She returned to the balcony and watched the fighting with her mind a hundred miles away. When her body was ready and if Thorn was willing, children were a possibility. She smiled softly as she imagined a boy with her eyes and Thorn's stubborn chin and a daughter with the glowing blue of her father's gaze.
"What are you thinking, Nasha?" Vavi broke into her little fantasy world.
"Would you believe…nothing?"
Vavi snorted. "No. You smell like you are back in Lord Thorn's bedroom and you have this strange smile on your lips."
"Just thinking about settling down and having a family. I was thinking that I would like a boy with my eyes and a girl with his."
The other ladies smiled gently and Lass stated, "That is a good thought."
They all turned back to watch the battle with eyes that were looking inward and imagining lives of domestic bliss.
Life rarely remained blissful, but it was a really good thought.
"How were the men's skills today?" Thorn's voice was casual as he placed a helping of vegetables on her plate.
"They seemed to be in fine form when we got there, but it degenerated a bit by the time we left." She didn't have to reach for anything, he served her each portion as the food was brought out.
"It may have had something to do with their audience. We have a distinctly skewed population here."
She laughed. "I hadn't noticed. Two to one?"
"Something like that. Kalowell has always put a premium on their warriors and with Eshkar's help, the numbers shifted. Now, we are stable and have little to no worries of attack and the men are feeling the lack."
Nasha looked toward her ladies who were exchanging gazes with some of the battered and bruised men who had fought and flexed for their entertainment. "Well, I think we have an answer for five of them, ten if the men share."
He choked on his wine and gave her a look. "Kalowell men don't share."
"Good to know. You have set my mind at ease." She started in on her food.
Thorn gave her a dark look and set to his own meal.
It took her quite a while to finish the enormous pile of food that he had piled on her plate and she was groaning when the last mouthful was done.
Thorn nodded to her and lifted her to her feet at his side. The room fell silent. "One week from today, Lady Nasha of Fano and I will be joined in marriage. Her people will begin arriving in a few days and everyone is to extend every courtesy so that they will be at home."
The men stood and saluted again, the grunt and shout rang to the rafters.
"In other news, Captain Haros, present yourself."
From the ranks of the troops, a man stood and walked to stand before the head table.
Other captains seated on the other end of the table scowled.
"Captain, for your service to the keep and the loyalty of your men, I promote you to the rank of general. A space left open by the departure of Alsco."
Haros flushed and cast a glance toward the head table. Orial blushed at his direct gaze. "Thank you, Lord Thorn. I will do my best to prove worthy of the honour." He bowed sharply and with one more glance at Orial, he faced his lordship.
"As general, you will be responsible for greeting the new arrivals. Perhaps one of their own would ease the tensions of the first meetings. Lady Orial, would you discuss the needs of your people with the general on the morrow?"
Nasha fought her smile. He had noticed it as well. Good for him.
"Of course, Lord Kalowell. I will confer with my lady and relay her wishes for when our people arrive." Lady Orial stood and curtsied.
Haros moved toward Orial and extended his hand over the table. When she extended hers, he kissed the back of her hand. "I will seek you after breakfast, Lady Orial."
Nasha stifled a giggle as Orial snatched her hand back when laughter broke out in the room. "You could take lessons from him, Thorn."
"I will work on my techniques." He chortled and led her from the table.
As their departure dismissed the others, several men came to her ladies and made introductions, but a watchful Tonio stood by, keeping all comers from Mithwai with dark looks that meant business.
Her soul lighter than it had been in weeks, Nasha paced along with her companion to her new chambers. She gasped at the lovely and feminine rooms as she opened one door after another.
The bedroom was done in a beautiful silvery grey. "These rooms are lovely. Thank you."
"They were my mother's. Your ladies will be in rooms to either side."
"Wonderful. I wonder how long it will be until they are coupled up themselves." Idly she unlaced the shoulders of her gown before starting on the clasps.
"What are you doing?" He was watching her with rapt attention
"Getting ready for bed. Tomorrow will be a busy day." She undid the clasps from the bottom up and when the last clasp released, the silky embroidery slid to the floor.
She held her chain away from her body and smiled brightly as she turned her back to move toward the bed. "Goodnight."
Her striptease had its desired effect. He lifted her off her feet and came down on top of her with the bed breaking her fall.
He pinned her arms over her head and started a slow series of kisses that began at her hairline and worked down her face. She was leaning up to return his kiss, but he moved away, trailing kisses down her neck.
She arched under his attentions, sliding one leg up on the outside of his, her paler skin gleaming against the dark of his trousers. He gripped her buttock and rolled with her toward the headboard. She blinked up at him, bemused until she heard the tinkle of a chain and a click.
He had fastened her to the headboard.
With her in place, he levered off her and stripped in a flurry of clothing and flesh. Seconds later, he slid over her and into her in one slow move that shocked her.
The simple act of confinement had set her body aflame.
He began with a slow rocking thrust, which he stopped to suckle and bite at her breasts. He surged into her again and hard friction sent her into a shivering orgasm that he rode through. When she stilled, he started moving again, shifting his hips and slamming into her with an intensity that brought cries from her throat with every thrust. Her second climb to orgasm was slower, but he had the determination to bring her to the edge and her scream was muffled by his shout as her body twisted and gripped him unmercifully.
He fell to one side and unclipped her chain before pulling her against him.
She snuggled into his embrace and breathed deeply of their scent.
"They let us have this one to ourselves." Her amazement was unmistakable.
"They will wait until we are wed. Eshkar told me as much. They don't want our child born out of legality."
She sighed. "Things would be simpler if we weren't us."
He pressed a kiss to her forehead as she started to drift. "If we weren't us, we would never have met, so I will take whatever Eshkar brings from this point on without complaint. In you, I have the one thing I never thought to wish for."
She smiled sleepily against his neck. "Haros can now take lessons from you."
His chuckle soothed her into a dream-filled sleep where children with blue and lavender eyes played endless rounds of hide and seek and the stars were content.
Author's Note
Welcome to my one hundredth solo story. That's right 100! Yes, there have been co-writes, yes, there have been teeny stories for the anthologies of Extasy books, but for books that depended solely on me, this was number 100.
Whee!
An odyssey that started on February 14th, 2006 with Wardstone has now spanned over five universes and nine series has now reached a point that I never thought I would achieve.
Not all of the books may be gold, but they are out and someone has enjoyed them somewhere.
Thank you for picking up
Captive of the Stars
. It marks the fourth book of the Hashka Chronicles, a series I enjoy writing simply for the fact that I don't have to cross the books or make room for a sequel.
Viola Grace
http://www.devinedestinies.com
http://behindtheebooks.blogspot.com/
About the Author
Viola Grace was born in Manitoba, Canada where she still resides today. She really likes it there. She has no pets and can barely keep sea monkeys alive for a reasonable amount of time. Her line of day job tends to be analytical which leaves her mind hopping to weave stories. No co-worker is safe from her character analysis. In keeping with busy hands are happy hands, her hobbies have included cross-stitch, needlepoint, quilting, costuming, cake decorating, baking, cooking, metal work, beading, sculpting, painting, doll making, henna tattoos, chain mail, and a few others that have been forgotten. It is quite often that these hobbies make their way into her tales.
Viola's fetishes include boots and corsetry, and her greatest weakness is her uncontrollable blush. Her writing actively pursues the Happily Ever After that so rarely occurs in nature. It is an admirable thing and something that we should all strive for. To find one that we truly like, as well as love.