Red Hot Cinnamon. Angel Food.
AUTHOR: Shrimp
CHALLENGE: Red Hot Cinnamon 8: Furnace/Oven; Angel Food 10: thy neighbor's wife; whipped cream
WORD COUNT: 3,598
RATING: PG-13
NOTES: I want to use Angel Food to explore Addison and Reynard's early years as knights. This takes place right after they're knighted. Addison gets them in some hot water unintentionally. This is before Addison is the playboy he is later on.
“There’s a light up ahead.” Reynard’s voice was nearly lost to the wind. Addison didn’t waste his breath on a response. He could see the dim, faltering glow in the distance. Everything else was just a blur as the sheets of rain fell ceaselessly from the sky. Even with his cloak on and its hood up Addison was soaked through. As a shiver ran through him he leaned a little further onto Dog’s back, pressing his chest to the horse’s neck. Equally drenched as Addison was there was very little body heat to share between them. Hopefully that light in the distance was a house where they could spend the night, and hopefully that house had a barn for the horses. He wouldn’t sit in a warm shelter while Dog was forced to weather the storm outside. He knew Reynard would feel the same way.
Once they reached the light source-which was indeed coming from a small house-Addison jumped off of Dog’s back. Reynard was on the ground just as swiftly and stalked off passed what Addison could see in the storm. He returned quickly enough and gave Addison a simple nod. As Reynard held the reigns of both horses Addison approached the door of the house and knocked as loudly as he could without sounding threatening. Over the sound of the wind and rain he couldn’t hear any movement from within. He could only hope that someone would appear and let them in. When there wasn’t an immediate response he raised his hand to knock again. This time the answer was almost instant. The door swung open between his fist, warm air spilling out onto him, and a woman stood hesitantly in the doorway.
“I’m terribly sorry to disturb you, miss, but my compatriot and I are looking for housing against this storm. If you allow us to share your roof for the night we would be most grateful. We are knights errant from the Order of the Hound on a quest for our queen,” he said as quickly and charmingly as he could. His clothes were heavy with moisture and the dank smell of mildew had slowly begun to permeate them. His boots were splattered with mud up to his calves. His golden curls hung wet and loose in his eyes as he peered out from beneath his hood. Addison was certain he wasn’t quite the picture of charm and grace that he normally was. He smiled at the woman, trying to forget his own self-consciousness at his appearance.
“Of… of course! Please, come in. Quickly get out of the rain. I’ll bring your horses around to the stable. It isn’t very large but they should fit.” She tried to mask her hesitation with eagerness, but Addison had caught it. He supposed he wasn’t surprised. They looked more like brigands than knights. As the woman extended her hand to take her cloak from a peg by the door Addison laid his own atop it. She made a startled noise and retracted her hand quickly.
“There is no need for that. We can take our horses ourselves. Thank you for your kindness.” She dropped her gaze away from him and nodded, holding her hands together in front of her. Addison retreated back to Reynard and the horses, inkling his head towards the back and taking Dog’s reigns. They made their way through the mud and darkness to the stable where they removed their baggage from the horses. Reynard found a pile of old clothes in a corner of the small, albeit warm and dry, stable and they began to pat dry their mounts. Addison inhaled the deep scent of hay and livestock. From the back of the stable a cow mooed inquisitively at them. He grinned, relief releasing the tensions from his body. At his side Reynard worked methodically, his face unreadable, and Addison wondered if the scents of the stable were touched with nostalgia for his friend. “Heavy thoughts make for heavy hearts. Lighten your load.”
“Why is this woman here alone?” Reynard queried without looking away from his task. Addison shrugged.
“Perhaps her husband is already asleep. We haven’t been inside yet.”
“Would you let your wife answer the door to strangers in the middle of the night if you were there?”
“Lucky for me I don’t have a wife and or a door to answer,” he quipped. After a moment he responded more seriously, “but no. I wouldn’t. Do you think something’s happened to him? She did look rather distressed.” Reynard sighed and hung the cloth up to dry, patting Horse’s haunch affectionately.
“We’re close enough to the village now. It could be he’s disappeared as well.” Addison frowned at Reynard’s theory. It was upsetting enough that their first task had been to investigate a rash of disappearances in a village and its surrounding areas. It seemed far too important an assignment for two newly graduated knights. A part of him felt like it was another test. The prince and the farm boy couldn’t possibly make good knights! People’s low expectations of them chaffed Addison’s pride. Though he wasn’t supposed to suffer from pride anymore. That fact made it chaff even worse.
“Let’s not bring it up. We don’t want to upset her.” Addison could tell by his slight frown that Reynard didn’t agree. He knew that he wouldn’t want to deal with a crying woman either though. “Be good, guys,” Addison jokingly called to their horses on their way out. They shut the door carefully and hurried to the back door that had been left open for them. Addison stepped in first, Reynard close enough behind him to almost topple him over. Both removed their muddy boots and rain soaked cloaks and gloves as soon as they were inside and the door closed behind them. Addison made his way over to the hearth that was burning in the middle of the room and sat down next to it. He held up his hands and almost laughed out loud at the refreshing nature of the heat. Soon after Reynard joined him on the other side and sighed contentedly.
“I’m making tea. Would you like anything to eat?” Reynard shook his head and opened his mouth to object but Addison was too quick. He nodded eagerly, running his hand through his hair to push it from his eyes.
“Yes, thank you!” He blinked at looked over at the corner of the room that they had sullied with their items. “Sorry about the mess. We’ll clean it up once we’ve gotten feeling back in our hands.” He laughed and the woman responded with a slight chuckle of her own. He was relieved. Laughing was better than crying.
“It’s fine. Are the rest of your clothes wet? I could give you something to change into and hang them by the hearth to dry.” She was hovering on the edge of the room they were in, staying near where the tea was boiling he supposed. It made him uncomfortable though. He wished she would just come and sit with them. They weren’t dangerous, after all.
“We appreciate the offer but I don’t think we would fit into anything of yours and it wouldn’t do to repay your kindness by ripping your clothes.” That earned him another laugh and Addison beamed. He watched Reynard roll his eyes and huff silently to himself, scooting closer to the hearth as if it would spare him from the conversation. Sometimes he wanted to smack his friend on the back of the head. Being social and courteous was important. He bet that if he wasn’t around Reynard would have just slept in the mud rather than ask to sleep in a stranger’s house and runt he risk of having to make small talk.
“No, I have some clothes that would fit you. They’re my husband’s…” Her voice trailed off as she realized what she had said. A sadness entered her eyes. Addison’s smile fell away. Reynard perked up, casting a look over his shoulder to see their hostess.
“Where is he now?” He asked. The woman looked at him and opened her mouth but no sound came out. Her body shook but thankfully the shriek of the boiled tea called her back to the kitchen and out of sight. That would give her a moment to compose herself. Addison leaned across and swatted Reynard’s arm. “What?” The other knight asked indignantly, trying to swat Addison’s hand back.
“We agreed not to bring up her husband!”
“I never agreed. Stop putting words in my mouth. And I didn’t bring it up; she did. Is it rude to ask questions?”
“YES!” Addison almost shouted. Reynard looked away and crossed his arms over his chest. “You have no tact.” He accused. “You have to use finesse in situations like this. Don’t you know anything about women? If she gets too upset she might kick us back out into the storm!” Reynard frowned clearly not liking that prospect. He signed and shrugged, letting his hands drop into his lap defeated.
“Fine. Should I apologize? Should I just stay quiet? You’re better at this stuff.” Addison smiled as Reynard admitted his fault.
“Let me handle all the talking from now on. You just stay creepily brooding in your corner.” Reynard gave him a dirty look but seemed pleased enough by the plan. Addison sat up straight as the woman reentered the room. She had a tea pot and two mugs set on a platter with small biscuits and clothes draped over her arm. Addison stood up and took the platter from her, placing it on the floor between himself and Reynard and pouring them each a cup of tea. The other knight muttered his thanks and looked warily at the clothes that the woman seemed intent on offering them.
“Here,” she thrust them at Addison. “These should fit though your friend is a bit tall…” She spared a glance at the long legs that Reynard had crossed underneath him. Addison took the clothes and smiled warmly at the woman. Warmly enough that a faint pinkness seemed to appear on her cheeks. Graciously he pretended not to notice.
“These will be wonderful. You really are too kind.” Once she had quitted herself from the room to give them their privacy the two knights eagerly began to disrobe. Each layer that they peeled from their clammy skin fell to the floor with a wet squelch. “This feels great,” Addison breathed, standing in front of the hearth naked. Reynard gave a subtle laugh which quickly descended into a frustrated sigh. Addison looked over, fighting to keep his smile hidden.
“Her husband must be a child,” Reynard complained as he struggled to find comfort in the clothes he had donned. The pants barely reached his shins even though he was wearing them as low on his hips as he dared. He was pulling on the sleeves of his shirt to get them to cover his wrists. There was a slight gap between the two items of clothing where his stomach was bare.
“Serves you right. It’s about time you stopped bragging about that stupid growth spurt you had.” Addison fit into his clothes easily, though he didn’t bring up that even he found them a bit short. His ankles and wrists were both exposed but he was in a much better situation than the almost freakishly tall Reynard. Addison gathered their discarded items and walked into the kitchen where their hostess was waiting. She smiled slightly when she saw him and took the damp pile from his hands to begin hanging them above her stove. Addison went to turn a leave her to it but found himself stopped by a heavy look she cast him. “Is everything all right?” He asked gently. He placed a hand on her shaking shoulder. She steadied under his touch.
“I’m worried about my husband. He’s never been gone this long before.” Addison frowned and tried to think of something reassuring to say. He wished that Reynard hadn’t put the idea in his head that the husband was just another missing person. “Oh, good sir knight.” Addison gasped at the force with which the woman threw herself into his arms. Arms that hadn’t been open and waiting for embrace. This was certainly new, he thought as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and another around her waist. Willingly she was drawn into his strength, her hands flat against his chest and she cried. Addison rested his chin on her head, his face the picture of perplexed. He wanted to tell her that he was sure her husband was fine, but he wasn’t sure so he couldn’t say that. What could he say?
“I’m here for you,” was what fell from his lips and the phrase only left him feeling more confused. Despite that it seemed to calm her some. Her shivering stopped. Without thinking Addison placed a kiss on the top of her head and hugged her tighter. Her arms moved from their place on his chest and wound up around his neck. Addison stiffened noticeably.
“Good sir knight?” She asked, noticing the change in his posture. He held her at arm’s length, repositioning his hands so they held her by the shoulders.
“You can call me Addison.”
“Addison.” The sound of her voice on his name filled his chest.
“Hey, Addison, come here for a moment.” The woman turned back to the clothes quickly at the sound of Reynard’s voice. Addison felt a sigh of relief building in him. He held it in and left the kitchen, eagerly taking his place on the floor with Reynard and grabbing his cup of tea. He sipped from it deeply, ignoring the look his friend was giving him.
“Did you need something?” He asked when he had settled himself fully. Reynard looked over his shoulder to make sure they were alone. He leaned forward and lowered his voice.
“Yeah, I need you to not sleep with our hostess.”
“What!?” Addison balked. “What makes you think-“ Reynard silenced him with a knowing stare. Addison composed himself and brought an offended look to his face. “Your lack of trust in me is sad.”
“I trust you with my life,” Reynard said seriously. “I don’t trust you with a stranger’s wife.” Addison weighed what had been said to him. Really he knew he should still be upset with what his Reynard was implying. He had never lain with another man’s wife. He had only slept with two women at all in his whole life! Reynard always treated that as such a high number. Sure, Addison liked to flirt but very rarely did flirting ever open up other doors for him. A lot of things needed to be in order before you could sleep with someone. A bed, for instance. Solitude, for another. In the end he ignored the swipe at his character. Guilt wormed in his guts. Had he been trying to seduce her without even realizing it? Was that what had happened in the kitchen?
“Ha, you made a rhyme. I didn’t realize you were a poet and a knight,” he joked instead of addressing his true concerns.
“Just cause you’re wearing his clothes doesn’t mean you have to do his duties,” Reynard said with a nod. Addison could tell that was the last thing he would say on the subject. He was glad. He felt strange enough without having Reynard lecturing him.
“Thank you, Sir Reynard, your wisdom is exceeded only by your height,” Addison intoned sarcastically. He took another sip from his tea hoping it masked the look he sent to the kitchen.
Addison awoke with a start after a few hours of fitful sleep. Reynard was passed out opposite him seemingly untroubled by bad dreams or the discomfort of the floor. The man slept like a log. Addison envied him that. He sat up and massaged his sore shoulder. Looking around he noted that the rain had stopped and that the sky was beginning to lighten. The sun would rise soon. Addison was tempted to wake Reynard and have them be on their way but one look at his sleeping comrade made the idea disappear. Reynard deserved the sleep even if Addison couldn’t have it. Standing in order to stretch the kinks out of his back Addison paced towards the other side of the room into the kitchen. He touched their clothes to see if they were dry. He was relieved to feel that they were. Even though his tunic wasn’t the cleanest he would be grateful to be back in his own clothes. He could only imagine that Reynard would be even more so.
“Addison?” A light voice whispered. The hair on the back of his neck stood up and Addison felt goosepimples rise on his arms. He spun around quickly, a concerned smile already in place.
“Was I being too loud? Did I wake you?” His hostess shook her head and smiled at him. She held her hands clasped in front of her. In her sleeping gown Addison could make out the faint lines of her body. This is improper, a voice in the back of his head cautioned. So what? A separate one asked.
“No, I’m afraid I’m not quite as adept at sleeping wherever I drop yet. In a few more years I’m sure your floor will feel like the softness mattress in all the kingdom.”
“You’re very kind.” Addison shrugged and watched carefully as a blush crept into the woman’s face. “You really should get your rest. Would you… would you care to share my bed?” Shocked but not caught off guard Addison’s initial reaction was to glance at Reynard’s nearly comatose body. When he was certain that his friend was still deeply asleep he returned his attention to the woman who was so shyly entreating him to sleep with her.
“Gladly so,” he answered. He tried not to think of how mad Reynard would be in when he awoke.
“ADDISON!” Addison jumped up into a sitting position, throwing the sleeping woman from her place against his chest. His mind reacted slower, trying for a painful second to piece together where he was. Before he could stand from his place the door to the bedroom burst open. But it wasn’t Reynard that was standing the in doorway menacingly.
“George?” The woman asked breathlessly. Addison looked back at her and then at her-he assumed-husband. He was painfully aware that he was still wearing the man’s clothes.
“Who is that?” He jerked his thumb towards the other room where Reynard had been sleeping. “And who is that?” He pointed an accusing finger at Addison who lay in his bed. The woman crawled across the bed so that she was sitting on the same side as Addison. She placed a hand on his chest as she addressed her husband. He wanted to push her away. What did she think she was doing? Touching him? Touching him?! That wasn’t exactly bound to calm the seething man.
“He’s a knight,” she began.
“Of the Order of the Hound,” Addison hastily tacked on. “I’m on a very important quest for the queen. With the storm last night-“
“Be quiet!” The man howled. Addison promptly shut his mouth. The woman removed her hand from his chest and looked at her husband with innocent and confused eyes.
“Where have you been? I was so worried.”
“So you take another man to our bed? Get out!” He shouted at Addison. He didn’t need to hear it twice. He was quickly off the bed and through the door, somehow managing to avoid the fist that the man tried to hit him with. He scrambled out of the house in his bare feet eternally grateful for the pragmatic Reynard who had already gotten dressed and brought the horses around to the front. He mounted Dog swiftly and without a word both he and Reynard bounded off. When they were a distance away they stopped to assess their situation. Reynard threw Addison his clothing article by article so that he could change out of the ill fitting garments he had been given. When he had fully changed Reynard simply scowled at him.
“Go ahead, say it. Say that you told me not to do it,” Addison said, throwing up his hands in defeat.
“You aren’t going to try to defend yourself?”
“What do you want me to say? That I’m innocent?” Reynard looked at him for a moment and then simply shook his head.
“Come on.” Addison tapped Dog’s sides lightly with his heels and followed in Horse’s tracks. When he was certain Reynard wasn’t paying him any attention he cast a glance over his shoulder. His stomach was heavy with emotion. Once again he felt the bitter sting on his pride. All he could think of was the night he had spent with the woman. She had clung to him until she had passed out crying. He hadn’t done anything wrong. Not morally wrong, anyway. Maybe indecent. He gripped Dog’s reigns tightly in his frustration. “Hey, Addison, forget it.” Reynard said, looking over at him with a half-smile. “That guy reeked of booze anyway. He must have been out drinking rather than at home with his wife. You aren’t responsible for how his wife acts. You aren’t the married one.” Addison felt his anger dissolving. He smiled at Reynard and stretched in his saddle.
“Whatever. It was all worth it to get to sleep in a bed.”
CHALLENGE: Red Hot Cinnamon 8: Furnace/Oven; Angel Food 10: thy neighbor's wife; whipped cream
WORD COUNT: 3,598
RATING: PG-13
NOTES: I want to use Angel Food to explore Addison and Reynard's early years as knights. This takes place right after they're knighted. Addison gets them in some hot water unintentionally. This is before Addison is the playboy he is later on.
“There’s a light up ahead.” Reynard’s voice was nearly lost to the wind. Addison didn’t waste his breath on a response. He could see the dim, faltering glow in the distance. Everything else was just a blur as the sheets of rain fell ceaselessly from the sky. Even with his cloak on and its hood up Addison was soaked through. As a shiver ran through him he leaned a little further onto Dog’s back, pressing his chest to the horse’s neck. Equally drenched as Addison was there was very little body heat to share between them. Hopefully that light in the distance was a house where they could spend the night, and hopefully that house had a barn for the horses. He wouldn’t sit in a warm shelter while Dog was forced to weather the storm outside. He knew Reynard would feel the same way.
Once they reached the light source-which was indeed coming from a small house-Addison jumped off of Dog’s back. Reynard was on the ground just as swiftly and stalked off passed what Addison could see in the storm. He returned quickly enough and gave Addison a simple nod. As Reynard held the reigns of both horses Addison approached the door of the house and knocked as loudly as he could without sounding threatening. Over the sound of the wind and rain he couldn’t hear any movement from within. He could only hope that someone would appear and let them in. When there wasn’t an immediate response he raised his hand to knock again. This time the answer was almost instant. The door swung open between his fist, warm air spilling out onto him, and a woman stood hesitantly in the doorway.
“I’m terribly sorry to disturb you, miss, but my compatriot and I are looking for housing against this storm. If you allow us to share your roof for the night we would be most grateful. We are knights errant from the Order of the Hound on a quest for our queen,” he said as quickly and charmingly as he could. His clothes were heavy with moisture and the dank smell of mildew had slowly begun to permeate them. His boots were splattered with mud up to his calves. His golden curls hung wet and loose in his eyes as he peered out from beneath his hood. Addison was certain he wasn’t quite the picture of charm and grace that he normally was. He smiled at the woman, trying to forget his own self-consciousness at his appearance.
“Of… of course! Please, come in. Quickly get out of the rain. I’ll bring your horses around to the stable. It isn’t very large but they should fit.” She tried to mask her hesitation with eagerness, but Addison had caught it. He supposed he wasn’t surprised. They looked more like brigands than knights. As the woman extended her hand to take her cloak from a peg by the door Addison laid his own atop it. She made a startled noise and retracted her hand quickly.
“There is no need for that. We can take our horses ourselves. Thank you for your kindness.” She dropped her gaze away from him and nodded, holding her hands together in front of her. Addison retreated back to Reynard and the horses, inkling his head towards the back and taking Dog’s reigns. They made their way through the mud and darkness to the stable where they removed their baggage from the horses. Reynard found a pile of old clothes in a corner of the small, albeit warm and dry, stable and they began to pat dry their mounts. Addison inhaled the deep scent of hay and livestock. From the back of the stable a cow mooed inquisitively at them. He grinned, relief releasing the tensions from his body. At his side Reynard worked methodically, his face unreadable, and Addison wondered if the scents of the stable were touched with nostalgia for his friend. “Heavy thoughts make for heavy hearts. Lighten your load.”
“Why is this woman here alone?” Reynard queried without looking away from his task. Addison shrugged.
“Perhaps her husband is already asleep. We haven’t been inside yet.”
“Would you let your wife answer the door to strangers in the middle of the night if you were there?”
“Lucky for me I don’t have a wife and or a door to answer,” he quipped. After a moment he responded more seriously, “but no. I wouldn’t. Do you think something’s happened to him? She did look rather distressed.” Reynard sighed and hung the cloth up to dry, patting Horse’s haunch affectionately.
“We’re close enough to the village now. It could be he’s disappeared as well.” Addison frowned at Reynard’s theory. It was upsetting enough that their first task had been to investigate a rash of disappearances in a village and its surrounding areas. It seemed far too important an assignment for two newly graduated knights. A part of him felt like it was another test. The prince and the farm boy couldn’t possibly make good knights! People’s low expectations of them chaffed Addison’s pride. Though he wasn’t supposed to suffer from pride anymore. That fact made it chaff even worse.
“Let’s not bring it up. We don’t want to upset her.” Addison could tell by his slight frown that Reynard didn’t agree. He knew that he wouldn’t want to deal with a crying woman either though. “Be good, guys,” Addison jokingly called to their horses on their way out. They shut the door carefully and hurried to the back door that had been left open for them. Addison stepped in first, Reynard close enough behind him to almost topple him over. Both removed their muddy boots and rain soaked cloaks and gloves as soon as they were inside and the door closed behind them. Addison made his way over to the hearth that was burning in the middle of the room and sat down next to it. He held up his hands and almost laughed out loud at the refreshing nature of the heat. Soon after Reynard joined him on the other side and sighed contentedly.
“I’m making tea. Would you like anything to eat?” Reynard shook his head and opened his mouth to object but Addison was too quick. He nodded eagerly, running his hand through his hair to push it from his eyes.
“Yes, thank you!” He blinked at looked over at the corner of the room that they had sullied with their items. “Sorry about the mess. We’ll clean it up once we’ve gotten feeling back in our hands.” He laughed and the woman responded with a slight chuckle of her own. He was relieved. Laughing was better than crying.
“It’s fine. Are the rest of your clothes wet? I could give you something to change into and hang them by the hearth to dry.” She was hovering on the edge of the room they were in, staying near where the tea was boiling he supposed. It made him uncomfortable though. He wished she would just come and sit with them. They weren’t dangerous, after all.
“We appreciate the offer but I don’t think we would fit into anything of yours and it wouldn’t do to repay your kindness by ripping your clothes.” That earned him another laugh and Addison beamed. He watched Reynard roll his eyes and huff silently to himself, scooting closer to the hearth as if it would spare him from the conversation. Sometimes he wanted to smack his friend on the back of the head. Being social and courteous was important. He bet that if he wasn’t around Reynard would have just slept in the mud rather than ask to sleep in a stranger’s house and runt he risk of having to make small talk.
“No, I have some clothes that would fit you. They’re my husband’s…” Her voice trailed off as she realized what she had said. A sadness entered her eyes. Addison’s smile fell away. Reynard perked up, casting a look over his shoulder to see their hostess.
“Where is he now?” He asked. The woman looked at him and opened her mouth but no sound came out. Her body shook but thankfully the shriek of the boiled tea called her back to the kitchen and out of sight. That would give her a moment to compose herself. Addison leaned across and swatted Reynard’s arm. “What?” The other knight asked indignantly, trying to swat Addison’s hand back.
“We agreed not to bring up her husband!”
“I never agreed. Stop putting words in my mouth. And I didn’t bring it up; she did. Is it rude to ask questions?”
“YES!” Addison almost shouted. Reynard looked away and crossed his arms over his chest. “You have no tact.” He accused. “You have to use finesse in situations like this. Don’t you know anything about women? If she gets too upset she might kick us back out into the storm!” Reynard frowned clearly not liking that prospect. He signed and shrugged, letting his hands drop into his lap defeated.
“Fine. Should I apologize? Should I just stay quiet? You’re better at this stuff.” Addison smiled as Reynard admitted his fault.
“Let me handle all the talking from now on. You just stay creepily brooding in your corner.” Reynard gave him a dirty look but seemed pleased enough by the plan. Addison sat up straight as the woman reentered the room. She had a tea pot and two mugs set on a platter with small biscuits and clothes draped over her arm. Addison stood up and took the platter from her, placing it on the floor between himself and Reynard and pouring them each a cup of tea. The other knight muttered his thanks and looked warily at the clothes that the woman seemed intent on offering them.
“Here,” she thrust them at Addison. “These should fit though your friend is a bit tall…” She spared a glance at the long legs that Reynard had crossed underneath him. Addison took the clothes and smiled warmly at the woman. Warmly enough that a faint pinkness seemed to appear on her cheeks. Graciously he pretended not to notice.
“These will be wonderful. You really are too kind.” Once she had quitted herself from the room to give them their privacy the two knights eagerly began to disrobe. Each layer that they peeled from their clammy skin fell to the floor with a wet squelch. “This feels great,” Addison breathed, standing in front of the hearth naked. Reynard gave a subtle laugh which quickly descended into a frustrated sigh. Addison looked over, fighting to keep his smile hidden.
“Her husband must be a child,” Reynard complained as he struggled to find comfort in the clothes he had donned. The pants barely reached his shins even though he was wearing them as low on his hips as he dared. He was pulling on the sleeves of his shirt to get them to cover his wrists. There was a slight gap between the two items of clothing where his stomach was bare.
“Serves you right. It’s about time you stopped bragging about that stupid growth spurt you had.” Addison fit into his clothes easily, though he didn’t bring up that even he found them a bit short. His ankles and wrists were both exposed but he was in a much better situation than the almost freakishly tall Reynard. Addison gathered their discarded items and walked into the kitchen where their hostess was waiting. She smiled slightly when she saw him and took the damp pile from his hands to begin hanging them above her stove. Addison went to turn a leave her to it but found himself stopped by a heavy look she cast him. “Is everything all right?” He asked gently. He placed a hand on her shaking shoulder. She steadied under his touch.
“I’m worried about my husband. He’s never been gone this long before.” Addison frowned and tried to think of something reassuring to say. He wished that Reynard hadn’t put the idea in his head that the husband was just another missing person. “Oh, good sir knight.” Addison gasped at the force with which the woman threw herself into his arms. Arms that hadn’t been open and waiting for embrace. This was certainly new, he thought as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and another around her waist. Willingly she was drawn into his strength, her hands flat against his chest and she cried. Addison rested his chin on her head, his face the picture of perplexed. He wanted to tell her that he was sure her husband was fine, but he wasn’t sure so he couldn’t say that. What could he say?
“I’m here for you,” was what fell from his lips and the phrase only left him feeling more confused. Despite that it seemed to calm her some. Her shivering stopped. Without thinking Addison placed a kiss on the top of her head and hugged her tighter. Her arms moved from their place on his chest and wound up around his neck. Addison stiffened noticeably.
“Good sir knight?” She asked, noticing the change in his posture. He held her at arm’s length, repositioning his hands so they held her by the shoulders.
“You can call me Addison.”
“Addison.” The sound of her voice on his name filled his chest.
“Hey, Addison, come here for a moment.” The woman turned back to the clothes quickly at the sound of Reynard’s voice. Addison felt a sigh of relief building in him. He held it in and left the kitchen, eagerly taking his place on the floor with Reynard and grabbing his cup of tea. He sipped from it deeply, ignoring the look his friend was giving him.
“Did you need something?” He asked when he had settled himself fully. Reynard looked over his shoulder to make sure they were alone. He leaned forward and lowered his voice.
“Yeah, I need you to not sleep with our hostess.”
“What!?” Addison balked. “What makes you think-“ Reynard silenced him with a knowing stare. Addison composed himself and brought an offended look to his face. “Your lack of trust in me is sad.”
“I trust you with my life,” Reynard said seriously. “I don’t trust you with a stranger’s wife.” Addison weighed what had been said to him. Really he knew he should still be upset with what his Reynard was implying. He had never lain with another man’s wife. He had only slept with two women at all in his whole life! Reynard always treated that as such a high number. Sure, Addison liked to flirt but very rarely did flirting ever open up other doors for him. A lot of things needed to be in order before you could sleep with someone. A bed, for instance. Solitude, for another. In the end he ignored the swipe at his character. Guilt wormed in his guts. Had he been trying to seduce her without even realizing it? Was that what had happened in the kitchen?
“Ha, you made a rhyme. I didn’t realize you were a poet and a knight,” he joked instead of addressing his true concerns.
“Just cause you’re wearing his clothes doesn’t mean you have to do his duties,” Reynard said with a nod. Addison could tell that was the last thing he would say on the subject. He was glad. He felt strange enough without having Reynard lecturing him.
“Thank you, Sir Reynard, your wisdom is exceeded only by your height,” Addison intoned sarcastically. He took another sip from his tea hoping it masked the look he sent to the kitchen.
Addison awoke with a start after a few hours of fitful sleep. Reynard was passed out opposite him seemingly untroubled by bad dreams or the discomfort of the floor. The man slept like a log. Addison envied him that. He sat up and massaged his sore shoulder. Looking around he noted that the rain had stopped and that the sky was beginning to lighten. The sun would rise soon. Addison was tempted to wake Reynard and have them be on their way but one look at his sleeping comrade made the idea disappear. Reynard deserved the sleep even if Addison couldn’t have it. Standing in order to stretch the kinks out of his back Addison paced towards the other side of the room into the kitchen. He touched their clothes to see if they were dry. He was relieved to feel that they were. Even though his tunic wasn’t the cleanest he would be grateful to be back in his own clothes. He could only imagine that Reynard would be even more so.
“Addison?” A light voice whispered. The hair on the back of his neck stood up and Addison felt goosepimples rise on his arms. He spun around quickly, a concerned smile already in place.
“Was I being too loud? Did I wake you?” His hostess shook her head and smiled at him. She held her hands clasped in front of her. In her sleeping gown Addison could make out the faint lines of her body. This is improper, a voice in the back of his head cautioned. So what? A separate one asked.
“No, I’m afraid I’m not quite as adept at sleeping wherever I drop yet. In a few more years I’m sure your floor will feel like the softness mattress in all the kingdom.”
“You’re very kind.” Addison shrugged and watched carefully as a blush crept into the woman’s face. “You really should get your rest. Would you… would you care to share my bed?” Shocked but not caught off guard Addison’s initial reaction was to glance at Reynard’s nearly comatose body. When he was certain that his friend was still deeply asleep he returned his attention to the woman who was so shyly entreating him to sleep with her.
“Gladly so,” he answered. He tried not to think of how mad Reynard would be in when he awoke.
“ADDISON!” Addison jumped up into a sitting position, throwing the sleeping woman from her place against his chest. His mind reacted slower, trying for a painful second to piece together where he was. Before he could stand from his place the door to the bedroom burst open. But it wasn’t Reynard that was standing the in doorway menacingly.
“George?” The woman asked breathlessly. Addison looked back at her and then at her-he assumed-husband. He was painfully aware that he was still wearing the man’s clothes.
“Who is that?” He jerked his thumb towards the other room where Reynard had been sleeping. “And who is that?” He pointed an accusing finger at Addison who lay in his bed. The woman crawled across the bed so that she was sitting on the same side as Addison. She placed a hand on his chest as she addressed her husband. He wanted to push her away. What did she think she was doing? Touching him? Touching him?! That wasn’t exactly bound to calm the seething man.
“He’s a knight,” she began.
“Of the Order of the Hound,” Addison hastily tacked on. “I’m on a very important quest for the queen. With the storm last night-“
“Be quiet!” The man howled. Addison promptly shut his mouth. The woman removed her hand from his chest and looked at her husband with innocent and confused eyes.
“Where have you been? I was so worried.”
“So you take another man to our bed? Get out!” He shouted at Addison. He didn’t need to hear it twice. He was quickly off the bed and through the door, somehow managing to avoid the fist that the man tried to hit him with. He scrambled out of the house in his bare feet eternally grateful for the pragmatic Reynard who had already gotten dressed and brought the horses around to the front. He mounted Dog swiftly and without a word both he and Reynard bounded off. When they were a distance away they stopped to assess their situation. Reynard threw Addison his clothing article by article so that he could change out of the ill fitting garments he had been given. When he had fully changed Reynard simply scowled at him.
“Go ahead, say it. Say that you told me not to do it,” Addison said, throwing up his hands in defeat.
“You aren’t going to try to defend yourself?”
“What do you want me to say? That I’m innocent?” Reynard looked at him for a moment and then simply shook his head.
“Come on.” Addison tapped Dog’s sides lightly with his heels and followed in Horse’s tracks. When he was certain Reynard wasn’t paying him any attention he cast a glance over his shoulder. His stomach was heavy with emotion. Once again he felt the bitter sting on his pride. All he could think of was the night he had spent with the woman. She had clung to him until she had passed out crying. He hadn’t done anything wrong. Not morally wrong, anyway. Maybe indecent. He gripped Dog’s reigns tightly in his frustration. “Hey, Addison, forget it.” Reynard said, looking over at him with a half-smile. “That guy reeked of booze anyway. He must have been out drinking rather than at home with his wife. You aren’t responsible for how his wife acts. You aren’t the married one.” Addison felt his anger dissolving. He smiled at Reynard and stretched in his saddle.
“Whatever. It was all worth it to get to sleep in a bed.”