The Phoenix & The Dragon Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Have you ever wondered how love works? Have you ever thought, “I could do this forever!” I had those exact two thoughts, and now as I get older I regret them. Being in love forever isn’t as glorious as you might think it is, in fact it’s the opposite, love makes you it’s bitch and you become a slave forever.

In the year of 1475, I had it all. A beautiful castle in the Highlands of Scotland, servants and a husband to die for. In fact, it’s because of him that I did die for love. Bastard.

My name is Carolyn, and this is my story of how I died, Lived, and found love in the strangest of places.

Once upon a time.....no wait.....it was storming that night, and once upon a time means something sweet is coming. My husband, Christian, had gone out on a stag hunt, and he was late returning with the hunting party. As I sat in my bed chambers in front of the fire, I listened to the rain beat against the stone walls of the castle. My servants buzzed around me preparing everything for my bed while I wondered if my husband would ever return home. My chamber maid, Morgan, brushed out my long dark hair, talking endlessly about how the men would return soon and that I shouldn’t worry myself with the affairs of men’s work.

Men’s work, pfftt, I met my husband on a hunting trip, it’s how we fell in love. I refuse to be tamed and made a simple house wife, but in those day’s that is what you became. My father saw my spirit as something that needed to be broken and when Christian asked for my hand in marriage, my father was all to happy to give it. It helped too that Christian came from one of the wealthiest families in the Highlands as my father’s ship business was starting to go under. So naturally he saw this as a great opportunity to help himself.

Regardless of my father’s motives, I did love Christian. He saw me as his equal, which was rare for a man of his stature. He told me once that he never fancied those more delicate girls, too soft for his liking. He preferred a woman who could ride and hunt. Someone who challenged him and made him think of things more then what they were. And he did the same for me.

Our bedchamber door blew open, causing everyone in the room to jump and look to see what had caused the crash. Christian stood in the door, clothing soaking wet from the rain. His long dark hair that he normally kept in a neat leather thong at the back of his neck was wet and clinging to the sides of his face. Blood stained the front of his shirt, it looked like it was coming from the side of his neck. Morgan grabbed clean rags and ran to him quickly pressing them to the gaping wound that didn’t seem to want to stop pouring out his life’s essence.

I joined her taking the rags from her hands, “Call the castle healer! NOW!” Men from the kitchen below hear me yelling and came running, only to find their Master collapsing on top of me, unable to stand any longer. They helped him up on the bed as I started yelling for the healer. I will forever remember that night.

Three days later

Christian was finally sitting up in bed and eating again. I hated seeing him so unwell, he was not himself when he was sick. The healers managed to stop his bleeding and patch the wound in his neck. “How are you feeling today my love?” The sun was just starting to set and the last rays of light were leaving our bedchamber, Morgan came in and started to light the candles and stoke the fire in the hearth. Christian watched her with great intendment. The sound of her skirts rustling around sounded like the loudest echo in a cave. It hurt Christian’s ears and the light burnt his eyes.

“I’m very hungry right now.” His blue eyes didn’t leave Morgan as she moved about the room. I looked up at Morgan and caught her eye, “Please fetch some stew and bannock from the kitchen.” “As Ye wish Mistress.” Morgan gathered up her skirts and hurried out the door as if her feet were on fire. Christian sighed as she left, he looked uneasy and scratched at the bandages on his neck. “Here, don’t do that my love. Let me see.” I gently took his hand in mine and laid it in his lap. He watched me as I took the wrapping off and peeled back the now dirty linen from his wound. Taking a clean cloth from the wash basin that had been placed near our bed, I proceeded to wipe away the dried blood that had formed. For such a deep wound, it had healed miraculously fast. There was hardly any marks left now. When the healers first came to help, they made a concern that a wild animal had bit him. They didn’t think he would survive the first night. Surprise to them three days later, but his dementor had changed over the following days. He seemed more hungry but not for food, and so thirsty.

“I need water.” He voice was horse and cracked. Christian looked more pail then usual, and sweat started to bead on his forehead causing his dark hair to stick in clumps. I knew that sign, I grabbed the clean chamber pot and handed it to him as he voided the contents of his stomach into it. He leaned back handing the pot to me. I moved the pot outside our bedchamber to avoid the smell that would soon fill the room.

“Nothing seems to be settling in your stomach my love. What can I do to help you feel better?” I sat beside him on the bed holding his hand. He looked at me as I reached for the goblet of water that sat on the table beside him. “I just need ye Lass. I will only every need ye.” He grabbed me around my waist and pulled me to his chest. I ran my hand under the string that held his shirt closed, feeling his broad muscled chest under it. I let my fingers run in the small patch of chest hair that grew in the center. Christian’s rough hands softly ran over the length of my body and threw my long dark hair. He kissed my forehead gently, his lips felt like ice. A knock came at the door, “Tis I Mistress. With food as ye requested.” I pushed myself off the bed, crossed the room and opened the door. “Thank ye Morgan, yer dismissed for the evening. I shall ring if I require Yer assistance further.” Morgan bowed and shuffled away as quickly as she could. She had been acting so strangely since Christian had returned to the castle. I dismissed her behavior as talk threw the castle of a strange beast roaming the country side, spread like a wild fire. There was talk of that same beast attacking Christian and the hunting party.

I shut the chamber door, and returned to my husband’s bedside. “Here, ye have to try and eat something.” I broke off a piece of Bannock and handed it to him as I set the stew to the side to cool slightly. Christian frowned at the offering and shook his head. “I can’t right now.” He reached out and gently grabbed at my wrists. “Come here.” My voice caught, so all I could do was shake my head and comply. Placing the food on the table I climbed into the bed on the opposite side. Christian’s arms found their way around my slim waist as he pulled me closer to him. I closed my eye’s as I felt his breath on the back of my neck.

Christian’s hands found their way to the string that held my night gown closed, pulling it open with one tug he let his fingers trail just inside across my breasts. My own breath started to come in heavy waves, I missed the touch of my husband, his smell of earth and animals, the heat from his body. It had only been a week since he left for the hunt, and only three days since his return, but it felt like a life time since we had been together. I rolled over to face him, his blue eye’s glowed softly as he stared at me, like he was seeing me for the first time. His dark hair fell down past his face as he leaned over me. I moved under him smiling as I ran my hands under the bottom of his shirt pulling it over his head and throwing it on the floor. My hands ran over his broad shoulders and chest, his skin was perfect, unmarked and looked as though it had been carved from the finest marble like a Celtic God. Christian’s man hood stood strong and ready, looking as if it would burst with a single touch. He ran his hand under my gown and let them trail under my slim legs, finding their way to a honey pot that was dripping with eager anticipation. “I’ve missed yer touch.” He leaned down over me, holding his own weight with one hand so as not to fall on top of me. With his other hand, Christian pulled off my gown and threw it to the side. He let his free hand trail over my body with soft fingers, almost like silk, until he found my legs again. Lifting one leg to the side, he dipped his head and I found my body shaking with waves of pleasure from his tongue as it explored my nether region.

I ran my hands threw his hair, moaning with every pass of his tongue. Christian’s free hand ran over my breasts, playing with my hard nipples causing me to moan harder. I felt as though I would explode with every touch. Christian started to kiss my navel making his way up my chest to the side of my neck. My legs enveloped around his waist pulling him closer. Christian’s breath came deep in my ear as he pushed the strongest part of himself into me. My back arched up against his chest and I moaned with pleasure, as though it was the first time being with him all over again. He rolled over on to his back, pulling me on top of his hips, as I straddled him he looked at my slim frame. We had no children so my hips were still slender, and my breasts were still firm. My long dark hair fell in waves to my waist , my emerald eyes sparkled every time I smiled at him. He sat up to run one hand up my spine letting it rest at the back of my neck. “Ye are everything to me.” He whispered into my ear as he pulled me into his chest. I slowly rocked my hips back and forth feeling him grow in size inside me. I leaned my head back and moaned, leaving the soft flesh under my ear exposed. I felt Christian press his mouth to it, gently at first, sucking on that soft space. I felt a soft but sharp prick then a wave of pleasure I had never felt before rush over me.

Christian Pulled me as close as he could get, as if he was trying to become one with me. Holding my hips, Christian rolled over holding me under him as he pushed further into me. He held onto my hair as I tried to move out from under his grip. The wave of ecstasy increased as I felt myself slowly go limp and weak from pleasure. The last thing I remember from that night was Christian looking down at me with a small trickle of blood on the corner of his mouth. He finished with me and everything went dark.