WendyPan's Wonderland

Just One Kiss

 

Chapter 6

 

The sounds of birds chirping woke me up. I must have forgotten to close my hotel window last night. I stretched but instead of feeling a bed beneath me, my fingers locked around blades of grass.

 

 

My eyes shot open to a clear blue sky. The next sound I heard was a horse braying. I turned my head in the direction of that sound to see a horse with a man standing next to it.

 

 

I stared at this image, thinking that this was one crazy dream I was having, until I heard a familiar voice.

“Ah, you’ve made it, have you?” He came clearly into my view then as he approached me with the horse following behind him. No longer dressed in Charlie’s clothes, he wore something else out of some medieval movie, complete with a hooded cape. “Do you wish for me to help you up?”

 

 

“No, no. I’ve got it.” My ankle! The thought caught me. I sat up on my elbows and looked down at my right leg to find no cast or pain in sight. I was as if it had never happened. “My ankle’s not broken.”

 

 

“Imagine that.” He mused, pleasantly smiling down at me. I got to my feet and brushed the grass off of my clothes and body.

“Where are we?”

“In a field not far from my home. This was my planned return destination.”

“Is that your horse?” I had a slight fear of horses. I admitted the irrationality of it but it didn’t stop the fear.

 

 

“Aye, he be my horse.” He approached the giant beast. “Aren’t you Amin?” He patted the horse’s snout and it nodded in response. “Come.” He turned to me. “There is much to do.” He mounted the horse in one quick motion, leaving me standing alone. He directed the horse over to where I stood and held out his hand to me. “Kate.”

I took his hand and he launched me upon the horse behind him. He unclasped his cape and threw it around my shoulders. He then pulled the hood over my head and smiled.

 

 

“’Tis only for the ride over there. Now, take hold of me. I promise not to go fast but I would not wish for you to fall.” I wrapped my arms around his thick torso and closed my eyes as the horse began to trot forward. “Kate,” his voice thundered through his midsection and reverberated through me. I opened my eyes.

“Yes?”

“You had never explained to me as to why you came to mine crypt.” I didn’t, I thought.

“Um, well, because it’s dumb, stupid, foolish.”

“Foolish? You woke me which I hardly find foolish. So, tell me, what indeed brought you there?”

I swallowed. “Ok. The truth. My friends and I like to travel a lot and everywhere we go, one of us gets challenged to do something ridiculous that hopefully won’t get us into trouble. Our last trip was Simon’s turn for the dare. We were in London six months ago and he was dared to go hit on a royal guard.”

“Hit on?” He repeated which told me that I needed to rephrase so he would understand.

“Um, flirt, make a pass at, try to tempt the guard with seduction.” I felt like a thesaurus.

“Ah, I see.”

“But, luckily for him, the guard was highly trained in ignoring silly Americans and their crazy behavior. This trip was my turn to be challenged.”

“Your challenge was to kiss me?” I could tell he was amused. I wondered if he could feel my burning red cheeks through his shirt.

“No, not exactly. It was to kiss a dead man. I just happened to find you. And I swear I checked you for any signs of life. That sleeping potion you took was some powerful stuff.”

 

 

“Checked me? What sort of checking did you attempt?” I heard the hint of laughter in his voice. God, I was so embarrassed. A large part of me was screaming for me to shut up but the words kept flowing.

“I watched your chest to see if it was moving from your breathing, I held my fingers up near your nose to see if I could feel any air, and I checked your pulse.”

“Ah, so you did study me.” This time he did let out a brief chuckle. “I apologize. That was rude of me.”

“No, no, it’s ok. I know how ridiculous it is, the game my friends and I play.” I had been so very tempted to hit him but I was too worried about falling off of the horse to move my hands from around his torso.

“’Tis for fun. Perhaps next time, ask your friends for a better challenge.” I rolled my eyes. I all ready knew I’d quit our game of dare after this last trip anyway. We really were too old for it besides.

“So,” I attempted to change the topic. “How far is your castle?”

“Not far.” He pointed off to the distance ahead of us and I could see the stone walls in the horizon.

 

 

I looked to the right of the out walls and saw the small cemetery and mausoleum that I recognized. Would his tomb be ready and waiting for him yet, I wondered. “Lady Kate,” He pulled out of my thoughts. “I have requests to make upon you for the short while of your stay.”

“What are your requests?” I repeated his words.

“Firstly, my servant Collum will be the one to assist you. I know him well and he is quite trustworthy. But if you will please to not speak as you do to him. I am quite sure he will be less amused with your speech than I am. You will only confuse and vex him.”

“I’ll keep my words to yes, no, and thank you. Got it.” He nodded.

“This will do well, thank you. Secondly, while I have brought you here as my help, I will need you to keep hidden and to not draw attention to yourself. As I have said, you hold a noticeable resemblance to Lady Juliet and with her due to arrive shortly, you would surely be mistaken for her. I will see to it that you are dressed as a servant to help with your discretion.”

“Ok, I understand, I’ll do my best.” He patted my hands that were interlocked over his rock hard stomach.

“I thank thee Lady Kate. And you will stay in my bed chamber. I will have a cot prepared for you. ‘Tis the best location for you to be secreted away, the safest from others. I have my own private bathing room and privy. Anything that you need will be provided.” I couldn’t stop the smile from spreading on my face. No matter what happened from here on out, this would be the adventure of my life. I was living in history, riding horseback in medieval Ireland. Even if this was only a crazy drug induced dream, it would be one hell of a dream and story.

I could hear the voices of others that weren’t exactly far from us. They were greeting the lord of their land, Lord Sir Liam, the man who was on the horse in front of me.

 

 

He addressed them back, knew their names, their families. I could hear how much they admired and respected Liam. I kept my face hidden beneath the hooded cloak.

I heard the sound of heavy doors being opened and I knew we’d finally arrived at the castle. More people greeted Liam as we passed.

 

 

I could soon smell the scent of more horses and I figured that we must have reached the stable. Liam slowed his horse down to a stop and dismounted, leaving me sitting there, shrouded in his cloak.

 

 

“My lord! How was your ride?” The voice of a man who stood near us said.

 

 

“Collum,” Liam replied. “’Twas well. We have a guest. May I introduce Lady Kate.” I lifted my head and pulled the hood back far enough to look at the man with whom Liam spoke. He looked to be in his later 30’s with dark hair that was well groomed and a gentle smile. “She is akin to Lady Juliet but is not from these lands. She does not speak much but she understands completely. Please have a servants gown for her and a cot prepared in my chamber. See to her every need.” I suddenly felt his hands go around my waist. He then lifted me off the horse and set me on my feet on the ground. The horse was led away.

“Yes m’lord.” Collum went off to his new tasks and Liam turned to me.

“I have some things to attend to. Please, follow Collum to my chamber and I shall return anon.” I nodded and he left me to do whatever he had to do.

“Yes sir.” I said as he smiled. I turned to go follow Collum who had a head start. Boy, this was going to be an interesting time, I thought once again.