A WARRIOR’S LOVE

Emma awoke to him shaking on her shoulder with his hand. Blinking, she looked around sleepily, confused as to why he was awakening her when it was still dark. Rubbing her eyes, she yawned and sat up watching him move about in the semi darkness, erasing any signs of their stay.

What are you doing? Isn’t it still night time? She asked as he turned and pulled the blanket from her shoulders and place it back on the horse’s back.

If you need privacy, do it now. He said motioning to the dark bushes just beyond her purposely ignoring her seemingly bad habit of constantly questioning him.

Have you no manners? She muttered getting to her feet wishing she could bathe the dust and grime from her body.

Ignoring her, he continued to remove various signs of their stay as she disappeared into the darkness. As soon as she was done and returned from the bush, he grabbed her arm, pulling her to the horse rather roughly making her cry out.

Silence. Sound travels to enemy ears. He warned her lifting her unceremoniously up onto the horses back and then easily mounting up behind her.

Where is it exactly you are taking me and why? She finally blurted out after riding in silence for over an hour.

Tokaalah shifted slightly, moving her at the same time to get more comfortable before answering.

You ask many questions. He said finally giving the horse its head as it made its way down a steep incline.

Emma shut her eyes as they lurched to the side and back again as the horse picked its way down the narrow path. I want to go home.

Tokaalah looked down at the back of her head at the emotion behind her statement and felt a fleeting moment of remorse. He would have felt the same way if he were in her place.

That cannot be. He stated flatly trying to make his voice hard.

Emma blinked back the fat tears that threatened to spill over onto her cheeks once again, deciding if he wasn’t going to let her go, she would escape.

The countryside seemed to green up around them quickly after they had ridden for a full day.

Emma thought she was going to die of pain as he helped her from the horse and back onto solid ground. Her legs, numb, were unable to hold her weight and she collapsed, instinctively holding onto him tightly as she fell.

Tokaalah easily supported her by her waist with one arm secretly enjoying the sudden flush that crept over her pale features as they stood closely together.

Emma could feel his very muscles right through her dress and it caused a most odd sensation in the pit of her stomach once again. Knowing she would fall without his support, she reluctantly held onto him, allowing him to take her to a grassy area under a large tree.

Setting her down, Tokaalah returned to the horse feeling her eyes piercing into his back. He never understood how the white’s got anything done in their homes if all the women were as weak as this one.

Leading it to a small pond, he stared at her from over the horses back, silently taking in her subtle beauty. He cared not if her hair wasn’t the colour of night but rather the color of fire. He cared not that her eyes were not brown like the pelts of rabbit he caught in the winter but rather the colour of grass blowing in the summer winds. Her body seemed fragile compared to the maidens of the village. They shared the same sensual curves he loved but she didn’t possess the physical strength she would need to survive. The thought hit him suddenly and he was painfully aware he was acting purely on his own selfish desires instead of his common sense. A mistake that often proved fatal in the end for many.

Emma rubbed her neck absently as she leaned back against the tree and closed her eyes relishing the coolness of the shade it provided. How she longed for a bath as the grime was inside her clothes now, the stench of the horse permeated every pore of her skin. Thoughts of her mother who was most likely beside herself with worry made her shudder. She hated that she was going through such worry on account of her stupidity.

The snort of his horse made her open her eyes only to discover him staring at her intently.

Blushing, she looked away, thankful her hair had partially come undone enabling her to be able to hide behind it. She had a funny feeling her life was forever altered by those eyes yet despite the circumstances, she was glad of it.