Page 49 of The Ruler
I pulled him roughly to a chair and nodded for Finn and Magni to get the other men back in their seats too.
“This is completely unnecessary,” Pearl explained and pointed to Finn. “Get these wounded men some water.”
His eyes bulged at her odd request.
“Beer then,” she said and looked over to the bar-bot, who stood in a corner. “Get these men beers.”
They were bleeding and heaving for air while scowling at us.
“There’s another way to solve this. If you want access to women like me, raise your hand,” she said, loud and clear.
Hands were raised.
Pearl gave Boulder and Magni a pointed stare. “Why aren’t you two raising your hands?”
“Because I’m already married,” Boulder said.
“So? Do you not wish for your sons to grow up with the prospect of marrying like you have?”
“Of course.”
“Then raise your hand.” She turned to Magni. “You too. We all know that you wantonewoman in particular, but it still counts.”
Magni raised his hand a little.
“And why aren’t you raising your hand?” she asked me. “Wouldn’t you like to have a woman of your own?”
Slowly I raised my hand wondering what the hell she was up to.
“So, you allagree! You all want women.”
Murmurs were heard.
“Keep your hand in the air if you want the border gone.”
We all did.
“Ah, so far so good. You seem to have so much in common,” she smiled, and I swear it looked sarcastic.
“Keep your hands up if you’re pleased to hear that the council in the Motherlands hopes to take down the borders too.”
“What?” the men murmured. “When?”
Pearl looked straight at Edward but moved to stand next to me, and it was too tempting to lean against her.
“Lord Khan is working closely with us in the council to develop strategies that can bring a future union between our nations.”
“We don’t want to be ruled by women,” Edward spat out, flushed and sweaty from the fighting.
“You think I do?” I snarled. “Fuck no!”
“Then what kind of union are we talking about?” Edward asked.
“Hopefully one that involves lots of marriages.” One of the men smirked.
“It’s too soon to say how a union will look, but I can tell you this…” She paused and made sure they were all looking at her. “The only reason we’re even having these negotiations with Lord Khan is because this is the first time in the history of the Northlands that you’ve had political stability for more than three decades.”
All the men followed her attentively, even the one who had just pulled the splinter out of his forehead.
