Chapter 16

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     They rode in silence. She sat rigidly straight, trying to keep her distance from him. A little agitated with her behavior, he tightened his grip around her waist and pulled her closer to him. Bothered by his touch, her resistance gained her nothing, she gave in to his hold and slouched back against his chest. The immediate contact made him stiffen. His warmth at her back only made her situation worse, the contact and it's intimacy only heightened her awareness of his muscular form pressed against her. It was a sensation she did not want to dwell on because he infuriated her.  The farther away she was from him the better.

It was a mistake, he fumed. To have her this close had his senses in an upheaval. He slowly inhaled the aroma of her hair. It was a scent that had his body on edge with a desire to just bury his face in it. He would surely lose his mind if she moved any closer, he thought, fiercely gritting his teeth against the urge to just take her here in the forest played havoc with his mind.

The slow movements of the horse and the sway pushed their bodies closer and it was agonizingly too much for them both.

Her heart thumped wildly in her chest as he placed her on his stallion, sat behind her, and wrapped his arm around her waist. Why did his touch have so much of an effect on her? She didn't even like him. She detested him.
She hated him.

All the way back she battled with the panic that rose in her and she began to fidget.

He roughly tightened his arm around her.

"Be still!" he hissed.

The keep came into view as they rode up to the portcullis and crossed over the large moat that surrounded the keep.

The large entrance gates opened as they rode through.

He reined the horse into the stable and dismounted. With no warning his large hands wrapped around her waist and lifted her off the horse and placed her on the ground before him.

He faced heated tears of frustration that glided down her beautiful face before she wiped them away with her bound hands.

He snorted. "Save your tears,  they do not move me."

Duncan cut the rope around her wrists.  Turning her around, he commanded her to walk forward. Reluctantly she moved. Her gaze looked around the courtyard.

"Don't even think it," he growled.

She turned to face him. Tears held their place while she looked up at him.

"I hate you," she croaked in a low breath.

"I care not for your feelings towards me," he stated bluntly, before pointing his fingers to the great halls' entrance.

"Now go!" He commanded her.

She shook her head vehemently and refused to move.

Their gazes tangled furiously. His jaw clenched.

She infuriated him with her defiant way. She fought his hold and was ready to confront him again. She would fight him to the bitter end if she had too and he knew it.

"You try my patience, wench now move," he growled.

"And you try mine, you son of a bitch,"  she cried out in a frustrated sob.

With an agitated curse he quickly wrapped his fingers around her throat, the desire to just squeeze her windpipes in her lovely neck worked him. But she did not move or even put up a fight in his hold.

"Do it, just kill me and be done with it," her lips trembled and slowly turned into a satisfying grin with the decision of ending her life.

He scowled at such a request and immediately released her, she was goading him.

His strong fingers grabbed her arm and walked her through the great hall towards the stairs. His grip was unforgivingly tight as he marched her towards the first step. Before they could continue Aidan stepped in front of them. His expression towards Duncan met an equal heated gaze. He looked at Tara with a concerned glance and noticed her disheveled state.

"Duncan, what are you doing?"

"T'is none of your concern, step aside or I run you through," Duncan's nose flared when Aidan did not move but straightened up to full height to confront his brother.

"Have you lost your mind brother," Aidan shook his head at his brother's behavior as of late.

"No, you have lost yours because you are and have as of late been defying my orders and undermining my authority," he closed his distance and stood nose to nose with Aidan.

His eyes blazed with so much ire and his height bulked up more as Aidan began to speak.

"I do so because your orders bare no reasoning, I bid you no ill will brother, but I draw the line at mistreating woman," he shook his head.

Rolling his eyes and brushing off Aidan's words he stepped around him.

"Says the man that beds them and leaves them," he scoffed under his breath.

Not wanting to hear any more of Aidan's words, he bellowed out loud for his squire.

The thin form of Daniel came into view beside them.

Looking at Aidan he ordered Daniel to take her up to her chamber and stay with her.

"She is to stay in there, nor will she leave on her own. Is that understood?"

"Aye milord," Daniel turned to look at her and Waited for her to lead the way.

Looking at Duncan square in the face, a sob of pure fury broke from her throat as her tears fell.

"I swear your gonna pay for this, you want a fight I'll give you a fight. You just gained a new enemy and I swear I'm gonna make your life a living hell."

The nervous frightful glance of Daniel made him shy away from them both as he watched Duncan slowly close the distance. The deadly grin only enhanced his good looking features she noticed.

Duncan's words fell like daggers in the hushed silence, he neared her with each step he took she took up the step until they were eye to eye.

"Careful, wench for what you say, I have killed men for lesser offenses."

The gleam of his teeth held his sneer before he barked out the order again to Daniel. He watched as Daniel meekly held out his hand to hold her but recoiled at her angry stare.

Letting her lead the way Daniel followed her up the stairs Aidan watched as Daniel follow Tara before turning to face Duncan. His impish smile looked at angry daggers of steel.

" She is charming is she not." Aidan smiled.

"Aye, very charming," Duncan retorted sarcastically before turning with a last glance up the stairs.

He walked off towards the hearth burning in the far corner.

"Duncan you can not keep her locked up like some animal.,  "  Aidan argued.

Duncan turned to face him.

"Don't you dare tell me what I can and can not do, she stays in her chamber," Duncan yelled.

Not wanting to argue anymore, Aidan let out an oath before storming off leaving Duncan alone.

"I will find her if you help her escape Aidan." Duncan's warning took no time to reach his targets air before stomped off up the stairs.

◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇

She entered the room quickly and stood and watched Daniel enter, close the door, and stand silently before it. She slowly walked over to the small table in the far corner and touched the decanter of wine that sat there.  It was tall and full to the rim. Slowly she picked it up, opened it, smelled it then took a sip. It was strong and bitter. She didn't care, just as long as it numbed her senses she was fine.

Slowly she drank it large gulps as if she were drinking water.

Daniel nervously looked at her before turning his gaze to look ahead.

She continued to nurse it as she turned to the cozy fire burning at the hearth and slouched in the chair before it. Her tears fell and she dashed them away as she continued to stare at the fire and drink the wine.

Daniel watched her, somewhere deep within him he could not blame her for her ire. She was to be kept here without any hope of ever returning to her home. She thought the worst of Lord Duncan when he in turn thought the world of him. He admired Lord Duncan practically idolized him.

She continued to drink and dash away her tears, unaware that Daniel was watching her.

To her surprise, he broke the silence and spoke to her.

"He is not a cruel man as you may think he is. "

Waiting for her to answer he continued.

"You dislike him?" Daniel asked looking at her.

"Dislike?" She gave a short laugh staring at the fire.

"Dislike isn't the word that would describe what I feel for him. Hate is a better word."

Such anger caught Daniel off guard to hear a lady much less a girl probably his same age, express such harsh words.

She continued drinking the wine as more tears fell. The effect of the wine slowly made her dizzy.

"Whether you want to believe it or not he saved your life, being in the forest alone t'is dangerous you could have been harmed or killed."

"If I were you I would be on my knees giving him thanks," Daniel said with a flicker of pride and defense that looked at Tara.

Her words were heated and angry. "Well, I'm not you."

"How have you come here, why do you fight him this way," Daniel asked looking at her sadly.

Now in a drunken haze, she shook her head and placed the empty decanter beside her.

"You wouldn't understand," her voice was slightly slurred.

"If you explain your plight to Lord Duncan, I am sure he could help," he waited for some sort of agreement on her side, but nothing.

"My plight Daniel no one can fix it, it's complicated." She sniffed shaking her head.

Feeling his presence overdue and speaking some sense into her wasn't working he turned to leave. He looked at her still form, she continued to cry.

" You cannot keep running milady, for wherever you hide, he will find you. He is a reasonable man, but when crossed he is very dangerous. You'll wish you never laid your eyes upon him." The door closed with a final thump.

"I already wish that," Tara whispered to the now empty chamber.

Words only the walls heard as she pulled her knees up to her chest and placing her arms above them. She was alone now. She rested her head on her arms and cried.

************
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