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| Shards of a Broken Heart | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By Richard LeBlanc | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chapter Six: the day after | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Early in the morning - Bethany began to stir from her slumber. A part of her felt as though she had dreamed everything - that it didn't really happen - but when she looked over and saw Nathan fast asleep beside her. She rolled over and put her arms around him. Nathan began to stir. He looked over and smiled when he saw her smiling back at him. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Sleep well?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I can't remember the last time I was so relaxed - so at peace with myself," she replied. He smiled and put his arm around her. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "So - when - exactly are we heading back?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Back?" she repeated - tracing her fingertips across his chest. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Home? Your parents are worried sick about you," he reminded. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Doesn't matter - so long as I'm with you - I'll be happy," she sighed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "That's nice - and as I am being hung for kidnapping," he teased. She quietly laughed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Tomorrow? But just to tell them that I'm okay," she answered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What if - they don't like that answer?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "That will be their problem. I've never felt this way about anyone. I won't have them telling me how wrong it is," she pointed out - he sighed and ran his fingers through her hair. "Unless - that isn't what you want," she added hesitantly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Oh - I want that too. I just doubt they will see my intentions as honorable. They would see me as some rogue that is out to harm them through you," he pointed out. She looked up at him and saw him looking up at the room. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Are you?" she asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No," he replied calmly. He looked down and saw her smiling. "How about - we get dressed - and get us something to eat?" he suggested. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Couldn't we just stay her all day?" she playfully asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "It's up to you," he replied. She sighed and looked around the room. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Maybe some food would be a good idea - in case any of those thugs come after us," she suggested. He nodded. He slowly sat up and began to get dressed. He looked over his shoulder and saw Bethany watching him. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Are you going to get dressed - or do you want me to bring you something up?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You sure can be impatient when you want to be," she teased as she too began to get dressed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At that moment - back in the northern province - the message that had been relayed by his spy - had just reached him. Damien sighed and shook his head. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "She gave into him - pity that. I was going to let him live after saving her life and all," he began as he walked over to the map. "Any news from the other provinces?" he asked. He looked around at his advisors. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The rumors - have been confirmed - but they are still more concerned with their neighbors than us - oddly enough," one pointed out. Damien smiled and nodded - all of his research and spies had told him that such would be the case. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Then we still have them at our mercy. If we attack any one of them - the others will not respond - alone they are no match for us - none of them are. Keep enough men minding the border - no more - just the semblance of a large army is to remain here. I want the Fifth line and Ninth - to march to the west province. Lines Two and Six - go east - the rest - save One and Eight - are to stay here with me. If anything happens that is not planned and ready for - fall back towards us - go," he ordered. All of those in the room bowed and left. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Damien walked over to a map that was sprawled out over a table. He stabbed his dagger into the village where the spy reported Bethany and her male friend. He then closed his eyes and shook his head. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I have waited this long - a little thing like this will change nothing," he told himself. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Meanwhile - back at the village - Bethany and Nathan were down in the common area. The two were talking as they ate - unaware that a man was watching them discretely from the shadows. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "But what would you do? You would be throwing your life into the wind," he pointed out. She sighed and moved her spoon around in her stew. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "So long as I'm with you - it doesn't matter to me. I'll figure it out when I get there," she replied modestly. He smiled and placed his hand on hers. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I just want you to be happy - no regrets," he explained. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "How many times do I have to say that I'm happy?" she rebutted. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "That is here and now - I am talking a year or more down the road. I mean - you are a lady - that is used to things done a certain way," he began. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "True - but - I think I can adapt," she smiled. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Nathan!" a high voice exclaimed. The two looked over and saw a well-endowed woman hurried over to where they were. "Oh my god! It has been too long!" she excitedly exclaimed. Bethany dropped her spoon into her stew as all of her attention focused on the overly happy woman. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Uhm - uh - hi Gwen. What are you doing here?" he asked hesitantly - noticing the daggers that were coming out from Bethany's eyes. Gwen then noticed that he was with someone. She looked over and smiled at Bethany - Bethany feigned interest by smiling back. "Uhm - Bethany this is Gwen - Gwen - Bethany," he awkwardly introduced. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Hmmm charmed I'm sure," Bethany remarked under her breath. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Oh! Are the two of you here together? On a date? You rogue you!" Gwen teased. Nathan took a long sip from his mug and smiled. "So has he taken you to the caves?" Gwen asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I don't think," he began. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No - not yet," she replied politely. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Oh - I will never forget," she began. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Gwen - this is hardly the time or place," Nathan interrupted as calmly as he could. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Okay - my lips are sealed - although I don't recall you having any complaints before - when they weren't. Enjoy your date Bethany," Gwen concluded as she walked away. Nathan watched her leave and then became painfully aware that the daggers that had been aimed at Gwen were now aimed at him. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Okay - who - was that?" she asked seriously. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Gwen - is a trapper that lives in a village a few days west of here. I used to live in that area until I came here," he replied. Bethany looked far from sated by that answer. He sighed. "And yes - she was at one time my girlfriend," he added. She pushed her stew aside and looked away from him. "Oh - don't be like that," he requested. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Like what?" she replied. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I don't know - jealous?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Me? Jealous of her? You must be joking!" she scoffed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Then why are you getting so mad?" he asked calmly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Maybe because your eyes were glued to her rear when she left - or the fact that she was dangling her boobs in front of your face?" she suggested. She sighed and looked down at the floor. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Look - I never claimed that I was never with anyone before you," he whispered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I know," she sighed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "But - I am sorry - I did handle that badly," he admitted. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Yes you did," she agreed. He quietly laughed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I shouldn't have acted so boorishly - especially when so beautiful a woman is before me," he added. She looked over at him from the corner of her eye and forced back the smile that was forming. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "That is true too," she remarked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "And - such a thing - will never happen again," he added. She smiled as she looked over at him. "Can you ever forgive me?" he asked with a wink. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I think that can be arranged," he leaned over and the two gently kissed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "So what do you want to do now?" he asked curiously. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I thought maybe go check out those caves she mentioned," she remarked. He rolled his eyes as she quietly laughed. "I'm joking. If you don't bring this up again - I won't either," she reassured. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Deal," he said with a smile. "How about - we go for a walk?" he suggested. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I like the sound of that," she replied. They got their things together and left the inn hand in hand. The man that was spying on them from the shadows stepped out. He looked over where Gwen was and motioned for her to come over. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Do I know you?" she asked seriously. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I have ten gold crowns," he began - she put her hands up and stepped back. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I'm not that kind of girl," she stated seriously. He backed away. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I wasn't implying you were. I saw that you know Nathan," he mentioned pointing over at the table the two were at. Gwen quietly laughed and shook her head. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Know? Uhm - sure - you could say that," she said with a snicker. He quietly laughed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I am a friend of his from way back," he began. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He never mentioned any friends to me," she remarked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He played - a bit of a joke on me - and I was sort of - hoping you could help me repay the favor," he began moving the coins around in his open hand. Gwen looked at the coins and then at the shady character. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You aren't planning on hurting him are you?" she asked seriously. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Heaven's no! Just - embarrass a bit. But - if the two of you are still good friends - I wouldn't want to jeopardize that," he continued as he began to move the hand with the coins towards his pocket. Her hand shot out and grabbed his wrist. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I never said that - what do you have in mind?" she asked. He leaned over and began to whisper into her ear. She listened and nodded and then a broad smile appeared on her face. "That's all?" she asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "That's all," he reassured with a friendly smile. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I'm in," she stated. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Half now - half after - fair?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Just tell me when you want it done," she replied - accepting half the coins. He leaned over and began to whisper some more of his plan to Gwen. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| To be continued... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||