dress for yourself and anything else you need. And buy new sandals for me, the sturdiest you can find, the kind a man can fight in.”
Esk kar pushed the rest of the coins toward her, trying not to think he was trusting her with what until today he would have considered a small fortune. “Keep the rest of the gold safe for me. There will be more things to buy in the coming weeks.”
He put his finger on one coin, the brightest and shiniest of the lot, then picked it up and held it to the light. “This one is a gift for you. One gold coin is enough to buy a good female slave. If you ever desire to leave me, give me this coin, and you can have your freedom.”
A look of confusion covered her face, and Esk kar sat back and laughed. “It will save me the time and trouble of chasing after you. Otherwise, for now and between us, let there be no more talk of master and slave.” He put the coin in the palm of her hand and closed her fingers lightly over it.
Trella opened her hand and looked at the gold glittering brightly on her palm. “May I have your sword?” she said quietly.
Surprised, he hesitated, then drew the sword from its scabbard, reversed it and handed it to her.
She stood up, put the coin near the edge of the table, and placed the middle of the blade, where the edge was sharpest, against the coin. Using both hands, she leaned on it with all her strength, the muscles straining in her tanned arms.
When she lifted the blade, the coin was nocked down its middle by a thin crease. She handed him back the sword, then gathered the rest of the coins and put them in the pouch. “Now it is marked, and I’ll keep it safe.”
She put the pouch around her neck, then tucked it inside her dress. “You should get ready for your meeting with the men. It’s nearly noon.”
Esk kar stood, glancing at the window and seeing the sun race ever higher into the sky. “I have time for this, Trella.” He pulled her to him, kissing her hungrily, feeling an unaccustomed thrill of pleasure when she stood on her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck, her body pressing against him. He would have thrown her across the bed and taken her right then, Orak and Nicar be damned, if she hadn’t pushed herself away, face averted, and gone outside.
Esk kar picked up the last scrap of bread and followed her out the door.
The guard still held his post, watching Trella as she walked away. “Watch your eyes, dog,” Esk kar snapped, “if you know what’s good for you.”
He grabbed the startled man’s spear and pulled it from his hand. “Follow after her and stay at her side. At her side, you hear me? Make sure she comes to no harm and that everyone knows she’s Esk kar’s woman. If any man bothers her, slit his throat. Now, go!”
He shoved the man on his way, making him stumble as he hurried to catch up. Esk kar twirled the heavy spear easily in his hand a few times, then turned and hurled it with all his strength at the side of the house.
Fragments sprang from the mud wall as the heavy spear buried itself in the structure. Esk kar grunted in satisfaction, before he went off in the other direction, looking for Gatus. Time to prepare for tomorrow’s meeting with Nicar.
This time Trella paid more attention to her surroundings. The soldiers hanging around the barracks stopped whatever occupied them and turned to stare at her as she walked by. Some called her by name, while others made rude remarks about her first night with Esk kar. At first the words and bold looks made her uneasy, but then she realized they all knew who she was, that their words were spoken in rough jest, and that there was little chance of any of them hurting her.
When she passed into the street, she realized one of the soldiers had followed, walking a few steps behind. Turning, she recognized the sentry who’d guarded Esk kar’s room this morning.
“Captain Esk kar told me to escort you around the village, Trella, to protect you, in case anyone should
Esk kar pushed the rest of the coins toward her, trying not to think he was trusting her with what until today he would have considered a small fortune. “Keep the rest of the gold safe for me. There will be more things to buy in the coming weeks.”
He put his finger on one coin, the brightest and shiniest of the lot, then picked it up and held it to the light. “This one is a gift for you. One gold coin is enough to buy a good female slave. If you ever desire to leave me, give me this coin, and you can have your freedom.”
A look of confusion covered her face, and Esk kar sat back and laughed. “It will save me the time and trouble of chasing after you. Otherwise, for now and between us, let there be no more talk of master and slave.” He put the coin in the palm of her hand and closed her fingers lightly over it.
Trella opened her hand and looked at the gold glittering brightly on her palm. “May I have your sword?” she said quietly.
Surprised, he hesitated, then drew the sword from its scabbard, reversed it and handed it to her.
She stood up, put the coin near the edge of the table, and placed the middle of the blade, where the edge was sharpest, against the coin. Using both hands, she leaned on it with all her strength, the muscles straining in her tanned arms.
When she lifted the blade, the coin was nocked down its middle by a thin crease. She handed him back the sword, then gathered the rest of the coins and put them in the pouch. “Now it is marked, and I’ll keep it safe.”
She put the pouch around her neck, then tucked it inside her dress. “You should get ready for your meeting with the men. It’s nearly noon.”
Esk kar stood, glancing at the window and seeing the sun race ever higher into the sky. “I have time for this, Trella.” He pulled her to him, kissing her hungrily, feeling an unaccustomed thrill of pleasure when she stood on her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck, her body pressing against him. He would have thrown her across the bed and taken her right then, Orak and Nicar be damned, if she hadn’t pushed herself away, face averted, and gone outside.
Esk kar picked up the last scrap of bread and followed her out the door.
The guard still held his post, watching Trella as she walked away. “Watch your eyes, dog,” Esk kar snapped, “if you know what’s good for you.”
He grabbed the startled man’s spear and pulled it from his hand. “Follow after her and stay at her side. At her side, you hear me? Make sure she comes to no harm and that everyone knows she’s Esk kar’s woman. If any man bothers her, slit his throat. Now, go!”
He shoved the man on his way, making him stumble as he hurried to catch up. Esk kar twirled the heavy spear easily in his hand a few times, then turned and hurled it with all his strength at the side of the house.
Fragments sprang from the mud wall as the heavy spear buried itself in the structure. Esk kar grunted in satisfaction, before he went off in the other direction, looking for Gatus. Time to prepare for tomorrow’s meeting with Nicar.
This time Trella paid more attention to her surroundings. The soldiers hanging around the barracks stopped whatever occupied them and turned to stare at her as she walked by. Some called her by name, while others made rude remarks about her first night with Esk kar. At first the words and bold looks made her uneasy, but then she realized they all knew who she was, that their words were spoken in rough jest, and that there was little chance of any of them hurting her.
When she passed into the street, she realized one of the soldiers had followed, walking a few steps behind. Turning, she recognized the sentry who’d guarded Esk kar’s room this morning.
“Captain Esk kar told me to escort you around the village, Trella, to protect you, in case anyone should
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