[fic] Rescue me (Elena/Gwaine; PG)
Author: eurydice72
Title: Rescue Me
Pairing(s)/Character(s): Elena/Gwaine
Rating: PG
Summary: Though Gwaine might leap to rescue a lady in distress, sometimes the lady prefers to do the rescuing herself.
Warnings (if any): None
Total word count: 3,200 words
Original prompt number: 202 - Submitted by word_never_said
Disclaimer: This story/artwork is based on characters and situations created and owned by the BBC and Shine TV. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Author's/artist's notes (if any): I only wish time hadn’t run away from me to make it longer!
Beta(s): sheswatching
Rescue Me
The moment he heard hooves crashing through the underbrush, Gwaine reached for his sword. Instincts were hard to forget, even if he’d managed to travel far enough the previous day to escape his latest debts. Two entire villages rested between him and a thorough pummeling. Normally, one would suffice, but the irate innkeeper he’d left behind had over half a dozen large, burly sons. Gwaine loved a good fight, but he loved surviving for the next one even more.
He was ready and on his feet when a gorgeous blood bay crashed across the edge of the clearing. It was oblivious to his presence, disappearing into the trees like the hounds from hell were on its heels.
It was alone, and its rider was as far from the cretins at the inn as she could possibly get.
The girl rode too hard for this to be a casual jaunt. Her blonde hair whipped over her shoulders from the speed, her shoulders hunched as she bent over the horse’s neck. Gwaine swiveled his attention to the direction from which she’d come, and though he heard no more horses, hastened to his own mount. Nobody rode like that without needing to. Whatever the cause for her flight, she could use his aid when she was inevitably caught.
And having a woman feeling indebted to him was never a bad thing.
Even amidst the thick trees, the morning was bright and cheerful. Sunlight speckled the path she took, while the forest’s furry occupants scattered as she and Gwaine thundered through. Anyone coming after them would have little difficulty finding their trail. She made no effort to be subtle, too intent on simply going fast to heed caution. A girl after his own heart.
When the path widened, he nudged his horse closer, only to be forced to a halt when she yanked on her mount’s reins and whirled around to face him.
“I’ll have you know I’m armed,” she warned.
His grin spread. If she had a weapon, it was hidden by her skirt. He suspected they had a very different opinion of what kind of weapon it might be, too.
Slowly, he lifted his hands, palms out. “I offer you no ill will, my lady. I’m merely here to offer my assistance.”
Her brows shot up. She wasn’t traditionally beautiful-her nose was a shade too upturned to be elegant, her mouth too generous to be demure-but intelligence flashed in her blue eyes. Paired with her lush figure and the color in her cheeks brought on by her ride, she was a tempting morsel indeed. “And what do I need assistance in?”
He could think of any number of things, especially after seeing her up close, though most would have him slapped or worse before the suggestion was made. So he stuck with his original reason for pursuit. “From whatever vagabonds might be chasing you, of course.”
“I’m not being chased.”
“You ride as if you are.”
“I ride as if I’m out to enjoy it.”
“With that much vigor?” Looping his reins over the pommel, he slid from his mount, unable to maintain the distance between them any longer. The more he heard, the more intrigued he became. “Lucky horse.”
Her eyes widened for a moment, so luminous a man could drown in them. But then the cunning returned, and her appeal redoubled. “And what does it say about you, that your first instinct told you only pursuit could drive a woman to ride so swiftly? Do you have that many flee from your presence?”
“Only once they get to know me.”
His blunt self-deprecation did the trick. Her laughter was an indelicate snort, made all the more amusing by her utter lack of embarrassment. She caught herself short, but her mouth continued to twitch, as if the smile was determined to win. “Well, I can assure you, I’m in no danger.”
When her hands tightened to turn her mount back to the path, Gwaine stepped closer. “Might I ask your name, my lady?”
She paused. “For what purpose?”
“For the pleasure of knowing who bested me in wits today.”
“Most men wouldn’t take pride in such a claim.”
He gave her a half-bow. “Then it’s a good thing I am not most men.”
Though her steady gaze remained on him, he held no doubt his flirtation was failing. Oh, she was entertained by his words, any idiot could see that, but more wouldn’t come. It was there in the twist of her full mouth, the shrewd glint in her eye. His rubbish luck was set to continue. She was the second intriguing woman in recent weeks to blatantly resist his advances.
“What were you doing out here?” she asked. “Are you hunting?”
“Traveling.”
“To?”
“Anywhere my fancy takes me.”
“Except your fancy sent you after me.”
“Actually, that’s the smartest thing my fancy has done in literally ages.”
She laughed again, making no attempt to stifle it this time. An assessing gaze swept down his body, lingering long enough on the cock of his hip to tempt him into adjusting his stance just to give her a better view. Everything about her tempted him, actually. To make her smile, to hear her laugh, to watch her eyes become even more mesmerizing in the throes of passion. But his odds of making any of it come true weren’t good.
With a lift of her chin, she said, “My name’s Elena. Now it’s your turn.”
“Gwaine.” He offered it without pause, too enchanted with her unpredictability to care. “At your service.”
“I require no servicing,” she said automatically. As soon as the words escaped, though, she caught her bottom lip between her teeth, clearly waiting for him to take malicious delight in her less than elegant response. On a different day, under different circumstances, with a lot of mead in his belly, he might have done just that, teasing and toying with her because she had to be noble-born, but now, he had no desire to taunt her. She deserved better than that.
“What about a riding partner, then?” he asked. “I would be honored if you’d allow me to join you.”
“You wouldn’t be able to keep up.”
“It would be fun trying.”
“I-”
Shouts echoed from the distance, startling her horse. Elena regained control within a moment, but as the men grew nearer, Gwaine’s mount bolted into the bracken, ignoring his shouted cries to stop.
His hand went to his sword. “I thought you said you weren’t being chased.”
Her wide eyes were locked over his head, peering through the trees. “I’m not. Though I’m starting to think perhaps you are.”
He very much doubted the innkeeper would put forth so much effort for recompense. The damage wasn’t even all Gwaine’s fault this time. If the blacksmith hadn’t bragged even an idiot could brandish his latest sword, Gwaine never would have been forced to open the gate on the stable to distract the drunkard about to run through said idiot.
Now he could hear the horses on the path.
And his horse-an animal he’d borrowed in the midst of the melee-had gone racing off in the direction of the voices rather than away from them. Because he recognized them?
Gwaine wasn’t about to risk discovery to find out.
“Better wish you good day, then.” He scanned the surrounding area. Without a horse of his own, he had no hope of outrunning the men. His best hope was to find a good hiding place and wait them out.
“Or climb on.”
His head snapped around. “What’s that?”
“You heard me.” She scooted forward slightly. “You don’t have a horse, and I do. Unless you prefer getting trampled, which honestly, you might, considering how quickly you jumped to help me when you thought I was their prey.”
She was a woman of many wonders. “No, on general principle, I can’t say that rates very highly.”
“Then what are you waiting for?”
What was he waiting for, indeed?
At his approach, she leaned closer to her mount’s neck, her bottom rising slightly from her seat. Her skirt molded more tightly over her curves, the fabric rich, but the true sumptuousness came from the promise beneath it, rounded buttocks, the vague delineation of a strong thigh. He hid his pleased grin as he swung up behind her, but before he had a moment to get settled, Elena kicked her heels into the horse’s sides.
They shot forward with a burst of speed that nearly knocked him to the ground. His arm caught her waist, his only means to stay rooted, but she voiced no protest to his hold, her attention on the path scattering ahead. Though the added weight should have slowed the horse down, it raced along as if it carried only one rider, leaping over obstacles a bare moment after she prompted it. Gwaine glanced back, but saw nothing except the retreating trees. He might not ever know if they had been pursuing him.
Frankly, with Elena providing the escape, he didn’t care. Each supple manipulation of her body as she maneuvered through the forest rubbed against his in new, delightful ways. Such a trade was worth it.
The world whipped by. He gave brief thought to the meager belongings he’d left behind, but the pack slung over his shoulder held everything of value. He had his sword, he had a few coins, and he had a spirited woman. Nothing else was necessary.
At least until he realized she was taking them back to the village.
Their pursuers had long gone quiet, lost far behind them, and Elena had slowed the horse to a smooth canter. Gwaine peered past her shoulder, watching the walls of the lower town become more prominent, but the angle kept distracting him, loose strands of her hair fluttering over the bare skin of her throat. He’d loosened his grip when they slowed, but his blood was already warm from the continued friction of her between his legs. If she didn’t seem so determined to return to the populace, he would have suggested a day spent together.
Persuading her would have been half the fun.
When she avoided the main gates and headed toward the castle on the mount behind it, however, his disquiet grew. “Um…I think I should get off here.”
Hair tickled across his nose when she glanced back. “Our stables are just ahead.”
“And as lovely as they probably are, I’ve imposed on your good will long enough.”
She snorted, but didn’t slow. “You’ll be safe there.”
“Safe’s overrated.”
“Then why did you run?”
Her quick response cut to the heart of the matter, and they both knew it. He imagined she was smiling, a twinkle in her eye, and wondered how she would react if he reached around to take control of the horse. Fight him for it, of course. Considering her mastery thus far, she’d likely win, too. It was almost worth attempting anyway, just to see the look of triumph on her face.
As the stone wall gave way to the path to the stable, she pulled the horse to a stop. Her fingers twisted in the reins, her shoulders suddenly stiff. It was on the tip of his tongue to ask what was wrong, but then he heard the men moving around inside. Her men. And she had been out without a chaperone to return with a strange man at her back.
Unwilling to create problems for Elena, he slid off, smiling up in reassurance when his movement startled her. The eyes that met his lacked the same bravado she’d displayed when they were alone. She was back to the constrictions of her birthright, a woman born in nobility when she was better left untethered to race across the countryside than be led around by the men in her life. Whether she denied it or not, she had been racing away from something, and his heart flipped at the realization he was the one who had forced her back to it so soon.
He gave a shallow bow. “Better for you to proceed alone, my lady. Though I thank you for your aid.”
She frowned, her pert nose wrinkling adorably. “I suppose you’re off to find new trouble, then.”
His reminder had worked. If she thought of him, then she didn’t dwell on her own lot. “Sometimes, I even find old trouble.”
“That doesn’t surprise me.”
“Does anything?”
“I’d thought not, but...” She squirmed in her seat, her bottom lip caught between her teeth as her eyes swept over him again. Her cheeks flamed, and she jerked her head back up. “You should stay. Here. Well, in Gawant. I’m sure you could find work.”
With a grimace, he shook his head. “Work and I aren’t exactly on speaking terms.”
“So don’t work. That doesn’t mean you have to go.”
“Unfortunately, it usually means I do. Not that I’m not tempted.”
“And you’re ignoring temptation? Somehow, that doesn’t strike me as your typical response.”
She was making it very difficult to be honorable about this. The more she goaded him, the more he wanted. “Nothing about today has been typical.”
“Then stay,” she repeated. “How far can you get without a horse anyway?”
“Not far,” he conceded.
“And you won’t find another maid in the forest willing to give you a ride, I’m sure of it.”
None like her anyway, though her innocence mixed with this dauntlessness would prove his undoing. His resolve slipped with every word that fell from her luscious mouth. “What would I do with all this time I’m not working or looking for another horse?”
Her eyes flitted from the town beyond his shoulder, to the castle looming to the left. “I’m sure you’ll find something.”
He didn’t miss the fleeting wistfulness in her face, but his mind was made up before she came back to him. “I could offer a hand with your stables. See to it that your horse is well and truly pampered after the work he’s done today.”
She arched a single fine brow, a smile threatening to bloom again. “That sounds suspiciously like work, though.”
“For the pleasure of seeing you again, I’ll somehow muddle through.”
One of the grooms appeared around the corner of the stable. Elena straightened in her seat, while Gwaine retreated farther for propriety’s sake. Well, for Elena’s sake, anyway.
“There are you, my lady.” Though he was polite, annoyance laced his gruff tone. “Your father’s been worried. You went off without telling us.”
When he lifted a hand to help her get off, she hesitated, her mouth a tight line. Any minute now, Gwaine fully expected her to roll her eyes at the unneeded gesture. Though manners won out in the end, she pulled away as soon as her feet touched the ground. “This is Gwaine,” she said. “You’re to find work for him in the stables.”
The groomsman bowed. “Yes, my lady.”
As she walked away, she didn’t bother lifting her skirts from the dirty ground. Gwaine grinned. No fussing for this girl.
“None of that, now.” The groom clipped Gwaine on the side of the head before he had time to duck away. Gwaine scowled and moved beyond his reach, though his gaze kept darting back to Elena. “The princess is off-limits. I see you sniffing around her, and you’ll be out on your ear, understand?”
He took Gwaine’s murmur as assent, but Gwaine’s mind was still elsewhere. A princess. She needed to escape even more badly than he’d thought.
His step had a fresh bounce in it as he followed the groom into the stable. At the doorway, he paused, risking a glance back at the path leading to the castle. He hoped for one more glimpse of her fine form, but what he got instead was the full force of her regard, her eyes steady as she watched him in return. She was too far away for him to read properly, but then she smiled and gave him a little waggle of her fingers before resuming her trek inside.
Oh, yes, he could definitely stomach a few hours of honest labor for her.
A few hours turned into all morning and most of the afternoon. He mucked out the stalls, then stood in the hot sun to wash down the horses. When he was done, he was drenched in sweat and smelled worse than a dozen stables, but the coin he earned helped make up for it.
So did seeing Elena standing at her bay’s stall.
“Are you done for the day?” she asked.
Using the shirt he’d taken off outside, he mopped away the worst of the sweat from his arms, trying not to grin when her eyes tracked his every movement. “That depends.”
“On?”
“What you might ask of me.”
She smiled. “I’d like to go for another ride.”
“But you’ve already been out once today.” His frown was pure pretense. He had no intention of truly discouraging her. “And your father won’t be pleased if you leave without telling anyone again.”
“I am telling someone. You. Oh…” She matched his frown, and all of a sudden, he knew in his gut it was as false as his. “But if you come with me, that rather defeats the purpose, doesn’t it?” She shrugged. “Oh, well. I can’t say that I didn’t try.”
Gwaine laughed at her nonchalance. “I’ll ready your horse, my lady-”
“Elena.” She ventured a step nearer, close enough for him to see the way her pupils consumed the blue of her eyes. “I’d prefer that to stupid titles.”
“Elena, then,” he said with a bow of his head. He was glad none of the other servants were about. He would hate for her to lose this moment of bravery.
“I know a stream not too far away.” Though she turned back to the stall, she continued to watch him out of the corner of her eye. “You can wash up there so we don’t waste any time.”
“Whatever you wish.”
They reached for the stall’s latch at the same time. His fingers were still damp with perspiration, hers oddly roughened from the time she spent riding, and his pulse quickened at just that slight contact, especially when she didn’t shy away from it. Her touch wouldn’t be soft and gentle like he would expect from other noblewomen. She would ensure he felt every stroke, brand him in ways he couldn’t even begin to anticipate.
She tilted a playful smile up at him. “Will you promise me one thing while we’re out?”
“Of course. Just name it.”
“If someone starts chasing you again, I get to be the one to rescue you.”
With a boisterous laugh, he curled his fingers into hers and pulled her hand to his mouth. His lips brushed across the knuckles, then allowed the tip of his tongue to tickle across the salty skin as well. “It would be my pleasure. Do I get the same privilege?”
Her voice was husky when she replied. “Keep up, and you can have whatever privilege you’d like.”
Together, they reached for the stall door again. With that kind of offer on the table, he wouldn’t dare fall behind.
At least, until she put him to the chase again. Because Elena would always find a way to surprise him. He was sure of it.
Title: Rescue Me
Pairing(s)/Character(s): Elena/Gwaine
Rating: PG
Summary: Though Gwaine might leap to rescue a lady in distress, sometimes the lady prefers to do the rescuing herself.
Warnings (if any): None
Total word count: 3,200 words
Original prompt number: 202 - Submitted by word_never_said
Disclaimer: This story/artwork is based on characters and situations created and owned by the BBC and Shine TV. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Author's/artist's notes (if any): I only wish time hadn’t run away from me to make it longer!
Beta(s): sheswatching
Rescue Me
The moment he heard hooves crashing through the underbrush, Gwaine reached for his sword. Instincts were hard to forget, even if he’d managed to travel far enough the previous day to escape his latest debts. Two entire villages rested between him and a thorough pummeling. Normally, one would suffice, but the irate innkeeper he’d left behind had over half a dozen large, burly sons. Gwaine loved a good fight, but he loved surviving for the next one even more.
He was ready and on his feet when a gorgeous blood bay crashed across the edge of the clearing. It was oblivious to his presence, disappearing into the trees like the hounds from hell were on its heels.
It was alone, and its rider was as far from the cretins at the inn as she could possibly get.
The girl rode too hard for this to be a casual jaunt. Her blonde hair whipped over her shoulders from the speed, her shoulders hunched as she bent over the horse’s neck. Gwaine swiveled his attention to the direction from which she’d come, and though he heard no more horses, hastened to his own mount. Nobody rode like that without needing to. Whatever the cause for her flight, she could use his aid when she was inevitably caught.
And having a woman feeling indebted to him was never a bad thing.
Even amidst the thick trees, the morning was bright and cheerful. Sunlight speckled the path she took, while the forest’s furry occupants scattered as she and Gwaine thundered through. Anyone coming after them would have little difficulty finding their trail. She made no effort to be subtle, too intent on simply going fast to heed caution. A girl after his own heart.
When the path widened, he nudged his horse closer, only to be forced to a halt when she yanked on her mount’s reins and whirled around to face him.
“I’ll have you know I’m armed,” she warned.
His grin spread. If she had a weapon, it was hidden by her skirt. He suspected they had a very different opinion of what kind of weapon it might be, too.
Slowly, he lifted his hands, palms out. “I offer you no ill will, my lady. I’m merely here to offer my assistance.”
Her brows shot up. She wasn’t traditionally beautiful-her nose was a shade too upturned to be elegant, her mouth too generous to be demure-but intelligence flashed in her blue eyes. Paired with her lush figure and the color in her cheeks brought on by her ride, she was a tempting morsel indeed. “And what do I need assistance in?”
He could think of any number of things, especially after seeing her up close, though most would have him slapped or worse before the suggestion was made. So he stuck with his original reason for pursuit. “From whatever vagabonds might be chasing you, of course.”
“I’m not being chased.”
“You ride as if you are.”
“I ride as if I’m out to enjoy it.”
“With that much vigor?” Looping his reins over the pommel, he slid from his mount, unable to maintain the distance between them any longer. The more he heard, the more intrigued he became. “Lucky horse.”
Her eyes widened for a moment, so luminous a man could drown in them. But then the cunning returned, and her appeal redoubled. “And what does it say about you, that your first instinct told you only pursuit could drive a woman to ride so swiftly? Do you have that many flee from your presence?”
“Only once they get to know me.”
His blunt self-deprecation did the trick. Her laughter was an indelicate snort, made all the more amusing by her utter lack of embarrassment. She caught herself short, but her mouth continued to twitch, as if the smile was determined to win. “Well, I can assure you, I’m in no danger.”
When her hands tightened to turn her mount back to the path, Gwaine stepped closer. “Might I ask your name, my lady?”
She paused. “For what purpose?”
“For the pleasure of knowing who bested me in wits today.”
“Most men wouldn’t take pride in such a claim.”
He gave her a half-bow. “Then it’s a good thing I am not most men.”
Though her steady gaze remained on him, he held no doubt his flirtation was failing. Oh, she was entertained by his words, any idiot could see that, but more wouldn’t come. It was there in the twist of her full mouth, the shrewd glint in her eye. His rubbish luck was set to continue. She was the second intriguing woman in recent weeks to blatantly resist his advances.
“What were you doing out here?” she asked. “Are you hunting?”
“Traveling.”
“To?”
“Anywhere my fancy takes me.”
“Except your fancy sent you after me.”
“Actually, that’s the smartest thing my fancy has done in literally ages.”
She laughed again, making no attempt to stifle it this time. An assessing gaze swept down his body, lingering long enough on the cock of his hip to tempt him into adjusting his stance just to give her a better view. Everything about her tempted him, actually. To make her smile, to hear her laugh, to watch her eyes become even more mesmerizing in the throes of passion. But his odds of making any of it come true weren’t good.
With a lift of her chin, she said, “My name’s Elena. Now it’s your turn.”
“Gwaine.” He offered it without pause, too enchanted with her unpredictability to care. “At your service.”
“I require no servicing,” she said automatically. As soon as the words escaped, though, she caught her bottom lip between her teeth, clearly waiting for him to take malicious delight in her less than elegant response. On a different day, under different circumstances, with a lot of mead in his belly, he might have done just that, teasing and toying with her because she had to be noble-born, but now, he had no desire to taunt her. She deserved better than that.
“What about a riding partner, then?” he asked. “I would be honored if you’d allow me to join you.”
“You wouldn’t be able to keep up.”
“It would be fun trying.”
“I-”
Shouts echoed from the distance, startling her horse. Elena regained control within a moment, but as the men grew nearer, Gwaine’s mount bolted into the bracken, ignoring his shouted cries to stop.
His hand went to his sword. “I thought you said you weren’t being chased.”
Her wide eyes were locked over his head, peering through the trees. “I’m not. Though I’m starting to think perhaps you are.”
He very much doubted the innkeeper would put forth so much effort for recompense. The damage wasn’t even all Gwaine’s fault this time. If the blacksmith hadn’t bragged even an idiot could brandish his latest sword, Gwaine never would have been forced to open the gate on the stable to distract the drunkard about to run through said idiot.
Now he could hear the horses on the path.
And his horse-an animal he’d borrowed in the midst of the melee-had gone racing off in the direction of the voices rather than away from them. Because he recognized them?
Gwaine wasn’t about to risk discovery to find out.
“Better wish you good day, then.” He scanned the surrounding area. Without a horse of his own, he had no hope of outrunning the men. His best hope was to find a good hiding place and wait them out.
“Or climb on.”
His head snapped around. “What’s that?”
“You heard me.” She scooted forward slightly. “You don’t have a horse, and I do. Unless you prefer getting trampled, which honestly, you might, considering how quickly you jumped to help me when you thought I was their prey.”
She was a woman of many wonders. “No, on general principle, I can’t say that rates very highly.”
“Then what are you waiting for?”
What was he waiting for, indeed?
At his approach, she leaned closer to her mount’s neck, her bottom rising slightly from her seat. Her skirt molded more tightly over her curves, the fabric rich, but the true sumptuousness came from the promise beneath it, rounded buttocks, the vague delineation of a strong thigh. He hid his pleased grin as he swung up behind her, but before he had a moment to get settled, Elena kicked her heels into the horse’s sides.
They shot forward with a burst of speed that nearly knocked him to the ground. His arm caught her waist, his only means to stay rooted, but she voiced no protest to his hold, her attention on the path scattering ahead. Though the added weight should have slowed the horse down, it raced along as if it carried only one rider, leaping over obstacles a bare moment after she prompted it. Gwaine glanced back, but saw nothing except the retreating trees. He might not ever know if they had been pursuing him.
Frankly, with Elena providing the escape, he didn’t care. Each supple manipulation of her body as she maneuvered through the forest rubbed against his in new, delightful ways. Such a trade was worth it.
The world whipped by. He gave brief thought to the meager belongings he’d left behind, but the pack slung over his shoulder held everything of value. He had his sword, he had a few coins, and he had a spirited woman. Nothing else was necessary.
At least until he realized she was taking them back to the village.
Their pursuers had long gone quiet, lost far behind them, and Elena had slowed the horse to a smooth canter. Gwaine peered past her shoulder, watching the walls of the lower town become more prominent, but the angle kept distracting him, loose strands of her hair fluttering over the bare skin of her throat. He’d loosened his grip when they slowed, but his blood was already warm from the continued friction of her between his legs. If she didn’t seem so determined to return to the populace, he would have suggested a day spent together.
Persuading her would have been half the fun.
When she avoided the main gates and headed toward the castle on the mount behind it, however, his disquiet grew. “Um…I think I should get off here.”
Hair tickled across his nose when she glanced back. “Our stables are just ahead.”
“And as lovely as they probably are, I’ve imposed on your good will long enough.”
She snorted, but didn’t slow. “You’ll be safe there.”
“Safe’s overrated.”
“Then why did you run?”
Her quick response cut to the heart of the matter, and they both knew it. He imagined she was smiling, a twinkle in her eye, and wondered how she would react if he reached around to take control of the horse. Fight him for it, of course. Considering her mastery thus far, she’d likely win, too. It was almost worth attempting anyway, just to see the look of triumph on her face.
As the stone wall gave way to the path to the stable, she pulled the horse to a stop. Her fingers twisted in the reins, her shoulders suddenly stiff. It was on the tip of his tongue to ask what was wrong, but then he heard the men moving around inside. Her men. And she had been out without a chaperone to return with a strange man at her back.
Unwilling to create problems for Elena, he slid off, smiling up in reassurance when his movement startled her. The eyes that met his lacked the same bravado she’d displayed when they were alone. She was back to the constrictions of her birthright, a woman born in nobility when she was better left untethered to race across the countryside than be led around by the men in her life. Whether she denied it or not, she had been racing away from something, and his heart flipped at the realization he was the one who had forced her back to it so soon.
He gave a shallow bow. “Better for you to proceed alone, my lady. Though I thank you for your aid.”
She frowned, her pert nose wrinkling adorably. “I suppose you’re off to find new trouble, then.”
His reminder had worked. If she thought of him, then she didn’t dwell on her own lot. “Sometimes, I even find old trouble.”
“That doesn’t surprise me.”
“Does anything?”
“I’d thought not, but...” She squirmed in her seat, her bottom lip caught between her teeth as her eyes swept over him again. Her cheeks flamed, and she jerked her head back up. “You should stay. Here. Well, in Gawant. I’m sure you could find work.”
With a grimace, he shook his head. “Work and I aren’t exactly on speaking terms.”
“So don’t work. That doesn’t mean you have to go.”
“Unfortunately, it usually means I do. Not that I’m not tempted.”
“And you’re ignoring temptation? Somehow, that doesn’t strike me as your typical response.”
She was making it very difficult to be honorable about this. The more she goaded him, the more he wanted. “Nothing about today has been typical.”
“Then stay,” she repeated. “How far can you get without a horse anyway?”
“Not far,” he conceded.
“And you won’t find another maid in the forest willing to give you a ride, I’m sure of it.”
None like her anyway, though her innocence mixed with this dauntlessness would prove his undoing. His resolve slipped with every word that fell from her luscious mouth. “What would I do with all this time I’m not working or looking for another horse?”
Her eyes flitted from the town beyond his shoulder, to the castle looming to the left. “I’m sure you’ll find something.”
He didn’t miss the fleeting wistfulness in her face, but his mind was made up before she came back to him. “I could offer a hand with your stables. See to it that your horse is well and truly pampered after the work he’s done today.”
She arched a single fine brow, a smile threatening to bloom again. “That sounds suspiciously like work, though.”
“For the pleasure of seeing you again, I’ll somehow muddle through.”
One of the grooms appeared around the corner of the stable. Elena straightened in her seat, while Gwaine retreated farther for propriety’s sake. Well, for Elena’s sake, anyway.
“There are you, my lady.” Though he was polite, annoyance laced his gruff tone. “Your father’s been worried. You went off without telling us.”
When he lifted a hand to help her get off, she hesitated, her mouth a tight line. Any minute now, Gwaine fully expected her to roll her eyes at the unneeded gesture. Though manners won out in the end, she pulled away as soon as her feet touched the ground. “This is Gwaine,” she said. “You’re to find work for him in the stables.”
The groomsman bowed. “Yes, my lady.”
As she walked away, she didn’t bother lifting her skirts from the dirty ground. Gwaine grinned. No fussing for this girl.
“None of that, now.” The groom clipped Gwaine on the side of the head before he had time to duck away. Gwaine scowled and moved beyond his reach, though his gaze kept darting back to Elena. “The princess is off-limits. I see you sniffing around her, and you’ll be out on your ear, understand?”
He took Gwaine’s murmur as assent, but Gwaine’s mind was still elsewhere. A princess. She needed to escape even more badly than he’d thought.
His step had a fresh bounce in it as he followed the groom into the stable. At the doorway, he paused, risking a glance back at the path leading to the castle. He hoped for one more glimpse of her fine form, but what he got instead was the full force of her regard, her eyes steady as she watched him in return. She was too far away for him to read properly, but then she smiled and gave him a little waggle of her fingers before resuming her trek inside.
Oh, yes, he could definitely stomach a few hours of honest labor for her.
A few hours turned into all morning and most of the afternoon. He mucked out the stalls, then stood in the hot sun to wash down the horses. When he was done, he was drenched in sweat and smelled worse than a dozen stables, but the coin he earned helped make up for it.
So did seeing Elena standing at her bay’s stall.
“Are you done for the day?” she asked.
Using the shirt he’d taken off outside, he mopped away the worst of the sweat from his arms, trying not to grin when her eyes tracked his every movement. “That depends.”
“On?”
“What you might ask of me.”
She smiled. “I’d like to go for another ride.”
“But you’ve already been out once today.” His frown was pure pretense. He had no intention of truly discouraging her. “And your father won’t be pleased if you leave without telling anyone again.”
“I am telling someone. You. Oh…” She matched his frown, and all of a sudden, he knew in his gut it was as false as his. “But if you come with me, that rather defeats the purpose, doesn’t it?” She shrugged. “Oh, well. I can’t say that I didn’t try.”
Gwaine laughed at her nonchalance. “I’ll ready your horse, my lady-”
“Elena.” She ventured a step nearer, close enough for him to see the way her pupils consumed the blue of her eyes. “I’d prefer that to stupid titles.”
“Elena, then,” he said with a bow of his head. He was glad none of the other servants were about. He would hate for her to lose this moment of bravery.
“I know a stream not too far away.” Though she turned back to the stall, she continued to watch him out of the corner of her eye. “You can wash up there so we don’t waste any time.”
“Whatever you wish.”
They reached for the stall’s latch at the same time. His fingers were still damp with perspiration, hers oddly roughened from the time she spent riding, and his pulse quickened at just that slight contact, especially when she didn’t shy away from it. Her touch wouldn’t be soft and gentle like he would expect from other noblewomen. She would ensure he felt every stroke, brand him in ways he couldn’t even begin to anticipate.
She tilted a playful smile up at him. “Will you promise me one thing while we’re out?”
“Of course. Just name it.”
“If someone starts chasing you again, I get to be the one to rescue you.”
With a boisterous laugh, he curled his fingers into hers and pulled her hand to his mouth. His lips brushed across the knuckles, then allowed the tip of his tongue to tickle across the salty skin as well. “It would be my pleasure. Do I get the same privilege?”
Her voice was husky when she replied. “Keep up, and you can have whatever privilege you’d like.”
Together, they reached for the stall door again. With that kind of offer on the table, he wouldn’t dare fall behind.
At least, until she put him to the chase again. Because Elena would always find a way to surprise him. He was sure of it.