by Jane Atchley
They swept past the spot along the wall Red Fist had commandeered as its own and overheard the captain grumbling. "Bird, dance with your lady. Duncan, why are you standing around like a dunce? Dance with some of these beautiful elves. They are swooning for you, my man. Why can’t you see this?"
"Well, my lady." Rian laughed again. "This is a celebration. We can’t have violence breaking out, can we?" A little skillful maneuvering left the couple in front of Kree when the music ended. Placing Kayseri’s hand in Kree’s, Rian bowed and turned to find another partner.
The next set began. Kree took Kayseri in his arms and moved her through the steps.
"I was beginning to think you weren’t going to dance with me," Kayseri teased.
"I was beginning to suspect a conspiracy to keep me from it," Kree growled.
Kayseri stifled a giggle. "What kind of conspiracy would it be?"
He made a weighing motion with his head while his gaze drifted to the right. "Nhurstari, without a doubt. I know I’m not the first to say this, but you make that gown look amazing. You have grown up into a beautiful woman, Katie. No. Tonight, you look very much like a Kayseri."
Grown up, she might swoon. "And you, with your blessing-braids and shiny boots look every inch the Captain Fawr I used to know."
"You may call me, Kree."
His aura churned molten silver. "Thank you. I believe I will."
Kree seemed to have run out of conversation. His face wore such an expression of woe Kayseri hardly knew what to make of it.
"I didn't mean for this to happen," Kree said.
With a toss of her hair and a coquettish glance from under thick lashes, Kayseri pulled a little pout. "Here I thought you were foaming at the mouth to dance with me."
He smiled again, his charming crooked smile, there and gone. She cast about for something else to say. "I didn’t know you played the piano."
He looked at her as if she were speaking a foreign language. He blinked. "Also violin and flute. Music disciplines the mind. It makes for clever fingers. Both are useful to a soldier."
"Oh." She had hoped for a different story or at least a longer one. They glided across the floor, floating together on the music. She tried again. "And you dance and sing. You are a perfect marvel, Kree."
He shook his head. "I never sing. Except in three circumstances; too much drink, my Matriarch commands it, or I've lost a challenge at the bonfire." His gaze came to hers, and he gave her that intense puzzled look she had seen once or twice before. "Do you want me to sing for you, Kayseri? Because I will make it a fourth circumstance."
The music was too loud, but the pounding of her heart was louder. It was difficult to hear Kree’s velvety soft voice. Then he stopped on the dance floor, brought her hand in against his chest.
As if he had read her mind, Kree said, "I can’t talk to you here. Come outside with me. Come away from this noise, Katie. Just for a minute."
She let him lead her through the crowd. After the heat and press of bodies inside the air was cool on the veranda. She shivered, but Kree did not notice. He started pacing almost at once.
"I didn't mean for this to happen."
Kayseri forced herself to sound calm when she wanted to scream. "You said that before. What is it you didn't mean to happen?"
He came back to her, took her hands and quickly let them go. "All my life..." And he was off again, pacing. She pictured a large caged animal.
"I am a soldier." His expression was enough to wilt flowers. "That is all I ever wanted out of life, and I’m a damn good soldier. You’d think I’d be happy, but all my life dissatisfaction sat on my heart like stone. You stepped off that coach, Katie, and with one chaste little kiss, rolled the stone away. Just like that." He snapped his fingers. "Lathan Bruin’s daughter, who'd believe it?"
He did not sound very happy about it. Kayseri’s stomach clinched. She had hoped for the confession of love Rian promised her she could expect. Kree was giving her grief so raw she could not bear it.
He stared through the double doors at the colorful swirl of dancers and said nothing more for what seemed an age. When he did speak, his voice was so soft Kayseri had to lean forward to hear him. "I’ve spent the years since Molly’s death learning to do without emotional attachments. I thought I could do without you, too, and I could have as long as I pictured you in a place like this, among people like these, whose beauty never fades. But when I heard that elf say you’d sold yourself into a lifetime of horror— and that you’d done it for me. Namar's tears, how you humbled me." He sat on the stone balustrade holding his head with both his hands. Kayseri could not bear to cause him so much grief. Better, she had never come home at all. She put her hands on his shoulders wanting to comfort him.
"The idea of that fellow touching you was worse than death to me, Katie. Why did you do it?" His hands moved up her arms. He looked up. "I’m not worth it."
The answer was so simple, Kayseri responded without a second thought. "You would have done it for me."
Kree stood, paced away. "It is my fucking job! What could the sod-rotted bastard do to me that someone else hasn't already done?" He appeared very close to tears, an alarming prospect, Kayseri shivered again. This time he noticed. "You're cold?"
Not trusting her voice, Kayseri shook her head.
Music drifted out from the great hall. Dancers whirled by the windows in time with the sweeping tempo. Kree drew her close warming her with his body, and moved slowly into a waltz.
"Do you remember the night in Arbala when I said I didn’t love you?"
Kayseri dropped her gaze. "I’m not likely to forget it. You broke my heart."
"I broke mine too." Kree’s aura changed, filled with a trembling rose hue. "I’ve always loved you, Katie. You are the best birthday present I ever got. But you came home all grown up, and it was plain to me I couldn’t spend time with you anymore. My feelings changed so fast. I thought there was something wrong with me. Don't you see? I couldn't be your captain anymore. So I lied. I had a hundred good reasons to do it. You are so young. Your father will kill me. I am so mortal. Your father will kill me. You’d be throwing away your life, and your father will kill me. But mostly, I didn’t trust you to know your heart, because I was so busy denying mine. It all comes down to this, Katie, I am afraid."
His expression was so raw nothing she could say would sooth him. She scarcely dared to breathe.
"You’re speechless. I don’t blame you. Imagine how I feel. I like to think I'm fearless, but you terrify me. You do. I am scared to death one day you will look at me with those beautiful brown eyes and tell me you hate me." Kree paused in their slow dance, pressed his open hand over his heart. "I won’t survive it. Stay here with Sandahl and Rian, they're good people—good elves. Bond with Garen Nhurstari. He wants you."
Kayseri found her voice at last. "But I don’t want Garen. I love you. I've always loved you. I will always love you."
His answer was a crooked smile touched with winter. He held her closer while the music moved them around the porch that had become their private ballroom, their private world.
"Kree." Kayseri’s voice was just above a whisper. "What happens to us now?"
He pressed a kiss on the top of her head. "Don't poets speak of tears and a journey?"
Kayseri's heart turned to ashes. "My tears and your journey?"
Kree looked as if she had slapped him. His aura flashed black. "This is your opinion of me? Already? I was right to be afraid."
"My opinion of you was fixed when I was six and you plucked me out of a tree. It has never wavered."
His aura warmed, ablaze with silver and roses. "I can’t think why. What’s in it for you? I’m no hero in a romance ballad who can promise three hundred days of bliss. I can’t promise a demon won’t eat us. Holy crow! Sweetheart, I have just proven I cannot keep you safe from a common hooligan. What good am I to you?"
Kayseri laid her palm against his cheek with utmost gentleness. "Did you ever stop to think I might
be some good to you?"
Kree crushed her to his chest. "Ah, Katie. Look at us. Look at me. It’s bad enough now, but what will people say when I’m raising sixty?"
"They’ll say, isn’t Captain Fawr lucky to have such a beautiful and devoted young wife." Mischief danced in her eyes. "We'll turn heads everywhere we go."
"That’s not funny."
"Then why are you laughing?
"Because I—Namar's tears, I don’t care what folks say." He swung her around in the moonlight. "I'll speak to Rian. Maybe we can do the banding thing they do. Although, I don’t know how in the hells I can answer those questions, and that's a solid fact."
"Don’t you want to ask to my father for my hand?"
Pressed as she was against his chest, she felt more than heard his chuckle. "I am not that brave on my best day. I rather present it as a fait accompli. Let's find Rian." Kree headed for the ballroom, but Kayseri tugged on his hand until he stopped and looked at her.
"Don't you want to ask me something?"
Kree threw his arms wide, complete surrender, hers for the taking. "Marry me Katie Mae?"
Kayseri walked into his wide-open arms. "I thought you’d never ask."
Rian not only agreed with the idea it made him downright giddy. "Of course we can do it. I’ll speak to the ancient right now." He started down to the hall, only to rush back and catch Kree in a crushing embrace, quickly broken. "Forgive me, Kree Fawr. I know you asked me not to touch you, but this is the most wonderful news!"
The witnesses gathered upstairs in the ladies drawing room, Aimery Duncan, Chana and Kevin Falconer, the twins, Eoin and Eamon, Sandahl and Kayseri. Garen remained below playing host to Rian’s guests. The twins sat on the sofa playing rock, paper, scissors. For some reason they loved the stupid game. Kayseri and Sandahl giggled and hugged. Kree wished Rian would hurry. He needed the ceremony done before every ounce of his courage leaked away, and his troopers were no help in that quarter. One would think he had asked them to witness his execution, Duncan particularly so.
Kree had been keeping company the man’s sister-in-law. He beckoned his first lieutenant aside. "I’ll speak to your sister-in-law. I won’t leave to clean up my mess."
"Sir?"
"That’s what’s troubling you, isn’t it?"
"Not at all. It is just—well, I am ashamed to admit it, but I do not wish to be a kinsman redeemer. I do not relish the idea of fathering a child I cannot claim."
So that was it. "You didn’t think I would get her with child, did you?"
"No sir, but there was talk. Should she marry out of the family my problem goes away." Duncan shrugged. "I should not have listened to gossip. This is your wedding night, sir. Your bride is beautiful, and you are mad for each other. Do not concern yourself with my family troubles."
Kree chewed on his lower lip for a moment. "I don’t want to lose you over this. I don’t want the garrison to lose you."
"Lose me, sir?" Duncan laughed. "Where would I go? Do you know of another garrison captain anywhere who has the means and the intestinal fortitude to support my appetite for black powder?"
It seemed a hundred years before Rian returned with the old woman. Sure enough, she had another length of fine silver chain in her hand.
"Come here, children." In spite of her endearment, she did not sound motherly. "Let me get a look at you. Rian tells me you are bound to this human. Is it so, child?"
"Yes, ancient," Kayseri said.
"What's she talking about, Katie?"
"He took you without ceremony?"
"Katie?"
"It’s nothing, Kree." Kayseri touched his arm quieting him. "No, Ancient. I don't know how it happened. It's a mystery."
The old lady pursed her lips and turned her stern amber eyes on Kree. "Do you know what you've done human?"
"I don't have a clue."
"Do you understand once the ceremony is done, the band cannot be broken?"
"I believe that is the general idea," Kree said.
"Kneel down, both of you." The old elf woman placed the chain around their necks.
"Kree Fawr, speak your house gift?"
"I don’t have a house. I don’t have a gift or a talent beyond my will to fight. He turned his gaze to Kayseri. "I promise I will love you every minute of every day of my miserably short life. I will keep you near me. I will not die on a far away battlefield. I will die in your arms and nowhere else." Pulling a small knife from his arming harness, he slice open his hand held it up dripping blood. "Is my blood oath enough, Kayseri?"
Sparkling eyes beamed at him in full understanding of what he did. Kayseri snatched the blade from him, sliced her own hand, and pressed it against his open palm. "It is more than enough, Kree."
The ancient hesitated and glanced to Rian before saying the words that sealed the band.
Kree felt the enchantment crawl over his skin for the space of a heartbeat or two while the band sealed, then, following a purely human tradition, he pulled Kayseri into his arms and kissed his bride.
Chapter Twenty
Kree sat with Rian and his inner circle drinking wine and swapping tales, long after the celebration broke up. Hours ago a group of delighted Nhurstari ladies spirited Kayseri upstairs to prepare. Whatever that meant, but Duncan was the real surprise of the evening. He had stayed behind when the rest of Red Fist returned to their camp. The first lieutenant had served with the garrison for nearly three years, and Kree could not recall seeing him take more than one drink on any occasion. The other officers teased Duncan for his temperance, but tonight the twins had conspired to get Duncan blind sock-eyed drunk and they had succeeded beyond their wildest dreams.
"Seriously, Aimery Duncan," Eoin said. "Eamon and I want to come to Qets. We want to be cavalrymen. We want to be part of your Red Fist."
Kree grinned into his glass. The Nhurstari twins had fallen madly in love with his reluctant first lieutenant. He chuckled to himself. Goddess! He never seen his man foxed.
"I serve at Captain Fawr’s pleasure." Duncan belched. "We all do. If you want to soldier in Qets, you must speak to him."
The twins turned their eager amber eyes in Kree's direction. "Qets is a garrison of cavalry. Do either of you ride a horse?"
"We can learn."
Duncan laughed so hard he choked.
"We are excellent archers."
"I’m sure you are, but can you shoot straight from the back of a galloping horse?"
"How hard can it be?"
Duncan found this question hysterical. He could not stop laughing. Kree worried his man would hyperventilate.
"Oh, sir," Duncan gasped out, pounding the table with his fist. "Take them. Please. Please take them."
"Would your people welcome them?" Rian asked. "I would let them go if they would be welcome."
Kree pressed his arms into the air in a huge stretch. "My people are soldiers, Rian. If I tell them to welcome Nhurstari, they will welcome Nhurstari."
"That is correct, sir." Thump. Duncan’s head hit the table.
"Duncan?" No response. "First Lieutenant?"
Unfocused eyes turned toward the sound of Kree’s voice. "Sir?"
"I think you’ve celebrated enough."
The First Lieutenant lurched to his feet. "Yes, s-sir," he said. Then he fell flat on his face.
"Go to your chamber, Kree Fawr. Your bride waits upstairs." Rian laughed. "The terrible twins will care for your beautiful first lieutenant."
"Yeah? That's what I'm afraid of."
"Be off with you! I give you my word. My cousins will not ill-use your officer."
Kree climbed the stairs slowly. How would Kayseri respond to him after her experience with the mercenary? He knocked on the chamber door before opening it. Goddess, he wanted everything to be so perfect for her.
The room was filled with roses from…the Goddess alone knew where. Candles glowed on every flat surface, lending the Rian’s masculine chamber a sense of romantic softness. Kayseri jumped up to greet him from
the overstuffed chair where she’d dosed curled up like a kitten. Kree doubted she had thought of the candles. One of the Nhurstari ladies must have lit them. Just as one of them must have loaned her the slinky bronze wrapper she wore. One thing for sure, he had never purchased such a thing in Arbala. Most of the candles had burned half way down reminding Kree he had stayed downstairs far longer than was acceptable. Even the damn fire needed tending.
"Your pardon, sweetheart." Kree hung his saber on the doorknob. "Time got away from me." Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. She looked small and fragile, reminding Kree what a truly large a man he was. He sat down and pulled off his boots, making himself a whole half-inch shorter.
"Have you been drinking with Rian and the others all this time?"
Kree shook his head. "Talking mostly. The twins want to join the cavalry. Can you imagine that?" He tossed his jacket on the chair. Kayseri turned her back on him. You stupid arse. She doesn't want to talk about the twins.
"I was afraid you weren’t coming."
He padded up behind her in his stocking feet and put his arms around her waist, flexed his knees compensating for her height, and pressed a kiss to her temple. "Why would you think that? You are my bride."
"I thought maybe... I don’t know... Maybe you had second thoughts. Maybe you were... sorry."
"I am sorry. I'm sorry I kept you waiting." Kree pulled her against him so she stood between his bent knees. "And I have hundreds of second thoughts, but not one about you. You’re shivering. Do want me to stir up your fire?"
She shook her head.
He turned her around so she faced him. "I would never force myself on you, Katie. You don’t need to fear me."
They needed to sit down. He was too damn tall, too, damn broad too, damn everything with a foolish case of nerves. Kayseri had known him all her life and she had never given him a reason to think his size intimidated her.
She trailed her fingertips down his strong jaw. "I’m never afraid when I'm with you."
"What is wrong then?"
"I don’t know what you expect. The ladies all said..."
"Ah." She may have known him all her life, but this was different. It was different for him too. She had never seen the honorable scars he carried on his body or the furrowed ruin of his back. What if she found him ugly? He bent to kiss her lips, butterfly light. His knees and calves protested his prolonged half-crouched posture. He needed to get her to sit down with him or better yet lie down with him.