The Battle Lord Saga 02 - Her Battle Lord's Desire (8 page)

Then again, the compound only held a total of a hundred people, including soldiers and public.

Today we have over four hundred soldiers, not counting another four hundred plus additional

population. I want to get you out of the lodge and into a place with a bit more privacy.”

“What would you do with the upper rooms?”

“Use them as guest quarters. What do you think, Atty? Ready to move into slightly

larger accommodations?”

“When do you plan to start construction?” she asked.

He gave her a bemused smile. “I already have,” he told her. Seeing her eyes widen in

surprise, he admitted, “I ordered the carpenters and engineers to begin marking off the new

compound wall and the floor plans to the new lodge while we were away. Hopefully, by the time

we return, they should be finished laying the foundations. With decent weather, we might be able

to move in by December.”

“What about the back wall of the compound?”

“I’ve never done anything like this before, so I’m really just guessing at this point, but we

should be completely re-fortified by March or April, at the latest.” He smiled to himself. “Our

first anniversary. Atty, do you remember the date we married?”

“I’m sorry. I...don’t remember much about that day. Forgive me,” she confessed in a

small voice. She felt him squeeze her hand.

“It’s okay. Someday we’ll be able to talk more about it. It takes time to heal. But, for

the record, it was the twelfth.” He squeezed her hand again. “Keep that date in mind.”

“Why? Planning on doing something special on that day?” she half-teased.

“Yeah. I plan on giving you a decent wedding. One with all the pomp and pageantry you

could ever imagine. And one where you’re
awake
,” he laughed.

They passed several more campsites and neared a small stream where Atty hoped to get a

drink. She suddenly felt dry.

Rounding the grove, she was so intent on spotting the running water she was only half-

aware of Yulen slowing down. She glanced up, and her eye caught something fluttering from

beneath the forest canopy. Turning her head, her jaw dropped open in total shock.

“It’s a bit late, Atrilan, but I promised you a wedding present,” his voice drifted over to

her.

She was vaguely aware of him dropping her hand as she stepped toward the tent nestled

amid the trees. At first her mind argued that it wasn’t what she thought. Glancing back at her

husband, he also seemed to read her thoughts.

“It’s yours, my love.”

Of course, it had to be hers, she told herself. For one thing, it was blue. All shades of

blue, from pale and icy to almost midnight black. It was also bigger than Madigan’s, but not by

much. Instead of one middle tent stake, there were two, and above the roof of the rectangular

structure, twin pennants of half-blue and half-red, the symbol of Alta Novis, flew from the poles.

Where Madigan’s purple swatches were interspersed with gold, the blues were shot with white.

No...silver.

She reached out with a tentative hand to touch the wall of the tent, just to reassure herself

that it really existed. “This...is
mine
?”

“Well, actually, I was hoping you’d let me share it,” he teased her lovingly. “Wallford, the

man who designed and made Madigan’s, also designed and made this one. He made quite a few

changes in the structure, so the men were able to get it pitched in half the time it took to raise

Mother’s. That’s a nice convenience. Ready to go inside and look around?”

“It’s bigger than hers, isn’t it?”

Yulen had walked over to the far end of the tent to show her where the entrance flap was.

“Putting the doorway here gives you the whole of the tent to withdraw into. With Madigan’s, the

flap in the middle wasn’t practical.” He held open the doorway, and Atty ducked to enter.

Because of the location of the door, the interior appeared bigger and deeper—enough to

require two center poles to hold up the higher roof. Directly in front of them a brazier glowed

from its pit in the ground. Behind it a low table was set for two. Atty looked to her husband for

an explanation.

“The floor can be pulled back to allow for a small brace of coals when it gets too cold.”

He gestured to the back of the tent. “The bedding area is to the rear.” His voice dropped to a

more sensual tone. “Want to go look?” He smiled tenderly as he reached for her. “I’ve been

waiting a long time to spring this on you, Atrilan. I hope you’re happy with it.”

She went into his arms willingly, lifting her face for his kisses. “This is...more than I ever

expected,” she admitted almost shyly.

“I promised you I would do everything in my power to make up for what you’ve had to

endure,” he murmured into her mouth. “I hope I’ve kept my promise, and that every night has

been a gift of love to you.”

She couldn’t refuse his love nor the persuasive power of his mouth. Despite his strength,

he held her tenderly, one hand brushing the loose hair away from her face before threading his

fingers through the strands gathered behind her neck. He was mesmerized by her rich, blue locks,

and often at night or whenever they were alone she would feel him playing with it, braiding it, or

combing it for her to get out the odd tangle or knot. As much as he enjoyed tending to her, there

was no denying the comforting sensations she got from his ministrations, especially after a long,

hard day.

Atty subconsciously pressed herself against his body, and immediately she was aware of

his growing erection stiffening along her belly. Sighing loudly she moved back slightly to give

him an apologetic smile.

“You were right. I’m famished,” she admitted, hoping to direct his attention back to their

supper. Unfortunately, Yulen would have none of it. Lifting her off her feet, he claimed her lips

again, and Atty felt herself succumbing to the intensity of his passion. Throwing her legs around

his waist, he walked over to where the bedding was located and fell onto his knees into the midst

of several pillows. There he pressed himself against her as he began to assault her neck and the

erogenous zone below her ears. She could feel him grounding his hard erection into the seam

between her legs, until she could feel his heat stroking her. Making her wetter and more excited.

Weakly she beat on his shoulders and tried to wriggle free of his overpowering sexual energy. It

was a battle she knew she would quickly lose if he didn’t heed her request.

“Yulen...”

Surprisingly, he released her and lifted himself off of her, sitting back on his heels. Atty

could feel her head swimming. Her own body was betraying her, leaving her weak in the knees

and with a hot moistness between her thighs. Looking up at him, she begged him with her eyes.

She watched as he stared at her with a mixture of sadness and unleashed desire, and she

shuddered under his stricken gaze.

“Atrilan?” It was a question filled with disappointment.

“Can’t we just...just eat? For now?”

“Are you all right? Are you sure that sow didn’t hurt you? Or you didn’t get injured on

the hunt?”

“I’m okay,” she tried to assure him, when it was not okay. When all she wanted to do at

that moment was to bury her face against his neck and let him make love to her amid the sky-

colored pillows and blankets until every bone in her body was as soft as butter.

“Then why—”

She hurried to sit up and placed a hand on his lips. “It’s...” she began, then stopped and

tried again. “There’s so much going on right now. Please, my beloved. Give me a little time.”

“Should I get Liam?” he persisted. Their bodies were so close to each other, she could

feel his heat as he fought to keep from taking her again. His hands resting at his sides continued

to open and close into fists as he resisted touching her. Atty found herself erotically intoxicated

by him, as he always had been able to do to her with a kiss or a look or a touch. As he would

always be able to do. It took every ounce of willpower for her to break contact with him and

move back, getting to her feet. Yulen reacted as if she’d slapped him. He got unsteadily to his

feet.

Sensing he was about to leave the tent and fetch the physician, she grabbed him by the arm

to stop him. “No, Yul. I’m fine. Really! There’s no need to get Liam when he won’t find

anything wrong with me.”

Yulen stared at her for another long moment before he said in a low voice, “You’ve never

turned me away before.”

“I know,” she nodded. Damn, but she couldn’t stop the tears from filling her eyes, or the

heated flush that was spreading over her face and skin. “I’m sorry. Please...forgive me. But I

promise you, it won’t be a long wait.”

“A
long
wait?” he echoed. “What’s going on, Atrilan? Don’t you desire me anymore?”

She nodded, cursing the tears now sliding down her cheeks. “I do desire you, my love.

Please. It’s just that there’s been so much happening in such a short time. I need time to think. I

need time to...to accept what’s happening. Remember what I told you the Council said? That I

wouldn’t be welcome back? That I would be considered the enemy if I returned to you? My own

people, Yul. They turned me away, and now we’re going back. Don’t you think I’m feeling

scared and...and apprehensive? Don’t you think I’m wondering if we’re doing the right thing?”

Her explanation touched a chord inside him, and Yulen raised her hands to his lips.

“You’re right. I’ve been inconsiderate. I’m sorry, Atrilan.” He took a deep breath and

let it out shakily. “Let’s go ahead and eat, and we can talk some more about it. Perhaps that will

help.”

He led her over to the low table, and Atty sat down on one of the crushed velvet pillows.

She wiped her face with her shirtsleeve and removed her boots, tossing them to one side, and

allowed herself the luxury of being barefoot as her husband brought over their dinner from where

it sat on the brazier. To her amazement the food was good, and she complimented him. Dinner

conversation then turned back to the compound and its expansion.

“Atrilan, there’s something you need to be aware of when we go back to Wallis.”

“What’s that?” She took a deep draught of water from her cup after noticing its

sweetness. She’d never be able to drink water again without testing its taste beforehand.

“I’m going to be claiming it under the banner of Alta Novis.” He watched for her reaction

to his news. To his surprise, she seemed nonchalant about it.

“I suspected you do would something like that.”

“You don’t mind?”

“Why would I mind? I know what kind of Battle Lord you are. By putting Wallis under

your sovereignty, you’re guaranteeing the compound’s safety and the well-being of all its

inhabitants.”

“But do you think the Council will see it that way?”

“What? You think the Council is going to object to you coming in—”

“To
us
coming in,” he quickly corrected her, smiling.

“Six of one, half-dozen of another, Yul. But I do think you’re right about the Council.

They’ve sustained their own little demi-god status for generations. And although I think Piron

George means well, they were so unfair to do what they did to us.” Her eyes misted over at the

memory.

“I’m still leaving them in charge after we’re gone. They’ll just have to answer to me

now.”

“But that means you’re going to have to re-negotiate the treaty.” Atty snorted and made

a face. “Some treaty. Why don’t people just call them for what they are? Veiled threats.”

“Despite that, I’ve upheld my part of the treaty. I returned you. In fact, I’m doing so

twice
. I have not attacked another Mutah compound, and I had my men withdraw from Wallis as

they initially requested. Of course, now with the threat of Bloods, they’re going to have to get

used to having my men around because I’m not leaving them unprotected.”

“You know many will see the soldiers as an overt act of hostility,” she said.

“That’s their problem, not mine,” Yulen commented, unperturbed. “They asked for help,

and they’ll get it, but on my terms.” He nodded at her empty plate. “Get enough to eat?”

“Yes. Thank you.” She watched as he rose to lay the dishes on a mat just outside the

door. “That reminds me of something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”

“Shoot.”

“Who does the dishes?”

She heard him chuckling. “We have some of the soldiers-in-training do them. It’s a

humbling experience, having to care for the horses and do the more menial chores around the

camp, but it’s excellent training.” He gave her a crooked grin. In the glow of the four lanterns

hanging from the roof, their only sources of light, she could see how the healed scar on the side of

his face sometimes kept his lips from drawing all the way up. Suddenly she got the impulsive

wish to kiss it.

“What are you thinking, Atrilan?”

His unexpected question took her by surprise. She lowered her face, wondering how to

answer him. “Will you still stay here tonight with me?”

His reply was long in coming. “Do you want me to?” he asked softly. An underlying

sadness tinged his words.

“Please don’t make me face a night without knowing you’re near. I don’t care if you’re