Chapter 2

I woke to darkness and the pleasant weight on my chest of a woman. My sense of smell was sharper and I could smell the pleasant reek of our bodies. I cleared my mind; the pulling in my chest was gone. In its place was something else though, some how I knew it was a connection to Talia, “Talia?”

She stirred on my chest and a moment later a mage lantern beside us flared to life. Her tired, sleepy face came into my vision, “Edward, how do you feel?”

I smiled as I breathed in the beauty of her face, “Tired, sore, hungry.”

She laughed and lightly shook me, “You scared the hell out of me. I did not think anyone could keep control that long. When it finally took you, you passed out. I had to ... finish for you, but your body kept demanding more. I was afraid the madness had taken you.”

I smiled back at her, “How long?”

She seemed to think about it, “A day and night.”

My wrists strained against the rope, “Am I safe.”

She nodded and moved off me. A moment later I was free and sat up. I looked at Talia as she stood in front of me with her head down. I held out my hand and she took it. I pulled her to the bed and she sat down beside me, “Now that I am sane, tell me what this bond is and what happened to me.”

She laughed, “It is a little late but ... What the bond is, is a connection between us, between our souls. You feel the bond much stronger than I do. Sometimes if the male has a strong enough sense of smell and the female is ... in season, he will go into shock as his body changes. Sometimes that change is enough of a shock to push him into what is called a male rut, like an animal. It usually only lasts a couple of hours though.”

I looked at her, “but I was out for a day and night.”

She leaned against me laughing, “I guess you really wanted to get me pregnant.”

I put my arm around her and lightly caressed her, “Then this bond means we are mates?”

She looked up into my face and laughed, “No, for that you have to beat me in a mating challenge.”

I continued caressing her, somehow I knew she was enjoying it, “And what is a mating challenge?”

She smiled, “plotting already? A mating challenge is a duel. With one such as I, it means with swords.”

I leaned against her and kissed her before leaning back, “One such as you?”

Her eyes glittered, “a Battle Maid.”

I laughed and gently pushed her to her feet, “Put your armor back on, you will need it.”

She laughed as she stepped away from me, “I may be young, but I have already had seven challenges.”

I grinned at her as I started dressing, “boasting before a fight is not good luck.”

She only laughed as we both dressed. I helped her carry her packs out of the Carvanesse and to my camp. I checked the horses and found that they had been moved. When I turned back to the camp the mage was in front of me, “I will be leaving; I wanted to make sure you survived. I removed the mage shield and the holding spells on the horses in the Carvanesse. The treasure you sought is in the first merchant goods room. (He glanced at the camp) Use your bond for the challenge.”

With that he just seemed to fade away. I walked back to the camp and to my packs. After opening a pack, I pulled two short swords out and looked at Talia. “Well my future mate, are you ready?”

Talia laughed as she pulled the slim crescent blade from over her shoulder. “Of course my bond slave.”

I laughed as I backed out into the clearing. I watched as she followed moving easily. I felt the bond between us and smiled, the mage was right. I shifted so that Talia would have me on her off side and waited.

I felt the bond twitch before she even moved and stepped to the side, the sword in my right hand moving to block even as I suddenly shifted even more. Her sword met mine and my left sword flash as it circled my hand and then come down on top of her sword and I turned and stepped. My right hand sword spun as she jerked to step back.

My right sword stopped against her throat. Talia froze in shock, I lowered my sword and stepped close, “Talia my Battle Maid, I claim you as my mate.”

She looked into my face as I slowly leaned close and kissed her. When I pulled back, I smiled and turned away. I walked back to my packs and put the swords away. Talia stopped behind me as I continued to dig through my packs. Finally I stood holding soap and a towel. I looked at her worried face. “I stink; you can join me if you behave.”

Talia cleared her throat, “I am Battle trained and you...”

I smiled and stepped next to her and put my mouth close to her ear, “I am a trained Arms-master.”

She jerked her head back to look at me and then suddenly she laughed as she started throwing clothing and armor away from herself. She stepped close to me again, “My father is rolling around in his grave laughing right now. He always said I would get what I deserve.”

I grinned and turned to the small game trail that led to the spring fed pool I had found. When we got there, I undressed, watching Talia as she walked calmly into the cold water. Walking into the water I shivered and held out the soap to Talia who smiled at me and took it. While she was washing my back, I could hear her purring and looked back at her contented expression.

When we got out, she turned to me and embraced me. She looked into my face, “Bond Mate, you must decide if I take the Simpa root. I have put it off, but I can not wait much longer.”

I looked back at her. Simpa root has been used since forever to prevent a girl from getting pregnant. “How old are you Talia?”

She lightly scratched my chest with her claws, before looking back into my face, “I am sixteen. I have been a Battle Maid for a year.”

She looked a little younger; girls were normally married years before they reached her age. They would probably have had two or even three children by then too. I turned and picked the towel up and started drying her. When I finished, I gathered my clothing and led her back to camp and sat her at the dead fire.

I got the fire going and slipped back into pants and another shirt before setting things out. Finally I knew I could not wait any longer and looked into her face, “Talia, you are a Battle Maid. To me, that means you know how to look at a situation and make a judgment. I am missing information. The mage said I have Kittling blood, but I know nothing about it. I do not know ... I do not know what our children would be like. I do not know how the children will affect you or being a Battle Maid.”

She smiled as she absently started moving things around to cook above the fire. “Children for a Battle Maid, means she must wait for weaning before she can even go back to training. As for our children, they could be either kittling or ... human.”

I glanced at her occasionally as we cooked. As we ate, I looked at her, “The children will not be ... deformed?”

Talia smiled, “Mages made sure they would not.”

I cleaned up after the meal and sat beside her, “Do you want children Talia? I mean ever.”

She caressed my face and stood to walk to her pack. She pulled a long shirt out and slipped it on and then she bent to pick up a small pouch. When she sat back beside me, she put her hand in mine, “Yes, I want children.”

I looked at the pouch, “Simpa root?”

She nodded and squeezed my hand, “I must know now Bond Mate.”

I sighed and looked into my lap for a moment. I looked back at Talia and shifted to see her better, “Talia, I am twenty years old. I have no property. I have some gold and was looking for treasure when I found you. I do not know if your people will even accept me. I am an Armsmaster trained since I was a baby, but I have nothing. I would love for you to have my children, but I am afraid that doing so would ruin you.”

Talia laughed and squeezed my hand, “Even if I no longer stand behind the throne, I am a Battle Maid. You would be accepted for that alone, but you are also an Armsmaster who won his mating challenge. On top of all that, there is one person that would be accepted above all others in my empire. You named yourself Shadow Walker, there is a Kittling prophesy that tells of your coming.”

Talia looked at the fire and tossed the pouch on top. When she looked back at me, I could see humor in her eyes, “Tonight we will mate again, this time you have to stay awake.”

I laughed and pulled her against me. I stood, “The mage said there were still horses in the Carvanesse. I need to bring them out into the light and give them air.”

Talia jumped up, “My Battle Steed!”

I caught her before she rushed back into the Carvanesse. “Clothing? At least some shoes.”

She looked down at herself and then grinned, “I forgot.”

I watched as she pulled a pair of light slippers out and reached for my hand. She grabbed the mage lantern and we walked back into the Carvanesse. As we got closer to the stabling area, we heard the horses moving around. Inside the large paddock Talia handed me the lantern and slowly walked forward. Of the dozen horses here, I saw six that I recognized as Battle trained, five mares and a stallion.

The largest, a steel grey stallion broke away from the others and walked towards Talia. I tensed when I saw him, but Talia laughed and held out her hand, “Did you miss me?”

The horse stopped with his head over her shoulders and let her stroke his neck and scratch behind his ears. Talia turned to me and gestured, “Biscuit, Peace! This is my Bond Mate Edward.”

I stopped next to her as the horse looked at me uncertainly. I glanced at Talia, “Biscuit? You named a Battle horse Biscuit?”

Talia laughed again, “I had to rename him. He would not listen to his trainer.”

I looked back at the horse as he snorted and gently nibbled at Talia’s ear. I looked at the other horses, “Do you think he can bring the other Battle horses out with him. I will catch the others and bring them.”

Talia shook her head, “They will not leave unless their gear is back on them.”

I looked around and held the lantern up. Surprisingly, like in Talia’s room everything seemed intact as it rested on tack stands. It took longer then I thought but finally we had everything back on all the horses. We got them outside and back to the camp where Talia and I removed the tack and armor for the Battle horses. We led them to the small hidden glen where I had picketed my three horses. I added the other horses to the long picket line and left the Battle Steeds alone.

When we returned to the came Talia moved things around and the next thing I knew there was one larger bed. She kept glancing to the side of the camp though and I finally realized what she was looking at. I held out my hand, “Talia?”

She looked at me and smiled as she moved closer. I took her hand and gave it a small squeeze, “I am taking their armor and weapons back to their families.”

She looked at me and back at the armor and weapons, “I will miss them.”

Talia pulled the slippers and shirt off and slipped under a light blanket. I sat next to her and we watched the sky turn a golden color as the sun set. I undressed and Talia gently pulled me under the blanket with her. I woke in the predawn light and turned my head to see Talia watching me.

She smiled, “It was much better with you awake and helping.”

I laughed and turned to face her, “Do you know the way home from here?”

She nodded and I looked at the opening into the Carvanesse. I looked at her, “I will bring the horses back. If you will pack the camp I will take the pack horses back in and bring out your treasure.”

Talia hesitated before running light claws across my chest, “I want you to show me, my companions.”

I nodded, “After we pack up.”

An hour later I was bringing the six pack horses out of the Carvanesse with their packs full. I tethered them next to mine and walked to Talia as she struggled to put armor on one of the Battle mares. I helped her and a few minutes later we finished the last one. She looked at her horse, “Biscuit, Guard.”

I held out my hand looking back at her horse, “There were legends about Kittling Battle horses.”

Talia looked at me as we started walking. I smiled, “They were said to be as smart as people and some were even said to be more deadly than their riders.”

Talia laughed as we entered the Carvanesse, “Perhaps not as smart as people but close, and yes, they are very deadly.”

I slowed as we came close to her dead companions. Talia was silent as we stood over their bodies and quietly removed five twisted rings of grass from her shirt. She placed one on each body and turned to me, “Take me home Bond Mate.”

Two weeks into the journey we knew Talia was pregnant. She woke smiling as I gently teased her and then suddenly went white and scrambled up and ran to the side of our camp to be violently sick. I was beside her a moment later and held her as her body shook. When she was done, she looked into my worried face and laughed. “Nothing to worry about Edward.”

I looked at her skeptically and she laughed and hugged me tight, “I am pregnant!”

I was stunned; I knew she could be, I even expected it, but to actually have it happen was something else. I hugged her back and then something struck me, “um, Talia? How long is a normal Kittling pregnancy?”

Talia laughed and stood, pulling me up with her, “Not as long as a human one. Only seven months.”

She kept glancing at me on the way back into the camp. As she knelt next to the fire she laughed, “You have not asked the most important question.”

I turned from getting dressed, “Which one is that oh lovely Kittling.”

She laughed as she finished gathering the stuff we had left and turned to step close, “How many kits I will litter.”

I froze, “Litter?”

Talia laughed delightedly, “Litter my luckless Bond Mate.”

I smiled at I pulled her against me, “Luckless?”

She kissed me and grinned, “After a Battle Maid weans her young. Her mate takes over the job of raising the kits.”

I looked at her carefully, “Talia my sweet? How many kits do Kittlings normally have?”

Talia laughed and pushed away from me and started walking towards the packs and clean clothes. She paused and looked back, “Normally? Four to six but my family is not normal. We tend to birth six to eight.”

My head spun and then I grinned and ran to catch Talia. I pulled her laughing back towards the bed. “In that case I am going to keep you pregnant.”

Talia laughed and pulled me into an embrace. I kissed her and looked into her eyes, “Seriously? Six or eight?”

Talia nodded and put her head against my chest. I held her tight and then suddenly was pushed from behind. We both stumbled away and Talia started laughing again as Biscuit stood there snorting and shaking his head. I came out of my defensive stand and glared at him, “She is my mate you four legged escapee from the glue shop.”

I looked at Talia, “That is four times now.”

She tried to hide her grin and then laughed again as she stepped close and kissed me. She looked at Biscuit and held out her hand. When he came close, it was to put his head down onto her shoulder. I shook my head and reached out to his ear. He let me pull his head closer, “Biscuit, she carries my young. You kept her safe and away from danger.”

Biscuit pulled his head back to look into mine. Slowly his head came down and both Talia and I knew he was smelling her. When his head came up it was to look into her eyes. When he put his head against hers there were tears in her eyes, “It is true Biscuit, I carry young.”

The next two weeks were humorous. Biscuit treated Talia like she was made of glass and would not let her out of his sight. When Talia was sick both of us were with her, comforting her. He would not let her lead or stray while we rode either.

The day we arrived at the border into the Kittling Empire it had been raining and Biscuit would not even let Talia mount until she had put on a rain poncho so that when we arrived she was covered. The border crossing had a small guard building and two Kittlings stepped out into the light rain to face us.

Talia and I had talked about this, so I leaned forward so they could see me clearly. “My name is Edward Shadow Walker. I have business in your empire.”

They looked at each other and the older of the two walked up along side my horse. He looked from the horse to me and then at Talia. He looked back to me, “Who is the other?”

I leaned down further and whispered, “My Bond Mate, Talia of clan Osia, Princess of the Empire.”

He jerked back and then stepped towards Talia. Only to freeze as six Battle horses turned towards him at almost the same time and seemed to growl. His partner’s hand moved towards his sword but stopped halfway as he realized what he faced. The older guard watched as Talia lowered her hood so that her face was visible. He jerked as if struck and without hesitating he knelt, “Princess.”

Talia touched Biscuits shoulder and for the first time, I watched as he knelt so that Talia could step off. Once Talia was off, he lunged back to his feet. Talia faced the older guard, “May I use your quarters? I have been gone long and have need of information.”

When he rose and turned, Talia looked at me and slightly shook her head. As she turned and followed the guard, Biscuit followed at her shoulder. I looked back at the mares behind me, “Lady, Little Witch?”

As the two mares started moving, Talia looked back with a frown, but Biscuit pushed her shoulder. The younger guard turned his head away, but I could see his smile before he did. Biscuit followed Talia to the door, while Lady went to one side of the building and Little Witch went to the other.