"You have felt it?" Kagan husked into her ear.
Giselle nodded. "But what about Rahela?"
"I am sure she thinks I plan to mate her." Giselle stiffened up. "I am Rahela's Second. It was a promise I made to her mate. Many Second males take the female as a mate if they are widowed, however that is not required for me to uphold my promise. Not only does Rahela not interest me, but I already have a mate."
"Kagan." Giselle choked out the tears streaming down her flushed cheeks.
"Can you accept me even though I have been foolish and blind?"
Giselle nodded and Kagan gently kissed her. Giselle's good hand tangled in his hair holding him close. Kagan's heart soared.
"I worried about you not being accepted but this goes far beyond that." Kagan's hand moved along her marred cheek.
"You cannot make them accept me." Giselle said softly.
"Do you know who did this to you little warrior?" Kagan was livid. He needed to know.
"Kagan you can't seek revenge against every male who looks sideways at me." Giselle replied. He could tell that she knew who the dishonorable male was. "If I hadn't flipped him and kicked him in the shaft, he might not have been as pissed."
Kagan's eyes widened. Of course his little warrior fought back. But that did not excuse this level of abuse. Nothing did.
"Good he deserved it. Now tell me."
"You turned me over your knee more than once for being a bad pet." Giselle argued.
Kagan cringed. She was right he had tried to force her into being something she was not. It was something he regretted though he'd never injured her in this manner.
"This was over the line Jeezelle. Why are you protecting the male?"
"Because I forgave you." Giselle kissed him.
Kagan didn't understand her logic and was about to protest but Giselle place a finger on his lips to silence him.
"You are not like any man I've ever met here or at home. You care for your people so deeply and have fought for them for so long. It is doubtful I will ever come across anyone here that is as noble and accepting." Giselle smiled. "As wonderful as you are even you had a hard time seeing me as an equal. There are going to be so many people looking down on me. I cannot hate them all, I have to be willing to forgive them if only for myself and for you."
Kagan shook his head in amazement for his female's capacity for understanding.
"You can't constantly be fighting or standing between me and the rest of Cadi. I want to be by your side but I won't be the wedge that divides you from your people." Giselle gripped his arm.
"I disagree. That is my duty, my honor as your bonded. To protect and cherish you." Kagan practically growled.
"You cannot battle the whole world. Let's give people some time to get used to me." Giselle looked at him with adoration and a bit of stubbornness.
"You are too forgiving and too kind hearted." Kagan groused.
Kagan realized it was futile to argue with Giselle. When Kagan looked at Giselle's bruised face, he didn't like that she protected the male. He didn't agree, but he understood her perspective. She was a true fighter, but he refused to let her wage this battle alone. Somehow he would show his people Giselle was his mate and that he wouldn't tolerate this from anyone.
Kagan recalled Giselle had seemed upset from her encounter with the monk. He still was desperate to know what happened there. He needed to go to Ismat to seek his blessing, but if the male didn't give it Kagan would do what he must to be with Giselle even if that meant stepping down.
"Today you looked unhappy when I found you with Ismat." Kagan asked as he held Giselle's small hand to his mouth and kissed her fingers.
"Ismat has been really great, and nice to talk to. I was helping him mix up the smudging ash in the temple. When we left, I saw you in the garden with Rahela."
"Oh." Kagan felt sheepish, but he was glad she got along with Ismat. "I am sorry that our customs have caused this misunderstanding. I should've spoken of my feelings earlier."
"I'm sure it will happen again, we both need to remember to talk to each other if this is going to work." Giselle smiled then grimaced as her lip cracked.
"Agreed." Kagan kissed her poor lip. "I really do not understand that female." Kagan shivered as he thought about the way Rahela hung on him. "Her mate just passed." Kagan shook his head.
"Maybe she's a gold digger."
Kagan tilted his head and considered the expression. Rahela probably was over the moon at the prospect of mating the Daimio. His position did come with wealth and power. But his little Giselle did not care for that, she cared for him.
"So you were jealous." Kagan grinned down at her.
"Don't push it buddy. I already kicked one man in the balls tonight."
"I relent." Kagan held up his hands in defeat.
Kagan awoke early. He lay by Giselle as she slept, watching her chest rise and fall slowly. Her pale lush body was silhouetted by the sun breaking over the horizon. He sighed in relief as he noted the healer had done a good job treating her injuries. Much of the bruising and swelling had lessened.
"I need to go speak to Ismat and Dagaa. You stay and rest."
"Umm hmmm." Giselle murmured as he kissed her then reluctantly got out of the bed.
Kagan had barely slept a wink as he debated how he could show his people what Giselle meant to him. Now he just needed to find the two males. He knew Dagaa would do as he asked but would Ismat be amenable to what he proposed?
Kagan saw Bram lurking in the main hall as he hunted for Dagaa. The man looked shocked the instant he saw Kagan.
"Daimio."
"Bram." Kagan nodded as he passed.
Kagan was almost through the hall when the unmistakable scent of Giselle assaulted him. Kagan whirled around expecting to see that she had followed him, but Bram was the only one there.
Suddenly he knew who had attacked his Giselle.
Kagan was instantly on the male. His fist flew into Bram's face. Kagan relished the pain as his knuckles split on the male's canine. He couldn't help but smile when the tooth cracked from the male's jaw.
"It was you." Kagan snarled his fangs poised at the male's neck.
"Daimio!" Kagan turned to see Dagaa looking concerned. But his friend would not interfere. By all rights Kagan could tear out Bram's throat here and now. He was the Daimio, and no one would question his authority.
Instead Kagan pulled back and gripped Bram by the neck. It took all he had in him to keep from squeezing till he felt the male's windpipe collapse.
"You are a blessed male because a better warrior has taken pity on you." Kagan growled.
"Thank you Daimio, Thank you." Bram choked out.
"I'm not that warrior, it's Giselle. She forgave you and did not give you up when I demanded to know who abused her. But she is MINE!" Kagan gnashed his teeth. "I marked her as a true mate so I can scent her on you. You saw the mark. Did you think I'd let this stand!" Kagan bellowed.
Bram's eyes widened. Kagan turned when he heard a snarl at his side. Dagaa stood at his shoulder bristling at Bram.
"As your Second I'd like to be given the honor of taking care of this son of a metcor." Dagaa bit out.
Kagan stepped back and clapped his friend on the shoulder. Dagaa could handle this filth.
"I'm going to see Ismat but I need you to gather warriors who know the traditional perambulo dance and are willing to honor my bonded."
"I will see it done." Dagaa nodded solemnly.
"Oh and don't piss off Giselle by roughing Bram up too bad. She's apparently skilled in unmanning warriors with her Judo. Ask him." Kagan gestured to Bram. As he walked out to find Ismat, Dagaa's wicked chuckle following him.
Giselle
Giselle got out of the hot bath with a sigh. She looked at her reflection and decided she didn't look like complete shit. It didn't matter, nothing could sully her mood this morning. Giselle hummed a tune as she brushed her hair admiring the matching conjugo marks in the looking glass. Giselle wondered
why the warriors and Ismat had been so preoccupied with the bite marks at the crook of her neck. Now she knew.
Kagan had bitten her acting on some sort of primal instinct. If the man hadn't told her his feelings and desires for her, Giselle might have worried that it was biology alone driving him. But after last night she knew that he wanted more than that. She did too. Kagan had seemed relieved if not overjoyed that she didn't reject what amounted to a marriage proposal among the Cadi. Now his only worry was that she be accepted by his people. Giselle worried about that aspect of their relationship. Kagan was willing to give up too much for her if things didn't work out the way they hoped.
Just as Giselle finished getting dressed the door opened. Giselle looked up to see Rahela.
"I am glad to see you up." Rahela smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Kagan was so upset when you went missing."
Giselle just stared at Rahela. She wasn't sure how to respond to the woman. After what Kagan had revealed she wasn't worried about Rahela any longer but the woman was annoying. Giselle bit her lip to keep from being a bitch.
"Thank you for letting Kagan and I stay here. This must be hard for you." Giselle said instead of "Stop touching my man!" like she wanted to.
"Daimio. It is proper for you to call him Daimio." Rahela corrected her. "I know you are unfamiliar with our customs."
Giselle gritted her teeth.
"So when you called him Kagan that is different how?" Giselle asked not because she didn't have a clue, but because she was curious to hear what Rahela came up with.
"Kagan is my Second, we will be mated once the mourning period is over."
Yep that's what Giselle expected her to say.
"And he promised you this?" Giselle asked.
Kagan had explained that a Cadi warrior often mated his Second, but it wasn't an absolute. All he was obligated to do was make sure Rahela and her daughter were taken care of, safe, sheltered and fed until another male took a shine to her.
"It is how our society works." Rahela replied as if speaking to a child.
"And if he were already mated?" Giselle asked as she twisted her long blonde hair up into a knot on her head.
Giselle very methodically exposed both sides of her neck as she finished fixing her hair. She smiled as Rahela's eyes widened. The female's hand flew to her mouth with a squeak.
"Rahela you need to knock before coming in next time. Kagan and I might be occupied."
Giselle nodded as she left to go find Kagan, Ismat or anyone else.
"Do you think it's smart to go out on your own? Look what happened to you." Rahela followed her down the hall. Obviously the female was too stunned to think of a better retort.
"I'm really stubborn and have a hell of a right hook." Giselle called back as she entered the great hall and ran into a wall of flesh.
"Yes you do." The deep sexy voice reverberated against her. Giselle smiled as she looked up at Kagan. "Why are you up?"
"Well it's hard to keep a good woman down."
"Indeed." Kagan bent and kissed her. He had become very fond and skilled at kissing.
Giselle heard a gasp coming from Rahela behind her.
"I don't think you need to worry about Rahela anymore." Giselle whispered.
They couldn't spell it out to the woman any clearer.
"Rahela" Kagan nodded to the female before leading Giselle away. "Since you are up, I was hoping to discuss some things with you about the Scelus Cadi."
Kagan led her into a room with several of his commanders. Dagaa looked pissed when he looked at Giselle's injuries. Even Cyprian was there and stared at her in shock. The rest of the army must have arrived in the night.
"Alright I know I'm a mess. Cut the poor female crap and lets get down to business." Giselle insisted.
"Holy Kali" Cyprian snickered looking impressed.
The warriors who had been exposed to Giselle and her gregarious ways recovered faster than the rest which was a good sign. Maybe in a few years they might not bat an eye at her.
Kagan just grinned at her take charge no nonsense attitude.
"Vigdis is amassing his army three days inside the borderlands on the far side of the swamp." Kagan began to report the details and Giselle listened carefully.
In theory they had five days before Vigdis would realize Kagan's army wasn't going to mount a counter attack and found their way to besiege Nazario. That didn't leave nearly enough time to get the supporting army they would need. Only one province was close enough and already on their way. Even at that they would still be out numbered three to one.
Giselle studied the map projected on the table. The city of Nazario was well fortified and could withstand a normal attack. It had only fallen because Vigdis gassed the people, a one-time shot, thank god. The fortified city was well positioned on a rise and had its own untaintable water source from natural springs.
There was a large expanse outside the walls that afforded a view for quite a distance around the city. Beyond that was a forest that covered a hilly landscape. The trees limited their visibility of the coming army and offered cover putting them at a disadvantage. But because of the receding mountain terrain and a major river there was only one viable road that Vigdis would be forced to take. That was in their favor.
A dozen different battles throughout history flickered through Giselle's mind. She snickered as the story of Hannibal crossing the Alps came to her.
"What is amusing?" Kagan asked.
"Well I was thinking it would be nice to have some elephants. There was this general who marched these massive beasts from a distant land into battle. When he rode against the enemy, they were so thrown off they lost their minds." Giselle shook her head at the image.
"How does this help? We have the manx and rota that's it." One of the commanders asked. He looked at her as if she were a silly woman till both Dagaa and Kagan both gave him the evil eye.
"It just popped into my head." Giselle shrugged then paused. "Wait, a minute." Scenes from Return of the Jedi teased her. No one had expected the sweet little teddy bear Ewoks to put up a fight. Giselle turned to Kagan. "Why don't the Toufik fight with you?"
"They never have fought ever." Kagan looked shocked.
"But do you know for sure that they can't?" Giselle insisted.
"No, but I have seen them abused and even killed and yet still they do not put up a fight."
Giselle frowned as she recalled seeing such a thing herself.
"They are here because their planet is dying. Maybe none of them are willing to risk their clan being sent back to their ravaged planet." Giselle reasoned. She knew the Toufik were simple but not stupid.
"Dagaa bring Stone." Kagan asked.
Giselle loved how the Toufik had names derived from nature. She smiled when the very same alpha male from the Jurou Biljana ship was led in. The Toufik though a head shorter than the average Cadi looked like they could be fearsome beast, and yet they'd been nothing but gentle. Giselle hoped she wasn't wrong.
"Tell the male what is happening." Giselle suggested.
The Cadi gave the Toufik task but rarely did they tell the people the reason for the things they asked them to do, let alone include them in any sort of planning.
"Stone the people we took you from, the cruel one in red, my enemy, is coming with many warriors." Kagan spoke as he gestured. "He is the one that used Empty Death to kill your people and mine here."
Stone grimaced.
"If the cruel one in red beats us he will take your people and I believe your life will be harsh and short. We need your help. Do your people know how to fight?"
The large hairy Toufik male glanced hesitantly from Kagan to Giselle.
"Please." Giselle looked pleadingly at Stone.
Stone made a few gestures and Kagan nearly broke out into laughter.
"What did he say?" Giselle asked not knowing nearly enough hand signals.
"He said of course I do. I am male." Kagan grinned from ear to ear.
"Alright then
! How do you gentleman feel about a little guerrilla warfare?" Giselle beamed.
9 Variations and Adaptability
Kagan quo Rordan
The numbers of dead that were slowly being consecrated by fire made for a macabre backdrop as the warrior along with the Toufik made ready for battle. The last two days had been busy.
Kagan looked around him and felt a swell of pride. He grinned as the hairy Toufik warriors tromped into the forest with one of his commanders to set-up one part of the plan they devised.
The Cadis had turned into a race of warriors and yet much of their skill was in its infancy. The history of Giselle's people lent to more than a few unusual strategies they had decided to use against Vigdis. Giselle had thrown out idea after idea for how they could approach the upcoming war. Some of what she came up with was obvious and had been done in some way shape or form, but there were other strategies, observations and ideas that were damn near brilliant. Kagan wanted to laugh as he recalled the expression on his commanders' faces. They had been in awe of his little warrior. This would be a new and unprecedented battle for the Cadi. What they planned would more than even the score between the uneven armies. They would actually have a fighting chance if they could pull it off.
Kagan had been unsure if the Toufik would be up to the task until Stone had demonstrated the skill of his Toufik males. The supposedly gentle hairy people fought with a lethal ferocity that made Kagan glad he'd never mistreated the people. When this was all over he would need to seriously re-asses, the relationship the Cadis had with the Toufik. It was becoming very apparent that they had been sorely underestimated.
Kagan turned to see Giselle teaching a band of males various Judo techniques. One of his engineers approached Giselle, and she broke off from training and headed towards Kagan with the male. As the duo approached, they had to bypass a group of warriors digging a burrow into the ground, it would be one of many pits in the open field.
"Hello beautiful" Kagan greeted his little warrior. "Tytus" He nodded to his engineer.
The Warrior's Pet (Cadi Warriors Book 1) Page 17
