Dragon Lords 4-Warrior Prince (29 page)

Chapter Nineteen

Zoran was exhausted, having no desire to get out of bed and leave the warmth of his wife’s body. Pia snuggled into his side, her head lying on his arm. Seeing her parted lips, he could not stop himself from kissing her.

Pia moaned sleepily in protest against his mouth, although she didn’t draw away. Weakly, she mumbled, "No, Zoran, no more."

He chuckled, teasing softly against her temple, "But you said one more time."

Pia lifted one very lazy lid to eye him. She had indeed said one more time, but that was last night and they’d done it one more time, and one more, and one more.... Her body was too sore to even contemplate another bout so soon.

"Tyrant," she said before laughing softly.

"I take it you no longer want to shove my nose into my skull," he whispered. His kisses lightly found her temple as his nose nudged her.

Pia finally managed to open both eyes to look at him. Looking him over seriously, she said, "You shouldn’t have lied to me."

Zoran’s smile faded. "I didn’t mean to lie. I meant to protect you."

"I don’t need you to protect me. I can take care of myself."

"Pia," Zoran began only to sigh. It was getting late and he needed to meet with the war council. Already his brothers were probably waiting for him. "It’s my duty to protect you and every other person under Draig rule. I know you can handle yourself, but don’t ask me not to do my duty."

Well, if he puts it that way, she thought, secretly liking the fact she was under his protection. She was too tired to pick a fight. So instead, she teased, "Well, you might lead the Draig armies, prisoner, but I command you."

"Is that so?" Zoran laughed at her audacity. But as he looked at her lovely face, surrounded by her tousled blonde hair, he knew it was true. She did command him. He would never dare to tell her as much.

"Mm," Pia agreed. A mischievous smile came to her lips, as she said, "Hey, I guess that means I really control the Draig armies."

"If you had a need of them, I would gladly send them to conquer the world," he said gallantly.

Pia chuckled. Nodding her chin down his body, she admitted, "I saw that it leaked, but I had no idea it leaked out your brains."

Instantly, Pia’s face turned red at the admission.

Zoran’s hearty laughter filled the bedroom, amazed that she could still be embarrassed after the night they had. Knowing he had to get dressed, he finally pulled away from her. Thinking on her words, he ran hand onto her stomach and whispered, "No, not my brains, but, perhaps my son."

Pia froze, never having stopped to consider that their actions would have such a consequence. Sitting up, she pulled the covers with her. His hand fell off her stomach, as he too moved to get up.

Zoran saw her reaction and was sorry for it. It didn’t seem she had changed her mind in that regard. She didn’t want his sons. It might already be too late for her to decide against pregnancy. They’d come together often and it was possible that even now his child grew within her. Would she resent him for it? Would she do the unthinkable and try to end it? Deciding it was better not to mention that little fact, he let the subject drop.

Pia trembled to think herself a mother. She knew nothing about motherhood or pregnancy. Seeing the expression on his face and afraid he was going to press the issue further, she hastened, "Don’t you have to be there in order for the war council to convene?"

Zoran smiled, remembering how she broke him under torture. She’d gotten that piece of information out of him when he taught her that kissing and sucking weren’t only for mouths and tongues. As a hardened warrior, he might have shamed himself by caving so easily to her soft lips, but it had definitely been worth it.

"Yes," Zoran groaned. Seeing his war council tunic crumpled on the floor, he shook it out.

"Are you sure I can’t go with you?" she asked. They’d been over it the night before and Pia knew he wouldn’t be changing his mind. She was right.

"Princesses aren’t allowed, only occasionally the Queen," he answered. "Besides, they are terribly dull. We basically grunt and stare at each other for hours and refuse to answer each other’s questions."

"Grunting and staring," Pia giggled softly, giving his body a meaningful look. "I don’t see anything boring about that."

* * * *

King Attor denied all charges with a smirky grin. He knew as long as he was under the protection of the convened council, he wouldn’t be touched. Nothing was accomplished during the seven hours of talks. But, then again, nothing had been accomplished in the centuries of fighting that had occurred between the two kingdoms. Death attempts on both sides were nothing new, though none had occurred for over a hundred years.

Zoran was in charge of military matters, representing the Draig with a Var warrior of equal ranking opposite him. Olek presided over the whole affair, doing his best as ambassador to keep the peace, though all brothers knew he would like nothing more than to spill King Attor’s blood for his insults to the royal Draig family.

After the meeting, it took another four and a half hours to insure that Attor and his men were gone. A thorough search of the castle revealed nothing and the high alert was taken off the village so that the villagers could again leave their homes using caution.

Zoran was exhausted from his night with Pia. It was hard not to grin during negotiations every time he thought about it. His vixen wife had drained him dry. However, strangely, his body was eager to go back to her. He wondered if he could give her another night of passion. His body was willing to try.

He stripped from his clothing and climbed into bed beside his sleeping wife. He knew that soon they might be facing another war with the House of Var. Feeling Zoran’s arms around her waist, Pia yawned, turning around to look at him.

"What happened?" she asked, dying to know. She’d tried to wait up for him, but had fallen asleep. She’d spent most of the day poking at her stomach, trying to see if anything was different within her. Not sure what signs to look for, she just sighed. She didn’t look fatter. Aside from the numbing sensation created by a night of loving, she didn’t ache.

"Nothing was achieved," he admitted.

Pia sighed, sensing the truth in his words.

Reaching behind him, he pulled out a box and set in on her chest. "I wanted to give you something."

Pia blinked, looking down. The wooden box was old, looking very much worn. "What is it?"

"A gift," he admitted.

To her surprise, she noticed he almost seemed embarrassed. That piqued her curiosity. "What for?"

"I was going to give it to you the night of your coronation, after we got home, but ... well," he lightly shrugged. "So much happened that I never had a chance."

"What is it?" she asked again, almost too scared to touch it.

"Just open it," he urged.

Pia did, unhooking the delicate latch. Inside were five very beautiful knives. They were used, but in good shape. Touching the delicately engraved silver hilt encrusted with black onyx, she breathed, "They’re beautiful."

"I know they’re old," Zoran admitted. "But they were the first set given to me by my parents the day I became a man. I don’t know, maybe I should’ve gotten you jewelry instead."

"Are you kidding?" Pia laughed, excited. "You can’t maim a man with a set of earrings. These are perfect."

Zoran chuckled, nuzzling her neck with a soft trail of kisses. "Ah, my bloodthirsty wench."

"Can I try them out tomorrow?" she asked hopefully. "I’ve been promising to teach the other girls how to knife throw. It would be perfect!"

"Who do you want me to get as your target? I believe Hume is still fairly taken with you," Zoran mused.

Pia punched him. "I meant the knife post out at the field."

"I don’t see why not," Zoran said. "We can go tomorrow morning if you like."

Pia was lifting each knife in turn as she spoke. When Zoran tried to move the box away, she growled and made as if to bite his hand.

"You can’t sleep with them," he chuckled. He buried his face into his pillow and yawned.

"But--" she began.

"No, I’m setting my foot down."

Pia giggled but let him take the box and set it on the floor. He came back to wrap his arm around her warm body, trying to dig his fingers beneath her cotton shirt to the flesh at her waist.

She stroked back the hair from his face, saying, "Good night."

Zoran kissed the tip of her nose. Pia turned in his arms and pretended to go asleep. It wouldn’t do to keep tempting fate until she learned a little bit more about this pregnancy thing. She’d have asked Nadja, but the castle had been on high alert and she hadn’t been allowed to leave her home.

"Goodnight, Pia," Zoran sighed, nuzzling her neck. Holding her in his arms, he fell asleep.

* * * *

The warriors cheered good-naturedly as the four Princesses, wearing dark breeches and tunic shirts, aimed knives at the practice post. Olena was the first to throw. She did fairly well, as each knife made it into the center. The gathered soldiers clapped and stomped. She glanced at Yusef, trying to act like she didn’t seek his approval. A white bandage slashed across his arm but he looked well.

Nadja was hopeless, missing the target completely on all five tries. She glanced at Olek in embarrassment. The men applauded anyway. Morrigan managed to hit the post on her turn, though they weren’t centered. She curtsied as she received her cheers. Ualan wasn’t there to watch her victory. She had told the Princesses that she had left him in bed asleep.

"Maybe you ladies should let a man show you how it’s done," a voice from the crowd called.

"Ach," Agro cried. "You’re hardly a man, Hume!"

Pia flashed a grin at Hume, who immediately crushed his hand over his heart. She took her new set of knives Zoran had given her, weighing them carefully in her hand as she tested them. Getting to the third one, she lifted it and studied the blade. Frowning, she went to her husband and handed it to him. Zoran uncrossed his arms and took it from her, letting his finger slyly glide over the pulse at her wrist. His mouth twitched but gave nothing away as Pia shivered.

Pia looked him directly in the eye, moving her hands to his waist, she lifted his tunic aside and let her nail scrape lightly over his skin as she retrieved a replacement blade from the back side of his waist. His stomach tensed, but his face gave nothing away as she withdrew a blade and began testing it as she had the others. His eyes, however, glinted with just enough liquid fire to leave her body very excited.

When he glanced curiously at the replacement blade, she announced loudly for all the men to hear, "You need to check the balance on that one. It will pull a fraction to the right."

With hardly moving a muscle, Zoran threw the blade over her shoulder. It stuck just to the right of the target. The men laughed heartily in approval.

Not turning around, Pia said, "Told you."

Zoran’s lip curled up at the side, excited by her confidence. He stood, waiting for his wife to take her first turn, his stomach tight as he waited to judge her skill for himself.

Going before the target, Pia took a deep breath. She’d seen the challenge in Zoran’s gaze. She would make him proud.

Flinging one of the blades at the post, she didn’t wait for it to land before rapidly dropping to the ground to throw two more in roll. Then, coming to kneel, she threw the last two. The fourth blade struck against Zoran’s to knock it free, before sticking in its place. On the fifth throw, she turned her arm and it missed the post completely. The warriors watched in stunned silence, their eyes following the path of her last throw. It was a foot before Hume, sticking hilt up and tipped forward to the man.

"You missed," Hume said, to break the silence. The men went wild cheering. Pia took a graceful bow. The women jumped in excitement, basking in Pia’s victory.

Morrigan turned amongst the commotion to see her husband storming onto the field. The women, hearing her gasp, followed her gaze. Pia and Olena exchanged looks of amusement.

"Careful," Olena teased Morrigan, pulling close to the woman. "Or else we might think you actually like the barbarian."

Morrigan blushed, turning her eyes away. Pia handed Olena the blades for her next turn.

"My wife is missing," Ualan whispered furiously into Zoran’s ear. "Have you seen her?"

Zoran frowned at Ualan’s words. Without uncrossing his arms, he nodded his jaw to where Morrigan stood with the other Princesses.

Olena glanced at Yusef, he nodded his head. Pia, seeing the woman’s look, whispered, "It would seem Rigan isn’t the only one enamored by her warrior husband."

Olena let a mischievous smile light her eyes. "We’ve got a bet going. All I have to do is hit this post with these five blades and I win."

"Come," they heard Prince Ualan say.

Pia and Olena turned around to watch Ualan leading Morrigan off to the forest. They shared a look.

"Zoran tried to lead me around like that," Pia said, shaking her head in disapproval. "He had to carry me off kicking and screaming. I nearly got away, too. I did get a few good punches in."

Olena laughed, "I hid in the forest for a night, but broke my arm. Yusef had to come rescue me."

"We’re waiting!" came a cry from the crowd.

Pia glared good-humoredly at Hume. Wryly, she called, "Don’t make me aim higher, Sir Hume."

Pia meant his chest, but the rowdy warriors were only too ready to guess something much bawdier.

Zoran gulped. Pia looked in confusion at the men’s snickering. Olena laughed, understanding the men all too well.

Pia crossed over to Zoran as Olena threw. Standing beside him and affecting a similar, cross-armed stance, she said from the side of her mouth, "What did I just say?"

"You indicated you were going to rid him of his manhood," Zoran said, cracking a smile at her innocence.

"Oh," came her reply. Pia bit her lips, but gave nothing away. "Want to wager on my next throw?"

Zoran turned to look at her. "What did you have in mind?"