A LORD'S WEAKNESS

15. THE LORD'S MANOR

The next morning Lord Rowan had gone to speak to King Ameer one last time. He did not mention anything about Girard except that he'd been the one to clear up who'd poisoned the King.

It'd be dumb if Girard had told the King about what had happened. They'd have to either dual it out in the end, or the King would punish one or both of them. After all Lord Girard had broken something that was officially Rowans.

When he arrived back in his chambers the young slave woman was still sleeping. He woke her and soon enough they were back on the steed and on their way back to the young Lord's Manor.

Mariann had been very attentive in case she'd seen Girard but was relieved not to have spotted him anywhere.

Feeling rested and grateful to be away from the King's castle Mariann enjoyed riding the horse. She watched her Lords hands as he whipped the reigns and signaled the horse where to go.

Lord Rowan kept looking down onto her head in fear that she might fall off its back but restrained himself from asking her how she was.

Galloping at quite the speed Mariann felt free. The wind riffled through her clothes and her hair dramatically followed the wind's flow. She imagined that a bird must feel the same when flying.

She spread her arms out to feel the wind, making the young Lord smile a little at her child-like behavior.

Hours later they came by a river and stopped to rest for a moment.

Lord Rowan watched as Mariann hesitated to get off the horse unsure of how to do it so he grabbed her by the hips lightly. Although she was surprised she didn't flinch under his touch, reassuring him that it was alright to help her down.

She'd gotten off the horse by herself before but only when Lord Rowan was controlling her movements.

He picked her up and pulled her down, setting her onto her feet gently right in front of him.

He looked into her eyes, forgetting to take his hands off her waist for a moment. Their eyes met and she looked from one of his eyes into the other searching for an explanation. He seemed thoughtful, almost mesmerized.

The Lord let go of her and avoided her eyes, feeling sheepish.

"I, " he cleared his throat, "want you to try and use your powers."

Taken aback by his request she tilted her head and lifted one brow.

"But you said,"

"I know what I said, but I want you to try."

Mariann raised her palm to look at it, "I don't know how."

Rowan looked around to find a fairly large tree by the river, which's soft burbling sound filled the air. Gesturing her to follow him he stood in front of it and commanded river water to flow to him circling in front of his hand before making it bolt towards the tree, leaving a mark in its old bark.

"Your turn," he said nodding towards the tree taking a few steps away to watch.

Hesitant she lifted her hand towards the bark imagining flames and concentrating. She thought of its sound and its power but nothing seemed to happen.