The Captive Maiden

“No.” He managed to hold one boot down with the other and pull his foot out. Then he was able to shake off the rope binding his ankles. Then, after fumbling for several moments with his boot, he gradually worked it back onto his foot.

 

Now he could walk. He stood up and took a step forward, his hands still tied behind his back. But with his vision completely obscured by the blindfold, he wasn’t sure where to go, and he could easily lose his balance if he ran into something.

 

“Valten,” Gisela was saying, “I’m so sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused you.”

 

“You didn’t cause this trouble, Gisela. Ruexner did. And it’s more my fault than yours.”

 

“But you risked your life to save me.”

 

“Of course. You were in danger.” He moved slowly toward her voice.

 

She sniffed again. “There’s something I have to tell you.”

 

His shin bumped into something, another bench or stool, maybe, and something slid to the floor with a thump. He hoped Ruexner didn’t hear it below them and come to check on them.

 

“Keep talking.” He needed to hear her voice to find her.

 

“I pretended I didn’t know you because I knew you didn’t remember me.”

 

Remember her? What was she talking about?

 

“I was there when you bought Sieger. You bought him from my father.”

 

“I did?”

 

“You were fourteen years old, and I was seven.”

 

She must have been the little blonde girl who’d looked so upset that he was taking her horse. “So Sieger did know you.” No wonder his horse had acted so happy to see her that day at the stables. He had thought she had placed a magic spell on his horse, but instead, they had known each other from when Sieger had been only a foal.

 

“The truth is —” Her words were interrupted by a sob.

 

It tore at his heart to hear her crying, she who had been so brave and fierce in the face of so much danger. If only he could get to her. If only he could comfort her, but he couldn’t see her, couldn’t even put his arms around her, since his hands were tied behind his back. But at least he had thought of a way to get their blindfolds off. If he could just get to her.

 

“The truth is,” she went on, “I pretended I didn’t care about anything. I tried to tell myself I didn’t care about you. But I do care. The truth is, I love you.”

 

She loved him. The words made him stumble and pause to restore his balance.

 

“You are brave and strong and good, noble and kind. I love you and I think you’re …”

 

His knee bumped into the bench she was sitting on, and he sat down beside her, so close their shoulders and knees were touching.

 

He leaned down until his cheek touched her soft hair. She caught her breath but didn’t pull away. He lowered his face until he felt her breath on his chin.

 

“You think I’m … what?”

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter

 

 

 

28

 

 

 

 

 

Gisela’s heart faltered, then started pounding against her chest at Valten’s warm breath against her cheek.

 

“You think I’m … what?”

 

His nose touched hers. He was pressed against her shoulder. He radiated heat, as he’d no doubt been fighting and struggling against his attackers earlier. She leaned forward until she felt his stubbly beard prickling her face.

 

He seemed to be waiting.

 

“I think you’re wonderful,” she whispered.

 

His warm lips brushed her cheek and his voice was gruff. “Will you marry me, Gisela?”

 

Her heart seemed to leap into her throat. She had to swallow it down so she could say, “Yes.”

 

More deliberately this time, he rubbed his cheek against hers, melting her insides at the strangely wonderful prickling sensation. Slowly, he moved his lips over her face, kissing her cheek, closer and closer to her lips. Gisela moved her head slightly. Valten’s breath caressed her lips, then he covered the corner of her mouth, gradually slanting his lips over hers until he was kissing her, and she was kissing him back.

 

She couldn’t see him and couldn’t touch him with her hands, but she was keenly aware of his lips touching hers in her first true kiss, her senses filled with Valten’s own smell of leather and the outdoors.

 

He’d come back for her, risked his life yet again for her, and from the way he was kissing her, she didn’t think he asked her to marry him out of obligation. Maybe he even loved her.

 

After several moments, his lips moved across her cheek, stopping at her blindfold, which slipped up and off her head.

 

She could see him. Oh! He was so beautiful! She leaned forward and kissed him again.

 

 

 

Valten pulled her blindfold off with his teeth. He had to stop kissing her so he could figure out a way to escape, and he needed to be able to see to —

 

Her lips were suddenly on his again, and he lost his balance and almost fell backward off the bench. Now that he’d finally been able to kiss her, she apparently liked it. He had thought she would take off his blindfold first, but he wasn’t about to complain.

 

When she pulled away, he couldn’t think about anything but her and her kiss. Then he felt his blindfold slip off his face.

 

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