It hurt Noel to see Lorelei flinch but this did not show on his face. He could not weaken now. He could not falter and give way to desire rather than finding the truth but it was so damn hard not to believe the woman that he loved. He frowned and reached out to touch her face, believing every word that came from her mouth even if it were not true.

“I do believe you.” As he spoke the rain poured harder outside and seemed to bring a chill in the air, even through the guarded hut. Men in love were stupid, and Noel was as stupid as they came. He touched her face and leaned down to kiss the top of her head and close his eyes as he thought. “I do not know how to prove your innocence.” It ate at him and carved into his stomach, clawing and scratching all the way through. How could he save her? What could he do? For a moment he stood in the hut, breathing quickly as he thought until it finally came to him. He must confront D’leh. The strong leader leaned down to kiss his wife, “I will make this right.” He would be damned if he didn’t.

With that Noel left her alone in the hut with her wolf and rode his horse off into the storm to confront the man that laid claim to the rumor. He would not return until it was nearly morning, and when he returned he was covered in blood.

When he said he believed her she sighed in relief and closed her eyes for a moment, feeling her heart skip a beat for a moment she didn’t know if he would believe her. And then he spoke it, the problem they faced, that there was nothing to prove her innocence. If a man said something in Riven against a woman, the man’s side was always taken, the woman never had a say. “Don’t I…don’t I face the council?” She asked fearfully. All decisions were made by the council, it was the way of Riven, but she was afraid to face them all for she feared her innocence would never be proved before them but the people would be angry if she didn’t and perhaps that would cause more problems.

When he kissed her she frowned, seeing the determination in his eyes “Noel” She said, shaking her head and followed him to the door “Noel, do not do anything brash! The people look to you to do what is right!” She didn’t want the villagers to know he made exceptions for her, she didn’t want him to be perceived as unfair. But her husband still left and she was forced to stand at the doorway staring out into the rain as he rode off. Oh she hoped he would control himself…but he had been so angry. She lay in bed for hours waiting for him to come back, even when the storm passed he did not return and she worried more and more. When she finally heard his horse she got up from bed and ran outside to see him first, staring in shock to see the blood on him and she gasped “Noel…what did you do?”

As a leader Noel was fair and just, but as a man he would do anything for his wife. He would do anything to protect the name of his family, and to him that was what a husband should do. As he rode off into the night the rain managed to calm him down, but by the time he reached D’leh he was still filled with rage.

It was not hard to convince D’leh to tell the truth. The man was charged with treason after losing a finger for daring to lie about the innocence of his wife (not to mention a few deep, slow cuts to make the pig squeal). After that it had wound up between a fight with Bhelen and Noel and his warriors, only to have Bhelen brought in for questioning as well. Yet all the torment and agony of the evening had left Noel exhausted, and he let the men stew in their fate for a few more hours as he went home to rest and relieve his wife of her worry.

The rain had washed most of the blood away though some remained on his clothes as he walked towards his home. “I proved your innocence.” It was as simple as that. No beautiful woman should have to hear the horror stories of war tactics. He brushed her face gently and ushered her inside. ‘It’s late. You should rest.”

As he tried to usher her inside she shook her head and stopped him, putting a hand on his chest to not force her inside and put her to bed like a baby “Proved it to who? Yourself or the council?” She asked, searching his face and knew the blood meant something terrible had happened and someone or several someone’s had been tortured “I want to know what happened. I should be going to face the council, that is the way of the Rivenese, is it not?” She sighed and glanced down, shaking her head for a moment before returning to look at him “Noel, I do not want the village thinking I receive special treatment. You may have frightened the council in deeming me innocent but that does not mean they truly believe it. And what of Bhelen?” Had Bhelen merely been misled? Did he lie? And if he did make it up, then why?

The combination of lack of sleep and food along with too much stress suddenly made the color from her face wash out and she grew light headed. She took in a breath to try and steady herself but she found herself closing her eyes and looking down, trying to ease the wave of nausea and light headiness that suddenly washed over her like an angry wave.

Noel was never a man to speak of battle just after it happened. He was not the sort of man who would explain things in detail, and gore was top of the list he would rather not speak of. He stayed stone cold as Lorelei tried to stop him and get him to speak. “I told you I believed you.” He stepped inside without further hesitation and began to undo his belt and swords so that he might sleep. “You will not go in front of the council. Bhelen lied.”

The man who raised him had lied to him. He had set him up to fall and it left a dark, looming cloud over Noel. It made him feel sick and betrayed, and it seemed like no traitor had ever been as before. People were supposed to support their leader, not knock him down. This was not some Age where the kings and queens were held on their thrones by backstabbers. This was Riven, where the law was law and people trusted who they voted onto the head of the council. “He made the story up. D'leh was threatened by him, and only agreed because Bhelen threatened his family.” It obviously troubled him, the way his brows knitted and the way he kept himself distant from her was a red flag to the woman who knew him best.

She let him pass her to go inside, staying outside for a few moments as she tried to get past the dizziness and sour stomach. She was certain what the healer had predicted was true, but the news she wanted to be happy and her husband did not seem in the mood to receive any happiness at the moment. She had knew Riven was pegged as a savage place, and perhaps it was true, though not the way people thought it was. It wasn’t always savage in people constantly killing one another and behaving as primitive beasts, but savagery far more subtle that seemed to have a far bigger impact. People thought Uru had its constant politic strife’s, but it appeared Riven was right behind them. People wanted control and power no matter what Age and perhaps J’nanin someday would be the same.

After the light headed feeling calmed after a few moments she followed him inside, watching him with a frown. Bhelen made it up? “Why would he do that?” She asked, confused. Bhelen had raised Noel and loved him, didn’t he? Why would he try to ruin things between her and Noel when he should want them to be happy? “What will happen to them?” If something hadn’t already happened to them. She carefully walked closer to him and touched his arm, stroking her fingers over his skin before slipping her arms around him to give him some sort of comfort “I am so sorry, Noel” She whispered, leaning her forehead against his chest before looking up at him “Speak to me. You do not need to tell me what happened just…whatever you wish to speak about. You do not need to hide it all from me”

Noel did not see himself as a savage man. He had heard that others thought Riven was a savage place, but it was all he had ever known. He was raised the way he was and he could only consider himself as normal. What else did he have it to compare to? Politics and battling to be leader was not his favorite thing to deal with. Backstabbers were quickly dealt with and swept under the rug for the rest of Riven to move passed.

“I do not know.” He didn’t know why Bhelen would do such a thing. He had some idea, and the man had tried to explain himself, but Noel was still left baffled. He continued unbuckling his belt and slid off his shoes, ready to clean himself off and forget the night but Lorelei would not let it go. He glanced to her as she touched his side and pressed her head to his chest. The man’s entire body was tense and he breathed somewhat quickly. Why did she want him to speak? He stared down at her, then touched her hair idly. “There is noting to speak of. I want to clean off and rest.” As he spoke the words he leaned down to press his nose into her hair, then pulled away from her and began to head outside to the tub that had filled with water.

She knew he had to be feeling a lot and had much on his mind, she didn’t want him to bottle it up and stew in it she just wanted him to speak to her and get it all out. It was a part of being a wife, to listen to him and be there for him but he was so closed off and she worried if she pushed too much he’d snap with how tense he was. In J’nanin people spoke to one another about every single thought on their mind, it was odd for her to have him so against expressing what he felt over such a devastating matter. But she understood he was angry, she felt angry as well and she suddenly had this consuming and burning feeling to confront Bhelen. She didn’t know what, but she wanted to look the man in the eye and know why he had done what he did. But right now she needed to tend to Noel.

Fine, if he did not want to speak then she wouldn’t, but she still wanted to be there for him even if silently. She grabbed a blanket to dry him with and a cloth to bath him then followed him outside. She waited for him to enter the tub before kneeling beside it and dipped the cloth into the water before gently wiping it against his skin “Do you wish to eat anything before you rest?” She asked. Once he was asleep she’d confront Bhelen. He could have gotten her killed and the life inside her killed as well and she was sure the anger in her would not go away until she did face him.

It wasn’t like Riven men to share much, but they did speak to their wives. Wives were the underlying secret holders of any society, but Noel was different. He would normally tell Lorelei things but not this time. This time it had been about her, and he didn’t want her any more involved than she already had to be.

Once outside he dropped his pants, literally leaving them in the soaked grass behind him. Nothing bothered him now, or everything did… he wasn’t sure. All he knew was that Bhelen and D’leh were bloody and locked up awaiting trial and nothing more could come to harm Lorelei. Nothing would ever harm her if he had his way. He dipped his feet into the cold water and his skin bristled in goosebumps though he did not shiver. As Lorelei began to wash him he sat still, staring ahead until she spoke to him. “No.” That was entirely unlike him. Noel Louvel was a lion. He needed more food to fuel him than most of the men in Riven. After that he watched her as she bathed him, studying her face and not long after he finally broke. “He feared you had too much power over me. He feared a Nanite ruling over Riven.” The hand that holds the cock holds the world was a true statement, not that most men would have admitted that. “You do have much power.”

Her husband didn’t want food? That was like a fish refusing to be in water, it just didn’t happen. She gave him a worried look, one that insisted he eat something, but since he did not seem in the mood to talk or hear anyone speak she remained with keeping quiet and merely bathing him. He just needed rest, she hoped some sleep would help calm his nerves even a little but she knew that would only be temporary for he would have to face Bhelen again. She just could not believe the treachery, how Bhelen could backstab Noel like this. Would her family ever do something like that? She liked to say never, but she was sure Noel thought the same as well.

When he actually spoke more than one word she paused and looked to his face, frowning to hear what he said. Bhelen was threatened by her? What could she possibly do? But Fenris had said something similar, that he thought she’d bring too much change and be too much influence on Noel. But Noel was a great leader, he was strong both mentally and physically, surely a woman like herself could do nothing. Women had no influence in Riven, men saw them below them and held no power, so why were seemingly so many men threatened by her presence? His last statement worried her, as if he disapproved of this so called power she had and she leaned back “I would never try to control you Noel. You are leader of Riven. I am merely your wife. I know I am nothing more and I would never over step”

It eased Noel that Lorelei merely sat and listened to him vent. To him the few words that he chose was venting, and he wasn’t saying it angrily though his tone was low as always. When she leaned back and seemed concerned he looked to her, still stoic faced, and reached to touch her face. “You are not merely a wife.” His thumb ran across her cheek. “You are ... my love.” Noel was terrible at expressing feelings, and that was as close to an ‘I love you’ as Lorelei was going to get. After touching her face for a moment he took the dry cloth and stepped out of the tub and began to dry himself.

“Let us rest. The day was too long.” He wrapped the towel around his waist and gestured for her to follow him inside. “The sun will rise well tomorrow.” It sure as hell better rise well tomorrow after the day he had. If not tomorrow than maybe the next day. After he went inside he tossed the towel over a chair and went to bed, making no time for wine or a snack, or any sweet talk before bed. He just wanted rest.

When he said she was his love she stared, feeling her heart stop before pounding quickly. His love? Did that mean he loved her? She told herself to not be a silly girl and jump to conclusions but something in her said Noel would never use that term unless he did love her. She couldn’t believe it…big, dangerous Noel was in love with her, like a lion loving a deer. But it made her smile and she turned to kiss the palm of his hand happily. Did she love him? She hadn’t thought about it honestly. She had come to care for him and found herself not even being able to sleep at night without him. Perhaps she did love him, the one big scary brute was now the man she loved.

When he got out of the tub she rose, giving him a gentle smile “I will be in shortly. I am going to drain the water from the tub” She said, touching his arm “Go sleep” And she did drain the water, but only to give her enough time for Noel to hopefully fall asleep before quietly leaving the hut. The J’nanin woman was rearing its ugly head or perhaps it was hormones, was no matter what it was she was not going to take this like she had with Fenris. She wanted to deal with this in if only slightly. She knew where prisoners were kept, a hut at the edge of the village and headed there. She spotted Shale guarding the entrance and he looked surprised to see her “Lady Lorelei” He greeted her and she came to stop before him “I want to see Bhelen” She said but he frowned “Where is Noel?” But she shook her head “I am alone. I wish to face to face him”. Shale shook his head again “No, lady, I cannot-“ “Let me see him!” She commanded and it took Shale by surprise, enough to step aside to let her go in.

She stepped inside, both Bhelen and D’leh bloodied and tied to poles in the room. Bhelen looked over and stared to see her there “Lady” He breathed as she came to stand before him, seeing the anger in her eyes “Why? Why would you do such a thing to Noel? You raised him, just to betray him?” Her words were venom and Bhelen looked startled to see such fury from the delicate girl “I am sorry, lady, I am sorry. I…I believed you had too much influence. I believed it was wrong for Riven. I am sorry” He said with desperation in his voice and she glared “Sorry? You tried to get me killed!” She snapped and he shook his head weakly “No! No Lady. I was going to insist to Noel you merely be banished-“ “And what if the council disagreed? You would have sentenced to death two lives”. Bhelen looked down to her stomach then her face, pain in his eyes.

“Change is not wrong. The Ages need change. Not everything can stay the same. If I bring that change to Riven then good. I will embrace it and so will Noel and anyone who stands in the way…this will happen” Her voice was cold and Bhelen frowned at her “Please, lady…please. I meant you no true harm. Convince Noel to not kill me. He will listen to you”. She glared harder “Now you wish my influence?! When before it was such a threat?!” “Please, lady, please! You have a pure heart. Please”. She stared at him a while then took in a breath and glanced away to D’leh “I will beseech Noel to release you” She said and Bhelen looked relieve “Thank you, lady! Thank you!” But she looked at him sharply “Not you. D’leh. I know what it is like to have your family threatened and you will do anything for them. For that, I will speak to Noel to convince the council to spare your life” She looked to D’leh and he began to weep from joy “Thank you, Lady Lorelei. Gehn bless you”

She turned back to Bhelen “You…you I cannot spare. What you did to Noel he will never forgive. And neither will I. Not for the crimes against me but against my husband. I have tried so hard to be kind. To show my loyalty to Noel and my gentleness to the people here to show them I mean no harm. I keep trying to make this home, to convince people I am gentle as you say and people keep trying to ruin it…and I realize not that is simply not the Riven way, to be gentle. I am the wife of the Leader and soon to be the mother of his child. He is strong…and I must be as well.” She then turned away from him to leave and Bhelen panicked “Lady Lorelei! Please!” He fought against his restraints “Lady Lorelei! LADY LORELEI! LADY LORELEI!” He screamed but she ignored him and stepped outside. A tear went down her cheek but she quickly wiped it away as Shale looked at her with an impressed look “You behaved like a true Rivenese” He complimented and she glanced to him “I am Rivenese” She said before walking away to return home to her husband. Where she belonged.