Once Upon A Knight ✔

Chapter 7: The Lady's Beguilement

Author's Note: 

I know you all like big chapters and the original chapter had been right up your alley but after reading through it I realized huge plot hole and had to rewrite the whole chapter again. So I am sorry about that. 

You all know the drill apart from that. Vote if you like the chapter. A lot of hot stuff is up ahead and it isn't all PG. So please beware. Another book is coming up right after this so keep your eyes peeled for that. Happy reading.

Love,

MishtyBh

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Torryn felt dread gnawing as he prepared for bed in the spacious bedchamber he had been assigned. All afternoon he had been thinking about the confrontation he had not been present for. He had seen Henry sauntered off somewhere and when he had rushed into the solar he had seen Elyss shaken to her bone. After making her sit down on one of the chaise that were kept in the room he had only concentrated on making her feel better. He gave her all the time she had needed and when her maid Marion had come looking for her, she had taken her mistress with cooing words of comfort. Torryn did not have time after that to know what Henry had said to her to shatter her so badly.

In the flickering light of the waxy candle, he yanked off his woolen tunic in anguish. He needed to know what was happening. He had reached a state where he was perpetually hanging with no place to go. He couldn't go ahead and approach Lord Durand to court Lady Elyssande as he had hoped. He couldn't approach Elyss as he saw that Henry was forcing her into situations where she had always been surrounded by his relatives or someone from his family. At first he had thought about leaving this place and not staying for the tournament to compete. He thought of returning to his cousin's side that he had left only a few days ago. He had realized that he was missing his home, the greenery, the country side as wild as his own heart. More than that he was missing his parents and the comfort of the love he had not experienced in so long. Both his choices would make him witness sincere love and devotion between a husband and wife. The sort he had hoped to find someday. The sort he had begun to think he could find with Elyss.

Suddenly the door to his chambers opened and in the soft light he saw Elyss slip in. He couldn't believe his eyes or her boldness for this was far more dangerous to her reputation than being alone in the Solar with him. "My Lady! What are you doing here?" he asked incredulously as he reached for the shirt he had just discarded. She flushed deep red and came to stand right in front of his bed. She put a soft palm to stop his advance and make him stay on his bed.

"I want to be with you" she said so softly that he didn't almost hear it. "My lady!" he chided her, "What do you mean?!" he asked her a little forcefully than required. She looked at him in surprise and he knew that he had thrown her off track. "I told you, I want to be with you" she said faltering a little, "Like man and wife".

He stared at her, dumbfounded, as she slowly moved her hands over his naked chest and upwards as she raised her lovely eyes to look directly at him. In their depths, he saw a longing, a need that made his heart soar and his pulse race. Before he could stop her she whispered with all the innocence of a lamb, "I have come to share your bed, Torryn. Please, let me stay the night."

Torryn was an honorable man and a true knight. He wasn't sure of why Elyss had come to him right now but when she looked up at him and asked him to do what he had wanted to do since that night in the woods, it took every ounce of his inner strength not to take her in his arms without question or hesitation.

But Torryn was an honorable man and he would not let her throw away her life like this. He started, "Elyss, I do not..." but was cut short as she quickly grabbed his face and planted her soft lips on his. The moment their lips touched, Torryn felt himself losing his inner battle. Fierce, fiery passion ignited within him, and he pulled her close, capturing her mouth. She fell on top of him but they still did not break the kiss.