Chapter 5 Chapter Four

Nothing is easy when a woman is involved.They were married, but by God the whole ceremony seemed to have taken a lifetime, and of course it was entirely his bride's fault.She seemed to be going insane, and she couldn't even stand still while the priest was lecturing on the benefits of the sacrament of marriage.Connor forced himself to be patient, not letting himself get angry or even a little bit dissatisfied. He was dazed by her, and so were his men.The two soldiers even had to close their eyes to keep their balance.Sinclair certainly wasn't much better, as he struggled to keep up with the bride.

When the pastor instructed the two sides to stand side by side and face him, Mina did so immediately.She seemed eager to cooperate, and Connor naturally assumed that she shared his desire to get it over with. He should have known it wasn't that easy. Lord, if your men can stand behind us in a semicircle, they can witness this happy moment.Sinclair suggested. Well now, after the soldiers did the same, the priest asked, Miss Wenna, can we start? yes, father. The priest smiled and whispered, Ma'am, you look radiant.The compliment slipped out of his mouth, but he caught the displeasure on the man's face right away, before remembering that Highlanders don't like their women being noticed by other men, and now he realizes, belatedly, that this restriction has actually been stretched On to the man in the vestment.

He immediately began to make up for the mistakes he may have made.Your bride is aware of her good fortune, lord, and that is why she looks radiant, I mean to point out that fact. Connor didn't understand why the pastor suddenly became so disturbed.He nodded reassuringly so he could continue with their ritual. Sinclair cleared his throat, crossed himself, and began explaining their responsibilities as a real couple. Wen Na began to calm down and relax a little bit. She put her hands by her side and listened carefully to every word, while Connor immediately became impatient with the pastor's lecture.When Mina began to shift her weight from her left foot to her right foot, Connor thought she was getting impatient too.And when she started wringing her hands, Connor knew there was trouble again.

Miss Wenna, please turn around and face the lord, and say your oath. She did it right away without hesitation, but as soon as she looked up, Conor saw panic in her eyes, her face was bloodless, and he prayed to God that she would not pass out before the pastor finished. He waited for her to speak, but she remained silent for a while.So he decided he would come first.He swore quickly that he would protect her, respect her. Several of his men grunted approval. He wasted no time at all, but she took up the rest of the evening. Now it's your turn, ma'am.But she kept silent, so the priest began to coax her to speak, and you must take an oath.Your hesitation would make me think you're trying to change your mind, is that true?

She immediately shook her head vigorously. I want to marry him, Father.I'm thinking about what to say.She explained that this is very important and I must do well. These are the last words she uttered in a more coherent manner.Then she started pacing, worrying about what she wanted to say.She walked around the priest a few times, then widened the circle to include everyone else.Nobody had to guess what she was trying to say, because she was talking aloud to herself as she walked around.Connor knew that she didn't realize what he was doing at all, he couldn't get dizzy only if he didn't look at her.

She walked around and around, and she didn't stop until Sinclair was almost fainted by her.She said that she would also protect and respect Connor, just as Connor had promised, but unlike the man she was going to marry, she felt the need to lengthen these two vows, and she said one limit after another, One condition after another, but in fact, she didn't make every thought clear. It was obvious that she didn't intend to finish without finishing these things, and Connor didn't intend to interrupt her.He relaxed himself, folded his hands over his chest, and closed his eyes. The priest thought the lord was getting bored, but seeing the smile flickering across the lord's face every so often, Sinclair knew he must have found something funny in the bride's words.

She was finally over, Connor opened his eyes, God, he almost laughed out loud.Her elegant little bride was standing beside the priest, looking quite pleased with herself. Sinclair seized his opportunity immediately, grabbing her arm to keep himself from falling dizzily, but as soon as the dizziness passed, he let go of the bride.He didn't want her to be doing some evening walks. Are you done, ma'am?he asks. Yes, Father. Sinclair gave the Lord a puzzled look, so she said her oath? Do you want me to repeat that, Father?she asked. Everyone except Kang Nuo yelled against it.Startled by their eager responses, she took a step back with wide-eyed eyes.

The priest is the only one who feels compelled to apologize, so please forgive me for speaking loudly at you, dear lady.I don't know what's wrong with me, I think your lord can repeat your oath. Connor didn't give her time to protest, he stared at her, summarizing her oath briefly. She will respect me, protect me, obey me when it makes sense to her, try to love me before she turns into an old crone, but I don't have any hope for that day to come.And I must clearly understand that she will respect me unless I make her feel that I have done something unrespectable, and then I can only ask God to save me.Did I drop something, Mina?

No, Connor.She replied, you speak better than me. The pastor paused to wipe the sweat from his brow, as it was an uphill battle to officiate the couple.Then he realized that the bride was standing beside him and the groom was standing in front of him, so how could he bless them to complete the ceremony?In the end he decided to ignore this and made a big arc of his hand, blessing everyone. Now you are husband and wife.he announced. He waited for the loud cheers to end before telling the lord that the groom could kiss the bride.At this point he began to guess who would go to each other first.Of course the bride should be walking back to the groom, but she still looks dazed, and Sinclair doubts that she understands her role.

But to his surprise, she immediately regained consciousness and quickly walked back to Kang Nuo. The pastor breathed a sigh of relief because the ordeal was coming to an end soon, and the lord was not angry enough to hurt the sweet little woman's feelings, and he added his blessings to the couple. Connor bowed his head and gave her a polite kiss, and he put his hands on her waist to prevent her from running away. She didn't resist, in fact she put her arms around his neck and met his kiss halfway.The expression on her face was one of utter joy, and he thought the angel must be smiling.So she is happy?Connor stared into her eyes trying to figure out what this dramatic shift was about.

She was about to remind him of his responsibility when he kissed her.She felt the warmth of his lips pressed against hers, and her mind was blank for a while, then he raised his head and told his men that it was time to eat. This good kiss made her still want it, and since Kang Nuo was still holding her, she thought maybe he thought the same way. Unfortunately she was wrong.He also held her for an entirely different reason.It's easier now, isn't it, Mina? Even though she had no idea what he meant, she nodded to please him, yes.Connor, I'll make a good wife. He didn't look like he believed it at all, but she wasn't angry.One day he would know how lucky he was to marry her. There won't be any more trouble, will there be? There will be no more trouble, she agrees, will you try to be a good husband? He shrugged in answer.She thinks he means he will, so she thanks him for letting him know that she thinks he agrees. what to do nowshe asked. are you hungry? Yes. Then we eat. He let her go.She thanked the priest and invited him to dinner.Sinclair declined the invitation, explaining that since the moon was still bright, he thought he should visit his father and spend the night there. She tried not to feel as if she had been abandoned by an old friend.She kept smiling, thanked him again, and watched him leave. Kang Nuo didn't leave her side either.She turned around only to realize that she had been holding his hand.She immediately let go and followed him across the clearing. His men did not wait for them.A formal wedding is nothing more than that, she told herself.These highlanders don't even have to sit down when they eat.They stood in a circle around a strange-looking big rock, talking and laughing loudly while enjoying the food.They spread a coarse cloth on the stone, and the supper was placed on it. As soon as she joined, they immediately fell silent.No one looked at her, which made her look even more awkward. She felt like a leper.She really wanted to go home and have dinner with her family.She mentally pictured the family sitting at the long table, all smiling and teasing each other.For dinner there was pigeon, fish, maybe leftover lamb stew, and there was always fruit pie. Mina knew she would cry if she kept thinking about those family members she cherished.So she immediately stops feeling sorry for herself and focuses on the present.She was hungry, she reminded herself, and if she didn't eat something now, she probably wouldn't get another chance to eat until tomorrow. Unfortunately there wasn't a lot of food for her to choose from.There was only cheese, bread, and oatcakes, and the Highlanders had no room for her, so she squeezed between Connor and Quinlan.Connor didn't bother to introduce her to the other soldiers at all.Because she didn't know if it would be inappropriate to ask their names, she followed their example and buried her head in her meal without talking.She concentrated on the food and tried not to think how miserable she was. The oatcakes tasted bitter, and she wrinkled her nose and took a gulp of water to get the taste out of her mouth, but she ate the rest anyway because it was wrong to put a half-eaten thing back or throw it away. ladylike behaviour. She was so nervous that she didn't realize that she had taken another piece.Of course she had to finish it again.Strangely, it tasted much better this time, especially after she ate another loaf of sweet bread. Mina didn't realize that the others had finished eating.She ate four full servings before she felt hungry.When she looked up to see what was happening, she realized that a group of spectators were watching her intently. She was surprised by their attention, and even more surprised that they were laughing.Is there anything wrong? Kunlan immediately shook her head and replied, do you want to eat all the leftover bread?And an oatmeal pancake.Miss, you are also welcome to get rid of it. Wen Na nodded, if no one wanted it.She picked up the remaining bread and oatcakes, broke them in half, and offered some to Connor, who refused to pass them on to the other soldiers. They all declined, but everyone kept their eyes on Mina while she ate.She found that being the center of attention was no better than being completely ignored. Who should I thank for bringing us food?she asked after eating. No one answered, but a few shrugged indifferently.She couldn't stand the smiles anymore.She felt as if she was the only one who didn't know what was going on.She thought about reminding these people how damn rude it was to stare like that, but she stopped short, reminding herself that she must never use the word damn, or she would have to go on a hunger strike for a day to repent. Please tell me what are you laughing at?she asked. You impress these men.Connor replied. how do i do itshe asked, glad that Conor was finally willing to talk to her. She straightened up and waited for the compliment.They may be aware of her joining them, impressed by her efforts to be one of them.Or maybe they finally realized her politeness.Yes, of course they had noticed her proper manners. You eat more than Quinlan.In fact, you eat more than any man here. This was not the answer she wanted.Telling a lady she eats more than a fighter is not a compliment, it's an insult, doesn't he understand?Kunlan and the other soldiers were definitely not hungry.She argues, and it shouldn't be impressive how much I eat or you shouldn't pay attention to that. he laughed.God, how charming he is when he's not staring at her.But we think so. She felt her face start to heat up.She thought about lying in case they thought she was gluttonous or a pig, but she decided to be honest anyway.After all, she had to eat many times with these savages, and if she lied now, they would still find out at the next meal. I usually eat more.she admits. Miss, sometimes you eat more?asked a soldier. He seemed in disbelief of what he was hearing.She gave him a reproachful look, which I did. Kunlan was the first to burst out laughing.The others followed immediately.Her embarrassment grew, and she desperately tried to divert the focus from her eating habits to something else. But no one intends to change the subject. What a beautiful spring evening.she says. You eat more when you're nervous, don't you?Kunlan asked. What a strange question, no, she answered. The rude men laughed again.She waited for them to quiet down and tried changing the subject again. Connor, won't you introduce your soldiers to me? They will introduce themselves. She already knew the names of Owen and Quinlan, and when she looked at the other three soldiers they all announced their names. Eden was the thinnest of the group, but he was quite strong for an Englishman's size.Donald was a man with big brown eyes that always reminded her of a fawn. Gerry was the shyer of the bunch.He didn't even dare to look at her when he told her name. Nice to meet all of you.She said as soon as they were introduced. Can I ask you a question, miss?Kunlan asked. certainly.she answered. When you first saw us, you were terrified.We'd love to know why. Did you think we were going to hurt you?Eden asked.His smile shows that he finds the possibility ridiculous, and you're praying. Yes, I was praying, but yes, I do think you guys meant to hurt me, too. But then, miss, said Owen, when you knew we had no intention of hurting you, you were still frightened, and I wondered why. Haven't they ever looked in a mirror?Or where do they live that simply don't have that luxury? She couldn't bear to point out how horrible they looked, so she simply shrugged without saying a word. But no one intends to let go of the subject.Is it our war paint that keeps you on your toes?Owen asked. I'm really reluctant to answer because I don't want to hurt your feelings. Somehow, her honesty made the men laugh again.She then decided that there was no need to be so subtle. But your combat paint does scare me.Yes, it does.She nodded emphatically, and your size, your clothes, your behavior, your menacing frown, and the way my father's soldier cringed before the five of you. Do I want to go on? She saw they took it as a compliment.She should have been more direct, should have explained to them that she was not flattering them, as no English lady in her right mind would.But a new worry suddenly flashed in her mind, and she immediately looked at Kang Nuo. I don't have paint on my face, do I?You should know by now that this is brutal and you can't wish me The men's laughter cut her off.Of course, Connor didn't smile. In her opinion, this man couldn't laugh at all, but he was smiling.Her heartbeat suddenly accelerated.His teeth were beautiful and white, and she couldn't understand why they cared so much about their own teeth when they had ugly paint on their faces.They are indeed a strange bunch.Can she understand them and become one of them in the future? Women don't get this courtesy. She didn't understand what he was talking about, what courtesy? Oil paint, he explained, is a tradition reserved for warriors. Connor didn't look like he was joking, so she didn't dare to laugh.But trying to hold back a laugh made her sad, her throat aching from trying to be polite. Have you ever seen a Highlander before, miss?Do you know anything about us?Gerry asked in a low voice.The freckles on his face were flushed with embarrassment, but he asked his question directly. When I was little, I thought I knew you guys.I even know where you live. So where do you think we live?Donald asked, laughing noticing the sparkle in the mistress' eye. under my bed.You only come out at night when I'm sleeping.Of course I'd wake up screaming and bolt into my parents' bedroom with lightning speed. She thought the men would laugh at her jokes, or at least smile.Unfortunately, they failed to understand that she was joking.Three seemed confused, and the other two looked shocked. Are you insulting us?Owen asked.He sounded as if he simply couldn't believe the possibility. No, I'm just kidding.For god's sake, can't you hear the difference? They all shook their heads.Kunlan took great pains to hide her smile.It seems your bride has been dreaming of you for years, lord.he said lazily. It seems so.he agrees. She didn't even try to hide her anger.Trying to have a polite conversation with them made her head ache, and being polite was a waste. She gave up trying, Kang Nuo, can I resign? She saluted the men and walked away.Before Connor could find time to express permission, she took her hairbrush, cleaned her clothes, and walked towards the small lake with her blanket in her hand.She walked to the edge of the woods, stopped, and stared at Kunlan over her shoulder. Quinlan? What's the matter, miss? It wasn't just a dream, it was a nightmare. They didn't start laughing until she was out of sight, but their laughter was loud enough to reach the other side of the lake.She believed they must still not understand her joke, their brains were too slow.She guessed that Connor might have said something horrible, such as murder or injury.They seem to have a twisted sense of humor. She came to this conclusion because she saw the heathen smiles on the English soldiers' faces when Connor said he could kill them.And when Connor took back the order, didn't they still sulk like little boys? Wen Na suddenly felt a pang of guilt, she knew she should not continue to judge Kang Nuo so harshly.Was he a savage, or had he been raised like a wild animal, and was there anything he could do about it?Of course he couldn't change that.And now he was her husband.She's going to be with him for the rest of her life, shouldn't she try hard to like him? Would he want to sleep with her tonight?She tried to get the thought out of her head.But it was easier said than done, God help her, she couldn't even imagine Connor touching her, she would definitely tremble with fear.She knew that her reaction was a little unreasonable. Now that she was an adult woman, not a child, she should know what was waiting for her.Her mother had explained that the husband would take the bride to bed immediately after the wedding feast.But she didn't tell her daughter the details, Minna should know the basic situation, or at least she thought she already knew, so Minna can only guess those details.And it all seemed clumsy and messy to her. Mina doesn't want to worry about this anymore.If Connor decided to share the bed with her, maybe God would have mercy on her and let her sleep in torment. She laughed at the thought, and stripped off her clothes.It wasn't until she ran into the water that she thought of changing her mind. She gritted her teeth tremblingly, and washed up quickly. As soon as she was out of the water, she heard someone approaching.She got back in the water immediately, getting the water up to her chin, and waited for the man to appear. About a minute later, Connor appeared.In his hand was a plaid shawl. It's time to come out. I wanted privacy when I came out. Why? She didn't think he needed to ask at all.Because I need privacy. You are freezing to death.Come out now.His voice said he would accept no rebuttal. I will come out.I'm not wearing anything right now.I really need privacy right now. He pretended not to notice her yelling, no one here.He said. You are here, and you are standing in the moonlight.You can only come out when you leave me. His bride dared to yell at him.He shook his head, criticized her boldness, and kept his voice down when talking to me. He sounded like he was losing patience.She reminded herself that she had sworn to get along with him, and she figured that if she gave him what he wanted, he'd be kind in return. Her lips were already numb from the cold water, her teeth were chattering from the cold, and now she was almost speechless.Well, I don't shout.So can you leave now? No. Her husband obviously didn't know how to reciprocate.It seemed she would have to explain this to him, not now, but later, of course.Her skin was blistered like dried plums, and if she didn't come out now, she would literally freeze to death. Her pride is killing her, there's no way I'm coming out. Why?Do you feel embarrassed? He seemed surprised by this.She closed her eyes, prayed quickly to be patient, and replied, Of course I would be embarrassed. There is no need to be shy between us.Do you want me to go into the water with you? If you come down I'll drown you. The ridiculous threat earned him a smile.Would it be better if I took off my clothes too? No. She didn't realize he was joking, but God behold, if she yelled at him again, he'd be in the water for her. Connor, you should at least turn around while I'm getting dressed, right? His sigh was loud enough to push her into the water. You are doing something stupid. She doesn't mind his criticism because she gets what she wants.He turned around.She jumped ashore at once and dried herself as fast as she could.Worried about running out of time and her impatient husband turning back, she didn't bother to put on her underwear, just a white cotton robe. A pink ribbon covered her thin undergarment from waist to chin.Her fingers hurt as if they had been pricked by a thousand needles, which made her movements even more clumsy.As much as she tried, she couldn't tie the ribbons properly. Finally she gave up those ribbons.She was going to put on the thick tunic, which would cover her bare breasts well.The question now is how to put this thing on.She had hung her coat on a low branch so it wouldn't get dirty, but now she had to walk across Connor to get it.She didn't want Connor to see her disheveled appearance, so she had no choice but to beg Connor to hand her the clothes. Connor turned around.She took a few steps back abruptly, trying to open the distance between the two, but immediately found that the river bed was already wet under her feet.She either fell flat on her face, or jumped back into the water, but Conor saved her, and he reached out to pull her back to safety, saving her from embarrassing herself. If he hadn't looked so unhappy, she might have thanked him for his help. She tightened her robe around her chest, frowning at him disapprovingly. I hope you understand that you need not be afraid of me.My responsibility is to protect you, not hurt you. I'm not afraid of you. You are staying away from me, he reminded her dryly, a minute ago, you were obviously afraid of me. She shook her head.She had tied her hair high with a ribbon, forming a beautiful bun on one side of her head, but as she shook her head the ribbon slid off and fell into the water.Her thick hair fell over her shoulders. Seeing her disheveled appearance suddenly made him happy for no reason.She was the most sensational woman he had ever seen. A man would get lost in her large, magical blue eyes and forget his duty, watching her, admiring the seductive way she walked. What happened to him?Mina didn't put a curse on him, but he acted like that.He was instantly angry with himself.He didn't want her to make him unprincipled, and damn, she was such a problem. And it's a temptation.All he could think of was kissing her frown away and making love to her hard and frantically. If she knew what he was thinking she would probably be scared to death.She had no idea how attractive she was, or the effect her near-naked had on his body. Stop shaking your head at me.He ordered her stiffly. I just want you to know that I'm not scared.I just didn't expect you to turn around, I was just surprised.Your politeness really worries me. He smiled again, his eyes widened in disbelief. Isn't politeness the most important thing to you? No. No?But you should think that's important. Why? Why?she repeated.Her mind went blank.God help her, she couldn't think of a reason at all. Connor looked at her with eyes so warm that she forgot what they were talking about. She took a step towards him, you're such a confusing man, she whispered, if I could just stay awake I'd try to understand you.Connor, I hope you are worth the trouble. Then she said, you can let me go. He doesn't want her to go because he's so used to doing what he wants, he ignores her pleas.Her soft skin, angelic smooth, platinum in the moonlight, felt so good against his rough, calloused hands. How did this treasure hide from other men? Have you ever been pursued by another man? I was engaged to a baron, but he died before I was old enough to marry him.I hadn't actually met that man at all, and certainly not really any other men.The father doesn't allow men to be around his daughter, especially Rachel, she explains, because she's beautiful. Did the baron you betrothed die in battle? No, in bed. He died in his own bed? That was tragic, she scolded him, not funny. Only the English die in their beds. She felt that his ideas were too ignorant to be worth arguing with him.Can you stop pinching my arm now? He let go, do you still feel embarrassed? Just a little bit. I don't want to embarrass you at all.You can stop now. Finding that he was serious, she laughed aloud.Do you know how arrogant you sound? She didn't wait for his answer.I'm starting to feel cold now.If you let me go, I can get dressed. There is no need to wear clothes.We went to bed right away. It was by no means what he said, but the way he said it gave her a moment of consternation. His words were full of authority, and his expression was that of a warrior ready to kill. Maybe she misunderstood him, together? certainly. Now?Do you want to go to bed now? He's really starting to hate the word, yes, now. I'd rather not. I'd rather be. You should know I'm terrified of that, Conor.I don't want to hurt your feelings, but I have to be honest with you.You certainly don't want to force someone who doesn't want to. Now what are you doing? Put Ho's shawl on you.Can you stop the habit of backing away whenever I come near?This is so damn annoying.Get your hair out of the way. I'd rather you leave me alone. You are challenging my patience. Why can't he understand?She tried to communicate with him again. Connor, I have no experience at all. She was sure she didn't need to explain further details.Of course he could hear the worry in her voice, her eyes were full of panic, and her body was trembling with fear.Any decent caring man would appease her right away. I have experience. that's all?She yelled out, do you hope your experience will reassure me? You want me to comfort you?He was appalled by the thought. His reaction didn't make her feel any better.Frustrated, she wanted to scream.But she let out a long and slow breath to calm herself down. But it didn't work.Yes, of course I very much hope you can comfort me. He was afraid she would say that.He was speechless for a while.No woman had ever made such a strange request to him before.In the past, women just walked up to him automatically and offered their bodies to him, and if he was in that mood he had to admit that most of the time he was in that mood and he would accept it.Of course he would treat them with tenderness, and would ensure their enjoyment as well as his own.But there were no virgins in those guys, and he never took a virgin to bed.Now that I think about it, almost every one of the women he took to bed knew how to please a man.In fact, they usually have more experience than he does. But they all left satisfied. The meticulous lady standing before him was not at all like other women.She is his bride, she will bear his surname and bear his children.He should respect her and should find a way to assuage her fears.Admittedly, he was inexperienced in catering to a woman's emotional needs, but he was sure that, if he thought about it, he could learn from his previous observations. No, no, Connor was wrong, he realized it after thinking about it for a while.He guessed he'd never taken the time to observe other men with women before, not even his brother Aleigh. What should we do now?He didn't want to tell her how unfortunate she was.Otherwise, she would definitely cry, and he would definitely not be able to make her stop crying.His brother would always leave the hall when his wife was crying, and return when she was calm and rational.He doesn't want to be like his brother now.If he leaves her, he won't be able to take her to bed.Damn, she'd think she got a reprieve. Now there seems to be only one way to solve this problem.He had to help her figure out a way to get over her stupid worries, no matter how long it took. He begged God to grant him incredible understanding.I decided to appease you. Yeah?She looks trembling. Yes, but first you have to explain this responsibility to me so I know what to do.Now you can start. Now is not the time for jokes. I'm not kidding. Are you serious? The scowl on his face showed that he didn't like to be questioned.She immediately tried to reassure him, ah, of course you mean it.You are the lord, God knows, and you will never lie. So are you going to start? She nodded, but said nothing. Minna I'm thinking, she cried, your impatience is making me nervous.How to comfort others is difficult to explain.I don't want to screw it up. She fell silent again for what seemed like an hour.He couldn't understand what had taken her so long.He wasn't asking her to solve some complicated puzzle, God help!He really didn't know how much longer he would have to stand without being able to touch her.Couldn't she see what she was doing to him?Yes, of course she couldn't see it.She had been preoccupied with consoling things.She seemed to have forgotten how to talk, but he hadn't.She let go of the robe she had been clutching tightly to her chest, but the neckline opened and he could see the bulge of her chest. He tries to look away, and it's killing him.He suddenly realized that if he didn't cover her with something immediately, he would lose control completely.He would touch her smooth, alluring skin tenderly, and peel off her paper-thin robes. Surely she wouldn't be thinking about consolation then, would she? Connor quickly put the shawl on her.He draped the long side over her shoulders, let the shawl fall over her breasts, and tied the shawl with the ribbon he carried with him.When putting a shawl on her.The back of his hand brushed her bare skin lightly, not once but twice.Damn it, he actually felt as if he had been struck by a strong lightning bolt. Dressing her didn't quell his primal desire.All he wanted to do now was tear off the shawl and tear her gown. He had to look into the distance instead. I'm glad you're thinking about this. Her words got his full attention again, didn't they? Yes. He stared at her deeply, what do you think I'm thinking? comforting thing. He didn't smile.But she doesn't understand why he finds it funny, and God help him, he should tell her. You haven't said what exactly you want me to do. Didn't your mother when you were little she died. terribly sorry. Why? Because she died.What about your father?Has he not comforted you? No. Why? He died too, that's why. Connor, when you were a little boy, who could you turn to for help? He shrugged, my brother, Ariel. Has he ever comforted you? Damn, no.He was disgusted by the thought. Doesn't anyone care about you? He shrugged, my stepmother, Euphemia, but she never comforted me, not even her own son, Rain.My father's sudden death devastated her and she has been in mourning ever since.She couldn't even bear to go back to my domain.She was still in terrible pain. She must love your father very much. Of course, he replied impatiently, will the consolation take long? God, how could she answer such a question? I don't think so, she said. Some husbands just pat their wives on the shoulder when they pass by to let her know he cares about her feelings.My father always did this to my mother, but now that I think about it, I'm not sure whether he was comforting my mother or showing her affection. She shrugged gracefully.Getting him to understand this was more complicated than she imagined.She tried to think of other examples. Maybe some husbands put their arms around their wives Which do you like? What? He asked again, in a brusque tone, with a look on his face like could you hurry up.Do you want me to pat you or hold you?He is hopeless.Consolation should come from the heart, and Connor should feel this way before comforting others.She guessed it might be an acquired skill that took years to learn with the love and care of her family.She would have explained well if she hadn't been so worried about the night. 她甚至忘了現在自己嫁人後的新名字了。這不是劍術課，你得誠心，自然，而且要 她沒有繼續因為想不出什麼可說的了。 你其實根本不知道自己在說什麼，是不是？ 她大大地歎了口氣，是的。 他一點也不開心。那到底為什麼我們還一直站在這裏？ 我沒想到你這麼沒耐心，我你在幹什麼？ 把你的頭髮從披肩裏拿出來。 Why? I want. 你總是要做你想做的事嗎？你確實是這樣，是不是？ 如果我總是做我想做的事的話，你現在已經躺在地上了。 她不再努力推開他的手。似乎沒有任何理由再繼續跟他爭辯了。她當然不能阻止他碰她畢竟他的塊頭有她兩個大但是她希望通過假裝她能掌握自己身上所發生的一切來保護自己那可憐的驕傲。 他很快完成自己的工作，他的手碰到她的脖子時居然出奇的溫柔。一陣戰慄的快感滑下她的背，這種感覺很好，更令她驚奇而高興的是他只是指出她給他帶來的困擾而沒有責備她。從小到大，她身邊的人一直在告訴她她的毛病只有上帝知道，她總是會做錯事接著他們會命令她改掉那些毛病。她知道康諾不會有什麼不同。早晚他會明白到這一點，然後走上她父母和兄弟姐妹的老路。 康諾不想再等下去了。他抓住玟娜的手走向他事先準備好的床。她沒有掙扎讓他感到很奇怪。 我警告你我還沒整理好儀容呢。 你的外貌我根本不在乎。 Yeah? certainly. 她想了一會，然後才發現他們已經來到營地了。 我們要去哪？ 他聽出她聲音中的驚慌。上帝，他討厭耐心。所有的處女都這麼麻煩嗎？ 我怎樣才能消除你可笑的恐懼呢？ 你可以先從停止對我大叫開始。那並不可笑。 answer me. 你可以說一些我可能覺得高興的有關 交配？ 他想了一千種答案，但所有的都集中於他的感覺。 你的遲疑讓我很擔心。she whispered. 那不會殺了你的。 不會殺了我？that's all? 她聲音中的憤怒讓他微微一笑，事實上，你會喜歡它的。 她懷疑地看了他一眼。她一直跟著他往前走著，而這是他此時所關心的。 那會很髒是不是？ No. 我懷疑我會喜歡它，她小聲說，因為他們已經來到了士兵露宿的地方，而她不想他們聽到她的話，不過我真的很想要小孩。 你打算怎麼得到孩子呢？ 她不管他語氣中的挖苦，你想要孩子嗎？ 當然，要不你認為我為什麼娶你？ 我不知道為什麼啊。你答應我們結婚後告訴我的。 晚點會告訴你。He promises. 任何一個女人都可以為你生孩子。為什麼選我呢？ 他們不再說話，面對面站在空地中央。她望向四周，看見其他士兵睡在毯子上，這圈男人中間是一張空床，一張羊毛毯子。 她覺得很恐怖。難道他希望她睡在那兒嗎，在一群男人中間？是的，他是這麼想的，她明白。上帝明鑒，他根本不知道女人需要什麼，是不是？ 她不能當眾大吵大鬧。如果她開始朝他們的領主大喊大叫的話，他的手下會聽見，那只會讓她更尷尬，而且會惹他生氣。 So what should she do?她可不想在他碰她時，五英尺外躺著幾個假裝睡覺的士兵。 但現在怎麼能阻止他呢？康諾的臉色看起來好像他不想再這麼跟她講道理了。他姿勢強硬，緊緊地皺著眉頭，他不是已經給了她足夠的時間平靜下來嗎？他也想安慰她。至少他曾經嘗試滿足她的需要，而她甚至不能想像有任何一個男人能花這麼長時間讓她適應。 這讓她微笑起來。萬能的上帝啊，他真的安慰了她，她甚至沒注意到。She sighed.她的丈夫還不算壞。 現在不該跟他爭辯不休了。不，她應該耍點小手段。如果她夠聰明的話，他甚至意識不到她的行為呢。在他要脫掉靴子時她抓住了他的手，然後彎腰拾起地上的毯子，低聲道，請跟我來。 What's the matter now?他幾乎要咆哮了。 總是由新娘準備婚床的。這是英格蘭的傳統。 她知道他不相信她的謊話。她在他能阻止之前馬上走開了，走到空地邊緣時，她停下來，向他展示迷人的一笑，然後繼續向前走。 康諾沒動。他雙腿分開站在那，手放在臀上，盯著她的後背，他的注意力全都集中在她走路時輕輕搖擺的臀部上。接著他開始從一數到十。當他數完時，他要嘛讓這個讓人忍無可忍的女人離開，要嘛就會追上她，跟她猛烈熱情的做愛。 我從沒聽說過這個傳統。 昆蘭懶洋洋地說。他正坐在地上，背靠著樹幹，雙臂交叉橫在胸前。 康諾挫敗地轉向他，如果你再說一個字，我發誓我會殺了你。 昆藍不理他的威脅，難道你不認為你應該在起床之前先去睡覺嗎？ 康諾威脅地向他的朋友跨了一步。昆藍馬上坐直身子，她只是想要隱私而已，康諾。那是為什麼她要挪走你的毯子的原因。 I know, he said.他當然不知道，但他可不想跟朋友承認這一點。 他沒再說話直接走開了，他在湖邊追上了玟娜。他一點也不覺的好笑，他們饒了一大圈現在又回到了他們開始的地方。 你打算把我們的婚床鋪到英格蘭去嗎？