The Huntsmen (15 page)

“Love you too, honey.” She didn’t say anything more; however, Snow simply leaned into his touch and closed her eyes. After several minutes she nodded, “We should get going. Someone promised me we’d be in a bed and we’d be able to get warm in each other’s arms.”

“Someone did,” Dierk nodded, pushing to his feet. Grabbing her hands, he pulled her up into his arms and held her to him. “Baldric, do you still have an extra jacket in your pack?”

“Of course,” he said and moments later it was handed over.

“Put this on, love, it’s a little big but should help to keep you warm as we run. We’ll head for the nearest village and get somewhere to sleep for the night and hot food for your belly. Hopefully we can also acquire some horses. I don’t think any of us will want to run for another few days to reach your uncles,” Dierk sighed.

“That sounds wonderful. How will we pay for the horses? I don’t have any money right now.” She had escaped with only her body and the clothes on her back, nothing more. “I know money and gold make the world go round.”

“We have coins, love,” Niklaus smiled at her as he tapped the end of her nose. “We may live a simple life but we do make quite a living as guides. Plus people hire us to follow others around or find a lost loved one, track a criminal, or any other number of possibilities. With our rather stellar reputations for never failing at whatever we choose to take on, we can command quite a fee.”

“I thank you for using your own money to help me reclaim my throne,” she said softly. “

Tossing the water skin to Nik, Baldric took her hand. “We’ll walk for a little bit to give ourselves a break and figure out where we’re going.”

“Sounds good.” Snow had the jacket wrapped around her tightly and she was beginning to feel warmer already. “At least I’m getting warmer, which is a massive plus. I hate being cold. I’m afraid come winter I’ll be constantly cuddling up to you three my darlings.”

“She says that like it’s a bad thing,” Niklaus chuckled. “Trust me, Snow, my beautiful little Princess, you’ll not hear a one of us arguing. Long nights before a roaring fire, naked and wrapped in your arms, is the only place I can truly say would be as close to Heaven as us mere mortals shall get.”

“I can’t wait for those times.” If they had them. If she survived. “I’ll hold you all to it. I’ll hold you to those promises. I need those pleasant dreams. To know you’ll be there for me. I truly believe we’ll make use of the large fireplaces in the palace, don’t you?”

“Absolutely,” Baldric smiled at her. “We’ll bring one of our rugs so we have a large soft place to play before the fire. Put down a mound of pillows so we can spend hours there be it day or night. After all, no play makes for a very cranky Queen I’m sure.”

“Yes, I’m very sure of that,” grinning, she nodded. “We’ll have to have a great deal of pillows and more than one rug so the floor is thickly padded and our knees won’t ache too much from being on the stone floors too much.”

“We’ll bring many rugs then, we have several you know,” Nik told her. Wrapping his arm loosely around her shoulders, he grinned. “We’d never do anything that could hurt you. We’ll ensure you’re always comfortable.”

“I know you will. I trust you three will always ensure my happiness and safety are cared for with one exception. When I face her, I ask that you let me handle her. I have studied her for years. I know how she thinks, how she moves. When it’s time I ask you let me face her.” Alone was left unsaid.

“We’ll let you face her, Snow,” Dierk told her, turning so he was walking backwards yet facing her. “You can go up against her as you wish one on one but we’ll be close if you need us. We aren’t going to just stand aside and let her hurt you or worse. We won’t interfere unless it’s absolutely necessary so make sure it’s never necessary.”

“I don’t plan on losing. I want a life with you. I don’t plan on losing because that bitch has had more than enough blood. I won’t let her have mine. I’ll defeat her because I have no other choice.”

“You’ve many choices, Snow,” he said, turning to walk the right direction once more. “It’s what you do with those choices that make you who you are and the Queen you’ll be. Just make sure you’re choosing what is right for everyone and not out of need for vindication.”

“I only want her off my throne. Her power drained. After that I’m perfectly fine to put her in the dungeons for the rest of her life or to allow my people to choose her destiny but it’s not just vindication, it’s justice I want.”

“Then we won’t have any troubles at all,” Baldric said, looking around the group. “Right, Dierk?”

“Nope, no troubles at all,” Dierk agreed. “We need to move faster, I see smoke on the horizon, we just found ourselves a village. Let’s get there in the last of this light so we don’t end up with the village picking up arms.”

“Sounds good to me. Hopefully we’ll have an inn to rest at. Let’s just hope they won’t be too grumpy to give us all a room together. If they are,” she shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. All that matters is we’re together.”

“You’re the princess, we’re your protectors,” Niklaus said with a shrug. “If they’re of the religious sort we’ll be allowed into a room together. We’ll refrain from saying you’re the princess, maybe a lady of standing we’re helping get home. Plausible, easy to remember, and we won’t need to explain too much.”

“That would be best. Hopefully none of them knew my mother because from all I’ve heard, I look just as she did at my age. It’d get out very quickly should they have known her.” She shrugged and took a deep breath. “That’s a slim possibility I believe, don’t you?”

Dierk stopped and pulled his hat off his head sticking it on hers. “Keep your chin down, you’re incognito to avoid being recognized. You should look the part.” Grabbing the scarf from Nik’s neck, he wound it loosely around hers. “Better, chin down, don’t speak unless necessary, just use haughty body language and hand signals. We’ll do the talking and hopefully not a soul will even remember you enough to describe you.”

“I pray you’re right.” For the sake of her people, not her sake. The Queen would do anything to ensure Snow’s death. Snow would do anything to protect her people from further harm. “I trust you,” she whispered with a smile. “Now then, find us a room so we can get naked and I can get warm the way we all want.”

“That’s a most sound and excellent plan,” Baldric smiled.

“I’ll head in ahead of you to find the inn,” Dierk told them. “Hang back and keep an eye out. When I find us a room I’ll signal you so we can move her through quickly. Limit exposure as much as possible,” he looked at his friends.

“Go, we’ll be close but out of sight,” Niklaus assured him. He fell silent as Dierk took off running then looked at Snow, “He’s worried about something.”

“Mm,” Baldric nodded, “Not a good sign when he’s acting like this. Not a good sign at all.”

“What do you mean?” Snow demanded. “Don’t try to shelter me, we all know how that’ll turn out,” she muttered. “Please, talk to me instead?” She watched the road upon which Dierk had disappeared and chewed her lower lip as she waited for someone to give her an explanation.

“You may or may not have noticed,” Baldric began.

“Likely not, she tends to stare at his ass or dreamily into his eyes,” Niklaus put in with a grin.

“Nik, really? As I was saying,” Baldric hissed through his teeth, “When Dierk’s body is completely still or his motions very smooth and fluid he’s upset. When he begins to toy with the hilt of the blade strapped to his thigh his instincts are screaming, but when he leaves us hanging back to play potential rescuer, he’s got a hunch that will likely lead to pain, bruises, and a lot of groaning.”

“We don’t know what it is since he didn’t feel the need to share, bloody unfair really,” Nik muttered, “But we know the signs. He didn’t smile at you when he left your immediate area. He always smiles at you when he has to leave you for any length of time. That’s a very bad sign even after only knowing you a couple days.”

“He does seem to develop patterns very quickly that tend to stick,” Baldric nodded.

“Then I suggest we follow his fool ass so he doesn’t become so bruised it affects me personally taking a bite out of his hide for leaving us behind while he goes and faces the punishment that for all intent purpose is supposed to be mine,” Snow said as she moved toward the path Dierk had disappeared. “Coming, boys?”

Chapter Nine

“Is there a reason you’re attempting to peer through the slats on the windows?” Dierk asked the three with their noses pressed to the windows. “Because I’m pretty sure I said to keep out of sight, especially our lady here, until I signaled. Since I’ve yet to signal I’d assume you’d be out of sight yet,” he waved a hand at them, “here you are. Someone care to explain?”

“Would you mind telling me why you’re looking for trouble? Why, instead of trying to find an Inn, you’re out here, waiting for whatever dangers are in the shadows ahead to pounce? I’ll not have you hurt because of me, Dierk, didn’t I make myself clear?”

“I did find the inn and was looking for you three because you weren’t where you were supposed to be,” he said with a growl. “Now, do you want hot food and a bed or should we just stand out here garnering even more attention that you were supposed to avoid?”

Clenching and unclenching her fists, Snow took a deep breath and nodded. “Very well, perhaps later when we’re in a room with a fire roaring and our bodies filled with food you’ll explain to me why the others and I thought you were going off into danger?”

“Because we’re being followed and there’re several members here in the village that are looking for you,” Dierk said. “There are two behind you right now trying to figure out if it’s you or not. There are another two a few houses over looking around for you as well,” he told them. “Now, can we get in out of the cold or should I just let them know you’re who they’re looking for?”

“Yes, let’s get out of the cold.” Snow looped her arm into Dierk’s and looked up at him. “I love you, and when I love someone I worry about them. I worried for you. Forgive me?” So she might have jumped into the fire, but she would time and again for those she considered hers.

Grunting, he shook his head at her, “I just wish you’d learn to trust me, Snow. I may not explain my motives at all times but you have to trust me. I’ll always explain myself eventually.” Tugging her along, he led her through a few alleys, “I don’t always have time in the moment.”

“Trust is something I’m slowly learning, Dierk. I’ve not been able to do that in so long it hurts to recall what it felt like. While in your home I could trust you freely because I knew we were safe but now. Now I know she’d do anything to hurt me including hurting you.” She looked up at him, her heart in her eyes, “Hurting you would devastate me.”

“I know,” he said and sighed. Looking around, he stopped to look down into her eyes. “I love you, Snow. I just want to keep you safe and get you where you need to be, your uncle’s home. I need to get you there so you can do what you need to do, because once you get done we can have the life together we all want.”

“I agree. Once this is all over and done with we deserve our happily ever after. We deserve every last bit of happiness that’s been just outside our reach. We’ll have that when the Queen and her men are driven from our lands into the dungeons or their graves.”

“That’s my hope,” he said softly. Leaning in, he kissed her gently, “Now we really need to go, love. I don’t like standing out here like this,” he murmured quietly. Taking her hand in his, he turned to walk once more.

Snow allowed him to lead her from danger. She had a feeling there was danger, but there was also help out there. They were either too afraid or too oppressed, she didn’t know which one, but it bothered her more. Not speaking, she pulled the scarf up and dropped her face down once more, hiding herself as best she could.

Squeezing her fingers, he smiled when she glanced up. They didn’t go very far even though Dierk kept leading them around for a time. Pushing open the back door of the inn, he waved them inside before following. “I didn’t want them knowing where we were going,” he explained to Snow. “We’re going up the backstairs and down the hall to the left. Last door on the end is ours for the night.”

“You’re too good to me,” she whispered and raced up the stairs. On light feet she all but ran down the hall toward the room Dierk had procured for them. She was ready to get behind walls, behind a door, ready to shut life out if only for the night. When they all were in the room she asked, “I truly hope they’ll be willing to bring our dinner up to us instead of us going down to the dining room to eat.”

“They brought up the bath for you, Snow. Once we let them know they can clear it away they’ll bring up our meals. While you’re bathing we’ll ensure we know all the exit’s in the case we should have to leave quickly,” Dierk told her, pointing to the tub in the corner.

Snow nodded and looked back to them, “Are any of you going to remain behind with me? I do after all need someone to wash my back,” she invited blatantly. “Remain with me?” she asked Dierk. “Bathe with me?”

“You know I will, Princess,” Dierk said quietly. “Give me a moment though, undress and climb in, I’ll be right back.” Tipping his head, he walked out of the room with Baldric and Niklaus. He wasn’t gone very long, returning quickly and smiling at her, “They’re going to keep watch and check our escape routes should they be needed.”

“Then come here,” she said as she began to drop her clothes off her body. Reaching out for him, she wrapped her hand around his and turned her face up to meet his eyes. “Kiss me, Dierk. Love me.” She knew this would likely be the last stop before her uncle’s castle and she wanted to take advantage of it while she could.

Dipping his head, he kissed her slowly, his hands sliding over her bared skin to stroke and plump. Turning his head, he took the kiss deeper as he began backing her up. The wall hit her back but he kept moving so she could feel the press of his hard cock to her lower belly.

Wrapping her legs around him, Snow pulled him closer. “Dierk,” she moaned his name aloud, need crawling through her like a life force of its own. “Please.” She rubbed against him, her body dripping, aching for him. “I need you.” She would never stop needing this man, these men, ever.