Nuworld: Claiming Tara (19 page)

“No. If I’m pregnant, I would stay that way. We didn’t
plan this but if I am then it’s meant to be.” Tara knew a
pregnancy would bind them together more than a Gothman
claim or Runner marriage ever would. She felt her stomach
tighten at the thought.
“I knew that would be your answer, but the choice exists
for Runners, and I will not deny you your heritage.” He
squeezed her hand, and stared at her thoughtfully. “We
conceived the first time we were together, I’m sure of it!
Even more proof that we were meant to be together, my
lady.” He leaned over and kissed her, his lips soft and
tender.
“Promise me our child will know no prejudice, not over
race or sex. That is, if there is a child,” she added, and
wondered if Darius might ever want his people to know life
that way, too.
“I’ll do my best, my lady.”
Darius took the treaty she’d snatched out of his hands
and pulled her chair next to his. He draped his arm over
her shoulders and set the papers where they could read
together.
Patha put a lot of thought into the papers. It was full of
the necessity of equality among all men and women. It
emphasized that the Runners and Gothman were setting a
standard
the
rest of
the
world would
strive
to
meet.
Nuworld would need to become one united nation. It stated
this would be the only way all war and hostility could end.
The treaty stated all cultures should always be honored
and respected for their diversity. No race should ever be
asked to give up its traditions or religious beliefs to adhere
to the beliefs of another race. If two cultures chose to unite,
it would be their responsibility to peacefully combine their
cultures.
The treaty was incredibly idealistic, Tara thought. What
a wonderful world it would be if
the treaty could be
enforced to the letter. Patha didn’t take into consideration
that both Runners and Gothman viewed their way of life as
better than the other. She saw the two races tolerating
each other at best.
Darius shared her concern as they mulled over different
sentences and argued certain points. The day was well over
when they finally emerged from the tent.
“Here.” Tara stopped him outside and put the comm
around his ear. “You’ll need to learn how to use one of
these.” She adjusted the device so it would reach his
mouth then secured it.
“What is it?”
“It’s similar to your walkntalks. You can choose who you
wish to talk to, however, and the main landlink will secure
your line. We call them ‘comms’.”
He felt the mouthpiece and blew into it.
“There’s a switch right here.” Tara showed him. “Flip it
on and say that you want to speak to Patha. You don’t have
to
speak
loudly.
The
microphone
is very
sensitive.
A
whisper can be detected.”
Darius pushed the switch and requested to speak to
Patha.
Tara watched the look of fascination on his face as he
listened.
“We’ll ride to the Blood Circle Clan and meet Patha
there,” Darius told her after talking with Patha. “Do you
think we can get more of these?”
“I’d think they should be supplied to all your men. I can
confirm with Patha, but I’m fairly sure we have an ample
supply. It would be difficult to fight a war without them.”
Tara climbed onto her bike. “I guess we’re already
incorporating part of that treaty. In some ways out cultures
will unite.”
“Our cultures are too different.” Darius stared across the
meadow as
his
men prepared
for
nightfall.
Uniting
Gothman and
Runners was a strong
possibility,
but
combining the two cultures would be impossible. Darius
saw how their cultures might learn from each other. He
wasn’t willing for his and Tara’s relationship to become the
glue to secure the bond, though. More than once he’d
wanted to demand obedience from Tara. She’d accepted his
claim, was pregnant with his child, and had said how they
were equal. Darius needed to slow things down. With both
their lives uprooted and battles to win that wouldn’t be
easy to do. He needed time to train Tara. He was Lord of
Gothman. With his people, and in his world, Tara would
have to honor him and submit. When they were alone, he
rather liked her feisty nature and way of thinking. But in
public, she would have to learn the Gothman way.
“We’ll have to be the example to our people as a couple,”
Tara said, as if she sensed his thoughts and decided to
challenge him.
“We can do that when we reach your clan.” The two
drove through the Gothman camp. Campfires were lit, and
talking and laughter filled the early evening. Cheers and
whoops, and just a few catcalls rang out as Darius and
Tara drove past men huddled in groups around the fires.
The small Runner clan they drove through next was
much quieter. Trailers and motorcycles were parked in a
large circle with large fires burning inside that circle. The
Runners watched with curiosity as Tara and the Gothman
lord drove past them. Tara guessed the Runners probably
already knew of the treaty. Patha would have made an
announcement about it upon his arrival.
Darius saluted
the
Runners they passed,
and
the
Runners acknowledged the deference with raised arms of
greetings.
This was promising, Tara thought, although she knew
the Runners would face less change with the treaty than
Gothman. Her people already saw each other as equal. As
well, they respected each individual’s ability to excel in
whatever they were good at doing. Their nomadic existence
provided opportunities for them to continually experience
different
cultures and understand that different didn’t
necessarily mean wrong.
The Blood Circle Clan stood and cheered the second
Tara and Darius were spotted, outdoing the noise the
Gothman had
made.
Runner
children
ran beside
the
motorcycles encouraging the two along. They were forced to
ride slower but finally Tara pulled up alongside a large
trailer and got off her bike.
“Leave it to you, Tara, to draw out a crowd.” A young
woman approached. Her Runner outfit showed every curve
of her female body, and her black headscarf didn’t conceal
her sneer.
“Tasha, I didn’t know you’d returned.”
“How could you when you were off playing house with
some Gothman lord? Although why you chose such a
primitive race is beyond me. I never took you to be the
submissive type.” The young lady eyed Darius and flashed
a flirtatious smile. “So tell me, did you have to beat her
terribly to get her to obey?”
“Not terribly.” Darius let his gaze wander over the young
Runner.
“Lord Darius, I would like you to meet my sister, Tasha.”
“No, she wouldn’t like you to meet me.” Tasha sashayed
in a circle around Darius before coming back around to
face him. “But, I wouldn’t miss this for the world. From
what I hear, it sounds like the two of you are trying to rule
Nuworld.”
“Come on.” Tara took Darius’ hand. “Patha is waiting.”
“I’ll say this,” Tasha continued as they walked away.
“He’s much better looking than Kuro was.”
“Who’s Kuro?” Darius growled.
“He’s a guy I was with when I was a teenager.” She
waved her hand, dismissing the comment her sister had
made. “Tasha’s trying to start trouble. It’s her nature. You
aren’t jealous, are you?”
“Do I have reason to be?”
“No.” Tara hated her sister for saying whatever she could
to make Darius not trust her. Hopefully, Tasha had failed.
They spent several hours with Patha, going over the
details of
the treaty,
discussing
military
strategy,
and
explaining the comm along with other military equipment
that the Runners were willing to supply to the Gothman.
When finally the two left the trailer, it was quite dark, and
the Runner camp had settled. All was quiet.
When they returned to the
Gothman camp, Darius
informed the guards he wanted his men assembled so he
could speak to them. Thirty minutes later, the soldiers
gathered in the meadow, looking curiously at Tara as she
stood next to their lord.
Tara listened and studied Darius’s men as he explained
the treaty and the new equipment to be provided by the
Runners.
“Today is a great day in Gothman history.” Darius’ voice
boomed
through
the
sound
transmitter. “The Runners
presented a treaty to me, asking Gothman to form a truce
with them, and to exist as their allies. Runners are a race
different from many since they have no land, and move
from place to place in order to survive. They have learned
about many races on Nuworld and know Gothman are the
strongest and most powerful. So, they come to us seeking
allegiance, and I have granted it. This is an excellent move
for Gothman. The Runners have obtained knowledge that
will now be readily available to Gothman. We go down in
history today for discovering this race and seeing the
advantages they can offer us.”
His speech was moving and the Gothman cheered loudly
when he was done.
“Very soon each of you will receive a new communication
device.” Darius held the one Tara gave him up in the air.
“The Runners call it a comm. You will be instructed how to
use it. This will become your principal way to contact
others.”
Darius took it upon himself to demonstrate to those
leaders who reported to him later how to wear the comm
and how it
worked.
Not
once
did he
ask
Tara for
assistance. She stood next to him without saying a word.
When he was done with the demonstration, he led the way
to his tent.
She followed. “You were rather impressive out there.”
She secured the tent flap once they were inside.
He sat in his chair and kicked off his boots. “I have to be
confident in front of the men always. You know that. Your
equipment may be different than ours, but it’s not
complicated to understand. I agree all our forces should be
using the same means of communication.” He leaned back
in his chair and stared across the dark tent. “You may
think we’re more primitive than you because we don’t use
these landlinks or have your advanced technology. But just
because we are different doesn’t make one of our races
better than the other. I have a tight rule over those men out
there. I know how to speak to them. This war will be won,
and Gothman will remain strong because of its leadership.”
He paused and studied her face.
“Don’t let the words of my sister affect you. Just because
she referred to you as primitive, don’t take it personally.
She was out of line, as she usually is.” Tara sat next to him
and took off her boots as well. “She doesn’t speak for
Runners, or they wouldn’t be here.”
She draped her long legs across his and leaned back in
her chair. “You best believe she doesn’t speak for me, or I
sure wouldn’t be here.”
Darius ran his hand along her inner thigh. Then without
another word he lifted her legs, got up and went into the
other room.
She sat there, leaning back in the chair completely
exhausted. She was almost asleep when he returned. She
opened her eyes and saw him standing in front of her. His
shirt was off, and his bare chest distracted her out of her
sleep.
Tara studied the different shades of golden curls that
covered hardened chest muscles. She didn’t bother to wake
up enough to talk, nor did she see reason to lift her eyes to
his face. The view she had at the moment pleased her.
Darius must have noticed that she enjoyed the view,
because he didn’t move.
After a minute, Tara looked up
and met his gaze.
“I have something for you. Come here.”
“What?” She followed him but stopped when she noticed
a small box sitting on one of the pillows at the opposite end
of
the
down
mattress. “What have you done?”
she
whispered.
“Look for yourself.”
Shadows were casted over his face but she studied him
for
a moment. He
was so large,
a full-fledged
killing
machine of a warrior. More than likely he’d trained since
childhood, as had she, to defend his people and fight for a
world safe for them to live. But as she stared at him, even
with his expression masked, she saw more. It wasn’t his
first nature, but she swore she saw compassion. Possibly
he did love her in the same way she loved him.
Tara walked around the mattress and picked up the
small box, which was made of tree bark sanded until it was
smooth as glass. She opened the small box and pulled out
a delicate chain with a small gold circle on it. In the middle
of the circle, a tear-shaped ruby was fused to the side. The
deep crimson of the ruby glittered in the dim light.
“It’s the symbol of my clan,” Tara gasped, almost
choking on her words. Tears welled in her eyes, and she
looked away. She didn’t remember the last time she’d cried
for any reason. Sitting on the mattress, she made a show of
admiring it while composing herself.
Darius sat next to her and lifted her face. He wiped her
tears with his calloused thumb. “I had it made for you
shortly after I first saw you in town. I tell you, my lady, it
was love at first sight. You and I were meant to live this life
together.”
That did it. Tears streamed down her cheek.
He laid her back on the bed, wrapping his arms around
her. Darius slid off her coat and lifted her shirt over her
head. When he stood and began removing his clothes, Tara
silently cursed the darker half of the tent for robbing her
view.
“I suggest you take off those pants, my lady.” His voice
was as dark as his shadowed face.
Another time Tara might have challenged him telling her
what to do. But she wanted this and decided she’d choose
her battles later.
Darius lay on top of her naked body, and his flesh
touching
hers
urged
her
need
forward
until she
was
basking in it. She wrapped her arms and legs around him.
He rose to his elbows and stared down at her for a
moment.