Chapter 31: Smaller Issues

Rose had a dull pain between her legs the following morning. Oakley convinced her to stay in bed and relax a while longer. Eventually, he left her there while he cooked some breakfast. Rose was almost in disbelief that this was the same man who had been so furious just a few days ago.

“I deeply enjoyed last night,” he said, smiling at Rose.

“I did, too,” Rose responded.

“I’d gladly wait another ten years to have another night with you,” he continued.

“Maybe we’ll see each other again,” Rose said, unsure of how to respond.

“Don’t give me false hope, Lady Rose. You have many duties, and none of them involve visiting me for leisure,” he sighed. “I’ll be happy knowing that a brilliant young woman is out there doing the right thing for Scarlaria.”

Rose and Cole reunited that afternoon. He was loading the wagon with their luggage and fresh supplies. The girl he was with last night was there, too, and by the heavenly expression on the girl’s face, Rose suspected that Cole used his technique on her.

“Kali, this is Lady Rose of House Scarlet, the retainer of Lord Ash. Lady Rose, this is my girlfriend, Kali,” he introduced. Kali was about Rose’s height with neck-length ghostly blonde hair. Judging by Kali’s rough appearance, Rose assumed she did a lot of manual labor like Cole.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Rose smiled, and then, keeping with the tradition of Kraken, Rose and Kali kissed.

“Lady Rose,” Cole said when Kali walked away from them. “Would it be too much trouble if Kali traveled with us?” he asked, but before Rose could answer, he added, “She’s willing to serve you as well. She doesn’t have any parents and is too old to stay at the foster house.”

“If she swears to serve House Scarlet, she can’t return here again unless she’s released,” Rose said.

Rose considered Cole’s request while he and Kali continued to load the wagon. If Rose recalled correctly, she was allowed to take on her own servants. She’d have to make any such person take an oath of fealty, and from that point on, Rose would be responsible for them, too. The longer Rose watched the two of them work, the more she disliked the thought of carrying Cole away while leaving Kali behind.

“I wish to enter your service, Lady Rose. There is no one here for me, and I can pledge myself fully to you,” Kali said as she kneeled in front of Rose.

Rose accepted Kali’s pledge and conducted the oaths with her. Once the words were spoken, Rose touched Kali’s dossier, and the tingling magic from her fingertips amended the parchment. Now that it was time for them to depart Kraken, the governor, Lexa, was nowhere in sight. Oakley’s appearance did make Rose smile, though. There was an urge inside of her to ask Oakley to join them as well. Even as they kissed for the last time, she knew there was a mutual understanding that they would both have to cherish the other in memory only.

“I’ll never forget the way you taste, my Lady,” Oakley whispered in her ear.

The wagon carried the party down the road away from Kraken. Even as they arrived at a small roadside inn that night, Rose still hadn’t adorned any clothes. Dressing again felt almost as if she were losing some rights, and for a moment, she understood why the women of Kraken loved the freedom of nudity. Rose lent Kali a dress, and the girl put on clothes for the first time in years. With no complaints from Cole or their driver, Salt, Rose, and Kali spent all of their time between stops in the nude.