A Sinless Betrayal - Cherie Benjamin (paper ebook reader .TXT) 📗

out in the countryside peacefully, in love, and secluded from life. But it was the wrong picture. Back then I didn't know what I wanted, let alone needed."

He turns to look at me. "And what did you need?"

I look him right back in the eyes. "You."

He leans back in the chair and grips the armrests tightly. "I never let anyone in like I let you in," he tells me quietly. "How did you do it? How did you pick the lock on my latches and force them open?"

I look away from him and stare into the fire. "Because you let me." Outside the wind howls. The fire flickers in front of me, making the dark room grow even darker. "Because you wanted me to."

In a quiet voice that was barely even audible, "Because I needed you to."

My mouth forms an 'O' and my eyes widen. I close my mouth quickly after that so he doesn't see. But he does. "I know," he says. "I'm stripping my hard skin and showing you the soft. I've never been able to do that before."

"You're the king," I say. "If you show your soft skin to your people and your men, you're afraid they will unleash their daggers and stab said skin. But I am your wife, and all that I will do to that soft skin is kiss it and cherish it."

He closes his eyes, relaxed and relieved from my words. I find that it makes me the happiest when I bring him such peace. He deserves his relaxation and peace; it's been nonstop for months already. I drink my wine and lean back in my leather seat.

Oh, to think of all of the questions that I'd had…

Why did he show me such kindness when I'd arrived?

Why did it make him upset to see me cry if I was just a piece of property, a whore?

Why did he cut out his own soldier's heart for the whore that was supposed to pleasing him but wasn't?

Why he found it easier to punch his own brother's face instead of letting him rape me?

Why he locked me away from the world for my safety?

Why he made the claim speech, why he 'mate claimed' me?

Why he gave me, yes me, the prized topaz necklace?

Why he waited for me?

Why he made love to me like it was his last day on earth when he'd claimed that he didn't make love?

Why he killed Kicking Bull?

Cordell?

Iron Coyote?

Ivona?

Why he almost gave his life for me?

I'm roused from my thoughts when I see him from the corner of my eye. He's looking at me, smiling. "All those questions," he whispers like he'd just been reading my thoughts like an open book laid out before him. "All those questions that you've got swimming around in your head because I know that they're there-they all have one answer. Can you guess it?"

"I've got something in mind," I say.

"Because I love you," says the mighty king of the barbarians. "That's the one and only answer. Can you accept it, Tiger Claw?"

I nod my head. "I can."

0o0o0o0o0o

In the early hours of the morning, we stand in the wintery realm of the outdoors. Staring at the blank rolling hills, everything stained with white. I am wrapped in thick furs with Wolf Claw cradled to my chest, keeping him as warm as I possibly can. He is falling asleep against me. I stare into the distance once more, breathing out into the crisp air. My hot breath curls into the sky like a puff of dragon smoke.

He trots up next to me in the form of a giant wolf. He is so large that his massive shoulders come up to the very top of my head. I look at him, stroking my hand across his pelt. He turns his head and places his muzzle near my shoulder.

His eyes look so primal but I know that he's still in there, seeing me as I am right now. The sound of heavy footfall in the distance causes me to snap out of my trance and look ahead. I see one single warrior standing on top of the great white hill. Abigor's ears perk up instantly.

The warrior waves the red flag. It's ours. And row by row, the warriors march down the hill. They are cold and they are freezing, but they are home. They are tired and weak, but they are home. They are sick and they are dying, but they are home. They are bloody but triumphant, and they are home.

Abigor lifts his head to the sky and lets out a loud howl. It echoes through the forest and will live in the shells of our ears for the rest of our lives. I feel the tear slip down my cheek, one that crystallizes before it hits the ground.

I look at Abigor and he looks at me. So this is where it ends? I think.

No, he seems to say. This is the only the beginning.

I know now that we can overcome any conflict. We'd just overcome the hardest one yet, and we'd still managed to hoist ourselves over those rocky cliffs of trouble, run across the dying badlands of war and avoid the malicious grasp of Death.

I look him in the eyes and he nods his head at me.

Because even if the whole world was on fire, we'd just kiss in front of the flame.
A Map of Where Each Kingdom Is

Bellechester: North; To the left of the Iron Castle is the Thicket of Thorns, a thick jungle of long spiky thorns, virtually inhabitable except for a few creatures adapted to life there. To the right, miles away, is the Moonlit Ocean. Scattered forests in between the ocean and the castle. Rulers are King Phillip, Queen Eliza, Prince Charles and Princess Sera.

Seattle: West; The closest major forest is located southeast of them, Forest of Thieves, Stauckana territory. The moonlit ocean is northwest of them, but very close. They have a naval fleet there. Rulers are King Senon, Queen Aleris, Princess Muriel, Princess Naria, and Prince Illune.

Stauckana: South; Castle Rock stands between Forest of Thieves to the left of it, and the Jungle of Bones to the right. The dry river runs through this kingdom and is a major water source; the dry river also runs into the Barbarian Sea. They have a major naval fleet. Rulers are King Abigor (Sarki Dances with Wolves), Queen Elizabella (Sarauniya Elizabella), Prince William (Iron Coyote). The king and the queen have no descendants yet.

Pateros: East; Vibrant Queendom, ruled by Queen Amelie, her husband King Alexander, Prince Titus and Princess Myra. Their castle is hidden away in the Vibrant Mountains, all around them. A major part of Pateros is their northern lights. The Barbarian Sea runs past Pateros and into part of the mountainside. Southwest is the Jungle of Bones.

Hausa Dictionary

Ku zo- Come

Ku zo nan- Come here

Farar fata karuwa- White slut/whore

Kariya- Bitch

Budurwa- Virgin

Na’am- Yes

Rana fashe- Daybreak

Tsakar dare- Midnight

Ya kamata in ya buga mku mum mun an hali- I should hit you for your terrible attitude

Dakiki kariya, ya kamata kazaunaa indakuka kasance. Shinabin da kuke aka ce! Kana iya an ji masa rauni- Stupid bitch, you should have stayed where you were. Do what you are told! You could have been hurt.

Zaki da budurwar- Sweet girl

Soyayya  (Soy-a-ya)- Love

Kadan daya- Little one

Wulakanci ne karuwa- Disgraceful whore

Waraka- Healing

Shagli- Festival

Damina- Summer

Giya- Wine

Idanu- Eyes

Gashi- Hair

Kujera- Chair

Hannayen- Hands

Shan taba- Smoke

Kafafu- Legs

Makami- Arms

Kanabugukoweawa dayada rana ba.- You are drunk every hour of the day.

Kadan dan’uwan- Little brother

Dauki Karuwa Da kuma tafi, kubagawa.- Take the whore and go, you fool.

Yi biyaya- Submit

Dakiki- Stupid

Na gode- Thank you

Karuwa- Whore

Ba/Babu- No

Lebe- Lips

Kiraya- Breasts

Dadi- Pleasure

A zuciya ga zuciya- A heart for a heart

Ya zubar da madara- She spilt milk

Ana jin hares hena?- Do you speak the language?

Mace- Woman

Ni mace- I am a woman

Zuciya- Heart

Barawo- Thief

Kai ne- You are

Kai ne barawo.- You are a thief.

Tawa- Mine

Naku- Yours

Naku da tawa- Yours and mine

Mugun mutum- Evil man

Jin dadin tabo- Pleasure spot

Ya Allah na- Gods

Wanda nake kauna- My love

Ko Yaushe- Always

Ina suka mutu idan ya kasance ba a gare ku.- I’d die if it were not for you.

 

Imprint

Text: Cherie Benjamin
Editing: Cherie Benjamin and Grammarly
Publication Date: 12-30-2016

All Rights Reserved