Captivity

One week later she woke up, seeing Kai next to her. His hard chest was pressed against her back. She still wasn’t used to this. Since the first night, he insisted on staying in her room to make sure Kenneth didn’t try anything. He rarely left her side, even after Kenneth left. She wasn’t used to a man who wanted her safe.
She sat up, looking over at the man sleeping beside her. Butterflies churned in her stomach every time she saw him. She pulled her robe on, covering herself before he woke up. Margaret knocked at the door, quietly entering the room.
“Good morning, m’ lady,” she said, glancing at the sleeping man in her bed. They knew she was uncomfortable with their sleeping arrangement but Kai ignored her. Alana moved to the vanity, hating how she looked every morning. Margaret brushed her hair, pinning it away from her face before picking out her dress.
Kai met her in the great hall to break his fast; he greeted her with a smile before eating in silence as he did every morning so far. She already knew what was going to happen next; he’d train in the courtyard and she’d sew with Margaret in the shade and watch.
The needle jabbed her finger for the third time and she tossed the shirt to the ground. Kai took a break from his training, laughing with his men as he walked over, his bare chest glistening in the sun. Sweat beaded down his forehead and he smiled at her.
“Everything alright, Alana?” he asked, breathing heavily.
She peered up at him, squinting in the sun. “I can’t focus on sewing today,” she shook her head, putting her finger to her mouth to dull the sting.
He extended his hand, pulling her up from the ground. Margaret shuffled inside, getting back to her work. “What would you rather do?”
She looked up, pondering his question. “Do you have any books?” she asked, waiting for his reaction. It was a rarity for women to read. His eyes widened in surprise.
“Come with me.” he said, leading her through the halls, holding her hand. They stood outside a door as he pulled his shirt over his head. “Close your eyes.”
She paused, confused as she closed her eyes, hearing the door open. He held her shoulders, walking behind her into the dank room. “Open,” he whispered.
Shelves build into the stone walls were covered with books from floor to ceiling. She looked up in awe, spinning to see the entire room. Books were stacked on tables, caked with dust. It’d been years since someone had been in there. Alana ran her fingers over the spines of the books, taking in the different titles. It was more books than she’d seen in her entire life.
She turned to Kai, seeing a smile spread over his handsome features. “What is all this?” she asked. He walked to the window, pulling open the heavy curtains; dust flying off the fabric. Light poured into the room.
“It’s the library. You’re welcome to it for as long as you’re here.” He said, watching her never ending smile. Her green eyes lit up at the gesture.
“As long as I’m not inconveniencing anyone,” she shrugged, pulling a dusty cover from the shelf, flipping through the old pages. Her eyes scanned the words before tucking the book in her arms against her chest.
Kai shook his head, “Impossible,” he scratched at the stubble on his face, “Make any changes you like in here.” Her eyes peered up at him in astonishment. It was as if no one had ever been kind to her. His chest tightened at the sight of her.
“This is amazing, thank you,” she beamed, rushing into his arms. His chest was hard pressed against her perfectly as the notion caught him off guard. Her fingertips clung to his back, feeling his muscles contract as his arms closed around her. Her eyes opened, quickly pulling back her reserve ad she let go, brushing her hair behind her ear. Alana’s cheeks burned as she turned toward the door with her book. “I think your men will be looking for you.” She said, opening the heavy door.
He cleared his throat, “Aye, you’re right.” He walked ahead of her, leading her back to the bright courtyard. Men wrestled in the grass, shouting at one another before greeting Kai with crude remarks. He snapped back at them, joining in the wrestling.
Alana looked around before wandering to an old oak tree, sitting beneath the green leaves, leaning against the wide trunk as she watched him with his men. She dusted the old book off, admiring the leather cover before opening to the first page. The words jumped out at her, immediately captivating her attention. It’d been so long since she’d actually read a book. Her husband was against letting women learn anything for themselves. It surprised her when Kai embraced it with such enthusiasm.
The day seemed to fly away as she read; it was only when Kai walked up to her that she realized that what seemed like minutes had really been hours. The sun was setting behind him, making him look like a shadow. “I take it you’re enjoying yourself?” he asked.
She looked at the book, seeing she was almost halfway through. “I am,” she smiled.
“Evening meal is almost ready, shall we go?” he reached out, pulling her up to her feet with ease. She dusted her skirts off, closing her book as she memorized the page number, walking back to the castle beside him.
After the meal she retired to her room, reading in bed by candlelight. The fireplace crackled across the dimly lit room. Kai was discussing business with his men and had been gone for hours now. Alana relaxed against the pillows, glancing around the room as her eyes grew heavy.
Kai entered the room, seeing the low fire and the woman in his bed. She slept on her side, her book tucked under her arm, opened to the page she left off on. Her blonde hair spilled around her shoulders, her dark eyelashes brushed the top of her cheeks as she breathed evenly. Sitting at the edge of the bed he slowly pulled the book away from her, setting it on the bedside table. He crawled under the blankets, feeling her move as he laid down. Sleepily, she curled against him, draping her arm across his bare chest. He stared down at her, surprised by the action. Kai rested his arm around her shoulders, slowly falling asleep.
The next morning Alana wandered back to the library, leaving Kai to sleep. The curtains were opened, brightening the dark room. She borrowed some rags from Margaret, using them to clean the place up. She organized loose papers, placing them in an empty drawer. She went over the books quickly, immediately noticing the difference. The sun bounced off of something against the wall, catching her eye. She moved around the table, pulling the frame from the wall. Alana flipped it over, seeing a dusty painting. She took the rag, revealing the picture.
There was a young beautiful woman in the painting, her red hair flowed elegantly over one shoulder and her smile brought light to her blue eyes. Alana found herself intrigued by her, wondering who she was.
“What are you doing with that?” She looked up, seeing Kai standing in the doorway. His eyes were dark and cold as he closed the distance between them in three long strides. His fist slammed against the table, making her jump back.
“I—I found it, I was cleaning.” She said, gripping the edge of the table behind her.
“Do not mess with this,” he seethed. Her eyes widened, never seeing him this angry before. He snatched the painting from the table, turning back toward the door.
“I didn’t—“ she started, hearing the door slam. She slumped into a chair, confused by his actions. She cleaned the room slowly, taking her time before she had to face him again.
That night she ate the evening meal alone. She drank the wine and retired to her room, taking another bottle with her. She sat in front of the fire, pouring another glass as she stared at the flames. The window was open, letting the cool breeze in while the curtains billowed around. She pulled her knees to her chest, sipping from the glass. She didn’t like not knowing where kai was. She didn’t like that he was upset with her.
The door opened and he stepped into the room with a drink in his hand. Taking in her appearance he noticed her bare feet poking out from the hem of her night gown. She poured another drink, looking back at him. Her blond waves relaxed at her shoulders, her green eyes were tired and hurt. She drank the wine, turning away from him as he stepped forward, sitting beside her. Alana looked away, her body filled with heat being this close to him. He tossed his drink back, glancing over at her. Her cheeks were flushed as she finished her drink, reaching for the bottle. Kai took it from her.
“Give it back,” she said, sitting forward. She reached across his chest, pushing herself up on her knees. She held his shoulder, losing her balance. His arm wrapped around her waist, catching her as she stumbled against him.
“You’ve had enough,” Kai whispered, her wide eyes looking down at him. Her body softened into his. Her chest rose and fell with every breath, making it impossible for him not to notice. He set the bottle down, feeling her hands on his shoulder; her touch sending traces of fire through his veins.
She lowered her face to his, “No, I haven’t.” she whispered, her eyes seductively grazed over his features, settling on his mouth. His hand reached up, his thumb brushed over her cheek, his fingers tangled through her hair and he pulled her mouth against his.
Her eyes widened, realizing what was happening. She was kissing him back, her lips parted, letting him kiss deeper. His lips were gentle, easily moving against hers as his tongue flicked into her mouth. A soft moan escaped her throat, surprised by the contact. She pulled back, feeling hazy. His eyes searched her face, running his thumb across her swollen lips. It was more than she imagined. No man had ever kissed her like that. She cursed herself for stopping the kiss.