To Love Someone

chapter 7

A cup of wine was pressed into April's hand which she gladly accepted, after the events of the afternoon, she definitely needed it. She stood alone with Karen, looking round, everyone knew someone, and she knew no one, and she was sure Karen only stood with her because she was ordered to. She sighed and sipped the wine. She sighted Ian where he stood with Ryan and a few warriors discussing God knows what.

She was about to look away when she noticed Ian's arm was bleeding. She asked Karen who told her that it was customary for the victor to walk around his party still having a little bit of blood on him.

What a barbaric notion, she thought as she weaved her way through the people that had gathered in the hall towards them. Ian had wounds which needed to be cleaned immediately before they could get infected.

"Excuse me gentlemen," she said curtseyed, "permit me to steal my husband for a little bit, he'll come back to you shortly," she grabbed his hand and began pulling him away, not minding the laughter of the men behind her.

She ordered a maid to bring her some salves and water up to the chamber. On getting there, she ordered him to pull his shirt which he did and she tried not to stare.

"Really wife, is this why you brought me here, you could have just asked?"

She blushed, "oh shut it," she said and directed him to sit by the fire.

Strips of linen were placed on the table, a maid came in with a bucket of hot water and some salves as requested. April squeezed water from a napkin, her palms becoming red from the hotness. She gently took Ian's hand in hers and cleaned it. He hissed in pain, and she stopped and looked at him.

When he said nothing, she continued. She cleaned it and applied some salves on it, then tied it with a clean strip of linen. There was another cut on his arm, an ugly slash probably from the lance. It wasn't so deep so it wouldn't need to be burnt. She changed the water and took his arm and began washing the wound while trying not to think about how huge and muscular he looked bare chested. Her fingers itched to reach out and touch the hairs on his chest, but she resisted. Stop it, April.

She wrinkled her nose as she spread a foul smelling, green looking salve on the cut and tied it tightly. Not tight enough to stop the flow of blood, though it would have been nice if the wound became infected and he died from the infection and she became a free woman once again.

Oh hell, who was she kidding, an infection can't kill a man like Ian. She smiled at her work, it was pretty neat, considering she had never done it before, only tried using her sisters to practice. She looked up and saw him watching her, she quickly looked back down.

Ian watched as April worked, her brows were furrowed in concentration. He hissed in pain when she squeezed some water on the cut, she looked up at him with those beautiful blue eyes and his breath caught in his throat. When he didn't say anything, she continued. She worked quickly, her hair falling forward. It looked so soft and silky, he wanted to run his fingers through it, but he knew such actions wouldn't be appreciated. She cleared her throat and he realized he had been staring.

"Give it time to heal, a few days and it should be healed, but you should not stress it, no lifting of heavy things or training," she said.

"Bloody hell," she frowned at his words, he stood up. She stood also, her head barely reaching his shoulder. She quickly stepped back when she saw that they were too close, and stared up at him angrily, her hands on her waist.

"You will not train!"

He grabbed her and pulled her against him hard, her hands came up to his chest as she tried to pull away, he only wrapped them tighter. "What do you think you are doing, let go of me this instant!"

"Do not tell me what to do wife," he growled.

"I will if it concerns your health," she continued struggling.

"So, you care," he said looking smug.

"I don't. Let go of me you....you," she struggled to find the word that will fit him perfectly and only came up with, "..you beast!"

He laughed, the little woman was really something, "I do not think you will like being married to a beast. And I do not look like a beast. I think I'm quite handsome actually," he was rambling but he did not want to let her go just yet, not when she fit so perfectly in his arms.

She stopped struggling, "if you do not let go of me now, I will scream," she threatened.

Ian threw back his head and laughed heartily. "Glad I could amuse you", she said drily as she folded her arms, "now...I demand that you let go of me."

He looked down at her, "And pray tell me wife, when you scream, what do you suppose will happen? I am your husband and I can do as I please with your body, it is mine. I am allowed to spank you if you misbehave, and I have the mind to do so right now."

She blushed red and looked down at his chest. "Please let me go," she said politely instead of demanding. He said nothing, and she was getting tired of staring at his chest, as nice as it was. And as nice as it felt to have his arms around her, she wanted to get as far away from him as she could get. He was making her feel things she did not want to feel.

She glanced up at him and saw that he was staring at her with an unreadable expression in his eyes. She narrowed her eyes at him and started struggling again.

"Let go of me you brute."

When he said nothing and continued staring at her, she opened her mouth to scream, and in that moment, he smashed his lips against hers. She immediately stopped struggling and became very still.

His lips felt so soft against hers. Her stomach bottomed out and her legs went weak, and if it wasn't for his arms holding her up, she would have surely fallen into a puddle at his feet. She sighed into his lips. Her mind wanted to refuse, but her lips betrayed her as she kissed him back. Her palms were flat against his warm skin, and they traveled upwards and wrapped themselves around his neck, they seemed to have a mind of their own, traitorous hands.

She let her fingers tunnel through his hair and tugged on it and he groaned. When they finally separated, they were both breathing hard, and she stared at him in wonder. She wanted to be angry, but she couldn't find it in her.

"W-why did you do that," she asked breathlessly.

"Because I can," was all he said as finally released her and picked up a shirt from the bed and wore it. He walked to the door and looked back, she was still standing where he left her looking dazed, her fingers touching her lips, he smirked, "get some sleep wife, there is no need for you to come back down to the ceremony," and he left shutting the door. April fell on the bed and sighed.

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