Redemption - M J Marlow (good book recommendations .TXT) 📗

asked as she met his eyes without fear, “since all you were was a distraction; what am I to do with you?”
“They know more than their employer thinks they do, daughter,” Margarete said as she came into the hall. Marit rose to her feet, smiling, and took her mother’s hands in her own. “Men like this one here always do.” She took the throne Marit had surrendered and Marit settled down on the floor at her feet. Margarete stroked her child’s hair, a contented smile on her face. “However, since they are also men who will sell people out at the offer of money, can we trust what they might tell us to save their lives?”
“We are not without integrity, great lady!” Raven protested her appraisal of his and his men’s character. “This task gave our people needed resources. Times have been hard in the northlands.”
“And that excuses raiding other people’s lands,” Marit asked him coldly. “No, Northlander. Your reasons show us no cause for mercy.” She looked at her mother a moment and Margarete looked worried. But then she nodded, with great reluctance. “We will go to your lands and see how things are with your people. Then we shall make our judgment.” She laid her hand on Margarete’s; nodding to her mother. “Do not worry, Mother. If this man is as honest as he wishes us to believe, he will do me no harm. Besides, I will be taking twenty men from every one of the border clans with me, as is my due.” She nodded to the men. “Show our ‘guests’ to rooms. We will leave when my escort is complete.”
Raven and his men were taken away, and his mind was still spinning as the door closed on the rooms they were given. Not a cell, he noted; but rooms fit for a guest of the keep. He sank down on a seat and accepted a goblet of wine absent-mindedly. He found himself unable to think of anything, or anyone, but the strange child. He had been told she was merely a child; that she would be no trouble. Instead, he and his men were now her prisoners, and she was bringing a force of borderlanders along to see how his people were doing. Twenty men from each clan meant that a force of three hundred and sixty men would be accompanying the child. There would be no chance to get her away and take her to their employer now.
“We are in trouble, Raven,” his brother, Fox, said simply. “Perhaps we should consider sending the money back.”
“We used it to buy the food and medicines we needed, Fox,” their other brother, Badger, reminded the youngest son of the chieftain of their clan. “Heaven only knows what we do when that runs out.” He looked at Raven, worriedly. “What could they do to us, Raven?”
“I am not familiar with borderlands law, brother,” Raven frowned. “It all depends on the princess’ impressions.” He saw their frowns. “Yes, I agree. We are in trouble.”
“Would it help,” Fox asked his older brother, “if you apologized for treating the princess like a common wench?”
“I did not!” Raven protested. “I treated her as our kind have always treated our women. We want, we take.” He thought over the encounter and realized that the girl had not enjoyed being handled roughly. He remembered her words and knew that she had run afoul of men like him before and was justified to be angry. “Maybe women here in the borderlands are not taught to appreciate strong, decisive men.”
He looked at his brothers and shrugged. How could he apologize for behaving in a manner that was seen as acceptable in their lands. If the princess was not used to such behavior, that was not his fault. She would just have to excuse him for his bad manners, or not, as she saw fit. He remembered the rage in her eyes as he had tried to take her; but most of all he remembered the force of her blow. No girl her age and size should be that strong. It was just one more thing that proved she was more than mortal. That explained why the Empire was so eager to get its hands on her. With such a woman in their control, there would be no preventing them from sweeping over the face of this world and bringing all lands to their collar.
“Whatever happens to us,” Raven said after a few moments silence, “the rest of our people must ally themselves to this princess. She may be the only hope we have of keeping the Empire out of our lands.”

*
The hope for freedom was at that very moment climbing trees with the younger members of the house. She had grown up in farmlands and had never had the freedom to just be a child. Horis had made her responsible from as early an age as possible. She found the sheer joy of being quite exhilarating, and was laughing in delight as the children practiced their shifting abilities around her when Tavin returned. His face was scratched and bruised, but his smile was proof that their mission had been successful. He watched her for a few moments and wondered how he could have been so blind as to refuse her. She was life itself, unhampered by fear, or worry, or chains.
“I was wrong to let you go, cousin,” Tavin said as he sank down on a boulder near the pool she and the pups were dancing in and out of. “You are so…” He held out his hands. “There are no words worthy of you.”
“Flatterer,” Marit laughed at him and paused as she realized what he’d just said. “You still want me? Even knowing that our heirs might never know the joy of being fully blooded?”
“Has it handicapped you in any way?” Tavin asked himself more than her. “No. In fact,” he continued as he pulled her down onto his lap, “you are exceptional!” He nipped along the back of her neck and did not argue when she got up and shook her head at him. “Too fast?”
“Perhaps,” Marit told him. “You took them all?”
“All relatively undamaged,” Tavin nodded. “They argued a bit about coming,” he said as he saw her frown. “What were we to do?” He laid his hand on her arm. “The healers are with them, cousin. Walk with me awhile.” He held his hand out to her and was pleased when she placed hers within it. “I would like to show you something you may not have seen before.”
They walked into the forests followed by some of the children for a while. As the trial continued, the pups dropped away until it was only them. The trees grew thicker and thicker and Marit tightened her hold on Tavin as she felt a chill from the increasing shadows. There was something different about these woods. They were older, and more capable of doing harm. But they seemed to welcome them as they walked on and the chill passed. They came out against the mountains to an immense cave. Inside were the remains of an ancient city.
“The first keep,” Tavin told her as he led her inside. “Where we first learned to walk four and two.” He took her inside the main building and she saw the statue. “There was another mated pair once,” he said as he ran his hand along the gray stone lovingly, “where only one walked four and two. I had forgotten of them.”
“Who were they, Tavin?” Marit asked as she saw the woman’s face and was shocked. “It’s my face! How is this possible?”
“These were Gyr and Ashya, our first alphas,” Tavin told her. “From them all of our house descended.” He pressed a place on the wolf and it shifted and became Gyr, the man. It had Tavin’s face. “I don’t believe it.” He looked at the statues. He looked at Marit. Then he took her hands in his and held them to his heart. “It is fated, Marit. We were meant to be!”
“That was them, Tavin,” Marit argued, shaking her head in disbelief. “Not us.” She laid her hand on Ashya’s statue and froze as images flooded into her mind. She saw it all, the pain, the fear, and the bloodshed. What had transpired from those days and tears flooded down her cheeks. She felt Tavin’s hand on her shoulder, warm, comforting, and she knew the truth of things. “You are right, cousin,” she said softly as her mind was filled with what was. “We were meant to be.” She shook her head as he stepped towards her. “But in my time,” she told him as he leaned towards her, “not yours.” He looked confused. “By all means,” she smiled up at him, her hand on his heart, “do all you can to convince me that we should not wait. But I have the final decision, or this,” she indicated the statues, the keep, “will be forgotten.”
“As you wish, little cousin,” Tavin nodded. His smile was slow, and warm and she felt something stir inside of her. He leaned in just shy of her lips. “Shall I begin now?”
“Court me, coax me,” Marit sang as she backed away from him. She turned on her heel and ran from the cavern. “Catch me!”
Tavin gave her a start, loving the way her laughter wrapped him in its warmth. Her joy was infectious, he thought as a smile widened on his face. He was laughing himself as he took after her, remaining on two feet to give her a chance. But when he left the cavern; expecting to see her nearby, she was already out of sight. He had known she would be fast, but he had not expected such speed. He shifted to four and raised his head, seeking her unique scent. Then he took off in her direction, scattering pups as he saw her headed towards the keep. He cut her off as she got to the entrance and she sank down on the ground and threw her arms around his neck. He shifted and carried her up the backstairs to his chamber.
“You’ve seen my body before, little cousin,” Tavin said as he saw her uncertainty. “This is no different.” He lowered her gown off of her shoulders and began to nip along her neck. “Perhaps,” he said softly as he continued to lower her gown, “it would help if you were as natural as I am.” The gown fell to the floor in a pool and he lifted her out of it and lowered his head to suckle her breast. He heard her whimper and slowed down. Her eyes were filled with confusion. “Don’t be frightened, Marit,” he said as he rubbed his cheek against hers. “I will not take what you are not ready to offer.” He laid her down on her front and began to nibble the nape of her neck. He continued nibbling along her spine, feeling her beginning to respond. “It is your decision.”
“I can’t think,” Marit protested as she felt her body lose control to the sensations his lips were drawing from her. “Is it supposed to feel like this?”
“It is supposed to be much, much better,” Tavin said as he ran his tongue along her spine and she cried out in shock. He turned her over and saw no fear, just questions and mounting wonder. “Let me show you, beloved.” She nodded; but there was a pounding on the door. Tavin tossed Marit her gown and she drew it on as he went to yank open the door. “What?”
“Highness,” his aide squeaked as he saw Tavin’s state of undress. “Highness.” His voice rose another half octave as he saw Marit. “I am sorry to interrupt, but there is news