Breathe (A romatic start in the Past) 22

I must be dead. My head is killing me, my mouth is dry, I feel like I had a horse trample me, and worst my throat feels as if it was crushed. I took an unsteady breath feeling it catch in my bruised throat. I am fairly certain that dead people don’t need to breathe. I kept my eyes closed, firmly pushing any thoughts from my mind. I must be dead. The whiney of s horse made me flinch at its closeness. I must be in hell if there are horses here. A finger brushed across my cheek, pushing my hair off my face. I frowned as I realized that I was laying here next to Elianus. He was admiring his toy, marveling at the damage he had inflicted on me, reveled in the colors of the bruises that I could feel patterning my normally white skin. He was supposed to kill me, not keep me as his toy, battered and beaten into submission.

Voices in the distance disrupted my self-pity. Who else is here? We were alone last time I checked and albeit I would rather not have been alone with him that doesn’t mean I actually wanted him to have any help show up. I shifted slightly trying to get more comfortable.

I sat bolt upright looking around with my mouth hanging open in a shocked stupor. I am in a feather bed! I turned to look at who was laying next to me and had only seconds before been playing with my hair. "Duilius?" I reached a hand out tentatively; unsure if he would vanish the instant I got too close. I must be crazy if I can’t tell my dreams from reality. A smile spread across his face and I could see the laughter in his eyes. He reached out and took my hand placing it over his heart. I could feel the warmth of his skin. I could feel his steady heart beat. More importantly I could feel him, he was really here! I sat there staring at him until his other hand reached out and with a light nudge closed my mouth which was still hanging open. I blinked rapidly trying to shake the sleep from my eyes. He came for me!

I threw myself at him, wrapping my arms around his chest and burying my as far as I could into his warm chest. Tears were streaming uncontrolled down my face and I could actually feel my lip trembling with emotion. My love came for me. His arms wrapped around my trembling form and squeezed me gently but in a way that made me forget so much of what has happened.

After a few minutes I found myself exhausted to the point that I was drifting in and out of sleep. "Hey there babe." He ran his fingers through my hair and pressed kisses against my swollen eyes. "How are you doing?" He lightly pressed against a few of the bruises that were visible on my arms and back. As long as there are no scars to remind me of Elianus then I am sure that I can survive.

"I feel like I should be dead." My voice was scratchy and my fingers shook, but Duilius could make it all better, of that I was certain. His deep chuckle sent shivers through me in a feeling that was topped by nothing I had ever felt before. Euphoria spread through my limbs in a relaxing wave. "You knew I didn’t want to leave you right?" I looked up into his emerald green eyes and saw a hesitation. "Didn’t you?" My stomach turned inside out and I actually thought for a second I was going to throw up in his lap. I sat there for a second swallowing and trying to take deep breaths. I will not throw up!

His hand rubbed my back in small soft circles. A very comforting gesture considering he thinks that I ran away from him. Fled into the arms of a lover. It felt like I swallowed a lead ball, and it was sitting in the pit that was my stomach. Oh god! I must be in hell. I tried to push myself off his lap, fighting against his arms around my waist. I could feel myself shaking and there were tears running down my cheeks but I was too concerned with getting space between me and him to be concerned in the slightest about anything else. I started fighting against him, scratching and kicking. I cant be this close to him. I cant breathe.

"Hey babe, calm down." He pulled me tight against his chest, ignoring me protests. He ran his fingers through my hair and pressed my head to his chest. "I know you didn’t leave me." He was rocking me in his lap as if I was a child and yet I was not insulted by the gesture at all. "I didn’t doubt it for a second that you didn’t leave me willingly. You’re body and soul mine. I knew you were still mine." I was hiccupping now but at least the sobs had stopped. He is such a sweet heart. I looked up at him giving him a knowing look but remained quiet. Of course that’s a load of bull but its nice to hear it either way. "Ok well I might have doubted you for a second." I saw him turn red slightly as he spoke. Why in the world should he be embarrassed? "But seeing you there, underneath Elianus…" He choked on the thought and his face turned a bright scarlet. "I thought I lost you when I saw you there." His hand rubbed my hair in a soothing gesture. "It was so strange; going into that tent I hated you for leaving me and hated him for taking you, but seeing your bruised body, his hands around your throat and the disgusting grin on his face all I could think of was comforting you. I saw you and would have given anything to take your pain away."

His face was so serious and filled with pain. How could I have caused so much pain in this man. It is my own fault that Elianus thought I loved him. It was my fault that he kidnapped me. It is my fault that Duilius is hurting. I wrapped my arms around his waist and pulled myself tight against his stiff body, willing him to relax, willing the guilt from him. "I love you." I whispered to him. It was the only thing that I thought wouldn’t sound ridiculous. His body soften slightly at the words.

"I didn’t realize how much I needed to hear that from you." His chest vibrated under my cheek as laughter rumbled through his body. "I rescued you. I stayed by your side. I comfort you as best I can. Then I hear those words coming from your sweet lips and I realize just how much I wanted you to confirm all that I assumed when I found you with that slave." He needs me. God if only he knew how many years I have been waiting for someone to say that. "Forgive me." He pressed gentle kisses into my hair.

"Make it up to me?" I said with a raised eyebrow and suggestive smile. I returned his kisses along the lean lines of his chest. He rewarded me with a slight tremor at the touch of my lips. I traced my nails across his back and was rewarded with the slightest of groans.

"You should be, ah… resting." He gasped. I love the reactions he gives me. I love knowing that if I touch him a certain way he will love it and show it with his twitches and the expressions on his face.

"I have rested plenty. Now I would like to unwind. I would appreciate any assistance you feel willing to give." I smiled at the look of shock my words gave him. The suggestive nature of my tones and touches quickly erased the hesitation from his mind. He pulled me up against him, lowering his mouth to mine. None of the hesitation or caution of our previous time together remained, just a mutual need and tenderness. The terror of the day disappeared in each others arms.

My dreams mixed with reality as we lay in each others arms, breathing in the scent of our lovemaking that surrounded us. I personally felt like I had melted into his skin. We were if not literally but practically one soul. He was my world.

●●●
I woke up stiff and sore, unsure of where I was. I felt panic rising in my throat as I looked at the tent that was above me. Turning over I felt an arm around my waist and froze. Please be Duilius! Please be Duilius! I turned slowly over towards the owner of my arm and thought I was going to die from relief. It wasn’t a dream this time. I snuggled myself into his side. At movement his arms tightened, pulling me firmly into him with a determined look on his face. I bite my lip to keep from laughing. Ok hurt my feelings, I will stay right here if that’s what you want. I leaned against him resting my head on his shoulder. Only two days married and I feel like I never lived before I was with him. Life before Duilius, it all seems such a distant memory.

After a few minutes Duilius stirred and woke up. The deliriously happy smile on his face told me that all was forgiven and even forgotten from the day before. I returned a similar smile that implied all the same and so much more. It said ‘There is nothing to forgive. I’m yours forever."

***PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE COMMENT!!!! I WOULD LOVE SUGGESTIONS FOR NEW TOPICS OR EVEN IDEAS FOR A PART TWO ;) ***