4 Wil/Willem Part 2

The men talked as they walked back to the camp. Willem never took his hand off of her.

Sometimes he pulled her along and sometimes he walked with her. Eris was beginning to wonder if this wasn't a dream. But if it wasn't then were was she, who were these people and how did she get here? She had been lost in her thoughts when they made it back to camp. Had Willem not pulled her back she would have kept walking. She looked up and saw women working and what looked like a longhouse. Crudely put together yes but a good shelter. She looked closer and realized there were other buildings here that had been burned. There was something floating in the air, the ground felt squishy instead of solid and it smelt awful where they were. She looked down and was horrified to see blood lots of blood mixed with mud. She looked back up and realized what was floating in the air was ashes. She didnt know if she was going to be sick or pass out.

"Mi'lord what will you have us do with this woman?" Bjorn asked.

"Take her to the long house and tie her up. Find out if any of the women taken as slaves know her." Willem said. As Willem was pushing Eris to Bjorn he felt the change in her body go from resistance and strength to relaxed and unsteady. He moved quickly to pull her back to him and to catch her before she fell to the ground. Willem had to drop with her to catch and prevent injury to her or himself. He repoistioned her so he was craddling her in his arms he slowly rose up from his knees.

"Bjorn send for one of those healers and get a bed prepared in the long house." He ordered.

Bjorn nodded he sent one of the men with them to fetch a healer. Bjorn grabbed a slave and headed to the long house. Willem followed slowly behind. Eris' crown had fallen off one of the men picked it up and carried it with him. As the men got closer to the center of their stronghold those left behind to build the new settlement stopped what they were working on to see what was happening. Some of the whores who had been helping with fixing up also stopped what they were doing trying to get a look at the woman Willem was carrying to the longhouse. Before Willem got to the door Bjorn opened it for him. He had the slave finish stuffing the bed and tie it up. She placed a sheet down, held a blanket but moved out of the way so Willem could lay Eris down. The slave put the blanket over Eris and started to back away when she saw the crown being handed to Willem. The slave girl eyes went wide, she gasped, covered her mouth, bowed her head, and stepped back. Willem took note of this. Bjorn had a small fire going to chase out the cold draft in the house and had water on hand for drinking or whatever. Willem was about to thank Bjorn for his insight when one of the men walked in with the healer. She was an older woman but not unattractive however, stern she looked it didn't hide the beauty she was. The woman came in and went to Eris, Willem had lain her crown down beside her. When the woman saw Eris and her crown she jumped back and hissed"What have you DONE?"

Willem did not like being talked to in this manner he rounded on the older woman, "She fainted you're healer do your job." "You", he pointed to the slave girl who set up the bed now cowering in the corner, "Will answer my questions. You recognize this woman?" He gestured to Eris. The girl wide eyed nodded yes. "Speak then. Who is she?" Willem demanded. The girl sobbed out loudly "The dragon's princess."

Eris awoke in Will's arms. He smelled the same earthy and hers'. He was stroking her hair and singing softly to her. His deep rumbling voice easing her tension. Now this is a dream I don't want to wake up from she thought. "Will, I am so happy to see you. I have missed you so much." Eris said trying not to cry as she squeezed him tighter. "Shhh. I know but I am always with you, even if you don't know I am there." Will said. "Don't leave me behind again, let me stay here with you." she pleaded. Will held her tighter as she cried he held onto her as the night sky started to change to dawn. "If my power alone would do it, I would keep you with me and never let you go. But, I am yet strong enough just remember what I told you. I am always with you even if you don't see me." Will said. There were voices coming towards them. People were shouting and fighting. There was a fire somewhere she could smell the smoke. " NO! I don't want to leave, I want to stay with my Will. PLEASE! Don't make me loss him again." She cried. She grabbed ahold of Will tightly but she could feel him sleeping away no matter how hard, how tight she held on. She felt like she was choking as if someone was forcing something into her mouth. Involuntarily she gasped and started coughing. Everything was getting blurry she couldn't see Wil anymore. "NO!" She cried out as she sat up quickly in the bed. The others in the room stopped arguing and looked over at her. She was back in the strange place again. Damnit why am I going through this. She thought to herself. An older woman approached she looked to be about 50. "Here you go dear. Sip on this." The woman offered her a small clay cup. Eris took the cup from her and went to sip as the lady had said. Eris was surprised to find she could taste it. It was warm water mixed with raw honey. She could feel pain, she could smell, and she could taste. Eris worriedly realized she wasn't dreaming. Where then was she, was this limbo or worse her own personal hell? "Oh there, there my child." The older woman took Eris' hand and patted it crooning comfort to her. The man who looked like Wil stepped up and Eris turned away from him. "The women say you are the dragon's princess. Were you left behind here as a sacrifice?" The man demanded. "No." Eris said. Eris was pretty certain whatever was going on she wasn't a sacrifice. "Then who are you?" The man asked gentler now. "I am Eris..." before she could finish there were cries and gasp all around. Eris decided to wait and see what happened before she said anymore. "So you are the dragon's child then." The look alike Wil said. Eris looked at the man not sure what to say. She decided to go with a truth and said, "I have heard my father called worse than that."

"What will we do Lord Willem?" one of the men asked. Eris raised her eyebrows at the name so similar to her husband's name and appearance but yet he was different

Her Wil was gentle, he was brave, he was strong, he was intelligent, and he was empathetic for people. This man was rough, he was strong but he didn't seem to show empathy. He was crude, lewd, and base. His eyes roamed over her body and he stared at her chest alot. Her Wil was subtle, warm, funny, when he looked at her it was more than just her body he desired and he had class when looking. This imitation Willem irritated her for looking like her Wil as if mocking him.