A Warlord's Heart (4 page)

Sendal’s home mirrored the lay-out of her
own. The entrance opened into the main hall with arched doorways.
Miki knew from prior visits they led to the dining room, an
extensive kitchen and a stairway to the basement storage area. The
storage area was the only difference in their homes since her
father had created an additional exterior building for storage with
a breezeway to the household.

Numerous tapestries in vibrant jewel tones
depicting the history of Raasa hung on the textured walls,
reminding Miki of Genisa’s talent for weaving. Wooden tables had
been pushed aside to make room for those staggering in to be
treated. Some of the males and females came in with minor cuts and
others had more serious wounds. Amidst the confusion, quiet crying
and loud sniffles carried to her ears.

“Sendal!” A female voice called.

Instantly, Miki found her vision blocked by
large bare shoulders and broad backs.

“Genisa, Su-Su Mikayla has arrived.” Sendal
left Miki’s side and returned holding the hand of a Raasa female
carrying a bundle-wrapped youngling. Miki’s heart swelled as she
sidestepped Carog and ducked around Merik’s arm when he attempted
to block her.

Genisa’s shoulder-length, black hair was in
disarray and her dress bore ash and soot stains but her smile
flashed brightly.

“Genisa,” Miki exclaimed, eyes on the
youngling.

Genisa laughed and pushed back the blue
blanket to reveal a miniature gold face, straight black hair and
green eyes. “Su-Su meet Ora.”

Miki teared up and leaned closer to take in
the beauty. “None of that Su-Su. Call me Miki.”

Kavan cleared his throat loudly before
saying, “Mikayla.”

She rolled her eyes. “Call me Mikayla or they
will tell my mate.”

For a moment the couple’s diamond green eyes
widened, giving proof to Miki’s thoughts that her people held a
great deal of fear for the warrior who owned her heart. “May I hold
her?”

If possible, Sendal’s chest puffed out
further as Genisa beamed and passed over Ora. Miki cuddled the
youngling close, remembering it hadn’t been long since her own were
this small. She looked up and met Sendal’s gaze. “My
congratulations.”

He nodded and blinked to dispel the glitter
of tears in his eyes. Miki swallowed past the lump in her throat.
This was such a special occasion for the two after their prior
loss.

Kavan interrupted the intimate moment. “Su-Su
Sendal, we would hear more of the attack by the Kabanians.”

Miki handed Ora back to her mother. “First,
tell us how we can help. The Warlords and I can bandage, offer
food…”

Said Warlords grunted behind her but she
ignored their displeasure at being offered for what they probably
considered menial tasks.

Sendal smoothed a hand over his bald head and
after a glance at his mate nodded toward Miki. “We have a few
injured but my people are caring for them. I thank you for the
offer. Our concern is further attacks. We didn’t expect warriors to
strike against us with the treaty in place.”

His voice raised on the end in question. Miki
could well understand his concern. She wanted to hear all the
Warlords had to say on the subject and had the feeling Vaan had
deliberately left things out. “If you direct us to your office,
Sendal, we can speak freely there.”

Chapter 5

Miki’s heart pounded in her chest as Sendal
told of the attack in detail from the group of Kabanians. Kavan
added in what he knew from Argan’s visit to Kaban. She’d had no
idea that a rebel group continued to raid but this was their first
such aggressive move outside of Kaban.

Miki forced the next question out. “Did you
lose any of your people?”

Sendal shared another gentle look with his
mate. “We’re fortunate we didn’t. Everything happened so fast. They
could have overrun us easily but Sema noticed approaching riders
and called out to me. I feared there were more invaders but it was
you and your Warlords. The rebels heard as well and immediately
fled.”

“I will speak with the Overlord upon our
return. Your people will be avenged,” Kavan concluded, dark eyes
deadly.

His words caught Genisa and Sendal by
surprise. They were all seated around Sendal’s office. Pleasure
rippled across Genisa’s face. “We can repair what they damaged. I
think it surprised them that we weren’t easy to defeat but knowing
Overlord Galip will go after them warms my heart.”

Miki breathed a sigh of relief as well. Her
home had a protective gate surrounding the compound and Vaan along
with his Warlords spent extensive time training her people to
defend themselves. The training had been timely since her home had
been attacked not once but twice. The S’Asigi’s hadn’t had the
luxury of such tactical training but managed to repel the attempted
invasion none the less. Knowing they harbored no ill will toward
Vaan was good news.

Miki still felt the need to do more. Her gaze
moved from Sendal sitting behind his desk to Genisa in her chair at
his side holding Ora as she fed her a bottle. “If you’ll show us to
our rooms, we’ll get settled. I want to help and see how much
damage was sustained.”

Kavan, Merik, Carog and Eatan rose to their
feet at once but it was Kavan who spoke. “Most of the attack
occurred around the stables. It is completely destroyed. The main
compound withstood the fire
hashis
.”

Miki frowned at the word that didn’t
translate in Standard and asked, “What’s a fire
hashis
.”

Kavan’s dark brows dipped and his voice took
on a rumbly growl when he replied. “It is the act of a
terma
. A coward. Dry cloth is soaked in
hardul
fat
and set ablaze as it is tossed at an enemy or their home. The burn
will last longer and make it more difficult to douse the flames.
Overlord Vaan banned his warriors from the use of fire
hashis
. No true warrior would employ the method any longer
as it is without honor.”

Sendal’s gold-skinned tones paled and he
rocked back in his seat. He appeared truly shaken as his eyes
sought Miki’s. “Because of you Su…Mikayla. You mentioned the in
ground water system at your home to make it easier to get water
inside. It took months but we finished. The ground had yet to set
on the tubing.”

And because of it, Sendal had been smart and
used the water to help battle the blaze. Miki wanted to ride after
these Kabanian and rip into them with her fangs. Her blood heated
and she now knew what Vaan felt when he angered to such an extent
it impacted his reason. “Kavan, Vaan needs to know about this right
away.”

“I agree. We must end the other visits and
return home in the morning.”

They’d only managed three of the five Raasa
strongholds but Miki knew the other visits would have to wait.
They’d been gone for four days and it would take at least a day
maybe less if they rode hard to return home. In that time, Miki
could only hope these warriors didn’t cause more harm. Although she
couldn’t imagine anything worse than what the males had done to her
friend and his people.

***

Balal entertained his youngling with the help
of his mate Assa, allowing Vaan time in his office to speak with
Ramar. Many things had changed when his best friend, Argan, left
Raasa to join with his bride who was Olak’din. The Shadow Warriors
as they were known made their homes in the mountains and Argan
moved there not long ago. Vaan had yet to accustom himself to the
absence but Ramar was a worthy replacement and a Warlord he valued
highly.

Vaan covered the guard rotation they
maintained for the gate surrounding the perimeter of his mate’s
Raasa compound. Though the Raasa made commendable watches, he made
sure to have at least one or two Warlords set at the same time. The
Warlords who made their home with him had stood by his side when
odds were against him and when treachery had almost led them to
their death. There was no one he trusted more with the exception of
his mate. Mikayla had his unconditional trust.

“What of the weapons training?” Vaan
asked.

He had tried to teach the Raasa skills with a
sword but they were not as sturdy as Kabanian and their lean builds
made wielding the hefty swords with any efficiency difficult. Even
the lowest Kabanian warrior would fell a Raasa if it was a match
left to swords. But the people he now called allies were not a
complete loss. Their marksmanship with a bow and arrow showed an
exceptional ability to hit their target.

Ramar shifted his stance as he stood before
Vaan’s desk. Vaan had invited him to sit but the Warlord was not
ready for that level of comfort with his Sire. “Everyone has shown
proficiency. The females complained of arm pain but continue their
efforts with occasional outburst of crying or anger.”

Vaan grimaced. Recently his mate had insisted
that the females of her race learn to fight with weapons as well.
The concept was difficult to accept because a Kabanian woman would
never choose to fight if she could have a warrior stand before her.
Vaan had to remind himself often that Raasa were as different from
Kabanians as possible. He reluctantly agreed to Mikayla’s demand
but now his Warlords had to deal with crying. Raasa men and women
were an emotional people. At times he appreciated their depth of
love and affection but in other matters their soft hearts were a
hindrance.

“Who have you placed in charge of their
training?” Vaan certainly had no intentions of ever leading one of
those sessions.

Ramar mouth curved upward as he clasped his
hands behind his back. “Tolan.”

Vaan chuckled. Tolan was the only one of his
warriors to have had a bride in his past until her death. The
Warlord was often looked toward for answers to the female mind.
“And has Tolan accepted his assignment lightly?”

Ramar’s brown eyes fairly danced. “It has
been two days only since he started, Sire.”

Two days was long enough for any warrior.
“And?”

Ramar’s grin flashed. “He begs off every
hour.”

Vaan could only shake his head. “I believe I
will observe today.”

He could use the laughter with Mikayla’s
absence wearing at him like a sore tooth.

“I shall join you.”

They walked together speaking of other
matters. Vaan’s eyes automatically scanned for his youngling but
Balal must have taken them to their rooms on the upper level. The
clink of dishes and gentle laughter came from the kitchen. While
Vaan had grown used to the familial relationship Mikayla created
with her servants, he still floundered on how to interact with
them. When they brightened at his presence and waved, he nodded his
head, unsure how he was supposed to respond. Hugging them as his
mate was fond of doing wasn’t an option.

When he and Ramar reached the outside
courtyard, Vaan immediately noticed the group of ten females
dressed in pants and tunics in varying shades, quivers slung over
their backs. Each wore their black hair pulled back from their face
as they concentrated on his Warlord’s instructions. Tolan paced in
front of the single line, speaking occasionally when asked a
question. Vaan wasn’t close enough to hear but decided to watch
before making his presence known.

Ramar stepped closer beside him and murmured.
“We have made good time. He is just beginning. You will be most
amused, Overlord.”

Vaan already was. None of them would have
managed the strength needed to lift a sword. They worked with the
bow and arrow per his orders. The women held the bows in arms that
shook with the strain as they notched their arrows. Tolan spoke a
command and arrows flew then dropped mid-air a few feet away. Ramar
snickered and Vaan found himself holding back a grin as well. Tolan
shoved his hands through loose, black hair that hung about his
shoulders.

He gave another command and the women
scrambled to pull forth another arrow. Sera, a close friend of
Mikayla’s, dropped her entire quiver, spilling arrows on the
ground. Two women beside her lowered their bows and began helping
her to gather them. The others became distracted, watching until
Tolan snapped something out. Half of the females gave him their
attention but their arrows still fell short and nowhere near the
target Tolan had set up.

Sera, who managed to get her arrows together,
let loose with her arrow late and narrowly missed Tolan’s head. His
Warlord crossed to her and yelled. Vaan frowned but Sera ducked her
head and toed at the dirt on the ground. Tolan blew out a breath
and yanked at his hair. He said something else to her in a calmer
voice and Sera’s shoulders shook.

“The tears shall begin now, Overlord.”

Once Sera started several of the females
began to cry as Ramar predicted. One of the females separated
herself from the line and approached Tolan from behind. He turned
and pointed back to her place. It was Vesa. Vaan’s gaze cut to
Ramar who no longer smiled. Vesa poked Tolan in the chest and said
something his Warlord disagreed with and the two now yelled at one
another.

Vaan grunted, losing interest. He turned from
the scene and strode toward the entrance of his home, unable to
deal with the emotional aspect of training the females. The Raasa
males at least saved Vaan their sad faces when he worked them
overlong in training. Vaan was almost to the door when Ramar
growled. He turned in time to see Ramar jump down the four stone
stairs to the ground and storm toward the group. Vaan folded his
arms over his chest curious about how Ramar would handle his
anger.

Tolan spun at Ramar’s approach. The force of
the blow to Tolan’s face sent him flying backward. He slammed into
the ground and Ramar leaped on him, fists punching him in the face.
Vaan stiffened as two of his seasoned Warlords fought in the
courtyard among full view of the others. This was no match in
jest.