Grosh awoke on the morrow with an ache in his head as if he had drunk the night away. Yet he had been very careful not to imbibe overly much as he wanted a clear head for his first night legally bound to Kaya. Nonetheless, he was having difficulty remembering it. He reached across the bed for Kaya and was surprised to find her gone. The bed was not even warm, indicating she had not been there for a while. Grosh sat upright in the bed and looked around. Finally he spotted Kaya sleeping on the couch in front of the fire. He got out of bed and walked to her.
At his approach, Kaya leapt up and away from him. “Stay away from me, Grosh! Get out of here!” she screamed.
Grosh stopped dead in his tracks. “What is wrong, my wife? What have I done?” Kaya’s robe fell open a bit and Grosh could see bruises upon her body. He took a few steps back. “What happened? How did you…?”
“You did this to me last eve. You hurt me. Get out of here now,” Kaya spoke calmly but firmly, “I want you gone.”
Grosh took one step forward and started to reach out to his wife. He thought better of it and dropped his arm. “Kaya, my love, please. I do not understand. I do not remember last night. Please remove your robe so I may see what you say I have done.”
Even though Kaya was frightened of Grosh and angry with him, she still loved him and so she complied. She dropped the robe and slowly turned around so he could see the bruises. Her arms showed bruises that matched his fingers and there were bite marks on her throat and breasts. Her hips and thighs bore large marks as well as some dried blood coated her thighs where he had torn her. Grosh fell to his knees.
“I…I do not remember. I would never wish to hurt you,” he pleaded.
Kaya retrieved the robe and covered herself back up. “Until such time as you do remember, and can assure me this will not happen again, I cannot be with you. Husband or not, I need you to leave this place. I shall remain at the castle and you can go to our estate. I do not need you to endanger me or our child. Please, just go,” she cried the last, turning her back so he would not see her tears.
Grosh retrieved his garments from the floor and dressed quickly. He fled their chambers and rushed from the castle. In the bailey, he could scarcely wait for his horse to be saddled before he rode off. Back above stairs, Kaya sank to the floor as soon as Grosh had shut the door and sobbed ceaselessly, clutching her belly and hoping his attack upon her last even did not hurt their unborn child.
When there were no more tears to be shed, Kaya dragged herself from the floor and crawled into the bed. She knew she would not be disturbed, as this day was supposed to belong solely to her and Grosh. Instead she would spend it alone. She allowed sleep to claim her, hoping she could escape the horror of the night before. She had been plagued by images of it while she slept on the couch, and just wanted a dreamless sleep.
*****
Ariyona was up early, still suffering from her morning illness this babe was intent on giving her. Jareth still slumbered, so Ariyona decided to stay in her dressing chamber and had Amika help her to dress. Soon after, her other maid, Tia, entered.
“Excuse me, my lady,” Tia stammered, looking down upon the ground.
Ariyona wondered why the girl was suddenly afraid to look at her. She was almost as meek as when Ariyona had recused her from Vicker. “What is it, Tia? You have no need to fear me.”
“I do not like to gossip or to cause trouble, my lady.”
Ariyona waited for Tia to continue, but the girl seemed hesitant. “Go on, Tia. I will not fault you for your words.”
Tia looked up briefly and then lowered her eyes again. “I was bringing a tray to Lady Kaya and Lord Grosh to break their fast. When I arrived near the door, Lord Grosh left in a hurry slamming the door in passing. I approached the door and heard Lady Kaya crying within, my lady. I…I do not what has happened, I was afraid to enter the chamber, but Lady Kaya sounded none too happy.”
“Thank you, Tia. I shall go to her at once. That was not gossip, so do not feel badly. This is important and I am very pleased you have told me.” Ariyona grabbed some bread to ease her stomach and left the chamber, taking small bites as she walked. Although there were several winding corridors leading to the wedding chamber, it did not take Ariyona long to get there. She stood before the door but a moment before she knocked. There was no answer, so Ariyona slowly opened the door. She peeked her head into the room and saw Kaya alone in the bed. She cautiously approached her friend and sat on the edge of the bed.
“Kaya? What’s wrong?” Ariyona asked hesitantly.
Kaya rolled toward Ariyona and looked at her. Ariyona could see that Kaya’s eyes were red and swollen from crying. Minutes passed without Kaya responding. Ariyona stroked her friend’s hair and waited patiently for Kaya to gather her thoughts. Finally Kaya sat up in the bed and began to reach for a goblet of mead on the bedside table. Ariyona retrieved it and placed it in Kaya’s outstretched hand. After drinking some, Kaya was prepared to speak.
“Oh, Yoni. It was awful. I don’t know what happened. Grosh has always been so loving and so gentle. Nonetheless, last eve when we came to bed, something happened. I know not if his troll side took over, but he was brutal.” Kaya opened her robe and showed Ariyona the bruises. Ariyona gasped and asked if she should send for a healer. Kaya shook her head. “I do not wish others to see this, to know what came to pass. I fear people will mistrust Grosh and see him as a beast as many still do. Yet, at this moment, I do not know if I can trust him. He claims not to remember last eve. I have sent him away until he can remember and can assure me this will not come to pass again. I love him, but I am afraid. May I stay here at the castle with you until I know what I shall do?”
“Of course you may stay here, Kaya. You need not even ask. How can I help you?”
“Just stay here with me this day. I cannot leave these chambers until my bruises fade somewhat. My gown should cover most, but I do not wish others to look upon what Grosh has done to me. Please just stay with me.”
Ariyona stretched out on the bed beside her friend. “I shall stay as long as you need me. Rest now and presently I shall have food sent up to us.” Ariyona wrapped her arm around Kaya and held her gently as Kaya began to cry again.
Later in the day, while Kaya slept, Ariyona arose and went to the door. She found Amika and Tia waiting without. She sent them to the kitchen to bring up food and drink. She also sent Amika to Jareth with a message just saying that Kaya was ailing and she was going to spend the day with her. Jareth was surprised by Amika’s words. He wondered why Ariyona was caring for Kaya and not Grosh. He determined to unfurl this mystery when he saw his lady wife that night.
*****
In the meantime, Grosh arrived at his estate. He started a fire and flung himself onto a chair beside the hearth. He stared into the flames and tried to recall what had occurred. He hated himself for the bruises he saw upon Kaya’s body. She claimed they were of his doing and yet he could not remember. Everything was a blur. By noon, he was none closer to revealing what was determined to remain hidden. He rode off to the truman village deciding to ask Conser if he had any notion of why this had happened. Grosh rushed out and mounted his horse, speeding across the landscape, hell bent on his mission.
Conser and Harmony were surprised to see Grosh come riding into the village. They were sure he would spend this day with his bride. Nonetheless, Conser saw the look upon Grosh’s face and became concerned. Grosh barely allowed his horse to stop before jumping off. Harmony took the horse so the two trumans could speak in private. Grosh explained to Conser what he was told by Kaya and that he did not recall any of it. He asked Conser if he knew what it was.
Conser looked at Grosh. “My friend, has your troll never emerged when you were with Kaya before?”
“What mean you?” Grosh asked
“It is this way. When you claim your mate, when you bond for life, your troll side will take over for the bonding sex. It can be rough, but our females have not had any trouble handling this. The troll must come out. I guess the humans are more delicate. Since you are the first to mate with a human this problem was unknown. I know not if the troll takes over because of the madness the females used to have. Mayhap it was the only way a male could mate with a female when they were still crazed.”
Grosh looked crestfallen. “How do I stop this? How can I assure Kaya I will not harm her again? She has shunned me until I have answers and can promise her I will not hurt her. I would rather tear out my own heart than do again what I did last eve.”
Conser considered that for a moment. “I know not. This is new territory, my friend. Mayhap you should speak to the royal twins. They did heal our females. Mayhap they can do something to help you.”
“Yes,” Grosh agreed. “For today though, I think it best if I stay away from the castle. On the morrow I will send a missive to the twins and ask if they will see me. Thank you, my friend. I shall let you know what comes to pass.”
Grosh rode back to his estate. He wandered from room to room, feeling the emptiness. He pined for Kaya, albeit he knew he could not be near her until he could control his troll. He felt so lost and incomplete without Kaya beside him. He neither ate nor drank this day. He simply wandered the estate or sat before the fire. It was well into night before he fell into a restless sleep before the fire in the front hall.
*****
Ariyona left Kaya sleeping when it was time for the evening meal. She knew Jareth would expect her to attend and yet she knew not what to tell him about this. She knew Jareth was still somewhat wary of Grosh and feared this would cause a rift. Ariyona knew she must tell him something yet as she walked to the great hall, she still had not decided what to say. She avoided the topic during the meal, finally saying she would speak with him when they were alone in their chambers. She began to dread that moment with each passing minute at feast.
Sure enough, the moment came. At feast’s end, Jareth took his wife’s hand and escorted her to their bedchamber. As soon as the doors were closed, Jareth demanded, “Speak, Yoni. Why did you need to care for Kaya when she has a husband who could do so?”
Ariyona would not meet his eyes. “My lord, there are times when a woman feels poorly and only wishes the company of other women. This was one of those times.”
Jareth knew Ariyona was lying, or at least hiding something from him. He forced her to look up at him so their eyes would lock. Ariyona felt her knees grow weak from his stare. She knew he would find out what she sought to hide. She stepped back and turned away from him. Jareth came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.
“Tell me,” he whispered into her ear.
“You must first promise to hear me out without flying into a rage, as you are wont to do, my husband. You must let me tell it all and keep a level head.” Jareth promised.
Ariyona told him how Grosh had become violent with Kaya and how Kaya was now afraid of him. She made sure to tell Jareth that Kaya still loved her husband; nonetheless, she had sent him away until this could be set aright. Jareth released his wife when she finished her tale and he sat in front of the fire. Ariyona did not like the long silence and feared how Jareth would react. She poured him some mead and offered it to him, sitting at his feet as she did so.
Jareth sat for a long time, staring into the flames. “I am not pleased by this, Yoni. If Grosh cannot control this wild thing then, as Kaya’s king and protector, I cannot allow him to be by her side. If he cannot explain himself and assure me as well this will not happen again, I shall have to banish him to the truman village and forbid him from having contact with Kaya. Mind you, I said from the very beginning I would be keeping a close eye on this union. He is a new breed and we know not what his true nature is like. No, I am not pleased by this at all.”
They went to bed that night, both deep in thought, lying back to back and barely touching.
*****
When the morrow arrived, Grosh was up as soon as the light came in his front window. He penned a missive to the twins, asking for their help if they had any to give. He handed it to one of his guards, who rode to the castle with it. In the meanwhile, Grosh paced from room to room, unsure of what to do with himself without Kaya at his side. When the guard returned, Grosh took the missive from him and tore it open. He scanned the letter, and saw the twins had instructed him to meet them at the dragon meadow at noon on the next morrow. Grosh was beside himself, knowing he must spend one more night apart from his heart’s desire.
*****
Kaya awoke with pain in her belly. She feared her heartbreak from the day before was hurting the babe. As she was still marked with bruises, she decided another day abed would benefit both her babe and her. Tia came in to tend to her and she sent the girl to the kitchen for food to break her fast. When Tia returned, she sat beside Kaya’s bed in case she needed anything more. Kaya ate, then lay back down, trying to shut out the world. She missed Grosh with all of her being although she was still afraid of him. Kaya was torn. She wanted and needed Grosh, her life mate, yet she didn’t know if she could live with him if he couldn’t control whatever it was that had come over him when they made love. She was not sure she should even call it that. It had felt more like rape as she had cried for him to stop and he had not. How could she live with a husband who would not abide her cries of pain?
*****
Ariyona did not know what to do this morrow. She didn’t know if she should stay with Kaya or leave her in peace this day. She might need time alone, yet Ariyona dearly wanted to be with her friend. She also didn’t know how Jareth would react this day and if he would mete out a decree that would hurt Kaya. If Jareth banished Grosh and forbade Kaya from being with her husband, what would happen then? And what of the baby Kaya was carrying? Ariyona’s head hurt from all this, and her babe made her sick. She felt the babe moving within her, as if he was disturbed by all of Ariyona’s distress. She knew she must look to her own health as well. She knew she could not get counsel from Firestorm, as he hated the trumans and would be pleased by this development. Firestorm was adamant in his dislike of the union between Grosh and Kaya.
Jareth had left their chambers before Ariyona awoke. He stood upon the ramparts and stared off to the horizon. He was vexed by this new development. He knew he needed to make a decision about Grosh, nonetheless, he knew his decision would most likely cause strife. His head counseled him to banish Grosh to the trumans village and to forbid him from seeing Kaya. Yet his heart told him Kaya and Grosh were bound and needed to be together. He knew he needed to look to the good of his people as a whole, and if that caused distress to Kaya and Grosh, they were but two amongst many. His head was winning the argument over his heart, as he was king and needed to do what was good for the majority. He knew, however, that Ariyona would not be happy with his decision. There was also the matter of Kaya’s child. The child might need to be banished to the village at birth or worse, put to death. He knew not if the child would be deformed or an abomination as there had never been a mating between a human and a half-breed. This matter was causing his head to hurt overly much, and so he stood staring into the distance, trying to sort this all out.
Cormack was handling the kingdom matters this day, as Jareth needed time to think. Cormack had never been gladder he was not king. He was pleased that Jareth finally had an heir, because had anything happened to him before the birth of the twins, Ygraine would have gotten the throne and he would have had to rule beside her. He did not want that ever. Being regent when Jareth was unavailable was more than enough for Cormack. Luckily this day, the petitions and disputes were easy enough to handle. Ygraine sat with him at his request, as he needed her beside him. There was too much tension within the castle and he needed his wife’s soothing presence. He could not fathom what Jareth and Ariyona must be going through with this issue looming over them.
Jareth and Ariyona avoided each other until the evening meal, when they had to be together. Kaya remained in her room all day. The meal was a quiet affair, and the lords and soldiers who were present in the feast hall could tell something was in the air. Conversations were hushed and no one became loud or boisterous, for fear of setting the king into a rage. Barely a word passed between the king and queen, as they were both lost in their thoughts.
When they reached their bedchambers this eve, Jareth was so lost in his thoughts he did not even help Ariyona disrobe. He retreated into his dressing chamber, where he had his desk, and grabbed a pitcher of mead, still needing time alone, trying to sort through his thoughts. It didn’t even occur to him that he had not helped Ariyona out of her gown. Ariyona needed to seek out her maids to assist her. As her husband had secreted himself in his chambers, Ariyona took to bed alone, hoping the morrow would bring happier thoughts.
Once again her sleep was plagued by nightmares which she could not grip upon waking. It was dark in the chambers so night was not near end, and yet Jareth had not taken to bed yet. Ariyona knew not if he would come to bed, so she rolled over and tried to fall back to sleep, begging her babe to allow her some peace for the rest of this night. The babe complied, and Ariyona fell into a deep untroubled sleep for the remainder if the night.