The Reckless Oath We Made - Bryn Greenwood Page 0,67

thought she slept, for I feared my tale was not to her liking. Then she drew her hand from her eyes and looked at me, so that I averted my gaze.

“That’s really kind of horrible,” she said. “How hard was it for him to keep that one promise? I mean, it’s not like he thought she was grotesque. He still loved her after he knew she was a monster. They were still making babies, but then he had to throw that in her face. That’s cruel. Her son was dead, too.”

’Twas true, but I had no answer.

“’Tis late, my lady. I wish thee good night,” I said.

“Good night, Gentry.”

As I rose to go, the Witch’s breath fell cold upon my head.

“Art thou content to be a bloodless priest?” she said. “Another Froymond, who felt no heat til the church burned round his ears? This mayhap is the last path that lies smooth afore you. I gave her into thy protection believing thy blood was hot and thine heart strong.”

“Always he proveth his virtue, but he showeth the lady no faith,” the black knight said. I startled to hear him, for ere that night he spake to me only when I was in the joust.

Gawen and Hildegard discorded over his meaning, and argued til the Witch made them silent.

“Sooth,” she said. “The lady hath proved her trust in thee, but thou givest not of thine own trust.”

“Nay. I trust her.”

“By thy word, not thy deed,” the black knight said. “Many things binden two. Love, fear, a common enemy. Ye two haven not these things. If ye would be bound, it must be with trust.”

“And ye would tell the boy to build trust with fornication?” Hildegard said.

“Trust is built as a tower is built. One stone upon another,” the Witch said. “The lady hath laid her stone. Thou must lay thine atop it.”

“Gentry?” ’Twas Lady Zhorzha, and I knew not how long she said my name and I heard her not. “Are you okay?”

“Yea, my lady.” I laid my stone. “If thou consentest, I would kiss thee.”

“Yes, you can kiss me.”

Many times had I dreamt she might come to be there within my pavilion, under my protection, but I never imagined it thus. She lay upon the bed, waiting to receive me. Where the fire bird touched her not, her legs weren white as cream, and the flesh of her arms was not yet scaled like her mother’s.

“If thou givest thy heart in fire, thou shalt not fail her when the time comes,” the Witch said.

I was drawn tight as a bow when I leant down over Lady Zhorzha and pressed my lips to hers. We kissed us. Soft at first and then with great heat.

“You can touch me,” she said.

“Where?” ’Twas only half in jest, but she laughed.

“Wherever you want.”

Through the fabric of her chemise, her breasts weren round and cool as river rock, but warmed to my hand. I pressed my lips to her throat, where the sun had kissed her before me.

She laid her hand upon my neck, and I retreated, for ’twas always thus with me. My armor stripped away, and my skin with it, til I was raw and atremble.

I braced for her curses, but she said, “It’s okay. You can say stop, if you want to stop. Or wait, if you want to wait.”

She rose upon one elbow, and her other hand made to cover her legs. Quick as the phoenix was hidden, I longed to see it again. I returned to her and lifted her chemise that I might lay my hand upon her bare thigh. When I was not burned, I made my pilgrimage. From her thigh to her broad hip, and from thence to her belly and again to her bosom, drawing alongside her chemise so that she was naked neath my hand. Ere I could falter or quail, I kissed her mouth, her throat, and at last her breast.

She gave a great sigh of surprise but chastened me not.

Soon enough, I lost my armor, and everywhere our skin touched was like fire to me. I drew back that I might gather some maille about me for protection. Tho I set my nails upon my shoulders, ’twas some time ere I lost my unrestfulness. She sat up before me and waited, her hair all fire about her shoulders.

“More?” she said.

From the black knight’s words, I had prepared myself that swiving was akin to fighting. ’Twas not. Never would I ask quarter of another