Great Protector (19 page)

Richmond
clutched her tightly to his chest, feeling her warmth and softness against him.
When they had embraced earlier he had been wearing armor, and the sensations of
her supple body provoked against his thinly-clad flesh were consuming. The
little girl he had known and protected had blossomed into a woman of
unbelievable magnificence and he was still having difficulty coming to grips
with turn their relationship was taking.

He
had ceased to think of Arissa as his charge long ago. Aye, there was still a
fierce protective instinct towards her, greater than any instinct he possessed,
but the emotions he had developed for her overshadowed all else. She was a
woman, and he was a man. And he loved her.

He
drew her down on the bed next to him, looming over her with his great body and
half-burying her into the mattress. Arissa gripped him tightly, whimpering
softly as his lips devoured her. His hands moved from her hair, down her neck,
trailing the length of her arms. Then, as one hand wrapped itself about her
narrow waist, the other moved to her wonderful breasts.

She
startled when his warm fingers moved over the crest of her nipples, gasping
when he toyed with a tender bud. He laughed low in his throat at her reaction,
but he did not halt his onslaught. Instead, he snaked his hand behind her back
and deftly undid several stays.

Arissa
was barely cognizant when he slid her new surcoat off her shoulders, kissing
every exposed inch of white flesh. She was a quivering shell of awakening
desire, experiencing every brush of his lips as if it was a gift from God. His
body had shifted and she was nearly smothered by his great form, feeling his
heat as if nothing else on earth existed.

His
tender touch trailed to the rounded swell of her breasts as the surcoat slowly
moved downward, barely covering the delightfully puckered buds. Richmond's
breathing came in heavy gasps as he gently peeled the material away from rosy
crests, letting out a sigh of awe as his gaze beheld succulent nipples. He
couldn't wait to taste them.

Arissa
felt Richmond's tongue drag over the tender morsels and she cried out softly, a
bolt of awesome power firing through her petite body. She'd barely recovered
from the shock when his hot, wet mouth suddenly descended on her hungrily, like
a starving child. From surprise to ecstasy in a split second, her moans of
pleasure filled the room.

It
had been far too long since Richmond had tasted female flesh, and the fact that
he was in possession of Arissa's sweet body nearly devoured his control. His
heavy manhood was painfully engorged, but he ignored it. As much as he might
desire the action, he would not take her virginity just as they were coming to
discover one another.  His own discomfort was insignificant in parallel to the
importance of Arissa's emotions.

He
would not destroy a lifetime of tender feelings by attacking her like a madman.
Arissa was as pure as rain, untouched by any man until this day, and he
considered it a right and a privilege to be able to introduce her to the world
of passion. But with every touch, every kiss, she was responding to him with
unimagined abandonment and his hands were literally quaking with self-employed
restraint.
Slowly
, he told himself firmly.
Slowly
.

Her
breasts gave him more joy than he ever thought possible. To lose himself within
the silken flesh, scented of gardenias, was beyond heaven. It was far more than
he had ever dreamed possible and the more he tasted, the more he craved. More
and more, he was dangerously close to spiraling into erotic oblivion.

He
took a puckered nipple between his teeth and drew it out slowly, listening to
Arissa pant. As if they were living, thinking entities, his hands moved down
her slim waist to her legs, drawing up her surcoat with the intention of
seeking the hidden flesh. Richmond was concentrating so deliberately on her
breasts that he hadn't realized his hands were stroking her shapely thighs,
moving to grasp her behind the knees in order to part the way for his throbbing
manhood.

Abruptly,
he realized his demanding deed and his head came up. Swallowing hard at his
aggressive actions, his gaze found her exposed legs, looking so entirely
delicious that he nearly lost every remaining ounce of restraint. The desire to
latch his teeth onto a tender thigh was overpowering, but he fought it.

Arissa
was watching him through half-closed lids, her cheeks flushed pink with
excitement and wonder. She raked her slender white fingers through his hair.

"What
is the matter? Why did you stop?"

He
swallowed hard, tearing his gaze away from her beautiful legs. "I.... we
must stop, Riss. I cannot go any further."

She
blinked, clearing her focus and her mind. "Why not?"

 He
swallowed hard. "Because if we continue as we are, the inevitable will
occur."

She
propped herself up on her elbows, oblivious to her exposed breasts.
"Inevitable? Do you mean coupling?"

He
tried hard not to stare at her beautiful breasts. One look and his thin resolve
would melt away. "Aye, kitten, that's exactly what I mean. This is not the
place or the time."

Her
brow furrowed and she sat up, pulling up the neckline on her askew bodice in an
attempt to cover herself. "But why? Richmond, you said you loved me. Have
you changed your mind?"

He
exhaled sharply, helping her straighten her surcoat before pulling her into a
crushing embrace. "Of course not, and I am furious that you would suggest
such a thing. Please understand that I am trying to be considerate of you,
kitten. You are very new to the realm of passion and I do not want to frighten
you. We must become accustom to one another before we move beyond."

She
looked at him as if she hadn't understood a word he said. "Become accustom
to one another? What a silly notion. I have known you since I was a
child."

He
shook his head faintly. "Listen to me, Riss, listen to what I am saying.
Clearly we know each other well. But we must truly come to understand one
another in every sense of the word. We have risen to a new plane of emotion,
you and I. 'Twas something I never thought to experience."

Her
gaze warmed as she began to realize his point. "Nor I. I can still hardly believe
that your feelings mirror my own."

He
smiled gently, his injured nose aching with the action. "Somewhat of a
shock to us both, I would guess. And I do not want to ruin the discovery
process by bedding you like a rutting bull," his tender hands touched her
face, her hair. "I want to introduce you into a world where you will learn
to crave my touch, to yearn for my kiss. You will learn to need these gestures
as badly as I need them from you. When we couple, I want you to understand what
it is we are expressing."

She
studied his face, his sincerity. A faint smile crept onto her lips. "How
fortunate for me that you are so willing to be patient."

He
cocked an eyebrow. "Believe me, patience is not an easy attribute where
you are concerned. My instincts tell me to ravage you thoroughly, but my common
sense tells me to control my raging passions. 'Twill be my pleasure to teach
you the art of loving."

"But
I already love you."

"And
I love you. But you must be taught the most fulfilling ways to demonstrate that
love. Were I to take your maidenhood from you this night, it would frighten you
because you would truly have no grasp as to what is actually happening. It
would be too much, too soon, too quickly. As with all other skills, lovemaking
must be taught and practiced. Do you comprehend what I am telling you?"

She
shrugged vaguely, her smile widening. "I think I have an idea. Already, I
know I like what it is we do together."

He
kissed the end of her pert nose. "And you are a brilliant, eager pupil. I
simply do not want you to be angry with me for moving slowly with you. I do not
want to overwhelm you."

She
wrapped her arms about his neck. "Your years and years of experience have
taught you that patience is a valuable asset with a woman, has it not?"

He
cocked an eyebrow. "Saucy wench. You remind me of my true age at every
turn."

She
laughed softly. "I cannot help it. You are nearly as old as Mossy."

"You
are a devil. I should take you over my knee, as I have done before. You have
not been spanked nearly enough."

"I
was just a child then. You would spank a grown woman?"

"Absolutely."

She
raised her eyebrows as if fearful of his threat. He broke into a smile and
nuzzled her neck, dropping soft kisses on the tender skin. Arissa closed her
eyes against his gentle attention. But thoughts of bliss and a future filled
with Richmond were abruptly overshadowed by darker, more frightening visions.

Her
eyes opened as sharp recollections of the cloister infiltrated her mind, as
they did so often these days. But now, a sharp distaste for the life of the
cloth was becoming her worst nightmare. More than mere reluctance, it was a
palpable terror.

"When
will you speak to my father, Richmond?" she whispered against his thick
brown hair.

He
paused at her pleading tone, a thousand thoughts whirling through the mists of
his mind. He paused a moment in silent contemplation before meeting her gaze.

"When
the time is right, kitten. You must realize that this will come as a great
shock to him," he fingered a raven-colored lock. "But, most
importantly, you must not become discouraged or panicked. Even if you are
forced to meet your appointment with Whitby after the first of the year, which
I suspect will be the case, you must not become disheartened. Know that I will
come for you as soon as I can."

Her
eyes misted; he could see the tears coming. "I do not want to be away from
you."

He
sighed regretfully. "There is nothing we can do, kitten. Your future has
been planned for eighteen years and you certainly cannot expect to dissolve a
matter of this importance in a few days. It will take time."

She
blinked rapidly, chasing away the tears. "But you will not forget
me?"

He
kissed her forehead, laughing softly at the irony of the statement.
"Foolishness. If I were never to see you again from this day forward, you
would remain as strong and vital in my heart as you are at this moment. Never
forget that, Riss. I shall always love you just as I do now until I die.”

She
leaned against him, feeling his strength, his warmth, relishing in it as she
always had. "I am frightened, Richmond. What if my father denies our
request?"

Her
head tucked underneath his chin, Richmond's smile faded as he thought on that
very real possibility. Even though a denial would be of no consequence in the
larger scheme of things, it would nonetheless be an obstacle to overcome. Even
though Henry loved him, he simply was not of Arissa's station and that
stumbling block alone would prove to be mighty.

"I
can be quite convincing," he murmured after a moment. "My years and
years of experience have given me much practice in the art of persuasion. If
that doesn't work, I shall simply torture him into submission with my superior
strength."

She
giggled. "Father weighs more than you do. Surely he will be difficult to
coerce should it come to a battle of strength."

 Richmond
thought of Henry, strong and proud, with a temper to match. Not only would it
come down to a battle of strength and wills, but mortal combat was not out of
the realm of possibility. Richmond could not begin to fathom how Henry was
going to react to his astonishing demand.

Your
primary concern in this life is the child you hold. You will guard her with
your life
.

He
had completed his orders too well. Not only had he protected her with his life,
she had literally become his life in ways he would have never dreamed possible.
She had been his destiny in every sense of the word.

"Let
us keep the word battle out of this conversation," he said softly.

 ***

Two
shrouded figures tethered their mounts deep in the woods. The horses were
frothing and sweaty, indicative of an abusive ride. But the two men who had
driven the animals to the brink of collapse paid no mind to the miserable
horses as they crept through the undergrowth, through the trees that opened
onto the well-traveled road between Lambourn and Goring.

The
thoroughfare was deserted, as they hoped. But not for long. A small party was
approaching and they made haste back to the shielding protection of the trees.

"Do
you have it?" the very same soldier who had been stalking Arissa at
Lambourn threw back his hood, fumbling with something underneath his cloak.

The
second soldier, his seasoned companion, nodded and dug about in his mail.
"Aye, I got it. It was not difficult to steal with all of de Lohr's and le
Bec's men watching the Stick and Ball game."

The
first man drew forth a small Welsh crossbow, well-made and compact. As he
loaded the dual-arrow catapult, the second soldier handed him a large strip of
crimson cloth.