"We can build it together, Ana. You and I, we can carve our names into the very soil of this world... together," I said, lifting my injured palm to cup her cheek. She seemed to be considering my words. At last she moved her hand gently holding mine against her skin.
"You certainly know how to charm a woman, Daemon," she smiled.
A genuine smile bloomed on my face as well. "So you agree?" I asked, a rare tenderness entering my voice.
"I do. But there are still tasks that I must complete here. If things go according to my designs, then we may be able to leave Qohor with immense gold and valuables to last us lifetimes," she said with fierce determination.
"What do you have planned?" I asked, not bothering to hide my curiosity.
"Now, do not fly into a rage at this, but I have set certain things in motion that require I be wed to the nephew of Taroh Eranis," she said as calmly as she could.
"What!?" I blazed, my blood instantly running hot. "That cunt shall never even lay a hand on you! I will have Caraxes burn him to ashes. What possessed you to take such a course of action?"
"Now, now, calm down. It is not as if I will be going through with it. It is merely a ploy to extract a Valyrian steel sword from the Eranis family," she explained, placating me.
"They have one? Are you certain?"
"Yes. I had assumed the city's treasury would have at the very least one, if not more, but as it turns out, the Eranis family personally possesses two. One they pride as their family heirloom, while the other I had the chance of gracing just last night. As I told you, a lot has happened since you were last awake," she said with a knowing smirk.
"Do go on," I prompted.
"After the last attack, the sellswords were devastated and wished to leave. The Romans made use of this opportunity by secretly paying them half of what they were owed by Qohor to do just that. Taroh Eranis grew desperate, and so I struck a bargain with him. I agreed to stay in exchange for nobility, lands, and a Valyrian steel sword. He agreed on the condition that I wed his nephew to be elevated to nobility, and that I bring the departing sellswords back under my wing. I agreed to the bargain but successfully held off on the marriage until after the war," she explained.
"I presume he did not give you the sword upfront, then," I deduced.
"Not until after the marriage. But I think he will hand it to me long before that," she said, her smirk widening.
"Why is that?"
"For two reasons. The first is that he has seen that I am true to my word, for I have already assimilated two of the other four deserting sellsword companies. The second is that an additional Roman Legion marches this way, while no accord for peace has been made between Qohor and the Empire. Eranis is desperate, and desperate men are the most easily bent to the whims of the powerful."
"How did you get the other sellsword companies to obey you?" I inquired, genuinely impressed.
"All men are susceptible to their greed. So, I offered the lower-ranked subordinates of the commanders gold and leadership in exchange for killing their leaders. Two of them gave in to the temptation, while the subordinates of the other two informed on my ploy. Thus, of our four companion sellsword companies, two ran away, while the other two were assimilated," she said with absolutely no hint of remorse.
"Very shrewd of you," I complimented. "What shall be done with the turn cloaks? Letting them lie only incites them to betray you further down the line," I advised.
"They will be dealt with once I have properly consolidated the two assimilated companies. But for now, they serve their purpose by keeping the others in line."
"True enough. I admire how utterly ruthless you can be to get that which you desire," I praised, gazing deeply into her eyes.
"I always end up getting what I want," she said as she stood up and moved to sit on the edge of my cot. "And right now, I am gazing at what I want most."
She closed the distance between us, her lips colliding with mine. She cupped my face gently as I tangled my hands in her silver hair. It was deep and passionate, a desperate affirmation of life after so much death. We lost ourselves in each other's embrace—and then my injuries ruined it all.
"Ughh," I grunted as she inadvertently shifted her weight onto my chest, sending a bolt of searing pain through my ribs.
"Forgive me. I lost myself," she said, immediately backing away, though her hand lingered to gently caress my uninjured shoulder. "We shall continue this once you get better, Daemon."
I did not wish to let her go, but there was much to be done. "We shall." I caught her arm as she stood up and pulled her in to kiss her once more before letting go.
She merely smiled warmly as she slipped out of the tent.
I lay there eating the apple slices when another presence made itself known at the tent flap.
"M'lord, you are awake!" Oro said, his voice raising in excitement. "Would you like something to drink, m'lord, or perhaps you need your dressings redone? I shall call for the healer at once!"
He spewed words at the pace with which dragons spewed fire.
"That will not be necessary, Oro. Come, sit. I wished to talk to you," I told him, indicating the empty wooden chair. He promptly sat down. It was then I noticed that he bore fresh injuries of his own. His arms and shoulders were wrapped tightly with blood-spotted gauze.
"How are your injuries?" I asked.
"They are well, m'lord. The same old battle scars as before," he said, feigning a brave confidence.
"I thank you for saving my life, Oro. Were it not for you, I would most certainly be just another body hacked to pieces out on that field," I said with genuine appreciation.
"Think nothing of it, m'lord. It was my god-given duty to guard you after having sworn myself to your service."
"Yes. I shall rectify that mistake today. I would be glad to formally have you in my service, Oro. More than glad," I said.
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Hey guys I really appreciate the support you have given to this work. All the powerstones and comments work toward make the story more visible. I only request that you also review the work considering we just crossed 30k words on the story. It would really help. Thank you.