The Men of Anderas I: Jardan, the King

by C. J. Johnson

  “I trust you with my secrets, my life,” he paused, wishing they were alone, “and my heart.”

  Her gasp of surprise raised his temperature a good ten degrees and her smile was brighter and warmer than the summer sun. When she relaxed back into the chair, he returned his attention to his father’s grinning face and Dak’s scowl.

  “Before we switch to the ancient language,” Zeth interrupted, “I have an announcement I’d like to make.” Taking a deep breath, he leaned across until his hand covered JarDan and Melodie’s entwined fingers.

  “I’ve spent the past few days thinking about Falcon Tor and the differences between now and when I accepted the crown from my father so many years ago. In three days time we will again fill the castle, only this time it will be by royal invitation. There will be a feast to celebrate your bonding and … to pass the Crown of Tor to you, my son.”

  “What?” JarDan gasped. “By all the Ancient Prophets, why? You’re still a strong leader. You can rule for many years, yet.”

  “As I said, it’s something I’ve thought about for a while. The preparations are underway and Raiwan spent most of today putting my records in order for you. At midday tomorrow, I will set my seal to the Archives making it official and irreversible.” His gaze swept from JarDan to Melodie.

  “Our way of life is changing -- and this is good. Our people need a leader who understands and believes in these changes and can adapt with them. Now,” Zeth turned his full attention back to his son and Dak, “in the old tongue, what has happened?”

  Concentrating on the complexities of a seldom used language and the horrors of the miner’s camp, JarDan didn’t see the look of understanding that passed between his mate and his father nor did he see Melodie silently whisper thank you.

  * * * *

  “Are you going to sleep all day?” JarDan whispered against Melodie’s shoulder. By the time he and Dak told Zeth of their suspicions and made plans to trap the spy, it was dawn. He intended to give Melodie an edited version of the report once they were in their room, but he never got the chance. They had spent most of his first night home making love; and into the next day as well. He didn’t think it was possible for a man to respond so often but he was happy to know it could happen. He should feel guilty for exhausting her with his attentions, but he didn’t. He was male enough to take pride in the fact that he was responsible for her current condition. His sleeping wife never knew when he carried her to bed and undressed her.

  She lay with her naked hips nestled against his stomach. Her legs tangled with his. Although it was nearly noon -- and despite the number of times in the past two days, it wasn’t food he hungered for...

  Using the tips of his fingers, JarDan traced her skin from shoulder to wrist and back; over her ribs to the curve of her waist; down the gentle slope of her hip. Melodie moved against his morning arousal with a low sound of pleasure. Encouraged by her response, he reversed the direction of his fingers until they brushed the side of her breast. Cupping the mound in his hand, he tested its weight before softly brushing the tip with this thumb. Her flesh swelled in his hand and he caught the hardening bud between his fingers, pulling in a gentle rhythm.

  “Don’t you have something better to do?” She grumbled even as she shifted closer to his heat.

  “Definitely.” He agreed sliding his hand over the satin smoothness of her stomach, stopping long enough to tease the slight dip of her navel.

  “But I thought …” He kissed her shoulder.

  “… we’d take our time …” He traced the outer shell of her ear with his tongue.

  “… and thoroughly enjoy ourselves … His fingers combed through the dark curls between her legs.

  “… before we moved on to …” His thumb teased the swollen center of her pleasure.

  “… the best part.” His fingers slid deep into her wetness, keeping time with his stroking thumb.

  Melodie’s legs tightened around his hand as her release rocked her against him. Her unabashed response almost unmanned him. Fighting for control, he pulled her tighter against his chest, one hand cupping her breast, the other still held captive in the velvet warmth of her body.

  When she relaxed against him, JarDan released her and rolled until he was on his back, pulling her onto his chest.

  “That’s some alarm clock you have,” Melodie whispered on a sigh, crossing her arms across his chest and resting her chin on her hands.

  Sliding his hands into the rioting curls spilling around her shoulders, he pulled her closer. “Just wanted to be sure you were wide awake before I got to the best part.”

  “You mean that wasn’t your best effort?” She asked in mock seriousness.

  “Minx.” He growled before plunging his tongue deep into her mouth. JarDan used the pressure of his mouth to force hers to open wider for his kiss. He was like a desert bird seeking sustenance from the oasis of her passion. The taste of her was more addictive than any illegal hallucinogen and he knew without a doubt this driving need for his mate would never end.

  When he pulled back from the kiss, Melodie’s breathing was as ragged as his own. One glance into her remarkable eyes, eyes that mirrored her every thought and emotion, told him her body was once again coming to life for him. Always for him. He flexed his hips, pushing the evidence of his need against her abdomen.

  With a slow, sensual movement, she pushed against the hard muscles of his chest, tunneling her fingers through the thick covering of hair until she sat astride his hips. JarDan could do nothing more than drag air into his lungs with ragged gasps, fighting the almost overwhelming urge to thrust.

  “You be sure to tell me when we get to the best part.” She purred, pushing her hips into his groin.

  JarDan answered her teasing provocation with a groan of unbearable pleasure.

  Melodie raised her hips until his arousal stood poised at the entrance to her body. Every muscle in his body trembled with the effort it took to control the fire in his blood; waiting while she lowered herself enough to barely take him inside her wetness.

  “Are we there?”

  JarDan clenched his jaw at her throaty whisper, his fingers kneading the supple muscles in her thighs. “No.” He finally managed to croak past a throat gone dry.

  She smiled again and lowered herself another inch. Her rapid breathing told him just how shaky her control was, which eased a little of the burning need for release clinching his stomach. When he tried to raise his hips to meet hers and put an end to this delicious torment, she quickly countered his thrust by pulling back. He knew he could overpower her, but her games of seduction pleased him too much to force the issue. With another moan of pleasure, he relaxed against the mattress.

  “Is that the best you can do?” He taunted with a wicked grin then almost exploded when she rotated her hips and slid down another inch.

  “By the Beard of the Prophet, woman!” He gasped. “Another move like that and your game is over before it’s played.”

  Melodie smiled in feminine satisfaction. Lifting her arms, she slid her hands beneath the curling curtain of hair around her shoulders and stretched, pushing her swollen breasts up and out as she slid another inch lower on his body.

  JarDan felt the tremors of her arousal pulsing around him. Every movement, every breath she took caused her inner muscles to clench tighter. He recognized the tingling in the small of his back warning him that his climax would not wait much longer. When she rotated her hips again, he lost what little control he had left.

  He sat up and pulled her gyrating body down hard on his own, thrusting up simultaneously.

  “I warned you what would happen if you moved like that.” He growled against her mouth as he ground their lower bodies together. When she dug her fingers into the sweat-slicked muscles of his back and whispered I know JarDan rolled until she lay beneath him, burying himself completely. Her legs wrapped around his waist, holding him tight. Thrusting hard and fast, JarDan pushed them toward completion. The sounds of her climax fille
d the room blending with his shout. His body kept thrusting until the last tremor faded to a shudder and straining muscles relaxed in total satisfaction.

  “That was the best part.” He managed to mumble as he rolled his weight to the bed, keeping Melodie close to his side. He took the sound she made to be an agreement since he didn’t have the energy to debate the issue. Every time he made love to her he was sure it couldn’t get any better and yet, every time was better than the time before. At this rate, he’d be dead long before the coronation ceremony. JarDan smoothed the hair from her face and gently kissed her forehead. From the deep, regular breathing, he assumed she slept.

  “I give my heart to you, my love.” He whispered, pulling the coverlet over their naked bodies. “Guard it well.”

  Just as he drifted into sleep, he felt dampness against his chest. Before he could question the reason for her tears, he heard her whisper.

  “Now, that’s the best part.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  After two days of preparing for tonight’s feast, Melodie needed a nap. There wasn't a cobweb or dust bunny from highest tower to the lowest dungeon. There was enough food to feed the entire planet for a month. The MediCenter was ready to handle any overnight guests who couldn’t find rooms in the castle. Everything was as ready as she and her staff could make it.

  The only irritant was Tiana. When word of Zeth’s abdication reached the young woman, she went into a screaming fit the likes of which Melodie had never witnessed in her life. Grandpa would have tanned her backside for such disgraceful behavior. Zeth finally had to restrict her to her room before he could maintain any semblance of peace. Tiana’s ungracious attitude affected Zeth strongly and it broke Melodie’s heart to see his disappointment and pain. Tiana came into Zeth’s home as an infant and he’d showered her with the same love he generously gave JarDan and Dak. The more anyone did for Tiana, the more she expected as her due. Just this morning, Zeth finally threatened to give her in marriage to the first man fool enough to ask for her if she didn’t end this battle of wills with him. Tiana may be spoiled, but she wasn’t stupid. The girl realized she’d pushed Zeth too far.

  Melodie hadn’t seen JarDan since breakfast when he sent Dak to greet the arriving guests and he disappeared with Zeth into the Council of Elders for the official transfer of power. The coronation ceremony tonight was just for show.

  “I thought you were going to rest.” ArDell’s accusation interrupted her introspection.

  “And I thought you were going to go away and leave me in peace.” Melodie mumbled as she snuggled beneath the soft white blanket.

  “Humph.” ArDell snorted. “Can’t trust you to follow orders. Now go to sleep or you’ll fall over in your soup tonight.”

  “It won’t do any good. I can’t seem to get enough sleep. Besides, is that any way to talk to the queen?” She ruined her attempt at sounding haughty with a gigantic yawn just before she closed her eyes. Maybe just a short nap.

  * * * *

  “Melodie, it’s time to get ready for the feast.”

  “ArDell,” Melodie grumbled, “will you make up your mind? You just told me to go to sleep.”

  The maid laughed as she stripped the blanket from the bed. “That was three hours ago. Your bath’s ready so get up.”

  Melodie jerked upright, staring at the sun hanging low in the sky. “Impossible.” She argued. “I just closed my eyes.” Seeing the militant expression on her maid’s face, she raised her hands in surrender. “Okay. Okay. I’m going. Nag, nag, nag.” She muttered, hoping the bubbly warmth of the tub would dispel the lingering traces of lethargy. Between preparing for tonight’s celebration during the day and making love with her husband several times a night, her lack of sleep was beginning to catch up with her.

  JarDan was waiting for her when she finished her bath. His warm gaze told her he wished they had time for him to join her in the warm water.

  “I didn’t expect to see you until later.” She told him stepping into his arms.

  “The Council is in recess.” JarDan indicated the large box on her vanity with a jerk of his head. “I wanted to be the one to bring this to you.”

  “What is it?” She asked, tracing the intricately carved panel on the wooden lid. He and Zeth constantly presented her with gifts but she still wasn’t comfortable with accepting such generosity.

  “The Crown Jewels of Tor.” He replied, lifting the lid to reveal a spectacular array of necklaces, bracelets, broaches and rings bright with the twinkling lights of a thousand gemstones. In the center, surrounded by the gleaming gems sat a golden tiara with a single clear, white diamond the size of a robin’s egg that would rest in the middle of her forehead.

  “I can’t wear this,” she whispered, “what if I lose it or get mugged or …”

  He silenced her with a fingertip against her mouth. “Other than the tiara that you must wear on formal occasions, I don’t care if you wear them or not. They have been handed down through countless generations and they’re yours for as long as you are my queen.”

  JarDan reached for her left hand and traced the ring made from the bonding cord. “This is the only adornment I care about.”

  Melodie blinked rapidly against the sudden rush of tears. Drat! It didn’t take much to make her cry lately. She raised his hand to her lips, feeling the coolness of the matching band of gold fitted to his wrist, and smiled at him through her tears.

  “Here, now.” ArDell interrupted the intimate scene between her king and queen. “There’s no time for such dallying. If you want your queen to be ready,” she poked JarDan in his chest, “then you best get on in to your own bath and let me get her dressed.”

  Melodie laughed at the look of stunned surprise on JarDan’s face. “I’m afraid she has no respect for authority. You may be king, but she’s still the boss.”

  He left the room grumbling about sassy women.

  At precisely six o’clock, JarDan returned to escort her to the feast below. She couldn’t stop staring at the man standing before her. His white velvet tunic molded itself to his broad shoulders and thick chest and contrasted sharply with his dark good looks. She wanted to run her hands over the broad expanse to test the difference between the firmness beneath the shirt and the softness of the material. Long, powerful legs, encased in leggings made of buttery soft, white leather, flexed and rippled between the high tops of his white boots and the lower edge of his tunic. A wide white belt with a jewel encrusted buckle emphasized his narrow waist. His hair fell loosely around his shoulders and Melodie realized it was the first time she had ever seen him out of bed without the circle of gold around his forehead.

  “Do I meet with your approval, my queen?” His wicked grin brought a blush to her cheeks. “You certainly have mine. Your beauty will outshine every other woman present.”

  Melodie didn’t believe she was beautiful, but hearing him say so made her feel very special. She knew she looked good in the gown Zeth brought to her this morning. The underdress of shimmery gold matched the embroidery around the neck and hem of the white velvet overdress. A girdle of small gold links circled her hips. ArDell worked miracles with her hair. With the curls that formed naturally with the shorter length, the talented maid created a cascade of small ringlets that trailed down the center of her back. For all the intricacy of her hairstyle, the heavy gold tiara would fit securely when placed on her head. White and gold. The colors of the House of Tor.

  Making a loose fist, JarDan held his arm out to Melodie. “Come, love,” he whispered as she rested her hand atop his, “our guests await our arrival.”

  With a deep breath Melodie stepped into the hall with her husband. A complement of four guards stood at full attention, waiting to escort them to the hall. For the first time, she didn’t stop to wonder at the light from the energy stone. She focused on the only anchor in her rapidly changing world, the man beside her. Gripping his wrist until she felt the imprint of his bonding band against her palm, she prayed he would never be disappointe
d in her. With her head held high and a smile on her face, she descended the winding stairs to the sound of trumpets and drums.

  People filled the main hall. The one hundred and fifty warriors from Falcon Tor and ninety wives of those who were married mingled with at least a hundred guests. Short notice prevented all but the closest of the original five hundred guests from attending. Melodie didn’t know where they would seat them if they did show up.

  Instead of going straight to the dais as they usually did, JarDan led her slowly to the center of the room where Dak waited for them. In the dark blue leather boots and leggings of his family color and the deep gold velvet tunic in honor of his foster family, he was as magnificent as her husband. Unlike JarDan, Dak wore his formal sword at his side. After a deep bow, Dak turned and led them to the dais where Zeth waited with Tiana. Zeth’s clothes mirrored JarDan’s, the only difference being the formal sword at his side and the heavy gold chain around his neck. Tiana had chosen to wear a gown of metallic gold, cut low in front and fitted tightly to her narrow waist. On anyone else the effect would have been gaudy, but with her auburn hair and green eyes, Melodie had to admit she was spectacular.

  When Dak reached the base of the steps below Zeth he stepped to the right and stood at attention. JarDan and Melodie knelt on soft, white pillows placed on the step above the floor. While the music swelled and ended with a flourish, JarDan turned his hand enough to catch her fingers in his. Her fingers trembled when he lowered their hands but she returned the pressure when he squeezed her fingers. The amount of courage his wife possessed constantly amazed him. Although still uncomfortable with her position as princess, she would soon become a queen. Her beauty and serenity completely masked her trepidation to all but him and his family. Even Dak was beginning to admire her.

  “Today,” Zeth began when the crowd quieted, “in the presence of the Council of Elders, I officially relinquished my claim to the Crown of Tor. Tonight, in the presence of this esteemed audience, I pass the Crown of Tor to my son and heir, JarDan.” Zeth reached behind him and lifted the crown from its bed of white satin. Holding it above JarDan’s head, he completed the transfer of power. “May you rule with wisdom and compassion.” He lowered the crown, “King JarDan of Falcon Tor.”