The King's Executioner (3 page)

The emptiness was still there, only now there was a stirring of sorts. It was faint, but it was there. She had felt it. She had also felt it in herself and she feared what it might mean.

Paine watched Anin drop to the ground exhausted. She sat there for a few moments staring at the stream a few feet away. She had to be aching to drink from it. He certainly was after the difficult pace they had kept. Bog was already drinking himself full.

He warned himself to let her be, she would make her way to the stream given time. She was stronger than she looked and stronger than what some thought of her. She might not have her mother’s height or warrior’s body, but she had strength none the less. She would have never survived the day if she had not been strong. Besides, it was not for him to worry about. His task was to deliver her safely to King Talon.

Her soft groan sent a twist to his middle that annoyed him. He had cared nothing for those the King had sent him after. Not so this woman. When she had dropped down out of the tree into his arms, his body had stirred once again, though more strongly this time. He had wanted to let her go and yet he had not wanted to let her go. And he did not know why he had spoken the words he had to her. They seemed to have flowed from his lips of their own accord. It had been her calling him kind that had returned him to his senses.

He watched her stumble for a few moments as she tried in vain to get to her feet. Finally, he could take no more. He walked over to her and had her up in his arms before her legs gave way beneath her again. He carried her over to the stream and placed her by the edge so that she could scoop up handfuls of water.

He remained near her side, cupping his large hands and eagerly quenching his own thirst and saw that she did the same, though at a much slower pace. When she finished, she dropped on her back on the ground.

“I am too tired to move and too tired to eat, though I am hungry,” she said a yawn following.

“We have not finished walking for the day.” He stood and snatched his battle axe off the ground.

She raised herself up on her elbows and turned a disheartened glance on him. “That cannot be so. Dusk will settle soon, then darkness.”

“It is only a short distance from here... a dwelling that will shelter us from the chilled night.”

Anin groaned and struggled to sit up. She struggled even more, trying to get to her feet. Her body had had enough, especially her legs. They had no strength left to them. Still, she fought against her body’s munity and continued to try and stand.

Paine could watch her for only so long before he once again scooped her up into his arms. “You had better grow stronger if you are to be Queen.” He could not believe the ache in his chest that he felt when he saw the hurt his words had caused her.

Annoyance.
Annoyance at her had caused the ache, nothing more.

No anger filled her response, simply truth. “I am who I am and if the King finds me lacking then he need not take me as his queen.”

Paine was quick to warn her. “I would be careful of what you say to the King. He is accustomed to his commands being obeyed without question, and he is not a patient man.”

At the moment, Anin cared nothing for the King. All she could think on was that her head was growing too heavy to keep erect. She could not keep it from falling of its own accord onto Paine’s chest, and she sighed with relief as her eyes fluttered closed once her head was cushioned upon it. She did not want to think about the King, about nearly losing her life today, or how comfortable it felt in Paine’s arms. She simply wanted to sleep.

Paine was aware sleep had claimed her as soon as her body turned limp. It was not long before he entered the lone hut, the cold fire pit being the only thing there besides cobwebs. Though the night air was chilled, he could not chance smoke from a fire being seen, so the pit would remain cold tonight.

He rested his battle axe against the wall, then latched the door with the wooden toggle. Bog would be busy hunting to appease his hunger, and then rest nearby for the night, while keeping alert to any danger. He glanced around, trying to find a comfortable spot for Anin to sleep. There was only cold earth to lay her upon.

His own body began to protest the long day as did his stomach. He had planned to hunt once they stopped for the day, but the unexpected attack had changed his plans. Now it was too late to hunt and he was too tired.

On the morn, he would catch fish from the stream and they would eat. For now... he moved his weapon closer to the corner where he lowered himself down to settle for the night. He was about to place Anin beside him when she shivered in his arms and cuddled closer against him, seeking warmth.

He stared at her face as lovely in sleep as when she was awake. He had also noticed that she always appeared pleasant, seldom wore a frown, and was not quick to anger. He wondered how she would fare with the King. He was a powerful man who respected strength, though demanded obedience. His word was not to be challenged and while he wanted a strong woman to be his Queen, there were few women who had the strength to meet his demands or cope with his unpredictable temperament.

With a soft sigh Anin moved, as if settling herself against him for the long night ahead. Instinctively, his arms grew tighter around her and he was annoyed to feel another ache grab at his chest and a stirring disturb his loins. It troubled him to feel this way... to feel at all. Both were obstacles he did not need nor did he want, and he would let nothing stand in his way of completing his task.

Without the slightest hesitation, he placed Anin on the ground beside him. She was the King’s intended and he would see her delivered safely to him and be done with it. How many times had he reminded himself of that today? Once was far too many. He rested his head back against the wall and closed his eyes, knowing he would drift in and out of sleep while remaining alert to the slightest sound or movement. And as soon as light rose in the sky, they would be on their way.

Thoughts would not let him rest. The attack today concerned him. He was aware there were those from the various tribes who had not agreed with uniting under one King and continued to cause problems. After the Unification Ceremony, a joyful occasion for most, not one tribe dared to attack the King’s executioner when they came across him or when he arrived to carry out the King’s command.

So what had happened to change that today? Had it been because he had had the King’s intended with him? Was someone trying to prevent this union? If so, were there others he needed to be concerned about? This attack did not bode well for the King and the sooner he delivered Anin to him the better.

Something drifted Paine out of his light sleep. He sat there a moment, his back still resting against the wall, and listened for any sounds. Not hearing any, he opened his eyes and saw that Anin had rolled close and was snuggled up against his side for warmth, not that he could blame her. The earth floor had a chill that ran through you after being on it a while.

He was about to move her, then thought she would only roll back again, so he left her as she was. Besides, they both could use the warmth.

He drifted back to sleep and it seemed like only moments later something stirred him from it again. His body felt heated and as he opened his eyes, he realized why. He was aroused. He looked down and saw that Anin’s hand was tucked between his legs covering his manhood. He stared at the way she intimately cupped him, as if she was laying claim to him. The thought fueled his arousal and he silently cursed himself.

Most hastily, he took her hand and moved it off him. As soon as he let go of it, she moved it back to where it had been, though this time she tucked her fingers tighter between his legs and settled the palm of her hand firmly over his manhood that was growing increasingly harder and warmer.

He tightened his lips and released a low groan. Again, it felt as if she was refusing to release her claim on him, and it troubled him that her innocent gesture could arouse him so easily. He took her hand and this time he tucked it firmly between her chest and where she lay against his side. Of course it did not help that his hand grazed her breast. It was plump, though not too large, enough to fill his hand. Of course, it only added to his now aching arousal. It would be a long night.

He was never more pleased to see the dawn, though it was a gray one. He hurried to his feet and left Anin sleeping while he went to catch enough fish to provide sustenance for the long day ahead. He left Bog guarding the door.

Something tickled Anin’s nose and her eyes hurried open when she realized it was the scent of fish cooking. Her stomach rumbled as she licked her dry lips almost tasting the delicious fare. She sat up hastily and winced at the soreness in her body, the cold, hard earth she had slept on not having helped. She got to her feet, stretching away any aches that persisted and intent on settling the rumblings in her stomach. Her hands made quick work of dusting the dirt off her garments. She dropped her head forward and ran her fingers through her dark hair to get any dirt out of it, then tossed her head back and ran her fingers through her hair again. She took pride in her hair, it being the one thing so much like her mum’s.

Anin smiled, seeing the two fish speared on a stick and roasting over the fire when she walked out of the small dwelling.

“I was about to wake you. The fish is ready and once we are done, we need to be on our way,” Paine said and looked up as he handed her one of the sticks. Her cheeks were tinged a soft red and her slim lips looked as if they had been kissed by the dawn’s dew. He almost reached out to tuck the wisp of her long, dark hair that fell over one eye behind her ear, but stopped himself.

Anin took the stick most gratefully and sighed aloud when, careful not to burn her fingers, she picked off a piece of white meat and hurried it into her mouth. “This is delicious,” she said, savoring the flavor.

“Fill yourself as much as you can, for we will not be eating again until this evening,” he said, forcing his attention off her and onto the fish.

Anin was careful not to take bone with the meat and careful not to mention that she could pick berries along the way to appease any hunger, since she did not think he would approve. She sneaked a peek at him through bites. He was a fine looking man with a solid body, a sign of strength. His body drawings fascinated her. They were well-crafted and it made her wonder if the tale that the drawings simply appeared were true or was it that an exceptionally skilled drawing master had done such artful work.

You could tell from body drawings what tribe a person was from and learn something about them upon meeting, the body drawings speaking before words were exchanged. But Paine’s drawings were different and told her nothing whereas her lack of body drawings spoke loudly. Her skills were few. She could not even prepare fish as near as well as Paine and by now she should at least have had a few body drawings, but she had none. At least Paine had not remarked about it, which was why she made no mention of his.

She continued feasting on the fish, intending to pick off every last morsel. In between bites, she asked the question that had been on her mind since yesterday. “Why did the Drust want to kill us?”

“A band of outcasts, trying to stir up trouble,” he said.

Anin shook her head. “I do not believe so. It is known since the Unification Ceremony that anyone who dared to harm the King’s executioner would suffer for it. No one objected since you do deeds no one else wishes to do. So why would the Drust break the King’s edict?”

“There are those who continue to object to the uniting of the tribes and will continue to cause trouble.”

Anin finished the last of the fish and brushed her hands of the small specks left. She did not voice her thoughts, for he would not receive them well. She could not stop from wondering if it was not the uniting of the tribes the Drust objected to, but King Talon.

Paine sent Bog to follow Anin when she went to see to her care. She was not long and went straight to the stream when she returned to wash her face and hands. The meal looked to have revived her strength. He only hoped their journey this day would not be as grueling or as challenging as yesterday, though the pace would remain strong. He wanted to get her safely to the King as fast as possible.

Anin followed behind Paine, and Bog trailed behind her just as they had done yesterday. Though, now and again, he would disappear only to return and take up his post behind her. She was glad she heard no howl when he was gone, for she realized his howl warned Paine of impending danger.

By mid-day they reached open land that stretched as far as one could see. The hilly, desolate area could leave them vulnerable, though it would also be more difficult for anyone to follow them without being seen.

Anin was overjoyed when Paine slowed the pace and it took her a moment to gather the courage to walk alongside him. The size of him alone intimidated, not to mention the double-sided battle axe that was his constant companion. And though he, by no means, wore out his tongue, she was tired of the silence and hoped to share at least a few words with him.

“Why did the King send you to collect me and not more warriors?” she asked as they walked.

Paine had wondered the same himself? Why had the King not sent a contingent of warriors along with him to make certain his future wife was delivered safely to him? His task should have been complete upon finding out Anin’s whereabouts. After that, the King’s personal guards should have escorted her to Pictland.

“You appear to wonder the same yourself,” she said.

How could she be so observant when he had not changed his expression? He never allowed anything to show on his face. He had been that way for years and would continue to remain so for years to come. “It is not your concern.”

“I am not concerned; I but wonder.”

“Then do not wonder and do not question the King.” Paine increased the pace, moving several steps ahead of her.

“I am not questioning the King,” she said, rushing to catch up to him. Her foot caught on something and she flew forward before she could stop herself. Instinctively, she called out to him in alarm. “Paine!”

He turned, his arm snaking around her waist, and caught her just before she hit the ground. He bent over her as he eased her up. He was about to ask if she was injured, but the words never reached his lips. They locked in his throat as he felt his middle tighten.