"Has there been any Torin sightings?"
The captain of the fort stepped forward. "None sir," he announced, his eyes skimming to Alison.
Qwinn worked his jaw. He wanted to leap off the horse and run a blade through the man, as his eyes lingered.
"I still want double the soldiers in the forest. Alert me if anything shows up."
"Yes sir," the captain said, finally returning his attention to Qwinn.
Qwinn snapped the reins of the Ou'tani. They lurched forward, Adalia following closely behind. Even as they put distance between the camp and them, Qwinn felt his protective anger course through his veins. He needed to get a grip on his emotions or someone would end up getting hurt.
They were heading along the path into town and he began to second-guess the trip. He knew no one would harm Alison for fear of punishment, but he couldn't stop their eyes. Since Alison was the first human to set foot in Vidar since the war, the people would have mixed emotions, just as he had seen at the fort.
Aside from being human, she was also very beautiful. It was obvious he wasn't the only one to think so.
"Are you alright?" Alison asked softly from her seat before him.
How did she know he was having a hard time when she couldn't see him? "I'm fine," he said, making sure his voice remained calm.
The town came into view and his heart picked up. He didn't want to take her in there. He didn't want to share her.
Adalia rode at his side and threw him a worried look. Maybe he was wearing his emotions on his face. He shook his head, letting her know he was fine. Nevertheless, she studied him. Calm washed over him, even a bit of excitement. He sighed and relaxed, then realized what she was doing. He shoved the feelings aside and growled at her. "I want to face the people with a clear head. I cannot have you controlling my emotions like that," he said in Vidarian.
Alison went stiff from his tone, though she didn't understand his words.
"You are too tense. You will spring on the first person who says anything," she snapped back. "At least let me calm you."
"No, I will gain control."
Adalia huffed and he sighed, suddenly feeling tired. "Perhaps we should return to the palace?" he asked in English.
Adalia shot him a surprised look. "Qwinn!"
"Alison?" he asked, ignoring his sister.
"I would like to return. I…I don't think I'm ready for town."
Relief flooded him as he turned the Ou'tani back the way they'd come. It was the long way back to the palace; however, they would avoid the densely populated town.
Adalia frowned. "When you return, the council will want to meet with you," she answered in Vidarian.
Qwinn's relief disappeared, just because he didn't want to venture into town, didn't mean he wanted his day with Alison to be over. His sister was right. "What do you purpose we do?"
Suddenly a smile bloomed on her face. Immediately he grew suspicious. "Let's take her to my troupe!"
"To the dancers?" he asked, not able to hide his annoyance at the thought.
She nodded. "She would enjoy it. Besides, it is almost time to eat. She must be hungry."
He frowned. He didn't want to take her to the dancers. She was already nervous about the dress he had chosen for her to wear. Dancers were…loose. They had no problem being expressive, something he didn't want Alison around. The males were just as expressive as the women.
"I will make sure no one touches her," Adalia answered, reading his mood.
Suddenly Alison folded her arms. "I hate when you speak about me as though I am not here?" she growled.
Adalia giggled slightly. "We meant no harm. I was trying to convince my brother to allow us to travel to the dancer's tent instead of town.
"Dancers?" Alison asked, her tone no longer angry.
Qwinn glared at Adalia. He knew what she was doing.
"Yes. They are my troupe. You would love them," Adalia said.
"I've never seen dancers," Alison said in excitement. Qwinn's glare turned into a heated stare.
"That's settled then!" Adalia smiled smugly as she pointed her Ou'tani in the direction of the dancer's tent on the very edge of town.
After a moment's hesitation, Qwinn inwardly growled and followed her.
The dancer's tent was just that, a large tent that had beads and flowers draped around it. Though it was made of canvas, the tent was as sturdy as if it were made of stone.
Adalia tied her Ou'tani to the post outside and waited excitedly. Quinn hopped down and helped Alison into his arms.
His sister held open the flap to the tent and they entered. It had been a few years since Qwinn had been in the dancer's tent; nothing had changed. In the middle of the tent was a platform, surrounded by pillows of all sizes and colors. On one side of the tent hung a thick screen, which served as a changing room for the dancers.
Adalia kissed the cheek of two women who were making their way to the platform. They began talking quickly to each other, but the conversation trailed off as the women's eyes fell on Qwinn. One smiled hugely as she bowed her head. The other lifted a seductive eyebrow as she studied him. As soon as her eyes fell on Alison, however, her small smile disappeared.
"Le qweesss Alison," Adalia said, introducing her.
The women studied her thoughtfully, but they didn't sneer or glare at her. Qwinn felt a little better about bringing her here. If anyone wouldn't have a problem with Alison, it would be the dancers.
"Come, sit," Adalia said, motioning toward the largest pillow. The last time he was here, he had sat in the same seat. He figured it was reserved for special guests. Qwinn made his way, his eyes taking in everything. Lanterns were hung from the beams of the tent. Blankets and other intricate cloths decorated the walls of the tent. Baskets of instruments sat in a corner. Around it sat three males with different instruments in their hands.
Qwinn gently set Alison down on the soft pillow and took a seat next to her. He noticed a few of the dancers whispering among themselves, no doubt about him and Alison.
One of Adalia's friends named Shea, who had seen them first enter, kept her startling green eyes on him as she took the stage. Her hair swung just past her waist and she had threaded green ribbons into it, to bring out the green of her eyes. She took her beginning position and the music started, a low mournful tone filled the tent. Shea stretched her three slender arms to the heavens as she sank to her knees and gracefully swept herself in a slow circle.
Qwinn pulled his eyes away to watch Alison out of the corner of his eye instead. She seemed hypnotized by the dance. Shea pulled herself to a stand, leaping in the air. The gracefulness of it was almost too perfect to watch. Shea kept trying to catch his eye, but he was preoccupied with thought now.
His wedding to Alison would be in two weeks. He didn't know how to tell her; however, he knew he couldn't just keep it a secret. He could see the suspicion behind her eyes when she looked at him. She knew there was something he still wasn't telling her. She was definitely a lot smarter than he gave her credit for, then again he didn't have much experience with human women.
"It's beautiful," Alison said softly, as if afraid to distract from the dance.
He'd seen the dancers before, they were impressive, but their beauty was nothing compared to how Alison looked at this moment. Her cheeks were a warm pink, almost as if she were glowing with life. He sucked in a deep breath. There was no doubt about it, he was beginning to fall for her, and he wasn't sure what to do about it.
The music intensified and Qwinn's eyes were drawn back to the dais that Shea was performing on. She whirled quickly, leapt and spun. She was moving so fast she was almost a blur. Then suddenly the music stopped with a big beat just as she landed. She bowed and Alison clapped furiously.
"That was amazing!"
The woman let herself down from the stage, sending a sultry glance Qwinn's way before entering the room behind the flap.
Almost immediately two people made their way onto the dais. Qwinn took in the ima
ge of his sister and a man. They curled themselves around each other and froze until the music started. The beat was slow and deep. They unwound and Adalia twirled, the man wrapped his hand around her waist and picked her up. She arched, her long hair spilling down his shoulder. Qwinn's blood heated with anger. He was very protective of his sister and he didn't like the way that man was touching her.
ALISON COULDN'T STOP THE BLUSH from lighting her cheeks. Adalia and the male were dancing beautifully together, but they were so close. Their bodies were in perfect harmony, it almost seemed too private to witness. Now she understood why Qwinn had not wanted to bring her here. She turned her eyes away as his hand caressed Adalia's hip.
Her eyes caught sight of the woman that had danced before peeking through the curtain. Her heart quickened as she frowned. She had caught the look the woman gave Qwinn when she was through dancing. She tried to shove her thoughts aside, but a sudden jealousy raced through her. Why should she be jealous? Why should she care if he liked her? Just because he was around all the time didn't mean he was single. She couldn't help but look at him to see if he was also watching the woman. All she found was an angry glare pointed at Adalia and the man on the stage.
They flitted around the dais, almost as if playing a game of catch. Adalia looked beautiful with her long black hair swishing around her like a cloud of shadows. She was smiling as she danced. It was obvious she was enjoying herself. The man picked her up again and this time flipped her. Her head came mere inches from the ground, sucking a gasp from Alison's lips.
Qwinn's eyes flew to her, the anger fading slightly. "Are you alright?"
Alison blushed again for making a scene. "Fine."
Adalia twirled beautifully as the song ended. She bowed and the man reached for her, but she jumped off the stage with a giggle, landing on the pillows beside Alison. "What did you think?" she asked excitedly, barely out of breath.
Qwinn began growling at her in Vidarian. She rolled her eyes. "I didn't ask you," she turned her eyes back to Alison, waiting for an answer.
"I've never seen anything like it!" she gasped. "You are so graceful."
Adalia giggled and stood as her dance partner walked to them, bowing his head to Qwinn, who glared at him and mumbled Vidarian under his breath.
Ignoring him once again, Adalia grabbed the man's hand. "This is Alison. Alison this is Vin, my dance partner."
Vin knelt and took Alison's hand, kissing it. "A pleasure," he said with an accent, but not as thick as the servants did.
"You are very talented," Alison said softly, noticing that Qwinn was suddenly very close to her.
"Thank you," he said, standing once more. "Will you be staying?" he asked everyone in English for Alison's benefit.
Qwinn stood; he was obviously ready to leave at that moment. On impulse, Alison touched his arm lightly. It was a soft touch, but he stopped and turned to her.
"Can we?" she asked, feeling almost like a child; however, she didn't want to leave just yet. Anything was better than her dark room at the palace.
Qwinn's eyes darted around the tent cautiously, and then finally he sighed. He was about to answer when Adalia pushed him back into the pillow. "Stay. We will feed you," she said, skipping off behind the curtain. Just then, three younger girls made their way to the dais with large hoops. They looked only seven, but Alison knew in Vidarian age, they were probably a few decades older than she was. They leapt on easily, smiling largely at her and Qwinn.
The girls varied so much in looks, but once the music started their grace was in accord. They spun the hoops to the rapid beat and as the drums grew louder, one leapt through the hoop mid spin.
Alison gasped in surprise then clapped. One of the smaller ones flipped, sending her hoop flying high. Before it hit the ground, she caught it. Alison clapped again. Qwinn sunk deeper into the pillows, finally relaxing.
The girls continued to amaze Alison with their acrobatics; she had never seen anything like it. Her uncle never took her to shows when caravans traveled into town. She loved this.
When their act was over, Alison was sad to see them go. They bowed and hopped off the stage to the sound of her applause.
"I have never seen anyone so captivated by the dancers," Qwinn said softly in a curious tone.
Alison fought the urge to blush. "You are not captivated?"
Qwinn shrugged. "I have seen them my whole life."
"The only dancing I have ever seen was our cook while she was doing the dishes. This is beautiful to me."
Qwinn studied her thoughtfully and her cheeks lit under the intensity of his gaze. "I am glad you enjoy it."
She smiled shyly, her eyes falling to her lap. She didn't know why she was acting like this, but when her eyes returned to his and she saw his smile grow, her heart raced.
Suddenly, a woman stepped through the curtain carrying a large tray of fruits. It was the woman who had danced the first act. As she made her toward them, her eyes remained trained on Qwinn. Alison couldn't help but notice the extra sway she added to her hips as she walked. Her blood heated, not from embarrassment this time, but jealousy.
The woman knelt before them, still ignoring Alison as if she wasn't there. She purred something in Vidarian to Qwinn, but his face was impossible to read.
"Alison, this is Shea. Shea, Alison."
Finally, the woman, Shea, turned her bright green eyes to Alison. She looked her up and down, sizing her up. Alison stiffened defensively.
Shea smiled smugly, obviously not finding Alison a threat. Without a word, she turned her eyes back to Qwinn. She picked up what looked like a grape and offered it to him, holding it to his mouth. Qwinn took it from her fingers instead of having her feed him.
Adalia came with a tray of breads and set them on the pillows beside Alison. She frowned at Shea, saying something in Vidarian. Shea glared slightly, but put the tray down and stood; she smiled at the King before swishing away.
Alison didn't like her at all.
QWINN BEGAN TO GROW ANXIOUS. He knew the council would be looking for him. He had ignored them long enough. He had been watching performers with Alison for what felt like hours. She was still enjoying herself and he hated to ruin her fun, but he needed to return to the palace. Besides, Shea was growing bolder with every pass. The mere sight of her made him tense. Shea had tried to work her way into his heart more than once when they were younger, despite the fact that she knew he was destined to be with a human. She thought that since her family was "pure", meaning the line had not been tainted with weaker magic by always mating with another species, he would make an exception.
He knew what she was after, status and the power that came with such a thing. She would never love him; she would use him. Her whole family was rotten. That is why he couldn't believe Adalia was even interested in Vin, Shea's twin brother. He also couldn't believe that he had been unaware of their relationship until now.
As if she sensed she was the topic of his thoughts, Shea appeared beside him, placing a long, slim hand on his bicep. "Can I get you something to drink? A sweet wine perhaps?" she purred in his ear.
Alison tensed beside him. He knew she couldn't understand what Shea had said. Could she be uncomfortable with Shea's presence?
Ever since arriving, Shea's eyes had only been on Qwinn. Could Alison be uncomfortable because of that? The thought excited him. However, he pushed them away shortly to deal with the problem at hand. "Actually, you may have someone gather my Ou'tani. We are leaving," he said in English.
Alison's eyes turned to him with mixed emotions written on her face.
Suddenly, Adalia was beside them. "No, don't."
"I've been gone long enough," he told her.
Shea touched his bicep again. "Make them wait a little longer."
He pulled away from her touch and stood, turning to Alison, offering his hand. Shea's green eyes narrowed at the gesture.
"Please Qwinn?" Adalia begged. "At least let her stay. I will keep a good watch on her."
; He didn't like the thought of leaving her unprotected, though he knew his sister would guard her well. "Perhaps another time."
"Tomorrow?" Adalia pressed.
Shea stepped closer and Qwinn's urgency to leave intensified. "Very well."
Adalia smiled. "I will be home later," she said as she spun away.
Shea seemed to pout. "You have not been to visit in a long time. At least dance one dance with me," she said in Vidarian as she tugged at his hand.
He pulled away again and offered his hand once more to Alison, who quickly accepted it. He pulled her to a stand and quickly scooped her into his arms. Shea put her hands on her hips. "You have changed."
Qwinn ignored her as he headed for the tent flap. One of the dancers held the reins to his Ou'tani. They climbed on and he wasted no time in riding off. The more distance he put between them and Shea, the better he felt. She reminded him too much of the past.
Alison sighed and leaned back against him slightly. He blinked in surprise. He could tell from the way her shoulders sagged that she was tired; however, he wasn't sure if she realized just what she was doing
Qwinn laid Alison down. She pressed her face sleepily into the pillow. "Rest," he said. "I will return for you in a few hours."
She mumbled something that he couldn't understand, then began to breathe deeply as she slipped easily into sleep.
He slipped out of her room and headed to find his friend and advisor, Jabr. He could only imagine the uproar the council was in for him leaving when they had called a meeting.
He was right. After reassuring them that he had checked in at the wall and that he was introducing Alison to the people, many of the council members calmed.
Mar however, did not. "You cannot leave your kingly duties to second importance. You might as well leave the people without a King!"
Qwinn worked his jaw, trying to hold back an angry retort. Everyone's eyes were on him, waiting for him to explode. For the first time in more years than he could count, he held his tongue. In that moment, he mentally stepped back and evaluated the situation. What Mar said was true, but he hadn't been completely ignoring his duties. He was here wasn't he?
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