Sweet Revenge Part 4 A Knight's Tale Slash Will/Adhemar PG13
Adhemar found himself once again in front of Thatcher's tent. He could glimpse the inside, slightly gloomy compared to the bright sunshine of the afternoon. It looked cool. It almost invited him, but he didn't go in.
Thatcher appeared not long after. A green apple in his hand half chewed through. He stopped in mid bite. The sunlight suited him. He halted a few feet away and stared at Adhemar. As he took a few cautious steps closer, Thatcher looked about him. He had the eyes of a startled animal before he recovered himself and took a defiant stance. He cleared his throat before he spoke.
"Adhemar," was all he said after all that. He seemed to be waiting for something. Whatever it was, it didn't happen.
"What brings you back? You drank all my ale."
Thatcher got no answer. It unnerved him though he tried to act unconcerned. He tossed the half-eaten apple to the ground, then kicked it into a tuft of grass that had survived the trampling. Under Adhemar's gaze, Thatcher couldn't stay still. He stomped at the dirt under his feet like a restless horse. Adhemar watched it like a seductive dance of some peasant imbecile. He followed every movement. He lifted his eyes to Thatcher's bold face, lowered them down his body to his feet and back up like he was bewitched. Adhemar saw flashes of last night's naked skin through today's clothes. Strangled for several moments, he was dismayed at the way his insides shifted so treacherously. His rightful fury at those who dared to insult him had evaporated. It was ice turned to snowmelt at the slightest touch of heat. The anger he felt now was at his own soft, weak constitution. A point of his own sword turned on his own flesh, this self-hatred could not be tolerated. It had to be turned outward. Adhemar glared at Thatcher silently. He was the cause of all of it. He would pay.
William didn't think it would be so soon that he would have to deal with the man. He expected months might pass, weeks at least, plenty of time to get his head together. William would have felt stupid for just staring at Adhemar like some dumb animal if Adhemar hadn't been doing the same. Adhemar stared at him with a knowing, piercing look. A look hard enough to knock a man down. William twitched like he didn't know which way to go. The look made William want to both retreat and go forward. Both were out of the question, of course. He just had to stand his ground and not make a fool of himself excessively. William thought he heard a noise behind his tent and turned. Adhemar approached and William stared back at him once again. He kept his eyes up, not wanting to be a coward over a sharp look.
"Your maneuvering last night has only effected a delay. Nothing is settled between us," Adhemar's voice was rough and low, reaching William only and no one else.
It took William a moment to recollect what Adhemar was on about. He remembered Wat's unlikely dalliance and mortal peril soon enough.
"Look now, Wat didn't..."
"He is nothing," Adhemar said in a tone that allowed for no arguments.
William was going to argue anyway though. Just then Adhemar leaned forward to place his mouth close to William's ear. William raised his hand to hold him off. His hand fell on Adhemar's chest. The black clothes were almost hot to the touch. William couldn't move. His hand stayed there like raw meat stuck to a hot skewer.
"You and I will have to settle this. When you find yourself wanting something, you know where to find me," Adhemar said, his hot breath licking at William's ear.
William found that he had to force himself to breathe, force himself not to turn to look at Adhemar with his face so close. Through the sound of his own unnatural breathing, William heard Kate yell. He turned and ran around to the back of the tent. Kate was kneeling next to Roland who was spitting out a wadded piece of cloth from his mouth. She looked up at William only briefly as she removed the ropes from around Roland's wrists and ankles.
"They've taken Wat," Roland said now that he was no longer gagged.
"Who?" William asked stupidly.
"Who do you think? Adhemar's men!" Kate answered him.
"Bastard," William spat out as he ran back to where he had left Adhemar. He was only in time to watch the man ride away. Not too far to hear William's cursing, Adhemar turned. His horse protested the sudden change of direction. Adhemar gave Will a pointed look, and he was off. Will found that his horse had been driven off. By the time he found another and mounted, Wat and Adhemar were long gone.
To be continued