Chapter 66 - Tales Of War

Delaney was fighting with fitful sleep when the sound of her bedroom door creaking open startled her awake. She blinked, trying to focus on the dark shadow walking towards her bed.

"Vincent?" she whispered in confusion.

"I'm sorry," he spoke softly, "I couldn't sleep, not knowing you're angry with me."

"Come here," she held out her arms to him.

Vincent walked stiffly to the bed and put a hand on each side of her shoulders. Delaney reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down to her until she could kiss him. She tasted his sweet lips and he moved until he was on the bed, a knee on each side of her hips.

When he gently pulled away enough to look down at her, Delaney couldn't help but take in the sight of him safe here in her bed with her. Before she knew it, tears were slipping slowly down her cheeks.

"I was so scared something had happened to you," she whispered, her voice cracking, "When you weren't home for dinner I thought the worst..."

"I know but I'm safe now," he assured her, taking one of her hands to his lips and kissing it, "I'm so sorry Delaney. I never meant to worry you."

"Why didn't you send word?" she asked desperately, "Why didn't you send Harris back to the manor to tell us you were alright?"

Vincent moved until he was lying beside her in bed. He pulled her in against his chest and held her there.

"I never thought about it. I'm sorry my Lady I never considered you might still be up and be worrying about me. I suppose I... I suppose I'm not used to having someone worrying about me."

"Well you do now," she said sternly to him even though her voice was full of tears, "You have me up waiting and worrying for you and you can't forget it again."

"I know..."

"And how could you do something so foolish as to take on a bear? You promised me you wouldn't do anything to put yourself in danger!"

He ran his hand over his face and up through his hair. His giveaway his stress.

"I suppose I didn't think about that either," he sighed, "I've hunted bear before. This one came down and wanted our stag so Miles and I just killed it. Bear meat makes good stews."

Delaney swallowed and thought about his words. Ms. Bird had been correct.

"You were very happy when you got home... You and the men were singing."

"Yes well hunting big game like that gives you a sort of thrill. It gets your blood racing. I suppose we were still riding that thrill when we got home."

"You liked it? Getting a chance to go hunting and kill something dangerous?"

He opened his mouth to reply then stopped to consider his words for a time.

"I did," he answered quietly after thinking about it, "When you face something like that, a dangerous beast, and you fight it... it makes you feel more alive. It's terrifying and you could get injured or die but if you defeat you just... you just feel untouchable."

A follow-up question immediately sprang to Delaney's mind but she hesitated, wondering if she should ask it.

"Is that how you felt when you conquered the dragon?" she asked quietly at last.

To her surprise, Vincent chuckled. "Everyone says I beat that dragon but honestly just look at me. The dragon beat me. I suppose for a time while fighting him it did feel like that but not much. Fighting that dragon was much more based on fear."

"Vincent would you... would you tell me about the day you fought the last dragon?"

Her husband grew very still and quiet. Delaney wondered if she should just tell him "nevermind" but right before she could, he spoke.

"There was a thunderstorm," he started very quietly, "I think that's why I still have... problems with them. I knew the torrential rain would mask our scent so I decided it was a good day to strike. It was cold so the beast would be slow. It was perfect."

"But... it all went very badly very fast. The dragon was bigger than anything any of us had ever seen. His flames could incinerate trees in an instant. He was so old that his hide was thicker than armor. We couldn't get in blades or arrows. We got chains over his neck and managed to lash his head down but we couldn't control it."

Delaney felt her heart race as she imagined this. She imagined Vincent as he had been before, taking on a monster.

"I knew... I knew we weren't going to be able to kill him like we had the others... And he was moments from breaking through and being free again. He would have burned us all alive."

He fell quiet again and Delaney stayed quiet, not wanting him to stop but not wanting to rush him to continue either. He was rigid as he lay beside her and she wondered if he was replaying the events in his mind. Finally, he took a breath and continued.

"I ran for his head with a bow and arrow. I was trying to shoot them down his throat but it wasn't working. When I was close, his red eyes locked on me and he opened his mouth wide to take a deep breath in, likely so he could shoot out an inferno. But when I saw his mouth so wide I pulled my sword and I just... I just leaped at his jaws."

"I only meant to put one arm inside his mouth and stab upward but he jerked towards me and I fell. I stabbed upward with all my strength and the beast he... he screamed this horrible scream that nearly deafened me."

"Then I suppose in his anger at the pain or maybe simple not understanding he was being killed, he bit down. Luckily for me, all that did was push my blade farther into his brain. He died as he was biting down and that's the only thing that saved me from being crushed in his jaws."

"Oh Vincent," Delaney whispered then, her hands over her mouth, "Oh Vincent you could have been killed!"

"I should have been," he sighed, "The fangs tore into my skin, and their poison leaked into my veins. I think the only reason I was able to survive it was because the other men rushed in and used a tree trunk to pry his jaws open and get me out."

"I could feel the poison burning me alive from the inside so I yelled for the others not to touch the dragon's mouth themselves. They were horrified looking at me because the marks were growing on my skin right before their eyes. I think I'm lucky they got me out so quickly or I'd be uglier than I am."

"Stop it," Delaney frowned up at him, "I hate when you say those things."

Vincent was quiet and Delaney reached across his flat stomach to take his hand in hers. She pulled it to her lips and kissed him gently as he often did to her.

"Did you know Miles wasn't there?"

Delaney looked up at him in surprise, "No I never asked. When he brought me the news of your injuries I suppose I just assumed he'd seen it happen."

"He feels terribly guilty for not being there. He thinks if he had been then I wouldn't have been injured. He thinks we would've been able to kill the beast together and both get out unscathed. It haunts him. Even today he mentioned it."

Delaney considered this, "I suppose that's why he defends you like he does and works so hard to take care of you. Love, loyalty, and a lot of guilt."

Vincent nodded, "I've tried to tell him nothing would have been different but he doesn't agree."

They were both quiet then, laying together in the warm night air. Delaney replayed in her mind everything he'd said. She had had no idea it was so horrific although she'd always expected it was terrible.

She didn't like imagining Vincent there pinned between the monster's teeth, writhing in pain as the marks grew across his handsome face. Vincent was braver than she ever knew. He had saved them all and now he would suffer the rest of his life for it.

Delaney felt her heart ache as she looked at her scarred husband. He was so strong and brave and kind. He was loyal to his people and would do anything for those he cared about. He forgave her even though she had said and done such cruel things to him.

Moving to prop herself up on her elbows, Delaney looked down at his scarred face and handsome green eyes that were looking back up at her intently. She had realized something as they lay there in bed talking.

"I love you," she said quietly to him, knowing then that it was true.

Vincent's eyes flickered over her face, as a smile tugged at his lips.

"I love you my Lady," he replied, reaching a hand up to hold her face, rubbing a thumb over her cheek.

Delaney leaned down and kissed him then, slowly and sweetly. He kissed her back in the same way and it was somehow different than any of their other kisses. It was as if all the feelings they had for one another came pouring out.

"I love you," Delaney whispered again when he moved to kiss her cheek.

"I love you," he answered between kisses.

Delaney closed her eyes as he explored her neck and shoulders with his lips.

She loved her husband and he loved her. What a strange, exciting, wonderful, feeling it was.