AllFreeNovel
Share Us
After their chess game just yesterday, she had been worried that things would be different between them, but Keira was certainly glad to see that nothing had changed. Christian had accompanied her for her early morning ride, after which he helped her train and learn a bit of sword fighting before he had to start his own day. He was making all the time he could for her, and she truly admired that about him.
It was true she wanted him even more after yesterday, but she knew she would have to wait, just as he had said. If it were in her hands, things between them would have escalated much farther from a simple kiss because Keira had never felt this certain about another man before. No one but Christian had ever touched her, and she did not even want anyone else to touch her.
“Ye are awfully quiet today,” he said suddenly, pulling her back to the present.
“I was thinkin’ about our game last night,” she replied with a mischievous smile on her face as Christian shook his head.
“I will nae be answering any more questions,” Christian said simply, shaking his head.
“Don’t worry, I will nae pester ye with more questions,” Keira laughed, simply enjoying the relatively comic banter between them. She did not know what it was about Christian’s company, but she enjoyed every minute of it. He could simply be beside her, sitting or walking silently, and Keira would be content with his presence alone. That was the way of things with him. He made her feel at peace.
“Good,” he nodded, suddenly stopping his horse as they reached a clearing in the woods. “We should train here.”
“Whatever ye wish,” Keira smiled at him, quickly hopping down off her horse, and tying him to a tree as Stephen did the same. A few weeks ago, she could have never imagined herself to be this comfortable while jumping down from a horse, and yet now, she was rather skilled at it.
“I will attack; ye will defend,” Christian said before fishing out his sword.
Keira had been training with several soldiers from the clan, including Josh, yet the only person that ever truly intimidated her was Christian. Whenever he helped her practice, she was acutely aware of his sheer strength and perfect skill. It was truly evident how good he really was at all forms of combat and defeating him was almost impossible. He held back while training with Keira since he knew her level of skill, not wanting to hurt her, yet simply his presence alone while in a fighting stance was enough to intimidate the fiercest of fighters.
“I am ready,” she replied, taking out her sword as they stood face to face.
Keira assumed a defensive posture, her left leg behind her as her right leg protruded ahead. Josh had been teaching her how she could use her smaller stature and quickness of feet to trick the enemy and escape unharmed, and she was planning to use such a trick on Christian. She knew she could never outsmart him, but she was going to try.
“Let’s begin,” Christian said with a smile, almost immediately raising his sword to attack her. Keira, who had already been anticipating the hit, easily spun around to move out of the way, leaving Christian’s attack to land in mid-air.
Without being perturbed, Christian waited for a few seconds before attacking again, and Keira stopped it with her own sword, but Christian’s sword still came in contact with her abdomen as he almost immediately shifted it to attack from his other hand. Keira backed away, remaining in her position to defend, successfully shielding a few more attacks from Christian until his sword landed directly on her neck.
“Ye are doing better, Keira,” he complimented, and she simply raised an eyebrow.
“If I was yer enemy, I would be dead by now,” she replied.
“Well, then, good thing ye are nae my enemy but someone very, very dear to me,” he said, coming in closer to whisper the last part in her ear. Keira felt goose bumps on her skin at his closeness, but before she could react, he had already moved away.
Why did he always do this to her?
“Well, what is the verdict, then?” she asked, hoping to hear his critique. Christian had never once tried to protect her feelings but praising her unreasonably, which was something she respected about him. When she did well, he said so. When she did not do well, he said it just the same.
“I see ye have been learning to use yer smaller stature to yer advantage, and I think that is excellent,” he remarked, “ye still need a lot of practice and training, and I am sure ye will only get better with every passing day.”
“Why, thank ye, me laird,” she said with a smile, bowing down to him.
“Are ye mocking me?”
“Nay, I respect ye too much to mock ye,” she replied. She had been trying to be funny, but she would never purposefully mock Christian since she really did respect him. He had earned a place in her heart that no one else ever could after all that he had done for her and was continually doing day after day.
“Should we head back?” he asked, looking at the horses. Keira knew it was time to return since morning was quickly approaching, and the sun was already almost entirely out in the sky.
“We should,” she remarked but continued to stand where she stood, not willing to move.
Instead, she walked back towards a large tree and sat down on the ground covered with fallen leaves, her back resting against the trunk. Christian looked at her confusedly for a few seconds, but when she motioned towards the ground beside her, he silently followed her and sat down, resting against the tree. Keira lowered herself slightly, placing her head on his shoulder as they stayed there in silence.
“What are ye thinking?” he asked at last.
“About how comfortable I am just sitting here with ye,” she said with a smile, her eyes closed against the cool breeze of the morning.
“We will have to head back eventually,” he said, and Keira groaned loudly, voicing her disapproval at his matter-of-fact tone. She knew he did enjoy spending time with her but could certainly not ignore his responsibilities to the clan. Yet she knew she could still have a few minutes with him. A few minutes away from everyone else where he could solely be hers.
“I ken,” she whispered, still not making any move to leave.
