You were a Tremble in my Heart

Chapter 2 - Your Grace

Gwen’s eyes spying a familiar knight at the entrance to the hall, he was instantly recognised as the poxy at her wedding. The man looked just as unimpressed now as he had been at the ceremony as he turned taking off from view. Her husband now standing right before her, Gwen’s eyes met his chest as the disbelief of this day ever coming swelled around her. Gwen’s father making it clear that she would not be leaving this house, that Koba would die long before she ever laid her sights on him, she had never thought this day would come to pass.

The mere thought of leaving scary beyond belief, Gwen knew of nothing beyond her four walls. Nothing of men or marriage beyond what she had read, been told, and witnessed. Her father and brother both having women come in and out, Gwen was stuck in place never to be seen but to witness. Never talking to anyone bar her brother, father and the priests, she was well removed from society and anyone of influence. Unsure what to do, or if she was even supposed to speak, Gwen did the only thing that she knew, that she felt comfortable doing.

The odds stacked against him, the battles and assassins behind him all turned to dust and bone. Koba had made it to this very moment seemingly unscathed. Noting all the guards in the hall, Koba almost felt a sense of amusement as he watched the slight hesitation and fear in Genten’s eyes as he took a step further forward then he should have. The boy never being in a battle in his life, the only reason Koba would allow him to keep breathing was due to the care Genten gave to Gwen. His wife no doubt having a strong love and bond for her late father and brother, Koba would show respect needing to build a bridge between their families despite the pain they brought, and way they still to this day seemed to look down upon him.

Koba standing before Gwen, he was yet to speak a word to her when Gwen began lowering her head further bowing to him. An equal in every aspect of the word, Koba could not tolerate his own wife bowing as his voice shot out. “Stop!” Gwen suddenly frozen under his gaze and sudden jolt of a tone, Koba almost wanted to hit himself as he watched her whole body tremble in place. “You need not bow to me wife.” Koba’s hand extending outright in Gwen’s direction. “We must get back, I have been kept from my home and lands for too long.”

Gwen slowly allowing herself to stand up straight, Koba’s almost red eyes stared directly at her as she made eye contact before diverting her eyes to the floor once more holding back the urge to apologise. Koba not speaking another word, his gaze flickered to that of Genten whose eyes were now bright with amusement. Koba’s hand still outreached toward her, Gwen stared at the sheer size of it. Calluses from wielding a sword evident, Gwen watched on in a state of unrest as the hand just waited patiently.

Koba’s eyes devoid of any softness, Gwen finally reached out her hand to meet her husbands. The soft white silky skin of Gwen meeting Koba’s, Gwen almost gasped at the sensation as Koba tightened his hand around hers giving her a slight pull forward as he turned walking them from hall. “Come wife.” His voice an almost low grumble, Koba released his wife’s hand as tingle like no other was already ringing up his arm as he spoke. Out of the hall and earshot of Genten, Koba’s insides turned at every corridor and courtyard they passed as the anger at what he saw was manifesting faster than he could quash it. “I will buy you new things when we reach my lands.”

With a silent nod of her head, Gwen thanked Koba as he turned laying his gaze on her till a shaky yes and thank you made it through her lips. Koba heavily troubled by Gwen’s fear, he attempted to put more space between them noting she had not stopped trembling since the moment he laid his eyes on her. His knights waiting outside, they soon came into view as Koba’s anger only increased tenfold at the obvious hostility and lack of respect they displayed not bothering to even stop what they were doing to greet their new master.

Baker moving forward immediately, he came to bow before a stunned Gwen. “Your Grace, I am Harry Baker, please feel free to use me as you wish. I am to be your personal guide.” Gwen stuck in place in almost shock, she had never been treated so in her entire life as the words Your Grace stuck in her mind. Standing timidly beside Koba, a harsh clearing of his throat had all the men present bowing their heads in respect as a knight moved to Koba’s side.

Watching Koba grab the mans shoulder pulling him closer, his voice sounded low, but Gwen still made out the whisper with ease. “Lyndall has gone ahead… to scout the path.”

A slight almost growl from Koba, his voice sounded harshly making Gwen flinch. “We’re moving out!”

Gwen looking down to the floor to avoid the many gazes, she followed after her husbands boots as he began marching forward till a pair of smaller boots blocked her path. Looking up slightly to see Harry standing there with a soft smile sitting on his lips. “Your Grace, please allow me to accompany you to the carriage.” Seeing Harry gesture to the carriage, Gwen promptly looked to the back of her husband before shuffling her gaze back to the floor noticing all the unsettling eyes still on her. Almost afraid to speak, Gwen followed his will almost relieved to know she would not need to speak, nor be in the presence of her own husband.