Free Falcorans' Faith by Laura Jo Phillips Page B

done to her.  She was in a deep sleep from which she could not awaken until he released her.  If they looked beneath her clothes, she would never know.  What harm would it do? 
    When he realized what he was thinking, what he was actually considering doing, it brought him up short.  What was wrong with him?  When had he become so callous?  Was he now so thoughtless, so selfish, that he thought nothing of violating this woman for the sake of his own curiosity?  He was thoroughly disgusted with himself.   
    “We should put her back into bed,” Jon said.  “We can let her sleep this way for the remainder of the night, then awaken her in the morning.  She need not know we were here, that we saw her this way.”
    Tristan nodded and turned back toward the bed.  Jonathan and Gray straightened the twisted sheets and he laid her down, surprised to find that he was reluctant to release her.  Gray covered her with the sheet and for a moment they stood watching her sleep.  Then they turned and left the room, closing the door gently behind them.
    They made their way back to the auxiliary control room, all of their senses trained on Faith in case she had another nightmare, even though they knew it wasn’t possible.  Tristan raised his hands to his face and inhaled the scent of warm orange blossoms, causing his body to tighten to the point of pain.  He lowered his hands slowly, amazed that the scent was not the result of perfume, shampoo, soap, or anything else artificial.  It was Faith’s natural scent.
    “What are we going to do?” Tristan asked, forcing himself to keep his hands at his sides. 
    “Do?” Gray replied.  “As you’ve already made clear, we will not claim her.  Therefore, we have no right or responsibility to do anything other than the task appointed to us by our Princes.”
    “Whether we claim her or not, we cannot ignore the fact that she lives in fear,” Tristan argued.  “I will not soon forget the sounds of her screams.”
    “Do you still wish to deny her as our Arima?” Jonathan asked.
    “Don’t you?” Tristan shot back.  “Are you ready to forget what was done to us?”
    “I am past ready to forget,” Jonathan replied.  “The memories that have consumed me these past two years are now gone as though they’d never existed.  Faith has cleared my mind, showing me what really matters.”
    “And what is that?” Gray asked.  “What is it that really matters?”
    “Faith,” Jonathan said simply.  “If you do not wish to claim her, then so be it.  I will not let her go so easily.”
    “You would attempt to claim a woman on your own?” Tristan asked.
    “We both know such a thing is impossible,” Jonathan replied.  “But I will not turn my back on her.  If she will allow it, I will remain at her side no matter what rules, laws, or customs I have to break.”
    Without thinking, Tristan reached out with his senses for Faith, checking to be sure she was still free of nightmares.  He remembered the feel of her in his arms, the fear that had consumed him when he’d heard her screams.  And conceded that his brother was right.  It was past time to let go.  “I suppose we should begin again.  I am willing to try to become friends with her.  Do you have any suggestions?”
     “We must repair the damage we have already caused to her opinion of us,” Jon said, hiding both his shock, and the sudden hope that rose in him at Tristan’s unexpected change of heart.  “And, we must offer trust before we can receive it.”
    “If that doesn’t work?” Tristan asked.  “What then?”
    “Then we will keep trying,” Jon said.  “She is the woman meant for us, and I will never give up on her.”

 
     
    Chapter Seven
     
    Darck Winicke slid out of bed, careful not to awaken Thelba.  He stood for a moment, watching her sleep, nearly overcome by the upwelling of emotion he felt.  Never in his life had he expected to be so happy, so fulfilled.  A woman to love who