Chapter 41

Having this special connection with Kara didn’t mean that we didn’t have any issues, almost totally opposite. Instead, that special connection, together with my enhanced magical skills, meant that it became almost impossible to hide your underlying feelings from the other person, especially if she - or he - was your bed partner and lover. Yes, it worked both ways since there were moments when I really couldn’t hide the way I felt and Kara was able to sense it.

As much as I had issues with the Prince having had sex with Kara, she had her own problems and nightmares about what had happened. Luckily for me the Prince had not really cared about how his lovers had felt so there was no need to jealous about that. What turned out be a much more serious thing was how jealous Kara was of all my Elven partners - not so much about Bellcauniel and the others, since she now understood the connection we had - but about the other women, especially the younger ones. Finally I had been able to dig it out of her that her brothers had constantly been telling her how the other girls were so much prettier than she was and therefore she still felt inferior when compared to other women.

Even though reminding myself of the Prince hurt me, I used him as an example: He had picked Kara instead of some Elven woman. Reminding her that didn’t feel good, but it helped Kara understand that she shouldn’t feel at all inferior when compared to other women. Even the Elves.

The final wake-up for Kara came when I really started having dreams about the fights and there was no way to hide those dreams from her. Piece by piece I told her everything - everything - that had happened to me, including the ‘gift’ I got from the magical creature.

””If you think about it, Kara, you’ll understand why I really haven’t wanted to talk about it. Who would want to admit that there’s that kind of monster hidden inside him? Something that you can sometimes barely control and someone who would surely have claimed you back in front of the Prince if I hadn’t been wounded or in a hurry to get back to our ship.””

Even in darkness, I noticed how Kara’s eyes flashed.

””You mean that you would have wanted to have sex with me out there, in his bed while the bastard was nailed to the floor? Is it the same thing that happened in Towell?””

The warrior in me woke up suddenly and tried to tell me that there was an unmistakable scent that was getting gradually stronger.

Luckily Balder was a sound sleeper since that was a side of Kara I had had no idea about. Yes, she was quite loud.

With time, I also normalized my relationship with Mylaela - and regretted it almost immediately afterwards.

“Those new women of yours, Stian. What are your plans for them? They are already worried that you don’t like them at all.”

Kara was standing next to me when Mylaela said that, and she started giggling when I looked at her, asking for help. Of course, she had been talking with them. After all, she was the only one who could talk with them in the beginning.

“But they are not my women, they are free to do whatever they want, go wherever they want to...”

As soon as those words were out my mouth, I understood my stupidity and raised my hands in defeat. Of course they thought that way, since, in their culture, women weren’t in much better position than slaves - or in some ways their position could have been even worse. Especially for those concubines or wives unable to produce an heir.

Mylaela nodded to me, a bit sadly.

“I know, too - now. Look, I don’t mean that you should do anything with those younger girls who used to be slaves, since they are so young. By no means are they naive or inexperienced: they used to work in a whorehouse, waiting for some rich enough customer. The others though ... let’s just say that Kara, here, can be quite vocal.”

I did my best to ignore what Mylaela was suggesting.

“If we can teach them Anglon, we probably could ask Elise to help us with them. After all, both families in Aston will make a fortune from all the silk we have in our cargo.”

I almost felt Kara shake, and took my hand in hers.

“Stian, I don’t really mind - or I do, but I need to work on my jealousy and all those women should learn that there are some good men available. Besides, they might also be able to help me once you are exhausted.”

That dark-haired vixen had already learned to read me way too well through our connection. I decided to count my losses and go to talk to Tofi or Baggi - or just do something else. Well, anything. Like scrubbing the deck.

The trip home went luckily without any bigger issues, and I was happy that we were able to fill some of the remaining cargo space with coffee beans and some other items from the same harbor we had visited on our way east. The same merchant was very curious to hear about our trip and I gave him what information I thought that was safe to give. Nothing about killing the Prince and putting that one city possibly in chaos.

None of ‘my’ women wanted to leave the ship there even though they were given the chance. By now they all spoke some Anglon and understood quite a bit more. Well, with their exotic looks, they would not lack for suitors in Aston. Now we just needed to get them there - and help them understand that they would not really have a future with us.

Even though we were sailing towards summer, the air felt cold when we approached those little islets that were our meeting point. This time, we probably would need to spend a bit longer there since those coastal ships couldn’t take the same amount of cargo as our fluyts. In a way, that felt unfair - I missed the valley and the other women. When I tried, I had been almost sure that I felt the connection.

A day before the agreed day I felt a group of people - meaning a ship - approaching the islets and the area where we were waiting. Just one ship, the right number of people - meaning that everything should be okay. Once they knew we’d be here, they would send more ships until we could unload the cargo we wanted to unload. A bit time-consuming and complex, but something that was needed for security - and avoiding unnecessary taxes.

The small harbor inside that islet was barely big enough for Ljus and the approaching coastal vessel - Belle. The same one in which I had sailed to Aston for the first time. Now it felt as though all of that had happened in another life.

As soon as the ships were side by side and the ladders had been lowered to the deck of the smaller ship a familiar figure climbed quickly to our deck.

“Permission to come aboard?”

“To you, Einar? Always on my ship. Welcome!”

“Thank you Tofi - and Stian. Look, can you call for the leaders? We need to talk and I would not really like to do it several times. The weather should allow Toki and anybody needed from the other ship to come here, too. Meanwhile, did you bring anything interesting that I could taste?”

Tofi laughed at Einar. “Stian, won’t you organize the message - and Einar: Trust me, you don’t want to try most of those drinks from the other side of the world. Especially those barrels in which they have stored some snakes. However, there’s something those people call rhum. Some of that is quite good.”

When I got back after sending the message to Vana and organizing Immianthe’s and Toki’s visit, I returned to the cabin and found that Mylaela and Kara were already sitting there. This was the first time Kara was included in these meetings and I understood that it made sense. Now I would not need to explain it all to her later.

I refused the offered rhum and sat down next to Kara, and it didn’t take long before Immianthe and Toki arrived. Toki accepted the offered rhum and Immianthe tried to look like she didn’t approve but it didn’t really work. Once Toki had tasted his rhum Einar cleared his throat.

“I’ll start with the most important thing: Elise thinks that, despite all the other things, at least one ship should sail to Aston. There are some Royals who know about Stian and your journeys. Or, should I say that they have heard about Sir Stianelder. Luckily, it seems that against all odds, they have managed to keep the information to a few people - but they did know enough to contact Elise through Frode. And, before you ask, it wasn’t any of us, but the information came from Sicels. Most likely, the Royals have some connections of their own.”

Inside me I wanted to curse, since I should have known better than to get involved with those high and mighties, especially since Frode had warned me about that. I was about to say something, but Tofi was faster than me.

“Without Stian, there probably wouldn’t have been any deal at Sicels and...”

Then Tofi stopped as Mylaela put her hand over Tofi’s and shook her head.

“My dear man, there’s no need to go in detail. Stian has already been forced to do quite a few things against his will. Pointing out something which he couldn’t change is useless.”

For some reason the fact that Mylaela tried to defend me just made me angry.

“Enough!” I exploded. “What has happened, has happened, and it cannot be changed. I don’t need or want anyone to defend me here for the things I have done. I am responsible for what I did and what I didn’t do to the people I care about. Period. Besides, back in Sicels nobody complained to me about making the local rulers happy and therefore being able to make good trades. Now, all we should and can do is to decide quickly how to proceed. Without doubt, we cannot have our female crew - other than Kara - go to Aston. We also need to check and transfer the cargo, decide what goes to Aston and what goes elsewhere.”

With Einar’s words, the worry that had been pushed to the back surfaced again. I was also pissed at Mylaela for defending me now, but not believing me when it would have mattered. Besides, she would have been ready to leave Kara behind - for the common good. I never told Kara that, but she probably suspected it.

At least my outburst gave the discussion some focus, and when Tofi and Toki started negotiating about the cargo and how to divide it, I was sure that Einar’s eyes would fall out of their sockets. It was clear that he couldn’t believe what we had. A boat full of silk, exotic species - and coffee. Okay, good quality tea, too. Once they had called Baggi to the meeting and started talking about how much and which kind of cargo Belle could take, I left the meeting and went on deck. The weather had turned cloudy even though the wind was still calm.

Standing on the deck and facing north, I reached with my sensing in that direction, and I was almost sure that I could sense that everything was still okay with the rest of my family. Or maybe I just hoped that so very much. Maybe it was my imagination playing tricks with me. No! When I pushed a bit more I was more certain. They were okay - for now.

“You know, in a way Mylaela had it right. You should have left me there.”

I had been concentrating on the rest of the family so much that I hadn’t noticed that Kara had come to stand next to me. I shook my head.

“I could never have left my wife and the mother of my child there.”

When I said that, I knew that it was true. Even if there wouldn’t have been the special connection that suddenly formed between us, I would have gone after Kara.