Read Online The Winds of the Heavens (Sons of Rhodri Medieval Romance Series) by Anna Markland - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Anna Markland
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with most of his weight on her, his broad shoulders glistening in the firelight, his hair strewn across her face. She twisted her fingers into it, dreaming of red-haired children. Maybe twins? A future filled with more naughty fun!
His breathing had slowed. Was he asleep? He had stayed inside her and now she felt new stirrings of his interest. She wanted his weight covering her for all time.
“What are you thinking?” His rich voice startled her and she clenched on him, feeling him respond.
He touched the end of her nose as she gazed at him. “I know what I’m thinking.”
She untangled her fingers and lifted her arms to rest them on the bolster, arching her back and stretching. He raised up on his elbows and looked at her, then moved his hands to entwine his fingers in hers, pressing her hands to the pillow. The slow thrusting of his hips was already building the enthralling heat inside her again.
He smiled. “You are beautiful, and you’re mine.”
His smile took her breath away. She squeezed his fingers, revelling in the power this man held over her. “Forever,” she whispered.
CHAPTER TEN
“If I wanted to live the life of a monk, Isolda, I would have joined a monastery.” Rhydderch instantly regretted the sarcasm of his harsh words to his wife of a fortnight. He took a deep breath. “I love you and I’ve been patient. I understand how devastating your blindness is. I would sacrifice anything to have your sight restored, but I can no longer accept your refusal to share my bed. You’re my wife.”
They sat in the small chamber off the neuadd . She felt safe there. It had become her haven, but also her prison. He didn’t dare sit beside her. If their bodies touched he feared it would inflame him to such a degree he might take her against her will. He desperately wanted to avoid that, yearning for a willing Isolda who did not shrink from his touch. He wanted the Isolda with whom he had laughed and teased and touched in intimate places. But his patience was at an end. Isolda wore her blindness as a protective shield, letting no one enter. He did not want to invoke wifely duty. She might acquiesce, but that was not the solution. He craved her love, but did she love him still, deep within? He had tried to reach her there, and failed.
The evident joyous intimacy between Rhun and his wife made matters worse. Married on the same day in a restrained ceremony in Powwydd, Rhun and Glain had been unable to keep their hands off each other, leaving the banquet early to rush off to their chambers. He had remained in the Hall, clutching his new wife’s trembling hand. He had sensed she wanted to share Glain’s excitement at being kidnapped , but had been too afraid.
The next day Rhun had taken great pride in running the bloodied sheets from his marriage bed up the flagpole. Rhydderch had been happy for his brother, but devastated his own wife had not shared his bed on their wedding night.
She clutched the arms of her chair. “I told you before we were married I wouldn’t make a good wife. I’m blind. What do you expect? I’m helpless.”
He raked his hair back from his face, pulling hard to assuage his frustration. “You are not helpless. You assume that mantle like armour to protect yourself. Why do you believe you have to protect yourself from me?”
She covered her eyes with balled fists. “You know nothing of what I suffer. I wish I had died of the plague. My life is a living death.”
He went quickly to embrace her, to comfort her in her despair, but she remained rigid in his arms, lost in her misery. He suddenly remembered something Rhys had said to him earlier, something he had not agreed with at the time. Rhys had told him he did too much for Isolda. Rhydderch had retorted angrily, but now he wondered if Rhys might be right. He did everything for her.
“Isolda,” he said quietly after several minutes of silence, broken only by her sobs, “I am leaving the llys for a few days.”
She
His breathing had slowed. Was he asleep? He had stayed inside her and now she felt new stirrings of his interest. She wanted his weight covering her for all time.
“What are you thinking?” His rich voice startled her and she clenched on him, feeling him respond.
He touched the end of her nose as she gazed at him. “I know what I’m thinking.”
She untangled her fingers and lifted her arms to rest them on the bolster, arching her back and stretching. He raised up on his elbows and looked at her, then moved his hands to entwine his fingers in hers, pressing her hands to the pillow. The slow thrusting of his hips was already building the enthralling heat inside her again.
He smiled. “You are beautiful, and you’re mine.”
His smile took her breath away. She squeezed his fingers, revelling in the power this man held over her. “Forever,” she whispered.
CHAPTER TEN
“If I wanted to live the life of a monk, Isolda, I would have joined a monastery.” Rhydderch instantly regretted the sarcasm of his harsh words to his wife of a fortnight. He took a deep breath. “I love you and I’ve been patient. I understand how devastating your blindness is. I would sacrifice anything to have your sight restored, but I can no longer accept your refusal to share my bed. You’re my wife.”
They sat in the small chamber off the neuadd . She felt safe there. It had become her haven, but also her prison. He didn’t dare sit beside her. If their bodies touched he feared it would inflame him to such a degree he might take her against her will. He desperately wanted to avoid that, yearning for a willing Isolda who did not shrink from his touch. He wanted the Isolda with whom he had laughed and teased and touched in intimate places. But his patience was at an end. Isolda wore her blindness as a protective shield, letting no one enter. He did not want to invoke wifely duty. She might acquiesce, but that was not the solution. He craved her love, but did she love him still, deep within? He had tried to reach her there, and failed.
The evident joyous intimacy between Rhun and his wife made matters worse. Married on the same day in a restrained ceremony in Powwydd, Rhun and Glain had been unable to keep their hands off each other, leaving the banquet early to rush off to their chambers. He had remained in the Hall, clutching his new wife’s trembling hand. He had sensed she wanted to share Glain’s excitement at being kidnapped , but had been too afraid.
The next day Rhun had taken great pride in running the bloodied sheets from his marriage bed up the flagpole. Rhydderch had been happy for his brother, but devastated his own wife had not shared his bed on their wedding night.
She clutched the arms of her chair. “I told you before we were married I wouldn’t make a good wife. I’m blind. What do you expect? I’m helpless.”
He raked his hair back from his face, pulling hard to assuage his frustration. “You are not helpless. You assume that mantle like armour to protect yourself. Why do you believe you have to protect yourself from me?”
She covered her eyes with balled fists. “You know nothing of what I suffer. I wish I had died of the plague. My life is a living death.”
He went quickly to embrace her, to comfort her in her despair, but she remained rigid in his arms, lost in her misery. He suddenly remembered something Rhys had said to him earlier, something he had not agreed with at the time. Rhys had told him he did too much for Isolda. Rhydderch had retorted angrily, but now he wondered if Rhys might be right. He did everything for her.
“Isolda,” he said quietly after several minutes of silence, broken only by her sobs, “I am leaving the llys for a few days.”
She
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