Fighting Lady Jayne
Page 9
“You are strong,” he agreed, “and will bring much honor to our family name, my Lady of Firewall.”
“I don’t think you understand. I have no need of a husband. I never wanted one.” She didn’t move beyond tugging her tunic over her exposed hips to hide them from view. “As for your reasons, I cannot fulfill them. I can’t give you children. I won’t keep your house. I hate cleaning up after other people. I won’t feed you. All that leaves you with is a whore to see to your needs. Surely paying a prostitute is cheaper than keeping a wife.”
Ronen visibly paled. Weakly, he said, “We have servants.”
Jayne turned away from him, rolling her eyes in disbelief. Really? That’s all he had to say? Servants? As if that solved all her issues and would suddenly make her want to be with him forever. She decided long ago that she wasn’t one for marriage and family. Sitting on the ground, she gingerly pushed at her wounded arm, resisting the urge to scratch the healing tissue.
“I hear my brother,” Ronen said, breaking the uneasy silence. He pushed up from the ground, hitting the dust from his clothes. Seconds later she heard the sound of horses’ hooves. Lord Sorin wasn’t alone, and when he rode into the clearing around Widowrock, fourteen knights came with him.
Moody eyes turned toward her. She arched a brow, forcing all emotion from her face as she stared back. Why were they mad at her? She didn’t ask them to hunt her down.
“Maps,” Sorin stated, looking at his brother. He held up a fur pouch. His hand was covered with blood.
“Watch my lady,” Ronen told the men, automatically following his brother without a backward glance.
Jayne sighed heavily, letting the knights see her irritation. Muttering to herself, she turned her back on them and sat down by the boulder. “Fourteen guards, my lord? Do you really think that will stop me?”
* * * * *
Ronen was grateful for his brother’s interruption. He still didn’t know what to say to his wife. No children? It would be a lie to say the news wasn’t disappointing. He wanted children very much—sons to carry on the family name and tradition, a daughter to bless their home. When she talked it was clear Divinity had done some diabolical things to her—nanobots and bioengineering? He didn’t fully understand what those things were, but the way her arm healed was not natural. Is that why she couldn’t give them children?
“Ronen?” Sorin frowned. “Do I have your mind?”
“Yea,” Ronen lied. He hadn’t been listening.
Sorin held up the pouch. “We found this on the Caniba spies. They are mapping routes through the forest originating at Spearhead.”
“Magda,” Ronen ground out.
“The Sorceress plans something.” Sorin pulled out a piece of parchment and dropped the Caniba pouch on the ground. “We must warn King Wilhelm so he can order troops to reinforce the borderland marshes. His personal army should be camped near Daggerpoint Castle.”
“I will go,” Ronen stated. “You must go back to your wife.”
Sorin’s face darkened. “Be sure the king knows I’m ready to march.”
“Is the choice so bad?” Ronen grabbed the parchment and slid it beneath his tunic, holding it in place beneath his belt.
“Battles are nothing compared to what she puts me through,” Sorin answered. Ronen knew it was all the explanation he’d receive. But, he really didn’t need words. By the look in his brother’s face, Lady Lilith denied him her company and her bed. Should it continue, it would make for a hard marriage and a miserable life for his brother.
Ronen thought of Jayne. It would seem the Lords of Firewall both had problems. “Trust in the gods, my brother. They do not give us trial without reason.”
“Yea.” Sorin instantly changed the subject. “I’ll take most of the men back to Battlewar and leave four to scour the forest to ensure no more spies linger. I’ll spread word in the village that Lady Jayne’s departure was the will of the gods and she led us to the spies.”
“Yea, and I’ll take Kar and Lance. There might be need of a healer on the battlefront.” Ronen held out his hand. “Journey smooth and swift.”
“Fight well,” Sorin answered, grasping his hand before striding back to where the men awaited their orders.
Ronen was glad for an excuse to avoid Battlewar Castle. Not only would the battlefront distract his mind, but it was far away from the only Divinity portal in the land and Jayne’s only way out of his dimensional plane. By the will of the fire goddess, she would never have the chance to leave him again.
* * * * *
Jayne watched in surprise as the knights rode off after Lord Sorin. They’d only left her with two guards—albeit large, disapproving, intimidating guards. She interlaced her fingers, cracking her knuckles. Yeah, she was pretty sure she could take them.
Jayne made no move to leave the boulder. The guards had horses and trying to outrun them would be a futile effort, even if she were to knock them unconscious first. They’d already proved apt at tracking through the forest, and if her recent beastly captors were any indication, she couldn’t rely on help from the Caniba.
Technologically advanced race?
Jayne chuckled at the thought. The knights frowned in her direction at the sound. She laughed harder.
“What has happened?” Ronen strode through the forest.
“She’s gone mad,” a knight answered. He was the one from her joined vision with Ronen who’d been hunting her in the forest.
“Methinks she is overtired,” the third knight said, a redheaded man with steady eyes and a thoughtful expression. “Do we ride back to Battlewar?”
“No. We go to Daggerpoint to seek an audience with the king.” Ronen strode to his horse and swung up into the saddle. Then, walking the animal toward her, he held out his hand. Jayne hesitated, gauging the jump up. Finally, too exhausted to argue, she grabbed his wrist. Ronen jerked, pulling her up. It wasn’t her most graceful landing, but she managed to slide behind him on the saddle. It didn’t seem to take much for her body to respond to his nearness. With her legs apart and the tight space holding them firmly together, her sex molded to his ass as her thighs pressed into his. He spurred the horse into a gait and her breasts bounced against his back. Jayne closed her eyes, trying not to get aroused.
This ride is already too long.
Chapter Seven
One long night of travel had been made even more so by the way her body rubbed up against Ronen’s. The horse rocked in a steady, yet somewhat dizzying rhythm. Jayne tried to stay awake, but the forest was endless and the warmth of Ronen’s back so inviting. Before she realized it, she had her arms lazily wrapped around his hips and her cheek pressed into him in sleep.
By the time she awoke, dawn streaked the horizon, illuminating a valley filled with caramel-colored square tents. They varied in sizes, spread out over the distance and towered over by a dark gray castle. The larger tents were closest to the castle gate with progressively smaller ones fanning away. Bright banners hung from the tent flaps, pinned to the opened entryways.
Daggerpoint Castle lived up to its name. Tall, smooth spires pointed into the magenta heavens, reaching into sharp points. Banners fluttered in the wind and Jayne felt sorry for the person who had to climb up that daunting height to affix the things.
“Is this where the king lives?” Jayne asked, forced to grab Ronen’s hips as he steered the horse down an incline.
“This is his camp, but he’ll be staying inside the castle.” Ronen tensed as she held him, and remained stiff. “Battlewar is his home, but he spends more time near the borderlands.”
“Will we stay in the camp?” Jayne hoped so. The soft clang of sword practice echoed around the shouts of laughter coming from a group of men surrounding a couple of bare-chested brutes wrestling in the dirt. The fresh air and unrestrictive prison of tent canvas seemed a far cry better than a dark stone tower.
“If there is a castle nearby, noble ladies stay within.” Ronen kept riding, taking a cleared path toward the castle gate. Several men
lifted their hands in greeting, shouting welcome and inquiring after Lord Sorin. They didn’t speak to her, but they watched her curiously.
“My lord?” Kar appeared at their side.
“Yea,” Ronen answered, apparently already knowing what the man wanted. “Take your leave, clean up, drink. Find me after you have rested.”
Kar and Lance, the redhead, turned to ride down into the center of camp. They disappeared behind a blue-bannered tent.
“Is there a queen?” Jayne craned her neck to look up at the highest dagger spire. Pointed lancet windows were much wider than the narrow slits of Battlewar Castle. An orange glow shone from within a few of them.
“Why?”
“Because I’m hoping he’s without a mate. I wish for more power,” she drawled wryly.
“Yea, there is a queen.” Ronen grunted. “Besides, noblewomen do not take multiple husbands, only peasants.”
Jayne almost said, “lucky them”, but refrained. She doubted the moody Lord Ronen would appreciate her dry humor. “I don’t see why they’d want more than one.”
“Because you don’t even want one?” he filled in.
Yeah, Lord Moody all right.
“Can we have a conversation or do I have to shove your ill-tempered ass off this horse?” Jayne gave him a small push. “Tell me about the peasants. Do they get into fights over whose turn it is to do the wife? Because from what I saw of their behavior in Battlewar’s many hallways, husbands appear to be very, ah, what’s a delicate way of putting this? Hornier than a sex-crazed maniac on hormones.” Just to mess with him and amuse herself, she lowered her tone ever so slightly to a sultry, breathy whisper. “Or do the other husbands watch as they each take turns?”
Ronen shifted on his horse. Jayne tried not to laugh.
“I do not know what happens in their bedchambers. I suppose each marriage pact is different,” he answered. Then, before she could plant more deliciously inappropriate images into his head, he rushed on, “The arrangement is necessary for poorer families.”
“Why?” she whispered against the back of his ear. If everyone insisted on staring at her, she’d give them something to look at—Lord Ronen squirming in his seat while she smiled innocently behind him. “Are peasant women insatiable? Ravenous?”
“Poorer families n-need,” he stuttered, “to work together so no one starves and all, um, in the family trade.”
She squeezed his hip. “Have you ever wanted to be a peasant? Just throw away the restrictions of your position and join in the naughty group games?”
“Honor forbids I give up my title.” The words were final.
“But you don’t even fantasize that you’re someone else?” She brushed her breasts to his back, unsure why she tried to exasperate him. “I don’t see a lot of women in this camp. Those long winter nights have to get pretty lonely. It would only be natural if you—”
“I understand what you are asking.” His back relaxed some. “Men who chose the solitary path are not looked down upon, but I am not one of them. I enjoy the company of women. During campaigns, the camp followers make their rounds to see to the needs of the men.”
It was Jayne’s turn to stiffen. That was not what she’d been asking.
“They are more than willing to play out the fantasies of—”
“Hey, just because they’re royalty, I won’t be expected to bow, will I?” she broke in, changing the suddenly irritating subject. If she wasn’t mistaken, he chuckled softly. A jealous wave of possessiveness washed over her. She did not want to hear about him and other women. Sure, she didn’t think he came to her bed an untried virgin, but that didn’t mean she wanted full details of his past.
“No, women curtsey.”
Jayne put space between them. “Maybe you shouldn’t introduce me then. I don’t do too well with authority. Besides, I’d rather take a bath.”
* * * * *
It had taken Ronen a moment to figure out what Jayne meant to do with her questioning about peasants. Her obvious jealousy amused as it assuaged his male vanity. If she thought trying to poke at him until he exploded was wise, then he’d just have to show her that he could poke back.
At first, he nearly jerked her around the front of the horse for a sound, hard spanking. How dare she indicate she wanted more lovers? Ronen refused to share what was his.
He shifted his hips, trying to adjust his heavy erection into a more comfortable position. Even in his initial aggravation, her sultry voice had stirred his blood to boiling. Having those soft breasts bouncing against him had been agony and it didn’t take much to convince his knight to prepare for battle.
Ronen mentally felt for the map at his hip. Duty demanded he hand it over first thing, before bathing or eating. However, after that, he’d be free to whisk his pretty bride to a bedchamber for the rest of the day.
Ronen passed through the low gates of Daggerpoint before motioning to a page. The young boy ran to gather the lord’s horse as Ronen hopped down. He reached for Jayne, noting how very unsuitable she was for a formal introduction. The king would understand, but the queen tended to expect more of her noble ladies—regardless of the circumstances.
“I wasn’t joking,” Jayne said as her feet hit the dirt. “If you make me meet anyone right now, I will embarrass you.”
“Your absence will be understood,” he promised her, unsure whether her threat should entertain or anger him. “I will have the servants bring you to a sleeping chamber where you can bathe and eat. It would be better for you if you great the queen with a fresh face.”
“Whatever,” she dismissed, unimpressed by the fact that royalty was so close. He’d seen women freeze up and faint at the sight of His and Her Majesty. “I just want to lie down.”
* * * * *
Jayne groaned for the thirteenth time in one minute as she pushed an overly soapy washcloth along her arms. Steam rolled around her from the stone tub, clinging to the warped lead plate windows surrounding three sides of the raised platform of the bath. She’d slicked her damp hair back on her head while keeping all but her face submerged in liquid heat. The dark blue of the water trailed her skin like wet sapphires whenever she lifted her arms from their depths.
“If I never leave this bath again, it will be too soon,” she said more to herself than the two servants watching her from where they put fresh linens on the large bed. She felt their eyes on her when they thought she wasn’t paying attention. “If you two don’t stop staring I’ll order you both to strip naked and await my lord’s punishment. He seems the type to be fond of spankings.”
Both women gasped in unison and ran from the room. Jayne pushed up far enough to peek at the bed. They’d left the top coverlet halfway off the side. Laughing hard, she sank into the water once more to enjoy the fact she was finally alone.
Closing her eyes, she debated whether or not to fall asleep right where she lay. Or maybe she’d stir the remnants of desire still lingering from being pressed to Ronen all night. Before she could decide if the risk of drowning outweighed comfort, a small tingling erupted along her temple. She opened her eyes, recognizing the sensation. Her mind was trying to connect her thoughts with Ronen’s.
Still irritated by the idea of him and other woman, Jayne decided to let it. Unless his meeting with the king only lasted a few short minutes, he’d still be talking to His Majesty. Smiling mischievously, she saw a flash of Ronen’s hands around a drink. Instead of exploring his mind, she opened hers.
Grabbing the soapy cloth, she pushed to her knees so she could kneel in the water. Cooler air surrounded her, causing her nipples to harden into two erect points. She ran the cloth up the center of her chest, squeezing it so soap ran over her breasts as she watched. Suds clung to peaks before dripping into the water.
* * * * *
“The map does not go too deeply into the forest. The beasts could not have been exploring long,” King Wilhelm said, scratching his short blond beard. The main hall was empty except for the occasional servant. Queen Patr
icia had left them to attend the duties of lady of the castle. She liked her world to be organized in a particular way and Daggerpoint had no official mistress to see to its daily demands.
“My brother has sent men to scout the forest to make sure none live to tell the Sorceress of their discoveries.” Ronen didn’t move in his seat, well aware of how dirty he must have appeared, covered in dirt and sweat. He needed a bath and a bed, desperately.
“And you’re sure it is Sorceress Magda who sends the spies?”
Ronen curled his nose in disgust. “Yea, when they died they shouted the praises of their queen. It is Sorin and my opinion that we should order troops to reinforce the borderland marshes at Spearhead. He says his men are ready to march at your command.”
“We’ll increase the forest patrols,” Wilhelm said. “I will write to Lord Sorin and have him arrange it from Battlewar. And I will send a messenger to Spearhead for a report.”
Ronen nodded, seconds away from pushing up from his chair to take his leave when the king’s words stopped him.
“I am pleased to hear the brothers of Firewall have taken brides.”
Ronen didn’t answer. He didn’t want to speak of his wife. Talking about her would make him think about her. Thinking about he would make him want her. Wanting her would only add fire to his already heavy cock and the last thing he felt like wearing before the king was a giant erection.
“I know there were many who were hesitant with the alliance, but your example will go far in encouraging other men to take these otherworlders as brides.” The king motioned a servant to refill their drinks. “How are the foreign women? Are they of good stock? Are they all Divinity promised?”
“No,” he stated flatly. It served no purpose to lie to the king. Wilhelm’s eyes rounded in surprise.
“Are they uncomely?”
Ronen drew his eyes to the far side of the hall in the direction of Jayne. “They are most beautiful, but the agreement was for willing brides.”
“Is the Lady Jayne not willing?” The king gave him a wry look. “It would explain your dark mood.”