Patreon LogoYour support makes Blue Moon possible (Patreon)

To the Highest Bidder Goes the Prize (Chuckeles/butterfly040

Free from his grasp, Kiana backed up the short distance to Nessa and Angus. Nessa instantly replaced Lund's arms with her own, protective, sisterly hug. Nessa whispered into her ear, "He means well...." And Kiana knew that as well, she just wondered if his good intentions would cost them their happiness.

Lund's mother diligently nodded in agreement with Lund's father, but as she went to take his arm, she stops to turn back one more time. "You all must be quite tired from your travels. You will be shown to rooms you can rest and refresh yourselves in before the evening meal. It was nice to meet you all." She turned then to go with her husand.
 
Lund moves to the cart grabbing his bag and Kianas. He moves towards her touching her arm softly. "I have your bag Kiana. Will you stay with me in my rooms?" he offers his arm to her hoping he hasn't made her to upset with him. He glances towards Lily offering her another smile.

Lunds father pauses when his wife stops. His brow is furrowed slightly as he waits for her to finish. As they begin to walk off his voice is pitched low just for his wife to hear. "What can our son be thinking dear. I don't understand darling he seems to have changed alot."
 
Before Kiana could answer him, Nessa stepped forward and took Kiana's bag from his hands. "I think I speak for Kiana when I say it would not be a wise idea for her to be staying in your rooms. You're not married. Her residing with you would paint her a whore."

"She's right Lund," Kiana's meek voice finally chimed in. She sighed shaking her head, "This is not exactly the kind of impression I wanted to make on your parents. And THAT is not the kind I want to make either. But... if the bargain we made goes the OTHER way..." she said trailing off, reminding him that she had offered to become his mistress should his family not accept her to be his wife.

"I can make sure Kiana is in the room right next to yours and your husband's room," his sister finally cut in. Lily turned to direct a servant what guest rooms to show the three too, "Luis will should you the way and your belongs will be brought up as well." She instantly reached out to stop her brother from following after them, "If you don't mind, I'd like a word or to with my brother."

Kiana, Nessa, and Angus all nodded their understanding as they departed, following the servant into the house. Left alone, Lily but her hands on her hips and looked sternly yet in an almost comical way. Lily thinking she could even look intimidating was laughable, "Do you ever actually think before you go and open you mouth brother?"

Meanwhile, Lund's mother sighed, glancing back to watch the group entering into the house while Lund and Lily remained behind. "I don't know what he is thinking. I have heard that sometimes a war can change a person, but change him like this? I always thought that Lund would never find his own wife. He never seemed to take much interest into finding one. That was why I suggest we think about finding and arranging one for him. He never seemed to care much about who or when he wed. And now he returns here presenting us with a girl we know nothing about and boldly declaring he wants to marry her..." she looked back once more. "The girl does seem nice. She is very pretty. Seems sweet, but she's not exactly the kind of woman I pictured for Lund."
 
Lund hesitates as Nessa takes Kianas bag from his hands. He opens his mouth ready to say something but pauses hearing Kiana agree with her. He sighs softly as he watches her rubbing his chin slightly. He moves to place a gentle kiss on Kianas cheek. His head dips slightly as he let's the servants lead then away.

He turns to make sure he has everything he can carry out of the wagon glancing at lily. "What are you talking about sister? I want Kiana as my wife. I dont see the problem." He glances back at his sister adjusting his pack slightly. "You seemed to like her well enough."

Lunds father pauses for a moment slipping a letter from his vest. "You mention arranging a marriage for Lund. I had already begun the discussions with a fellow lord. He has just his daughter left to him and I thought we should discuss this."
 
Lund's mother, sighs, "Oh dear..." glancing back towards Lund she shakes her head, "I don't know if we could arrange a marriage for him now. One thing I don't think has changed about our son is when he has his mind set to something he will not give it up until he has it. If his mind is set on this girl, I don't think anything can be said to him to change it." She glances at the letter in her husband's hand. "Is it just discussions or has a promise already been made? You have not signed anything yet have you? Perhaps if this is what Lund has chosen, the discussion could be ended calmly. Or changed to an arrangement between Jak and this girl. Jak isn't getting any younger either and he will one day take your place as the head of this family. He needs a wife and his own heirs soon as well."

Lily rolled her eyes and shook her head, "Sure you want her for your wife, but you are home five minutes with a complete stranger at your side and suddenly it's 'Oh hello mother, father. Sorry I've been gone so long. By the way, this is a girl you don't know anything at all about and I'm going to marry her. And how have you been?' And then to her... asking her to stay in your rooms? Only one kind of woman stays in the rooms of a man when they are not married. Is that the kind of impression you want mother and father to have on the girl you wanna marry?" She sighed and crossed her arms, "As for me... you know I like pretty much everyone I meet. It's only after getting to know them I decide if I like them or not. Still, she seems very nice, but why is there such a heavy look in her eyes? She watches the world around her like she had the weight of it upon her shoulders and it's crushing her. Your lady has very sad eyes."
 
Lunds father sighs softly as he rubs his temples softly. "I'm afraid the beginnings of a promise have begun. When I heard Lund was returning I invited them to a ball to formally meet." He sighs as je begins walking with her slowly. "Jak is my heir but he is to quick tempered sometimes." his hand pats his wifes sighing softly.

Lund stares at Lily then glances towards the doorway after Kianas figure. "She has been through alot sister. We ran into some bandits coming through the mountains." He clears his throat glancing down slightly as he starts to head for the door. "Walk with me
Sister.
 
"Then you must tell Lund. If your judgment is he must submit to the arranged marriage then you must not let him go on thinking he will wed the other girl. Have him end if now before matters grow any more serious between them then they already are." His wife, separated herself from her husband's arm. "I will find him and send him to your solar." His wife really didn't leave him to disagree with her before she was off to find Lund.

"That's terrible!" Lily said with shock and sadness in her own eyes now after Lund had told her the tale of what had happened in the mountains. "No wonder I saw that look in her eyes. She has been through so much." She paused a moment and glanced up, spotting their mother coming for them, "And I think you are both about to go through a bit more..."

"Lund, dear. You're father wants to see you at once in his solar. Please don't keep him waiting. It is a very important matter." She raised a hand before he could speak, "And do not ask me what it is about. That is for your father to tell you."
 
Lunds father nods as he places a soft kiss on his wifes cheek. He heads for the solar ordering a servant to bring some wine and two glasses. He fills one glass sipping at it a he waits for his son to enter.

Lund listens to his mother swallowing softly as he stands up slipping his sword belt off. He quickly crosses the manor slipping into the solar. He takes thr glass of wine sipping at it as he sits on the offered seat. "Mother said you wished to speak with me father." His father nods handing the letter to him as he begins explaining the details of the arranged marriage.

Lund listens to all of the details before he stands up tossing the letter down. "This isn't right father. You know my wishes.
 
Kiana sat nervously in her room, waiting for some kind of word from Lund. Soon it would be time to go downstairs to the evening meal and she did not really feel very confident about going down there. Not without kind indication of what she might face. Had Lund spoken to his parents? What had they said? And the growing nagging in her head was getting to her. Could she really be happy as Lund's mistress if it came to that. She thought she could be but actually being here in his home, seeing the world he came from, she started to wonder if she really could submit herself to that. Years of loving someone that could never openly declare his love back. Watch him one day marry someone else, have children with them. And what if she did have his children? They would be bastards and scorned by the world.

The more she thought about it, the more she realized. If she could not marry Lund, she could never stay here.
 
Lunds father raises his hands trying to calm his son. "This is what has to happen son. You may not love this girl but you will learn to love with her. In two days she will be here and a bowl will be held."

Lund downs the last of his wine standing. "I'm not going to sit by and do nothing." Lund storms out of the room stopping a servant long enough to get directions to Kianas room. He rushes inside closing the door behind him. He turns to Kiana swallowing alittle sweat on his forehead. "We have to do something Kiana. My father is trying to arrange a wedding."
 
Kiana's eyes went blank a moment and it was clear now to see what his sister had been speaking about earlier when it came to the sadness within them. But even though her eyes were sad, she gave him a smile. That kind of smile that tried to hide the pain inside. "Well... it looks like mistress it is then..." she said, resigning herself to her fate. There was nothing to be done she thought. His father was the law here and if that was what he wanted, attempting to stop him would only make him angry. She didn't want to make Lund's family mad at him.
 
Lund quickly moves to sit on the bed next to her. His fingers dip to touch her cheek. "Kiana we could run away. Us and Angus with Nessa." he strokes her cheek as he turns her head to look into her eyes softly. He leans in pressing his lips to hers sofly. "Can you truly be happy as my mistress Kiana? And answer me truthfully."
 
"Yes," she answered far to quickly and with no where near enough confidence in what she was saying. Even she knew it was not at all convincing and she soon after shook her head, "No..." she wrapped her arms around him. Holding him tight. "I could never ask you to run away. This is your family. You might be content with leaving them now but years down the road? Never seeing them again? You could grow to recent me for it." She sighed. "We should have gotten married before arriving here. They never could have objected to something already done. This is all my fault."
 
Lund wraps his arms around her holding her tight. His arms squeeze her tryin to pull her even closer as he swallows. "No matter what happens Kiana I need you to stay. You've kept me sane these last few months." He swallows as he turns her head pressing his lips to hers softly. His fingers move to unbind her hair from the braid it is in. He continues the kiss as he spins them on the bed placing her underneath himself.
 
Kiana quickly falls prey to his passionate kisses and bends to his will, allowing him to lay her upon the bed. Her mind was to busy racing to really notice he was setting her up for a bit of loving. Why had she been so foolish? She should have foreseen something like this happening and then thought of a way around it. If only... "That's it!" she suddenly said with a bit of joy. She looked up into his face, only then realizing she was laying under him upon the bed. But she had to tell him her idea, before she got distracted. "We have to get married. As soon as we can. We can slip away to some place, be married, consummate the marriage, and return a legally married couple. You can't marry someone else if you are already married."
 
Lund pauses in his passionate kisses watching kiana as she gets the idea. He blinks slightly as he searches her face. "We will have to ride hard and fast kiana to someplace outside the valley. It's absolutely brilliant darling." He leans in kissing her passionately once more his arms pulling her close. "I'll go down to the stables and get two horses. Get some riding clothes and an extra dress from Angus and Nessa." His eyes light up kissing her once more before standing up and heading for the stables.
 
Before she could suggest waiting until after the evening meal, he was gone. Quickly she went into Angus and Nessa's room and told them the plan. Both agreed it was a smart idea. Nessa packed on of her own dresses for Kiana. It would be a bit big but she could tighten the lacing on it so it would not be hanging off her body. The pair promised to cover for them during dinner. They would say she had passed out from the long trip and were resting in your room. And if anyone asked of Lund, Angus would say he had gone to his room only to have Lund claim he was unable to come down. He had something important to think about and needed solitude to make a decision. Then Angus would tell loud, humorous tales of his travels to distract the room from think anything was amiss. With their best wishes and their blessing, Kiana waiting for Lund's return to wisk her away to their secret wedding. She knew it was not the best idea but it marriage was what they wanted, this could be the only way of it.
 
Lund returns to the room dressed in traveling clothes. He is carrying a traveling bag with another se of clothes to wear for the ceremony. He kisses her softy as he holds her close. "Are you ready to go my love?" He gently pulls her close kissing her once more. He takes her hand leading her through the manor hiding from anyone they pass. Once at the stables he helps her on to a horse before slipping in to his own. "I'll ride lead and try to stay close."
 
She nods in understanding. There was something wrong about running off into the night like this just to be with the one she loved, but it was also wrong that they should be denied their happiness. Two wrongs, this time at least, would hopefully end up with everything being all right. She mounted up, adjusting the pack on herself to sit comfortable to the ride ahead of them. "I'll do my best. You know horses are still not the best thing for me. But I will try." They made their way from the stables and outside the manor walls as quietly as possible. Her was hoping that Nessa and Angus could weave a believable tale to distract long enough.
 
Lund smiles at her confidently as he leads then outside the manor walls. "I just wish I had though of this myself." Once outside the walls he clicked the horses to begin galloping. It quickly becomes obvious he picked two horses close in speed as they ride together. He keeps his horse close to hers wanting to be close if she needs him. His smile getting brighter as the ride further away from his home.
 
The further and further they got from his home, the brighter things got even to her. Soon, the lights of the manor were out of sight and no one had come after them. The were in the clear. "Where are we going to?" she called out to him as they kept the face pace, not wanting to let up and tempt fate with a slower pace of their riding. The night was rather dark, lit only by a small sliver of the moon.
 
He smiles as he turns to smile at her softly. "I know a priest in the next town over. He will marry us and give us a place to spend the night. You will have to wear my signet ring for abit till I can get you an actual ring." He leans over placing a soft kiss on her cheek once more. "I Love you Kiana."
 
She smiled a little at him. "I don't know if this is the right thing to do still. Your family will not be very happy with us about it. Especially when they learn it was my idea. But it's the only way that I can see." Glancing down at her hand and at the ring, she smiled a little more and laughed slightly to. "After all that trying to not be seen with that ring, I can't believe it will soon be on my hand."
 
Lund smiles as he nods taking her hand squeezing it softly. "In just a few hours darling. And I'll tell them it was my idea. You don't need to take anymore heat from them." true to his words after a few hours of riding a small temple can be seen and they are getting closer. His smile gets abit brighter as they get closer.
 
Seeing the temple was like some kind of guiding light of salvation. How ironic really. She had started this epic adventure of hers in a temple and now she was going to resolve her problems in it. As they pulled up to the front of the temple, one of the temple priests came out to meet them, realizing that it was Lund at once. "Sir Lund. What brings you here so late in the evening? We thought you were away in the war?"
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom