by AJ Adams
“Thanks to Wynne,” Rune said quietly.
At that, they were staring at me.
“You knew about the muskets, and it was your word that we didn’t have them, or understand their value, that they accepted,” Brant said.
“Why?” Siv asked, perplexed.
“I decided I’m staying,” I told them. “But there are conditions.”
“What conditions?” Siv asked suspiciously.
“First, I teach you to farm, and the girls will share what they know, too.” I was thinking of the Guilds. “Anyone can learn what they like.”
They all nodded. This was core communal Beast philosophy.
“But,” I said, “we all have a vote in Conclave.”
I was expecting trouble, but Rune nodded. “In Thule, women get a half vote.”
“And here we get a full one.”
“Half is tradition.”
“New place, new rules.”
Brant frowned. “The Citizens don’t understand survival.”
“Siv isn’t the brightest Beast either, but he votes.”
“Hey!” Siv was rearing up. “Who are you calling Beasts? We are the Skraeling of Thule!”
“Sorry, what I meant was, you’re not the brightest Skraeling.”
Rune was laughing. “I’ll vote yes. What else?”
I looked at the girls, some huddled together and crying and others bravely purposeful, following Mina, Tawny and Lizbeth who were sorting the goods in the sheds. “We’re in this together, so there’s no owning. If someone is unhappy, they leave.”
There was a dead silence.
“Wynne,” Rune’s voice was low. “That can’t be debated. You know that.”
“You need little Beasts.” Siv bristled. “Okay, little Skraeling. But you want happy mothers and partners.” I was on solid ground here. “You can’t build a home, learn about a new world, and fight any enemy who happens to come along if you’re afraid you’ll be murdered in your sleep.”
“They’re not like you,” Siv countered. “I’m not worried.”
Brant, though, was frowning. “She’s got a point.”
I went for practical. “Look, it’s almost winter. The girls have had a shock. They know they’ve been abandoned. You’ve got a few months to earn their forgiveness. Tell them they can leave in the spring if they’re unhappy.”
“They can’t go back,” Brant murmured. “The Citizens don’t want them. They didn’t even try to negotiate for them!”
“And that’s the key,” Rune said briskly. “If the wergelt isn’t paid, there’s precedence. This we can discuss in Conclave.”
“Right. With no wergelt, work can be traded for ransom,” Siv said.
Typical, right? They totally missed the point! They weren’t even thinking of what it’s like to be fucked by a man you don’t like! “Talk it over, but in the meantime, unhappy girls can choose. You build a cabin for those who want to live without men.”
“Good idea,” Rune said.
“No!” Siv snapped. With surprise I realised he was worried that Lizbeth would leave him. Siv had a heart. It surprised me.
“Tawny likes me,” Brant was smug.
“I don’t see why you’re pushing this,” Siv said to me. “The Citizens hate you! They punished you for something you didn’t do, and they don’t even care!”
“What do you mean?” Mina, Tawny and Lizbeth were at my shoulder.
“We came to ask where you wanted the sail,” Mina said. “What do you mean? What didn’t Wynne do?”
“They whipped her for no reason,” Brant was still angry. “Because the Steward was too busy to confirm her defence.”
“Wynne was telling the truth?” Tawny was shaking. “The Steward confirmed it?”
“Yes, and the Patriarch said he didn’t give a toss, and my cousin can keep my land,” I told her.
“But that’s—” Tawny was lost for words.
“Because they don’t respect us,” Lizbeth said bitterly. “They won’t even ask for us back, either.”
“Wynne’s demanding we give you your freedom and a voice in Conclave,” Rune explained.
Mina wasn’t getting it. “But Wynne, why help us?”
“Like it or not, we’re in this together.”
“I should’ve listened,” Mina admitted guiltily.
“Well, who would’ve guessed Wynne was looking out for us?” Tawny said bitterly.
See? It was still my fault!
“Now wait a minute!” Brant told Tawny. “It was Wynne who found you in the forest.”
“I thought you did!”
“No, I didn’t even know you were missing. Wynne risked her life to find you.”
I must say, it was glorious. Mina, Lizbeth and Tawny stood there, so hangdog that they couldn’t look me in the eye.
“Seeing I’m brave and wonderful, I say we discuss everything in Conclave,” I punched home. “With equal voices.”
“I agree,” Rune backed me up.
“What? But wait a minute! All the Citizens will all choose to give themselves a full vote!” Siv cried. “They only need one or two of us to agree to win!”
“That’s how Conclave works, isn’t it?” I snapped back.
“She’s got you there,” Brant laughed.
“But they won’t understand what’s needed!”
“Are you saying we’re stupid?” Tawny said angrily.
“No,” Siv said.
“Yes.” Brant stirred.
A second later, they were arguing furiously.
“We are just as clever as you! Might isn’t right!”
“Look, you can’t do a man’s work.”
“And you can’t give birth! So who’s better now?”
Rune’s hand folded around mine. “Come on,” he whispered.
We snuck away, making for our cabin. Behind us, the Beasts and the Citizens were scrapping in earnest.
“We should observe the old customs!”
“Like who goes ice-fishing? In a home where the sea doesn’t freeze?”
Rune closed the door behind us and leaned against it. He towered over me: blue eyes sparkling, grinning, the snakes dancing. “You know this will take weeks to sort out? Months maybe?”
“So what? We’re not short on time.”
He wrapped himself around me. “You know,” he murmured, “we’ve got a big feather bed.”
I snuggled into the hard chest, that throbbing starting up. “I know.”
“We’ve got shackles, too.”
The breath was catching in my throat, and I was soaking wet. “And?”
He was nuzzling my neck. “Mine,” he growled.
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Have you read all the AJ Adams novels?
The Bonus, Zeta Cartel series #1
Songbird, Zeta Cartel series #2
Dirty Dealings, Zeta Cartel series #3
Deliverance
The Degas Girl
Helpless, Belial Disciples MC series #1
Beast, Prydain series #1
The Beast and the Sibyl, Prydain series #2
Fletcher, Prydain series #3
I used to write as Storm Chase.
Wildcat in Moscow
Murder in Moscow
Blackmail Bride: An Erotic Romance in Scotland
Pandora
Lost Weekend: An Erotic Romance in Wales
The Gift: An Erotic Romance in Kiev
The Mule: An Erotic Romance in Colombia
Chocolate: An Erotic Romance in Siberia
Sold! An Erot
ic Romance in the Sudan
I also write sweet contemporary romance as Ellen Whyte.
His Competent Woman - A BWW-Billionaire Romance
His Laughing Girl - A BWW-Billionaire Romance
That’s it! Thanks again for reading this - and tell a friend, okay? See you soon, hugs, AJ
ENDS