Belly of the Beast by Warren Thomas (story books for 5 year olds txt) 📕

            Then a different crashing sound from the near distance came to him, with a different urgency. He had arrived. Huge and hideous, though Tane couldn’t see Him. Not yet. And he didn’t want to, but knew he couldn’t stop it. That terrible God of evil was coming for Tane. Coming to stop him, for once and all time.

            He was coming to damn Tane’s soul forever.

            Tane sat up, and smacked his head.

            “Damn me for a fool,” he whispered, seeing that it was still dark and quiet. Rubbing his sore head, he vowed to take an upper bunk at the first opportunity.

            Stumbling out of bed, his face hit something soft and warm. Squinting in the dark, he realized it was Raven’s arm hanging over the side. She was sleeping on her stomach with her face at the edge of the bunk. Everard lay atop her, face snuggled deep within her thick black mane, one leg and arm thrown across her possessively. To see him with her sickened Tane, for no good reason he could fathom.

            Tane studied her face a moment, marveling at how innocent and beautiful it was. Never had he ever even dreamed of a woman so beautiful, so desirable. Until she had arrived, he hadn’t realized a woman could be so beautiful, or so deadly. Of course, Quinn swore Raven wasn’t any deadlier than anyone else, that it was just the combination of incredible beauty coupled with her viciously intense fighting style that made her seem so lethal.

            Tane wasn’t sure. He wasn’t a warrior, and never really wanted to be one. He just knew he was glad Raven was on his side, in his squad. Though a lot of good that did him, for he was common-born smith and Raven was warrior-born.

            He grinned suddenly in the dark, thinking, It would probably kill Ma if I took her hand in marriage anyway, what with Ma’s fear of wild Tyrians.

            His eyes dropped to her hanging hand when it suddenly clenched, as if holding a sword, then relaxed. Her hands, which he hadn’t noticed before, looked just as beautiful as her face, despite the blisters of hard training. Beautiful hands, with long delicate fingers. Not hard warrior's hands, or even harder peasant hands, but the soft white hands of a lady. Yet, she had killed before. Of that he was certain, and she made no attempt to hide the fact. Indeed, she seemed quite proud of it. But there was a compelling softness in her, too.

            Or is it just the fantasy in my head, he wondered. Is it just what I want her to be?

            Suddenly scared, Tane glanced quickly at her face, then at Everard. They were sound asleep. His heart started hammering at what he desired to do, planned to do. But why? He wasn’t going to molest her? Just touch her hand, to see if it truly was a soft as it looked. No harm. Nothing sinister.

            Holding his breath, Tane reached out and tenderly stroked the back of her hand with the back of his index finger. It was silky soft and warm. He stroked it again, just as tenderly as before. Then after a last look to ensure she was still asleep, he bent and gently kissed it.

            Pulling back, he glanced up to find her one visible eye open and staring at him. No emotion owned her face, but Tane found himself dumbstruck and frozen in place. Then her eye snapped closed. He waited another dozen hammering heartbeats, but she remained asleep.

            Face burning and heart thundering in his ears, Tane stumbled to the chamber pots and squatted over one, wallowing in his humiliation. What a story she would tell come morning! Everyone would be laughing at him for the next week. The next month!

Chapter 17

            Morning came too soon for Tane. He was instantly alert, but frozen in bed. What would Raven say? Would she start into him right away? Or would she wait? And what would she throw at him? Scorn? Contempt? Outrage?

            Or would she just laugh?

            Her Tyrian lover dropped to the floor and staggered away, followed down by Raven. She made straight for the chamber pots without even glancing Tane’s way. Tane began to think that she hadn’t seen anything. Maybe her eye had just opened. Stranger things have happened. When he was a young boy he had walked and talked in his sleep, or so his parents said. They claimed he could even hold a simple conversation while sleepwalking.

            Encouraged by those thoughts, Tane mustered the courage to roll out of bed and get dressed. By the time he started making his bunk, Raven returned and stood by watching him. He could barely breathe with her so close, and so brazenly naked. Gods, he wished with all his heart she would get dressed and spare him such torment.

            She cocked her head as she studied him, and then glanced down at her hands. A smile tugged at her lips. Tane fought to keep his hands from shaking. Then, with a mischievous smile, she reached out and softly stroked Tane’s face.

            Tane thought he would die.

            “I’ll help you make your bunk every morning, if you’ll help me make mine.”

            The offer startled Tane, so all he could do was stammer agreement. She nodded and moved in to help him. They quickly finished his bunk, and did hers. Then fearing further conversation, and where that might lead, Tane hurried over to start cleaning up. The other men were all shaving. They professed envy of him, though Tane felt his lack of a beard just another reminder that he was the youngest and most unworthy.

            Raven was a woman, with no use for a mere boy. Even though she appeared about the same age as himself, Tane knew a vast gulf separated them in terms of experience.

            “Why so glum?” Quinn asked, pausing with two reeking chamber