Claiming Their Village Bride

by Abby Aaron

“Any husbands who hope to claim Jemina need to be cunning, protective and skilled warriors. This is her home, and she knows every inch within our village. If she wanted, she could hide within indefinitely, even from her own family. If someone invaded, we have little doubt she would be safe until help arrived. Yet her husbands will take her somewhere where she doesn’t even know the village boundaries. If in danger there, it would be imperative for her new family to locate her and lead her to safety without delay.” Leodon folded his arms. Though at least twenty or more cycles older than any of the men competing for his daughter’s hand, he was fit and seasoned as warriors went. Crossing him in battle would be daunting.

  “Somewhere within this village, our daughter hides. As a village born female, especially an unwed daughter of marriage age, she would be pursued by evildoers as the rarest prize of any community. Know this. She will not be found within any family unit. If this really was an attack, she would not want to endanger other families. Jemina awaits the first triad to locate her and transport her to the healer’s compound, where, if she had been hurt during an actual attack, treatment would be available.” The older man paused, waiting for the men who would compete to take in his words.

  Then he continued, “Step outside of our border during your search, and you will not be allowed to return.” He did not mince words. “Our daughter’s first home will always be here. If for some reason your village cannot protect her, she will always return to us. As such, you need to know our village limits as well as you know your own.”

  Hendrix dared to speak. “Are there any limits on what a triad may do in pursuit of Jemina?”

  “Harm her in any way,” Leodon roared, “and you will not be given a chance to leave this land alive. Any more questions?” Stepping back, the younger man did not open his mouth again.

  Once more, Jemina’s father continued, “Warriors, find a portion of land to review your course of action. Since there is no real threat, you will be allowed no weapons. Your goal is simple. Find our daughter and bring her to the healer’s compound. The triad to do so will be awarded the point. The horn will sound when it is time for you to begin this quest.”

  Glancing around, Aras finally located young Finnigan in a high tree. The child was clutching his horn and trying to remain out of sight. Without cluing the other triads of the boy’s position, Aras nudged Anders and Loinbard. Finnigan gave his three new friends a big smile.

  Loinbard tried to see if the child could provide them any assistance while his mates blocked him from view in case the other triads should look their direction. It was a needless precaution as the other triads were occupied formulating their own plans. Besides, the only person watching them closely was Ellias.

  “Did you have any further instruction to give us, sir?” Aras asked upon noticing Jemina’s oldest father studying them.

  “Only that each triad will have an official observer to ensure nothing unexpected occurs while the competition is underway. Darnish has stationed himself close to the only triad to yet challenge our patience, namely the other Konrad crew. Leodon is thirsty for the blood of Hendrix and Johan, so he claimed rights to supervise their journey. I mean to make sure my daughter is not compromised by the affection she obviously holds for you three. You may have staked your official claim on her, but no wedding has been celebrated. Until then, there will be no exchange of seed with Jemina. I will slice off any organ trying to deliver such.” Ellias was gleefully polishing off his sword as he made that comment.

  Loinbard walked over to share what he learned, but seeing one of the fathers there, he forged innocence. “Blessed morning, sir. Do you have any more rules we need to be privy to before the challenge starts?”

  “Speak freely, brother,” Anders said. “Ellias will be joining us on our quest. As a warrior, he no doubt knows triads use any and all avenues of information before heading off to do battle. Battle was a poor word choice…” Always diplomatic, he tried to clarify himself.

  “But a good analogy,” Ellias pointed out with a smile. “You are battling for my daughter’s hand. So long as no seed is being exchanged, I am solely a silent witness to your progress.” Lifting his sword, he inspected his work, before working to shine another section.

  Loinbard chose his words carefully. “I suspect we should begin our efforts on the north side of the village.” His blue eyes darted to where Finnigan hid to add credibility to his information.

  “The boy doesn’t know where his sister truly hides,” Ellias said in an even tone. “Not even her fathers know, though I would not be surprised if her mother and new sister-in-law are aware of more details. If villages allowed women to form triads, I fear they would outwit many of their male counterparts. Their seemingly illogical ideas are harder to predict, and therefore, impossible to prepare for.”

  “For a silent observer, one might think you are offering advice yourself,” Loinbard suggested. “Admit it, sir, you know we are the best triad in this competition. You want us to win.”

  “I want my grandchildren conceived after their mother’s wedding, not before,” Jemina’s oldest father said as he returned the sword to its holder. “I see you have already stowed your weapons in a safe place. It pleases me to know you respect the details of Leodon’s rules. Did you notice the south side of the village is cloudy today? It casts shade which would help conceal that which seeks to be unseen.”

  “I propose we start our search on the south end,” Anders announced with a smile. Ellias nodded slightly, signifying he thought such a plan was wise.

  An ear-piercing blare interrupted Aras as he prepared to offer his suggestion of how to proceed. Turning, he saw Finnegan standing on a branch of the tree where he once hid. With one hand, he held the leaves out of his way, and the other held the horn to his lips. Dashing in that direction, Aras shouted for the boy to mind his balance. Behind him, Anders, Loinbard and Ellias raced toward the tree, too, but they were too late to stop the boy from losing his footing and falling. Aras reached up high to catch the boy, swinging him down and in a wide arc to help burn off some of the energy his tiny body had gained during the drop.

  He ended up on the grass, cradling the giggling boy. “If Jemina was half as wild as this one when she was a child,” Aras told Ellias in a winded voice, “you are to be praised for keeping her alive to see her wedding day.”

  12

  Smiley’s Devotion

  They tried to talk him out of it, but Aras was sure his plan was sound. While Anders and Loinbard, and their shadow Ellias, headed directly for the south side of the village, he raced back to the center of the community. One of the seasoned warriors who had been charged with watching his triad during their stay in the village pursued him. It became clear where he was heading; the man stopped hiding his pursuit and made his presence known. Aras realized the man was likely thinking he meant to try searching for Jemina in some of the family units that lined the area.

  “She will not be found in any of these dwellings,” the older stranger warned, his voice deadly low. He was making no effort to hide his duty to protect the village from this outsider. His hand rested on his sword ready to attack if Aras dared to try entering any of the homes. From the dark shades of the Urijah colors the warrior was clad in, Aras wondered if the man was a powerful leader in the village, possibly even an elder. The Konrad warrior quickly dismissed the notion. It was hard to reconcile the image of an elder being tasked with this man’s current obligation to watch over visitors to their land.

  He should be ashamed, but it did please Aras to note the older, fit warrior running beside him was out of breath as they raced around the building until they reached where he was heading. Youth did have its advantages. Pulling a bit of meat from a pocket in his pants, Aras slowed down and approached a closed off area carefully. “I would be a fool to try making entrance into any of your family units.”

  The man was satisfied with the response and arrogantly dipped his jaw with approval. “You understand I would likely kill you for such an insult
?”

  “Actually, I believe I could hold my own against you at the moment, sir. I mean no disrespect, but you are quite exhausted from our recent foot race to this location, otherwise you would likely do me great harm. I believe any husbands inside any family unit I dare to enter would make quick work of spilling my blood with an arsenal of weapons lining the walls directly by the entrance.”

  “How do you know about the cache of weapons inside the family units?” The warrior was more indignant about that knowledge than the earlier comment about his exhaustion.

  “Given that my own fathers have their armaments lining the interior walls of our family unit back in the village of Konrad, it was a logical conclusion. Trust me, sir. I do not seek an early death, only an extra advantage in the challenge Leodon set forth.” Aras turned his attention back to what brought him to the center of the village.

  “Hello, Smiley. I see someone has tied you up again. What a shame, too. It’s a nice day to run free, isn’t it?” The hound lapped up the treat being offer before he jumped up to rest his huge, muddy front paws on Aras’ solid chest. With devotion, Smiley licked his scruffy face.

  The Konrad warrior scratched under the dog’s chin, earning more favor. “I bet you want to play today. Isn’t that right, boy? Shall we find your mistress to see if she wants to run free with us?” Aras carefully unknotted the rope that kept the beast tethered in place. Then he wrapped a bit of the leash around his large palm and nudged Smiley forward. “Go, boy; find Jemina. If you help my triad win this challenge, I will be proud to call you my pet when we wed your mistress.”

  The dog darted out, pulling Aras behind him. Laughing, he turned back to witness the Urijah guard grimacing at the prospect of running another step. His next words were given respectfully. “I am fairly certain we are heading to the south side of the village, sir. If you chance to fall behind, that is the likely place you will find us again. My triad and I have a secret signal. You have no doubt already figured it out since you have watched us like the eagles from above since we crossed your village border. Just in case you have not concluded what the signal is, listen for the sound of a dove.”

  The Urijah warrior gave him an approving look. “Tis true, I have studied you three meticulously. Do not boast of it, but all nine triads guarding the competitors favor your group. Word of how you defended young Finnigan has not gone unnoticed. As for your signal, one coo of a dove is your marker, two is for the one called Anders and your blood brother gives off three. But know you my signal when I change shifts with my own triad?”

  “Where do you think we got the idea for our bird calls?” Aras offered back. “You are the leader of your group, and one call of a mighty eagle means you have arrived to take over the duty of watching over us, or should I say me.”

  Off they went, stride for stride. They passed Hendrix’s triad, which was heading to the north side of the village. The other Konrad triad was heading west. Nearing the south, Aras stopped to take in every detail around him. Hunting ground lay to the right of them. Somewhere within the thick foliage was an unmarked line dividing the area into Urijah region and the outside. If they had to enter in there, Aras knew he would need to be extra attentive to where the village warriors patrolled as a safeguard for not stepping out of bounds.

  To his left, hills dotted the area, making clear visibility impossible. They would most likely find her there, he concluded. Jemina would likely avoid the forest if either of the Konrad triads were close by. But if the Finn men were near, she would transfer to the hunting region and try luring them out of bounds. She did not seem to mind Crosby, but Hendrix and Johan were a different matter. Jemina did not trust them any more than Aras did. He was thankful for her solid instinct on such matters.

  Giving off the soft call of a dove, he started toward the hills. Anders returned the signal immediately indicating he and Loinbard where already searching the hilly area. Smiley put his nose to the ground for a moment before tugging straight ahead. Giving the dog his lead, Aras trusted the animal had caught Jemina’s sweet scent.

  The other members of his triad appeared at Aras’ side. Ellias gestured to the man following close behind, no doubt conveying his acceptance of the transfer of duty to watch over the triad. The watchman slipped back out of sight. Smiley stopped a few times, before he moved slowly between trees and patches of tall boulders, as if something was confusing him. One moment the animal was sure his mistress was up ahead in one direction, only to switch to another suddenly.

  “He is not one of the healer’s beasts,” Anders said as they followed closely behind the dog. “He was not bred for tracking. Given his odd number of teeth and toes, he might not be able to distinguish Jemina’s scent from all the other smells lingering in the area.”

  Aras refused to give up hope. He placed tremendous faith in Smiley’s awareness of his mistress. Anything Jemina touched would attract him. At the very least, the leader of the Konrad-Finn triad was certain their bride’s smell lingered in whichever path the hound led them. Maybe Jemina had seen their approach and was purposely confusing the animal?

  “Find her, boy!” he urged the dog on. “Don’t let Jemina hide from us.” He gave the dog a bit more rope length to search ahead.

  Smiley pawed at the ground again, before howling and dashing to a small cluster of trees ahead. Loinbard gasped and pointed to where the hound was heading. “Well, Creator in the heavens above. I think I just saw a flash of the dress our sweet bride wore this morning.”

  Aras could not contain his excitement. He gave a shout of victory and set Smiley free. The hound reached the tree in question in a few bounds, long before any of the men following him could get there. It did not surprise any of them when the dog leapt high against the trunk and started tugging at the hem of the first-generation clothing they had seen Jemina wearing earlier. But his growling and sudden attack did astonish everyone.

  His heart in his throat, Aras doubled his pursuit and wrestled the hound away from the tiny woman the animal had pulled from the tree. “What is wrong with you?” he shouted at the dog, tying him safely to another tree. Calling back to his triad, he prayed all was well. “Is Jemina badly injured?” Dear Creator, he prayed silently as he headed back to the prone figure being attended to by Anders and Ellias.

  Loinbard answered. “It wasn’t Jemina. It’s the city bride her brother and his triad claimed. She’s losing a fair amount of blood, brother. I fear she might be a bleeder.”

  The ringing in Aras’ ears nearly made him fall to his knees. The words city bride and bleeder filled him with terror unlike any other fear he had encountered since reaching manhood. Giannis could die because of him. He had insisted on using the hound to track down Jemina. The city bride was wearing the dress Jemina had worn that very morning, her scent no doubt clinging to every fiber. When Smiley traced the smell to the other woman, he must have attacked when the person he encountered was not his beloved mistress.

  “We’ve got to get her to the healer’s compound,” Anders said, tearing off the bottom of his shirt and binding up Giannis calf where the dog had bitten down.

  “My husbands will be upset with me,” the city bride moaned. “I ruined Leodon’s mother’s dress. Jael insisted it was unwise to help his twin in this challenge, but I was certain there would be no harm. I was only meant to help distract the competing triads by leading them one way while she headed another. I didn’t see the dog coming and it must have sensed my fear.”

  Ellias lifted his new daughter-in-law in his strong arms. “I will deliver her to the healer. Swear to me that you will show nothing but respect to Jemina in my absence.”

  Anders and Loinbard did not hesitate, but Aras went to stand directly in front of Ellias. “It is my duty to bring Giannis to the healer. My actions caused this injury.”

  “I cannot halt this challenge for you, son. If you stop seeking Jemina now, the win will go to another group.” The older man was unflinching in his words. “After what happened last time, Leodon was careful to s
et the rules for this match.”

  “My triad will continue searching in my absence. I bear responsibility for this damage. As such, I will not continue in the competition until Giannis is out of danger. Continue following my team, sir. You can trust me to get your daughter-in-law the treatment she requires. You have my word on it.” Aras waited patiently. After careful consideration, Jemina’s father eased Giannis into his arms.

  “What should we do with the hound?” Anders inquired. “I do not think it is wise to use him to help track down Jemina now.”

  “I will return later to get Smiley and return him to where he belongs.” Aras called over his shoulder. Then he spoke toward a bush up ahead. “Would you rush ahead and tell the healer to prepare for our arrival, sir. I prefer not to waste any time waiting for Dalia to gather her supplies once Giannis reaches the compound.” The loud sound of an eagle call assured Aras his request was being honored.

  “It is ironic,” Giannis told him with a weak smile. “You have to take me to the healer because this if the first day my husbands did not feel the need to guard me now that the third claiming is complete.”

  He did not falter one step as he carried her, praying to the Creator for speed and divine intervention. “I will personally find your mates once you are safe and ensure they rush to your side.”

  Few words passed between Dalia and him when they arrived. The healer was focused on her job. Several cups of a healing herbal tea were forced down Giannis’ throat before the strip of cloth binding the wound could be unfastened. Even with the direct pressure the bandage had provided, large amounts of blood still seeped from the ripped flesh. She quickly applied more bandages, giving Aras a grim look.

  He nearly roared with anguish. How long had he fought this very event from coming to pass? A fragile, city bride lay before him, the life-giving blood pouring out of her because of him. Turning away from the two women, he slammed his fist against a bare patch of wall. The cases holding the healer’s carefully maintained jars gave a protest at the vibration his action sent across the wall.