you know, virgin?" Two days after our marriage, we were finally seeing visitors and Rysk and Tyrant had been waiting on the doorstep first thing. We sat together at the kitchen table and I poured a generous dollop of honey into my hot tea and swirled the spoon to distribute it.
Rysk frowned. "Why would it matter if you were a virgin or not?"
After taking a sip of the perfectly sweet brew, I put the cup down. "Because when my brother interrogated Bastion, the bear that the wizard had collared and was going to use to bring me to him, he said that he was told to bring the 'virgin bear' to him." I shrugged. "I just assumed that it was important to the wizard that I stay a virgin."
"I don't know the answer to that, princess," Rysk frowned further, glancing at Tyrant who was rubbing his chin in thought.
"The prince will know. If it turns out that you are not useful to the wizard because you are married now, then that is wonderful news for you, and the kingdom." Tyrant said.
Uh, yeah, wonderful news was an understatement.
"We need to continue our journey." Rysk said.
"Daeton needs another day to heal. We'll leave tomorrow at sunrise." Perseus rested his arm across the back of my chair in a possessive way. Growing up in a den full of bears who were possessive with their mates, I was used to the gesture and liked it.
They both looked like they would protest, but I just stared at them until they closed their mouths and said nothing. Perseus' family joined us for breakfast and after the meal was over and the kitchen was clean, Perseus went with his father and brothers to get the two Centaurs who were traveling with us ready and prepare satchels of provisions for the trip.
I took a long, relaxing bath and spent the afternoon talking to Elektra about being a Centaur wife. We visited the other wives in the settlement that I'd met during the wedding feast, including the woman who made the purple dress I'd wanted the guards to buy me in town. Her name was Persephone and she was a native of the Medes Realm, the child of a human and a fairy who lived there.
She brought me the dress that had gotten dropped during the scuffle with the Vehsi and a selection of other garments. When I questioned the other beautiful things, she smiled, "Centaurs take very good care of their mates, Daeton. Although your clothing was appropriate for your realm, it drew unnecessary attention to you. Your husband asked me to put together some things for you that would be comfortable and easy to clean as you travel."
Four dresses of varying shades from light green to dark blue were among the garments, loose and flowing from the shoulder straps to the gathered waists. There were two cloaks, both midnight blue, that were much lighter in weight than the one I'd been wearing. Two pairs of leather moccasins completed the selection. I hugged Persephone, who insisted I call her Perri, and thanked her for everything.
The little boy that I had saved in the market was named Rion, and he trotted up to me while I walked with Elektra and gave me a bracelet he made of dried herbs woven together. It smelled sweet and spicy and I put it on my wrist and kissed his cheek in thanks, watching him scurry off to his waiting mother, who waved at me again, a thankful smile on her face.
The settlement that I would call home was a sprawling open space. The Centaurs lived and worked in the settlement, and those that had goods that could be sold in the market, did so with the herds' blessing. Everyone helped everyone, the men working together to build and repair, to guard and help, and the women taking care of their husbands and homes, and each other. It reminded me of the den, and the sudden thought of my family made me sad. What were my parents doing right now? Would Elizabeth know that I was safe? Would they worry about me?
Within the settlement, the men and women had specific jobs. There was a large garden near the lake that
Rysk frowned. "Why would it matter if you were a virgin or not?"
After taking a sip of the perfectly sweet brew, I put the cup down. "Because when my brother interrogated Bastion, the bear that the wizard had collared and was going to use to bring me to him, he said that he was told to bring the 'virgin bear' to him." I shrugged. "I just assumed that it was important to the wizard that I stay a virgin."
"I don't know the answer to that, princess," Rysk frowned further, glancing at Tyrant who was rubbing his chin in thought.
"The prince will know. If it turns out that you are not useful to the wizard because you are married now, then that is wonderful news for you, and the kingdom." Tyrant said.
Uh, yeah, wonderful news was an understatement.
"We need to continue our journey." Rysk said.
"Daeton needs another day to heal. We'll leave tomorrow at sunrise." Perseus rested his arm across the back of my chair in a possessive way. Growing up in a den full of bears who were possessive with their mates, I was used to the gesture and liked it.
They both looked like they would protest, but I just stared at them until they closed their mouths and said nothing. Perseus' family joined us for breakfast and after the meal was over and the kitchen was clean, Perseus went with his father and brothers to get the two Centaurs who were traveling with us ready and prepare satchels of provisions for the trip.
I took a long, relaxing bath and spent the afternoon talking to Elektra about being a Centaur wife. We visited the other wives in the settlement that I'd met during the wedding feast, including the woman who made the purple dress I'd wanted the guards to buy me in town. Her name was Persephone and she was a native of the Medes Realm, the child of a human and a fairy who lived there.
She brought me the dress that had gotten dropped during the scuffle with the Vehsi and a selection of other garments. When I questioned the other beautiful things, she smiled, "Centaurs take very good care of their mates, Daeton. Although your clothing was appropriate for your realm, it drew unnecessary attention to you. Your husband asked me to put together some things for you that would be comfortable and easy to clean as you travel."
Four dresses of varying shades from light green to dark blue were among the garments, loose and flowing from the shoulder straps to the gathered waists. There were two cloaks, both midnight blue, that were much lighter in weight than the one I'd been wearing. Two pairs of leather moccasins completed the selection. I hugged Persephone, who insisted I call her Perri, and thanked her for everything.
The little boy that I had saved in the market was named Rion, and he trotted up to me while I walked with Elektra and gave me a bracelet he made of dried herbs woven together. It smelled sweet and spicy and I put it on my wrist and kissed his cheek in thanks, watching him scurry off to his waiting mother, who waved at me again, a thankful smile on her face.
The settlement that I would call home was a sprawling open space. The Centaurs lived and worked in the settlement, and those that had goods that could be sold in the market, did so with the herds' blessing. Everyone helped everyone, the men working together to build and repair, to guard and help, and the women taking care of their husbands and homes, and each other. It reminded me of the den, and the sudden thought of my family made me sad. What were my parents doing right now? Would Elizabeth know that I was safe? Would they worry about me?
Within the settlement, the men and women had specific jobs. There was a large garden near the lake that
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