To Tame a Rogue (Age of Gold Book 3)

by May Sage

  It had been too long since Ash had visited the main bear holding.

  "Arthur," he said, greeting one of his guards on leave. "How's it going?"

  "Bring me back," the man begged. "My mother is feeding me cake. So many cakes. If I don't return to duty soon, there's no amount of push-ups that'll undo the damage."

  Ash laughed good humoredly. "Arthur, meet Demelza. She's to be my first wife."

  The rumors had obviously reached him; he greeted her without surprise. "Lovely to hear he's finally biting the bullet. I'll be seeing you shortly. I'm to return to my duty within a week. If your guard hasn't been set up yet, it'd be my honor to volunteer."

  Elza wrinkled her nose. "I mean, that'd be great, of course. But before I have a guard, I'm guessing I'd better kick an ass or two myself. Make it clear that I'm no easy pickings."

  The bear beamed, nodding his approving. "Aye, no doubt. The guard is ceremonial. Ash can take care of his backside, and you have to show them you can, too. Before we name potential kingly spouses here, we make sure they're well trained."

  "Talking of spouses, I was wondering if I may speak with my father's wife." He took a moment to recall the name. "Faya, I believe."

  Arthur laughed. "Good memory. I don't think you've ever met, have you? Well, I can certainly take you to her. That's my ma'."

  Ash lifted a brow. "You're Faya's son?"

  That made them practically family; they had a half-sister in common.

  "Show us the way, then. We have much to talk of."

  Elza and Archer moved to follow him, but Ash shook his head. "Stay, enjoy the festivities."

  This was one conversation he should handle himself, and besides, they had another mission here.

  Faya wasn't surprised when she was told of her daughter's survival. "I would have known if she'd died," the bear queen stated. "She's mine."

  She took Ash's hand and held it against her heart. "I'm glad you've found her, my king. With your leave, I would like to make enquiries about visiting Farden and seeing her with my own eyes."

  He gave his heartfelt consent, before returning to the fest.

  Elza was at the food cart, of course, enjoying sweet buttery pastries. He joined her, gratefully taking the dessert she'd saved him.

  It was just as well that they'd come to find Faya, and not for Demelza to pick a wife, because that particular business was a lot more complicated than one might have thought. She saw plenty of pretty women, and some charming ones, too, but there was a very big difference between seeing a woman she wouldn't have minded playing with and picking someone she'd want to spend months with. Or the rest of her life, if this arrangement worked.

  "Where's our man?" Ash asked.

  She tilted her chin to the center of the town square, somewhat amused. Archer looked rather lost, surrounded by half a dozen bear females who eyed him like he was candy.

  "Under attack, apparently. He said he'd make enquiries about the eligible ladies, and well…" Elza grimaced, waving to him. "Apparently, that's what happens when an attractive man asks who's free."

  Ash winced at the wolf's obvious distress. They weren't going to find anyone here, not this way. "Should we help him?"

  Elza pouted. "What's the fun in that?"

  All their way back, Archer would not stop complaining about bear females, and therefore, it was entirely logical that he'd be the one who ended up finding their bride.

  Ash and Elza poured over folders and held interviews. Archer had his job of guardian protector of the city, and only emerged to eat, fuck, and sleep. He shocked them both when he walked in with a pretty thing on his arm.

  Balance

  The lass had been there for days, weeks perhaps. He didn't realize when he'd started noticing her. It might have been on the day when she had ribbons in her hair for the first time.

  Women of Absolia were not fond of ribbons, or dresses, for that matter. Just like the boys, they had spears thrust in their hands the moment they could walk, and strength was valued above all else. A woman who could shoot a bull's eye a hundred paces away had a better chance of finding an enamored trail of Absolians than a beautiful lass would.

  But since Demelza's arrival, five months ago now, things had subtly changed. Perhaps people saw that it was entirely possible to be both beautiful and strong, for the dragoness had no shame in wearing dresses, or ribbons, but she could stop a growling beast with one commanding glance, nonetheless.

  And so, the woman wore ribbons one day, threaded in her long, braided hair. Archer mainly noticed because she was in brown leather from head to toes, but for the splash of blue in her dark hair.

  She came through the rank of warriors and thrust a water skin in their grasps wordlessly.

  A volunteer. There were many in their realm; city folks who took some of their own time to help the armies. A way to thank them for their protection, Archer wagered.

  "Thank you, lass," he said that day.

  When he saw her again the following week, there was no ribbon. He wasn't sure why it bothered him. So, he asked.

  The woman shrugged. "I washed it. It's drying."

  He frowned. "You've just got one."

  She laughed. "Not a lot of money to go around, is all. My da was mighty pissed I bought one to start with. Could have paid for a bottle, he said."

  She looked too old to care about what her da had to say about her purchase, but he didn't point it out. It wasn't his problem, after all.

  Sometime that week, Archer did buy a ribbon, though. Volunteers were doing good work; she should have a goddamn piece of colored cloth if she wanted one.

  He stuffed it in his pocket and kept it there, feeling awkward about giving a stranger a present. Maybe he'd get Raoul to give it to her. The gods knew, it wouldn't be the first time that flirt had bought something for a pretty girl.

  But the volunteer did not come at all that day. Or the day after. When he saw her again, there was a thin scar on her neck, barely noticeable, but Archer's eyes went right to it.

  She walked to him, a water bottle in hand, and instead of taking it, he seized her wrist, pulling her close.

  Fear. There was fear in her eyes. Archer ignored it, sliding her right sleeve down her shoulder. The healing scar tissue was deep and nasty, and her entire arm was bruised.

  "That doesn't look like play."

  The girl snarled, pulling her hand back. "How dare you. It's no business of yours what happens to me."

  "I dare. Every time I see a woman hurt without her consent, I will dare," he replied unapologetically. "Now you can talk, or I can follow you home and kill everyone who looks at you funny on the way. Understood?"

  And so, she'd talked, very reluctantly, visibly pissed at him as she did. "It's just the drink, okay? Da's lost it since ma died, and when he drinks overmuch, he hits everything around. I can take care of myself; the little ones can't, so I fought him off."

  Fought him off.

  The man was dead.

  "And you will not do anything, mister. He's still my da."

  "Little ones. Brothers and sisters?" She nodded. "Are they why you're home?"

  A shrug now.

  "Go home, pack them. You're coming home with me."

  She grimaced. "To your pack? I think not. I'm a bear. We don't mix with wolves."

  That had made him pause for a moment. Not because she was right; it didn't matter at all under his roof. There was plenty of room on Wolf Mountain, and no one would hurt a person under his protection, bear or not. But he thought it out, because they needed a bear. Ash, Demelza, and he were one female bear short. This spunky, sassy, scarred, ribbonless little thing certainly wasn't anyone's idea of a queen. Her clothes were simple and cheap, she didn't brush her hair every day, and Archer would have sworn she was more likely to know how to stab a man between the ribs than dance with one.

  But her eyes; her bright, almost yellow, eyes. They had strength and something more. It wouldn't hurt to ask.

  "You're single, lassie?"

&nbs
p; She snorted. "And not interested. I don't like pushiness."

  "Hey, I don't want you for myself. I'm thinking our king is one bear short."

  Now, she looked at him like he'd entirely lost his mind.

  "Yeah, right."

  Archer shrugged. "No matter. You pack and come to the mountain where you'll be safe. That's my non-negotiable pushiness. You'll have your own place, and the pack all eat together twice a day. You'll come with me to meet the king only if you want to, though."

  He'd been pretty sure she'd refuse both offers, but at the end of the work day, he found the girl, along with three children, each with one bag on their back, ready to pick up and go with him.

  "I hope you were serious about taking us in," she growled somehow threateningly.

  "I'm always serious, lassie. What's your name?"

  "Emilia. These monsters are Hutch, Ben and Finn."

  Archer settled her in the first house on the mountain, right after the patrolling enforcer's cabin, so she'd have her space, if she wanted it. In the morning, she was there with the three boys. Archer didn't see her in the evening, as he'd returned to spend the night in the castle with his lovers, but he kept an eye on her when he could. The moment she'd been settled on Wolf Mountain, she'd become part of a pack, his pack.

  One day, he did give her the ribbon at breakfast.

  She lifted a questioning brow, and he shrugged. "You still just have the one."

  The little woman wrinkled her nose. "I'm trying to save up for my own place."

  "You have a place. No one pays rent on the mountain. God knows the land isn't worth much." But of course, that wasn't taking her wants into consideration. "Unless you'd prefer to return to the city, to be with more bears."

  She was quick to shake her head. "No, I'm happy here. But I can't live on charity. The other pack members pay into a pot, don't they?"

  Archer inclined his head. "Aye. However much they can afford. The waitress who gets ten shilling per day pays a shilling. I get a hundred pieces of gold, so I pay fifty. It's all working just fine so no one wants for anything. Take that ribbon and buy more if you want them."

  She was a hard worker, chopping wood in the forest with dozens of other bears. She certainly should get to enjoy what she earned; but too many years of giving her salary to a drunk had made her too damn selfless.

  With time, that changed a little.

  Months later, the night Ash announced that Archer and Demelza were to be his spouses, there was a feast on the mountain, as was the tradition.

  "Don't forget us now that you're gonna be a fucking king's consort," said his brother, slapping his back.

  "I've been a king's consort for months. Didn't stop me from coming back here. I'm Alpha first."

  And always. In her ambition, his predecessor had forgotten what it meant to put the pack first, take care of them. He wouldn't make the same mistake.

  Emilia greeted him too, all smiles and congratulations. "So, you were serious when you said you could introduce little me to the king," she said then.

  "I'm always serious, remember?" He paused, not wanting to insist if she wasn't having it. "We're still a bear short, you know."

  She blinked. "I don't get it. There's plenty of pretty bears. Rich ones, too."

  "Ash has his head too far up Demelza's ass to see anyone else. She's his mate. I'm only the third 'cause he'd picked me before she turned up. Doesn't hurt that she likes me well enough. Elza's quite content right now. She won't admit it, of course, but there's no way she'll voluntarily shake things up. Another woman means she might be losing some of Ash’s attention or whatever. But we can't exclude the bears, not without risking war. Wouldn't hurt to meet them."

  She bit her lip, as she always seemed to when she thought things through. To give her a clearer picture, Archer added, "Not gonna lie, lassie. It's not easy, being between those two. They're bound together, soul and all. I'm a friend, someone they like, and something they both can have fun with. But you'd not be signing up for happily ever after with them. Just a front row seat at their talk show."

  Emilia lifted her head. "What about you, then?"

  He frowned, a little confused. "You say they're all about each other, right? Does that mean that I could have your attention, if they like me well enough?"

  Archer wondered how he'd missed it. The fact that he liked the woman. He should have known when he'd bought the ribbon; but of course, he was a man of honor, and for what it was worth, he was in a relationship. A relationship that might last until the end of time. He hadn't wanted to admit it to himself, because what was the point?

  "That isn't how it works. Sure, I play with Elza, too, but we'd be the king's consorts. You'd sign up to love the king."

  She blinked. "How is that a problem? I don't see a problem here. Have you looked at him? I'm just saying, I'm not interested in a lifetime on the sidelines watching a romance show, while being used as a sex toy on the side when they feel like it. But if we can have something between us, then, by all means, I don't mind playing from time to time."

  Archer didn't think anything he'd ever heard had made him feel quite so hard. He would have loved to bite her lips right then, and take her this very second, but he wasn't at liberty to.

  "Where are the boys?"

  Emilia looked around but he was the first to find them. "Raoul, Timun," he said, calling to his brothers. "You're babysitting."

  On that note, he took the woman's hand and ran to the castle as fast as he could.

  Epilogue

  A year ago, he'd gone to Farden to find family.

  He gotten that and then some.

  Ash wore white, as was the way of the kings on such a day. He sat on his throne, before all three spouses. Elza, dark skin, black hair, and the greenest of eyes, right in front of him, in the middle. She wore a tall crown and a dress of the purest black. To her left was Emilia, in silver, with a diadem atop her head, and a blue ribbon in her brown hair. To the right was Archer, in gold. His wife and two consorts. The Three Weddings ceremony started with Ash joining Elza, and in the tradition, linking their hands and exchanging their blood through a slit on their palms. Then, he should have done the same with Archer and Emilia, but he'd changed the ceremony. First, Archer and Emilia were joined in the same fashion, blood and heart. Then, Elza was bound to Archer, Ash, and Emilia. Finally, Emilia joined Elza, and Ash bound his fate to Archer. Ash couldn't lie. Seeing his mate kiss the other women never failed to arouse him. Ever. Regardless of how many times he'd witnessed the event now.

  The complicated affair went smoothly. The master of ceremony certainly deserved a tip for getting everything straight. They should have called it the Five Weddings, but it wouldn't do to rewrite the charters. Too much effort.

  "Finally. You're officially mine now," Emilia said to Archer, getting on her tiptoes and kissing his nose.

  "And mine," Ash pipped in.

  "And mine," said Elza, waving her hand enthusiastically. "I suppose we're supposed to get the whole pesky little consummation thing out of the way now."

  Emilia rolled her eyes. They'd already done so many, many times since she'd been introduced to them a month ago.

  Emilia was reserved, sweet and submissive, something their trio had desperately needed, although they may not have noticed. They'd all been about taking, claiming, needing, until the bear shifter had joined them. But dominants changed in the presence of submissives, naturally becoming more caring, softer around the edges. The nasty sex turned into love making. There were more caresses and kisses. Ash would never forget the night he saw Archer take Emilia, while Elza rode the woman's tongue; he'd wanted to watch for a time, but the next instant, he was climbing behind Archer and plunging inside him, wanting, needing, to feel the softness, join the melee. By all the gods, Elza was delicious, but Archer's ass was so incredibly tight. His vision had blurred, and he didn't think he lasted longer than a couple of minutes. The first time. But it wasn't simply the sex. Emilia also settled arguments with just one sigh,
a simple smile, a hand on their arms. She anchored and balanced their explosive trio.

  And to think that Ash had almost run from Demelza, from all of this. Somehow, it hadn’t occurred to him that fate didn’t make mistakes. It had matched him with an older, more experienced woman, who had desires and appetites that suited his needs in every way. Perhaps more importantly yet, with the one woman who could truly unify the kingdom. Elza would always be a princess of Farden. She was bound to its queen, as well as Rhey’s kin. In this time, with a fate worse than war on the horizon, unity among their kind was primary.

  The night of their wedding was sweet, courtesy of Emilia. Then, Emilia and Archer returned to Wolf Mountain and Elza and Ash were back to riding each other like they were trying to walk inside each other's skin. When Elza travelled to Farden, Ash often had Archer to himself, as Emilia felt awkward about joining in without Elza.

  He couldn't say he disapproved.

  It was on such a night that a guard burst into their room, catching them in a rather embarrassing position.

  “Your highness! A scout came back from the Sands. He’s resting as we speak—he rode all night to get to us. But he says he’s seen the goddess.”

  Book Four: Gold and Shadow (the twin goddess’s story)

  Book Five: To Slay an Earl (Aleria and Nathos)

  Book Six: To Ride a Queen (Saskia)

  Note from May Sage to my readers: Book four and five are schedule and will be published next year. However, all will happen in Farden. I don’t currently have any book set in Absolia scheduled in this series.

  Absolia has ended up being very different from my other fantasy world(s) and I feel like I can write more (about Arthur, Raoul, and Timun, for example).

  If you enjoyed this book, and would like me to revisit their kingdom, please leave a review of To Tame a Rogue. Any fantasy books on Absolia will remain very naughty, often bisexual, and sometime polyamorous. The rest of Age of Gold will remain heterosexual and monogamous from this point, because I felt like the genre departure may not please all of the series fans.