A Nymph Without Mercy
XIX

Mairi had never feltmore complete. She awoke slowly, first aware of being so deliciously warm, the featherbed soothing andcomfortable even as her bond-mate’s presence surrounded her as completely asthe bedclothes. She sighed sleepily, never wanting it to end.

But soon memories ofthe night before trickled through her consciousness, and she could not help butsmile.

Her Garrick was allroughness and bellowing prickles to everyone else, but he had been so verytender with her. Each touch of his hands had been supremely gentle, alwaysensuring that he was welcome and only caused those delightful flutterings inher lower belly, with none of the shame and nervousness she had feared.

It was perfect.

She giggled softly inrapt fascination of the feeling of being held. She had known the reassurance ofhis arms before, but now it was rather different. Even in his sleep he embracedher, and the newness of the feeling of skin on skin nearly left her breathless.

Theyhad been bonded for some while now, but she realised how weak and tenuous ithad been before. Few had waited solong before completing their sealing, and she wondered if their relationshipcould have been improved had they surrendered within the first days of theirmeeting. She could have assuaged his fears far better had they done so, as thepull, the sheer awareness of the other’s presence through their minds and soulswas undeniable.

But as she felt hisarms constrict all the tighter as he slept, she realised she would exchangenone of their past dealings.

For it led them tothis moment that was so utterly wonderful that she would not change it for allthe world.

And she only felt thetiniest pang of sadness that if she had known how precious this man truly was,she would have willingly sacrificed her right to see her entire people if itmeant being his bond-mate.

“Are you awake?” Hisvoice was low and thick from sleep, and she wondered at the intimacy of hearingit. None other would know how he held her close. None other would know eachcherished detail of his sudden draw to wakefulness.

“Yes,” she murmured,not wishing to break the quiet peacefulness of the morning with too many words.

Garrick nuzzled intoher hair, and she smiled exuberantly at the soft pressure of the kisses heplaced there. “And you are well?”

She closed her eyesand burrowed as close to him as she could manage. “So perfectly well...”

Garrick sighed inapparent relief. “Thank the Father. For I woke fearing it was all but a dream,and the thought of losing you...”

If possible, his holdon her tightened although not to the point of discomfort—never that. “Now thatI know of your sweetness I do not think I can forget it once more. To be naughtbut your travelling companion...”

She dared not wriggleabout to face him, so instead she tried to offer what relief she could byrubbing delicate patterns into the arms that held her fast. “You need not wasteanother moment contemplating it, Garrick. You are my bond-mate, my husband, andI shall not let you go. Not when you have finally accepted your place with me.”

“Oh Mairi...”

He pushed at hershoulder until she lay prone upon her back, and he hovered over her. Not soclose to be troublesome and she remembered his previous instruction abouttending to their mouths before speaking overly much, but enough that she couldlook deep into his eyes and judge his sincerity. “I am indeed yours, and Ishall never wish to be free. And I can only hope and pray that you replacebelonging to me not too much of a burden.”

She shook her headand caressed his bared cheek with her free hand. “I accept you gladly, my Garrick.Readily and freely. And I offer myself to you just as eagerly.”

His eyes darkened ather word and for one elating moment she thought he was about to kiss her.

But instead hegroaned and rolled away and out of their bed, mumbling and grumbling all thewhile.

She was about to behurt by the action, but she could not help but smile when he pulled on hisblack braies and then proceeded torifle through his bags with an irritated proficiency, pulling out the littlepot of minty poultice that would leave her mouth feeling cool and refreshedwhen used.

Perhaps she should beannoyed that he could be so distracted by the state of his mouth that he hadnot acknowledged her submission, but instead she found it tremendouslyendearing.

She rose from thebed, unsure if she should see about covering her nakedness as he had done. Itseemed tedious to don her dress when she hoped to coax him back into bed inanother moment, but she did not wish for him to be uncomfortable with her bareskin so readily on display, so she donned his tunic and joined him at the basinto begin their morning ablutions.

“First my cloak andnow my tunic. Are you determined to keep me from wearing clothing?” His tonewas light and teasing, and she relished the simplicity of their first morningas a properly married—and sealed—pair.

“I believe youpromised me clothes of my own. I am merely encouraging you to uphold your vowby claiming your own garments as my hostages.”

She rinsed the lastof the poultice away, her teeth and mouth feeling satisfactorily cleansed. Shetook a step back and gestured over her newly clothed figure. “I think it suitsme rather well.” She walked in a small circle, admiring the freedom of movementwithout long skirts to tangle about her ankles. “Perhaps I shall wear thistoday instead of my gown.”

Garrick dried his mouthon a nearby linen, and growled lowly in his throat before stalking toward her.“If you think I shall share the view of your delectable legs with the likes ofany of these miscreants, you are sadly mistaken.”

He pounced.

She could not helpthe shriek of delight when he scooped her into his arms, swiftly returning themto the bed, mimicking their earlier positions. “Now, I believe you had justfinished assuring me that you are mine.”

Mairi could containthe last few of her giggles, and she tucked an errant lock of his hair behindhis ear. “I believe I might have suggested such a thing, yes.”

He kissed her. Shetasted mint and perhaps a bit of lemon and something that was entirely Garrick and when she felt his bodyrespond to the ferocity of his passion, hers awakened in kind.

But before they couldcontinue their pursuits, a timid knock interrupted them, and Mairi felt anequal sense of irritation at whoever dared approach them.

Garrick groaned andglared at the offending door, though at first he made no move to answer it. Butwhen the knock echoed again he stood, quickly donning his breeches. For amoment he searched for his tunic but then cast her an exasperated look when heremembered that he was incapable of covering his upper body due to herthievery.

She merely grinnedimpishly.

He stormed to theentrance and flung open the door with great force and Mairi could not help butfeel a moment’s pity for whoever had dared encroach upon their privacy.

“What?”

A young girl lurchedback and Mairi recognised her as the one who had escorted them to the bath thenight before. She was pretty and small in stature, with hair dark and cutshort—only slightly longer than Garrick’s. Mairi thought it quite curious for afemale.

“Beggin’ your pardon,m’lord. I was told to fetch your breakfast.” She did indeed carry a heavilyladen tray, and Garrick grabbed it with a none-too gentle hand.

“Out, girl.” Shenodded furiously and bobbed a polite curtsey before scurrying back down thehallway. Garrick shut the door with a bang,and Mairi tried to decide if she was upset by the sudden change in mood.But as she watched her bond-mate bluster and frighten the poor servant who onlyfollowed her order, she found the entire episode terribly amusing.

For it meant that hevalued his time with her, he lashed out at those who kept him from her, andthere was something endearing about such a notion.

He placed the tray ona small table before the fire, flanked by two cushioned chairs. Garrick ran ahand through his slightly dishevelled hair, and found a spare tunic that he puton along with their shared cloak and his boots. Before she could begin to feelforlorn at his apparent departure, he moved toward the bed once more, placing akiss on her waiting lips. “See what they have offered for breakfast, I shallreturn shortly.”

She suddenlyremembered that there was one particular need that he had not been able to see to yet this morning, and nodded her assent.She did not know why she never required the privy as he called it, but itseemed a troublesome thing to need and she was glad to be free of it.

But with the mentionof food she rose, but now that she no longer had her husband’s heated gaze towarm her, her legs felt exposed and chilled in the morning air. The fire hadlong since died to only the barest of embers, and with great care she threw ina log settled beside the great stone hearth.

At least, she hopedthat was the function for the rather considerable pile that remained there. Butas the lingering bits of flame found purchase on the dry and cracked piece ofwood, she knew there was little she could do to stop it.

She would certainlynot risk her limbs by trying to rescue it.

Satisfied that theroom would soon begin to warm itself, she settled into one of the chairs andtucked her legs up into the overly large tunic. She almost regretted that hehad taken their cloak, but quickly pushed away such thoughts. He was not theone settled before a fire, and therefore had far greater need for itsprotection.

Next her attentionturned to breakfast. She had not managed to eat much the night before and herstomach suddenly protested her lack of enthusiasm for the meal. The tray wascovered neatly by white linen cloths, and as Mairi removed them she supposed itwas to keep in the heat that seemed intent on escaping from the prepareddishes.

It did not seem to be meat. If she was to speculateshe would suppose it was some kind of plant-life or grain, but she was notgoing to risk it. Garrick had told her to see to their food, but that did notmean she would begin to eat it without him first identifying its contents.

Before long Garrickreturned, and to her great pleasure he shed their cloak and his boots beforejoining her before the fire.

To herit was a fire at least. There wereflames and a satisfying glow, but Garrick chuckled as he looked at it.

She would have beenaffronted if she did not so enjoy the sound.

“That was a very good attempt, Mairi. But letus see if we can warm you a bit more with a larger offering.”

He added a few morelogs and poked at it with a great iron stick that rested beside the hearth, andindeed it produced a much more robust heat than what she had managed.

“Now, what meagrerations did they provide us?”

He sank into thechair beside her and uncovered the rest of their breakfast. There was nothing meagre about it, and Mairi ratherthought King Drostan was trying to lure Garrick into participating in thetournament from the sheer amount of foodstuffs he proffered alone.

“Strawberries!”

Garrick watched withamusement as she took one of the plump red fruits and devoured it greedily. “Itpleases me to know there is something youcan identify on your own.”

She blushed even asshe raised her chin in defiance of his teasing censure. “It is no fault of minethat your kind makes their food into things unrecognisable to the naturalworld.”

He snorted butconceded. “I believe this is some kind of warm oat mush.” He poked at itthoughtfully with yet another metal device, this one with an end that sheassumed was for scooping.

“Perfectly safe fromany of your woodland friends,” he added with a touch of resignation. She shookher head at him. Mairi supposed that if he had little qualms about taking humanlife then using an animal for food was no great burden, but she could not helpbut remember each time she had witnessed the birth of a new little of kits to abright red mother fox. Or when she had stumbled upon a lightly spotted fawn ashis mother stood protectively over its nest of grasses, ready to defend himwith her life if the need arose.

Garrick poured agenerous helping of white liquid onto the oats, and even sprinkled a few ofwhat appeared to be dried berries before handing it to her. “My ladybond-wife.”

Mairi smiled at thename although she tried to cover it with a roll of her eyes and a huff.

Their breakfast wasmost satisfying, especially the strawberries. Garrick encouraged her to paymore attention to the prepared oats but she sneaked as many of the succulentfruits as she could—though when she caught him eating quite a few himself shesuspected his admonishment was for fear she would eat them all herself andleave none for his own feasting.

Finally, after theyhad eaten their fill, Garrick poured steaming cups of something he called tea, and after assessing her for a longmoment, placed another dash of the creamy liquid and also some strange lookinggranules before handing it to her.

To his own cup he merelyadded a dash of the white fluid before settling against the back of the chairwith a contented sigh.

She took a tentativesip. It was sweet and mild and so wonderfully warm that she accepted it mostgratefully.

“Once you havefinished we must dress.”

Mairi looked at himreprovingly. “I thought you were not going to participate in the tournament.”

He smirked at her.“Put away such looks, little nymph, they do not become you. I intend to see toyour wardrobe.”

She hesitated, notcertain how she felt at the idea. She knew she needed more gowns, and possiblythe dreaded shoes that would at leastmake her capable of walking through the forest without injury, but a large partof her wanted to resist this change. Her gown was one of her last bits of home,and she thought it wrong to abandon it so quickly.

But her bond-matewanted to indulge her, and was that not what she dreamt of him doing for solong? And he would think her unappreciative of his efforts, and that she couldnot allow.

She sniffed imperiously,much as he was prone to do, and let her toes peek out from their cocoon in thetunic. “But must I wear the shoes? They seem so... cumbersome.”

“You must at least try them, Mairi. If you replace them sodeeply offensive then I shall promise to carry you wherever it is your whim.But you might replace that you appreciate the warmth as I am certain your toesbecome cold on occasion.”

She blinked at himinnocently. “But I have you to warm my feet now as we sleep. I hardly needshoes for that any longer.”

It amazed her thather simple teasing could inspire such a reaction. He rose swiftly from hischair, taking her cup along with his own and hastily returned them to the traybefore kneeling before her. And it was a testament to his height that she hadto lean down only the smallest bit to receive his kiss, and she felt hisexuberance at her words through their bond.

Eventually he pulledaway, resting his forehead against hers as they tried to steady theirbreathing. “You are far better than I could ever deserve.”

She smiled at him andcould not help but place another kiss upon his lips. “Sometimes it is not forus to decide. Sometimes we need only be thankful.”

And this time therewas no mistaking the slight sheen in his eyes, now a darkened amber, thatbespoke how tenderly he held this moment. “I love you, little nymph. So verymuch.”

She gently wiped thecorner of his eye with her thumb, once more revelling in the openness they nowshared. “I know. You show me every day.”

His eyes, so wide andvulnerable, beseeched her. “And you love me?”

And she smiled at himsadly that he should even have to ask it. “So very much, my Garrick. I do loveyou.”

There was noanswering kiss, no move to the bed to consummate their expression ofadmiration. She only held him to her as silent sobs shook his shoulders and histunic absorbed the evidence of his relief. “Do I not show you enough? It was soobvious that you loved me through your actions and deed that I did not need toask. Do you require more of me? How can I show you my love?”

He pulled away, andhad she not felt the trembling of his frame as she held him, she would not haveknown that he had cried at all. “Hold me close, touch me, stay with me. That is all I ask.”

Her devoted knight.

He looked so veryfrightened as if he asked too much of her, when in truth he only craved theaffections that she longed to bestow. “I knew that loving you would be no greathardship.”

He scoffed but didnot protest when she rose and tugged at his hands until he once more toweredover her, and this time she burrowed into his embrace—where she always longedto be. “I think this is what it is to be happy. It is rather nice, do you notagree?”

His arms held her allthe more firmly and she felt him stoop to press kisses into her hair, and shecould not help but smile. “Aye, it is happiness. And you shall spoil me withit.”

She almost feltforlorn when he released her, but he held her hand and eased her through theprocess of dressing with such care that it nearly left her breathless. Hishands were gentle as he guided her arms through the sleeves, and while thenight before he had kissed the curve of her spine as it was revealed to him,this time he consecrated each bit of flesh before it disappeared as the laceswere pulled taut.

Mairi could not helpbut notice that he had ensured she was never wholly naked to his view. He hadleft the tunic in place until he had pulled her gown over her hips, only thenremoving his garment from her. She knew hefound her pleasing to the eye, but already a feeling of unease was settlingover her. And though she often cursed her inability to keep from pestering him,the enquiry escaped before she could contain it.

“Do you not like tosee me bare?”

His eyes widened, andmuch to her surprise, he laughed. Itwas an incredulous sound but one suffused with genuine humour, and it causedher to blush hotly from her evidently idiotic question.

“Nothing could befurther from the truth, little nymph. But we have things to tend to today andshould I see you exposed and at my mercy yet again, I would be helpless to doanything but take you to my bed. So I shall keep you as covered as possibleuntil the time is right to bear the sweet torture of having such perfectionuncovered to me once more.”

She had neverimagined what it would be like to be so desired.And he spoke so sincerely that she could not even begin to doubt that hemeant every word.

This was having abond-mate. It was desiring and fulfilling, of loving and protecting, whether itbe in body or, perhaps even more importantly, the heart of your chosen mate.

“I choose you, Garrick.I might not have had the opportunity when we first met, but I do so now.Willingly and without reservation. I choose you as my bond-mate and my husband.For now and always.”

And perhaps she hadsworn to do so yesterday in the little stone chapel nestled in the woods. Butit was only now, with their bond thrumming with new life and her bond-matestaring at her with such adoration that she truly understood.

A mating could not beexplained, it had to be felt and experienced.

And as she helped himdress as well and he proceeded to tuck her into his side and they made theirway to whatever shops he felt would best suit her, she knew that she loved himmore than anything in the world.