Truce Read online

  “How many men do you command, and are they willing to follow you?”

  “I have three thousand men. And they say they will follow me if it means freedom for Moglu. But they will answer only to me… so you cannot be rid of me.”

  “I have no intention of being rid of you. In fact, you will be key to the actions we take. I would have you among my best lieutenants.”

  This seemed to take Grulon by surprise. He had clearly not expected it to be so easy.

  * * *

  Grulon took in the picture before him. Valerian was seated in a large chair at a table with many missives on it. Sitting down at his feet was his sister. A part of him balked to see his sister in such a subservient position. She should not be treated like a slave. The sister he knew would never have allowed herself to be treated as such. Had captivity changed her so much? She couldn’t possibly be as happy and content as she seemed.

  When he had a chance, later on when she was separated from him, he would talk to her more about it. In their brief meeting yesterday all they had discussed was the summit between him and Valerian. He wanted to know about her. About their sisters. About everything. Valerian had reiterated the promise to find their sisters to Grulon, but he was not as easily convinced as Melena seemed to be.

  “I have one other request,” Grulon said, “before I accept this situation.”

  “And that is?”

  “All Moglu slaves must be freed. All,” he stressed as he looked at Melena.

  “When I have taken the seat of emperor and my brother is captive, I will free all the Moglu slaves. You have my word.”

  “And Melena. Melena will be freed?”

  “I thought we discussed this,” Valerian said with a frown. “Melena is not a slave. She holds a position of honor at my side.”

  “She sits at your feet like a slave,” Grulon pointed out bitterly.

  “I sit here to please myself as much as to please him,” Melena said sharply. “Do you think I would accept this place without careful consideration and without looking to my own happiness?”

  “I think your brain has been washed of all sense and all the fierce fire I know to be within you!”

  “That fire is still here!” she snapped back at him. “I do not mindlessly accept my fate. I have made choices! I choose to be here. I choose to love him.”

  Grulon saw the mask that was Valerian’s features slip. Surprise entered his eyes, and he looked down at Melena. Then his gaze softened, and he reached down to pet Melena’s hair in a long, adoring stroke. He reached for her chin and tipped her head back so her eyes met his. A silent communication took place between them, and Melena smiled.

  “Yes. I love you,” she said softly to Valerian. “What is there that I couldn’t love? You are a man of great honor and deep heart. You are strong and vital. You are my protector and my confidant. How could I not love you?”

  “We will discuss this further later,” was all he said in reply. But Grulon could see the answering emotion in Valerian’s eyes. Melena meant much more to him than just a convenient slave to slake his thirst on. As her brother, it gave him a measure of comfort to see it. He couldn’t understand how it had happened, and he couldn’t really understand the dynamics of their relationship, but as long as she was being treated with respect and love, how could he complain when she wasn’t? It wasn’t just that she couldn’t express herself freely in front of him either. She had had the opportunity yesterday to speak freely, and she had said nothing.

  Grulon knew it would be no easy task to free all the Moglus who had been taken for the slave trade. The economy depended on slaves and those who bartered in slaves would be out a great deal of money. It would make for a tremendous amount of discontent among the people. Valerian was risking a great deal. But the freeing of their people would give his soldiers more reason to fight on Valerian’s behalf. All his men had family or knew someone that had been taken for slavery. They would want them restored to their pre-war lives.

  Grulon left the command tent to see to the installation of his troops in the standing army. Valerian instructed him to keep them ready, that the army would be moving the next day. Melena wasn’t looking forward to weeks of travel after the weeks she had just spent on horseback getting there, but she could not complain. Valerian had spent just as much time in the saddle as she, and he was not complaining or obviously dreading the travel back.

  “Tell me, how are you going to approach Jorku?” she asked him later that evening.

  “What do you mean?” he asked her as he fed her her meal.

  “How will you know if your brother has formed an army against you?”

  “Oh, he will definitely call one up, but the bulk of his army is here surrounding you. It will not be easy for him to replace it. And these letters will make it even more difficult,” he said, nodding to the table full of sealed letters.

  “When will you send them?”

  “First thing in the morning as we break camp.”

  “Do you have spies in your brother’s household like he has in yours?”

  “I have… those who are willing to take my side and keep me informed. I would not call them spies so much as allies.”

  “Semantics,” she said with a smile. “How will you keep an army from forming behind you as you approach the fortress?”

  “You are too clever by half,” he said, marveling at her. “I will have to keep my attention both forward and behind. I must gather troops as I roll along. There is no telling when the first battle will be or where it will be. I hold no illusions that I will make it to the fortress completely unaccosted… although that would be the ideal. Why are you so interested in talk of war?”

  “I am interested in anything that involves you and my brother. It involves my sisters as well. As slaves they would be freed if you win.”

  “They would be freed regardless. I have made you that promise already, and I intend to keep it.”

  “I know you do. I have faith in that. Have you had any luck in finding them?”

  “Don’t you think I would tell you if I had?”

  She lowered her gaze. “Of course.” Her eyes lifted. “But I feel the need to ask regardless.”

  A corner of his mouth kicked up as he fed her a grape. She had not seen fresh fruit in days, so it was an especially nice treat. She knew he had had them delivered just for her… because she had expressed a fondness for them on their travel to the army camp. It was one of the many ways in which he served her. She was aware of that at all times.

  She was also very aware of the power she was coming to wield. She couldn’t fool herself into thinking she could ever control him, but she did understand that by having his ear she was in a unique position. She was beginning to realize that he would do much to see her happy. Something about that pleased her. Filled her with importance. Made her feel special.

  She rose up on her knees and reached for one of the plump fruits. She held it to his lips and smiled. “Shouldn’t I be feeding you?” she asked.

  “Not unless I ask for it… and I am quite capable of feeding myself. It pleases me more to be the hand that nourishes you.”

  He parted his lips, and she slipped the food into his mouth.

  “Well, when you put it that way, I am pleased to have you feed me.”

  “And you weren’t pleased before?”

  “It has taken some getting used to. I am quite capable of feeding myself as well.”

  “I know this. And I allow you to do so often enough, don’t you think?”

  “You do.”

  “Then why complain when I take the task away from you?”

  “Oh, I’m not complaining,” she said quickly. “I am just relaying my observations. Letting you know how the adaptation has affected me.”

  “I am glad that you let me know what you are feeling. Like earlier… when you told your brother how you felt for me.” His thumb reached out to caress the rise of her cheek, and she turned her head to nuzzle his palm. “Although I would have p
referred to hear the words directly when we were alone. Tell me… tell me how you love me.”

  She smiled softly and reached up to caress his face. “I don’t know when it happened… or even how. But I know why. For all the reasons I have said to my brother. You are a magnificent man. Worthy of my love and the love of many other people. I am proud to be by your side. I will fight at your side every minute if need be.”

  “It will not come to that. I will not have you in any danger.”

  “I will thrive on danger if it gets you what you want.”

  “You have had enough danger. Your life has already been at risk because of me. We will avoid it in the future.”

  “As you wish,” she said. But he could see the defiance in her eyes. Not that she defied him, but that she dared anyone to try and hurt him in her presence. It made him love her even more.

  “Come… I am going to make love to you,” he said roughly as he took her elbows in his hands and rose to his feet with her. They left the table still full of food as he moved her into the curtained-off area.

  She was aware of the slaves who stood in attendance just outside the curtain, but she had long since adapted to their presence. She had never had servants on the farm and had not been used to having her privacy always intruded upon, but Valerian seemed not to notice them at all… as if they were part of the furniture.

  It had taken some getting used to, being naked and raw in front of others. She sometimes thought Valerian derived excitement from putting her on display. If he did he didn’t show it. He said it gave him pleasure, but he never reacted with passion because of it in the moment.

  He had not ordered her naked that day, most likely because of her brother’s attendance on them. She appreciated that. Her brother would not have liked to see her naked and on display for anyone who walked in. His reaction might have been volatile. However, she didn’t know how long Valerian’s consideration would last. He was not a man known for inconveniencing himself to please others.

  Once they were behind the barely concealing curtain, he grabbed her by both arms and shoved her back onto the bed. She landed hard, the wind knocked out of her since the mattress beneath had no ticking and was instead a layer of thick furs with little give.

  Valerian looked down on her, his hunger obvious, as was the barely leashed power of his desire for her. She trembled with excitement. What would he do to her today? It was always something different. She couldn’t imagine ever becoming bored. She couldn’t even imagine some of the things he came up with to entice and pleasure her.

  She realized very often it felt as if she were the master being catered to. In that way there was a great deal of balance in their relationship. It might seem to the outsider that she had abandoned all her self-worth and self-respect to this man, but nothing could be further from the truth. He would have severely disapproved of a woman who did not see her own value. He would never have given her the special collar she now wore and all the privileges that came with it.

  She touched the gold links as she raised a knee and parted her legs. She wore a long caftan made of silk that was easily seen through in some places… like the arms and lower legs… and mysteriously covered others… barely… so the viewer was tantalized by glimpses of warm skin. Now, after being thrown on the bed, the skirt of the caftan had ridden up to above her knees allowing him to see directly up the skirt to her pussy. For good measure she reached down and pulled the skirt up farther, gathering the material into her hand slowly so her thighs were revealed in provocative increments. He watched every movement, never once looking away… barely even blinking.

  After she had all the material of her skirt gathered up, she lifted her bottom and continued to draw it up over her body until she was pulling it completely over her head. Once she was naked she reclined and gave him a smile of confident sensuality. She touched her own skin and began to caress her own body with slow, silky movements.

  He spoke not a word, moved not an inch, yet she could see in his eyes how much she pleased him. She decided to rile his passions even more. All this she did without his permission or instruction. She did not need it, she thought. After all, she had learned how to touch herself for pleasure long ago. She had done it back on the farm… back when she had not had interest in a partner, and no one had an interest in her. It had not been easy to learn how to self-pleasure, living in a cottage with only two bedrooms and sharing a bed with her sister. She had had to wait until everyone was asleep… and often she had been too tired to bother. Still, she had learned over the few times she had indulged.

  She caressed herself down the length of her side, her fingertip following the dip that was her waistline. She brushed silky fingertips up over the rise of her hip and down the long length of her thigh. All the while she watched his face, gauged his reaction.

  Suddenly he moved away from her, the abrupt movement startling her and leaving her feeling abandoned. Her hand fell away from her body as he disappeared beyond the curtain, seemingly abandoning her. What had she done? Had she so displeased him?

  But then he was back, one of the chairs from the other room in his hands. He planted the chair beside the bed, then took off his weapon’s belt and sat down after laying his treasured weapons aside. He relaxed back and took in her dumbfounded expression.

  “Continue,” he said roughly.

  Pleasure oozed through her at the command. He had not left her. She had not displeased him. In fact, it was all the opposite. He wanted to watch her, wanted to focus solely on her. Her heart began to pound harder than it had when she had feared she had displeased him.

  She lay back on her elbow again and touched her fingers to her collarbone. Now that she felt he was expecting a show, she felt pressure to perform well for him. She could only be creative about this to a point, she thought. Then what would happen?

  She decided it was best not to worry about it right then. She would fret about it only when the time came. For now she would simply enjoy herself.

  Chapter Five

  Melena began by running a ghosting touch down her body once more. But this time she dragged her finger down the front of her body… over her chest, pausing to encircle a breast, scraping her nails over that nipple until it poked out in a hard point. Then she continued downward.

  Valerian moved suddenly, reaching to retrieve his weapons belt and draw his sword in a single scraping movement. He dropped the belt, then reached out with the sword. He touched the tip of it to her hand and nudged her hand back up her body and silently encouraged her to touch her other breast. Then he drew the sword away and settled back in his chair, the sword suspended over his knees.

  She took the instruction with a racing heart. It reminded her of the time he had run a blade over her skin and body. That had been so incredibly arousing. Did he intend to do the same tonight with his sword, or was he only interested in using it to direct her silently?

  She figured it would be the latter. She did as requested and gave her opposite breast equal attention, skimming her nails back and forth over her nipple until it too was a solid point. Then she moved her hand down once again, gliding over the flat plane of her belly, circling her navel, dipping a finger inside. Then she moved farther down stroking over the denuded mound she found and into the damp cleft briefly. She then parted her legs and caressed her inner thigh, watching as his gaze fixed onto her pussy. He soundlessly reached out with the sword once more, pressing it to the back of her hand and pushing her hand back up to the more intimate flesh between her legs.

  She took his instruction as she always did. She fixed herself to the task of stroking her pussy. She started by running her fingertips up along the outer lip on one side, then down on the opposite side. She parted her fingers, then and ran both of them together in first one direction and then in the opposing one. Finally she settled onto the pink flesh at the heart of her femininity. She was very wet, very aroused by the entire situation. She knew he could see the wetness glistening on her lips.

  She touched
herself up her center for a few moments, not settling in any one area specifically. She felt the stimulation all the same. Excitement slipped through her with every touch, coiling inside her belly like a waiting serpent, ready to strike with ultimate pleasure. She found her clitoris and circled it with a single finger, shivering slightly at the stimulation. The feel of his gaze on her made it a hundred times more intense. This was nothing like the furtive autoeroticism she had done in the past.

  She toyed with her clit for a while, then drew in a soft, aroused breath as his gaze flicked up from its intense study of what her fingers were doing in order to meet hers. He did not smile or give her any look of encouragement. He simply bored a hole into her soul with his stare.

  Then he looked away, looked back at what she was doing, devouring her actions with hungry eyes. She slipped a finger around the rim of her vagina, and then inserted it slowly. She moaned softly as the sensation slithered through her. She felt her own muscular walls clamping onto her slim finger. She slowly eased her finger deep inside, all the while keeping her palm pressed against her clitoris, keeping it stimulated as she threaded a second finger in with the first.

  Melena moaned again as the feelings inside her grew more and more intense. How long would he sit there watching? Did he want her to take herself all the way to orgasm? He must. He was not saying otherwise. She decided to abandon herself to the moment, to stop worrying about what he wanted. He was a man who spoke his mind and desires frankly. If he wanted her to do something other than what she was doing, he would say so. He had already done so by fetching his sword and guiding her. In fact, it had been his encouragement that had brought her to where she was now.

  She thrust her fingers into her pussy, then removed them and ran the tips around and over her sensitized clit. She did this several times until she began to shudder with pleasure. Her pace increased in slow increments until she was fucking herself with her fingers enthusiastically, her breath coming hard and sounds of pleasure ejecting from her.