012 – Domina Part III
Valentin comes to a decision – and faces the consequences.
Once again, Valentin had the tub brought into the room. Domina waited, peering out the window, until the door was shut, then she crossed the room, pushed Valentin up against the door, and kissed him. She wound one hand in his hair and pressed the other against the bulge in his breeches. Valentin banged his head on the door, and Domina stopped, laughing silently. “Shh,” she said.
“Shh?” He pushed her backwards and she stumbled but caught her footing, giving a him wicked, head-tilted smile. She sat on the edge of the bed and patted the mattress beside her. Valentin was halfway there before his mind caught up. “Wait,” he said. “Where would you go?”
She gave him a blank look.
“If I let you go.”
“Oh—the new colonies. With you.”
“I wouldn’t come.”
“I’d kidnap you.”
Valentin sat down beside her, hands between his knees. “I can’t leave Jovan.”
“You only think that now. I thought Skya needed me once. I was wrong.”
Valentin shook his head. “I have a wife and a son.”
Putting her hand on his cheek and turning his head towards her, Domina said, “They seem to be managing perfectly well without you, my lord.”
When he didn’t reply, she let her hand drop, and he looked down at his knees. “I’ve chosen the tower.”
She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, then stood up and went back to the window. Valentin could feel the words forming on his tongue, filling his mouth, fighting to get out. Terrible words. His heart pounded and his fingers seemed to tingle. Could he do it? Could he take the consequences?
Cassius would be punished. Cassius was already so angry with him over the Caithese poisoning. Would he forgive this? Valentin stared at his palms as if he could read the answer there. He swallowed once, twice. “Domina,” he said. “I’m going to let you go.”
She turned, eyes wide. “Really?”
Valentin nodded. “We’ll have to consider the best way.”
Sitting down beside him, Domina said, “That’s easy enough. I take your dagger. Tomorrow morning, when we are an hour or so gone from this place, I take you hostage. We ride away into the forest and I take your horse, leaving you to find your way back.”
“You have given this a great deal of thought.”
She gave him a sidelong look. “I could have done something similar today; why do you think I wanted to ride pillion? I thought I’d wait and see whether you might come with me.”
“Domina—”
“You chose the tower,” she said, flicking her head. “Give me your dagger.”
“I’ll wear it tomorrow,” said Valentin dryly. “You can pull it from the sheath.”
“So distrustful.”
“How much of what you have told me the last two days is truth?”
“All of it,” said Domina, putting her hand over Valentin’s and stroking his palm with her thumb. “I could have lied, but we’re kindred spirits. The truth was enough for you.” She brought his hand to her lips and kissed it, then lay down on the bed, coaxing Valentin to turn and lie atop her, his elbows on either side of her head. “You can decide what you want to do tomorrow, Lord Valentin. I’m not going back to Ulyr whether or not you wear your dagger. I’m going to try being Queen of the New World for a while.”
Her eyes twinkled, and Valentin smiled back without a conscious decision to do so. She tilted her head up and he kissed her nose, then her lips. Then she wiggled up and wound her hands in his hair, dragging his head down so that he had to bury his face against her neck, against her tumbling, coiling hair, which smelled of spice and sweat. He pressed his lips against the blood vessel in the hollow of her throat, opened them, and tasted her skin.
Then, suddenly, there was urgency. Her hands were everywhere, gathering her skirt with bawdy efficiency and bunching it above her waist, giving Valentin access to her. He took it, sliding his hand up her thigh and stroking her there, slipping one finger and then two inside her. She arched off the bed. Her hands struggled with his laces, finally freeing him. She pushed his breeches down to his thighs, pulled his tunic and shirt up. He shoved his hands underneath her so that he could hike her up into his arms. Her leg crooked, calf pressed against thigh, so she could open herself to him. He buried moaning pants in her breasts as her fingers closed around his cock and guided him inside her.
“B-blessed few,” he stuttered as her heel dug into his buttock, driving him deeper. He had his arms underneath her, hands clutching her shoulders. Her breasts were spilling from the top of her dress, pressed against his tunic. The flushed column of her neck was his to adore. The world narrowed to the sensation pulsing out from his groin as he drove in and out of her. She threw her head back and flung her hands out, as if the foundations of the building were suddenly unsteady.
She came, eyes closed, mouth open on a soft, pained exclamation. Valentin barely registered it. He was so close now; so close and he could see white stars in his vision, the smell of camphor and horse, as if they were already free and away. Domina put her hands on his chin and tilted his head up. His eyes met hers, the mottled flush receding from her flesh, leaving her eyes glazed and bright. She looked satisfied and a little sad as he pulled away and spent himself against her thigh, their eyes still locked together.
Stroking his hair as he lay against her breast, Domina said wryly, “I suppose I had better have that bath.”
The dagger felt heavy against his thigh as Domina was boosted up into the saddle behind him. She leaned around and put her hand on it, underneath his cloak, then pressed a furtive kiss against the nape of his neck. Her arms settled into place around his waist. Feeling conspicuous, Valentin said, “You’ve been very quiet on this journey, brother.”
Cassius, who had just swung up into the saddle, looked startled. “I suppose I have.”
“Llewellyn?”
“Ooh, who’s Llewellyn?” said Domina, drumming her fingers against Valentin’s stomach.
She received one of Cassius’ frowns for the question. He said, “I shouldn’t have taken him on.”
“I told you that at the time, Cassius. Although…” he studied Cassius’ worn face. Now that he thought about it, that crease between his brows had been etched there since this journey began. “… I suspect we both have different reasons for thinking Llewellyn a bad bargain.”
“He isn’t a bargain. He is a human being.”
“Why haven’t you emancipated him then?” said Valentin.
“It’s difficult to find the time to take a pleasure jaunt to Baetica, Valentin.”
“Nonsense. You are hardly so busy you can’t be spared for a fortnight.”
If silence could frown, the silence that descended between them then would be scowling. Cassius looked around the inn yard, confirmed that the company was all mounted, and signalled that they should move out.
About an hour later, just as they had discussed, Domina took him hostage. The press of the knife against his throat felt surprisingly gentle, but it must look convincing, because Cassius went grey as parchment, his hand on his sword pommel. Hastily, Valentin put his hand up. “No, don’t do anything,” he said in a shrill voice. “Just let her go.”
“Come on my lord,” said Domina, “let’s take a little ride in the forest.”
“Stay there,” said Valentin again, “Just let her go.” He fixed a stare on Cassius, who frowned back. He really did look ill. “It’s all right.” He kicked his horse and turned its head towards the verge.
Cassius’ hand relaxed on his sword. “Stand down,” he said to the men. “Lord Valentin’s safety is our priority. Lady Domina, if you so much as draw a drop of my brother’s blood, I will hunt your down and slaughter you.”
“Understood, Prince Cassius,” said Domina, flicking her head. “Shall we?”
They rode into the forest, and Valentin climbed off the horse. “You’d best grow wings, my lady, because my brother will be after you as soon as I am safe.”
“I’ll be all right, Lord Valentin,” said Domina. She felt along the skirt hem underneath her bodice, fiddled with it, and the end of the skirt came loose. Underneath, she was wearing a pair of loose men’s riding breeches. “This isn’t my first helter-pelter escape. Here.” She tossed the skirt at him and swung forward into the regular saddle. “Goodbye, my lord.”
“Goodbye, Lady Domina.”
Domina dug her heels into his horse’s belly, and woman and horse leapt away, deftly picking the smoothest path through the patchy forest. Valentin turned and pushed his way through the undergrowth to the road. As soon as he was within sight, Cassius gestured, and ten men galloped across the road in chase of Domina. Somehow, Valentin suspected they wouldn’t catch her.
“Are you all right?” said Cassius, dismounting and taking Valentin’s shoulders so he could examine his face.
“Just shaken,” said Valentin.
When the pursuit returned no sign of Lady Domina, they turned their horses back to Monsilys. At the first opportunity, Valentin sent a courier ahead of them with the news. His best hope was that Adrienne would believe it was just careless misfortune that had allowed Domina to escape, and that she was in a forgiving mood. The Empress’ return courier reached them on the road a day and a half later. Valentin was riding a nag commandeered from the innkeeper, and they were making steady but leisurely time back to Monsilys, and they heard a thundering of hooves half a minute before the outriders of a company of Imperial Guards came into sight on the road.
Cassius said, “Tell me, Valentin, did you let Domina go on purpose?”
“How dare you? She held a dagger to my throat and humiliated me in front of my men.”
“You coped remarkably well.”
“I resent your implication.”
Cassius brushed hair out of his eyes. “I would support you either way. I understand. We do stupid things for love.”
“Is that why you maimed the king of Sha-Pensei, Cassius? Do you call your feelings for Llewellyn love?”
“I think I might,” said Cassius in a stifled voice. He shook his head. “Don’t change the subject. Did you let Domina go because she seduced you?”
Valentin looked across Cassius at the guard riding on his other side. “If you say such a thing again I will call you out, brother or no.”
Nodding once, with a small quirk of a smile, Cassius dropped his gaze and looked instead at the quickly approaching company of riders. “I see.”
As the two companies met, the courier came forward.
“Lord Valentin, Lord Cassius. I bear instructions from the Empress. May I suggest we dismount and find somewhere quiet to talk?”
Cassius and Valentin exchanged glances. They all went a little way down the road. “The Empress has received your message, Lord Valentin. She is extremely displeased at your failure to deliver the Lady Domina to her brother King Ulyr of Skya. She knows that you appreciate the ramifications of having such a dangerous unknown at large, and the consequences of failing to satisfy King Ulyr’s expectations. She requires me to advise you, Lord Valentin, that you are to be taken directly to Whitefields, where you will remain indefinitely. The Empress advises you to spend time tending to your family and your estates.” Valentin threw his head back and groaned. Whitefields was a good two weeks’ ride from where they were.
The courier turned and gestured the captain of the company which had accompanied him to ride forward. “You have your orders, captain.”
Valentin flicked a look at Cassius, who stared back, white-faced. “Don’t worry. We’ll be forgiven soon enough,” he said around a lump forming in his throat. He turned to the courier. “Where is my brother bound?”
“Lord Cassius has been given command of Blacktower Castle.” Valentin swallowed with difficulty. Blacktower was near here, on a rocky cliff overlooking the ocean. It was a relic of a forgotten war, with little tactical value except as a watchpost. They were being sent to opposite ends of the empire again. Valentin hoped Domina was safely away and out of Jovan by now.
“Blacktower Castle,” Cassius echoed, rubbing his hand across his face. “Blessed few.”
“I’m sorry,” said Valentin. “We’ll be forgiven soon enough.”
“Lord Valentin, if you will please come with me,” said the captain.
Valentin turned and straightened his shoulders. “Don’t tell me I have to ride that bone-rattler of a horse all the way to Whitefields, please,” he said in a loud, confident voice. He didn’t look back at Cassius as he rode away.