Nena by Ann Boelter (red white royal blue txt) 📗

“Surely there is some Dor law that binds you to a man when he saves your life?” Jarl teased as he attached her cuffs for the first time.

Nena had denied it, but knew her answer was not entirely truthful. There was more to it than that. While there might be no such binding law, the Dor valued honor, and the Teclan valued it more than most. To kill someone who had saved your life would be beyond dishonorable, and for that she would spare him. She had no doubt he had saved her. He had pulled her back from the afterlife more than once, though she still had no idea how that was possible. He had challenged the gods themselves. Who dared do such a thing? Who could do such a thing and have the gods listen? That question was very disturbing and she tried not to think about it. Instead she focused her thoughts once again on escape—though now her plans would require leaving Jarl alive.

THAT AFTERNOON THE tent was filled with his officers. Though Nena remained secured to the pole as they pored over the maps and finalized their battle plans, she listened to every detail.

“Does she have to be here?” Tryggr complained. “I don’t like discussing our plans in front of a Dor—any Dor.”

Nena thought it strange. They had discussed their plans in front of her many times before, and while Tryggr had often looked at her suspiciously, never had he voiced his disapproval. Nena knew it had to be in response to Altene’s rumor. Before she could look to Jarl and gauge his reaction, Gunnar spoke.

“You worry too much, Tryggr. Who’s she going to tell?” Gunnar laughed. “It’s not as if our fearless leader is going to let her out of his sight. If the past weeks have shown us nothing else, they have shown us that.”

“Put your mind back to the business at hand and have the men ready to move on the next village tomorrow,” Jarl said. His voice had a hard edge to it that Nena had not heard him use with them before.

“Tomorrow?” Tryggr asked.

“Is that a problem?” Jarl challenged. “You’ve done nothing but press me to attack for more than a week. Surely you would not have done so if the men were not ready.” Jarl’s eyes dared Tryggr to deny it.

“Of course they are. It’s just...”

“Good,” Jarl cut him off. “We’ll move at first light.”

After the last man had filed out for the night, Jarl released her, then moved to the table to clear it for their evening meal. Nena glanced at the last map as he rolled it up.

“Are those the last villages you will attack?” she asked, pointing to the circled marks.

“Yes,” he said.

“Will you capture another chief’s daughter and chain her to the pole next to me?”

Jarl shook his head and grunted. “No. I’ve quite learned my lesson there. One chief’s daughter is plenty for a lifetime.”

Nena had said the words in jest, hoping to cover her reaction to the last mark on the map. Though the scale of Jarl’s map was different than her father’s, the two long crooked fingers of land that jutted out into the Great Sea were unmistakable. She knew what the X marked where they joined the mainland represented. Her aunt’s tribe would be the last to fall to the Northmen’s swords. She changed the subject.

“Your man has often regarded me strange, but tonight he seemed quite vexed. Why?” She had not mentioned Tryggr by name, but Jarl knew who she was referring to.

“Perhaps he is entranced by your beauty and wished he had fought harder to keep you.” Jarl judged her response carefully. Many native women found the red-haired giant’s coloring irresistible; they had no such coloring here in the south, though Tryggr swore it was the legend of the size of his cock that kept them flocking to him.

Nena sniffed with mild distaste. One edge of Jarl’s mouth twitched in a small smile, appreciating her response, before he continued.

“More likely he is curious as to why I keep you here. I have never kept a woman in my tent.”

“You keep Altene.”

“Not here.”

“Why do you keep me chained? You know that so long as I am bound to the girl, I will not escape. Why don’t you release me?”

“I do release you.”

“To eat. To use the latrine. To be bathed by your whore. That is not release.”

“I release you whenever I am present…and awake. Even with the girl, I don’t trust you not to be able to find some way out—and to be quite honest, I still don’t fully trust you not to try to kill me. And I told you before, when I first put them on, you would wear the cuffs until I could trust you as I trust Altene.”

“I’ve had multiple opportunities now to kill you and have not. Does that not show I am trustworthy?” Nena asked. “What more would it take to convince you? What if I gave you my word?”

“I think not.” He smiled a wry smile. “I’ve learned much about the Dor, far more than I ever planned to. A Dor’s word to their enemy means nothing. And I am still your enemy. Your eyes are not as fierce, but I still see it there within them plain enough.” He paused. “You asked me what it would take to convince me? There is one way.” He grinned at her devilishly. “Share my furs willingly and you will have run of the camp any time you wish.”

Nena scowled at him.

“So I must assume by your refusal that you do not find your bondage so undesirable after all,” Jarl teased.

“The only thing you can assume is that I find you even more undesirable than being a captive,” Nena retorted.

Jarl laughed out loud. “When you change your mind, you know how to make your chains disappear.

The second village also fell with few casualties to the