He chuckled, “What were you thinking about?”
“Nothing,” she grinned in return. He just laughed and shook his head. Clearing the fog from her lust-filled brain, she finally remembered what they were talking about. “Let’s go to the marketplace today, and then we can visit Des. I haven’t seen him lately.”
With a grimace, he said, “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”
“Please, Mikal.” She gave him her best ‘pitiful’ face.
He blew out a deep breath before relenting somewhat. “Let’s go have breakfast and we’ll talk about it.” Ambriel grinned, hoping that she’d won this time.
She leapt out of bed, excitement pouring into her body, giving her renewed energy for something besides sex. She quickly showered and donned a pair of form-fitting black leather pants, which she paired with a royal blue shirt. After combing through her wet auburn hair, she then quickly braided it, letting the end fall over her shoulder.
“Ready!” she proclaimed with a grin.
Hand-in-hand they walked through the balcony that led to the dining hall. It was crowded this morning, but she felt comfortable here. Everyone was getting used to the human in the castle. The people outside the castle were a different story.
As they approached the table, everyone they passed bowed their heads slightly, giving Mikal the respect his position garnered.
“Commander,” Lukke acknowledged with his head bowed, getting formalities out of the way. After Mikal nodded, the three men resumed eating.
“I thought you’d decided to skip breakfast this morning,” said a grinning Lukke. He had almost finished eating when they took their usual seats.
“Hi, Lukke,” Ambriel said with a cheeky grin before addressing the others. “Good morning, Damien. Good morning, Avis.”
“Damien, Ambriel is taking the day off from training,” Mikal informed her trainer in a no-nonsense tone. He answered with a nod of his head and kept eating. Damien had been training her since they’d first arrived at the castle, well, after Chadus had been dismissed. He’d felt that Mikal should have just killed her outright and been done with it. Now he wasn’t allowed anywhere near her.
“What are you doing today?” Her gaze swung back to Lukke as he asked the question.
Mikal answered as she listened intently to every word while slowly chewing her food, since he hadn’t actually told her what they’d be doing. “I’m taking her to the marketplace, and then to visit Des if we have enough time.”
Lukke immediately looked concerned, and he wasn’t the only one. Ambriel noticed that Damien and Avis mirrored his expression. Not liking the look that passed between the four of them, she opened her mental door and listened.
That’s a bad idea. The people do not yet know of her, Lukke thought.
He needs to announce his mating to the people before springing her on them. This came from Avis, who wore a grim look on his face, his lips smashed firmly, trying not to voice his opinion aloud.
Looking at Damien, she heard, This will not be good.
“Commander, mind if I accompanying the two of you?” Lukke asked, not as a friend but as second-in-command.
“I also have the day off and would love to visit the marketplace,” Damien chimed in.
Mikal held up a hand, effectively halting Avis just as he opened his mouth. “Thank you both, but I’m sure we’ll be fine.”
She heard the silent apprehension in his head as Lukke asked, “Are you sure, Commander?” What did they think would happen? Perhaps another fight. More people upset that she was there. All kinds of scenarios crossed her mind.
Mikal leveled Lukke with a ‘Don’t question me’ look, but before he could speak, Ambriel blurted, “You can come if you want to.” Mikal’s eyes shot to hers, and she could tell he wasn’t happy… she could feel it through their bond.
“Ambriel,” Mikal warned. He never liked it when she interjected in ‘warrior business,’ as he called it.
She shrugged. “If they’re not doing anything, then what does it matter?”
She could feel the turmoil as he weighed his options. He needed his word to be final, but he also needed for her to be happy. The two warred with each other until he finally relented. He nodded confirmation to Lukke and Damien.
As she walked with Mikal to the stables, she noted the large Cottonwood-like trees that lined the way to the nearby river. The sound of running water made her feel more relaxed with every passing minute. The flowers were in full bloom, but they always were in the Cusasleon realm. Paradise!
As she entered the stable, she grinned as she spotted her companion for the day. “Hi there, Max,” Ambriel greeted the Cefis as she rubbed his floppy ear. A Cefis was similar to what the humans called a horse, but it had the mannerisms of a camel. It was truly an amazing animal with a good temperament.
“Why do you call him that?” Mikal casually asked as he loaded his own Cefis.
She looked into Max’s big brown eyes while she rubbed the side of his long face before answering, “Because he’s sweet.” She looked over her shoulder at Mikal and continued, “And because his eyes remind me of a dog I used to have.”
Right after her mom died, she went to live with a foster family. She was so sad that she wouldn’t talk to anyone, not until she found Max, the family dog. He was a hound with big brown eyes and long floppy ears. He just sat quietly with her while she talked to him for hours.
She tuned back to Max the Cefis and gave him another stroke before strolling to the side, and then, with one foot in the stirrup, she swung her leg over the top, mounting him with ease. After Mikal mounted his, Lukke and Damien came around the corner riding their own.
“We could’ve just walked; it’s not that far.” She and Lukke had walked to the marketplace right after she arrived. It didn’t take too long.
“If we walk, we cannot head to Des’ afterwards. It’s too far,” Mikal offered.
“Okay, then let’s go.”
Not long later, they arrived at the busy marketplace. Lukke tied the Cefises to a post at the edge of the marketplace before they headed toward the first vendor. There were mounds of people milling around the open stalls. Most of them had brown hair and brown eyes, the normal for the Cusas people, and so unlike her auburn hair. Looking at the braid that hung over her shoulder, she could see the different shades of red that ran through her hair while the sun shone brightly, making the colors appear even more vibrant. She liked being a little different, but a part of her wanted to fit in with the Cusas people.
Ambriel surveyed some of the items before heading to one stall that had an array of multiple colored fabrics. The patterns ranged anywhere from earthy greens to floral prints. She found some earthy red-toned fabric that she absolutely fell in love with.
“Get it if you wish,” Mikal, standing a few steps behind her, commented.
Ambriel looked back at the fabric and sighed. She did love it, but she didn’t have her own money here, and she was never comfortable letting someone else pay her way. “It’s beautiful, but I don’t need it,” she replied and then placed the fabric back on the table. After she moved on to something else, she noticed Mikal nodding to the salesman, who then packaged the fabric up.
They walked from one stall to the next, looking at all the items. Some vendors had food, and she enjoyed trying all the samples. The food here was different than the food she was used to eating. It was fresh, unlike most of the processed stuff the Human realm offered.
As they walked, she was pleasantly surprised at the variety of goods on offer. Besides fabrics and food, some stalls sold jewelry, while others sold weapons. You could buy anything you wanted here.
“Mikal?” They all turned at the sound of a female voice. A woman with a big smile approached, never taking her eyes off him. Even with her brown hair and brown eyes, she looked familiar as Ambriel studied her, trying to remember where she knew her from.
“Tassha,” Mikal acknowledged. “I hope you and your family are well.” Now she remembe
red who the woman was. The first time Ambriel visited the dining hall with Lukke, she found Mikal sitting with her, looking very cozy. She couldn’t help the tendrils of jealousy that slowly threaded their way inside, making her take a step closer to him. Not that the other woman noticed.
“We are. What brings you to the marketplace? Don’t get me wrong, I’m very happy to see you, but you never visit.” Her face still held a smile.
“My mate wished to visit.” Ambriel watched the smile fall from her face.
“Your mate? I hadn’t realized you’d taken one.” For the first time, Tassha’s eyes found her, and they were not happy. Ambriel opened her mental door to listen.
He’s mated! She repeated the same two words several times, almost as if she were trying to convince herself that it was true.
Mikal pulled Ambriel to him and said, “This is Ambriel, my mate.” She’s human! “Ambriel, this is Tassha. She is of noble parents, and they own several of the stalls.”
Tassha just stood there, staring at her with confusion. She didn’t understand why Mikal had mated a human, but she kept her composure about her. Ambriel gave her a bright smile and said, “It’s nice to meet you.”
Tassha turned back to Mikal without speaking to Ambriel and finally said what she’d been thinking. “You mated a human?”
“No. Ambriel is part Cusas, and she’s my true mate.” Mikal’s voice was stern, but Tassha didn’t seem to notice.
“Someone else bred with a human?” Tassha had put the pieces together. “So she’s still part human,” she accused with disgust.
“Watch your tone, Tassha,” Mikal ordered with a stern voice.
She nodded, giving him a pleasant smile even though it was fake, and said, “It was nice to see you again,” and then she turned and walked away.
Ambriel hadn’t worried about the people and how they felt about her. Everyone had bowed their head as Mikal passed, showing how much they respected him and the title of Commander. Everything was going well until a vision hit her full force.
A man with wild, angry brown eyes came around the corner with his sword drawn. “You dare bring her here?” He sneered the question as his sword met with another, Lukke standing at the end. They fought! Swords clashed with every strike. Damien stood at the ready, his hand on the hilt. Lukke took the man to his knees, and then delivered the final blow. Looking around, the people held skepticism in their eyes. After Lukke struck the man dead, that skepticism bled to uncertainty as they watched their fellow Cusas fall.
Looking at Mikal, she forcefully said, “We need to go.”
“But we just got here, and you’ve looked at only a few stalls.”
“I know, but we really should be going.” Her gaze pleaded for understanding. She didn’t want to be the cause of conflict, nor did she want Lukke to fight another Cusas on her behalf.
“What did you see, Ambriel?” His serious eyes held hers.
She worried her lip between teeth before she finally answered. “A man and Lukke fighting because I’m here.” Her eyes darted nervously around, watching for the angry man to appear and wanting to leave before he did.
“We will stay.” When she looked at him with panicked eyes, he took her hand and continued, “We can’t run from everything. I’m the Commander here, and if someone is stupid enough to want to fight…” He just shrugged as if it were no big deal.
It didn’t take long for the exact scene to play out in front of her. Lukke stood, holding his sword at his side while blood dripped from the tip. A crowd had gathered around, forming a circle with them in the middle. He stood with a straight spine and a menacing look on his stern face, even while his arm wrapped around her waist in a protective gesture. Mikal looked at everyone before he spoke with a booming voice.
“This is my true mate, Ambriel!” He glanced down at her. “She is half Cusas, part witch, and part human. She is here to stay, and anyone who wishes to challenge that decision will meet certain death!”
Ambriel could hear the loud murmurs of the crowd, but no one challenged his decision. As they dispersed, she looked to Mikal and quietly asked, “Why do they hate humans so much?”
“They don’t hate humans.” The look she gave him called his bluff, and he hinted at a smile. “Fine,” he said. “It’s pounded into us at an early age that humans are weak, easily influenced. Interacting with one will bring swift, harsh punishment. You saw Des?” His eyes darted to hers as they walked toward another stall. With her nod, he continued, “Most fear your presence and the penalty of interacting with you. Others are mad, thinking there is a double standard, not realizing you’re my true mate.”
“I guess that makes sense,” she said even though it really didn’t. It was against their laws… but why? That was a mystery she hoped to uncover one day.
The rest of the day was a pleasant surprise. The vendors looked at her with uncertainty, but they were more friendly, offering to help when she found something she wished to look at. Some people gave her sideways glances and moved on. It would be difficult to win most of these people over.
Mikal
Mikal needed to be training his warrior brothers or in the Human realm, fighting the Santiarns, which he had neglected as of late. A fact that Lukke reminded him of often. After today, things would have to change. Ambriel was needed to win against the enemy, and somehow he needed to get over his fear of losing her.
Fear… he’d known fear in his life, but nothing compared to the way he felt when she had been kidnapped. Fear of losing the war didn’t compare to fear of losing his mate. They’d enjoy the day, but starting tomorrow things would change.
They visited every stall, ate some of the local food, and even though he enjoyed the happiness she wore on her face, Mikal was ready to leave. He looked to Lukke and Damien. They were just as miserable as he was and would think twice about coming along next time.
The sun was high when Ambriel finally announced, “I’m ready to leave.”
“Are you sure?” She leveled him with a look. Mikal grinned; she could feel his happiness with her simple words.
“I’m sure, let’s go.” The four of them headed toward the Cefises until she came to an abrupt stop. “Wait, what about my packages?” she asked.
“I had them delivered to the castle.” She let out a relieved sigh, and he grinned again. He knew she really wanted some of those items but was too stubborn to accept them. She never said anything when he had them packaged.
The ride to Des’ was uneventful, but Mikal wasn’t looking forward to seeing him again. The couple of times Des had visited the castle, Mikal knew he was unhappy with the current arrangement, but so far he’d held his tongue. After arriving, they dismounted from the Cefises as Des walked off the porch with a happy smile.
“Ambriel, it’s good to see you!” He gave his daughter a warm hug. His eyes found Mikal’s, and his smile faded. “Commander.”
“Des,” Mikal acknowledged.
Des led them to the front porch and then fetched some refreshments.
“Thanks, Dad,” Ambriel said as she took a sip of her tea. “So what have you been up to?”
“Not much. I planted a few more flowers the other day. I remembered how much you loved them when you visited the first time.” Des sat relaxed in the chair opposite them. Lukke and Damien stayed with the Cefises.
“I do. I love the colors. There’s just something about seeing the beautiful flowers that makes me feel content.” She shook her head with confusion while taking another a sip of her tea. “I know that sounds silly, but I can’t explain it any better than that.”
“It makes perfect sense to me. They make me feel the same. If you look at them, the flowers are so vibrant, so alive. They are content to just bask in the sunlight and sway with the wind. They have nary a care in the world.”
“Yes! That’s it exactly!” She grinned at Des before taking another slow sip of her tea. She didn’t notice the look he gave her mate.
They sat in silence until Des finally ask
ed what Mikal knew was eventually coming. Looking at him, Des asked, “So when are you having the mating ceremony?”
When he didn’t readily answer, Ambriel asked, “What mating ceremony?” Her eyes darted between him and Des, confusion etched on her face.
“The mating ceremony that makes your mating official. It’s like a wedding in the Human realm,” Des supplied while staring at Mikal.
She turned and faced him. “You didn’t tell me about that. I thought we were already mated.” As Ambriel spoke, Mikal could feel the hurt and confusion bleed through their bond. He wanted to smite Des where he sat!
Glancing at Des’ smug face, Mikal looked at Ambriel and took her hand. “I was giving you time to adjust before springing something else on you.”
“Are you sure? Maybe you don’t want to mate a half-human,” Des interjected with traces of anger easily heard. “What will your people think?”
Ambriel asked, “Is that true? You don’t want to marry, I mean… mate me because I’m part human?”
Mikal’s eyes found her sad ones before pulling her close, feeling the warmth of her body as his chin rested on the top of her head, his arms wrapped around her body while her head lay against his chest. He shot daggers at Des while he answered his mate in a soft tone. “No, it’s not. I was giving you time to adjust.”
He could still feel her uncertainty. If he was honest with himself, he knew there would be an unsettling throughout the Cusas when he mated her.
“I think she’s adjusted well, don’t you?” Des half-asked, half-stated with laser-sharp eyes.
“I do, but we still have work to be done.” It was a lame excuse, but he didn’t want to have this conversation in front of Des. This was a private matter between him and his mate, and he’d prefer to discuss it in the privacy of their chambers.
Ambriel leaned back and looked into Mikal’s eyes, searching for some answer to a question she never asked. When she glanced away, Mikal felt the heaviness in his heart.
“Dad, Mikal and I will talk about this later. Right now, I just wanted to see you.” She gave Des a half-hearted smile, and Mikal could feel her sorrow.
Ambriel's Quest: Book 2 Page 2
