted it to.

     His hair was long, dark, and stringy. His skin was pale and ice cold where he gripped my neck and his eyes were the color of blood. When he smiled at me my blood ran cold, he looked at me as if I was something to eat. When he spoke his voice was smooth.

     "My name is not important. The only thing that matters is that you listen very carefully. If you scream, I will kill your sisters. If you fight back, I will kill that pretty boy you call husband. If you so much as breathe too loud, I will slaughter every person in this house."

     I gulped and made sure that when I spoke it was quiet, I couldn't have him thinking I was trying to alert someone, "What do you want?"

     Red eyes laughed, "You."