“Aye, you’re right about that and I am pleased as well for the clan. But I won’t be here to celebrate. I will be forced to leave and make my home elsewhere with a man I’m not sure I know. Annis will have no home to return to and Bliss will not know where I am.”
“I will be here. I will tell Annis where to find you and I am sure you would be allowed to send a message to Bliss,” Lendra said, scooping water up with a small wood bowl to pour over Elysia’s hair and rinse out the soap.
Elysia started washing, the heated water no longer appealing with her worried thoughts centered on her two sisters.
Don’t rush,” Lendra said.
Elysia shook her head. “The water will be cold for Lord Odran.”
“The tub will be emptied and made fresh for him,” Lendra said.
Elysia stopped washing to turn a puzzled look on Lendra. “But everyone is exhausted from the horrific day.”
“None object. They wish to do it for him since he saved so many.” Lendra held a towel up for Elysia when she stood to get out of the wood tub. “There is a warm wool robe for you to wear.”
“I have my shift,” Elysia protested with a yawn.
“It needs washing as does your tunic. I will see it done so you have both for tomorrow.” Lendra hurried to the bed and snatched up the wool robe.”
It was too big for Elysia but it was warm and soft and after slipping it on she snuggled it around her, tying the cloth belt at her waist. Lendra urged her to a chair at a table fit for two and soon servants were bringing food and drink to the table while other servants saw to emptying and refilling the tub with heated water.
Elysia found herself suddenly hungry but she didn’t want to be rude and eat before her husband joined her.
It wasn’t long before Odran entered and she pulled herself up in the chair, her tiredness having had her slouching.
“You can leave us, Lendra, I need no help,” Odran ordered, and she hurried the two other servants out of the room.
Elysia avoided looking his way, not ready to talk and perhaps fearful of what she would learn.
“Eat, Elysia,” he said as he began to shed his garments.
“I will wait—”
“No, you will not. You will do as I say and eat,” he commanded.
Elysia didn’t bother to argue. It gave her a reason for not glancing his way, though she was tempted to, far too tempted to. She had missed Saber terribly. She had especially missed making love with him and while she didn’t know Lord Odran, she did know his body well. That had not changed and her desire for her husband had not changed as well. What had changed was that she didn’t know who she made love with and until she did, she would not let her desire rule.
“Talk to me, Elysia, I have missed the sound of your voice,” he said after stepping into the tub and spreading his arms out along the rim and resting his head back with eyes closed.
She turned. He looked tired, worn out, and her heart hurt for him and her stomach lost its appetite. Instinct to soothe, or perhaps it was love that had her going to him. She took soft, tentative steps to him and scooped up a cloth on the small bench beside the round tub. She dipped the cloth in the bucket of heated water left to be added if desired and rubbed it with the piece of soap. Her hand paused a moment but when she saw the fatigue on his face, she didn’t hesitate—she gently ran the cloth over his face.
His eyes shot open, but he kept his head where it was and said nothing.
Elysia cleaned the sweat and dirt from his face, revealing his handsome features that she loved. “You’re tired,” she whispered.
“Aye, I am,” he said, itching to take her in his arms, kiss her, make love to her, sleep wrapped around her, but he didn’t move.
She had endless questions for him but not now, not when exhaustion plagued them both. When she finished with his face, she added more soap to the cloth and went to work on his neck, shoulders and each arm, scrubbing every inch and thinking how very much she had missed her husband.
Odran saw how tired his wife was and told himself to stop her, let her rest, have her eat, but he didn’t. He wanted her touch, had ached for it, and though he doubted she was ready to be intimate with him—a stranger to her—he would take what he could get until she was ready. He prayed, more swore, that it not be long.
“You were not injured,” she said, realizing she had never asked him, though she saw no wounds on him.