𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘴, 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘓𝘪𝘦𝘴

The Hunter (part 2)

"Goodness, I am cold." I said through shivers.

"I will get out and turn around for you so you can dress again." Wymond said.

"I have nothing to dry myself with though."

"Shit, I thought you had planned this." He sounded slightly annoyed and worried and amused all at the same time.

"I left in a hurry." I said, remembering my shouting match.

"Why?"

"I will tell you when we get out. I really am quite cold."

"Right. Well, you can wrap yourself in my cloak for now, if you want?"

"Yes, that will be good, thank you."

He stepped out the lake, put on his trousers and fetched his cloak from his pack of hunting equipment before placing it on the ground for me. He then turned his back on me so I could get out.

As I was walking back across the shore, I slipped on a wet rock.

"Ouch!" I exclaimed as I fell, my bare body hitting the rocky shore.

"Hilda! Are you alright?"

I looked up, he still had his back turned but I could tell he was tense now.

"Yes. Ow. No." I said, looking at my ankle. Shooting pains were going up my leg. "I think you might need to help me." I said, giving in.

He didn't need telling twice. I watched him as he hurried to get the cloak and came straight to me. His warm hands came around me as I was engulfed in woolen material. Then, he put one hand under my legs and the other behind my back and carried me to the long grass where it would be softer.

Placing me down gently, Wymond moved to my ankle. Carefully, he examined it.

"I think it's alright, just twisted." He said and I felt a weight lift off me. "You look frozen."

I nodded as he moved around me and I was cradled in his arms. That warmed me.

"You were going to tell me why you left the castle in such a rush."

I sighed. "Mother and Father seem to have sorted me out with a husband." I said and he tensed at that word: husband - only for a moment though, it could have been nothing. "I don't want to marry him, you see. And the man whom I thought would be alright is not who I will be marrying."

"Who did you want to marry?"

"It doesn't matter anymore. He is not my suitor."

"Did you love him?"

"Not really," I said, surprising myself with my honesty, "I think I was making do. The man that I truly would like to marry is completely out of bonds."

"Oh, really? Who's that."

Oh, gosh, now what? "I'm not going to tell you."

"Ah, I see." He sounded disappointed. "Who is the man you will marry?

"Ferox."

That made him really tense. "Ferox! That's outrageous!"

"I know. He's an arrogant, stuck up man who does not deserve to marry a princess."

"Well said!"

We both laughed and I felt familiar flutters in my stomach and the pang in my heart.

I looked over my shoulder at him, straight into his hazel eyes. He looked back at me and into my own. I suddenly remembered the first time I had spoken to him in the town.

It was as if something pulled me closer to him then. He must have thought the same because before either of us could stop, our lips were touching. Sparks flew between us and I grabbed the back of his neck as he turned over to his side. Then his arms were either side of me and I was lying flat on my back. Blood pulsed through my ears. Wymond pulled back abruptly.

"Shit." He said and made to move away but I pulled him back, letting him know it was alright.

Our lips met again, this time, more passionately. I know I had kissed Duke a few days before but this felt different. This felt right.

I felt the cloak slip away from my chest but I didn't correct it. I felt Wymond's strong arms and traced my hands down his arched back and to the waist line of his trousers. His skin was burning my hands.

"You sure?" He said, in his low voice, between kisses.

I moaned into a kiss as a way of saying yes and he slipped them off...

***

We lay, breathing heavily in the grass, our fingers intertwined.

Wymond propped himself up on one elbow and used the other hand to brush my hair back behind one ear. He bent his face towards mine. Gently he brushed his lips against my neck, then placed quick kisses along my jawline and found my mouth again. Just one long, drawn out kiss was placed here.

As he drew back, I noticed the evening red sky forming.

"Look." I whispered. "Isn't it beautiful?"

He didn't look at the sky but his eyes remained fixed on me.

"Yes." He said. "I am looking. It is beautiful."

I giggled and he took me in his arms so that he was cradling me again.

"Your so handsome and so funny!" I said.

He laughed a low rumble and said, "why are you doing this?"

I was taken aback. "Why am I doing this? Because I'm in love with you!"

"I am in love with you, but you love everything that is forbidden to you."

"And you think that because of that, I don't actually love you?" I was bemused but I could see why he would think that. "Listen to me: if I didn't love you, I wouldn't have let you do that! Can't you see? I hate being who I am."

"I can see that." Wymond whispered as he held onto me tighter and nipped my ear with his lips.