The damn dream... Rick woke up, his body bathed in sweat. The Cross of the Paths...I needed to gather the wolves. And maybe ask your father-in-law for help. Philip intended...
Michael supervised the storage of weapons and checked the ammunition. Everyone was looking forward to the ships that would arrive at Chabone for the celebrations. The siege after so long left the city in an uproar. He heard footsteps behind him and instinctively turned around.
-Mike, I need to talk to you.
He relaxed. It was Giles' voice.
-What happened?
-Shouldn't you be with your wife?
Michael pouted at the thought of Christina.
-What do you think of Christina, Giles?
The man hesitated unwillingly.
-Evidently, the girl has personality. She is strong. Imagine running away the way she did! She could have died or worse.
-No, it's not that.- Michael wasn't sure what was bothering him.
-Now, boy! She wasn't even married to Valerius. Either way, she's now legally your wife." Giles shook his head. "But you must be careful with her. She is not a woman like any other.
He stared at his friend with the uncomfortable feeling that this was no reference to her beauty.
-What do you mean?
Again Giles hesitated.
- I've heard rumours, my friend. Rumours, of course. But I think for a woman she acted pretty cold-blooded. There is the matter of a child.
Michael stopped in astonishment.
-Kid? But what child, man? He felt the blood run cold in his veins.
A hole opened under his feet.
-They say that Valerius forced his wife before marriage. Lady Christina said the child was not born alive.
Michael was too stunned. A child? She hadn't mentioned any children.
-She heard another story. And you're not going to like it, boy. The woman is said to have strangled her newborn child in the crib. That she would never give a living heir to a man who had betrayed her. They say she never regretted it. She was a girl. She was buried next to the chapel. There is no headstone to mark her grave.
-Like?
His blood had frozen.
-Mike, the rumours...
- I want you to take me there now! – he ordered dryly.
-But now?
-Right now, Giles.
Michael let his eyes fall to the grassy pit. The tomb as Giles had said had no tombstone inscription and was abandoned. He looked silent. Not knowing what to think.
Giles cleared his throat uncomfortably. He was beginning to regret having told the boy the rumours.
-What are you thinking? She had always hated Valerius. It was undoubtedly the perfect opportunity for a woman to get revenge on an unwanted husband. Deny him an heir. They say that Valerius...
Giles was talking but Michael was distracted and lost in his thoughts. Like any man at his son's grave. That child... The baby looked like who? She should have been born with her mother's eyes but her hair should be...
Had the girl even opened her eyes? Had she breathed? She couldn't have killed the child!
He was anaesthetized with his body numb. Christina couldn't have done that. What kind of woman was she? Sometimes women seemed to lose their minds with an unwanted pregnancy.
-They say that Valerius lost all sense to see his daughter dead. He must have done something horrible to make Christina hate her.
Michael didn't respond. He hadn't come back. One way or another, that was the truth. Not even after the wound healed. The numbness in his body was starting to give way to anger. He could laugh.
Daughter of Valerius? He doubted. The child should have been their daughter, and what had she done, finding herself abandoned? He took a deep breath. It would go crazy if Giles kept talking.
-Giles, I need... I need some time.- he said with apparent calm.
Giles was already feeling utterly sorry for the boy's agonized expressions. He started to walk away.
-I'm sorry, but you were going to find out. Thought you'd better know before the comments.
Michael came back late. The camp was almost deserted. He felt tormented. However, he couldn't wait any longer to confront the woman. Christina could have looked for a midwife to put the child to sleep or else she wanted to be pregnant. But would her grievance against her husband be so great to avenge herself like that? Was it possible that she had dared to kill her unborn daughter in cold blood?
He didn't mean to condemn her, but he wanted explanations about the child she was stillborn. Looking for calm, he entered the tent.
The woman was still awake. She was wearing a simple cotton nightgown and was combing her hair. She avoided showing surprise at his closeness.
-There are things I would like to ask. He spoke slowly so as not to scare her. He needed to know the truth.-There are some rumours running around town. They say you had a child.
Christina was silent, but the expressions on her face contracted.
- They said the baby died. What I believe must be true.
Christina looked away and remained silent. She struggled to keep calm. Not even tears... Why the surprise? It was clear he would hear the rumours.
- How... how did the baby die? Michael almost choked. The idea tore at him.
She showed surprise. Astonishment and grief. Had he believed the rumours too?
- It was born before his time. It was an argument. He leaves the house for a walk and falls. I took a tumble and pressed my stomach. I didn't think there would be any problems. And anyway...
-Why ahead of time? Didn't seek help?
She looked at him intently. Trying to hide the hurt it caused, remembering the baby she'd never breathed. It wasn't so much the baby. Her distaste for Valerius and his unfair accusations… She had never had a lover. The sick jealousy... he was the kind of man who liked to drink and knew how to hit a woman.
-Do you also believe that I killed her?- She threw the question like a stab.
-I did not say that. And what about the girl?- he was tormenting himself now.- Was it... was it?
Christina closed her eyes, no tears were streaming down her memory. It had been so long! Did thinking about the child make you feel depressed? She would never be able to have any more children. Valeirus was also a vengeful man.
-She was his daughter. She—she spoke quietly, avoiding looking at him. "I found out she was pregnant just before the wedding. And anyway…she didn't intend to keep the baby. I know it must be horrible. I wouldn't...
The wheels of rejected babies... wooden cylinders installed in the walls of convents or churches. Christina looked away. Explain what? A family that suddenly couldn't stand her? Without any reason when she did her best to please? The mother-in-law when she suspected the pregnancy... God! Even a piece of bread had refused her as a meal.
It had been unfortunate to get pregnant. With no way to support himself... Valerius is drinking more and more. The aggression... The threats... He didn't want a wife at all. He'd gotten a full-time maid. He couldn't leave the house, he couldn't have friends or even talk. And all the confusion when he'd threatened the young child with physical punishment that felt like torture... Of course, she had faced him...
Suddenly she could only feel horror at that thing that was developing inside her. Abstinence helped to avoid children. But the herbs... ah, those had failed. She was always careful to be asleep when he arrived and more to get up at dawn. In addition to closed clothes.
Michael smothered his anger.
-And you didn't tell me anything?
-You seemed ready to come back. - She explained, wiping her face. - They said he was dead.
-What was she like?
Christina rose restlessly. agitated. The conversation bothered her.
- He was a baby like any other. It made no difference to him being pregnant. Men!. I carried it a few months ago. It was a haemorrhage. Valerius was drunk. he insisted on performing the funeral rite and regretted it. I do not. It must be awful. But I thanked Heaven.
That night Valerius had returned drunk, mourning Katie's death. Distraught he cursed all the wolves as he remembered the woman he loved and their child. Both were dead. He is a moment of rage had assaulted her until she walked away. Christina had barely managed to survive the haemorrhage. The weakness to be able to stand... The humiliation against a piece of bread that he took to feed himself...
-What did you name her?
She hesitated again, wrapping her arms around her body in dismay.
-No name.- Her voice didn't break. - He even picked a few and...
Not even a name? He would have chosen if he could have given his opinion and if he was her son.
-Did he arrange for the child to have a burial and be blessed by a priest?
-No! Valerius didn't allow it. We have a few different points of view. I don't share the same faith as your family. I'm from ancient traditions and...
Michael took a deep breath. She wasn't telling the whole truth.
-And why was the child born prematurely?-He asked suspiciously. Valerius couldn't beat the woman even while she was pregnant.
-Mike, please...
-Why Chris? – he asked again and cursed on the edge of fury as he saw the woman walk away, building a wall of protection around her...
Had the wretch beaten his wife to the point of causing the child's death? He grabbed Christina by the arms as he shook her gently.
-I know sorcerers! I just want to hear you talk. I'm going to kill Valerius later tonight. - he assured upset.
The woman's look of horror set him on fire.
-He finished! Please do not! He arrives! – she cried. - That damned feud between clans. I almost died that day. It is enough. I'm asking you. You will not face Valerius. Leave it as is.
Michael swore at the sobs that raged through the woman's body as he shook his head. He shivered with rage. He was hallucinating.
-That damned bastard killed... Did he have the courage to attack you pregnant expecting his child?
- You probably didn't even believe it. Damn jealousy... I don't want to talk about it. I never want to see Valerius again...
-You also killed their son!- she shouted.- Katie was Valerius' lover! The child..." A new tremor shook her.
Christina was shivering so hard and suddenly she felt overwhelmingly cold.
-W was...
Muttering Michael picked her up as if she were a child. Maybe she had walked away. She wrapped her arms around her neck, clinging to him in a soft, heartfelt cry and sobbing. Michael was big and strong as he held her in his arms.
-She passed. Everything is fine. His voice echoed in the strong chest where she rested her head. Michael kissed her hair. Let's forget all about it! She lied with forced calm.
The man sighed. She was snuggling against him for the first time in his arms, looking for warmth and protection. Michael wanted more. He clasped his wife tightly against him.
- What happened? Later? she asked after a long silence.
She was silent. Very slowly Michael began to stroke her back, his hands moving in a comforting way, his hand as light as a feather.
When Christina finally seemed to relax, he became more and more aware of the heat of her body, the nightgown that wrapped around her body covering the silky skin and her ass pressing pleasantly against her most intimate part.
-Chris... the name was almost like a caress in your mouth.
She tensed, trying to pull away, her hand over his holding her nightgown to her body.
-What... what are you doing? – she was tense. Suddenly she didn't feel so safe in his arms anymore. The man would eventually see the scars Valerius had left on her body. Just the thought terrified her.
"Shhhh…" Michael let his hand smooth over her tear-streaked face. – You are my wife now. What harm can there be?
She stared at him completely rigid and very pale, struggling to getaway.
-I can not. I can't be your wife. Your people would not accept me. I can't have children anymore.
-But what nonsense is this?
-I can not. The midwife...
-Chris! But how absurd! You don't know that!- he protested.
His mouth sought hers. Her lips parted and she felt herself on fire with the caresses. She didn't quite notice the moan that escaped her as his hand began to caress her breasts over her nightgown. He made her aroused by fiddling with her nipples, stroking with his thumb until they were swollen, sending new sparks and throbbing in her lower abdomen.
His tongue moved slowly, tasting and tasting. Christina was still aware of his hand on hers as he brought it to the rigid member. She moaned at the sensation. Exactly like before. The man was teasing her. All sorts of suggestive ideas were beginning to stoke Michael's mind. It was even better than before.
-Oh, Your Highness. I want you to touch me. You know that, don't you? – he was moaning.
She sighed as she felt him unzip his pants impatiently, his hand now stroking the hard, pulsing member between her fingers with a groan. His hands held her hair. Christina looked at him in surprise. She'd always liked knowing how she managed to make him lose control like that. Hesitantly, she began to slide her hand around him, applying light pressure to the movements. ..