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The beginning of the Midlands Chronicles starts with Chapter one of The Slave Warrior
Laun’s stomach was growling. It was almost as loud as Alsen’s snore. »Read More
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It was a different room. Bed, chairs, table the same. The walls were darker, no windows, and the privy was not separate from the rest of the room. Laun saw the attachment points and chains on the walls, the rope in coils on one of the tables. She saw the man, naked, kneeling on the floor.
Laun laughed.
The man’s head went up and saw there were two women in the room. He started to stand and he stopped when the one in yellow and brown pointed to the floor. “I didn’t pay for two...”
Laun turned and looked at the shelf by the door. A stack of five gold coins was there. The stack for Mimi had been just silver in the other room. “I didn’t say I had accepted, yet. They had to drag me away from another client because you have been a very bad boy and the others don’t want to play with you any more.”
She saw his breathing change, shallow and fast. “I need this... How much more?”
Laun started to untie her red hip scarf and paused. “That is enough for me. My assistant is two more.” »Read More
Back to Chapter 37
“I have exotics here, General.”
Laun held onto the General’s arm and seemed to have eyes only for him through her veil. Alsen looked down into Laun’s eyes and smiled. “She is a gift for the evening, Olwin. But you know me, I have to have your girls.”
The man in the small receiving hall in the house nodded. “Haven’t had you miss a night more than one in a row for a month. Your usual room?”
Laun saw many hallways with many doors as they went through the large building. The slave that led them through kept his head down but agilely went around other slaves as he walked. The room was ahead and the slave opened the door for them.
The General caught himself before he bowed to let Laun in before him. He brushed an imaginary thing from his leg as he bent over, Laun waiting for him to go in before her. He straightened and went into the room, Laun bowing her head and following.
The door closed and the General looked around the room. “No one else, yet. Here, High-”
Laun raised her hand and went to his side. “You were right, sir. This is a beautiful view,” she purred. She looked at the building that was about twenty feet away and a story down. There were some lights lit, and Alsen pointed to one light in a window. Laun nodded and looked as close as she could from where they were. »Read More
Back to Chapter 36
It was so different than her home city in Rosemond. Not just because she was not wearing Lady Engrid’s livery. It wasn’t the few calls to her to sell her wares, from the basket and elsewhere. It wasn’t even that she was wearing her Mistress’ clothing as a disguise.
It was that she was alone.
Gem had not been alone for more than a few minutes for most of her life. She did not see anyone she recognized as she went through the streets of the Capitol City of the Midlands. She had left Evan at the side entrance of the Palace she knew from when Ithian had come to get Laun. She had her training and her blades, but she felt naked and alone.
She went the route she thought she knew to the harbor, almost a straight shot from the Palace to the water. It was the almost that caught her up. She went left when she should have gone right and walked into a warehouse district cull-de-sac that should have been closing up for the night.
Gem did sell a few of the smallbreads to some of the workers, pocketing the copper coins as she tried to look like she was just trying to make sales as she circled back. The fruit was looked at, but most of the men wanted a different fruit from her. She did not have as much experience in saying no as she could have, but she had seen the women of Salam-Dir put off the men without saying no. »Read More
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There is death in the world. When there is war, you can get used to it to a point. When it is someone you know, it can be heart rending. When it is someone you have dedicated your life to, it is devastating.
Verat did not even scratch on the door into Princess Laun’s room. He did not notice the servants around him putting new furniture in the main room. He saw Evan directing the blue and grey servants, but did not recognize him as friend or foe.
The distraught man looked around and saw the open door into the bed chamber. He went for the door, bumping into a servant. He did not turn, did not say anything. Verat needed her and could not think of anything else.
Knives were at Verat’s throat as he tried to crawl up onto the bed with Laun. Both Silar and Gem drew and held knives at the trembling man before they knew it was him. Laun woke to the bed moving and hands on her, looking and seeing tear streaks on Verat’s face. She opened her arms to him and her assassins backed off.
Laun’s arms went around Verat and he had his head on her chest, sobbing even before he had touched her. Laun understood that darkness, that profound depression. She held him, motioning for more covers and pillows. »Read More
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“Mistress?” the whisper flowed into her dreams.
Laun opened her eyes and saw Gem next to her in the bed. Pale light was coming through the windows and there was only one lantern still left burning in the room. She turned her head and saw Evan and Silar coming onto the bed, tired smiles on all three of them.
The cover was pulled back and Gem snuggled in with her Mistress. The blonde was in Laun’s armpit, smiling and almost purring. Silar and Evan lay down with Laun too, surrounding the women and embracing them.
“Looks like you three had a good night.” Laun’s voice was soft but they could hear the slight odd tone.
Other servants were in the room, clearing the old candles and food away. Silar glanced outside the bed and then lay his head on the pillow he was sharing with Laun. “Your father has good tastes in red scarves. She was worth everything she was paid,” he whispered over her ear from in back.
Laun smiled and turned her head slightly, a lip touch of a kiss on her cheek from her dark man. “I heard all the party had such visitors.”
Evan reached over Gem and touched Laun on the shoulder. “Mistress, I hope you do not want us to do much today. She wore us out more than even you do.” »Read More
Back to Chapter 33
The line to get into the city was not long, but it took time as the negotiations with the Midlands guard at the gate re-started for each person or group that went through.
Senri led the group to the gate, his uniform dusty and mussed from the road. He had tried to get himself in order while he was in line, but it was hard to do while on a moving horse. He glanced at Laun and saw a line of blood still crusted on her neck, but not as obvious as before she had washed herself and her tunic in the stream they had passed at first light. The dark splatter on the brown deerskin jerkin only really showed at an angle and mottled to a woodland pattern otherwise.
Senri was hailed by the guard, warriors grips from the back of the horse to the standing soldier. “Lieutenant Senri, Fourth Logistics and Supply. In to report and escorting these people.” He motioned with his head and the Sergeant looked at the tired travelers.
There was a nod and the Sergeant saluted. “I hope your roads were clear, Sir. Come on in, but the civilians still have to pay entry.”
“What? But I am escorting them in to the-”
Laun kneed Grace forward past Dougal, second from Senri in the line. “How much.” She was not going to do much negotiating if she could help it, but she knew how much they had in her pouch. »Read More
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“Milady, it’s not needed, but I thank you!”
Laun handed the silver to the man, the horses and the people having been watered, and some information about the troops that had used the man’s field just a few days before gleaned through conversation.
“Since they did not pay you for the use, it is only right that someone from the royal family take care of it, good farmer.” Laun held out her hand and the man did not hesitate to give the woman in men’s riding clothes a warriors’ grip.
“An’ who are you?”
Silar spoke before Laun could. “She is Princess Laun, daughter of King Falmir.”
Laun smiled at the man and quietly said, “I hope that your day goes well after we leave.”
The man held up the silver and nodded. “It already has, yer Highness.”
Laun mounted and swung her palfrey to meet the others who had already mounted. She waved to the farmer and they rode off.
“Was that the fourth or fifth troop camp?” Fount trotted next to Laun and raised his voice to be heard over the hoofbeats.
“I am not sure at this point. Could be fifth.” Laun looked at the destruction left by the Rosemond military in the field as they went by. “Erin, do you think this was one of yours again?”
The Baron moved up to pace Laun and said, “I don’t think so. He said they went West when they packed up. If they were from my lands, they were completely lost.”
Laun was quiet. She put heels to her bay and came to the lead horse. “The sun will be down in about an hour. Hunter? How clear is the road to the Capitol City around here? »Read More
Back to Chapter 31
It was close to two bells in the morning when the horses were being walked in a cool down circle on the green next to the Inn. They were trying to be quiet, but Markle heard the horses and went to see what was going on. He quietly welcomed the tired riders and brought them inside when the horses had been unburdened and partially brushed down.
Marie held a shawl around her, a long, loose night dress on her the only other clothing. She stood in the main room of the Inn and greeted the late night travelers. The shutters were pulled over the windows and lights were brought to full flame to light the room.
Laun was leaning against the wall, trying to keep upright until she knew where she would be sleeping that night. She was too tired to talk to the couple who ran the Inn, the people who had been so important to her when she was on the road over the last year. She wanted to give them the messages, but decided to wait until the next morning.
The others were also very tired, most leaning on benches and tables and not sitting. The saddles were good, but they had been riding hard to get there. The way everyone walked showed how much it would take to get their hips and backs to work properly again.
Marie had water for all of them as Markle cleared out a few things from the alcoves and opened the private rooms. No one else was there that night, much to the relief of the group. Markle motioned to Laun and she started to follow to the room she was used to, several of the men trying to follow.
Before she knew what was gong on, Laun was surrounded by men, all vying to be her companion that night. »Read More
Back to Chapter 30
“We should have left last night.”
Laun was furious. Angry at the time of day. Livid at not being on the road to the Capitol City. Disappointed at herself for falling asleep and staying in bed until at least an hour after she normally would have been up and about. She hadn’t even been up to nurse the babies, and she was upset about that.
Edgar, Geralk and Laun were in the library, wedged in around the table. Laun wanted to tell Geralk what had happened so that it could be recorded, since they had not gotten on the road the night before. It was already mid-morning. Morning meeting had an interesting twist when many of the people in the Great Hall moved away from Baron Bedral as he came limping in. It had not stopped the meeting, but talking about the fishing that needed to be done was the last thing openly talked about. Laun had grabbed Geralk and headed for the library as soon as the after meeting chaos took over.
There was a coded message she wanted to have made to give to Markle and Marie, an accounting of the gold that Gyrip had brought, the new crystals that had been found and a general note as to what really happened at Nestwood. If it was to be spread, the greyworld was to have the accurate account. »Read More