The baroness’s coach trundled through the castle gates and Rianna looked at it in amazement. The body of the coach was fixed to the wheels and chassis by thick leather straps, which she presumed were designed to cushion against jolting and jarring on the rough roads. The woman must be very wealthy for the elaborately painted and gilded conveyance was fit for a queen.
Leon was riding alongside the carriage. Dismounting, he ran swiftly up the steps. ‘Forgive our tardiness, my lady. The baroness’s men took longer than we had expected to break camp.’
‘So it appears,’ Rianna said. She was chilled to the bone, despite her heavy cloak. The coach might not be much warmer on this chill morning, but at least she’d be protected from the damp, cutting breeze. She accompanied Leon down the steps, while her meagre baggage was loaded on to the wagon that had followed the carriage into the bailey. ‘I want to reach Ruberoc as soon as possible.’
‘As do we all,’ Leon replied, opening the carriage door and helping Rianna inside.
The interior of the carriage was surprisingly cosy and it was occupied by two women: a plump rosy-cheeked maidservant and a lady wrapped from head to foot in a black velvet cloak, with her head covered by the hood and a thick veil hiding her face.
‘Is your mistress unwell?’ Rianna asked the plump maidservant, feeling a little disappointed as the lady made no attempt to acknowledge her presence.
‘She is sleeping,’ the young maidservant whispered. ‘She spent a restless night.’
Wondering if the baroness’s lack of sleep had anything to do with Leon, Rianna settled herself more comfortably on the seat. The warmth in the carriage was generated by a small copper stove filled with hot coals, which was just as strange to Rianna as the design of the carriage. Leon had mentioned that the baroness was born in Vestfold. She’d heard that it was populated by uncivilised barbarians but, judging by the unfamiliar comforts this lady surrounded herself with, that was not so.
The carriage began to move, and Rianna found the rocking motion quite pleasant after the bone-shattering carriage journeys she had endured in the past. As they turned out of the castle gates, Rianna caught her first glimpse of the baroness’s men. When Leon had spoken of them he had failed to mention that they were mercenaries. The heavily armed barbarians looked more dangerous than the bandits that had attacked them en route to the castle.
Rianna reassured herself with the thought that the baroness was obviously happy enough with the way the mercenaries served her, as she stared at their strange clothing and the infinite variety of their facial features. When one of them, an ugly creature with long frizzy red hair and bright-coloured garments, looked straight at her with a lewd leering grin on his face, she sat back and pulled down the leather blind until it half-covered the window, feeling unsettled by his penetrating glance.
Trying to forget her instinctive concerns, Rianna relaxed back on her seat, and looked over at the sleeping baroness. The veil fluttered fractionally as she breathed, but it was so thick it was impossible to make out any of her features beneath it. Rianna smiled at the plump maidservant. ‘I trust your mistress will feel better soon.’
‘A rest will soon put her to rights,’ the maidservant replied as she glanced over at her sleeping mistress, then back at Rianna.
‘This carriage is most comfortable to travel in. I’ve never seen such a design before. And the stove,’ Rianna added, looking towards the contraption that generated such warmth. ‘Do they come from Vestfold?’
‘I believe so,’ the maid confirmed. ‘My lady once told me that they have to have such comforts because in the middle of winter it can become so cold in her land that a person could freeze to death in minutes. I confess even the thought of travelling there fills me with alarm, but my mistress has expressed a wish to see her family again.’
Rianna frowned. ‘You say that your mistress plans to return to Vestfold, but we are on our way to Ruberoc, are we not?’
‘Indeed we are,’ the maidservant said quickly, her cheeks turning even pinker. ‘The baroness plans to stay there a while, then travel north to Vestfold in the summer months when the mountain passes are clear of snow.’
‘That would be better,’ Rianna said thoughtfully.
‘Yes,’ the maidservant agreed. ‘During these journeys my mistress likes to have ready some spiced milk. She finds it most palatable and it helps to settle the stomach during such long journeys,’ she gabbled, appearing a little uneasy. ‘It is probably some time since you broke your fast. Would you like to try some, Lady Rianna?’
‘Yes, I would like that.’ Rianna’s stomach already felt quite empty. The cook in the castle was unskilled and had a heavy hand with the honey cakes Rianna usually ate after she’d woken. But she’d barely tasted them this morning because, half-stale, they had been so unappetising.
‘It will take but a moment.’ The maid removed a silver jug from a small alcove in the side of the carriage and set it atop the stove. It was designed with a rim, which fitted neatly over the stove and stopped the jug from toppling even when the coach hit a rough patch of road. Within moments the smell of honey and spices filled the small space.
‘That smells good,’ Rianna said, her stomach growling with hunger as she watched the maid pour the posset into a horn beaker.
Rianna took the cup and tasted the spiced milk, which was even sweeter and more delicious than she’d expected. She sipped it slowly, feeling the warmth revive her as a sensation of wellbeing spread through her body. Handing the beaker back to the maidservant, she chanced lifting the blind to look out of the carriage window again.
After a time the unrelenting view of trees, coupled with the swaying motion of the carriage, made Rianna feel very weary, and she yawned behind her gloved hand.
‘You look tired, my lady. We have a long way to go yet,’ the maidservant said in a soothing voice. ‘Why not do as my mistress does, and sleep for a while? I’ll close the window blinds so that you can rest in more comfort.’
Rianna was indeed having great difficulty in keeping her eyes open. Her lids felt incredibly heavy, ‘Yes,’ she agreed with a deep sigh. Laying her head back against the padded seat rest, she gave up the battle to stay awake.
Rianna awoke, no longer able to feel the rocking motion of the carriage. She was lying on a soft mattress in a tent. A latticed lantern hung high above her head, casting patterns of light and shade on the soft blanket that covered her, and it looked to be dark outside. Also, someone had removed her clothes and her shift had slid from her breasts and was rucked untidily around her slim waist.
She could hear the familiar sounds of a military camp, something she’d become accustomed to over the last few months, and she could see the flicker of campfires through the thick fabric walls of the tent. It had been early morning when she’d entered the baroness’s carriage, now it appeared to be night. Surely she hadn’t slept all those hours?
Rianna wondered why she had slept so long and so deeply. Of late her slumbers had been very disturbed and she’d awoken at the slightest sound. ‘This is strange,’ she muttered, sitting up to loosen the pins that held her hair up and which seemed to be contributing to her dull throbbing headache that was gradually becoming more pronounced.
‘I agree.’
Rianna tensed at the sound of the all too familiar voice. ‘Surely not?’ she murmured, her heart feeling as though it had plummeted to her stomach. She turned to look at the lady who entered. How came she to be here of all places? The last time she’d seen Niska had been in Sarin’s seraglio in Percheron. ‘You are the baroness?’ she stuttered.
‘Who else would I be?’ Niska asked haughtily, as she smiled in her usual chilling manner. Rianna pulled up the blanket to cover her breasts as she stared at Niska in confused concern. She looked as lovely as ever in a loose scarlet robe that fell open as she walked slowly forwards to reveal her long shapely legs. ‘A fortuitous coincidence that we meet again, is it not, dear Rianna?’
‘Fortuitous?’ Rianna echoed. ‘I think
not. I had hoped never to lay eyes on you again, Niska.’ She drew back in alarm, pulling the blanket closer to her breasts, as her former enemy sat down beside her.
‘Well we are here together whether you like it or not,’ Niska replied, smiling in the familiar cruel predatory way that set Rianna’s teeth on edge. ‘So you’d better get used to it.’
‘I doubt I can,’ Rianna replied, recalling her relationship with Niska when she had been in Percheron. Rianna had arrived, as a very unwilling bride, to discover that Sarin was already married to Niska. Rianna had not even known that it was the custom for the ruler of Percheron to take more than one wife. Without consulting Niska, Sarin set her aside, made her a secondary wife, so that he could marry Rianna and make her his queen. Not surprisingly Niska had been furious. She blamed Rianna, not Sarin, and from then on had done all she could to harm and discredit Rianna. ‘Especially as you now masquerade as someone you obviously are not.’
‘It is no masquerade,’ Niska retorted, still staring coldly at her with eyes that always uncomfortably reminded Rianna of a wolf. ‘I am the Baroness Crissana. Soon after it was learned that Lord Sarin was dead, brutally slaughtered while in pursuit of his adulterous wife and her traitorous lover, his military leaders assumed control. They decided to sell off most of the members of his seraglio – even me, Sarin’s poor grieving widow. I was purchased by Baron Crissana, a lecherous old creature who was as ugly as sin and twice as depraved. He wanted a beautiful young wife to share his bed and bear his children.’ She smiled. ‘Unfortunately, the baron expired after only a few weeks of marriage, leaving me a very rich widow.’
‘How sad that must have been for you,’ Rianna said sarcastically, wondering if she had murdered her husband. ‘Now you’ve seduced Leon. Is he your next victim, perchance?’
‘Leon is an attractive young man, an ardent lover and of noble blood,’ Niska replied thoughtfully. ‘Also he adores me, and will do whatever I ask of him. As yet he is only a captain, but I understand his father is one of King Brion’s closest advisors, and one day Leon will inherit both his position and title.’
‘That is true,’ Rianna agreed with a tight smile. ‘But you clearly do not know that King Brion lies on his deathbed and soon Tarn will be king. After all that happened in Percheron, Tarn would never welcome you to his court, he may not even allow you to remain in Kabra. You helped his cousin, Cador, plotted with him to steal Tarn’s birthright. Tarn loathes you and all you stand for, Niska.’
‘Will you not persuade him to let bygones be bygones?’ Niska asked, leaning towards Rianna, her warm breath brushing her cheek. She gently untangled a lock of Rianna’s long hair, laughing softly as Rianna winced, instinctively pulling away from her.
‘Never,’ Rianna hissed.
‘That is a pity,’ Niska mused. ‘Why do you continue to hate me so? In Percheron did I not offer to help you both escape?’
‘It is you who have always hated me,’ Rianna retorted. ‘You only recall what you choose to, Niska. You only offered to help us because you planned to lead us into a trap and have us both killed,’ she added icily. ‘If it were not for Chancellor Lesand’s help, Tarn and I would be dead by now.’
‘All lies,’ Niska insisted. ‘It was Cador’s plan to offer to aid your escape, not mine. I had no intention of harming you or Tarn. I just wanted you out of the way and Tarn for myself.’
‘I wager that Leon does not know of your past life, before you became a respectable widow.’
‘It is best forgotten and you’ll not speak of it,’ Niska said threateningly. ‘Not if you know what is good for you, Rianna.’
‘What would Leon think of you, Niska, if I told him the truth about you?’ Rianna asked, smiling sarcastically.
‘I doubt he would believe one word, even if he heard it from your sweet lips, Rianna. Leon loves me, his heart would never allow him to believe wrong of me.’
She was probably right, men could be inordinately stupid when they were in love. Rianna decided that she would have to find a more subtle way to reveal Niska’s true nature to Leon, while feeling very uneasy about the situation she found herself in. Niska had many mercenaries in her employ and they probably outnumbered her soldiers four or five to one. It would be better to appear to accept Niska’s presence with a modicum of good grace. ‘I’ll not say anything,’ Rianna confirmed. ‘Leon would most likely not accept the truth anyway. Nevertheless, when we reach Ruberoc circumstances may well change. Tarn is more outspoken and has a less forgiving nature than I. He’ll not keep quiet about the past. It might be best if you did not plan to remain too long in Kabra after his coronation. Your maid tells me you were eventually intending to return to Vestfold. It would be wiser to consider going there sooner rather than later. Perhaps you could persuade Leon to accompany you to Vestfold before he learns the truth from Tarn?’
‘That might be a wise move,’ Niska agreed, far too obligingly for Rianna’s peace of mind. Suddenly she meshed her fingers in Rianna’s long hair and pulled her closer, until their faces were almost touching. ‘For the time being, Rianna, we will agree to appear friends – good friends.’
Catching her totally by surprise, Niska kissed her, plunging her tongue deep into Rianna’s mouth, while her other hand pushed aside the blanket and roughly caressed her breasts. For a moment Rianna found her treacherous body responding to Niska’s unwanted touch. Sarin had trained her well and taught her to enjoy the sexual pleasure another woman could give her. The lessons were so ingrained that still after all these months Rianna found them hard to resist.
Summoning all her strength she pulled away from Niska, ashamed of the sudden swell of moisture that had formed between her closed thighs. She had learned from Sarin that she could even feel desire for those she loathed. Had she not willingly welcomed Sarin into her bed even when she knew he was torturing Tarn by forcing him to be his personal body slave? Sexual response wasn’t something Rianna found easy to understand or explain.
‘Still playing your hedonistic games, Niska?’ she said sarcastically, as she pulled the blanket higher up her body, clutching on to it even harder as she tried to hide how readily her body had responded to Niska’s lechery. ‘I pity Leon. You will never ever be content with one man.’
‘I am so different from you, Rianna. I may have shielded Leon from the full truth of my past but I have never pretended to be something I’m not.’ Niska rose to her feet. ‘In time Leon will come to accept that I need different and very varied pleasures to remain utterly content. He has a lusty appetite, and eventually he’ll be only too happy to join me in my sensual games.’ She looked Rianna disdainfully up and down. ‘It is Tarn I pity. He loves you and plans to make you his queen. But in truth you are a whore better suited to the lowest bordello than to be seated on a throne at his side. Accept your true nature, Rianna. I know full well that you’d spread your legs for any man who wanted you.’
‘That isn’t true, you bitch.’ Rianna shook with fury. ‘You know nothing of my true nature.’
‘I know you well enough,’ Niska said coldly. ‘And in future you best watch your tongue. You will remain safe Rianna, only as long as I want you too. Never forget that my mercenaries greatly outnumber your small group of soldiers. If I gave the orders the throats of every one of them could be slit while they slept, this very night,’ Niska said with a chilling laugh that sent a shiver of apprehension through Rianna.
‘You’d not do that because of Leon,’ Rianna challenged.
‘But if you tried to poison his mind against me, I would be forced to do it, would I not? So you need to consider your behaviour very carefully if you want to be reunited with your beloved again. It is not such a lot to ask in exchange for the life of you and your soldiers, is it?’
Feeling invigorated by her confrontation with Rianna, Niska walked out of the rear of her tent on her way to speak to her trusted lieutenant, Chang. He always chose to camp apart from the other men, as he preferred his own company.
She found Chang sitting na
ked in front of the fire, eyes closed in silent contemplation. Niska had been fascinated by him ever since she had laid eyes on him in the slave market of Aguilar. His shaven head, dark, slanted eyes, yellow-tinted skin, and lean body had taken the interest of a number of buyers. Yet many noble ladies had been repelled by the strange tattoos decorating most of his body and the gill-like line of scars on his angular cheeks, but these were the very attributes that had forced her to bid such an exorbitant sum to possess him for herself.
Her soft slippers made little noise on the rough ground, but Chang’s senses were as sharp as a cat’s and his eyes snapped open to stare at her as she approached. He did not speak or even acknowledge Niska as she joined him, sitting cross-legged on the hard ground, careless of the way her loose robe slid open to reveal her bare legs. Stones stuck in her buttocks as the cold night air caressed her open quim. Moisture still lingered there and her sex felt hot and swollen. The need for satisfaction stabbed her deep in the belly as she stared at Chang’s lean naked body; sex with him was the best she’d ever had.
‘Did I disturb your meditation?’ she asked.
His inscrutable features revealed none of his true thoughts as he inclined his head. ‘I was almost finished, it matters not,’ he said in his strangely accented voice, which had a sing-song quality that Niska had always found charming and quite compelling.
She still lusted after him, still wanted him, but the time of sexual congress between them was long past. Their relationship had deepened and changed beyond the physical. Niska had considered it a meeting of two like minds on a higher plain, or that was how she’d thought until this moment. But now the old familiar lust for him ate away at her vitals, and made her nipples tighten in anticipation.
They were similar in many ways, both had suffered harsh conditions and cruelty during their youth, but in others they were very different. Niska was proud of her strong sense of self-preservation which often made her appear heartless and extraordinarily cruel, but she could be very loyal to those who served her well, as long as they were strong enough to stand up to her demanding nature. Yet she knew that this inherent hardness bore no relation to the greedy insidious serpent that lurked deep inside Chang. He was strong and he kept this dark side partially suppressed by means of meditation, determined will and, for the time being, a constant vow of chastity. Even so Niska trusted him implicitly; he’d sworn to protect her with his life ever since she had saved him from execution in Aguilar.
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