Dark Lord of Kismera: Knights of Kismera

by Tamara H Hartl

  She pulled Valor to a halt and leaned over to Drace, who had halted also. She kissed him softly. “Nimbus chose wisely and I am grateful he chose you.” She straightened in her saddle and moved on. Drace held back and stared at her form as she rode away, his heart flip-flopping in his chest. Realization flowed over him. He loved Ki. He felt it to the depth of his bones. Drace had known he cared for and respected her, but he had never entered into an affair without those two feelings for a woman. This new emotion was so much more intense.

  Ki disappeared from his view, but Drace held Pride back as he sat in wonder. He heard a soft noise to his left and turned his head to look. Sunlight filtered through the trees and shone on something incredible. He turned in the saddle for a better look, causing Pride to toss his head. Standing there in a shaft of light stood a pair of unicorns, white coats shimmering like pearls.

  Drace gasped and the pair turned to look back at him. He had no idea how long he sat there staring. Pride grew restless and stomped a foreleg in displeasure. That seemed to shatter whatever spell was holding them there and they turned as one, long tails flowing, and disappeared into the forest.

  Drace looked once more in the direction the unicorns had gone, hoping for one more glimpse of them but they had disappeared as if the forest had swallowed them. He signaled softly to Pride who picked up a slow canter to catch up with Ki; the horse’s bridle jingling in the silence.

  Ki had stopped to wait for him and she noticed his amazed look when he caught up with her. “You saw them?” she stated.

  Drace was still speechless so he simply nodded in answer.

  “To my knowledge no human of pure blood has ever seen them. You are special indeed,” she said in wonder.

  Drace leaned over to kiss her. “I’ve had two gifts today,” he said and together they moved on.

  Chapter Twelve

  THE HOUSES AND SHOPS of Ferndale were built so cleverly among the tree trunks they seemed a part of them. The trees were huge, and Drace couldn’t even begin to guess their age. The buildings were of intricately cut stone, some so ivy covered that no rock was visible. Ferndale had to be the most beautiful township he had ever seen.

  The residents were an equally beautiful race. The women were of smaller stature like Vashti and very elegant. The men were taller, lithe and more robust—still handsome.

  Exotic looking birds flew from tree to tree. Butterflies and dragonflies were everywhere. Drace heard the soft splashing of water from innumerable natural fountains. This is truly a fantasyland, Drace thought.

  Ka’Ril and Vashti led them to a house in the center of town. Drace halted Pride next to Tren, shooting Ki a ‘watch and I’ll show you’ look.

  Ki quickly hid the little smile she had when she caught his glance. She covered her mouth with a hand to stifle a laugh. Tren had become aware of who was standing next to him after everyone had dismounted. In his haste to move away. he pushed against his horse and it backed into him. Tren managed to escape with only a stomped toe.

  After settling the horses in the small stable in the back of the house, Tren and Zol took most of the packs to the small sleeping quarters over the stable. The others gathered their saddlebags and went into the house.

  Vashti opened windows in a comfortable open room, letting in light and fresh air. She then turned her attention to Ki, Drace, and Cearan. “Come let me show you to your rooms so you may wash and rest. You can visit the armorer later this afternoon.”

  She led them to a second floor and showed Drace and Ki into a large bedroom that had doors leading out onto a balcony. This overlooked a small garden. Vashti opened the windows in this room also. “Welcome to our house,” Vashti expressed with a smile. “A meal and water for a bath will be sent up shortly.”

  She left them alone to settle in, and showed Cearan to his room across the hall.

  Soon after, a large tub with warm water to fill it was delivered. Soap and towels were left as well as a light meal of fruit, cheese, and bread. Finally, they were alone.

  Drace sat in a chair and removed his boot. He stretched out his long legs, sighed and closed his eyes while Ki got ready for her bath. He must have dozed because when he reopened his eyes, Ki had already bathed but was struggling with her hair. He gave her some assistance with it and she returned the favor when he joined her in the tub.

  Sometime later, they sat feeding each other fruit and cheese, clean and still flushed from lovemaking. Ki was laughing at Tren’s reaction to Drace’s close proximity earlier that day. “I believe you now. I thought he was going under his horse,” Ki fed him a strawberry and gave him a bright smile.

  Drace felt his heart flip-flop again in his chest. He opened his mouth as she offered him another bite of strawberry then watched as she bit into it after him. She licked its juice from her bottom lip and Drace felt a bolt of heat shoot straight south.

  Christ, he thought, as she watched with interest a part of him make its presence known. He had always been a ‘cuddle for a moment then maybe catch a short nap’ kinda guy after sex. What in the name of, well, whatever, spell has she put on me? He couldn’t get enough of her. Is this what love does to a man or is it just Ki?

  Ki raised an eyebrow as she observed his groin then gave a, ‘purely bent on trouble,’ look. She set the plate of fruit on a table then lunged at him, laying him out flat.

  Afterwards, Drace thought, She has the same problem with her hormones as I do.

  They dressed, kissed, and headed down stairs to relax for a while with the others until Ki was ready to go to the armorer. Cearan was to go with them while Ka’Ril and Vashti were going to see their liege, Len Ra.

  Drace, Ki, and Cearan walked through the village to what looked to Drace like a blacksmith shop.

  An elf, tall and burly for his race, greeted Ki and Cearan as old friends. He had long black hair and his eyes were silver gray. Drace took one look at the elf’s biceps and made a mental note not to challenge him to arm wrestle.

  “Drace, this is Jaron. He is the best maker of armor and chain mail in all the lands. Jaron, this is Drace, Lord MacKinnon,” Ki introduced.

  Drace shot her a look, but she ignored him and continued, “He will need armor for himself and his stallion. He will also need a sword, two daggers, and a shield. Put this on the shield.” Ki pulled Drace’s shirt open, batting his hand away when he raised it to pull the garment closed, and showed Jaron the Scottish Lion tattoo.

  Jaron traced it with a callused finger while Drace fumed silently. Once the elf was done, Drace snatched his shirt closed, his cheeks flushed. He shot Cearan a dirty look when the Lion-kin man snorted with suppressed laughter.

  Jaron ignored Drace’s embarrassment and made a few notes on a piece of slate. “I would like to see how you move and your swordsmanship to know what is the best length and weight of the blade. Come now and I will measure you for your armor.”

  Drace stood patiently for his measurements as Ki and Cearan chatted with the blacksmith. When Jaron finished measuring Drace, he went to a wall where several swords hung, chose one, handed it to Drace, and chose another, and faced off with him.

  Ki and Cearan stood back to watch; ready to see how Drace fared against the elf, as Jaron was also a master swordsman.

  The two men sparred easily for a few moments then Jaron took it up a level. They began to draw a crowd, as the swordplay grew intense. Jaron tripped Drace who went down, made a rolling move, which looked almost lazy, and came back to his feet in a spin. Moving in quickly with a flash of his blade, Drace’s blade slid down Jaron’s and pinned him to the wall of the shop. “Yield?” Drace asked, raising an eyebrow in question, then gave a slightly embarrassed smile when applause sounded around them.

  “Of course, my Lord MacKinnon. Beautifully fought,” Jaron complimented as Drace stepped back and gave the practice sword a spinning twist with his wrist.

  “I’ve never handled a weapon as balanced as this one. It is a wonderful sword,” Drace said in awe, handing it back to Jaron.


  “Yours will be an equal if not better,” Jaron promised him.

  It was late afternoon by then and Ki bid Jaron goodbye. She, Drace, and Cearan began to walk leisurely back to the house.

  Cearan stopped them in the middle of the street. “You know Ki; I think Drace is in need of some shirts. May I have the pleasure of his company or awhile?”

  Ki looked up at her brother. “Of course; do you have silver?”

  “Yes, I have plenty.” He turned Drace around and steered him in a different direction.

  Drace looked over his shoulder at Ki, who gave him a cheery wave then resumed walking back towards Vashti’s house.

  “Look, I don’t need clothes. I’m dressed aren’t I?” Drace argued, feeling uncomfortable in the fact that he did not have any silver of his own.

  “You are just saying that because you do not have silver yourself,” Cearan returned, as if reading Drace’s mind. “Consider it a gift, if you will. I want you to look like the Lord you are. You are seen with my sister so I may have a vested interest, yes?”

  “You don’t seem like the sort to give a shit what anyone else has to say,” Drace replied, walking easily alongside the younger man.

  Cearan was quiet for a few seconds, processing Drace’s words. “You are correct, my Lord, I do not ‘give a shit’. I just enjoy arguing with you,” he grinned.

  They arrived at a tailor shop just as it was closing. The proprietor did not seem pleased at their late arrival until Cearan jingled his purse, then he seemed more agreeable and called for his assistant.

  It was dark when they left the tailor. Drace had in his possession one new shirt and pair of breeches. They had to wait for those to be altered to fit Drace’s height and build. Cearan had ordered for him two more pair of breeches, four shirts and a decent supply of underwear and stockings. He also purchased a coat for Drace, having it altered with the shirt and pants before they left.

  Drace argued the clothes but he couldn’t pass on the coat. It was made from a bison beast hide with fur around the collar and the rest beautifully tanned. It was black and had crimson embroidery around the cuffs and hem. The hem hung almost to mid-thigh on him and the sides were split to his waist. The split was trimmed in embroidery as well and allowed for him to wear it when on horseback. He had never had a warmer coat.

  Standing in the doorway of the tailor, Cearan looked at Drace, “Come, one last treat today.”

  Drace protested, “Look, this is all fantastic but I can’t accept anymore.”

  Cearan arched a tawny brow, managing an arrogant look. “Drace, shut up.”

  Drace threw his hands up in surrender, tucked his package under an arm, and walked with Cearan to a small, neat tavern.

  The tavern keeper greeted Cearan with a slap to his back and directed them to a good table. Cearan ordered two ales. “I assume you have ale in your world,” he commented. He sat, put booted feet on a chair across from him, and leaned back.

  Drace moved his sword to the side, sat, and leaned back too. “Of course, in my part of the world it’s more typically called beer. I have a couple on occasion.”

  “Good!” Cearan exclaimed as their ales arrived. “The elven people are the best at brewing ale. The dwarfs make very good dark ale, but I prefer the lighter ale myself.” He took a healthy swallow then wiped the foam from his upper lip with the back of his hand. “Ah, that is good.” He took another swallow and watched to see if Drace liked the drink.

  Cearan cradled his mug to his chest. “The elves are the most elegant tailors. You will find no finer needlework. It is the reason I wished to clothe you while we are here.”

  “You really shouldn’t have. I can’t repay you, at least not yet,” Drace commented. He took a deep pull from his own mug.

  Cearan waved off his words, “Still yourself—you sound like a woman.” Cearan dropped his feet to the floor and leaned over the table. “Did you ask to be taken from your world?”

  Drace looked a bit surprised. “Well no.”

  “Alright then; it is not as if you were able to pack for the occasion.” Cearan made a motion with his hand, indicating he was done with that subject. He leaned back once more, replacing his feet on the chair. He gave Drace a steady stare for a moment as they both finished off their ales. Cearan signaled for another round as he continued to study Drace. His attention was momentarily distracted as the busty barmaid arrived with their refills. She said something to Cearan in elvish, and he replied in the same language then put one big hand on her rump, giving a gentle squeeze. With a wink, the barmaid sauntered off.

  Cearan returned his attention to Drace. “You have the look of a man well bedded, brother,” Cearan observed. “But I sensed something different in you this afternoon. What has changed?”

  Drace looked at Cearan, expressionless. He took a swallow from his fresh ale. Will he welcome my feelings for his sister or take exception? he wondered. “I discovered something today and I’m not sure where to go from here,” Drace finally told him.

  Cearan raised his eyebrows slightly and waited for Drace to continue. He saw the human searching his mind for the right words, and thought he saw a sadness flicker through Drace’s eyes.

  Drace studied the contents of his mug for a moment then looked up at Cearan. “I realized today that I have serious feelings for Ki. I don’t know what to do…. My life…my circumstance…it is all rather complicated right now,” Drace confessed.

  “What is it you feel for Ki?”

  “I, um, I love her, man. So now what do I do? There is this little matter of me not being from your world and returning to mine someday.”

  Cearan thought for a moment. “I can see three possibilities,” he said, raising a corresponding finger as he listed them, “One: keep things the way they are. Bed her, and love her well then go back to your world. Two: you could bond with her and be her mate until you decide to go back to your world. Bonding can be done that way. It is not always a life bond.”

  “What is the third option?” Drace asked, reviewing the first two in his mind.

  “Bond with her and stay here forever,” Cearan said simply, “I do not know what all that would entail. You would have to ask Vashti or Nimbus. I try to steer clear of matters of the heart, myself.”

  Drace ran a hand through his hair, “God, this is so intense.”

  “Maybe you have been too long without a female,” Cearan offered with a shrug of his broad shoulders.

  “So you’re saying I’m horny and confusing love with lust?”

  Cearan did not understand the word, but he caught the concept quickly enough. He pointed his mug at Drace, “Exactly.”

  “If it were only so easy,” Drace murmured, “It would be simpler if it were just myself.” He downed the last of his ale and soon a third appeared for both of them.

  “What is the complication?” Cearan asked. He looked very relaxed as he went to work on his third ale.

  “I have a relative, my father’s sister actually. Cerise is only a couple of years older than me. She was a surprise baby. You know, whoops!” he emphasized then realized he had better slow down on the beer. “I own a big piece of land in Virginia. I even have a cat. If it weren’t for all that, the decision would be much easier. No matter what I decide, someone will get hurt.”

  “I cannot tell you what the right choice is, my friend, but know this: I have never seen my sister like this and it pleases me. If you wish to bond with her, even if it is a temporary one, as male of the family, you have my blessings to become Ki’s mate,” Cearan said and downed the rest of his ale quickly.

  “That means a lot, Cearan. Thanks.” He downed his own ale, feeling somewhat relieved after talking to Cearan.

  Cearan stood, set his empty glass on the table, and put a few silver pieces beside it. “Come, my brother, we should not keep Ki waiting any longer or we will both not live to bed another woman.”

  Drace burst out laughing, turning a few heads. They left the tavern in comradeship and headed for Vashti and Ka
’Rils home.

  Chapter Thirteen

  THE NEXT AFTERNOON, Drace was glad Cearan had talked him into the new clothing. Vashti and Ka’Ril were invited, along with their guests, to dinner at the home of the Liege-Lord of Ferndale, Len Ra. Ki was with Vashti in the sorceress’ room, doing whatever it was women do before a party. Meanwhile, the three men dressed in their finery, stood in the drawing room and waited for them.

  Ka’Ril was splendid in a forest green tunic and buff breeches. Cearan looked regal in a rich brown tunic with a silver lion crest embroidered on the collars, his breeches a lighter shade of brown. He wore his hair unbound except for a long braid down each side of his face. Drace’s was braided similar to Cearan. His long sleeve tunic was black with gold embroidery trim, his breeches black and tucked into his tall boots.

  The three men stood in casual conversation when Drace became still. Hunters and warriors caught his body language and turned around to see what held his attention

  Vashti stood in the doorway in a gown of rich purple, which intensified her violet eyes. Her hair was in a complicated mass of braids and curls. Ka’Ril went to her and gave her a light kiss on the lips; his eyes were not so sedate. Vashti smiled warmly up at him.

  Drace’s attention, however, was riveted on the other woman standing in the doorway. There was no flip-flopping of his heart this time. It was more of an explosion. He couldn’t seem to catch his breath. Ki wore a bronze colored dress that was fitted to her waist, the skirts flaring over her hips to the floor. There were slits in the skirt that showed an underskirt of darker bronze. Her hair was done up in a twist in the back, the length not caught up was draped over her shoulder and down her breast, which was framed nicely in the low bodice. Drace thought she looked like a one hundred percent soft woman tonight. His mouth went dry.

  “Breathe, brother, breathe,” Cearan whispered in Drace’s ear as he went past to open the front door. Drace and Ka’Ril both managed to gather themselves enough to help the women with their wraps.