“It’s alright,” Kwin said. “Gareth knows everything. And Luka knows he knows.”
“Did you ask her permission before telling him?” Koal asked.
Kwin winced. “More like her forgiveness.”
Koal nodded his head as though it was the answer he had been expecting.
“Speaking of slaves,” a feminine voice said and Kwin turned his head to see Luka walking into the room. Was it his imagination or did her face light up when she saw Gareth? He made a mental note to himself to have a word with his friend in case he needed reminding that Luka’s bed was out of bounds, even if she asked him to sleep with her. At least he hoped that rule applied to Gareth as well as himself.
Luka threw a set of collar and bracelets on the table in front of Gareth. “You’ll need to put those on once I’ve removed the ones you are wearing.”
“I take it these ones are fake, like yours,” Gareth mentally said to Kwin.
“They are, though I’m tempted to ask Luka to keep the real shackles on you.”
“You wouldn’t really do that to me, would you?” Gareth asked. There was a trace of mockery in his voice. For a moment, Kwin was tempted to remind him that he was his commander, but the thought passed as quickly as it arrived and he decided to ignore him instead.
“Will everything be ready on time for the wedding tomorrow?” Luka asked Koal as she removed Gareth’s shackles.
The big man nodded. “I may need a little help in the morning, but everything is under control.”
“Gareth would love to help out. He’s a good cook,” Kwin said, winking at Luka as he did so. “He’s only managed to burn water once.”
“I think Kwin just volunteered to help you out,” Luka said, staring at Kwin as though daring him to contradict her.
“Why did you have to go and spoil my fun?” Kwin mumbled.
“I’m sure I’ll be able to find ways to entertain Lady Luka while you’re busy,” Gareth said.
Kwin kicked him under the table.
“If you two children have finished playing,” Koal said sternly, “food is ready to be served. Everyone grab a plate.” He then glanced at Luka. “Or would you prefer to eat in the dining room today?”
Luka laughed lightly. “No, not today. We can pretend to be more civilised tomorrow, if eating here makes Gareth uncomfortable.”
She didn’t ask Kwin to translate what Gareth said; she wasn’t sure she would have liked what he told her.
————————————-∞————————————-
Luka was just drifting off to sleep when she felt something climb onto the bed next to her. Assuming it was Canis, she rolled over to make more room for him, only to find herself nose to nose with him.
If Canis was in front of her, who was climbing into her bed?
She almost screamed when she felt an arm go around her. “Kwin?” she asked, needlessly, as she felt his naked body mould itself around hers. Who else could it be? Gareth wouldn’t be that bold would he?
“Shhh,” Kwin whispered in her ear. His hot breath against her face sent shivers of anticipation down her spine. She swallowed, forcing her feelings away.
“Kwin I−” She was prevented from finishing her sentence by a finger gently touching her lips. It took all of her will power not to open her mouth and run her tongue along it.
“I know what you are going to say, so please don’t.” Kwin’s voice was soft and husky. “I’m doing this for me not you. I have just spent the last few weeks hearing what it’s like to really be a slave. Things have gotten better for Ofar’s slaves since Raina was sent away, but I still heard things I would rather forget, so please, just for tonight, let me stay here and hold you. I need it.”
Luka had no idea if he was telling her the truth or not, but after that little speech, how could she send him away, especially when being close to him felt so good? Not trusting herself to speak, she moved her arm so her hand was over his then curled her fingers around it.
“Thank you,” he said softly and kissed her cheek.
“Kwin.”
“Yes.”
“This bed isn’t big enough for three of us.”
She felt Kwin’s face break into a smile. “You’re right.” He then raised his voice a little. “Canis, get out. I’m sleeping here tonight. You can have my bed.”
Luka was speechless as the dog obediently slid off the bed and left the room.
“What have you done to my dog?” she asked, unable to believe that Canis had obeyed him.
“That dog is smart. He knows when he needs to look after you and when he can leave your safety to me.”
“I thought this was about you, not me.”
Kwin chuckled. “Shut up and go to sleep.”
Luka closed her eyes. The heat radiating from Kwin’s body was soothing and she soon drifted off.
————————————-∞————————————-
Luka was still sleeping peacefully when Kwin woke. Part of him didn’t want to wake her, but he needed to pee. How they had managed to stay intertwined all night, he had no idea, but he was glad that they did. He hadn’t been lying to her about his reasons for climbing into her bed. He hadn’t slept properly while at Ofar’s and he needed to be close to her. For some reason he couldn’t explain, she calmed him.
He kissed her cheek and she murmured in her sleep. He thought she said his name, but he couldn’t be sure. He eased away from her and slid out of the bed.
Not wishing Luka to find herself alone if she woke, he opted to use her bathroom instead of going to his own. He quickly took care of his needs and returned to her bed. She was just beginning to stir as he pulled her close to him again. His hands were tempted to wander, but he forced them to remain still. After the way she had reacted the last time they had been intimate, he didn’t want to risk losing the trust that seemed to be once more in place.
“Good morning,” he said as her eyelids fluttered open. “Would you like me to bring you breakfast in bed?”
“No,” she said as she rubbed her eyes. “I’ll get up.”
He kissed her forehead. “Thank you for letting me stay.”
She placed her hand on his cheek. “Are you alright?”
“I am now I’m here,” he said. He pulled her hand away from his face and kissed the palm. “It’s amazing how much you appreciate something once it’s gone.”
Luka went pale. What had he said?
Before he could ask, there was a knock at the door. Upon obtaining permission to enter, Gareth walked in.
“I don’t suppose you know where Kwin is do you?” he asked, then stopped when his eyes fell on the two people in the bed. “I thought you said...” he started to say, but couldn’t finish the sentence. “Never mind. I don’t want to know.”
“This isn’t what it looks like,” Kwin said. He didn’t want Gareth to think he had been using Luka for her body, or her him.
“Sure it’s not. What you two get up to is none of my business. After all, you are her sex slave.” He winked at Luka.
“Gareth,” Kwin said in warning, but beside him, Luka was giggling, so he softened his tone. “What do you want?”
“I was just wondering why your lazy butt is still in bed, seeing as half the morning has gone.”
Kwin glanced toward the closed curtains. Judging from the light filtering through, it was later than he had thought, but not as late as Gareth was making out.
“I would say get up,” Gareth continued, “but I don’t want you making any smutty comments about already being up. I’ll be downstairs having breakfast, if you ever decide to get out of bed. Have fun.”
A well-aimed pillow thrown by Luka hit him on his way out of the room.
Luka lay back down and groaned. She placed an arm over her eyes. “Everyone is going to know about this by the time we get downstairs, aren’t they?”
Kwin chuckled at her discomfort. “No. Gareth won’t say anything. If he believes we actually slept toget
her, he will speak to me in private later.”
He moved her arm away from her head so he could look at her. “You know, if rumours are going to fly, we could always make them true.” He raised his eyebrows suggestively.
Luka laughed and pushed him away. “Get out of here before I start to take you seriously and have to banish you from my room again.”
Kwin grinned and got out of the bed. He could feel Luka looking at his naked body as he left the room. It wasn’t until he was in his own room that he realised that part of him had been serious.
————————————-∞————————————-
The morning flew by. Everyone was busy making final preparations for the wedding. Despite Kwin’s comments about Gareth’s cooking abilities, Koal put him to work and was pleased with how well he fitted in with the other kitchen staff.
The wedding was set for mid-afternoon, but Luka claimed Henna before lunch, much to her dismay. What the women did in Luka’s suite for so many hours, the men had no idea, but they appreciated the results.
Henna looked stunning when Luka eventually allowed her to leave the room. She had been scrubbed, rubbed, pampered and spoilt. Her hair was done up in a style that matched the dress perfectly and her makeup had been subtly applied.
Kail was speechless when he saw her.
The ceremony didn’t take long. There was not much formality to most Tippetian weddings, other than the standard lines the bride and groom had to say. It went without a hitch, until Kwin asked Kail for the ring. Panic crossed his face. He hadn’t even thought about it.
Luka saved the day by slipping one off her finger and handing it over. It would be a little big for Henna, but Kail would be able to resize it later.
“You are now joined as one,” he said, then Kail and Henna put their hands together and Kwin placed his hand over them. He closed his eyes and let his magic flow. He heard Luka gasp as all three hands began to glow. Everyone else present was from Tippet so had been expecting it.
“I have bound you as husband and wife. May you live a peaceful and happy life together.”
With those final words, the ceremony was over. In reality the magic did nothing other than look impressive, but all non-magic users believed it was in the ceremony for more than just show, so Kwin kept this information to himself. Gareth was the only other person present who knew the truth.
Then the feasting began. Koal had really outdone himself. The spread that was laid out in the dining room was magnificent and brought a tear to Henna’s eye. She couldn’t stop thanking him. And Luka.
Wine, ale and other alcoholic drinks were free flowing and everyone participated. Other than the groom. He had a duty to perform later and he wasn’t going to ruin his new bride’s evening by getting drunk. Everyone was having a good time and when Luka switched on her magical music box, dancing began. Gareth was very popular and as soon as one piece of music finished, he was grabbed by someone new.
At one point during the evening, Gareth and Kwin found themselves alone in a more quiet part of the house, drinking ale.
“She really is one of a kind, isn’t she,” Gareth said.
Kwin didn’t need to ask who he was talking about. “That she is. I can’t see any of the Ladies in Tippet putting on such a celebration for a servant’s wedding.”
“I can see why you like her so much.”
Kwin tensed. “What do you mean by that?”
“I’ve seen the way you look at her.”
“I have a lot of respect for her.”
He didn’t like the way Gareth smirked at him. “Sure you do.” Then the smile fell from his face. “What happens when we find out where Shona is? Will you be able to leave here?”
“I will do my duty,” Kwin said sternly. “It’s what we came here to do. We will rescue her and return her to her father, as I promised. Then I will marry her, as the king promised.”
Gareth put his hand on Kwin’s arm. “But is that what you really want?”
Kwin could hear the genuine concern in his friend’s voice. “We’re soldiers,” he replied. “When has what we want ever mattered?” He took another mouthful of ale from his mug.
A short while later, the music stopped. It was getting late and most people wanted to seek out their beds. The bride and groom had left a while ago.
“I’m heading to bed,” Gareth said. “I will see you in the morning.”
Kwin made his way to his room. He was far from drunk, but was tired. He heard swearing coming from Luka’s room and knocked on the door.
“What’s wrong?” he asked as he entered. Luka was struggling with her dress.
“I’ve got the zip stuck,” she said. “Can you help?”
“Of course.” Kwin spun her around so she was facing the wall then tackled the zip. It took a couple of tries, but eventually he got it free. As he lowered it, his fingers brushed against Luka’s bare back, sending a thrill through him. He felt her shudder against his touch, but he didn’t believe it was from fright or cold.
Once the zip was completely undone, he gently moved the dress off Luka’s shoulders and watched it fall to the floor. He told himself he should leave, that Luka no longer needed him, but he couldn’t make his legs move.
Instead his hand did, reaching out to gently stroke her neck. He expected her to pull away from his touch, but instead she leaned into it.
A feeling he had never felt before came over him. He had to have her. He turned her around and kissed her, one hand running through her hair as the other grabbed her bum cheek.
Her tongue played with his, encouraging him to continue.
When he released her, he picked her up and carried her to the bed. Seeing what was about to happen, Canis jumped off and ran through the wall, giving them the privacy they deserved.
Kwin laid down next to Luka on the bed and softly ran his hands down her side, making her shiver once more.
“Say the word and I’ll go,” Kwin said softly.
“You’re not going anywhere,” Luka said and pulled him closer to her. The kiss she gave him made all thoughts of leaving disappear from his mind.
Chapter 38
Luka felt strangely satisfied when she awoke the next morning. This time she did not regret what had happened between her and Kwin. As soon as word of Shona’s whereabouts reached them, he would be leaving, so she intended to enjoy him as much as she could until then.
She rolled over and kissed his chest before playing with his nipples with her tongue.
“Didn’t you get enough of me last night?” Kwin asked groggily.
“No,” she replied, then returned her mouth to his skin.
“Good,” he said and grabbed hold of her chin, raising her head so he could kiss her. Then he rolled on top of her and worked his way downward, leaving a saliva trail down her neck.
It was much later that they finally made it out of bed and down to the kitchen for breakfast.
“You look remarkably awake,” Gareth grumbled as they walked into the room. He looked a little under the weather, to put it mildly.
“That’s because I slept well,” Kwin said. “How’s the hangover?”
“I haven’t got a hangover,” Gareth snapped. “But this stuff that Koal is making me drink is helping.”
Kwin took the mug Gareth had pointed to and sniffed the contents.
“Rather you than me,” he said as he put it back down. “Coffee?” he asked Luka, who nodded.
“Get this down you,” Koal said as he placed a plate filled with bacon and other fried food in front of Gareth. Gareth took one look at it and stood up abruptly. He ran from the room, his hand covering his mouth.
Koal laughed and moved the plate in front of Luka before filling another one for Kwin.
“I hope he makes it to a bathroom in time,” she said. “If he doesn’t, he’s cleaning the mess up himself.”
The smell of the food hit her, making her mouth water. She hadn’t realised how hungry she was. A smile crept across her
face when she thought back to how she had built up an appetite.
Kwin’s fingers lingered on hers a little longer than necessary when he handed her a mug of coffee, sending a thrill tingling through her body. They had agreed to hide the change in their relationship, but doing so was going to be harder than she had thought.
They made small talk with Koal for a while and with Henna and Kail when they joined them a little later. Kwin asked how the wedding night went, causing Henna to blush and Kail to choke on his coffee.
“I have work to do,” he said hastily, kissed his wife goodbye, then made a rapid departure.
“That was cruel,” Luka said to Kwin.
He grinned at her. “Funny though.”
Gareth didn’t make it back to the kitchen. Luka and Kwin found him lying on his bed, covering his face with his arm.
“Go away and let me die in peace,” he pleaded.
Kwin showed him no sympathy. “Why are you in such a state? I didn’t think you drank that much last night.”
“I didn’t,” Gareth groaned. “Until I bumped into Koal on my way to my room. He had a nearly full bottle of whisky and invited me to join him.”
Luka hid her smile behind her hand as she asked, “How much of the bottle is left?”
Gareth gave her a sour look.
She placed a comforting hand on his arm. “I should have warned you about Koal. Not only can he drink a lot and still seem sober, he’s always fine the next morning.”
“I hate him,” Gareth said and rolled over onto his side, turning his back on Luka and Kwin.
“Try and eat something later,” Luka said. “Just some plain bread would be a good start.”
Kwin knelt down next to the bed and whispered in his friend’s ear. “Along with a nice piece of greasy bacon, fried sausages and a fried egg, all dripping in fat.”
“You bastard,” Gareth said and dragged himself off the bed. He ran out of the room, in the direction of the nearest bathroom.
“You could be more sympathetic,” Luka said, a trace of amusement in her voice.
“Why? He would be doing the same if it was me in that condition. Besides, he did this to himself and a soldier’s commander has the right to punish self-inflicted injuries.”
Kwin Page 28
