Chapter 2: Be careful what you wish for...

NOTE: The character "Gabriella" has appeared in my other stories. Her cameo here will make more sense if you've read "A Dragon's Tale", but should make enough sense even if you haven't.

* * *

Shara thought that she must be dreaming. She hope she was because she would never be able to live with herself if she wasn't.

She was laying spread eagle on a massive bed inside a large room. The bed was surrounded by candles that were casting a soft, romantic glow. She was lying on her back completely naked, legs spread open and inviting for her husband. Kalus was also naked, standing at the foot of the bed with his cocking jutting out and pointing directly at her.

"Please come to me." She asked, moving her head to accentuate her rich amber hair as it cascaded down her shoulders to tease the top of her breasts. "Please?" She whispered, reaching down and parting her nether lips to entice him further.

He climbed up onto the bed, somehow spearing her as he wrapped his arms around her. She wrapped both her arms and legs around him, feeling so wonderfully full as he slid deep inside of her.

Except, it wasn't her.

Like when Kalus had taken her yesterday, she imagined she wasn't herself, but rather some blonde woman who he was about to breed. Her perspective suddenly changed and she was standing next to the bed watching her husband lovingly thrust into another woman: the blonde she had imagined the previous day at the field.

Shara reached down and put her hand on her stomach which had already swelled with his child; he had already impregnated her and now it was the blonde's turn.

"He feels so wonderful inside of me." The blonde cooed. "I'm going to carry his child, just like you."

The princess wanted to warn the blonde that he was the enemy, to remind her that his army had sacked her city and thus spreading her legs like that was a betrayal -- it was treason -- but she couldn't. For some reason, she couldn't speak.

Her mind went back to the field the previous day. Something had unlocked inside of herself when he had taken her. She could feel a primitive part of her brain screaming to be in the blonde's position. A tiny part of her wished that it was her amber hair and not the other woman's blonde hair that was rippling over the pillow as Kalus took her.

She shivered slightly.

"Come closer." The blonde said. "Watch him put his baby inside of me since you don't want to bear his children yourself."

Shara was drawn closer as if by some invisible force. She could feel the ghost of him thrusting inside of her and she wanted more. She wanted the real thing. Her body yearned for it as her mind recoiled at the thought. She tried to pull herself away.

With an almighty jerk, she felt her eyes snap open as she woke.

* * *

Kalus lay awake in bed, marveling that the woman who seemed to abhor him so thoroughly in the waking hours was now snuggling so close to him while she was asleep. It was still dark, though the pre-dawn hours were beginning.

His new bride was snuggled up against him in much the same position as she had been the previous morning when he awoke. She was lying against his left side using his chest as her pillow and her arms were tucked up against him. She seemed to have almost molded to his side in her sleep, and there wasn't an inch of her front that wasn't pressed up against his side. He had ended up with his arm around her during the night, probably having put it there instinctively. Her lips were slightly parted and her soft breathing was peaceful; serene.

He couldn't help but smile as he saw her there, despite how much she seemed to despise him when she was awake.

While asleep though...

He smiled.

She started moving in her sleep. At first he thought she was trying to escape from him, but she also seemed to be clinging tighter to him.

Strange.

She started mumbling something and it sounded like she was pleading for something. She did this for several minutes, alternately clinging to him tightly and seemingly trying to push him away.

Eventually, he noticed that her hips were rocking in a very specific way. He could feel his morning wood getting harder as she ground her hips into his left hip while at the same time trying to push him away. Judging by the slight panting and moaning coming from her lips and the grinding of her hips, she was clearly aroused.

He didn't know what to make of that.

Finally, her eyes snapped open and she looked wide-eyed for a moment.

"Kalus." She breathed, seemingly trying to clear her head. After a moment she seemed to succeed and then she stiffened. Suddenly she seemed aware of how close she was to him. She looked him in the eyes and for a moment he saw conflict and she didn't move.

Then the moment passed.

Her face went hard and she pointedly rolled so her back was to him.

"Why?" He asked.

"Why what?" She asked sulkily, then added in a more respectful tone. "Sir."

He let it slide. "Why do you dislike me so much? Have I not been good to you since the beginning? Haven't I done everything possible to make this as painless for you as possible?"

"Yes." She admitted.

"So why do you insist on treating me like I'm your enemy?"

She turned to look at him, incredulity covering her face. "Because you are--" She stopped mid-sentence and hesitated.

"Please finish." He said, not quite understanding where her ardor came from.

"I'd rather not." She said with an icy stare.

He looked at her for several seconds while her expression changed. Her icy glare slowly morphed into something a bit more hesitant, then she averted her eyes slightly and tucked her arms up almost protectively across her chest as if she was afraid he would lash out. He could still see the restrained edges of her temper, but it was controlled for now.

"That is your right." He replied after several seconds, wishing that she would explain but recognizing that he shouldn't force her to.

She bit her lip, still not looking at him. "I'm not in trouble?"

He shook his head. "I told you before that you are always welcome to voice your opinion if you do it respectfully. The same applies to holding your tongue, should you wish to do so."

"Oh." That was all she said.

Her temper seemed to fizzle out almost instantly. Whereas before she looked ready to pounce but was restraining herself, now she just looked confused and a bit surprised. He supposed the proper remedy for that was telling her how he saw things. He had always been blunt and upfront with his men and saw no reason to change that now.

"You might refuse to share your position, but I believe you should understand mine."

She seemed to brace herself.

He looked into her eyes as he spoke. "I would take an arrow for you."

She blinked and looked up at him. "What?"

"You are my wife. I am your husband. I have a responsibility to protect, provide, and care for you. From the moment I said 'I do', I agreed to put your life before my own and to protect you regardless of the cost, even if that cost is my life. You might see me as an enemy and wish me dead, but that doesn't change my responsibility before Illuminar Himself."

She stared at him.

He continued. "You might not like how I choose to protect you, nor how we live our life together. That is your right. But as long as I am your husband and draw breath, you will not want for provision, protection, nor a man to treat you with honor. You may view me as your enemy, but I will not view you as such."

She opened her mouth to reply, then closed it.

She cocked her head to one side, clearly confused.

"But..." She stared at him. "But what about..." She glanced down towards her nether regions.

"My goal was to protect my wife from the king's threat, not indulge a sensual appetite. There's a difference."

"Is there?"

He raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, there is." She conceded. She was silent for a moment before speaking again. "But our countries are still at war."

"Have you not learned our history? Our countries have been at war for centuries, though intermittently and not constantly."

"True." Her shoulder slumped slightly as she conceded that point too.

"It is the never-ending game of thrones." He added. "Our fathers and forefathers played it long before we drew breath, and I expect our sons and grandsons will play it long after we are dust. It's the way of the world, but none of that changes my commitment to you. You are my wife, and thus I will provide for you, care for you, and protect you to the best of my ability, even at the cost of my own life if need be."

She frowned, but nodded and then turned her back again. This time though, it seemed slightly less pointed. She partially rolled back to face him and opened her mouth to speak, but then seemed to think better of it and turned away again.

* * *

Shara lay with her back to him, uncomfortably aware of how close they were in the small bed. She could feel the heat radiating off of him and it felt nice on her back. Her front had been pressed up against him and it felt rather bereft.

She felt confused.

She couldn't understand his absolute conviction and determination to protect her. He had known her less than two days and yet he earnestly seemed ready to lay his life down for her. She would've found such promises empty and laughable from most men, but not from him for some reason. For some reason, his words held a strength of conviction that she rarely heard.

Why?

Why would he be willing to die for a woman who had admitted that she wished him dead? She supposed that she had heard his reason, but he couldn't possibly be that committed to Illuminar, could he? Could he truly be that committed to doing the right thing no matter what it cost him? She had already seen some evidence of that, but still...

Setting all that aside, she still clenched her hands into a fist whenever she thought about the events in the field the previous day.

"We will break camp soon." Kalus said, interrupting her thoughts. "Stay as close to me as possible while we travel; I would not have the men who aren't mine mistake you for someone else and then not treat you as they should."

"Whatever." She said in a resigned tone.

"Katia." He said sharply.

She turned to face him, feeling a bit worried that she had angered him. He looked stern, but not angry.

"When I give you an instruction, you will acknowledge it respectfully."

"How would you like me to?" She asked with a resigned sigh.

"I care not as long as you are respectful." He replied. "If you aren't sure, then 'yes sir' will do."

"Yes sir." She nodded, inwardly grimacing at being forced to call him that. On second thought, he wasn't actually forcing her. She could call him something else. She wasn't sure what, but she could.

"Good." He nodded. "There's one more thing, and I apologize for this. We will need to couple once every day until you conceive."

Her lower set of lips tingled slightly as she glared at him, though she spoke respectfully. "I don't want to."

He raised his eyebrow.

She remembered what he had warned her about the previous day; what would happen if he didn't give her a child. He had been rather specific about the consequences that awaited both of them.

"I didn't say I wouldn't, but I don't want to." She clarified quietly, knowing it was hopeless. She couldn't decide if she was madder at Kalus or King Tyso for her current predicament. She understood his reasons, but that didn't make her hate him less.

"I would be lying if I said I didn't want to couple with you Katia." Kalus replied. "You are a beautiful, delightful woman and my wife. However, I would prefer that it was a willing and joyful union."

"I will never willingly 'couple' with you." She replied, remembering to keep her temper in check. "I won't fight you on this, but will I hate you for it."

"That is your right." He nodded. "You are my wife Katia, and I will love you to the best of my ability regardless of how you feel about me. And yes, I mean inside the bed-chamber as well as outside of it. We will cease coupling once we confirm that you are with child, at least until you wish to resume."

She stared at him.

Why?

She had just told him that she hated him and he was promising to love her.

Why?

It didn't make sense.

* * *

Kalus ate a hurried and silent breakfast with Katia, though the silence was because of her. He tried to initiate a conversation once or twice, but she would give only terse, one-word replies. He wouldn't force it and so let it lie.

It took longer than usual for the camp to be broken down this morning. His men were usually the first to be ready so they had to wait while the rest of the army finished. Most seemed in excellent spirits and he understood why; it had been a long campaign but the end was in sight and they had recently won a stunning victory.

Further, they were embarking on the final leg of the campaign.

Thanks in no small part to Kalus's tactical skills, there was only one unconquered castle left in the kingdom: the king's castle in the capital city. King Bracken's commanders were wily, but severely outnumbered at this point and not a match for Kalus's portion of the army, to say nothing of the rest of it.

If only his marriage was that easy.

He charged his herald to keep an eye on Katia while he directed the breakdown. He wanted to make sure she didn't wander off into anyone else's region of camp. His own men would keep their urges to themselves, but he didn't trust the men under other commanders to be so restrained.

It wasn't until five minutes before marching time as he was saddling up his warhorse that he realized Katia didn't have a horse. The horse she had borrowed the previous day belonged to one of his subordinates who would need it today.

He frowned.

It wouldn't do for the former handmaiden to walk all day. She surely wasn't used to it and it would cause painful blisters on her feet. He rode his horse to the portion of his legion where they kept the spare horses.

There weren't any.

He frowned, suspecting what had happened since there had been several dozen the previous day. He rode up to the man charged with watching them.

"What happened?" He asked the fellow.

"The king." The man replied. "Apparently, several of his other legions were short on horses so he told them to requisition our extra horses. All of them." The man spat on the ground. "I would've come and told you but it just happened."

"Very well." Kalus nodded, his suspicion confirmed.

There was only one real solution to this problem since he couldn't force his wife to walk all day. He highly doubted her feet and legs were up to the task, whereas his most certainly were. He sighed as he realized his legs would be killing him at the end of the day. He led his horse over to where Katia was standing. She seemed unsure of what to do with herself and looked like a child in the kitchen worried about getting in the way of the cooks.

"Katia." He called.

She jumped and turned towards him.

"You will ride my horse today." He said offering her the reigns.

She looked up at the massive horse, which was nearly large enough for her to walk under without bending over.

Her eyes got slightly wide. "I... I can walk."

"You may if you insist. However, you aren't wearing the right shoes for it and you aren't used to it. Your feet will develop blisters in an hour or two and will be bloody and raw by the day's end."

Her shoulder slumped as she looked at her shoes and frowned.

"Katia, I will not make you ride." He clarified. "However, I do think you would much prefer to ride for the sake of your feet."

"Okay." She said after a moment. "I'm not sure I can mount him though."

"I can help with that." He walked up to her and put his hands on her waist. Before she could object -- because he knew she surely would object -- he lifted her into the air. She yelped, but quickly reached out and grabbed the saddle, one of her feet finding the stirrup. Moments later, she somewhat awkwardly swung her other leg over the horse and was seated in the saddle.

"You could've warned me." She said with a glare.

He raised his eyebrow.

"Sir." She corrected herself.

He stepped closer and spoke in a low tone so only she could hear. "I have been lenient with you because I understand your situation and predicament. However, I will not have that luxury in front of the men. I must maintain order in this army to protect you and thus cannot tolerate insubordination from anyone, especially you -- my own wife -- in front of the men. If you treat me disrespectfully in front of anyone else, the consequences will be severe."

She grimaced.

"I say this so you might avoid those consequences, as I would not wish to dole them out." He clarified. "Please take this warning to heart, for your own sake if nothing else."

She nodded.

"Good, now Tornado is an excellent horse with a smooth gait; you should enjoy riding him." He smiled at her, but she didn't return it.

* * *

Shara -- who by now was getting used to answering to 'Katia' -- wasn't sure what to make of her situation. Her husband had just volunteered to walk for nearly the entire day to spare her feet.

They departed ten minutes later with Kalus leading her horse -- which was actually his horse -- by the reigns. Like all war horses, Kalus's horse was high-strung and a bit wild, but he seemed much tamer and calmer with Kalus holding the reigns. She felt that she was safe because her husband was holding the reigns, and very much doubted that another man could control the large war horse.

After perhaps an hour on the road, the sun finally started to poke above the treetops. It felt good in contrast to the chill morning air, especially since she was still wearing the handmaiden's dress that she had been taken in. It was very comfortable, but not thick or warm.

Kalus glanced up at her as the sun hit him and frowned.

"What?" She asked.

He turned around so that he was walking backward, pulled the horse's head down to him, and in a very stern voice spoke a single word: "Shalavo."

The horse seemed to glare at him.

Kalus turned to his herald. "Keep the reigns, I shall return soon."

His herald, who was riding nearby, nudged his horse forward and took the reins. That's when Shara realized that Kalus was still walking, even though he had hundreds -- probably thousands -- of men under his command from whom he could've taken a horse.

She cocked her head to one side.

Why?

Kalus gave her a respectful nod of the head, then turned and started walking toward the rear of the line.

"Where is he going?" She asked his herald.

"I do not know my lady." He replied in a respectful tone.

"And why doesn't he simply get another horse? I'm sure he could get one from his men."

"He could ma'am, but he wouldn't."

"Why?"

"Because they aren't his horses."

"But he's the commander of the army, or at least a large part of it." She countered.

"That's why he won't." The herald replied. "Commander Kalus is a singular man. I've never met his like. He requires the men to be served food before the officers, and the officers to be served before the commanders. If there is a food shortage, it's the commanders on restricted rations first, then the officers, then the men."

"But..." She trailed off. She'd never heard of anyone doing that in an army. It was usually the reverse.

"The commander would never ask one of his men for a horse that man was using unless it was a dire situation. The men know this and love him for it."

"But if they love him so much, wouldn't they volunteer to let him ride?"

"They probably would; he wouldn't accept it." The herald replied with much admiration in his voice. "He might allow the commanders and officers to sacrifice for the men, but he doesn't ask the men to sacrifice for the commanders and officers. Ever."

Shara nodded, though still didn't understand. "What about on the battlefield?"

"The commander is a good man." The herald said. "He takes the lives of his men seriously and never takes unnecessary risks. He started this campaign in command of a fifth of the forces. With all the men the other commanders have lost and with the few he's lost, he now commands over a quarter of the men; close to a third actually."

"That's impressive." She admitted. "Is he just that careful?"

"No my lady. He's fearless and bold, but not foolhardy. He makes the men drill far more than the other commanders and he drills with them every moment. He doesn't ever expect more from the men than he does from himself."

"Hmm." She mused.

She kept hearing all these wonderful things about him, but it was hard to forget what happened in that field yesterday. She understood why Kalus did it, but she still hated him for it. She hated herself a little for not fighting harder too.

Several minutes later, her horse started getting antsy.

The herald tried to calm him down, but he didn't possess the same strength of will and forcefulness as the horse's owner, so the animal got slowly antsier. He started to hop his front legs off the ground, and she began to fear that he might go further and start to rear. She leaned forward and grabbed the saddle horn, wishing she was on a smaller, calmer steed.

The horse neighed, then hopped up on its front legs even more. It bucked slightly and Shara realized that if this horse wanted her off, it could throw her easily. She held on for dear life, ready to be thrown.

"SHALAVO!" A powerful voice rang out from behind her.

It was Kalus.

Instantly, the horse stopped bucking and pretended like he was being perfectly behaved.

"My apologies Katia, I shouldn't have left for that long." Kalus said as he jogged up to her. He was carrying a large straw hat and a pair of leather gloves, which he offered to her. "For the sun."

She nodded and took them mutely.

She hadn't thought about it, but riding in the sun for the whole day would've resulted in a terrible sunburn on her skin which wasn't used to it. He had thought of that and provided for it before she even knew she needed it.

"Thank you." She said quietly.

He smiled at her. "My pleasure."

* * *

Kalus's feet and legs were killing him by the time they broke for lunch. The road wasn't rough, but he wasn't used to walking the whole time.

Katia had been fairly quiet all morning, saying very little in response to his attempts to make conversation. After several tries, he figured he'd leave her in peace. Shame; she was a nice girl and would've been wonderful company if he had married her properly instead of King Tyso forcing them to wed.

As usual, he made sure the men and officers had their food before he began to eat. As instructed, his wife had been served at the same time as the men. She seemed to be watching him out of the corner of her eye and yet pretending not to when he looked at her.

They mostly ate in silence.

"Did you get enough to eat?" He asked as the army rose to travel again.

"Yes." She said with a nod, but she said nothing else.

"Commander Kalus." His herald called. After hurriedly scarfing down his lunch, the man had asked permission to take his leave, which Kalus had granted. Now he returned leading what looked like a very stubborn mule. The only thing keeping it moving was a long switch the herald had to continually make use of to get the beast moving. The beast had a saddle, but it clearly wasn't comfortable with the arrangement.

"Commander." He said with a bow as he tried to keep the stubborn animal from going its own way.

"Commander, I told a few of the baggage managers of your predicament, with not having a horse because you lent it to your wife. They rearranged some of the baggage after the rations were served and there is one animal that--" The mule jerked slightly, pulling the herald off balance. He took a moment to right himself and then gave the mule's bit a sharp jerk.

Katia had an amused smile on her face.

She had a beautiful smile.

"If you wished to fight this stubborn ass, you could ride him." The herald finished.

"I'm touched; thank you." Kalus said, rising and taking the reins.

"And just so you know, dozens of men volunteered their mounts when they heard." The herald said. "I turned them down as I know your policy, but I thought you should know."

"Again, thank you." Kalus said with a respectful bow. "You're a good friend Kyselius."

"As are you Commander." The herald -- Kyselius -- saluted him.

Kalus pulled the reins and brought the animal close enough to look at it properly. This mule was surely a stubborn ass. There was no doubt about it. It looked at him defiantly.

"Kyselius, please be so kind as to fetch my riding crop from the tent's baggage when you are finished, would you?" He asked, realizing that he was in for a long afternoon.

* * *

Shara watched from her saddle for an entire afternoon as Kalus fought with the mule he was now riding. It was only really a fight for the first ten minutes. The mule learned quickly that misbehavior would earn it the riding crop.

"Just like me." She thought, realizing he was applying the same strict standards to the mule that he did her. It seemed he applied them to the soldiers under him as well. She couldn't decide whether she should feel good or bad about that.

He certainly was consistent and she noted more than once the respect that every member of his legion seemed to afford him. It wasn't hard to believe that he was as uncompromising with the men as he had been with her and this mule. On the other hand, he was generous in letting her ride his horse and making sure she was properly protected from the sun. The seeming contradiction was quite impressive.

Even more impressive was that he was keeping control of his horse while riding the mule.

Kalus had let out his war horse's reins enough to tie them around the saddle horn of his mule. Every time his very high-strung horse started to get antsy, he would give the reigns a little pull and the horse would settle down again. This was in addition to the mule that seemed determined to test her husband every five or ten minutes.

It went like that the whole afternoon.

She couldn't decide which of them was more stubborn, the ass or the mule. She smiled at her little joke, knowing that saying out loud would earn a swift reprimand from Kalus. She wondered for a moment if he would use the riding crop on her if she were that rebellious.

She wasn't sure.

They marched the whole afternoon into the early evening, which apparently was normal, and finished setting up camp with an hour or two of light left. It was quite impressive to see how quickly Kalus's soldiers could set up camp after marching the whole day. She supposed it was habit and required before they could rest.

She was wrong about the rest.

Once camp was set up, Kalus left her in the care of his herald, Kyselius, and went to oversee training.

She was too far away to see much, but she could see every single man in his portion of the army taking part in the battle simulations. They were small-scale, but she could see how the training was directly applicable to a full-scale engagement.

"Why do they train now at the end of the day when they are tired?" She asked Kyselius. "Why not train early when they are rested."

The herald chuckled. "I take it my lady has never been on the battlefield before."

"No, why?"

"War is an exhausting affair. To train only while rested would be to only train for the first few minutes."

"Okay." She acknowledged.

She noticed that the rest of the army -- the troops that weren't Kalus's troops -- were already eating dinner. They were all singing and merrymaking, and it looked and sounded like they were indulging in no small amount of alcohol as well. Her stomach was growling and she was a bit sore from riding all day. She had no taste for wine, but would've loved some hot food.

After drilling for over an hour, Kalus and his men returned. The cooks weren't quite finished with dinner and he came up to her while they waited.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Sore mostly." She replied because he had asked, but she didn't elaborate further.

She had to keep reminding herself that this man, her husband, was the reason her country had been living in fear ever since the invasion began. No matter how good of a man he was, he was still her enemy.

"Understandable." He nodded. "I take it you don't often ride this much?"

"Not usually."

"Do you have any discomfort from what we did yesterday in the meadow?" He asked more quietly.

"Not physically." She replied as coldly as she thought she could get away with. She shuddered slightly to drive the point home.

"Would you prefer the alternative?" He asked.

She didn't answer him.

Of course she wouldn't. Of course she'd rather be forced by one man who was her husband than many who weren't. Though, she couldn't decide if he was truly forcing her. She had willingly let him do it, but not because she wanted to. The alternative had been an even less pleasant option.

Dinner was served a few minutes later.

The rations were cold but at least they were filling. Again, Kalus made sure all the men -- plus her -- had their food before he sat down to eat. He was sitting in a circle with a half-dozen men who she assumed were directly under him and who were served dinner at the same time he was. As a consequence, she was nearly done eating before they had begun.

The men sat around discussing army business while joking and ribbing each other and Kalus in equal measure. There was a degree of respect in their tones though, and anyone listening could easily tell that they thought the world of him. She mostly tried to avoid scowling.

"Katia right?" One of the men addressed her.

She nodded.

"I bet it was some sight to see him--" He jerked his thumb toward Kalus. "--fighting with that mule. It's about the only animal alive that's as stubborn as he is." He said jovially. Everyone laughed, even Kalus.

"Yes, I couldn't decide which was more stubborn, the mule or the ass." She replied coldly, not able to resist the proverbial silver platter on which the opportunity to voice her clever insult had appeared.

Silence fell as the jovial atmosphere instantly disappeared.

Everyone looked at her.

"What?" She said looking around at all the men who were looking at her with something between shock and pity.

"That's ten lashes milady." One of them finally said.

She looked at Kalus who was unreadable. He looked at her for several seconds, took a deep breath and let it out slowly, and then nodded sadly. "Aye, it is."

"What?" Shara blinked.

Ten lashes for that? It was a mere insult, and a clever one if she was being honest with herself.

Kalus closed his eyes, took another deep breath, and again let it out slowly. When he opened his eyes, he looked grieved, but not for himself; for her. He didn't appear to have been hurt at all by her insult, but instead seemed sorry for her sake.

Kalus regarded her with more than a bit of pity. "I have a firm rule about blatant, overt disrespect in this legion. The penalty is ten lashes and I make no exceptions."

He sighed heavily, then turned to the herald, who was eating with them. "Get the camp magistrate, and tell him to bring the lash."

"If I may Commander?" One of the men said. He was a bit older and looked like he had been born doing battle. His hair was partially gray but his eyes were sharp and cunning. His face bore the scars of countless battles and looked like a fellow that few would trifle with.

Kalus nodded.

"Ignorance of the law is no excuse and exceptions do tend to foment rebellion." The warrior said. "However, she is a woman, not a man. While I would have given my own son fifteen lashes instead of ten for this offense, I would strike dead the man who brought a single lash to bear against one of my daughters. Might I suggest an alternate punishment for this first infraction, and one more suitable to the fairer sex?"

Kalus stood heavily and addressed the elder warrior. "Titus, I would flatly refuse if any other man had asked. However, your years and wisdom carry much weight. Speak your mind."

The older warrior -- Titus -- nodded and turned to Shara. "Do you know what happens when discipline breaks down in an army?"

She shook her head.

"The men run wild, raping whomever they like and pillaging at their leisure. No woman in a hundred miles would be safe and no family would be left with enough to feed the children. You -- the commander's wife -- have disrespected him in front of other men. If he lets you get away with this, the men will revolt in short order. I've seen men beheaded for less in this army, though not in this legion of course."

"Oh." Shara hadn't thought about what might happen if Kalus didn't keep such rigid control of his men. She could also see how word of her insult would undermine him, especially since she was his wife.

She gulped.

Titus continued. "But, while you would doubtless survive the lashing, your scars and screams would perhaps send too strong a message. There's a fine line between just discipline and cruel punishment. So I propose that instead of ten lashes in public, you take twenty strikes from a cane or crop from Kalus himself, in private, as a proper when a man disciplines his wife."

Titus turned to Kalus. "Would that perhaps be sufficient for this first offense, recognizing that a second would be dealt with in the usual manner?"

Shara looked at Kalus hoping for him to agree. She had heard what a military lash could do to unprotected flesh and it made her shudder.

Kalus looked at her.

She saw a rush of protectiveness in his eyes that belied his hard stance, expression, and body language. He stared at her for what seemed like an eternity before turning to the circle of men around the campfire. "I have a council for a reason, what say you all? I will abide by your decision, for I dare not trust myself to make it alone."

"Kalus, no man will question your discipline." Titus said. "But rather, they will respect you for your mercy and restraint toward the fairer sex. I vote aye"

"Aye." Kyselius said almost immediately.

"Aye." Another man agreed.

One by one, the others voice their agreement without a single dissenting voice.

"Very well then." Kalus said, and he looked relieved as he turned to the herald. "Kyselius, please fetch my riding crop from the luggage."

Shara flinched.

It was certainly better than the lash, but riding crops were designed for the thick hide of a horse, not the delicate skin of a noble lady.

* * *

Kalus felt like punching something.

Not Katia of course, but something large and solid that was soft enough to not hurt his hand; like King Tyso perhaps. Especially king Tyso. He was certain that Katia's sharp wit and pleasant disposition -- when she wasn't being forced into situations like this -- would've made her a wonderful wife. If he had been able to court and wed her properly, he was sure they would've been very happy.

But now...

Now he was carrying his riding crop into his tent. He scowled, again wishing that King Tyso was available to use as a punching bag. Or perhaps a sparring dummy for his sword's point.

He closed the tent flap behind him since Katia had already gone into the tent before him. Mercifully, she seemed to have realized her precarious position and did so without complaint or comment. She was sitting on the bed with her chin resting on her knees, which were tucked up to her chest and held tightly there by her arms. She looked so small -- almost frail -- sitting there in a sitting version of the fetal position.

He hated this.

He silently cursed King Tyso.

Still, his leadership training kicked in. "Katia, do you know why your infraction was so serious?"

She opened her mouth to speak but then closed it.

"Speak." He said. It wasn't quite a command, but it wasn't merely a suggestion either.

"It was just a joke." She squeaked out.

"No, it wasn't." He shook his head. "It would've been 'just a joke' with a different tone of voice and attitude. Had you taken a respectful tone or meant it as friendly ribbing, I would wager we would all still be laughing about it." He paused and let his stern demeanor fall for just a moment. "I will admit it was rather clever though."

She gave him a small smile which faded quickly.

His stern tone returned. "But no, you were cold and intended to not only be disrespectful but also as insulting as possible. Do you deny it?"

She looked guilty for a moment, then shook her head.

"Do you know why discipline is so important in the military?"

She hesitated, probably remembering Titus' words.

"Because men require restraint sometimes." He explained. "My own men wouldn't dare, but the men who found you first were not from my legion. A serving girl directed me to your chambers and had she not enabled me to arrive in time, you likely would've felt many men that day."

She shuddered.

"However my own men wouldn't have dared to touch you. Do you know how I can restrain my men from acting on their baser instincts?"

She stared at him for a moment before whispering something so quietly that he didn't catch it.

"Speak up."

"Discipline." She whispered.

He nodded. "That's the only thing that has kept you safe, and it's the only thing keeping you safe now. King Tyso is not a moral man and he does not attract moral soldiers. If I was out of the portrait, I doubt there would be a single virgin among the prisoners by daybreak tomorrow. Many would be brutalized, possibly you among them. Whereas now, not a single woman who was captured by my men has been violated. Do you understand?"

She nodded mutely.

"I have no wish to discipline you this way." He said heavily. "But if I allowed my men to treat me as you did -- my own wife -- there could be a mutiny in days. The rules must apply to everyone. Didn't I warn you about how severe it would be if you were disrespectful in front of the men?"

She nodded mutely again.

"Then do you see why this is necessary?"

Katia hesitated for several seconds before starting to nod, but then her face grew fearful as her eyes landed on the crop and she shook her head vigorously. He again wished to be alone with King Tyso for several minutes. His knuckles would hurt for days and the king would probably have him executed. However, there was a small part of him that thought it would almost be worth it.

"Stand up." He instructed.

She bit her lip, hesitated for a moment, and then did so. She was wringing her hands together as she stood there trembling slightly. Again he was struck by how small and frail she looked. Every instinct he had was telling him to protect her, but sadly this was protecting her.

If only she hadn't said it in front of the men.

* * *

Shara stood there feeling a strange mixture of white-hot rage and the sensation of being caught with her hand in the sweet roll tin. He was right. She hated that he was right, but he was. She could easily see how without his protection and stern discipline of the men, she could be in grave danger. She understood why he was doing it, but that didn't mean she hated him any less for it.

"Go put your hands on the desk." He instructed.

She felt like she was some misbehaving child.

He said he cared, but she couldn't see more than the barest hint of hesitation. He was about to strike her twenty times with a riding crop and she knew it would hurt worse than anything she'd ever experienced, yet he didn't seem like he cared very much.

"Hands on the desk Katia; don't make me ask again."

She nodded mutely. What else could she do? She could fight him but he was twice her size. She could try to run, but she couldn't get away, not being surrounded by his army. She could try any number of things but none seemed like they would improve her lot. She decided that if she was going to suffer this, she was going to do it like a true princess; head held high and dignity intact.

She scowled at him, then turned and walked to the desk. She bent over slightly, placing her hands on the edge of the desk.

"I'm ready." She announced, and then she braced herself for the first impact... which didn't come.

"Rules are rules Katia, and these punishments are always done on bare skin." He said softly, almost remorsefully.

She glanced back at him, which he apparently hadn't been expecting. For the briefest moment, she saw pain on his face. His face was resolute, but in his eyes displayed both sympathy and pain. His face hardened up again the moment she saw it though. She assumed he must be putting on a brave face, but this was clearly painful for him.

Why?

"Lean over the desk and pull your dress up." He instructed. She had listened closely and almost heard the faintest trace of a crack in his voice.

Could that be for her?

She pushed it out of her head. She didn't care because he was the enemy. He was invading her father's lands and making war on him and his people; her people. He had already forced her to couple with him once, and he would do so again. She didn't care if this hurt him. In fact, she hoped it did.

She leaned over the desk and without ceremony pulled the lower half of her dress up to expose her butt.

"Do your worst." She said coldly.

"On you, never." He replied softly; almost kindly.

SWISH! SLAP!

She howled in pain.

It felt like the fires of Saidow's Lair were burning on her butt. She forced herself not to try to stop him, but instead pulled the front of her dress up and stuffed a wad of fabric into her mouth. She was not going to give in; she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction. She was going to remain reserved as a true princess should.

SWISH! SLAP!

She hissed into the fabric of her dress as she bit down for all she was worth. And this was only the second one.

That's when she realized something.

She could feel a strange heat building in her loins; an itch forming in her nether regions. He was treating her like a misbehaving child and literally spanking her... and a tiny part of her liked it.

She had thought that the first time he'd taken her in that field had been bad. She had thought that was the most humiliated that she could ever be, laying on all fours and being taken like a dog in heat. Some part of her had enjoyed it, but she had pushed that out of her mind. Now she felt even more exposed. Now she felt even more ashamed.

Now she felt even more--

SWISH! SLAP!

She hissed into the dress again as the pain coursed through her butt, but somehow seemed to end as a pulse in her nether regions.

* * *

Kalus took his tenth measured swing with the crop and watched his darling wife flinch. He hated that. The last thing on earth that he wanted right now was to see her in pain. He swung lightly enough that his strokes wouldn't leave a mark, but she was clearly in pain.

Then she moaned.

Oddly it didn't seem to be a moan of pain, or at least not entirely one.

He frowned.

He had been careful to avoid her slit as it would be not only painful but also possibly damaging. As he glanced, he saw the last thing he ever expected to see.

She was literally dripping wet.

Her slit was glistening with moisture and a small bead had begun to slowly droop earthward as the weight of her juices became too much to stay attached to her slit. He had no idea how this was happening. He had no idea a woman could become that wet that fast. He didn't understand how she could be; not while he was doing this.

Remembering that he still had ten strokes to go, he carefully measured them out. She flinched each time a stroke fell, but there was also an undeniable wiggle of her hips afterward, the subtle exhale of breath, and the moans she seemed to be suppressing.

How?

Why?

"Twenty." He announced as he finished.

She didn't move.

She just lay there panting, but he couldn't tell from what.

* * *

Shara had never been more confused in her entire life. Her butt still hurt like Saidow's lair, but just below that her slit felt incredibly empty and ached to be filled. No, 'ached' wasn't a strong enough word. It yearned, it craved to be filled; it almost needed to be filled. She had never hated Kalus more than at this moment, yet she wanted to feel him inside of her more than anything.

Then she became aware of the sensation of cold air on her slit and realized it was moist. No, not moist; dripping. She could feel a single bead of wetness slowly, tortuously making its way down her thigh.

Suddenly her cheeks felt hot.

She couldn't be getting wet after being spanked. No, no that wasn't possible... was it? Too embarrassed to move, she continued to lay over the desk, incredibly aware that her wet slit was not only exposed to him, but it was also probably engorged and thus open slightly, displaying herself to him even more.

She hated that and it made her feel... naughty. What kind of princess leaves her most intimate parts exposed like that? She felt incredibly ashamed, but a tiny part of her loved it. That part of her loved being on display for Kalus's eyes. It loved that he must've spent the last ten seconds staring at her exposed slit. It was the same part that yearned to have that slit filled by him.

"Katia, it's getting late and since we have finished dinner, we should retire soon."

She nodded mutely, too confused to give much of a reply.

"However, there is one thing we should do first." He said heavily.

It took her a moment to realize what he meant, and her rational brain sprang into action when she did. She kept her body still as she whipped her head around, disbelief on her face.

"You can't mean..." She glanced down and her exposed butt. She was at the perfect height and angle for him to enter her.

"I do mean." He replied heavily.

"But you just--" Her words died on her lips as she realized she couldn't admit out loud what he'd just done to her... or how much that tiny part of her had loved it.

Kalus hesitated a moment, then inclined his head in concession. "Perhaps we could forgo coupling this night, but remember Tyso's threat. You must be carrying my child by the year's end and we have precious little time to waste."

"I might already be with child." She said hopefully, then shuddered at the thought. "I last bled over a week before the castle was attacked. I am likely fertile now and perhaps yesterday was enough."

He frowned.

"That makes it more important not less, as you might conceive now if you didn't yesterday." He replied. "I shall let you choose, yet remember the king's threat. We have only this month and possibly the next for your conception, after that..." He shook his head. "I think not of myself, for I don't much enjoy coupling without a willing partner; I am thinking only of your welfare."

She felt her indignation rise, but the stinging on her butt helped prevent a biting retort. It rose even higher when she realized that she couldn't fight his logic. For a moment, her hatred of him blistered still higher, then she remembered the likely outcome of him not impregnating her. She didn't want the enemy's baby inside of her. She was sure she would love their child dearly if she did conceive -- what mother wouldn't -- but she didn't want it to be his child. She didn't want to bear the child of an enemy.

"Just get it over with quickly." She said in as biting a tone as she thought she could get away with.

He raised an eyebrow, glanced at her butt, then back at her and shook his head slightly.

She fumed for a moment before getting herself under control. "Please get it over with quickly." She finally said, doing everything she could to keep her tone even.

"I will." He said.

She looked away as he reached down towards his trousers. He must've already been hard and ready because mere seconds later she felt the sensation she'd been craving. She suppressed a moan of pleasure as his enormous cock slid inside of her. She loved the sensation of--

She stopped that thought cold.

No, she hated it.

She hated the exquisite feeling of her inner walls being repeatedly filled. She hated the heat that was starting to build in her core; the desire that was... She closed her eyes and again retreated into imagining it wasn't her. She imagined that she hadn't just been spanked by her husband and he wasn't trying to impregnate her now.

She imagined that was someone else.

As in her dream this morning and yesterday in the field, she imagined he was taking some beautiful blonde girl instead of her. Another wife who was more beautiful than her, more accommodating than her, more sexual than she was. Someone who would so completely take his attention from her that he would all but ignore her.

She -- no, the blonde girl -- stifled another moan as she felt the heat in her core start to build. She could feel the blonde girl's nether regions nearly singing praises to the Great God Illuminar for the sensations coursing through her body.

Shara did everything possible to block out the sensations and imagine that her husband wasn't taking her, but a second wife. A young, beautiful blonde girl that was unlike her and possessed a sexual appetite that would completely satisfy Kalus -- and then some -- so he wouldn't need to bother her at all.

The feeling was continuing to build, even stronger than it had been the previous day. She -- no, the blonde -- relished the sensation. She loved it; adored it. It made her feel wonderfully sexy and the blonde started moving her hips slightly in time with his thrusts to increase her pleasure.

Kalus groaned and then pushed himself deep inside of her.

Shara could feel the sensation reach near an apex, but Kalus had stopped thrusting and the sensation paused right before its peak. She felt a warmth burst inside of her and a moment later he pulled out, leaving her feeling bereft.

"It is done." He said.

Shara couldn't move.

Shame flooded her as she realized that she was disappointed that he had stopped. No amount of pretending about the blonde woman could hide that fact from herself.

* * *

Kalus regarded his very confusing wife for several long moments. Just before he had finished, she had definitely started thrusting backwards at him slightly, just as she had the day before. The woman clearly hated him, but also was clearly very easily stimulated. He shook his head slightly; she would've been a wonderful wife if the King hadn't forced him into marriage.

Katia didn't move.

She laid over the desk with her naked lower half exposed to him and breathing heavily, though from what he couldn't be sure. It could've been arousal, but it also could've been suppressed anger.

As he considered her, he noticed his cum start to slowly leak out of her. It would be lying to say that he didn't find the sight highly erotic. Yesterday aside, he hadn't taken a woman in a long time, not since fully dedicating his life to Illuminar and deciding to follow his standards.

Finally, Katia stood up, fixed her dress, and then looked at him. There was a cold fury behind her eyes, but also definitely some confusion.

"I'm going to bed." She said in a determinedly calm voice.

"I am also." He replied.

The line of her mouth became tight and her eyes hard, but she didn't say anything else. Instead, she walked to the bed and made to sit down on it. However, she winced in pain as her butt touched the bed. She grimaced and then turned so she was laying on her front.

Kalus lay down in the small bed next to her. She scooted away from him as far as she could, which wasn't far. The bed was wide enough for two to lay without touching, but they would be close to each other. Thus, she couldn't get that far away from him.

She pointedly turned her head to face away from him.

He lay there thinking about the incredibly bright woman next to him. She was also beautiful, sexually responsive, kind when she wasn't scared, insightful, and charming with a sharp wit; at least when she wanted to be. Katia was perhaps everything he wanted in a woman, except willing of course. Until she'd suddenly changed moods when she'd woken up the previous morning, she had been among the most pleasant of women he'd encountered for a very long time.

Now she was his wife, and whether she liked it or not, she was tied to him for the rest of their lives. He smiled slightly, figuring that she might eventually come to tolerate him, perhaps even like him.

"Katia." He whispered.

"What." It wasn't a question, and she wasn't looking at him.

"I love you Katia, and will always seek what's best for you."

She did nothing for a moment, then turned to look at him. She gave him a hard stare for several seconds, then spoke in a very neutral yet respectful tone. "I hate you Kalus, and I hope you die. Soon."

Then she turned her head away again.

"That is your right, but it changes nothing that I said." He replied gently.

She turned her head to look at him again, a confused expression on her face. She stared at him with her head cocked to one side for several seconds, opened her mouth to speak, hesitated for a moment, then closed it and turned her head away again.

After about ten minutes, Katia's breathing began to change as she fell asleep. About five minutes after that, she adjusted in her sleep so she was much closer to him. Barely a minute later and still clearly asleep, she curled up into his side, her head resting on his chest and arm laying across his torso. Her long, slender legs curled up against his moments later and she let out a contented sigh.

She was snuggling up to him in her sleep.

He smiled.

Perhaps there was hope.

* * *

Shara was fuming. Not only had she woken up that morning actually snuggled up to that man, but he had been watching her and gave her an amused smile. She shuddered. Her butt was still slightly sore and the moment she realized she was touching him she'd nearly jumped out of the bed.

He just kept smiling in amusement.

She wanted to throw something at him, but the slight ache in her butt made her think twice about doing so. She certainly didn't want to go through that again. Now she was about fifty yards from his tent, pacing furiously near a small stream that the army had camped next to the previous night. It was still early and the sun wouldn't rise for a little while yet, though there was plenty of light to see.

"Are you okay?" Someone asked.

Shara turned to see a woman who was washing some clothes by the side of the stream. Something about her had a calming effect on the frustrated princess. It wasn't so much how she looked, but there was something about her. She was just one of those people who it was hard to be upset around.

She looked to be around Shara's age, but something about her eyes and demeanor made her seem much older. She had that 'timeless' look that elves often had, though she didn't have pointed ears so she wasn't an elf. Her clothes were white and very clean, and her hair was so light that it looked almost white.

"I'm..." She huffed, then felt her throat get tight, and flopped down on the grass by the bank of the creek. "I'm..."

"Yes, I can see that." The woman smiled. She set her laundry down, slipped off her shoes, hiked up her dress, and crossed the shallow creek to sit beside Shara. "What's wrong?"

"Everything." She sighed. "Okay, not everything, just everything that's important."

"Such as?"

"The war." She felt a stone under her, pulled it out, and tossed it into the creek. "My marriage, my future, the kingdom; take your pick."

"Well, it's a lot easier to improve your marriage than the war; let's start with that." The woman said, then added. "My name is Gabriella, what's yours?"

"Sh-- uh, Katia." The princess said, internally grimacing at her near slip-up.

"Well Katia, what's wrong in your marriage?"

"It might take some time to explain."

Gabriella looked at her laundry. "Fortunately, it'll still be dirty in 'some time'." She winked.

Shara gave her the short version with mostly just the highlights, and she didn't reveal that she was a princess of course. She couldn't think of a good reason not to give a short version, and it was nice to have someone to talk to. Well, someone who wasn't Kalus anyway.

"So now my butt hurts and we have to do... do that every night until I'm carrying his child." She shuddered.

"I don't envy the position either of you is in." Gabriella said kindly. "But is it truly so bad? He seems to truly care for you, even if he doesn't show it in the usual way."

She didn't reply, mostly because she didn't know what to say. There was a real sense where the woman wasn't wrong. It didn't make her any less angry with her husband, but she wasn't wrong.

"I just wish..."

"Wish what?" Gabriella prompted gently.

"I wish things would get better." Shara tucked up her legs and wrapped her arms around them as she sat there staring at the creek. "I don't only mean with my marriage, but with everything. I wish there was someone out there who could fix all of this, you know? Someone who could bring the war to an end, someone who could fix my marriage, and maybe someone who could kick King Tyso in the..." She hesitated, her mother's etiquette lessons making her moderate her language somewhat. "...in the family jewels."

Gabriella laughed.

She had a wonderfully musical and melodic laugh that almost made the princess smile.

"I just want to meet someone who can help bring all this awfulness to an end." Shara continued. "Someone who could make this war go away and make it so that Timarou and Har'peton will never wage war against each other ever again. Someone who could help this country get better because I know things were far from perfect, even before we were invaded. And maybe someone who could help me to feel less lonely."

Shara felt her throat get tight. She hadn't realized it until just now, but she was indeed lonely.

"That's rather a lot to ask of a single person." Gabriella pointed out.

"I know." Shara sighed. "And I know such a person couldn't exist."

"Are you so certain?"

Shara nodded as she looked at the woman.

Gabriella got a strange sort of smile on her face, as if she knew something that Shara didn't. "Are you always so certain about things?" The woman challenged playfully.

Shara shrugged; that's just the way things were.

"Katia?" A masculine voice said from behind her.

She scowled, but kept her tone neutral. "What?"

"We will break camp soon and I must ensure you are ready." Kalus said.

She sighed, then stood.

She could see Kyselius behind him. She guessed that Kalus had assigned the herald to watch her to ensure that no one troubled her while she was away from her husband.

Beside her, Gabriella stood as well. When the woman turned to face Kalus, he did a double-take.

"You." His mouth opened slightly. He glanced back toward Shara's castle, then back at the woman. "Do you have a sister -- perhaps a twin -- who works as a servant in the castle?"

"Why do you ask?" Gabriella replied.

"Because a woman who looks just like you was the one who led me to Shara's room before the soldiers that arrived before me could harm the women. Was that your sister? Or perhaps another close relative?"

"Something like that." She smiled. "If I might continue that tradition of helping, I noticed that you were riding a mule when you made camp yesterday while Katia -- who I assume is your wife -- was riding a war horse, probably yours?"

"Correct on both counts." Kalus replied.

"You both seem ill-suited to your mounts." Gabriella said with unconcealed amusement. "However, four days journey from here, just before the great forest, you'll find an excellent ranch just two miles south of the main road. They breed some of the finest horses in the whole kingdom. The lady here--" Gabriella indicated to Shara. "--would as much benefit from a horse suited to her stature as you would from not being forced to ride a mule."

Kalus almost smiled at that. "You speak the truth."

Gabriella then turned to Shara. "You might even find exactly what you're looking for there."

For some reason, Shara got the impression that Gabriella was talking about more than just horses. She wasn't sure why, but she did.

* * *

Kalus did not much enjoy the next four days. Katia was always polite to him but never anything more. She never spoke a word unless asked a direct question. Her answers were terse when asked, but not quite rude and she never volunteered anything without being asked. She did everything that was asked of her, but not one thing more.

Ironically, the only real response he got from her was in bed.

Each night, she would reluctantly turn around, pull up her dress, and lay on all fours. She was always just slightly wet before he started and became fully wet very quickly. She seemed determined to resist enjoying herself but clearly had trouble doing so. At her repeated requests he didn't take long each time, but she always leaned back as he left, and more than once he thought he heard a disappointed sigh that was stifled before he could be sure.

Other than that, nothing.

No warmth.

No affection.

No hint of anything beyond resignation.

One thing that gave him hope consistently was that she would snuggle up to him every night as they slept without fail. Every morning, he woke up with Katia snuggled up against him. Every night after falling asleep she would use his torso as a pillow and hold to him like a true lover might. He hoped to see that side of her in the waking hours one day. Yet every morning as she woke, she would recoil from him and turn away.

For his part, Kalus let her have some space. He could only imagine what she was going through and didn't want to make matters worse. They would have an entire lifetime to build a relationship; he knew better than to push right now.

Kalus sighed as they set up camp on the fourth day. It was mid-afternoon and they'd stopped several hours early because of the large forest ahead of them. The plan was to start that leg of the journey in the morning in case the remnants of Timarou's army tried to ambush them in the night. He was happy about this, as the several-hour break meant he had time to visit that horse ranch and procure a mount for his wife. It would be good for the mule he'd been riding too, as he'd been tempted to draw his sword and behead it more than once. He'd never encountered a more stubborn creature.

Well, perhaps his wife.

Once camp was set up, he notified his herald where he was going and then went up to Katia. "Gabriella spoke of a horse breeder nearby. If I don't get a mount for you, I fear my mule might come to an unfortunate end."

"Okay." She nodded but said nothing else.

Kalus sighed and then led her to the horse pens. He saddled up his horse and then jumped on him. It had been five days since he'd ridden him and he missed it. Tornado obviously did too. He jumped slightly and pranced, clearly happy.

Kalus reached a hand down to Katia.

She looked at his hand, and then at him.

"We'll ride double for the short trip to the ranch." He said. It wasn't a good idea to ride double on Tornado for days on end, but it would be fine for this short trip. "If we find a horse for you, I would assume you'll ride it back."

Katia nodded and took his hand. He pulled her up and she expertly slid into place behind him, arms around his waist. Tornado nickered and half-reared in excitement. His wife held onto him all the tighter.

Kalus turned his head to look at his wife. "If you have no objection, I'll give him his speed; it's been days since he's had a proper workout."

She nodded, looking scared but seemingly determined not to show it. He smiled. She was a brave girl with a sharp mind and clever wit. He once again dearly wished that he'd been able to meet her under normal circumstances and court her properly.

Shame.

He gave Tornado a gentle prod with his heel, which was all the encouragement the warhorse needed. He took off like a bow shot.

* * *

Shara held on for dear life as the largest and most powerful horse she'd ever ridden bolted out of camp like a bat out of Saidow's Lair. She held onto Kalus for all she was worth, fearing the animal would knock her off with the sheer force of his movement. The ground seemed to actually shake as he ran. Each heavy footfall felt like a giant was hitting a great hammer against the earth.

It was terrifying...

...and exhilarating.

She screwed her eyes shut as the wind raced past her. Suddenly, she had a whole new respect for Kalus given his ability to ride. While Tornado was an incredibly powerful horse, there was no doubt who the master was. He guided and direct the steed with barely a gentle tug of the reins. The horse seemed to genuinely love its master too, just like everyone who knew him.

Well, every except her.

The horse ran flat out for a short time before slowing to a gentle canter, then finally a walk.

"Magnificent, isn't he?" Kalus looked back at her with the edge of a smile on his face.

"He is." She agreed and almost smiled back at him before she caught herself.

The truth was that Kalus was hard to hate.

He was firm, perhaps a bit too firm, but fair and he clearly cared deeply about his men and -- as much as it pained her to admit it to herself -- he clearly cared about her too. While she was still mad about the whipping she'd received, he had warned her clearly in advance that her punishment for disrespecting him in front of the men would be severe. He had also clearly hated doing it. She still hated him for it, but it was good to know that he was that strict with everyone, not just her.

He genuinely seemed to care too, which again made him hard to hate.

Jerk.

It wasn't long before the horse farm came into view. It looked well-kept and clean, and there was virtually no smell. About a dozen horses were out in the pasture grazing contentedly. Their coats shone and she could tell they were healthy and well-bred because of their excellent conformation.

Kalus rode up to a house set a short distance from the large barn and helped her dismount, only dismounting himself after she was safely on the ground. There was a small hitch for horses, to which Kalus tied Tornado's reins.

Before he could approach the house, the door opened and a man came out. He had sandy blond hair and looked tough as nails, but also kind. He had a short, groomed beard and short, messy hair. His clothes were mostly clean, but had the tell-tale signs of a working man at the end of the day.

"Good 'morrow to you sir." The man said with a slight bow. "I am Julian and welcome to my humble abode."

"Well met Julian; I am Kalus and this is my wife, Katia." He indicated her.

Shara was struck by how he said it. He had introduced her much as someone would introduce someone they were very fond of, or perhaps very proud of. It was strange to hear him take that tone when speaking of her.

"May Illuminar -- blessed be He -- shine his light on you both." The man said with genuine warmth and sincerity.

"And on you as well good sir." Kalus replied with equal genuineness.

"What brings you to my humble abode?" Julian asked.

"My wife requires a horse of fine breeding and quality; I've been told I could purchase one here."

Julian turned to Shara. "My lady, I would match you with a steed as fine as this one--" he indicated Tornado. "--if it were possible, though one more fitted to your stature."

The man looked at Tornado appraisingly and then smiled at Kalus. "He's truly a magnificent horse. I've rarely seen his like and I've been breeding horses my entire life."

Tornado nickered, and she wondered if perhaps the horse was smarter than she'd given him credit.

"He is the greatest of horses." Kalus agreed.

"Come, and I'll show you what we have." The man said starting towards the barn. "Were you looking for another to match your war-horse, I would be forced to apologize. However, I do have well-bred horses fit for ladies and I know you shan't be disappointed. It's a particular specialty of mine."

Kalus fell into step beside him and Shara followed just behind.

"Will you need tack as well?" Julian asked. "I don't make it, but partner with the land's most revered saddle smith. Your purse will feel lighter, but I personally guarantee you won't find a finer saddle outside a palace."

"Yes, tack as well." Kalus confirmed.

They talked of horses for a moment until the three of them had passed through the barn and entered the pasture on the other side.

Once through, Julian made a long, low whistle. The horses all perked up their ears in response as if waiting for something. He then gave a complicated sort of whistle with several notes. As one, the horses turned towards the barn and began to leisurely trot towards them. Once they had arrived, they seemed to fan themselves out in a more or less straight line, like troops standing for inspection.

"Impressive." Kalus said. "To command them so well with a mere whistle demonstrates immense skill in training."

"That's why I do it; so you can see that they are well trained." The man grinned. "Although, I was watching as you rode up and you handle your own mount as a master horseman."

Kalus inclined his head in acknowledgment.

Julian turned to Katia. "My lady, perhaps you might give them a closer look and see which one strikes your fancy."

"Oh, thank you." She nodded, then remembered her manners and gave him a slight curtsey.

"My good man, your taste in horses is nearly as good as your taste in women." Julian addressed his comment to Kalus, but it was clearly intended for her. Given that Julian had just said that he'd rarely seen Tornado's equal, she took it as high praise indeed.

* * *

Kalus watched Katia move forward towards the horses, all of whom regarded her with interest. She seemed to come alive being near them and it was good to see.

"I assume you'll want to let her ride her chosen mount before purchase?" Julian offered.

"Yes, to ensure they are a good match; I have no doubts about their training." Kalus replied. This man seemed like a master at his craft and he had no wish to slight him.

"Of course." He said, then turned towards the house. "Lyra! Come out here please."

Kalus heard the house's door open, and moments later a girl in her late teens came running into the barn from the house. Her ash-blonde hair was flying and her dress looked as pretty as the figure who wore it. The smile on the girl's face almost made the rest of her fade from view though.

"Yes Pa'pa?" She asked sweetly.

Her father tilted his head toward the horses, grinned, then nodded.

"Yes Pa'pa!" She exclaimed. Kalus was pretty sure that night itself would flee when confronted with such a joyful smile.

The girl gave a long whistle and then a shorter complicated one, which saw one of the horses in the line trotting up to her. The horse nickered affectionately as the girl nuzzled its nose with her own. Then she saddled the horse in record time, faster than anyone Kalus had ever seen. However, it was done so smoothly and naturally that she didn't even look like she was in a hurry. The girl then looped the reins over a nearby stall and walked towards Katia.

Her father sighed with a smile. "That girl will be the death of me. She's been old enough for me to give her hand for two weeks and I've had twice as many offers in that time."

"I'm not surprised." Kalus chuckled. "It appears that you don't just raise fine horses here."

Julian smiled. "The apple of my eye and all I have left of her mother. I don't know how I shall ever part with her smile."

"I have no daughters, but I can imagine it must be a trying thing to bear the thought of giving your daughter's hand."

"It wouldn't be so trying if a good man asked." He replied. "But still, it will be hard to part with her."

* * *

For the first time in nearly a week, Shara felt a modicum of happiness. The horses were all clearly very well-behaved, but it was also clear that their spirits hadn't been broken either. They were curious and seemed quite happy for the most part, though a few merely looked bored.

Only one looked unsettled.

It was a younger filly of a good size for Shara to ride, but something about her looked... skittish. She seemed jumpy and nervous, quite unlike every other horse there. Shara walked up to her slowly, intentionally trying not to spook her. The moment their eyes met, she felt her heart go out to the horse.

The filly seemed to hesitate for a moment, then it took a small step towards her. It sniffed her from afar, then took another cautious step towards hers.

"Hi there." Shara said softly.

The filly took a step back, then sniffed again.

Shara smiled at her and the filly seemed to take comfort in that. The young horse took another couple of steps forward and stretched out her neck to bring her nose close to the princess. She didn't move, but let the filly get comfortable for a moment before slowly lifting her hand.

The filly took a step back.

She slowly lifted her hand so that the filly could sniff her. Apparently deciding that Shara's hand wouldn't strike her dead, the filly took another step closer. It was calm for a moment and then the young horse looked at something over her shoulder.

Shara turned to see a young woman who was probably no older than she was. She had long ash-blonde hair which framed a young face. She looked tough, like she could take care of herself, but also kind. Her smile was incredible and made Shara want to smile with her. Something about her seemed familiar for some reason, but the princess couldn't remember from where.

The girl was smiling and held an apple out to Shara. "She likes them; give her one and she'll be your friend for life."

Shara took the apple and held it in front of her. She didn't stretch her hand out, but rather held it somewhat close to her chest. The filly could come to get it but would have to move closer. After several seconds, it did. It took two slow steps forward and very carefully took the apple without so much as brushing Shara with its teeth. The moment the apple was in its mouth, it stepped back a bit.

"What's her name?"

"This is Misty." The girl replied.

"Why is she so skittish?"

"Nighttime thunderstorm a few weeks back." She explained. "She bolted at the first thunderclap and was separated from the herd. It took us a few hours to find her, poor thing."

"Aww." Shara's heart went out to the horse who seemed like a real sweetheart, just scared.

"Do you want me to saddle her up?" The girl asked.

"Will she be okay with that?"

The girl nodded. "I've been working with her. I wouldn't recommend riding her in a thunderstorm, but otherwise she's a good horse and very gentle."

"Okay. I'm Sh-- I mean, my name is Katia."

"Lyra; pleased to meet you." The girl beamed, and her smile was indeed magnificently joyful.

Not long after, Misty was saddled and Shara mounted her. The filly didn't seem to object, having become much more comfortable with the princess since the apple. Misty was a delight to ride. Her gait was smooth and she listened well. She actually seemed to enjoy having Shara on her back, a fact that made the princess smile. She'd done precious little of that in the past week or so.

Lyra rode around the huge grassy paddock with her and the girl looked like she had been born in a saddle. They chatted about horses and she turned out to be incredibly knowledgeable. She seemed to truly love horses and Shara really liked her. She had an easy confidence that was probably born of competence, having helped her father train horses since the time she could walk.

After about twenty minutes, Lyra looked at her and cocked her head to one side. "You really like Misty, don't you?"

She nodded. "I feel like we understand each other."

Lyra gave her an appraising look. "Recent trauma?"

"Something like that."

The girl nodded. "Misty is a good horse. I normally wouldn't suggest someone buy her until I've helped to calm her down a bit more, but she seems to have taken a liking to you."

"She's a good horse." Shara said as she gently rubbed the filly's soft neck.

"That she is; shall we go see my father?"

Shara nodded and they started heading back. As they did, she noticed a large-ish group of horses riding towards the barn. The banner almost looked like...

Oh no.

She felt her heart sink.

* * *

Kalus walked swiftly but calmly back through the barn towards the incoming riders. He recognized those standards and didn't doubt that trouble was coming.

It was.

King Tyso was heading the line of about a dozen of his personal bodyguards. These men were among the best warriors in the land and they followed him everywhere to protect him. They were hand-picked from the best warriors in the army, and Kalus was proud to say that fully three-quarters of them had come from his own men.

"Kalus my boy!" The king said with a huge smile that didn't reach his eyes. "What are you up to this far away from camp?"

"A horse for my wife sire." He said with a bow.

"Ah yes, word of you riding that mule has spread through the camp like wildfire."

Julian had followed him and gave him a confused look.

"He lent his horse to his wife so she wouldn't have to walk, and refused to requisition one from his own men to replace it." The king said shaking his head. "He instead rode an unused baggage mule for four days straight."

Julian looked at Kalus and gave him a nod of respect.

"Have you settled on an animal yet?" The king asked.

Kalus knew Tyso well enough to know that nothing good would come from this meeting. The king was spoiling for a fight -- or at least a little more revenge -- and probably wouldn't be denied.

"Not yet sire." He replied.

The king shrugged and -- ignoring Julian -- rode his horse through the barn to the edge of the paddock. Katia and Lyra were just arriving back at the barn. The moment Katia's horse saw the king, it stopped short. Kalus instantly took a liking to the filly; not only did it seem to like Katia, it apparently had excellent instincts about other people as well.

"Oh ho, who have we here?" The king said as he undressed Lyra with his eyes.

The girl gave him an icy stare, but made no reply.

"Oh, this one has spirit." Tyso said as he rode his own horse around Lyra's, completely ignoring Katia and even rudely forcing her to get out of the way. To his wife's credit, she expertly had her horse walk sideways to avoid the king's war horse as he looked at Lyra

"Good firm seat too." He said with a lewd grin.

No one would think he was talking about the ash-blonde girl's ability to remain in a saddle.

"I like a girl with a good firm seat." He said as he continued to circle her, ever closer. To the girl's credit, she was nearly ignoring him and her horse was also the picture of composure. Seemingly neither horse nor rider were perturbed by the king and enormous war horse that was far too close for decorum; not to mention where his eyes were.

"You, horse master." The king finally said to her father. "How long since she came of age?"

"I didn't say she was." Julian replied calmly, but coolly. Apparently he had the sense to keep his calm when faced with the king of an invading army.

The king didn't seem bothered that the horse master was insinuating that Lyra was under-aged, even though she wasn't of course. He rode over to Kalus and said in a 'whisper' that everyone could hear. "She'd look great in my bed, wouldn't she Kalus old boy?"

"That's possible." He replied diplomatically.

For years Kalus had been very careful to stay off the king's 'shit list' as the men called it. Tyso might be an excellent judge of character, but his own was severely lacking. The commander had seen countless men fall under his ire and none had come out of it well. A few hadn't come out of it at all.

"Nah, I have too many wives to keep up with anyway." Tyso said. "You want her Kalus? It seems a shame to leave such a nubile beauty un-bedded."

Kalus took a deep, calming breath before replying. "She is beautiful my king, but I already have a wife. Like you, I can barely keep up with who I have." He had briefly considered agreeing that he wanted her just so Tyso would drop the matter. However, lying to the king was a bad idea. He might be wicked, but he was also perceptive.

"Yes, but you only have one wife." Tyso pointed out, his wicked grin boding ill for the whole situation. "I hear your bitch isn't even a good wife and I feel partly to blame." His look of remorse fooled no one. "Perhaps I can do better a second time. A different flavor of wife perhaps? I swear, blondes are better in the sack anyway."

It took a moment for Kalus to realize what was going on.

When he did, he had to resist the urge to go for his sword.

While he had never credited his king with an abundance of morals, he was sharp. Kalus had certainly fallen for his young wife and apparently the king had figured that out somehow. He probably shouldn't have been surprised because Tyso was very good at finding someone's weak points, but Kalus was surprised at the king's reaction. Apparently, the king had decided to squeeze that pressure point. Most high-born women weren't too keen on the idea of sharing a husband and he guessed Katia would be no different.

The king was trying to drive them further apart.

He must be.

He probably hoped that Kalus marrying a second wife would forever drive a wedge between Katia and himself; a wedge that was as permanent as a marriage. It was a cruel, devious, and wicked plan... but he couldn't deny it was brilliant. Malicious, spiteful, and vindictive yes, but also brilliant. Tyso had a gift for finding someone's weak spot, jamming a knife into it, and twisting hard.

Again, he resisted the urge to go for his sword.

"Yes, I think she'd do just fine." Tyso said, then turned to Julian. "What say you horse master? What would a fair bride price be for your daughter there?"

"The world, for she is my world and all I have left of her mother; may Illuminar -- blessed be He -- rest her soul."

"I'm sorry for your loss." The king said without even an effort to make the lie convincing. "How better to soothe a grieving heart than a wedding celebration?"

"I apologize if I wasn't clear, and I must humbly beg your indulgence." Julian said with a graceful bow. "But there is no law in your land or mine, nor even Illuminar's Book of Light, that would allow my daughter to be forced into marriage against her father's will. I cannot grant her hand to either you or the good commander here." He nodded his head in respect to Kalus, who returned the nod.

"And are you familiar with the rules for marrying a captive in times of war?" The king replied without missing a beat.

Kalus was glad his sword was at his hip, for he would die before letting the King murder the man just to gain his daughter as a captive of war. That wasn't war; that was murder.

Julian didn't even blink. "If my life must be forfeit O king, so be it; I shall not give her hand."

"Pa'pa." Lyra said quietly, almost pleadingly.

King Tyso gave Kalus a pointed look, then almost casually moved his hand to rest on the pommel of his sword.

"Sir Julian, a word if I may?" Kalus said.

"I'll not change my mind." The horse master replied.

"Then you need not fear my words." The commander countered.

Julian nodded.

* * *

Shara got the impression that Lyra was a fearless girl; that she would face down a tornado or stampeding herd of horses with calm and resolve without losing her head. But right now, the girl looked anxious. She kept looking from her father to Kalus, to King Tyso, and then at Shara herself.

"I can't lose Pa'pa." Lyra whispered.

"Kalus will think of something." Shara replied without thinking, and she was surprised at her own words. Did she really trust him that much?"

"Will he?" Lyra asked quietly.

"I think so."

The girl seemed to take comfort in that. "Is... is he a good man?"

"He is." Shara replied, her mouth again running ahead of her brain.

She really couldn't deny that it was true; not in any objective way. He was sterner than she would've liked, but there was no doubt that he was a good man who devotedly followed Illuminar and treated both his men and his wife well. Sternly, but well despite that.

* * *

Kalus knew exactly what he was going to say, but Julian turned with a stern look before he opened his mouth.

"I'll not be letting that abominable 'king' take my daughter by force to marry anyone. Ever." The horse master said firmly. "I've heard the stories and know what kind of king he is."

"He's worse." Kalus said.

"What?" Apparently the horse master was caught off guard by the admission

"I have been on campaign with him for a long time now and can testify that the stories fall short of his appetites. That is why I must ask a favor of you that I have no right to ask."

"You damn straight you have no right."

Kalus took a deep breath. "Take my wife with you."

Julian stared at him for a moment. "What?"

"I cannot stand idly by while the king openly flouts Illuminar's decrees in the Book of Light. He cannot overrule a father regarding his daughter's hand, and I cannot allow him to murder you either. I have my sword and it will delay them long enough for you to mount a horse and escape with your daughter."

Julian stared at him.

"I must ask something in return though; something I have no right to ask. Please take my wife with you, for the king will do horrible things to her in retribution if you do not. I ask not for my sake, for I will be dead before the hour is out, but I ask for hers. She is innocent in all of this and deserves better than the circumstances that life has dealt her."

Julian continued to stare at him, this time his eyes narrowed as he seemed to be deciding something.

"You're serious." He finally said after several moments.

"I am." Kalus sighed. "War is one thing, but murder and kidnapping are quite another. Illuminar would not stand for them so neither can I."

"How long will you be on the campaign trail?" Julian asked after another long pause.

"The last castle is but a few days' march away. Our scouts report that King Bracken won't leave because King Tyso has left him nowhere to go."

"You would give your life to protect a stranger and his daughter?"

Kalus nodded. "Illuminar -- blessed be He -- demands no less."

Julian scrutinized him for several seconds before taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. "Then I will give you my daughter's hand, but know this: I will pursue you to the very gates of Saidow's lair if any harm befalls her. You would not believe how much damage a well-trained herd of horses can do to a man without killing him."

"I would expect nothing less from a loving father." Kalus nodded.

* * *

Shara waited to see how her husband's conversation would play out. He was a clever man and she dearly hoped he would think of something. Lyra was a wonderful girl and she would hate to see anything bad happen to her.

The two men talked for some minutes and then returned.

"Lyra." The horse master said to his daughter with a heavy sigh, then extended his hand toward Kalus. "Meet your future husband."

The girl looked surprised but recovered quickly and turned to Kalus. "I hope I will be a good wife to you sir."

"I believe you will be." He replied, gave her a kind smile, then turned to Shara. "I would speak with you."

She nodded and -- feeling no inclination to dismount from Misty's comforting presence -- turned the horse and walked far enough away that they would be out of earshot.

"I did not wish for a second wife." He said once they were far enough away.

She didn't reply.

"Speak your mind." He instructed, though it fell short of a command.

"I would rather not." She replied evenly.

He regarded her for several seconds. "If you would be willing to reconsider, I would very much like to know how you feel about this."

Thinking about him spanking her several days ago, she shook her head slightly and replied in an even tone. "I would prefer not to say."

"That is your right." He nodded.

The truth was that she didn't know how to feel. Noble women, and especially princesses, didn't often find themselves in the position of having to share a husband so she had never really thought about it before. She might've even been upset if she liked her husband, but she definitely didn't. Not at all. No, she certainly didn't like him and the fact that she snuggled up to him every night was mere coincidence. It didn't mean anything, despite how good it felt.

Nothing at all...

She found herself thinking that perhaps this could be a good thing that he had another wife because he might leave her alone now. He would have another beautiful woman to bed, so perhaps he would only take her every other night. She was happy about that, but her nether regions definitely protested.

"Kalus my boy." The king called. "Stop talking with the old wife and come make plans for the new!"

Her husband closed his eyes and took a deep breath before replying. "Coming sire." He looked at her. "If you ever wish to speak your mind, I would be glad to hear it."

She nodded, then he turned and left.

Shara was silently fuming at both herself and him. Why did he have to be so damn nice! Why couldn't he just be a horrible husband so she could hate him without guilt? He was always so nice to her, even while he had spanked her.

It was infuriating.

"Katia?" A pleasant feminine voice said tentatively.

She looked up to see that Lyra had ridden out on her horse. She was a respectful distance away, but they were far enough out that they wouldn't be overheard.

"Yes?"

"Um, I'm not sure how to say this, but I'm sorry." The ash blonde said sincerely. "You said he was a good man and because of me you'll have less time with him. I promise I'll try not to come between you two."

Shara looked at the girl, marveling at what she was hearing. Lyra had just met her and yet was promising... Wow. She must truly be a wonderful girl to be so giving to a stranger.

"Actually Lyra, I wish you would." She finally said.

"What?" The horsewoman blinked.

"Please, feel free to come between us as much as you like, as often as you like."

"But..." Lyra's mouth hung open for a moment, then she cocked her head to one side. "You don't like your husband."

"No." Shara shook her head.

"But, you said he was a good man."

"He is, though I wish you wouldn't tell him that I said that."

"Why?" The girl looked confused and guided her horse closer so they could talk a bit more privately. "Why wouldn't you want your husband to know that you think he's a good man?"

"He's..." Shara hesitated, not sure how much to say. "I was forced to marry him, much as you are being forced. And since then..." She frowned. "Well let's just say I haven't exactly fallen in love, though even I can't deny he's a good man."

The horsewoman nodded. "Okay, so then..." She ran her hands through her ash-blonde hair and bit her lip. "Then you won't mind if I... I mean, if I spend more time with him... um, in..." She looked slightly nervous. "In the bedroom?"

"Please do." Shara said with more vehemence than she actually felt. "As much as you want, as often as you want; the more the better."

"Oh thank Illuminar." Lyra breathed a sigh of relief. "I don't know why, but I've always... I mean, ever since my bleeding started years ago, I've always found it hard not to... You know." She blushed.

Shara felt confused and it must've shown on her face.

"Um, 'use my fingers'." The girl explained. "I swear I try to keep it to once or twice a day, but sometimes..."

"What do you mean by 'use your fingers'." Shara asked.

Lyra blinked.

She cocked her head to one side.

She opened her mouth and then closed it. "You're serious?"

Shara nodded.

Lyra got a devilishly amused look on her face. "Well, the next time you're alone, take a finger or two and gently rub the little nub right near the top of your slit. You won't be disappointed; trust me."

The princess stared.

Lyra leaned forward and whispered again. "Trust me." She had the air and mischievous smile of someone who was sharing a deliciously juicy secret.

"Okay, but you might have to show me; over the clothes of course."

"I might." The girl bit her lip. She had an innocent smile on her face that contrasted magnificently with the blush rising in her cheeks. "So, I hear it hurts the first time. Is that true?"

"It's more like a sharp pinch." Shara replied. "I wouldn't call it pleasant, but the sting goes away fairly quickly."

"Ah, and I hear it's amazing afterward, is it?"

Shara didn't know how to respond. If she was being perfectly honest with herself, the sensations were amazing. If the man giving them to her wasn't also the man chiefly responsible for conquering her father's country and her people, she would've given an unqualified yes. Yet she also didn't want to discourage the girl who clearly had zero hang-ups regarding marital relations.

In the end, she decided to take a middle road. "You'll see."

"I knew it!" Lyra whispered excitedly. "I can't wait."

"You don't even know him."

"True, but I've heard the stories about him; that's why I asked if he was a good man. I wanted to know from his wife if the rumors were true."

"Stories?" Shara asked.

"You haven't heard of your husband's reputation?"

Shara shook her head. "I met him less than a week ago, and heard little before that except perhaps the name."

"Oh." The girl raised her eyebrows, then shrugged. "He's becoming something of a legend here in Timarou. He takes cities with a minimum of bloodshed and installs good, honest men to rule. He also eliminates most of the crown's regulations, so trade and commerce flourish in those areas. Frankly, I've heard some of the cities he's taken are almost glad they were conquered."

"Really?"

She nodded. "And one time, one of his soldiers raped a woman so he had the soldier publicly executed and hung the body out where his camp could see it all day. Honestly, Pa'pa says that some of the men in the pubs have wished that Kalus was conquering us instead of Tyso because other than a small amount of tribute -- which is less than the current king's taxes -- the men he appoints don't allow corruption and mostly leave the citizens alone."

Huh.

Shara hadn't heard that.

"Anyway, I figure a man like that must be considerate in bed, right?" Lyra finished.

Again, the princess didn't know what to say. She had always asked Kalus to get things over with as quickly as possible so she didn't know. She imagined that he might be a considerate lover if were she inclined to find out.

She wasn't.

Although...

Hmm.

* * *

Kalus waited patiently at the head of the barn. Tyso had sent for a Luminar while Lyra had gone back into the house to change into something more appropriate for a wedding. Oddly, Katia had accompanied her. That was a good sign, as he'd heard that having two wives who didn't like each other was a special kind of torment, worthy of the deepest levels of Saidow's lair. That's probably what the king had in mind.

"Oh and Kalus, make sure you force them to pleasure each other." Tyso said, his tone making it clear that it wasn't a request. "That's a special kind of heaven worthy of Illuminar's court itself."

"As you say my liege." He nodded respectfully while wishing he had a good excuse to practice his considerable swordsmanship skills on the fat slob. Okay, he wasn't that fat, but he was overweight and his physical appetites were mirrored in his other appetites as well.

Not long after, the Luminar arrived so the king -- completely ignoring the man whose daughter he had just forced into marriage -- called for the bride. At least Tyso had been generous with the bride price, but he knew it would be cold comfort for the horse master. His daughter came out in a white dress that was simple but elegant.

She was so young.

Just two weeks past the eligible age to be married, so she was younger even than Katia. Still, she was very pretty now that he was looking at her properly. Her face was round and incredibly cute, and her smile could light up the deepest darkness. She had adorable dimples on her face and possibly the cutest nose he'd ever seen. Her hair was a warm-tinted ash blonde color -- he'd once heard it called "champagne blonde" -- and it fell in silky waves past her collarbones. It was down and loose, and it looked like the wind had had its way with it; yet somehow that only made her more attractive.

She was a bit wild, he could tell that much. Yet that wildness didn't seem to translate to rebellion, only a very free spirit. His current wife standing beside her made an interesting contrast. While Lyra was all carefree free-spirit, Katia was more proper and refined; more controlled and reserved. He hoped they rubbed off on each other because he could definitely see them being good for each other.

Lyra moved up to stand next to him and gave him a coy smile.

Hmm, perhaps not quite 'coy'.

She looked happy and there was definitely a hint of sensuality behind her smile, plus a twinkle in her eyes. If he didn't know better, he would've said she was a little turned on. The contrast with his first wedding couldn't be more pronounced.

The luminar cleared his throat and began. "Do you Commander Kalus, with full knowledge and consent; take this woman--" As before, the luminar paused to give Kalus and the king a creepy smile, leaving them in no doubt what he meant by 'take' before continuing. "--to be your wife in the covenant of marriage? Do you swear to keep and provide for her all of your days, committing to treat her with honor, love, and respect in all circumstances to the best of your ability, and allow only death to separate you?"

"I do." Kalus replied.

The luminar turned to Lyra. "Do you, with full knowledge and consent, give yourself to this man to be his wife in the covenant of marriage? Do you swear to follow and obey him in everything--" He winked at Kalus, leaving no one in any no doubt about what he meant by 'everything'. "--and keep yourself only for him for all of your days, committing to treat him with honor, love, and respect in all circumstances to the best of your ability, and allow only death to separate you?"

"Oh, I absolutely do." Lyra replied, then bit her lip and gave Kalus another coy smile.

If he didn't know better, he would've thought that she'd caught the Luminar's innuendo and was flagrantly announcing to everyone that she had no problem being 'taken' by him.

"Then by the power vested in me by Illuminar, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Kalus, you may kiss your bride."

Lyra turned towards him, that coy smile still playing around her lips.

* * *

Shara watched the two of them turn to face each other feeling incredibly conflicted. True she still didn't like her husband that much, but she was still feeling slightly indignant at him preparing to kiss another woman. Yet she realized that she had no real reason to be upset if truly didn't like him. Illuminar was clear in the Book of Light that men could have multiple wives, and she didn't want to be married to Kalus anyway.

And yet...

She frowned.

At least no one was paying attention to her. Her mind drifted back to what Lyra had said about touching the little nub at the top of her slit. She wasn't alone, but she was curious and no one was paying attention to her. She was already holding her hands in front of her at the right level.

Hmm.

She dutifully kept watching as Kalus leaned in to kiss Lyra.

She checked to make sure no one was watching, covered her right hand with her left, and then used her right finger to just gently massage the top of her slit... just as their lips met.

Oh.

Oh, that felt amazing!

She dutifully kept watching as she stroked the area again, just as Lyra wrapped her arms around his neck and gave herself completely to the kiss. Shara felt another burst of pleasure as she rubbed herself and watched her now fellow wife kiss their husband in a way that was just shy of being indecorous.

She shuddered in pleasure.

Not at the sight of course, but at her newfound discovery. How had she never found this before?! She supposed it was because she always had handmaidens around, but still. She had always been practical with her washing, always being hurried from one place to another with little time to enjoy bathing.

Lyra let go of him and then licked her lips. "I should like to do that again; soon."

Kalus looked surprised but pleased as he nodded. "So would I."

A little bit of jealousy shot through Shara, but an additional wiggle of her finger did a good job of suppressing it. She couldn't believe how good it felt. It felt almost as good as when Kalus was inside of her, though not quite. Shara reluctantly stopped massaging herself as her eyes became less focused on the happy couple.

She scowled, feeling left out.

"Ah Kalus my boy, she's a real temptress." The King boomed, though his show of joviality fooled no one. Apparently, he was annoyed that Lyra was turning out to be so amenable. Thankfully, that would almost certainly stop him from trying to set Kalus up with a third wife.

"I do know how to pick them don't I?" He continued, then leaned in and 'whispered' so everyone could hear. "But that first wife ain't too happy about it."

All eyes turned to her before she could wipe the scowl off her face.

Kalus looked apologetic.

Lyra looked guilty.

Tyso looked jubilant as he saw the looks on their faces. Shara found herself wishing that Kalus had let the king hit her after her wedding; perhaps he wouldn't have been so vindictive if Kalus hadn't stopped him and humiliated him by doing so.

"Now, back to camp!" Tyso said pretending to be oblivious to the misery he had caused. "Kalus, you have a new woman to break in; always a delight. And make sure you force them to pleasure each other; you won't regret it!"

And with that, he mounted his horse and rode off with his retinue, the luminar scrambling to not be left behind.

"And you serve that king?" Julian said shaking his head when they were gone and it was just Kalus, Shara, Lyra, and himself.

"I swore an oath in my youth." Kalus replied. "The Book of Light says that when a man binds himself with a vow or binding obligation, he must do all that proceeds from his mouth. I have been more careful about what proceeds from my mouth since I learned of his character."

Julian nodded, then turned to his daughter. "I'm going to miss you my little filly."

Lyra got a bit choked up. "I'll miss you too Pa'pa."

They hugged and Kalus came to stand by Shara. "Your face betrayed your opinion even if your words wouldn't; I am sorry Katia."

She nodded, but didn't reply.

"Commander, I would have a few words with you before you leave if you don't mind." Julian said.

He nodded and the two men wandered a ways off to talk.

"I'm sorry Katia." Lyra said sincerely after the men had moved a short distance away. "I didn't know; I thought that you didn't mind."

"I don't." Katia replied, not entirely sure if she was telling the truth. "I was scowling at the king, not you. You look so beautiful and happy; please, enjoy yourself with Kalus tonight. I don't mind."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." She smiled, and it was almost entirely genuine.

"Okay good." The girl breathed a sigh of relief.

That got Shara thinking though; was she okay with it? She supposed it didn't truly matter, but was she? She certainly had no desire to be married to Kalus and Lyra appeared to have some. They looked well-matched and her free-spiritedness would probably be good for him because he could definitely use someone to help him not be so serious.

And their kiss...

Frankly, she was jealous of their kiss. She wanted to be kissed like that; to have a husband who she wanted to kiss like that. She didn't want it to be Kalus -- the enemy -- but she definitely did want it.

But then she started thinking about what he would do with Lyra tonight and she definitely started feeling jealous. She remembered them kissing, which of course made her think of what she had been doing while they had been. Instantly she started to feel a bit aroused and she couldn't tell which memory it was from; the kissing or the finger massage. For some reason, they seemed to have gotten fused in her head.

"I talked to Pa'pa." Lyra said, shaking Shara out of her reverie. "He said he's going to give Misty to you, and the tack for her as well."

"Oh no, I love Misty but that's much too generous." Truthfully, her heart was soaring at the thought of owning the horse, but she didn't want to be in Lyra's debt.

"Not really." The girl said with a sly smile. "Julian said it was a great use of my bride price so King Tyso is unwittingly paying."

Shara chuckled. "Okay then, thank you."

"You're welcome. He also said he was giving me my horse as a wedding present, and her name is Stormy."

"Stormy and Misty." The princess smiled. "Sounds like they go together."

"They do. They're actually quite attached to each other and I think they could become good friends." Lyra hesitated a moment. "Do you agree?"

Shara got the distinct impression the horsewoman wasn't just talking about horses.

"Yeah, I do." The princess smiled. The girl was lovely and she could see them becoming friends, even if the ash blonde would be sharing a bed with her husband.

"Good." Lyra beamed. "Now, I need to get a few things from my room. Would you be willing to help me?"

She happily agreed, recognizing that this was an olive branch extended toward friendship.

* * *

Kalus turned towards the horse master once they were several long paces from the girls.

"That king is something else." Julian said when they'd stopped.

"Aye, that he is."

"You'll keep my daughter safe?"

"I swear that her life shall come before mine." Kalus replied with conviction. "I cannot swear to keep her safe, for Tyso commands an army and I'm but one man. But I swear no man will harm her while I yet draw breath and have strength in my limbs."

"I'm going to say this Kalus, and take it in the spirit it's intended; as a suggestion from a father that's concerned for his daughter." He took a deep breath. "A deserter from King Tyso's army came through the local pub recently. Once he'd had many rounds in him, he let slip that many of the rank and file in King Tyso's army hate him, while they universally respect you."

"Oh?" Kalus said.

He'd heard whispers of similar rumors, but they rarely filtered up to men of his rank for fear they would reach the king's ears.

"Yes, and many of my countrymen have a high opinion of you as well, given how well you've done with the cities you've captured. Had I not heard those stories of you, I might not have given you my precious Lyra's hand."

"I shall endeavor to be worthy of your trust." He replied.

"I believe you shall." Julian said. "Regardless, your men know of your character as well and respect you for it. Were you to make a move against the king, you'd likely have the support of much of your army and a not-insignificant number of my countrymen."

"That's treason." Kalus stated matter-of-factly.

"It's only treason if you've sworn loyalty to him, which I haven't and certainly never shall; he's an invader in my country." Julian countered. "And even then, surely he's done enough -- or will do enough -- to require you to break Illuminar's commands to remain in his service. At that point, isn't your higher loyalty to the God of Light?"

"Aye." He admitted.

"Then keep what I said in mind." Julian said. "Not only for the protection of my daughter but also for this land. I would not have Tyso as my king, but I would swear fealty to you. I believe many of my countrymen feel the same."

"I have no intention of betraying my king." Kalus replied flatly, though he had every desire in the world. The king would need to be about to commit some flagrant violation of Illuminar's commands for him to even consider moving against him.

"That is because you are a principled man who faithfully follows Illuminar. However, there may come a day soon when you must choose between obeying the God of Light and obeying your king. What happens then?"

Kalus knew what would happen; he would try to stop the king. He knew he wouldn't succeed and would likely die in the attempt, but something told him it would happen before the end of the campaign. He shuddered to think of what the repercussions might be for his wives when it did.

TO BE CONTINUED...

* * *

IMPORTANT: The next chapter will be in the Sci-fi/Fantasy category, not reluctance. I'm hoping to drop the rest of the chapters every 2-3 days, so see you soon!

STORY TAGS (For the whole series): blonde, teen, virgin, medieval, romantic, spanking, princess, threesome, impregnation, breeding