2 "Traveling"

I woke up to loud thumping at the door. And a woman shouting through it. Sleep had not completely left me yet and I didn't know what she'd said. I rose slowly so that I didn't wake him. Slipping through his grasp was more difficult than I had imagined. I covered the spot I was in with a blanket and made my way to the door.

I quieted the loud woman. She apologized, handed us a tray of tea and breakfast and told us we had to leave soon.

As I turned to put the tray on the small table next to the fireplace, I saw his eyes flicker open. I do my best to avoid contact with them and gather the supplies needed to restart the fire. As I knelt down near him to prepare the fire he sat up and put his hand at the center of my back.

"I will do that." I stopped, turned to him and nodded. "Do you mind bringing the tea here on the floor." I nodded and followed his command. In the short time I needed to arrange our breakfast he had the fire ablaze. "You are very special to me. Even though you may not feel that way." He seemed uncomfortable saying that. "I have only known a few true Lady's like yourself in my life. And I know they would never eat on the floor let alone sleep on the floor to please their new husband."

I understood what he meant, my younger sisters would die before they would behave the way I have in the last few hours. Not only that, but my parents would disown me if they knew. Not that it matters now. They are rid of me like they wanted.

I felt warmth come over me, "I don't mind". I said unable to look at him. My boldness from last night had left me. When I looked up I saw a small smile growing from on side of his face. Like he was trying to stop it but couldn't.

"I think we can be happy together" he said looking deeply in my eyes. "I want to make you happy Daphne" I felt a shiver down my spine when he said my name. Happiness was only something I read about. It was never something I truly believed in. He seemed so hopeful in it, like he understood the true meaning of it.

We ate and prepared ourselves for travel, very slowly. He asked for my help to button his sleeves, which I had moments before watched him button himself and then unbutton. As I touched his wrist he flinched, and I noticed a symbol scared on it. It looked familiar but I didn't pay it much mind. Because touching his skin gave me a feeling of sheer panic and joy I couldn't focus on anything else. When I had finished he grabbed my hands and kissed them softly, while thanking me. I wanted to savor the last moments in this room. It had been the sweetest beginning of a marriage I had little hope for. I wished and dreamed of a husband who would treat me the way he did, but logically I knew it was unlikely to happen.

I followed him out of the Inn to the carriage. We rode for a few hours in silence. I had no idea how long we would be traveling or where we were going. But, I had decided in these last few hours that I could trust this man. He had given me no reason to feel otherwise. The overwhelming revelation I had come to brought tears to my eyes. I stared out the window trying to pull myself together. When I felt ready to speak, I turned to find his eyes deadlocked onto me.

"No one ever told me your name my Lord." My voice shook uncontrollably.

He smiled slightly at the corners of his mouth. "Call me William, my dear." He broke our eye contact to stare out the window. "I assume no one told you anything about me." He kept his eyes firmly on the passing scenery.

"My maid, Essie told me you were very tall and handsome" He smiled but didn't look back towards me.

"My name is William Bennett. I was borne a commoner, unlike yourself. I entered the army when I was 14. I was knighted by the King at 18, and given a large dwelling on the coast and a large yearly allowance." He paused, let out a deep breath, "That was 10 years ago. I have not been there in years."

"I have never seen the ocean...Just paintings of it"

He looked back at me with curiosity "Have you ever ventured past your property?" I shook my head.

We rode in silence for hours after that. The sun began to fade away. I felt the cold in my bones as the sun drifted and the moon began making its appearance in the sky. My body sent thousands of shivers through my body trying to warm itself. When I began to think we would never stop the carriage pulled into an Inn that seemed in the middle of nowhere.

As we were shown to our room, William asked for evening tea and an early morning wake up. And in minutes we had our tea, and were alone.

"I know the journey is long" He said as he stood from his seat and made his way toward me."But this will be our last lodge. We will arrive tomorrow afternoon." He stood behind me and placed his hands on my shoulders. "Is this ok?" He asked quietly.

I nodded in agreement and he began to massage my shoulders and neck. It felt so wonderful. My body began to melt in his hands.

"Can we sleep now, William" I whispered. He dropped his hands from me and walked away pulling our night clothes out of the chest that was packed for us. He changed and began creating a bed of pillows and blankets on the floor close to the fire. When I finished dressing, I sat next to him on the floor. He was on his knees staring in the fire like it was going to speak to him. I touched his arm and he jerked out of his dream. "Are you alright?" He asked. I nodded and scooted closer to him. I reached for his face, and he met me halfway. With all the care I could manage I ran my fingers through his hair and down his cheek. I read that couples did that when they are in love, touch each other just to feel their closeness. He shuttered at my touch and shut his eyes. He reached out and pulled my waist up next to his, this startled me at first. "Please continue" he begged in a whisper. So I took my time and learned every hair and curve of his face, while his arms wrapped around my body. He ran his hands through every curve, and after sometime pulled me to the ground. I layed in his arms, twirling the hair on his chest through my fingers. It was the first time I truly felt safe. I let out a sigh of satisfaction. It seemed to please him, he kissed my head and whispered "Sleep well.....my love."

We awoke as we did the day before. And as the day before we prepared ourselves very slowly. Savoring glances, small gestures preformed by one another. At any moment a physical touch was appropriate we took it.

As we walked towards the carriage he offered his hand. I gladly took it, craving any bit of attention he was willing to spare. I was feeling affection for him. I did not want to sit separately in the carriage. I want to ask him to sit close to me, but I wasn't brave enough.

I settled myself into my seat and he tended to our luggage. I held his eye contact as he entered the carriage, crying out internally for him to be close to me. And without a word, he sat next to me. I felt a stirring in places I never had before. I wasn't nervous anymore, I was eger to learn why I craved the feeling of our skin touching with no barrier.

"May I put my arm around you?"

Without any control over my body I began to blush. "You're free to do as you wish with me" I couldn't help but smile as I spoke those fateful words to him. I had no idea what I had unleashed in this seemingly self controlled man.

"You're going to regret those words" he growled under his breath as he pulled my body into his. He kissed all of my exposed flesh. He stopped at my lips and carefully ran his fingers over top. "Everything about you is warm, soft and wet. I will die a little every time I have to leave your side." He slowly kissed my face and when he reached my lips he kissed me in such a different way my heart almost gave away. He plunged his tongue deep in my mouth, as if he were searching for treasure.

We stayed intertwined like that for what felt like seconds but turned out to be hours. I never wanted it to end. I had never felt more feminine. He held me with such force and yet I felt cared for. I did my best to reciprocate what I imagined he wanted. Any time I heard a deep growl in his chest I knew he wanted more.

I felt a deep burning inside for more. He lifted my skirt and began to run his hand up my leg, until the driver knocked on the side of the carriage. And without a moments notice, we had arrived.