Time and Space (11 page)

Excitement was buzzing through the kitchens the next morning. Cadence could see the determination in all of the women as they set about their work with a spring in their step.

“I cannot believe Fionn agreed to arming the women and training us to help defend our home.” Aggie shook her head and pulled a tray of bread from the oven.

“I still don’t understand why I have to learn how to fire an arrow,” Mallory grumped.

“You don’t have to do anything, Mallory. Where I come from, women take responsibility for their own lives and their happiness. You don’t have to depend on a man to make you happy and in this case, you don’t have to depend on the men to protect you.”

“How do we even know you and your brother are telling the truth?” she practically snarled.

“Mallory! What are you trying to say?” Aggie edged closer to Cadence.

“Just that these two claim to be from the future. How do we really
know
they are?”

“Fionn and Donnall were there too. They saw the ruin of the castle and other wondrous things.”

“Maybe they are all lying!” Mallory crossed her arms over her chest.

“So we’re all part of this giant conspiracy? Is that what you’re saying?” Cadence sighed, digging for strength. The women would be meeting on the training fields in two hours. The last thing she needed was division among her ranks before they even got together. “Why don’t you come, Mallory? See what it’s all about and if you don’t want to participate or think it’s too hard, then you’re free to go on your way.” Before she turned away, Cadence saw a fire light in Mallory’s eyes.

The turnout was impressive. Every woman in the castle was there, as were all of the children deemed too young to fight. When she arrived, Carter and Davin, the stable master, along with Padraig were setting out bales of hay for the women to shoot at.

“Thank you so much for helping out, Carter.” Cadence hugged her brother.

“You know I’ve always been your biggest fan.”

It was true. He had always been there to support her, no matter what.

“Cut Donnall some slack, okay?” Carter said in a low voice.

“What do you mean?” Looking around the practice field, she saw quite a few of Fionn’s warrior’s showing up ready to help. Absent among them was her irritating barbarian.

“It’s a matter of pride. His number one task here is to protect Moone. Yes, he serves as an advisor to Fionn, but his main responsibility is to see to the safety and security of this castle and everyone who lives here. It is not an easy thing for him to hear that he failed in that duty once.”

Cadence hadn’t thought of it that way before. Donnall had a lot of pride in himself and in his abilities. All she’d done since meeting him was tell him that Moone would fall if they didn’t have another way to defeat their enemy. “You’re right, Carter. Sometimes I forget men are so different in the fifteenth century.”

“Actually, they’re not different at all. What’s different is you. Don’t forget some of the things that make you so attractive to Donnall are also the things that threaten his manhood.”

When Carter and the others were finished setting out the bales of hay, Cadence watched while they handed out bows and quivers to all of the women.  Once they had their quivers strapped on, Padraig walked down the line of women filling the quivers with arrows.

“One thing we all have to watch out for is the bowstring hitting our cleavage.” Cadence demonstrated how to hold the bow so the women’s busts wouldn’t get in the way of their arrows flying straight and true.

The women tittered.

“Is everyone ready to give it a try?” This was it, where the rubber met the road. Nervous butterflies danced in her stomach.

“Yes!”

Cadence turned around to face the women and couldn’t believe her eyes. The majority of Fionn’s men were standing behind her group ready to help out with the training session. They started walking up and down the line of women and adjusting their stances and showing them how to pull the arrows from their quivers. Half an hour into the lesson, Donnall was still among the missing.

“Ready? Aim. Fire!” Cadence shouted, watching in awe as a volley of arrows sailed toward the hay bales. She moved down the line of women stopping behind Fianna, whose arrow had missed the hay completely. “According to Donnall, you need to use your dominant eye to aim at your target.”

“Whatever does that mean?” Fianna laughed.

“You’re right-handed, so you’re right eye is the dominant one.”

Fianna rolled her blue eyes. “Show me how you stand.”

Cadence steadied her feet and reached back for an arrow. Notching it she easily pulled back the bowstring and sent the arrow sailing toward the target. “Okay, now you try.”

Fianna looked down at Cadence’s feet and set her own in the same position. She raised the bow and pulled her arrow back and closed her eyes.

“Don’t close your eyes, Fee. These men are coming here to kill us and steal our home. Look them in the eye and say no, then fire.”

“NO!” Fianna yelled and fired her arrow. It flew straight and true into the heart of the target. “I did it, Cadence!”

“That’s right, you did it. Now keep practicing. I’m so proud of you.” Cadence moved down the line and saw that Mallory was taking her lesson seriously. She smiled at the young woman and moved on to Islynn who was shooting arrow after arrow into her target. Thomas stood behind her with a proud look on his face.

“She’s a natural, Lady Cadence.”

“Show me, Islynn.” Her friend nodded and fixed her stance. Arrow after arrow flew straight and true to thump into the center of the target. What surprised Cadence most was the look of peace on her face.

“Every arrow that finds its mark brings me one step closer to reuniting with my Breena.”

Cadence squeezed her shoulder and moved back down the line.

“Nicely done, ladies!” Fionn shouted as he walked toward Cadence. “You have done well.”

“Thank you for sending your men to help us.”

“I did nothing. My men are here of their own free will and out of their desire to help Moone.”

Cadence nodded. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask about Donnell, but she didn’t want Fionn to get in the middle of this. She thought they had patched things up last night, but she must have misunderstood.

“Auntie Cadence!” Jilly shouted from her circle of friends sitting on the ground well behind the budding archers. “We want to help too!”

Fionn burst out laughing. “It seems your rabble-rousing extends to the children. I may have a way to get them involved.” He pressed a kiss to Cadence’s head and walked over to the group of kids and sat down on the ground while the kids arranged their circle to include Fionn.

“We’ve got big muscles too, Da.” Jilly smiled and flexed at Fionn.

“You certainly do and I think I know how to use them to help Moone. Who wants to go down to the river today?”

“Me! Me!” The children shouted and raised their hands.

“What we will do is send you all down there with some carts. You will fill the carts with stones you all can lift and throw.”

“We’re not ‘llowed to throw rocks, Fionn,” a small boy called out.

“Usually that is right, Bastien, but during the battle, we’re going to throw them at the British soldiers.”

The little boy beamed at Fionn.

Different members of Fionn’s ranks stepped up to help with the dagger practice. They demonstrated the various ways to use the weapon and supervised while the women tried their hands at stabbing the hay. Jilly was a serious student when James knelt and spoke softly with her, demonstrating how to use her dull weapon.

“It seems little Jilly takes after her brave Auntie.”

Cadence turned to see Donnall standing behind her. She’d been so focused on James and her niece, she hadn’t heard him come up behind her. “Look at how intent she is on learning.”

“That is a trait all of the women seem to possess.” Donnall stared down at his boots, not making eye contact with her. His shoulders were slumped and it seemed the fight had passed out of him.

This wasn’t the irritating barbarian she was used to seeing. She didn’t like this cowed Donnall. She wanted her old Donnall back, the one who stood up to her and wasn’t afraid to speak his mind. “I’ve been very selfish, Donnall.”

“Why do you say that? Here you are trying to protect Moone and teach the women how to defend themselves.”

“This is your home and it’s your duty to protect it. I know you take a lot of pride in your skills as a warrior and protector of Moone and all I’ve done since we met is question your skills and leadership at every turn.”

Donnall reached out to catch a strand of hair blowing across Cadence’s face. Twirling the silky strands around his finger, he took a step closer to Cadence. “It has been hard to hear that everyone dies. What is worse is that my own intractable attitude was to blame. Now, here I am with a chance to do it all over again and I was sticking to the same plan of attack. If Moone survives, it will be thanks to you, my beauty.”

Cadence was stunned. Donnall was turning her apology into a compliment. She took half a step toward him and he swept her into his arms. His skin was warm and he smelled like horses and leather. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers brushing through his long, dark hair.

“I do not think hugging the English will send them scurrying for home. What do you think, Carter?”

“I don’t know, Fionn that looks like a pretty fierce hug from where I’m standing.” Carter laughed.

“Would you prefer the two of us continue to battle each other?”  Donnall smiled at Cadence rather than looking up at Fionn.

“Oh please! We all know the two of you will be fighting like cats and dogs again tomorrow.”

“Perhaps even later today,” Fionn added on a snort.

“Ignore those giggling arsehats, little mouse. What can I do to help?”

Supper was a loud raucous affair. The women were animatedly telling tales of their adventures on the training fields while the men chimed in over how they’d helped. Donnall was sandwiched between Cadence who held a sleeping Jilly in her lap and Fionn who was cradling his infant son in one arm and unsuccessfully chasing food around his plate with his spoon.

“Here, give the baby to me so you can eat.” Donnall held out his arms and watched the play of emotions spill over Fionn’s face. His friend went from disbelief to astonishment in a matter of seconds.

“You do not like being around babies.”

“Well you and Carter make it look easy, so hand him over. I’m sure it’s not as terrifying as it looks.”

Fionn raised an eyebrow and set his sleeping son in Donnall’s arms. “Make sure you support his head. Do not drop him.”

Donnall was ready with a wise-ass comeback, but seeing the serious look on Fionn’s face, held his silence. The tiny boy was light as a feather, hell, his sword weighed more than the child, but he’d never felt as at peace with his weapon in his hand as he did holding Cardinn.

“Look at you, Uncle Donnall, you’re a natural with him.”

“I am scared to death. Does it show on my face?” He looked up into her smiling eyes and mirrored her smile.

“It didn’t until you tried to smile. Stop it,” she giggled.

“He is at peace while the end of days churn closer.” He ran a finger over the baby’s hand and gasped when the little boy grasped his finger.

“In the years to come, we’ll tell him stories of this battle. How his brave uncle and fathers fought to save his home and his people.”

“Do not forget his brave aunts. I am sure he will delight in the tales of you, Fianna and Islynn.”

Cadence ducked her head to press a kiss to Jilly’s head.

“That little one deserves her rest. She worked tirelessly with the other children to load river rocks onto the carts.” Donnall had gone outside the castle walls with several of the other warriors to help gather rocks to throw down on the English soldiers. It was the least he could do to help since he’d been off in a snit while the women trained to use their weapons.

“Notice how all the other children are in a similar state. Most are sleeping or about to drop off into their supper.”

“It might give their parents a chance for some alone time tonight.”

“That’s a great idea, Donnall. Why don’t we take the kids up to bed for Fionn and Carter?”

“So they can have some time alone tonight?” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

“Yes, they deserve it. Both of them were so helpful with the women today.”

“Carter, do you mind if we tuck your babies into bed?” Cadence stood with her sleeping niece in her arms.

Standing up and walking around the table, Carter pressed a kiss to Jilly’s messy curls and kissed his sister.

“You look so good with a baby in your arms.”

“Thank you for making me an aunt. We haven’t had much of a chance to talk with everything going on.”

“We’ll talk soon. I promise.” Carter turned to Donnall. “Make sure you put him down on his back.” He pressed a kiss to Cardinn’s head before smacking a loud kiss against Donnall’s cheek. “Make sure Cadence gets to bed at a reasonable hour.”

A cozy fire was lit in the children’s room, which connected to Fionn and Carter’s bedchamber. Cadence was pleased to see Maisy, Cardinn’s wet nurse, sitting near the fire. Cadence set Jilly down in the center of her bed and pulled the covers up over her. A small rag doll was lying on the pillow and Cadence tucked the doll in next to her niece.

“It’s been a long day for the little miss.” Maisy grinned.

“She worked hard today,” Cadence agreed.

“She was so excited about getting to help last night that I had a hard time getting her down.”

“That’s not a problem tonight.” Donnall brushed a light kiss against the baby’s head before setting him down in the cradle.

“I see Carter told you about placing the baby to sleep on his back rather than on his tummy.”

Donnall shot a confused look at Cadence. “I’m just following orders.”

“Sometimes babies smother in their sleep if they’re place on their stomach.”

“Now that the little ones are tucked in, it’s your turn, mi lady.” Donnall took Cadence’s arm and led her from the room.

Donnall was surprisingly quiet as they walked toward Cadence’s bedchamber. Unless she missed her guess, her usually confident barbarian was nervous.

“Here we are, Lady Cadence.” Donnall bowed dramatically.

“Thank you for seeing me home safely.” Cadence giggled.

“I would fend off a hungry wolf pack with my bare hands to keep you safe.”

“Or two small children?” Cadence bit her lip against the smile forming when Donnall blushed. It was obvious he had no experience with kids.

“I was never so happy as when I set the little lad down safely in his bed. It was quite a thing holding the future of Moone Castle in my arms.”

Cadence had only ever seen the infant as her nephew, rather than as the heir to the castle. “What you need to realize is that
you
are the future of Moone. We all are.” She reached out to link hands with Donnall.  Her entire body tingled with awareness when his eyes darkened.

Bouncing on the balls of his feet, Donnall closed the distance between them to brush a chaste kiss against her cheek.

“Is that how gallant knights say good eve? With a wimpy kiss?”

Donnall barked out a laugh.

Cadence nodded solemnly. “’Tis a shame, that.” Her accent was a perfect imitation of his.

“How did you want me to say goodnight, little mouse?”

“Like the brave warrior you are.” Her heart pounding a riotous rhythm in her chest, she captured Donnall’s lips with her own, lightly sucking until he moaned low in his throat. “Do you want me to stop saying goodnight?” Her voice was husky with need.

Donnall slipped his arms around her hips and pulled her flush against his chest. “Never stop saying goodnight.”

Biting back a smile, Cadence brushed a series of kisses against his throat. She could feel his pulse pounding against her lips.  Leaning up on tiptoes, she nipped at his earlobe.

Pulling an arm from around Cadence, Donnall blindly reached out for the doorknob. When his fingers made contact, he turned it and shoved the door open.

“Good idea. We don’t want to get caught kissing each other in the hallway.” Cadence tugged him into her room and shut the door behind them before leaning back against it, effectively trapping Donnall in her bedchamber.  She reached out for him, frowning when he hesitated and took a step backward.

“What’s wrong?”

“Cadence, it’s not that I do not want to be close to you. I do, but I promised Fionn I would stop deflowering maidens.”

“So then don’t deflower me.” She smiled wickedly.

Donnall rushed forward, pinning her body against the door. She could feel his arousal, hot and hard against her stomach.

Taking her face in his hands, he kissed Cadence, his tongue demanding entrance.

Cadence could feel all of his pent up need and desire flow through his kiss. She let his tongue tame and dominate her own, moaning into his mouth to urge him on.

“I need to taste you, my beauty.”

“Isn’t that what you’re doing now?”

Donnall shook his head, his eyes darkening as they travelled the length of Cadence’s lithe body.

“Oh?”

Kneeling before her, Donnall reached for her ankles, tickling his fingers against her soft skin. “Do not worry, I will not take your virtue.”

A pang of guilt tore through her. Donnall couldn’t take her virtue even if he hadn’t promised Fionn he’d stop sleeping his way through all of the women in the castle. She managed a nod and watched breathlessly as Donnall pushed her sapphire colored gown up over her knees exposing her most private place to his eyes.

Cadence took the folds of her dress leaving Donnall’s hands free to roam over her skin.

“Gorgeous. Yet, I wonder if you taste as good as you look.” Dropping a sexy wink, Donnall pushed her thighs apart and licked out at Cadence’s soft skin.

Gasping, she thrust her hips forward needing to feel more of Donnall’s magical tongue.

He spread her wide with his fingers and licked over the molten core of her. “I need more of your sweet nectar.” He slipped a finger into her slick passage.

“Donnall,” she panted.

“Have no fear, you are still pure.” He introduced a second finger and started stroking her from the inside while his tongue moved in the opposite direction over her clit.

Nothing Liam had done to her ever felt as good as this. Waves of pleasure burst across her as if Donnall were touching her everywhere at once.  He was stoking her fire higher and higher. It wouldn’t be long before she would be flying apart in his arms.

She slipped her hands into his soft, dark hair trying to hold him against her.

“Do not worry, I am not stopping until you find paradise.”

“Stop talking,” Cadence pleaded, her tone desperate.

Donnall chuckled against her sensitive skin, sending a wave of unexpected pleasure crashing through her. His tongue lashed against her while his fingers coaxed her on. “Donnall, yes,
yes!
” Her cries echoed around the chamber as Donnall wrung every drop of pleasure from her body.

“Fuck, fuck,” she whimpered when her release stopped reverberating through her body.

“Again, my beauty,” Donnall urged, his damp beard shining in the firelight.

“I c-can’t,” she stammered. Her entire body was shaking.

“You can and you will.” Donnall grinned and dipped his head back to taste her again.

Unbelievably, Donnall was right. She’d never been able to come a second time in all the years she’d been with Liam, but now, her body pressed against the door, her legs still rubbery, she started responding to Donnall’s renewed efforts. His beard was rough against her inner thighs, sending tiny bolts of electricity through her entire body.

“That’s it, little mouse. Reach for your bliss.”

“Stop talking!” Cadence groaned, wanting to reach for the pleasure that was quickly cresting. She was climbing higher than the first time. Her only saving grace was that Donnall would be there to catch her when she came back down to earth.

“Donnall!” she cried, bucking against his mouth. She rode the crest of pleasure as his tongue slowed and then stopped moving against her. Slipping his fingers from her soaking passage, Donnall winked and sucked them into his mouth.

“Oh God,” Cadence gasped while he continued to taste her on his fingers making an almost obscene sucking sound with his lips.  She sunk to her knees in front of him, knowing her legs wouldn’t hold her up much longer.

“Perfect. You are so perfect,” Donnall whispered, sitting back on his heels.

Cadence could see her juices glistening on his swollen lips. She leaned forward to lick her nectar from his lips.

Donnall, still stunned that Cadence had allowed him to kiss her so intimately, was even more surprised by his willingness to pleasure Cadence. In the past he’d gotten what he could from the women he bedded, not much caring if they found paradise or not. It meant more to him than he was willing to admit that Cadence found her release.

What she was finding now, was a way into his breeches. She had deftly undone the ties in the low firelight of the room and was in the process of working them off his hips.

“Down you go,” Cadence giggled, shoving him lightly onto his back. His fall was cushioned by one of the thick fur rugs in the chamber.

“Cadence, what are you doing?”

“It’s my turn to have a taste of you.” She wiggled his pants down to his ankles before yanking off his heavy boots. His pants quickly followed. Pushing his heavily muscled legs as far apart as they would go, she began trailing her fingertips up his calves.

Donnall’s mind was spinning. Did she actually mean to return the favor? He watched through heavy-lidded eyes as she bent low over his erection. He could never remember being more aroused.

Cadence reached out tentatively and wrapped her hand around his girth, giving him a few short strokes.

“Cadence, fuck,” Donnall hissed when her tongue followed the same path her hand had been making.

Dropping light kitten licks against his shaft, her tongue flicked up and over his spongy head to taste the pre-come drooling from his slit.

“L-Ladies, don’t do that,” Donnall panted, throwing his arms over his eyes.

“Oh, no?” Slipping her full lips over the head of his cock, she worked her way slowly down his shaft. Her tongue lashed against his hard flesh while she applied light suction until his cock hit the back of her throat. Gagging slightly, she pulled off him with a wet plop. “Would you like me to stop?”

Donnall sat bolt upright at that. “Fuck, no! Cadence, please…” Reaching out, he wrapped his fingers in her messy hair and gave a small tug forward, inclining his head toward his damp erection, silently pleading her to finish what she started.