Chapter 5: A Married Couple

Rav gently shook Natalie awake, she opened her eyes and looked at Rav in confusion, still feeling the effects of the champagne she closed her eyes as her head started to spin. "The minister is waiting, sweets," Rav said with a smile. Without opening her eyes Natalie said "the minister?" Chuckling Rav replied "yes the minister who is going to marry us." Opening her eyes Natalie looked at Rav "marry us?" then she giggled a little drunkenly "oh you said I would marry you if I kissed you, ummm I said I would marry you if you kissed me again, didn't I?" Grinning Rav nodded and kissed her softly "that's right, shall we go inside." Rav helped Natalie out of the carriage and held onto her as she stumbled and swayed slightly. Natalie giggled her way through the ceremony, Rav grinned and the Minister frowned, they were finally pronounced man and wife. Rav paid the minister and got Natalie back in the carriage before she fell down again, which she had done once already, making the minister give Rav a dark look. Giggling in the carriage Natalie looked at Rav "now you can kiss me again." Rav was just about to kiss her, when he saw the look on her face and all the color drain out of her face, he managed to get the window open and thrust her head out before she got terrible ill. The carriage stopped, Rav held her hair out of her face as she knelt on the side of the road, her stomach finally rebelling at all the champagne. Kim and Chat flew into Hanks room, with a smile Hank waved at them, wanting to know what they were doing there. "We wanted to come and tell you that your going to Rav's house for awhile, why don't you get dressed and gather anything you need to take along with you, that you wouldn't want to leave behind if you didn't get a chance to return." said Chad "If I don't return? you mean like if I got to stay at Rav's house forever and ever?" asked Hank. Kim grinning nodded. Hank quickly got up and pulled on a pair of pants tucking his nightshirt in, then pulled on his jacket, he grabbed a small bag and started to stuff clothes into it. Then running over to a tall chest he started to tug it away from the wall, Chad touched it and it slide smoothly out, behind the chest was a niche in the wall. Hank tossed out a leather satchel, explaining over his shoulder that those were important papers that Natalie had told him to hide after she had caught Aunt Patricia rummaging around through her things. Then he came out from behind the chest, in one hand was a very old old dagger, in the other he was dragging behind him a huge sword. Waving the dagger Hank said "this was my great great grandfathers, and the other was my grand fathers, I can almost lift it up now." Chad and Kim grinned at each other, then they got everything together and sent it off to Rav's house. Chad looking rather concerned opened his mouth but Kim told him, everything of his was safe waiting for him in his bedroom at the other house. Hank pleased at that nodded. "Now go out front, Trink should be there waiting for you, but first leave a note for your aunt Patricia, telling her that you've gone to spend the night with friends, and that you hope she and Natalie had a splendid time at the ball." They could have just sent Hank over to the house with his belongings but they wanted to any footmen who saw Hank leave the house to speak up and say so, that way it didn't look like he had just disappeared which would have had Patricia calling the authorities. Back at the ball, Trink had just pranced up to Brand and Bitsy with a giggle he said "the aunt has just arrived and looks about ready to bust her stays." Patricia spent an hour wandering through the crowd looking for Natalie, people remembered seeing her and suggested she was here or there, sending Patricia looking in every direction. Hearing what Natalie had been dressed in, Patricia spotting Kat and Collin, stomped over. "What have you done with Natalie?" Patricia hissed. Collin raised an eyebrow "I beg your pardon, madam, what did you just say." sneered Collin. Jacquilt quietly said to Trink, "I think now would be a good time to go retrieve Hank, she will be angry with the boy, when she can't find Natalie." glowering at the woman, Trink left.

"Where is your son, I demand to speak with your son, right now, get him for me!" snapped Patricia. Brand had just walked up with Carington, Rav's friend, Brand with a shocked look on his face turned to Carington, "I'm quite shocked at the people allowed to attend social functions these days, did you just hear her order a Duke around like he was some page boy." Carington keeping a straight face bowed to Collin, "please accept my apologies Your Grace, I'm sure some mistake was made with the invitations." Motioning to several passing footmen, Carington ordered them to remove Patricia immediately. They all watched Patricia being pulled from the room slapping the footmen with her fan and screeching like an old barn owl. She shrieked over her shoulder "You'll pay for this." as the footmen put her out the door. Rav picked Natalie up and held her, "your stomach feeling better now?" Natalie nodded, totally mortified that she had gotten sick in front of Rav. He got back in the carriage and settled her on a seat, then pulling out a basket from under the seat, poured some water on a napkin and washed her face. "Everyone learns the hard way about champagne, eventually, your just learning now, Natalie, no reason to be upset, close your eyes and try to sleep, we should be at the Inn shortly." "The Inn? what Inn?" asked Natalie, Rav smiled, "no reason to go all the way back to London, there is a very nice Inn not far from here we can stay the night, you need a hot cup of tea and to lay down, then you'll feel better." He tucked the blanket around her again. Calmly chatting about nothing, until she was asleep again. Arriving at the Inn, Rav carried Natalie inside, telling the Inn Keeper that his wife was feeling ill, could they be shown to their rooms as soon as possible. The Inn keepers wife soon had them upstairs and promising to bring up a tray of tea and something light to eat. Natalie had kept her face pressed against Rav's shoulder, as they got out of the carriage she had tried to get him to set her down but he just kept right on walking. Setting Natalie down on the bed Rav thanked the Inn keepers wife and told her the tray of tea would be most welcome. Telling Natalie he would be right back, Rav went to the carriage and got the small case that Kim had packed for Natalie with a change of clothes and other essential articles that it appeared females couldn't do with out. Natalie sat on the bed trying to figure out what she had gotten herself into, she felt dreadful, her stomach still rolling from time to time. Had she actually married Ravlyr, it had to be some sort of drink induced dream, she would wake up from soon. She stood up to take off her cape and swayed slightly, still feeling light headed, her hands shook slightly but she finally got her cape off. Rav came in and set the case down, he was about to help Natalie when there was a knock at the door. Rav opened the door to a maid carrying a large tray, Rav took it from the maid and thanked her, he set the tray down, then went to Natalie. "I'm just going to take those wings off, they're looking a little wilted" he said with a smile. Reaching behind her, he carefully undid the gossamer wings and set them aside, then he knelt down and put her foot on his knee and took off her shoes, he smiled soothingly at her as he got up and went back to the tea tray. Pouring them both a cup of tea, he handed her one and sat down in the chair across from the bed. He noticed that with each sip she took, her hand seemed to steady a bit. Fixing himself a bite to eat he offered he some bread with butter, telling her something in her stomach might help settle it, she shook her head, all she wanted to do was lay down and sleep, her eye's half closed. She started a little as he took the tea cup from her hand and smiled "Your half asleep sweets. your nightgown is in the case along with your other things, I'll be downstairs for a short while." Rav set the cup on the tray and left the room. Rav sat in the taproom with a drink, leaning his head back against the chair, not for the first time did he wonder if he had done the right thing, not just for himself but for Natalie as well. Rav mentally shook himself, he had done what was right for the two of them, Natalie may not accept that at first, but Rav knew he could eventually make her happy and that's what he wanted. To see her smile and laugh freely, to be as light of heart as the fairy she had been tonight. Not just Natalie, he wanted to see the wary look leave Hanks eye's, he wanted the boy to eventually find his Unicorns magic circle. Rav finally went upstairs, he quietly entered the room and smiled, Natalie was sound asleep, stripping off his clothes Rav slipped under the covers and pulled her into his arms, chuckling at her muttering about it not being time to get up yet. Natalie woke up and tried to move, confused why she couldn't move she opened her eyes and quickly shut them again, she lay there trying to decide what to do, Rav was laying half on her, his leg over her thighs and his arm over her chest, her cheeks flushed bright pink as she realized during the night her bedgown had ridden up and Rav's bare leg was across her bare thighs, she tried to move away from him to the side of the bed, but he only mumbled something and pulled her up against his body tighter, she squirmed trying to move her hip away from the hardness she felt pressing against it. Her head was pounding, her mouth felt as it were full of cotton and her stomach was queasy, she was about to just give him a strong push when he mumbled something and rolled over on top of her, suddenly the things that Aunt Patricia had told her flashed through her mind, you don't move, just lay there and the man will be done quickly and either leave or go back to sleep. Rav more asleep then awake felt the warm feminine body pressed against him, he felt the body wiggle and grinned in his sleep, he rolled on top of the lush very womanly body, pushing his knee's between her thighs and grabbed her hips, thrusting into her warmth. The first thing that registered in Rav's sleep fogged mind was the woman's cry of pain, he felt a rigid body underneath him and groaned as he opened his eyes. Natalie had her eyes shut tight, her hands balled into fists in the sheets, she kept telling herself not to cry, but tears slipped from the corner of her eyes.

Rav put his forehead on hers for a moment, then taking her face in his hands "Natalie, I'm sorry, I didn't mean for your first time to be like this, let me make it better." Natalie opened her eyes and in an ice cold voice said "are you done yet? if so I would like to get up and wash." Rav usually a very perceptive man, totally missed the look of embarrassment on Natalie's face, the confusion in her eyes, all he heard was the coldness of her voice and felt the rigidness of her body, with a sigh he rolled off her, he flinched as he heard her gasp of pain. He watched her scoot off the bed, not looking at him, trying to pull down her nightgown. Natalie keeping her back to him, quickly washed up, not caring that the water was ice cold, opening the case, she snatched out her clothes, the same violet outfit that Bitsy had dressed her in that day at Rav's house. Rav got up and walked over to the basin and washed, Natalie snapped at him "can't you at least cover yourself!" "No, Madam, I don't wish to." he snapped back. He walked over and poured himself a cold cup tea and grimaced as he drank it. He slowly got dressed, telling himself to keep control of his temper. The two not speaking sat eating breakfast, Rav sighed with pleasure to get a cup of coffee, to his surprise Natalie didn't refuse a cup and actually seemed to be enjoy her first taste of coffee. She mostly picked at her breakfast, not surprising Rav thought considering the amount of champagne she had consumed the night before. He quietly requested a luncheon be packed for them, then finished his breakfast. Telling Natalie he needed to make sure the carriage was ready, Rav went outside, he took several deep breaths of the fresh crisp morning air. He was half way to the stable when he got a message from his father telling him that Patricia had been taken care of, all papers signed and that Hank was at the Keep. Rav smiled for the first time that morning, he didn't have to return to London, he could take Natalie straight to the country and his families Keep. He gave the driver new instructions and returned to the Inn. Collin sat thoughtfully in his study, the morning had gone well, he had walked into Patricia's shabby parlor, tossed some papers on her desk, informing her, that her niece Natalie and his son were now married that any hold she over her niece and nephew were now at an end. He informed her that her debts had been paid and the remaining months rent paid on the house she was staying in. Reading over the papers Patricia had at first refused to sign them, Collin sneered at her "I'm sure you wouldn't want to come up against me in a court of law, Lady Patricia, you wouldn't stand a chance and I would revoke any and all payments of your debts, should you even consider refusing to sign." Patricia signed the papers then threw them at Collin telling him to get out of her house. Collin grinned, Patricia had been so agitated she had even signed the papers giving guardianship of Hank over to Rav, something she didn't have to do, since she was his oldest living relative. Collins attorney would be visiting Patricia later in the week to remind her of what she had signed and reinforcing Collins comments. What bothered Collin was the frustration and anger he had felt in Rav, things were not going well for his son. By the third day of the trip, Rav was grinding his teeth in frustration, all his attempts to talk with Natalie had been met with cool clipped conversation, at night she lay in bed stiff as a board, Rav laying next to her afraid to touch her for fear of making matters worse, he kept telling himself that things would be better once they go to the Keep. Had he known what Natalie was thinking he would have been laughing, and once again teasing her with little kisses and touches. Natalie kept her gaze out the carriage window, he was taking her to his parents home out in the country, he would probably toss her out the carriage door as soon as they got there and go back to London and return to his mistress, all men had them. Just the thought made her more depressed and she felt like crying, he hadn't even tried to lay on top of her again, not that she wanted him to, but wasn't that what husbands were supposed to do? she muttered to herself, why he had even promised to kiss her and he hadn't done that either. At the first sound of thunder, Rav looked out the window grinning, "sounds like we are in for a storm, let me check with the driver about how far we are from the next posting house." then he opened the door and swung up onto the seat next to the driver. Rav and Tom had known each other all Rav's life, it had been Tom who had taught Rav how to drive a carriage, the two would race across the country roads having a grand time. With a frown Tom looked at Rav, we're a good two hours from the next Inn, and from the looks of the skies its gunna be a wild one, you might want to warn your lady to hold on for a rough ride. Nodding Rav told Tom if he needed help just to let out a yell then swung back down into the carriage. Telling Natalie to hold on that the ride might get rough, that the next Inn was a good two hours away, he grinned and pulling down the window looked out again, the wind had picked up and the thunder and lightning more frequent, then the rain hit. He realized Natalie was pulling at his coat, he turned and looked at her, surprised to see how pale and shaken she looked, "please Rav, shut the window and hold on to the straps, its dangerous out there." she pleaded. In a calm soothing voice, thinking the thunder and lightning was upsetting her, "its just a storm, we will just go slowly and not push the horses, everything will be fine. Natalie no need to be concerned." As the rain came down harder Natalie became more frantic, clutching the strap with a death grip, her knuckles white and her face pale, her violet eyes wide and frightened. As the carriage slipped sideways a slight bit in the mud of the road, she suddenly let out a cry and lunged for the door. Rav grabbed her pulling her onto his lap holding her tight as she fought him. "We have to get out before the coach goes over, let go of me, don't you understand we have to get out." she screamed at Rav. Natalie he yelled shaking her, what's wrong, what are you so frightened of, its just a storm.