“Nothing is as important as family. Once you leave, I don’t know when I’ll see you again,” Knorris observed.
“It’s true that it’s a fair distance between our homes, but you rarely get away from here Knorris and a trip might do you good. Maybe after your ceremony you and your bride can come visiting,” Hedron said.
“When is she coming?” Gretha asked. Once the negotiations were complete the contact was only between Knorris and his father-in-law or his bride-to-be.
“I hear she’s had her new wardrobe finished and she’ll be on the road soon. She was hoping to meet the two of you so hopefully she’ll get here before you leave,” Knorris answered.
Chapter Two
My Lady
The sun bathed the land in light and Jorge and his men skinned and cleaned the beasts they had taken down. They would have a feast in the camp to celebrate the true beginning of a real chance for peace. It was a shame no one at the camp would know that’s what was being celebrated. There would be no chance at peace if the war mongers found out that there were talks. It would be disrupted and brought down before it had a chance to live. He refused to take such a risk. Once they hit camp, he would pass the carcasses off to the cooks and write a missive to his brother the king. As soon as the messenger left, he would bathe and head to bed.
If he was lucky and sometimes he was, Roxen would help soothe him and sleep would come around easily. They weren’t even in sight of the encampment and he felt need grab him by the balls just from the thought of his witch. In some ways he was a blessed man to have such a woman around at all. It was his intention to multiply those blessings and soon. The beasts continued on at their steady pace but he knew when they got closer to home because the beasts picked up their step. When they were within sight of the camp, he could feel the shiver of excitement running through his beast. It was amazing what the lure of food, water, and shelter did to these beasts.
Honestly, he wasn’t much better but it was the woman waiting that had the effect on him. He could almost smell, taste, and feel her as they drew closer. The gate keeper yelled and one of his men answered. The gate began to open slowly and the beasts began to run. The excitement of the camp filled his ears as people sang, screamed, and chanted. The guards must have spread the word about the bounty they hauled with them. None of his people were allowed to starve, but a feast would be enjoyed by all.
They squeezed through the gate single file when they reached it and a crowd was gathered just inside the gate. He motioned his men and they began to unload the prey from their hunt and drag them to the cook. Women tried to approach him but he shunned them now that his mind was only on one. At least they had the good sense to leave him be when he said no. He shouldered his way through the crowd so he could get to his woman. There was nothing he wanted more than to see his witch. She had probably missed him last night since they usually spent every night together.
Knocking on the door, he hesitated a moment before going on in. Roxen was sitting on the bed and he dropped to his knees at her feet. “Did you miss me?”
“No, should I?”
“I think you did miss me. We brought back a large kill for a feast.”
“How nice for you.”
“Were you busy while I was gone?”
“I had two patients. A child who had a cold and a soldier with a rash.”
“I’m glad you were able to keep busy.”
“Time passed well enough.”
“Have you given any thought to what we discussed?”
“About joining?”
“Yes, about you marrying me?”
“No, I haven’t given it any thought at all.”
“Are you mad at me?”
“Why would I be mad at you? Oh, you mean because you’re keeping me prisoner? Shouldn’t I like that?”
“I explained the way it works to you. You were captured and could be captured again.”
“Oh, I forgot that this was for my own good.”
“What happened while I was gone?”
“You mean other than some of your girlfriends wanting to stay in here to wait for you?”
“Roxen, you are my only anything right now. All the others are my past, you are my present and my future.”
“Apparently no one told them that.”
“Yes, they were told. They just didn’t listen. What happened?”
“Adame heard them and he ran them off. I don’t think they like him much.”
“They wouldn’t because he never liked any of them. He warned me I would regret keeping them company and I wish I’d listened. Not that I would admit it to him, but I’m telling you that you’re the only woman I’ve ever cared a fig for. I have plans for our future and I can make you happy but you’ll have to get over my past.”
“I don’t know if I can.”
“That would be it then, there’ll be no more us.”
Jorge left Roxen alone for a while to think about that while he got some rest in an unused guest room. Too sleepy and disappointed in the way things had gone with his witch, he just crashed and slept for a few hours. No dreams seemed to come to him and he was glad. When he woke he felt somewhat rested and it was time to send his message to his brother. On his way to his office he saw a young boy and sent him for a messenger. His office was blessedly empty and he pulled his paper, quill, and ink from his drawer and immediately wrote the letter.
Peace talks at my level complete. All went as expected and it is now in your hands.
He went on to list all the subjects he and Hedron had touched on and by the time he was through, his hand was tired and the young messenger had arrived. Carefully, he rolled the parchment and tied it off. Melting some wax, he placed his seal over it. A small leather container lay on his desk and he slid the roll into it and sealed it as well. This was too important to be left to chance at any turn. Handing it to the messenger, he felt the weight of the world slide off his shoulders as the boy hurried out. His part was completed and he would never have the weight of a bigger responsibility to his world and his people in his life.
Now he would have his personal battle to fight and a stubborn witch to claim. How had her attitude made such a complete turnaround overnight? It could be jealousy over the other women. If he were honest, another man that felt he had a reason to claim his witch would make him go crazy, she was his! Maybe he needed to take some action and deal with the loose ends of his previous lifestyle. There was nothing he wouldn’t give or do to make his witch his woman. Bits and pieces of the times they had shared drifted through his mind and he knew he couldn’t give her up.
He called out for a boy. One must have been nearby and he opened the door and stuck his head in the room. “You needed something, Sir?”
“Yes, fetch Adame for me. It’s urgent but not an emergency,” he clarified. Adame would hurry but he would finish whatever he was involved in.
Jorge sat in his office going through reports and paperwork. He was well into his pile when Adame made his way into the room. Sitting down across from Jorge, he waited patiently until the general looked up at him.
“Something happened while I was gone?” Jorge asked.
“There was a little problem with some unhappy females you left behind,” he admitted.
“What did they say to Roxen?”
“They told her no one lasts with you so she better enjoy the ride.”
“What did she say to them?”
“That if they knew that was true, why had they forced their way into your room and pretended they belonged.”
“I’m sure they had no answer for that.”
“No, and by that time I had arrived and I threw them all out. I told them if they bothered Roxen again or entered your room without permission, they would be thrown out of the camp. They knew I meant it too.”
“They have no sense of self-preservation to bother my witch and enter my private room without permission. Were they all camp followers?”
“Yes, everyone a previous interes
t of yours. You never understood how it hits them in their pride when you turn them loose. They are the top of the heap and when you discard them, there’s no where to go but down.”
“Do they never turn to you?”
“Why would I want your cast offs? No female will think well of me once she’s been with you. You should hear them complain about the other men once they’ve had you. It’s sad and much like comparing a feast to a something barely edible. No thank you, I’ll keep my distance from those women.”
Jorge laughed. “You’re joking, Adame. You’ve hidden a marvelous sense of humor from me.”
“I’ve hidden nothing, my friend. You can’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“But I was honest with each and every one. How can they complain when they knew I’d move on?”
Adame shook his head and Jorge got the feeling he had no answer for him. “I can only tell you how it is, I’ve no more a clue why than you do.”
“Write down the names for me then send them in one at a time. This will not be repeated.”
Adame took the parchment scrap that had been used before and found a corner free of writing. Taking the quill Jorge held out, he wrote the six names as requested. Jorge held out his hand and Adame handed him the parchment. Jorge’s eyes widened. “This many?”
“Yes, there were six.”
“Those women never agreed on a thing before but now they can agree on trying to mess up my life? Maybe they agreed on trying to take it before.” Adame shrugged, Jorge knew he meant he had no idea. They’d known each other so long Adame was like an open book most of the time. “Send them in one at a time and tell them nothing.”
Jorge continued to work through his pile and his brain was working through the poisoning he’d been party to. Had these women done that as well? Life was too hard to have enemies in his own camp. It was time to seek out the trouble makers and deal with them. There was a knock on the door and he bid them enter. He continued until he was done with the report he worked on. He looked up and saw it was Mahega and she was fidgeting.
“Is something wrong, Mahega? You seem nervous,” Jorge asked.
“No, I just didn’t know what you wanted of me?” she replied.
“You know I was ill not long ago?”
“Yes, we all knew. I’m glad you’re better.”
“Are you? Someone isn’t because I was poisoned. I’ve been busy and almost forgot about it strange as that may sound, but you and your friends breaking into my room and harassing my witch reminded me that someone is out to get me. Maybe that someone is you or one of your buddies?”
“N-no I would never. I’ve always loved you and while it hurts that you’re still spreading you wild oats, I know you’ll come back to me.” Tears streamed down her face but he had no way to measure her honestly.
“You are wrong May. I am not spreading anything and I’m not coming back to you. The witch is my one and there will not be another. I will find out who poisoned me and they will be punished severely as will any other actions against the witch or me. Do you understand?”
“Y-you can’t mean it,” she choked her tears coming faster. “I meant something to you, I know I did.”
“You were a friend, nothing more. I never told you anything different. Why would you think that?”
“It’s the way you were with me. So sweet and such a giving lover,” she said with a hiccup.
“As I am with all my lovers except Roxen. With her I am twice the man I was before.”
May grabbed the door and twisted the knob. She rushed out without another word and he suspected she might leave the camp. Maybe it was sad but he just didn’t care. Turning back to his pile of paperwork, he continued as the next one took a seat. Bletha was a redhead with the attitude one might expect.
“Finally ready to call me back? Don’t think I’ll just come a running. You’ll have to woo me and offer me something worthwhile,” she drawled with a smile on her face.
“I think you misunderstood, Bletha. I have no interest in you beyond the trouble you stir up.”
“What trouble would that be?” she asked with a smirk.
Had she always been such a bitch? How had he not noticed? “Someone poisoned me half a moon ago and I suspect one of you women that are so set on punishing me because I no longer want you.”
The smirk disappeared. “Can’t say as I would blame a woman for poisoning you, but it wasn’t me.”
“You were involved in breaking into my room when you knew I wasn’t there and harassing my witch.”
“She needed to know what to expect from you.”
“You lied to her.”
“No, you’ll treat her like the rest of us.”
“No, I’ll marry her as soon as she’s ready.”
The smirk was back. “She won’t have you? Looks like you’ll get a bit of your own flavor back at you.”
“Maybe, but it won’t help you. I’ve found a way to track the poison through a witch that’s off site and when I find out, I’ll be coming for someone.”
“It’s not me,” she said as she bounced out the door and slammed it.
Jorge felt bad about this whole business. He’d always been a lusty man and he’d needed the bed play to keep himself calm. In retrospect he should have brought a whore in and shipped her out when he was done. Even though he’d paid these women, it hadn’t made a difference. They still believed it was love.
He’d whittled the pile down and he would probably be done with it before he’d seen to all the women. Now he would work on his next report and wonder which woman would come through the door next. Not taking firm action against them earlier had been an oversight and he rarely had one of those. Dealing with these women should not have been put off and he was paying the price. Another knock on the door and another one entered the lion’s den. The problem was they hadn’t realized they had been dealing with a savage beast that would protect his mate at their expense if they forced him to.
“Rosta, you’re looking well,” he said.
“No thanks to you,” she replied.
“How so? You were well rewarded for the time you spent entertaining me.”
“I’m not a whore, Jorge. My father is a merchant and he’s displeased with the way you treated me.”
“Did you share with him the speech I gave you before we ever jumped in bed?” Her face turned red. “I’ll take your silence to mean no.”
“I didn’t think you meant it. I’m not a whore or a camp follower.”
“You weren’t a virgin either.”
“I’m sure you haven’t been one for so long you can’t remember when you were.”
“My issues aren’t the problem. You had expectations even though you were told it would never happen. Now there’s a problem.”
“What? Your witch turn cold on you?”
“Be careful, Rosta. You could be run out of here on a rail.” Her sudden paleness was the only sign that she did care if that happened.
“I didn’t speak to her. I’m not your biggest problem.”
“If you want to continue to live here, you’d better not be a problem at all. So you deny poisoning me?”
“So that’s what was wrong with you? Pity it didn’t work.”
“That sharp tongue of yours had better be kept silent. I won’t take any more from you.”
“You’re nothing to me now. I’ve had an offer I think I’ll accept. It will make my father happy.”
“Congratulations.”
“To hell with you. You’ll not see me again,” she said as she stomped out the door she had opened.
Thank the gods! He had no desire to see that wicked wildcat ever again. Her personality had caused them to part ways fairly fast. The man that planned to marry her best be tough for she was a prickly bitch. Hopefully he truly had seen the last of that one.
Another knock and he bid Dorene enter. It was interesting in a way to see these women and compare then to Roxen. Why he’d ever touched a single one he couldn’t explain. It w
as the needs a man had not the desire for someone special. That’s what he had now in Roxen.
“What did you want with me, Jorge?”
“I wanted to hear what happened while I was gone?”
“What do you mean? I didn’t do anything.”
“You didn’t enter my private rooms with some other women?”
“Oh, that. It was nothing. Lilit said you wanted company but when you weren’t there and Adame came, we all left.”
“I see. It was all Lilit?”
“She must have misunderstood something she heard. Can I go now?”
“I’m not sure. Do you understand I will not tolerate any more problems from you or any of those other women?”
“I understand,” she said looking down refusing to meet his look.
“You’d better. There’ll be no more warnings.”
Dorene left hastily and Jorge worried that she’d understood the least of them all so far. The next woman must have passed her in the hall.
Carian knocked and came in before he had a chance to bid her to enter. Not a good sign of things to come. “You entered before you were told.”
“You asked me to come to you, here I am.”
“This is a military base and even nonmilitary know how to behave. You’ll follow protocol or you’ll not be welcome here. Do you understand?”
“Perfectly. I’m a used up whore no longer of any value to you.”
“That’s not how I view any of you. We had a time when we were close but now we are more acquaintances than friends. I simply don’t want you to assume rights you no longer have. Move on, I have.”
“It’s much easier for a man. Your soldiers assume I’m easy and I can’t find a husband now.”
“I wasn’t your first nor your last. Don’t blame me for your decisions, you made them.”
“You care nothing for anyone but yourself. It’s easy being you, the world falls at your feet.”
“You see things the way you wish to see them but I have nothing I haven’t earned. What have you earned, Carian?”
She snorted and grabbed the door pulling it open. Stomping into the hall, the next woman came straight in.
Beyond The Veil: A Paranormal & Magical Romance Boxed Set Page 242