Nights in Rodan Ch. 03

"Just heal her, quickly!" he almost sounded desperate. Riley leaned in and whispered into her ear, she relaxed into Rayn's arms and her eyes closed. Healing could be painful; Riley had put her out so she wouldn't be uncomfortable. Gods love this man; his friend was such a gentle soul.

He put his hands over hers and recited the incantations. The blood stopped seeping; Rayn blew out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. He held her body close to his as she rested. He had never felt like this before, her raw power captivated him. In that moment covered with her blood he swore to himself he would never let another living soul do her any harm. King be damned. She'd never be more than an arm's reach from him if he had anything to say about it.

Her dreams were hell that night. She smelled burnt flesh all around her. She ran and screamed but no one was there to help her. She saw Colin reaching for her but no matter how far she ran she was never any nearer to him. Her knees bit into the dirt hard but she didn't feel anything anymore. The fire swirled around her. Her heart was breaking a thousand times over, Colin couldn't reach her, he would never be able to save her. She screamed for him again and begged to die as the flames swallowed her.

Rayn was visibly shaken by her fitful sleep. Kieran tried to convince him to rest while he watched over her but Rayn refused. Riley assured him she would be fine, but the wound would scar, he wrapped her stomach and re dressed her in a clean shirt but her skin was permanently damp with sweat. She cried out a name, over and over. It tore at Rayn's heart, he didn't know the man she was calling for but it wasn't him. Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes. Wren lay nearby whining almost all night. Kieran shushed him but the giant hound wouldn't stop. After she finally stopped crying Rayn propped himself up against a fallen tree and let sleep take him as he held her.

**

Leni woke very slowly, the light behind her eyelids was very bright and the air on her face was chill and crisp. Her chest felt very heavy, she wiggled and sharp pain shot through her abdomen. Her eyes flew open. Someone was confining her, the arms across her body held her tightly. It triggered an instant panic, she flailed trying to get free but the strong arms tightened even more around her.

"You'll hurt yourself..." he warned.

She elbowed him hard in the ribs.

"Damnit Eleanor, calm down."

She recognized the voice, the Prince! Oh gods, she'd just hit him again.

"I'm sorry!" she almost sobbed.

"Calm down, " he repeated it over and over in her ear, "just breathe."

She stopped moving and started breathing. His calmness swept through her, regulating her breathing and soothing her nerves. She had spent the only energy she had fighting the man who was trying to keep her safe. Idiot, she chided herself. His crimson mantle was a nice blanket and fit both of them comfortably under it. She pulled her legs up under her and resituated herself on her side, but she never tried to get away. He put his hands over her arms and stroked them slowly. It was comforting but slightly erotic to her, she shivered as her body ached for his warmth. The guilt crept in and a she tried to push it away.

"Are you cold?" his voice was barely above a whisper.

"I'm fine Your Highness." She didn't move at all when she said it.

He smiled at her formality, the entire time they'd been on the road his men had addressed him informally and she had never said his given name.

"Who's Colin?" The sound of her late husband's name on his lips made her stiffen.

"Are you asking or ordering me to tell you?" she wondered how forceful he'd press her for information.

"What if it was an order?"

"Then I'd have to tell you, wouldn't I?" she felt like hiding from him.

"I want to know why you were saying his name." He wasn't in the mood for games.

She pulled away far enough she could look him in the eyes. He looked exhausted. His normally dark features had even more of a shadow on them today.

"He was my husband." Her words struck him like a knife in the chest.

"Was?" he raised a brow at her.

"Raiders attacked while he was hunting game, he died." She watched his eyes as she spoke.

Of course she'd been married, how could he have been so stupid to assume any different? She was beautiful, spirited, and strong. All the things any man would want in a woman. He could tell she had loved her husband deeply, and still did.

She saw the pain flicker in his eyes and the questions started blurring through her mind. Was she just another mission to him? What would his father do to her when they got back? Would the Prince protect her?

"What's going to happen to me?" she needed to know, she might have to make an escape before they got back to the city.

"I don't know." He wished he could give her a better answer.

"I think you do." She was starting to get upset.

He sighed, "I don't know what he wants from you other than to talk."

"According to you I am the rightful ruler of Rodan, do invaders usually let monarchs keep their titles after the dust settles?" her eyes narrowed as she finished her rhetorical question.

He wrapped his hands around her arms again reassuringly.

"No, they don't." the answer made him feel powerless.

"So I should expect you're to lead me to slaughter?" she was hissing mad now.

The golden flecks in his eyes flashed.

"I have saved your life twice now, and all I've got to show for it is a busted rib." Now he was getting angry.

She turned to face him head on, kneeling between his thighs. Her wound was throbbing but she ignored it. Her tangled tresses tumbled down her shoulders and his mantle was still draped over her.

"What am I supposed to do, thank you for saving me so your father can kill me later?" her words cut deep, she was angry with him.

"Maybe I should have let you die out there instead?" he spat.

"Maybe you should have, at least I'd be spared the humiliation of a public execution." She was asking for it now.

"You think I'd let him do that?" He leaned in close to her face, willing her to understand him.

"To protect your empire, yes." She turned to try and get up but he put his hand on the back of her neck and pulled her so close her forehead almost rested against his.

"I would never let him do that to you." He growled.

"He's the King, he can do whatever he wants." Her voice was dark and forceful.

She pulled away from him and this time he let her go. Her vision went spotty when she stood up but she managed to walk away without stumbling. She pulled the mantle around her and realized how angry she was at him. She flung it to the ground.

She wanted to ask where everyone else was but she didn't want to ask him. They sat in silence shooting dirty looks at each other until Kieran, Riley, and the two other men came back with the horses. She noticed Riley's left arm was wrapped, he must have been wounded the night before.

"Are you feeling well enough to ride?" Riley asked her as he checked the wound. It had closed over but the muscles were still very tender under the skin. She nodded and he continued, "I'm sorry I couldn't heal you completely, when I am wounded the magic doesn't work as well. You'll be better in a few days." He gestured to his arm as he spoke.

"She can ride; we're getting her back as soon as possible." Rayn swung into his saddle.

Kieran looked at Rayn and back at Eleanor, the electricity between them was impossible to ignore. Something happened while everyone was gone. He helped her onto a horse and handed her a piece of dried meat and his wineskin.

"Chew on this and drink all of the water." He looked concerned.

"Thank you, Kieran." She took the items from him.

"She's fine, move out!" Rayn was pissed.

Kieran got back on his horse and they set off for Rodan. Rayn kept a quick pace for the first couple of hours but eventually his anger cooled and he slowed down for the rest of them. By late afternoon Kieran noticed Leni could barely stay on her horse.

"Rayn we need to stop." Kieran pulled his horse alongside Rayn's.

"We're not stopping until we get back to the castle." He was being stubborn.

"Look, I don't know what happened between you two but she's recovering from a serious injury and hasn't had proper food all day." He was irritated that Rayn's pride was getting the best of him.

"Then you figure it out." Rayn wouldn't even look at him, he just rode ahead.

"Damnit" Kieran cursed under his breath.

He circled back to pull up beside Eleanor. He stopped her horse; she tried to right herself in the saddle but slumped over. He pulled her into his lap, if Rayn didn't want to listen to reason, fine but he wasn't about to make the woman pay for it. He wrapped an arm around her to steady her, she linked her arms around his chest and put her head on his shoulder.

"Just rest," he told her quietly.

Rayn was resolute; they were not stopping until they got back into the city. He was done trying to be nice to her. She brought him nothing but trouble, beautiful women always did. Let his father do what he wanted with her.

He glanced back and saw Kieran scowling. He'd pulled Eleanor onto his lap and there she was, snuggled up to him like she wanted him all along. Rayn felt his temper rising, all of it over a damn woman. She wasn't cultured, didn't know how to control her reckless magic, and she was frustrating and irritating all the time! He resolved to be glad to be rid of her when they got back. He could have any woman he wanted, he was the Prince damnit, they practically begged for his attentions.

GODS! All he wanted was to stop thinking about her.

They rode all night and into the next day. The men were used to Rayn's temper. After a battle he could be very prickly if things had not gone well. Leni woke up sporadically, she rode her own horse for an hour or two at a time but exhaustion overtook her quickly and she had to ride with someone else. Rayn pushed all his feelings away and tried not to look at her pained face.

Rodan was finally in sight, Rayn was thrilled. The gleaming white castle stood like a beacon at dusk and the torch light reflected off the walls making it glow. His mind was troubled as they neared the outer gates. He looked up at the stone archway as he passed under it, had it really been a week since he left? It felt like an eternity. As they neared the castle gates he became anxious, the pit of his stomach was in an uproar. He couldn't deny he was worried about Eleanor's fate. His father could be a hard man to deal with, even in good times. Maybe she was right, maybe he was leading her to slaughter. Whatever fate had in store for her, he was sure he couldn't change it. He would likely have to face losing her.

They took her directly to the throne room. She could barely stand; she walked between Riley and Kieran, both of them supporting her; her skin was even more pale than usual, her brow was damp with perspiration, and her eyes were barely open. The King looked up from his papers as they entered and disappointment crossed his features.

"I asked for you to bring her to me for questions, not half dead. How can I get information from her now?" he was very cross and spoke roughly to his son.

Rayn answered firmly, "You sent me for her, and I brought her back. It wasn't easy." He wouldn't be talked down to in front of his men, friends or not.

"Put her in the guest quarters and call the healers. I will speak to her in the morning; she's of no use right now." The King went back to considering his papers and dismissed them.

Rayn conceded, she had been his responsibility and his alone. He dismissed his men to get some rest and took Eleanor up in his arms, feeling her weak body next to his made him feel like the most wretched person in the whole of the world, and rightfully so he supposed.

He carried her to the guest quarters, Wren's nails clicked quietly behind him the whole way there. He sent her attendant for the healer, put her on the bed, and threw a log on the small fire. The room was cool, she needed warmth. He sank into the chair nearby wearily to wait and Wren lounged in front of the fire. Rayn watched Leni sleep and decided to make her more comfortable, he owed her that at least. He sighed and rose from the chair.

Leni came to just enough to realize she was laying on something soft. Her clothes were being removed slowly, starting with her boots. Her vision was blurred, and when she tried to move nothing happened. She tried to command the person to stop touching her but her lips were so dry and cracked that only a faint groan came out. Her abdomen was burning and aching. She passed out again quickly, just as someone leaned over her and put their hands on her stomach.

******

I hope you enjoy Chapter 3, things are getting more interesting for our heroine! Please keep voting, PM-ing me, and leaving comments. They are taken into account when I edit and I am considering a re write and more plot twists in the future! Thank you all for reading, enjoy!

-FP