A Price for a Princess (15 page)

"Ah, is anyone as lovely as our wife?"  Perseus grinned when I walked out of the bathroom.

He kissed my cheek and Ekho kissed the other one, "None as far as the eagle flies," Ekho growled.

"I'm pretty sure that no wife before me has ever been complimented more."

"We only speak truth, my lady," Perseus bowed deeply and so did Ekho.  The only thing that made the scene less than serious was Ekho's tail twitching behind him. 

When the call for dinner was made, we moved together as a group, Odin and Finn walking behind us and speaking about the fun they'd had on our trip and how nice it would have been to have mate-dreams and find brides within the walls.

Impressively carved wooden doors were opened for us and a caller announced us as
the lady Daeton and her husbands, Perseus of the House Cosmo and Ekho of the Northern Lands
.  We all laughed under our breaths at how they'd tried to make us sound more regal than we actually were, but it was a nice touch all the same.  The newly crowned Prince Nenda was a tall, slim man with dirty blonde hair cut short and a thin mustache.  His wife, Tuli, had a lazy eye and a nice smile.  They greeted us warmly, thanking us for all we'd done for the kingdom.

We sat at the royal table for the feast, enjoying platters of food with everything imaginable piled on them, servants scurrying back and forth to fill drinks and serve.  Nenda and Tuli asked about my realm and my life and they shared their plans to start a family now that they were going to be settling into the palace.

"When you leave tomorrow," Nenda said, running a slim finger around the edge of his glass, "we'll send you with guards to keep you safe."

"Thank you, Prince Nenda," I said.

"And as you saved our kingdom from the wizard's threat, I grant you one favor.  Anything that you would have, ask and it shall be granted."

My mind spun for a moment, the wealth of the palace at my fingertips, clothing and luxury to last me several lifetimes.  But then my mother's voice murmured in my ear, and I knew that even though I wasn't technically a real princess, I was the daughter of the king of my den and that meant I needed to behave appropriately.

"There are two slave girls that attended me these last two days, Draya and Fontaine.  I'd have them released to me."

He chuckled, "Such a simple request, but good help is hard to find.  I'll see them ready by morning to join you."

I thanked him again, pleased that I'd managed to think of something less selfish than piles of gold and woven silks.  My mother would be proud.

Dancing followed the feast and Perseus and Ekho both showed themselves to be great dancers, and although I was relatively coordinated, the steps were confusing and I tripped often.  Before my frustration bloomed, Perseus lifted me inches off the floor and held me tight against him with one arm, and danced us both around the room. 

That night, after I made love to my husbands on the large bed, we lay tangled between the satiny sheets and catching our breaths.  Ekho kissed my shoulder.

"You could have chosen anything, honey kitten.  Why did you pick two slaves?  I thought you didn't like slavery?"

"I don't.  I want to set them free."

"That's very sweet, love, but they've only ever known slavery.  If you let them loose outside these walls, they'll wind up in a brothel or worse, on the auction block in Dran."  Perseus pulled covers up over all of us and pulled me towards him as Ekho curled against my back.

"Then we'll take them with us, until they're ready to be on their own.  But I want them to be free."

"Such compassion."  Ekho clucked his tongue and kissed my neck.  "You capture a bit more of my heart every day."

"Mine, too."  Perseus said with a low voice.

Mine, too.

Epilogue

After fitting Perseus, Odin, and Finn with thick blankets to make the ride easier, Ekho and I climbed onto Perseus' back, and Draya and Fontaine each took a Centaur to ride.  Provisions had been made for us, satchels filled with dried meats, fruits, and skins of wine.  Tuli had taken pity on the slave girls and sent clothing for them.  Although not as fine as what she'd gifted to me, the girls were now wearing pretty blue dresses edged with white lace, and their eyes were bright with hope for their future.

I hugged Rysk and Tyrant before we left.  "Wipe those sad looks from your eyes, both of you."  I chided them, squeezing their hands.

"It's hard, my lady," Rysk said with a thick voice, "to know that we nearly brought you to your death."

"But you didn't.  And along the way I found my mates.  I couldn't be happier for the way things worked out, and I have you thank for it."

"We don't deserve your thanks," Tyrant said, "but we're grateful for it.  If ever you have need of us, we'll come right away."

I kissed both their cheeks, watched them blush, and said goodbye.

At the palace gates, surrounded by Dire Wolves who were going to see us safely home, Perseus said, "Where to, love?"

"North."  I said, wiggling a bit on the blanket until I was comfy.  The dress had several layers so I was much more comfortable than if I'd been wearing jeans.  It wouldn't matter to me if I never wore jeans again.

"North?"  He looked over his shoulder at me in question.

"Yes, north to the Leonemen land.  Ekho's got a bride to introduce to his family.  And then we can go home."

"Are you sure you want to go back to Cholas?"  Perseus asked starting off at a trot from the palace and turning north when we reached the main road.

"Of course."

Perseus said, "We will take you back to your family for a visit as soon as we are able.  We can journey through the portal that reaches the Centaur city in your realm."

That sounded wonderful.  I hugged him with one arm and reached the other one back to pull Ekho closer to me. 

"How did we get so lucky?"  Ekho asked, squeezing his arms around me tightly.

"We're all lucky," I promised, and I really felt that was the truth.

Over the course the journey north to Ekho's family, I fell a little bit more in love with them every day, until the night before we crossed into the Leonemen territory when I shared my love for them both.  They echoed the love to me, promising their hearts forever in exchange for mine, which I gave freely.  I had never been in love before, and I was glad that I could share another first with the two men who had come to mean everything to me.

I was still young, but I felt as if I'd grown up a lot during my time in the Medes Realm.  I started the journey as a young, innocent woman and I finished the journey as a unique were-bear, a wife to two men, and freedom fighter for two slave girls.  My own life-saving journey had nearly cost me that life, but the future that awaited me in Perseus' homeland was worth anything in my book.

I'd found my inner she-bear, and she was ready to get on with her new life.  And I was, too.

The End

* * * * *

A Note from the Author
:
  Thank you so much for reading Daeton's story.  I hope that you enjoyed the world I created for her, and yes, her story isn't over yet!  Stop by my blog at
rebutler.wordpress.com
and leave a comment or to check up on my latest musings and upcoming release information.  Drop me an email at
[email protected]
.  I'd love to hear from you.

Coming Soon...

A Bond of Brothers:  Lynk and Tavian's Story

Other Works by R.E. Butler

A Curve of Claw

A Flash of Fang

A Price for a Princess

The Wolf's Mate Series:

Book 1:  Jason &Cadence

Book 2: Linus & The Angel

Coming Soon....Book 3:  Callie & The Cats

Read on for an excerpt from the next in the wiccan-were-bear series:

A Bond of Brothers (Book 4 in the Wiccan-Were-Bear Series)

Lynk & Tavian's Story

Shaylee Tianna is a banished fairy with the powers of healing and nature at her disposal.  One wintry morning, she stumbles upon an injured and dying were-bear.  Saving his life leads to a connection she didn't expect and the love kindled between them is hot enough to melt the snow on the ground.  But all is not easy with their newfound love...a brother's claim threatens everything.  Can she bridge the gap between them or will choosing both be the end of it all?  When a demon from her past jeopardizes all she holds dear, will the cost of her freedom be the lives of the ones she loves most?  This story contains one pissed off fairy, a were-bear that doesn't want to share, a sacrifice of blood and flesh that will melt your heart, and m/f/m interaction.

**Excerpt from A Bond of Brothers**

“Are you the angel that healed me?”  He said with a soft smile and a low voice that made the inside of my body go tingly warm.

“Angel?”

He frowned slightly, “I remember wings and feeling very warm.  I thought I was going to die but then I woke up with you in my arms.”

I smiled.  I’d never been called an angel before.  “I’m a healing fairy.  My name is Shaylee Tianna.”

His smile returned.  “I’m Lynk Stalking Horse.  Thank you for saving my life.”

“It was the strangest thing.  I was hunting and I smelled something that called to me.  I don’t really understand it, but I followed the scent and found you.  I thought you were a real bear and I was going to help you die quickly.  When I touched you, I knew you were a were and I healed you.”

He stared at me for a moment and then he pressed his head to the crux of my neck and took a deep breath.  My whole body lit up, shivers raced up and down my spine and I was speechless as my heart tried to pound out of my chest.  He moved up my neck slowly, dragging his warm lips up my sensitive skin before crossing my cheek to my mouth.

His plump lips stopped on mine and for a heartbeat I thought because he was a stranger that I shouldn’t kiss him or touch him, but the next heartbeat I wanted to do both of those things.  Months of loneliness surfaced like a raw wave of pain, the heated, delicious scent of him surrounded me, and I could no more get up from him than I could have stopped time.  Fisting my hands in his hair, I parted my mouth on a moan and he slipped his arms around me, drew me closer, and rolled me to my back.  Our tongues touched, that first gentle slide together like two creatures that were made for dark pleasure, and my body liquefied.  His hair cascaded around us like a thick blanket as I released one hand from the thick locks and ran my fingers down his back.  I traced the contours of his very naked body as he pressed on top of me, feeling the muscles tense and bunch under my exploration.

I was shirtless but still wearing my pants and boots, and when I felt his fingers at the button of my jeans, I let out an involuntary moan.  He lifted from my mouth and looked down at me.  "Do you want me to stop, Shaylee?"

**End of Excerpt**