Page 27 of Fated Unkindness
I’m not sure where I landed in the fallout of that cluster fuck of a prisoner transport. I decide to head east in hopes that whatever town or homestead I run into is familiar and has ties to either Ravendene or Demetrey. Both of which I could seek refuge in the name of. Little did Dax and his followers know that I have been working with the Demetrey territory for years, and until now everything was going to plan. The night is closing in, and just as the last of the day's light settles on the road, I notice a stretch of farmland about a half mile up ahead. Lucky for me they will likely have a horse. Which, I would be taking for the rest of my trip back to Ravendene, though I may be closer to Demetrey, and if that is the case, I will be heading there to explain what happened and my plans to recover our assets.
I rapt my knuckles on the door of the quaint two-story farm home, but no one answers right away. Impatiently, I knock again, a little more forcefully. A female’s voice comes from the other side.
“Hold on! Would you? Give me at least a second to get there before you break the damn door down.” The door swings open, and a small, raven-haired woman stands in front of me. She couldn’t be much younger than myself, and beautiful was an understatement. Her eyes are like warm honey, her skin is a light olive tone, and her hair flows down to her waist in soft waves. I stand there, lips parted, as I take in her beauty. Words are not forming in my brain.
“Umm… MA—PA? There is some cretin with drool on his chin at the door.” She yells over her shoulder. My eyebrows pinch as I realize what she’s said, and I wipe a hand over my mouth and chin.There was no such thing on my chin. I narrow my eyes at her, and she gives me a wicked little grin. “You wanna tell me why you’ve shown up at my front door? Looking like death ran over you just before dark? Or you wanna start with who the fuck you are and what the fuck you want?” She puts a hand on her hip and raises her eyebrows. The sass emanating from her brings a smirk to my face.
I clear my throat to speak, but the door opens wider as another female, older, but just as beautiful with the same honey-hued eyes and olive skin, but her raven hair was dusted with gray steps into view.
“Ambriel Amarose, please step aside and let the poor young man in. He’s clearly had a rough go recently; by the looks of it, he could use some friendliness.” She smiles warmly as the spitfire, Ambriel, rolls her eyes.
“He’s clearly in need of something…” She says under her breath. However, I choose to ignore the brash daughter and greet the kind older woman who has invited me in.
“My apologies. You’re right. I've found myself in a bit of a situation, and I’m in need of lodging and perhaps a horse to get; well, actually, I'm not sure where I am. The convoy I was with got broken up when we were attacked by Raskin’s. I nearly didn’t make it myself.” I paste a troubled look on my face, and Ambriel narrows her eyes at me. I shift my attention into the house as the older woman puts her hand out to guide me into the kitchen.
“Names Marybeth, but you can call me Beth as everyone else does. Marybeth was my mother, and I’m nothing like the old hag. Thank the gods.” I take her hand, and she folds hers over top of mine, patting it placatingly. “You’ve landed yourself on theoutskirts of Ravendene, just a few miles from the Loema borders.” She smiles warmly at me, then concern etches into her brow briefly before she lets out a quick laugh. “You’re just in time for supper. Why don’t you go upstairs and wash up? Ambriel will bring you up a change of clothes. The bathroom is well stocked. Use whatever you need. Just the second door on the left when you go up the stairs here.” She points in the direction of a narrow hallway, and I head in that direction. Being so close to Loema better not cause an issue for me on this side of Ravendene. I guess I got turned around at some point. I thought I was heading in the opposite direction. Fuck.
“I must thank you for your willingness to help a stranger. Your kindness won't go unpaid. My name is Cano, by the way, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Beth.” I look at Ambriel and smile. “And you, Ambriel.” As I turn to leave the room, I don’t miss how Ambriel rolls her eyes in my direction and quietly mocks my words. Once I start trekking up the stairs, I hear the gagging noise she lets out after her mocking. I have something she can gag on. Sinful images enter my mind with the thought, and I turn my gaze back over my shoulder as I top the stairs. She has her eyes narrowed on me. I wink and continue to the bathroom.
The bathroom is small, but it has what I need, and as I shower, washing the day away with pine-scented soap, my mind wonders. What am I going to do about the fucking Fornax siblings and Raelle? But that spitfire waiting downstairs… It’s been too long since I have had a woman. Clearly. Before I know it, I’m fisting the length of my erection. Squeezing at the base and running my hand up and over the tip, then back down again. I think of those honey-hued eyes looking up at me, full lips parting for me, and thatgagging she so kindly allowed me to hear, aiding my imagination. I imagine slamming my cock into her pretty mouth as I wrap that long black hair around my fist and make her choke all over it as I spill my seed down her feisty little throat. I grunt out my pleasure, muffling the sound on my shoulder as my release comes over me in waves, and the warm water washes away the evidence. A quick but loud knock at the door makes me jolt upright as my eyes snap in the direction of the door.
“Sorry to eh, interrupt…” She snorts. “I brought a towel and a change of clothes for you. They may be slightly small, but it’s what Pa has, so it will have to do for the night. Ma will wash up your dirty clothes tonight.” She reaches down, bending at the hip and grabbing the disheveled pile I left on the floor. She keeps her back to me the whole time. I get a perfect view of her delicious backside, as her short tunic dress hides very little. Her skin looks buttery soft, and now I see that she has a littering of tattoos on her thighs and a few on her left arm.
“Thank you, I appre—”
“Don’t thank me. I didn’t want to do it, but Ma insisted. I’m just glad to know you won’t spoil my dinner with the smell that was coming from you.” She interjects.
“Noted,” I respond blandly, cupping my manhood all the while.
“Enjoy… the rest of your… ehrm…shower.” She laughs as her eyes jump down to my hands. She winks before she shuts the door with a loud snap.
Fuck. I don’t think I was loud, but the house is small. The embarrassment of her possibly hearing that I just worked myself over in her shower has heat rising to my cheeks as anger ripplesthrough me. I am going to be the leader of the kingdom soon; she will be on her knees serving me eventually, one way or another. The thought brings a grin to my face as I turn the water off and wrap myself in the towel she brought.
The simple white tunic is snug, and the gray loose pants stop just above my ankles, but they fit well enough. I’m taller than most men, so it was inevitable. I'll be glad to eat and get on with my journey after a night's rest. I head down the narrow hallway and down the stairs that enter the small kitchen. The scent of fresh bread, roasted meat, and vegetables wafts to me as Beth moves around the kitchen, humming and banging cookware around. As I reach the bottom, an older gentleman walks through the back door carrying a large stack of wood. He pays me no mind, as he stalks past me without a word into the dining room, which is connected to the sitting room. Placing the logs in the fireplace, he reaches for kindling to start building the fire.
I approach him and say loudly, “Allow me to help.” He sits back on his heels as his chin tilts up. I reach forward, and with a flick of my wrist and two fingers pointing at the logs, they ignite.
“Fire elemental,” I tell him, a smirk playing on my lips. “Among other things.”
“Henry.” He grunts out. “Among other things…” I see where the charming personality his daughter has comes from. “Beth, is that food done yet? I’ve worked up an appetite in the fields today and need to replenish if I’m going to be required to have small talk with the kimp.” He calls out over his shoulder as he stands and brushes past me. I don’t miss the insult. Confirming this is clearly where the daughter gets her indignantbehavior.
“Oh, Henry, you big oaf. Stop the nonsense. Mr. Cano is a guest in this house, and the two of you will be on your best behavior from here on out. You understand?” She places a hand on her hip, much like her daughter did earlier, questioning me, looking at Henry, then at Ambriel.
“Scouts honor, Ma.” Ambriel covers her heart sarcastically, facing her mother with a grimace. Her father just huffs what I believe is his agreement. This dinner should be fun. Ambriel walks past me and pulls out a chair. “Sit. Allow me toserveyou.” She says, lifting an eyebrow, a smirk rising from the corner of her lips. I accept the seat, giving her a flat smile in return.
Ambriel and Beth serve supper at the table and then sit to eat as well. I thank Beth, and we exchange idle small talk. Ambriel and Henry eat in silence for the most part. Henry grunts or snorts ever so often, and Ambriel only glares at me from where she sits across the table. The conversation eventually dies out, and it's Ambriel who breaks the silence.
“I’m going further into the Ravendene capital for the market. I was supposed to leave in three days, but if you need to leave tomorrow, I can leave early and stay at an inn for a couple of days. We only have one horse, so we can’t loan him out to you, but I can give you a ride with the crop.”
“I would appreciate that. My travels were halted abruptly due to the attack, and I do need to get back to the capital as soon as possible.”
“Of course….General.” Henry barks out roughly. His almost black eyes drill into me. I didn’t mention what my title was to any of them, only my name being Cano. My eyebrows pinch, and I quirk one up at him.
“Have we met before?”
“I guess you could say that.” is his only response before he stabs a small golden potato with his fork, lifting it and pointing it at me as he talks. “I believe it was your parents I knew, boy. However, that was many moons ago and best left in the past. You and Bri will leave tomorrow after breakfast. Get some sleep.” He doesn’t wait for me to respond. He shoves the potato into his mouth and stands, scraping his chair across the wood floor loudly, and slams it back into the table. He stomps his heavy boots up the stairs without another word.
“Sorry about Henry. He’s a grumpy old man, and it gets the best of him sometimes.” Beth says as she begins to clear the dishes from the table. She reaches for a plate in front of me, and I see ink peeking from her long sleeve. There is a tattoo on the inside of her wrist—the mark that was banned when the kingdom fell. Two wings with a horned moon at the center. This family was a friend to the crown before the kingdom fell. My gaze snaps to Beth, but she just smiles, not noticing where my gaze has snagged. Ambriel, however, is throwing daggers at me with her eyes, and I wonder if she saw my slight reaction to the mark. If she does, she doesn’t say anything but scrunches her nose at me in a sneer, then rolls her eyes and begins helping clear the table.
