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Author: Scarlett
Title: The Home Lands
Deep inside the shadow, the stranger watched
him make his shaky way into the bar again. The unknown lurker slipped
farther into the inky blackness of a stormy night, once again he would
have to be saved from himself. How many times would he have to be shown
the same lesson over and again.
Hannah rolled her eyes and crossed the narrow bridge, to “The Dancing
Dragon”.
“What is the password?” An aged man asked.
A long red scar cut a horizontal path from the upper right most side of
his face all the way to the lower left side. He was blind in his left
eye where the knife had torn that side of his face.
“Flaming Knight” Hannah responded without pause.
The Bar Keep opened the door to her, but eyed Hannah as she walked past,
head held high. Shaking his head, he closed the door. A shimmer of
amusement touched his face.
“Here is the key Miss, you’ll find him in the same place as usual.”
Hannah nodded and made her way to the back of the crowded pub, making
physical contact as little as possible. She kept her hood up and her
eyes averted to the floor.
Fitting the key into the door, she turned the knob and slipped quietly
through. The room was dark and his breathing was shaky, catching at
times in his throat. After relocking the door, she rushed to light an
oil lamp, something was not right.
“Hannah, you need to go, right now.”
Ethan’s hair was stuck to his face blood matted it down further dripping
onto his neck, leaving a trail into his shirt. His face badly swollen
and mottled purple and black.
Everything in her screamed in panic, but Hannah knew that would get
nothing accomplished. Turning from Ethan to take inventory of what was
at hand and useful to them in the room. She didn’t really see much that
would prove helpful right now. A thought crossed her mind and she began
rummaging through the wardrobe.
“What are you doing Hannah? I told you to go now, you should NOT BE
HERE!”
“HUSH! I'm thinking, you are crazy if you think I'm leaving you here to
deal with this alone.”
Hannah pulled out a long red dress, then a large cape and laid them on
the bed. Standing next to him, she put her arm behind him and helped him
sit up while explaining her plan.
****
“I don’t think they will be looking to hard at us, just stay close to me
and DON”T look at anyone’s face. Keep your eyes on the floor.”
After finishing with his bonnet and cape, it would be hard to see
anything in the dim lighting of the pub especially now that he was well
hidden under dress and cape. Hannah took his arm and he hunched over
pretending drunkenness. They stumbled their way through the bar and out
the front door.
Hannah pulled Ethan to the side and helped him into the dark alley next
to the building. Helping him lay over her horse she climbed on behind
him and slowly made her way out of the town.
Her heart thumped loudly in her own ears sure they would be pursued. She
held her head high, muttering curses at her brother “drunken, whore of a
sister” Silently praying that anyone watching might buy her act.
They had safely made it out of town when Hannah heard a twig snap off to
her left, but it was impossible to see in the murky fog that had
followed the storm. Having one choice other than continuing on the path
that led to the noise, she cautiously led the horse into the soft pine
needle bed of the forest floor.
The darkness swallowed them completely and she soon stilled the horse’s
pace, unable to see where they were going. A hand snaked its way around
her wrist, an iron grasp and very familiar to her. Hannah gasped, tried
to twist away and found her self pulled from the horse into very large
arms.
“I asked you last time to stay out of this Hannah.”
The fear and exasperation in his voice caused her to wince, thankful for
the darkness covering her reaction. She stayed perfectly still in his
grasp. His heated breathe brushing her ear.
“When will you learn to listen to me? I am trying to keep you safe,
ALIVE! How can I do that if you continue to do whatever foolhardy thing
it takes to protect your drunken brother? This IS the last time Hannah,
so help me. It is!”
“Lucian…”
“Hannah, I will not talk further of this right now. We need to get back
to the keep where I will deal with…this.”
He looked at Ethan with contempt. Then took her horse’s lead, climbed
onto his own horse and held out his hand silently to her. Hannah quickly
took his proffered hand and tried to slip up behind him, he pulled her
into his lap.
“Up here my little heroin, I want you where I can see you. Where I know
exactly what you are doing.”
His calm, low-pitched voice belied the storm she knew was brewing inside
him. She shivered and felt him blow out a frustrated breath.
“You act as though you know you are in trouble, so I assume you knew I
would be angry to find you were out roaming the country looking for HIM
again. He is a grown man, Hannah you cannot baby him any longer. The
time has come for him to grow up, to take responsibility for his own
actions. To stop hiding behind your skirt.”
He sighed, he knew how much she cared for her younger brother and he
also cared for Ethan, but it was past time that Ethan care for Hannah a
while. That he placed her safety above the silly games he played.
“He will not do this again, Hannah. If he does, I will go after him, and
it wont be to help, it will be to have him tossed into a cell! If
anything were to happen to you because of him…”
Lucian drew in a breath to calm himself. She felt the tension flowing
through him in the stiff grasp he had on her. She let her head hang
down, ashamed that she had once again left him fearing for her safety.
Lucian let out a sigh and drew her closer into his arms and breathing a
whisper in her ear…
“I love you Hannah, I could not be a sane man without you. You make an
otherwise ugly world beautiful for me.”
He hugged her tightly to him and placed a kiss on her ear.
“I cannot loose you.”
Tears flowed unchecked down her cheeks, her face flushed crimson and
warm. She had hurt him, again she chose to lie to him and go after her
brother without his aid.
“I'm sorry Lucian, I really am.”
“Shhhh, I know you are, but you know that this cannot go unheeded this
time. If it does, you will do it again. No more, talk for now, love.
Rest, it is a long way we have to go before this night is at end.”
She swallowed the lump that formed in her throat and drew in a small
shaky breath. Nodding she simply said…
“Yes Lucian”
Hannah laid her head against him, closing her eyes.
********
Hannah woke when Lucian whispered softly into her hair that they were
home. He instructed her to go inside and wait in the great hall for him
to join her. She nodded and walked into the main hall, taking her time
in getting there.
She opened the door to the large room made of stone and heavy log beams
that held a vaulted ceiling high in place. A tall stone fireplace set in
the center of the largest wall in the room held a roaring fire to heat
the enormous place. Hannah walked to stand near the warmth of the fire,
chilled by her damp clothes, she felt terrible that yet again Lucian had
to deal with Ethan.
Hannah sat down in a chair near the fire, holding her hands out to it.
Tonight Ethan had not seemed drunken only hurt. She was worried for him,
but knew better to get in Lucian’s way when he was busy. If Ethan were
hurt, Lucian would know what to do. She leaned back in the chair and
watched the flames licking away at the logs stacked high in the fire
pit.
She twitched anxiously, knowing that she would soon feel flames across
her bottom. Hannah could not sit still any longer; she paced back and
forth across the giant room. After a while of this, the journey began to
take its toll on her.
Sinking back in the chair near the heat from the fire soon put her to
sleep. Lucian walked in to see her dozing peacefully near the fire;
softly sighing he picked her up and carried her to their room. Laying
her on her stomach, he lifted her skirts and shifts over her head. As he
pulled off her silk under garments, he said,
“Hannah, we need to get this out of the way, right now. If I don’t I
fear it will be worse tomorrow when I have had more time to think of the
foolish things you did tonight.”
She wanted badly to argue that she was only trying to help Ethan, but
silently nodded her head. Her stomached began to knot up nervously;
Lucian only positioned her like this if he intended to use his sword
belt on her. Hannah shuddered, unable to hide it from him.
Lucian watched as her body shook even as she tried to appear calm for
him, to please him. He withdrew the sword and sheath from his belt and
removed it from his waist. Another shiver ran through her body, he
paused not wanting to do this. Then he thought of what he felt when he
came home to find her gone how his heart had skipped a beat.
Lucian placed his left hand on her lower back and raised the belt high
in his right hand. H brought the belt down with a resounding slap across
her sit spot. Hannah gasped as the flame that seamed to crawl across her
soft skin deepened as a second slap landed in the same spot driving the
burning deeper into her skin. The next one landed right blow the first
two, in the sensitive curve between the buttocks and thigh.
Tears bit at her eyes; she drew in a deep breath and clenched the duvet
so tightly her knuckles became white. Lucian landed three well-placed
swats with his belt then he stopped to let the sting ease a bit.
Hannah choked on the cries she tried so hard to hold down. She buried
her face in the satin covers and wiggled some trying to ease the sting.
He placed his hand on her back once more and quickly delivered three
more lashes to her thighs. She kicked her feet against the floor now
sobbing loudly into the bed. Lucian tightened his hold on her and with
the speed of a striking snake he doled out five more lashes before
tossing the belt on the bed beside her.
She lay crying with large tears drenching her face and the duvet. He
lifted her to stand in front of him, steadying her as she found her
equilibrium. He motioned her to turn around and she did so.
Lucian reached out and lifted her skirt tucking it in at the top. Hannah
hated being so exposed but put her hands over her head, as she knew he
wanted. She leaned against the wall hands above her and feet spread
apart.
“Do not touch or rub.”
Hannah whispered,
“Yes Lucian.”
Lucian took one last look at her, satisfied that this would help her
remember where her place was. Where she was safe, in his protection and
he didn’t have to fear for her. He closed the door and went down to get
her food, knowing she had not thought of it this day.
Hannah sobbed, not because she was sore, but because she had forced him
to this point. She had disappointed him and this made her cry in a way
that a spanking never could. When Lucian walked back in with her food,
he heard the cries that wracked her small frame.
Lucian set the tray on the bed and called her to him.
“Hannah, come here love.”
She put her hands in front of her, the sting in her bottom begging to be
soothed. Standing before him, she kept her eyes on the floor.
“Look at me love.”
She tilted her face up to him.
“I am not angry that you felt you should help your brother Hannah, but I
am very disappointed that you did not seek my help. That you steal away
with no mind to your safety. This will NOT happen again. Do you
understand?”
“Yes, Lucian. I will not leave the keep without asking you first. I love
you and am sorry that I scared you.”
“Again.”
Hannah nodded,
“Again.”
Lucian hugged her and laid her over his lap, rubbing soothing oil on her
heated bottom and thighs.
“Now my love, eat. I know that you have not today.”
He set the tray in front of her and lay back watching her eat her fill.
Hannah set it aside, removed her clothes and crawled up to snuggle
deeply into the duvet next to Lucian. She held him close and fell asleep
against his heart.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Lucian walked out into the night air to cool off a bit before trying to
talk to her brother. He sighed and shook his head. The man was
impossible, always doing the most foolish things and then relying on his
sister to help him out of it all. He never gave thought to her safety,
putting her in danger repeatedly. That would end NOW! Taking deep
calming breaths Lucian walked toward the doctor’s house.
Doctor Mc’Doogle saw Lucian walking around before committing his course
toward his home and sighed, Ethan would have to tell his brother in law
what was going on or risk Lucian telling him to leave, a risk that could
cost them all. Still if they could not find a way to keep Hannah from
butting in Ethan would have to leave, to protect the lass from herself.
Lucian broke McDoogle’s thoughts when he came in, he seemed to be calm
or maybe he hid things well. He walked over to the Doctor.
“How drunk is he this time?”
“Evening Lucian, Ethan is not drunk, he has been stabbed and lost a lot
of blood, but I was able to save his arm, so long as gangrene doesn’t
set in. I am taking every precaution I can, but you must let him rest
right now.”
Lucian frowned at the Doctor.
“Go on, I want to know what’s going on and why Hannah is anywhere near
the threat harm.”
“She was not there when this happened, she doesn’t even know that he was
stabbed, though she does know he was beaten badly. Lucian, Ethan is
working to find out valuable information about our enemies. He has
warned Hannah several times to stay home safe in the keep, even threaten
to take her over his knee if she did not and probably would have if not
for being cut.”
“I assure you that has been handled, now the question is why did he not
come to me in my own home to let me know what he was doing? He is sure
to have been found out or at least suspected if he has been treated in
such a manner. Is he in this alone Doctor or have you known all along?”
Lucian’s gaze on Mc’Doogle was sharp intending to show his disapproval
of them keeping such an important fact from him. How can he protect
those he loves and watches over if not given all the facts? Many people
in the keep looked up to him, as their protector and he did not take the
responsibility lightly. The Doctor sighed.
“No, not the whole time, but from about two months ago. Ethan came to me
with a stab wound, at first he said it was a bar fight, but while I was
treating him an important document fell out of his pocket and he told me
what was going on and swore me to secrecy. I'm sorry I did not come to
you with this sooner.”
“It is done now, I will prepare for the repercussions and hope I am in
time. I will send two guards to stand watch over Ethan, you just take
care of his arm.”
Lucian turned and walked back into the night with a watchful eye. The
fact that they did not tell him bothered him greatly. Were his people
afraid of him? If that was so then he was not a fit leader and his
father would be disappointed, as he had always told Lucian that the
ability to lead was a trait of the Mc’Reighley men. He shook his head
this would not help now. Right now, he needed to be sure of himself and
decisive about what he would do. He walked into the guardhouse to set
things in motion.
**************************************
Hannah woke in the middle of the night to find Lucian not in their bed.
She sat up and lit a candle sighing as she did so. The men in her family
were up to something, she knew it and she knew it was no game they were
playing, something serious was going on. Things were not and had not
been right in this region of the country for a while and she had a
feeling that it was only going to get worse. That had to be it, all of
the late night trips Ethan was making, and the false lapses of
drunkenness he was having lately. Hannah knew her brother far to well to
believe him a common drunk, neither did she believe he haunted the pub
for the scullery winches. He was involved in something dangerous and she
was going to find out what, eventually.
Hannah pushed the duvet off her feet turned to get up and stopped short,
moving around so quickly caused her sore bottom to ache again and she
shuddered. The thought of having to go through another spanking anytime
soon cleared her head of ideas about snooping for information. Hannah
sighed again, pulled up the covers and blew out the candle. She would
not leave this bed tonight, if he came back to find her gone… She
shuddered and lay back in the bed rolling onto her side so that her
bottom did not touch the bed. Hannah closed her eyes trying to shut out
the questions floating through her head so she could get to sleep.
*******************************
Lucian watched as his men scattered silently in the night, each taking
up his assigned post to stand watch. He also had Ethan and the Doctor
moved into his house so that he could keep a closer eye on him. Hannah
would be broken if anything ever happened to her little brother and
Lucian could never stand to see her in that kind of pain. She would of
course blame herself if anything did happen; she had taken care of him
since her mother had died six years ago when Hannah was sixteen years
old.
She made him so proud, the way her mind worked. Hannah would thinks
things through logically if she was set on an answer and most of the
time her calculations were correct. Except in situations like going off
on her own to help her brother then she was very careless with her
safety.
He shook his head thinking of her walking into the pub unescorted to
find her brother and secreting him out without anyone stopping her. He
had seen her slip out of the tavern and had watched to make sure no one
followed her.
He vowed to keep the young man safe if only for her sake. Rolling his
shoulders and neck he stretched and decided to head to bed before a
certain young woman was overcome with curiosity and started snooping
about.
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