Page 396 of Warlords, Witches & Wolves

"That's because the man for you is not here. He's…" Swanhild closed her eyes and bit her lip, sparking her own magic into life. She sat there in silence for a long moment before her eyes popped open. "Ooh, I can feel him, though he's far away. Over the mountains. At the castle, maybe, or the monastery? Maybe you will seduce a monk. Enchant him so completely, he forgets his vows of celibacy and pledges himself to your pleasure instead…"

Now Rossa's cheeks grew hot. "I would never ask a man to break his vows. And I could never love someone so dishonourable."

"Maybe a courtier, then? The king's court lies that way, across the mountains, too. When the winter is over, your mother might send you to court. You are a lady, after all. A pity there is no queen at the moment, or I would suggest your mother send you to be one of her ladies in waiting. Plenty of men you might meet when you keep company with a queen." Swanhild's smile faltered a little.

She had spent time at court, before she married Raphael, the town apothecary, Rossa remembered. "Was that what you were?" she asked eagerly. "A lady in waiting?"

Swanhild shuddered. "No, I was…more like the queen's ward, for a time. Before she came to a tragic end. The king never did remarry. A most…unfortunate affair."

Rossa opened her mouth to ask for Swanhild to tell the whole tale, instead of just this tantalising glimpse.

"What is unfortunate?" Mother demanded, tipping a new basket of nuts into the pressing tub.

"Oh, I was just saying to Rossa that it is unfortunate we have no queen, or she could go to court to meet her wild man," Swanhild said. She grew thoughtful. "If he's a courtier, he would have to be most refined in the king's presence, and keep his wildness for the hunt or the bedchamber. You'd have to accompany a hunting party to see him truly in his element, I imagine."

Rossa fought her rising panic. She didn't want a man in her bedchamber.

"Zoticus would never allow his daughter to go to court without him," Sara said. "No suitor would dare look at her with him around."

Rossa dared to breathe again.

"Don't be silly. Rossa will fall for a man who not only has the courage to stand before her father, but who does not fear him." Swanhild held out her empty basket for Rossa to fill.

"But I don't…I won't…" Rossa began.

Mother burst out laughing. "There isn't a man alive who isn't afraid of my Zoticus. And if there is, he's a fool. Rossa would not choose to marry a fool."

"I don't want to marry anyone!" Rossa said hotly.

Swanhild patted her hand. "Of course not. None of us want to be bothered by a man, until the right man gets down on his knees. It usually takes him a few tries to work out what to do with his tongue, if he's not that experienced, but once you've trained him…"

"You're as salty as your mother!" Mother swore.

"I'm going to get more nuts," Rossa said, heading for the smokehouse.

Neither woman noticed, for they were too busy talking about…unspeakable things. At length. With obscene hand gestures and way too much laughter.

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