In The Name of The King (#Wattys2016)

On The Road Again

Chapter 12

The day that followed felt unbearable.

Sliding from the comfort of the bed, I sized myself up in the full length mirror. My dark brown hair was disheveled and wild looking, while my tired green eyes were a void of light. Arthur was planted permanently in the back of my mind. I felt foolish that I let him get to me like he did. I shouldn't have put myself in that position. 

Padding over to the door, I eyed my appearance once more before descending the stairs. Adriana and Gavin were bickering like an old married couple, as I grabbed a morsel of stale bread. Gazing out the window, I spotted Arthur fastening a cluster of blankets to one of the three stallions. A sheen of sweat glittered just above his brow, sparking my attraction for him even more. Realizing where my thoughts were wandering, I violently shook my head, dispelling the risque thoughts from my mind.

"Will you let me just-!" Adriana exclaimed, cut off by Gavin's light slap to her wrist.

"I told you not to touch my food woman!" He declared, scooping the basket of food into his large arms. For god knows how long, Adriana chased Gavin around the small house with a ladle, cursing his existence. Their shouts and shrieks echoed throughout the rooms, I couldn't help but roll my eyes in amusement. Looking out the window, yet again, I saw Arthur saddle the horses and stroll into the entryway.

"The horses are officially saddled and ready-," Arthur was abruptly cut off by Gavin smacking right into his side, toppling both of them over into a large heap. The basket of food went everywhere, covering Arthur and Gavin in its contents. Locking eyes, Adriana and I erupted into full blown laughter. Tears started blurring my vision as I clutched my side painfully. The looks on the men's faces were priceless! Eventually, our laughter died down. We were met with fierce glares from both Arthur and Gavin.

"Ha, ha, very funny," Gavin emphasized, dusting his trousers off.

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Finally, we were off on the road again. I bounced up and down with every gallop the large beast made. Arthur's hands gripped the reins, his arms encircling my waist. When it finally registered that Arthur and I would be sharing a horse, I internally begged the gods to have mercy on me.

My heart rate sped up to an abnormal speed, feeling Arthur's hot breath against the side of my neck. Leaning back, I caught a small smirk playing on his lips. He was enjoying my torment, I could feel it. Gavin and Adriana eventually ended their bickering, realizing it would've been a dreadful journey if they kept at it.

He shifted the reins to the right, guiding the large stallion where he wanted it to go. You could hear the pounds of the hooves against the ground and feel the dust overwhelming us. Everything was so vivid, even the surrounding countryside.

Adriana was nice enough to lend me a long, blue, silk cloak that hid my appearance from view. I held the hood up, covering my face with the soft fabric, not knowing when Caldwell would drop in unannounced. Internally, I chanted a prayer, trying to stay positive about the situation I was in.

"Anyone up for a breather?" Adriana asked, rubbing the middle of her back. "This saddle is giving me whiplash," she grunted, showing her discontent. Gavin laughed, receiving a glare from Adriana. Nodding in agreement, they steered their noble steeds towards the shade of a large elm tree.

Hopping down, I landed onto the grass and stretched out my aching limbs. We've only been traveling for about an hour and my back was already screaming in pain.

Adriana laid down next to me, sticking a piece of stale bread under my nose. I couldn't help but laugh and accept her offer. I'm starving. Biting into the tough piece, I connected eyes with Arthur. He took a bite of his Oatcake, winking at me flirtatiously.

My eyes widened, a blush staining the apple of my cheeks, as I spun around from his gaze. I felt flustered and helpless in Arthur's overpowering presence. He had this type of air around him that could command a room with just his presence. It was intoxicating.

"So, what's the destination chief?" Gavin smirked, bumping Arthur's shoulder with his own. Swallowing down the rest of his cake, Arthur flipped through the pages of his leather journal.

"Bristol England," Arthur finally decided, gazing up at Gavin. Adriana drew in a sharp breath, dragging her hands down her face.

"Do you have any idea how long that's going to take?" Adriana groaned, looking pensive.

"Three days, maybe more," Arthur responded, looking as serious as ever. Gavin and Adri cried in unison. I couldn't help but smile at their childishness. Sighing, I had a feeling it was going to be a long, eventful, journey.

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After an entire day on horseback, my spine felt stiff and tender. We were all surrounding the makeshift campfire, when a blanket draped around my shoulders. Tilting my head upwards, Arthur's face was suddenly only a mere inch from mine. A rush of wind rustled my hair as Arthur caught a small piece of the floating strand in between his lean fingers. It felt as if all the air was sucked out of my lungs. I couldn't breathe, let alone think. My mind became a blank slate.

"Don't get too cold Ms. Pierce," he whispered, his eyes boring into mine. I could feel his hot breath against my lips, teasing me. I nodded in understanding, not trusting myself to speak. Smiling, Arthur chuckled to himself, walking over to Gavin. He knew the affect he was inflicting on me, the bastard.

I shut my eyes, trying to banish the feelings that were stirring inside my heart. Why did he have to get so close? Didn't he know what personal space was?

From across the fire, Adriana grunted, covering herself with a thick red blanket. Observing across the fire, I eyed Gavin holding a finger up to his lips. I smell trouble. Almost instantly, he chucked one of Arthur's shoes at Adri. The shoe glided through the air, bouncing off her head and landing onto the grass next to her.

"Who the hell just threw that?!" Adri shouted, bolting upright. She held up the shoe in her right hand, getting ready to swing. The look of pure exasperation distorted Adri's features. Snickering, Gavin looked pretty pleased with himself.

Upon hearing his giggles, Adri stormed over to his side of the fire. Her eyes flamed with anger, knowing perfectly well who the culprit was. "Go to hell," she growled, smacking Gavin across the head with the shoe, heading back to her side.

"Already there sweetie," Gavin retorted, winking. A loud huff came from Adriana, as she turned back around and flipped him the bird. Arthur and I erupted into a fit of giggles, clutching our sides in agony. I couldn't help it. The way they communicated with each other was hysterical.

After awhile, everyone calmed down. I eyed the starry night sky above, wondering if my brothers were staring at the same sky I was. Did they miss me? I thought. Sighing, I flipped over onto my side, willing sleep to take over....

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Hey readers! I hope you enjoyed this chapter :) honestly, I've gotten super excited for this story, I feel like it's definitely going to be an amazing tale. How do you feel about Gavin and Adriana's bickering? Has a ship sailed yet for any of you? ;P Anyways, vote and comment if you liked this chapter!

Xoxo
Natalie