Dalliance

Chapter Nine

"You are going to war? Are you certain?" Holly asked in fear as her gaze met with Nicholas.

"It has been a very large question on my mind for quite some time now, darling. I promise it will be swift as I do not intend on anything but a victory, of course." He moved to the table on the far wall before moving his fingers along the weapons. "We have the best weapons, the most skilled men...even the strongest horses...I will return to you."

She gave a polite smile before he kissed her just as the door came open to show Dawson in the doorway.

"I apologize for my intrusion..."

"Do not mind manners, I sense you are here for a favor?"

"More an agreement."

"I am intrigued."

"I prefer to speak alone..." His gaze shifted to Holly for a moment before her lip gently came open before Nicholas motioned for her to leave them alone. For a moment, she was filled with fear, but seeing no obvious weapons-she thought perhaps it would be a productive and safe conversation.

For over an hour, Dawson was speaking with Nicholas and although she attempted several times, she was unable to hear the details of their conversation. Eventually, they exited the room to find her sitting on a windowsill nearby.

"I am off to instruct our riders to go on ahead...to see if there are any troops preparing for the rivals. I shall be back early morning." He gave her a swift kiss before Dawson then moved from the room and headed directly towards the stables, just allowing her a glance. Although his gaze made her feel relaxed, the look behind his eyes made her worry.

Following him outside, she pushed him to expose the reason for their conversation, but he avoided her, just focusing forward. When he made it to the stables, he looked around before moving a hay bale from its position before pulling her in with him and setting her against it. In a quick motion, he placed his lips just a centimeter away from her.

"I'm leaving."

The sensual moment had ended as she gasped and then glared to him.

"You cannot leave...I cannot bare it without you..."

"You will have to."

"Is it something I have done?"

"I cannot stand to be this close...but so far from you. You tear me apart." He gritted his teeth before gripping his stomach. "You are oblivious to your affect on me and I cannot blame you because of everything you have gone through...but...I cannot watch you pretend with him."

"Where will you go?"

"To war."

Her eyes grew wide in horror as tears formed.

"No. You cannot-"

"It is already decided. I am leaving in a week's time along with his third battalion."

"No. I cannot-I will not lose you!"

"And I will not watch you fall for him. He will shower you with jewels and fantasies I cannot ever compare to. Already, he gives you a necklace and you take his side. You allow him next to you when he does not deserve to lick your shoes! You do not know how painful it is to watch the one you love fight for someone else. You tease me with your actions and hurt me with your words, I cannot bare it a second longer." He turned away from her before she pulled him back.

"I forbid it."

He smirked.

"You cannot forbid me to do something that has already been done. It is no different then you marrying him. I did not approve, I fought against it, and now it is too late. You are falling for him, if not him, then his promises-but it is too much."

"You cannot go."

"Tell me why. Give me a good reason to stay..."

She stayed silent, trying to picture the right thing to say before he threw his arms out in frustration.

"You are so damn irritating! Your eyes draw me in and your lips tease, but you taunt me with this silence. I cannot stay knowing you favor him, knowing you care for him...I have placed my heart for you to have and you-"

Suddenly, and surprisingly, she kissed him. Pulling back, to see his reaction. Bewildered by her action, he smirked before pulling her back towards him. Resting his forehead on hers, he bit his bottom lip before letting out a chuckle.

"You cannot leave, because I love you. I cannot lose you, and I will not let you go."

Running her fingers through his hair, he pushed her back against the loft before pushing her slowly against the wall.

"Promise me, you will never leave me." She demanded as he slid his hand down her waist, resting on her hip.

"I promise-" As he spoke the last word, their lips touched. For a moment, he resisted kissing her before her fingers pulled him into her. Letting out a groan, he pushed her up against the wall as she allowed the kiss to grow from sweet to lustful. His hand continued to move around her body from her cheek to her waist until he gripped her dress.

"I do not want us to be seen..." She said out of breath before feeling him pull her towards the steps that ascended to the loft. Following behind him, he pulled her quickly before hiding away from the guards.

"I have been dying...to smell your skin..." Standing behind her, he drug his lips along her back before she set her head on his chest and he kissed her neck. "I cannot bare the feeling when I touch you...I feel as though I am leaving my own body..."

With his hands around her waist, he gently pulled her towards him before she pulled him in for a passionate kiss. Unable to contain himself, he lifted her dress and took her towards the table. Swiping it off with his hand, the contents fell onto the floor as they both let out groans to the feelings they could not control. Positioning his arm on the wall behind her, she brought her lips to his neck as she pulled on his collar. He clenched his jaw before pulling her towards him.

"I have wanted you all my life..." He spoke quickly and in quick breaths before she moved her fingers to his waist, lifting his shirt from his body. Running her hands along his chest and stomach, she kissed his scars before hearing the sound of heavy boots coming up the stairs. Pulling away and trying to catch his breath, he motioned for her to hide behind a large beam before seeing Nicholas appear on the top of the stairs.

"Did I disturb you?"

"No. I just woke up..." His gaze flickered to Holly as he smirked.

"We are leaving in a few moments, it appears the rivals have camped at our borders and intended on sabotaging our ride. We are leaving soon...gather everything of pure survival necessity."

He nodded before Nicholas looked around and saw the items on the floor that Dawson threw off in a heat of passion with Holly, but continued down the stairs anyway. Dawson watched until he was gone before Nicholas called back to him.

"You will be fit for armor when we get to camp! Make haste!"

"Of course, my lord."

Pulling her from the darkness, he placed her against him before she stopped him. "You are still planning to go?"

"Yes."

"Then why did I beg? What was this for?"

"So when I return, we can be together. I do not care if it is in secret or if we run like savages, I cannot be apart from you...not after this..." Placing his hand on her cheek, he kissed her hard, making her fall towards the railing of the barn.

"I do not believe I can allow you to leave after a moment such as this."

"Imagine the moment we will have when I return."

She nodded before he gave her one final kiss before hurrying down the steps.

"Come back to me." She spoke as she watched him descend down the stairs. He turned back and smirked before slowly nodding.

"Always, my love."