Chapter 62

I came upon Sparrow, along with Hazel's two youngest girls, at the Northern Gate house where they were talking with the two guards on duty. My appearance, coming out of the forest, roused the inseparable trio and the girls charged me.

Their small arms enveloped my legs, as the girls shouted, "Lord Solon! We missed you." A quick peck on their foreheads was enough for them to release me. I wiped my brow, wet from the run up hill.

Sparrow seemed relaxed and relieved that they found me. He said, "Mistress Grimm sent us looking for you. She came through the Western Gate and I told her you were home."

The children and I chatted about Agate's Pools and Ember's Spring. I gave them the official word― that it wasn't cursed ground ―and that caused a renewed interest in the area. I told Sparrow to spread the word the area was now the town's park and was to stay unspoiled. All three of them ran off to announce my pronouncement, while I strode back to the new tower with a purpose. A lookout at the Woman's Center saw me enter the clearing and shouted something into the doorway of the building. My focus was on getting back to see Grimm so I didn't give the Woman's Center another glance. Smells of cooking from the Woman's Center hit my nose, reminding me Palus had said a special dinner was being organized.

Grimm's powerful voice shouted, "Von!" I stopped in mid-stride and spun to see Grimm waddling over to me as fast as she could from the Woman's Center.

She was wearing a nice spring dress that hid her gorgeous legs, the material hanging down to her ankles. Not an outfit one would expect an ex-marine would normally select. Tharin's head popped out of the Woman's Center, a plate of food in his hand and a piece of bread in his mouth. My friend waved with his free hand and picked up another bit of bread off the plate. His grin might as well of said, "You'll be busy with Grimm, for at least as long as it will take to eat this food." I laughed at him. A twinkle in his eye told me I was right.

Grimm's body was large, the baby or babies taking up a lot of space and I made it to the Wolf Pavilion before her waddle got her too far. She didn't hesitate wrapping her arms around me and kissed me with fiery passion. My hands naturally gravitated to her bottom, pulling her closer to me. Grimm's playful mood poured into me as her tongue dueled with mine. Her thin dress showed her stiffened nipples as she leant back to get a good look at me. Grimm broadcast her want with feline grace while not moving a step. Subtle shifts, pressing her body, nibbling at my lips, her body screaming I am your woman as my body's effect on her was taking over.

But, for all her playfulness and womanly display, I could tell she was tired. "It's like she is marking her territory with the new women watching."

A growing crowd of women surrounded us and I loved running my tongue on her ear, it gave her chills every time.

"Von, I hate that!" Grimm protested, her body pebbling with goosebumps at my lick.

"OK, but you love this," I responded, gently pitching a nipple through the thin fabric.

Grimm arched her back into me, enjoying the sensation. For some reason pitching her nipples adjusts her protests to moans of pleasure any time I do it in public. Even in her late pregnancy, Grimm melted under my touch.

Knowing what she needed to hear, I announced loudly, "You are my woman, my mate. You will not deny my simple pleasure or I will strip you here."

I twisted her other nipple and Grimm's body shook like a dog thrashing a bone side-to-side and then moaned "Ahhhhhhhh." A wave of pleasure took my lover and her knees buckled.

I caught Grimm in my arms and held her up, until she found strength in her legs again. The town's new women around me mumbled to each other, not sure how I had given Grimm the "little death."

Grimm's dilated eyes moved to focus on me and kissing her gently I said, "I missed you so much my darling, I love you. You are tired, so go wait for me in the tower. I need a little time with Tharin before we continue this in front of my tower women."

Grimm blinked and shook like a cold blast of air had hit her, larger goosebumps appeared on her arms, as my comment fueled her passionate fire. I knew if I touched her breast again she would lose control. I felt so tempted to exercise my power over her, but I didn't know these women and it felt wrong to do any more to her. She had staked her claim and I recognized that need, taking Grimm where she wanted to go, while showing these women I wanted my lover too. Grimm lifted her head with pride, a bright smile widened as she glanced at the women around us.

I shooed Grimm to our tower to gain a moment alone with Tharin, patting her bottom as she waddled away.

Tharin finished his plate and handed the dish to a thin woman who stood next to him, leaning over and whispering something in her ear. The young woman laughed and threw a dishtowel at him, which landed on his shoulder as he ducked away from her. He grinned, shrugged and the woman threw up her hand to catch the towel he tossed back. She half-heartedly wagged a finger at him and then stepped in the doorway, moving out of sight, while Tharin chuckled, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Grimm's on fire for you," my brother said.

"Very true. More importantly, that young woman with the plate likes you," I commented, trying to change his focus. "A new woman of interest, Tharin?"

"Yes," was all he said. Tharin's smirk showed confidence behind his hidden thoughts.

"You have turned into quite a ladies man." I thought to myself.

We clasped arms, and then hugged. "I have so many stories to tell you, brother," I said, groaning as he squeezed the breath out of my body.

"Not sailing stories, I hope?" He said laughing, "The Dragon makes me sick just thinking about it."

"Well, at least one ship battle," I answered, laughing back. "And, you must know I captured a slave galley too. I want you to supervise its use for trade with Conquest Point."

Tharin waved his arms, crossing them, as if to ward off an evil spirit, his unhappiness was clear at my comment.

"I've never been on a galley before, what do I know about them, Von?" He whined.

"I don't care if you never get on it; but it will have marines on it and I told Hajin you are the contact man for his men. They will be partly responsible for its protection and some of the ship's crew members are former mercenaries, so they will back up the marines in case of trouble. No one is going to want to mess with a ship full of marines, mercenaries, pups and Ship Bows. If they do interfere with us they are going to regret it. I made gunpowder bolts for the Wolf Bows." I said.

"Gunpowder Bolts?" Tharin asked, surprised.

"I decided Juniper's ships will carry a little gunpowder for emergency conditions. Let me tell you the effect is impressive when it explodes on a foe's ship," I said. "Anyway, we will use the galley as our coastal trading ship. It only needs to hug the coastline to get there and back."

"Well, with all the visitors from Conquest Point, I have thought about visiting the city," Tharin responded, his half-grin back in place. "By the way, Coven and I did approve construction of safeholds next to Coven's Tower if the man was either part of the town watch, ex-marine or armsman. When your ship captain and ex-mercenaries arrived at the Galit's dock on the galley, we interviewed them here. They convinced us that if they are going to be away with the galley, their things deserved the security of a tower."

I shrugged. "Sounds reasonable to me Tharin. I trust you and Coven to run the town."

"You have Grimm and the ladies waiting for you. I'll talk with you tomorrow," Tharin said, bowing and sprinting back to the Woman's Center.

"Not likely! The real reason is you have a woman waiting for you." I thought, grinning to myself, happy he wasn't still sulking about the huntress.

I walked back into my home, where a number of women were busy moving tables around, pushing them together for the upcoming dinner. Laudus was supervising them, pointing and instructing the women on what she wanted done. Grimm was in a chair by the fireplace, rubbing her swollen feet, unaware of my presence. My lover had calmed down from her excitement outside, looking more tired and worn. Key stepped down the stairs catching my attention, her warm smile following her quick, hello kiss. I whispered in her ear what I wanted and she turned away, grinning, as she left on the errand.

My pulling up another chair next to Grimm summoned a twinkle in her dark eyes that spoke of her affection for me. We leaned into each other and we enjoyed a tender kiss for a moment. I asked about her day and Grimm described the quiet walk back from Red-Tail Meadow, the small village set up west of Juniper Hills. Tharin had escorted her to discuss the Home Guard and Tower Guard with the women in the village and they had spent the night in the village.

Grimm worked with the old archer to train and organize the women of childbearing age to defend themselves. In the Home Guard, Grimm taught basic swordplay and Tassim showed them how to use a short-bow. There had been some complaints from the women in Red-Tail that their families didn't have the same opportunities as townsfolk, so they wanted to discuss it. The Tower Guard was considered a more prestigious position, above the Town Watch but below armsman and the job had expanded beyond protecting the Lord and Ladies' homestead to include guarding the town's gates.

Now that currency was a normal part of the exchange of goods and services, as much as barter, being a member of the Town Watch or Tower Guard was much more desirable. Laudus influenced Palus and Swarta to pay a monthly salary for the men and women protecting Juniper Hills, incorporating another Convey practice.

It only made sense that our simple commune-like village would develop a more market based economy as we grew. Whether we liked it or not, certain goods and services were more desirable and someone with a smithy only needed so many chickens or fish. So some means to store value― like coins― would become preferred, especially from people moving from Convey to the frontier. Our use of Convey's currency really helped integrate new people from the island into our developing culture.