Chapter 17
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
JAMAL
I was still pouting as I wandered around the barbarian clan alone.
Since I’d first shown up at the Velgraz Clan, I had either one or the other of my barbarians by my side.
Usually both, since they both got a little jealous if the other got more time with me.
But I’d never been alone before. Even before we’d started fucking, they weren’t far.
Now, they were somewhere doing training, and I was left to fend for myself.
I thought about going to watch, I did enjoy watching them spar and roll around together, but I had no idea how long the training would last, and I knew I’d get bored if it took too long.
It didn’t seem worth it. Besides, I kind of wanted them to suffer too, not knowing where I was or what I was doing, in recompense for leaving me all alone.
Torgrind had tried to get me to rest, and while he wasn’t wrong that I’d been exhausted when I woke up after a very long night of sex, the idea of lying down without them pressed against me bugged me. I didn't want to sleep without my big barbarians touching me.
My scowl deepened as I thought about them together without me. It didn’t matter that when I wasn’t around, they didn't get along. I wanted their attention on me!
Kicking at sand did absolutely nothing to make me feel better, and I couldn’t even go look for Yngvar for some alcohol to ease the boredom since he was at the training thing as well. Most of the barbarians were, which was just annoying. The clan was boring without them!
“You look like a pocket of sunshine this morning,” Abigail’s familiar voice said from somewhere nearby.
I hadn’t been paying attention to where I was wandering and somehow my feet led me to the paddock where they kept the horses.
Unlike the tents, which were kept a little separate between clans, the horses were all together in one huge area mostly under the shade of the trees, with access to a small creek that flowed from the main river and plenty of bushes and smaller trees to nibble on.
I had only caught glimpses of it since we arrived because my attention had been diverted by Prince Zakai and Simon, and then the demanding attention of my barbarians.
Abigail was astride a mount, looking at me with amusement in her eyes.
“What reason do I have to be in a good mood?” I challenged. “Both my barbarians are off playing with each other while I’m here all alone.”
She rolled her eyes, tossing one leg over so she could slide off her mount’s back. The mount didn't go far, sniffing at her pockets for treats, and she handed him one from one of the pouches tied to her belt.
“First of all, I’ve met your barbarians.
They’d take exception to anyone making any noise that they ‘played’ with each other.
Second, you need to find a way to entertain yourself without them.
Otherwise you’ll end up relying on them for entertainment all the time and whining and pouting when they can’t give it to you. ”
I scowled at her annoyingly accurate description of what I was currently doing. I refused to admit for even a second she might be right.
“What else is there to do around here?” I asked accusingly. “The clans are a lot more boring and sedate than I expected. It’s like all you ever do is sit around.”
She gave me a droll expression, leaning her forearms against the wooden fence around the paddock. “Sitting around isn’t something I do often. Nor do many of the clan. They all find something to do. You should do the same.”
It sounded like she wanted me to work, and I was absolutely not going to do that.
I already had to work for the rest of my life in the castle.
I was as young as four when I started doing chores in the castle kitchens.
If my father got his way, I’d be working his job once he was too old to do it.
As long as I was out here and out of the range of my father’s wrath, I wasn’t going to do anything I didn’t have to.
“Like what? If you say work, I’m going to hurt you.”
She didn't take offense to my snark, grinning at me. “I’d like to see you try, shortie. But no, I wasn’t saying that you needed to work every time you were bored. That’d get exhausting. I said find something to do.”
I threw my hands up, exasperated. “Like what?”
“Whoo, you need to cool off first before I even think to help you,” she replied, patting the wood of the fence and tipping her head toward the paddock. “Come on. Maybe some time around the horses will make you better company.”
Because I had nothing better to do, I clambered over the fence to join her, heading for the shade where most of the herd was resting or snacking.
She wasn’t the only horsemaster out here.
There were a few others brushing manes or checking hooves in different areas of the paddock, doing all the boring chores that came with caring for horses.
I wasn’t interested in doing any of that, since it looked a lot like work to me, and crossed my arms petulantly when we were finally under the shade and surrounded by the herd.
“How is this any more entertaining than–”
A large head nudged me before I could finish the question, knocking me off balance. I stumbled, and Abigail caught me with a laugh, pushing me back to my feet and jerking her chin at the stallion that had pushed me.
“Look. You’re not the only one demanding attention. He wants treats. Here.” She handed me a pouch with treats in it and pushed me toward the stallion again. I recognized him as the bitey one I’d been introduced to when Brenek took me riding.
He gave an impatient nudge of my arm when I didn’t pull a treat out fast enough, but he was delicate in taking it from me, using lips and the barest hint of teeth to take the fruit from my flat palm.
Then when he finished his treat, he nudged my chin with his big face. I hummed and smiled, petting his nose.
“Well, at least someone is nice to me,” I murmured. I shot Abigail an accusing look, and she just grinned at me from where she was leaning back against one of the largest stallions I’d ever seen, using him like a wall instead of a horse.
“I figured you’d find kinship in the herd. A great deal of them are demanding for attention, just like you. You could make some friends, at the very least.”
Twisting my mouth, I raised an eyebrow at her. “Are you saying I can’t make friends with humans?”
She shrugged, though she looked like she was fighting a laugh.
“I mean, if the minute your barbarians aren’t fawning over you, you’re bored out of your mind, I assume that means you don’t have any friends.
After this long with the clan, I just assumed you were bad at making friends. I figured the herd was easier.”
“You’re such a bitch,” I laughed.
She didn’t take offense, her grin positively wicked. She was enjoying tormenting me.
“The horses are better company,” a male voice said, making us both look around.
I hadn’t realized there were more than just us nearby, I hadn’t seen anyone close, and it took a second to find him.
He was lounging against a sleeping horse, fingers laced over his belly, using the giant animal as a pillow.
He only opened his eyes when we came close enough, stretching like he’d been in the middle of a nap himself and was only just waking up.
“Godr, when did you get here?” Abigail asked.
“I’ve been out here for a while,” he replied with a grin. “While my bondmate and son are busy, I prefer the company of the herd to the rest of my clan.”
“Uh huh,” Abigail smirked. “So this has nothing to do with you avoiding Drin since his clan arrived this morning?”
Godr wrinkled his nose, looking distinctly uncomfortable.
“He refuses to let the past go, despite being happily bonded himself. He still treats me as if I led him on. It is easier to be out here when Ambrose is busy.” He jerked his chin at me, changing the subject.
“You’re a new face. Looking for better company amongst the herd? ”
“He’s pouting because his barbarians are busy, so I brought him out here to distract him,” Abigail answered for me. “He’s bored.”
Humming thoughtfully, Godr pushed to his feet, brushing the sand from his clothes. “I understand this. Some days move slower than others. Those days are when I take the younger horses on long rides to get their energy out. Can you ride?”
“Some,” I answered, waving a hand at Abigail. “She’s been teaching me.”
“Not enough to control the colts,” she argued with a shake of her head. “He’ll be tossed, and I don’t want both Torgrind and Brenek coming after me for allowing him to come to harm while out here.”
Godr shrugged. “That’s fine. He can just practice riding on his own. Does he have his own mount?”
The stallion from before, who’d demanded treats, bumped into me right as I replied, “No.”
Godr smirked, raising an eyebrow at me. “You sure? Sometimes, it is the stallion who picks the rider, not the other way around. He seems to like you.”
He walked toward the horse, sidestepping when it tried to bite him and pointing a stern finger. “None of that. He’s too small to climb up by himself. I’m going to give him a boost. You be nice.”
Chuckling, Abigail followed, waving for me to follow so I could get on the horse. “A ride is a good idea, but only along the water. It’s too hot for a desert ride, and if he falls off, I’d rather he do it where he’d have a softer landing.”
I scowled at her even while moving where they wanted me, using both their shoulders and Godr’s laced fingers to get me up onto the back of the massive horse. “I told you already, I’ve never fallen off while riding before.”
“A cock doesn’t count,” she replied with a smirk, like she knew there was a distinction to be made, making Godr bark out a laugh.
“True, but it doesn’t hurt,” he agreed, climbing onto the back of a younger horse who only seemed to allow it because he was given a treat beforehand. “Come on. Let’s have some fun.”
He led the way to a gate where Abigail met us, her own mount waiting while she let us through and closed it behind her, using the fence to hop up on the larger animal’s back. Maybe I needed to do that next time.
As we headed for the river, I found myself looking between the pair of horsemasters curiously. “So what do you do for fun then, if work doesn’t count?”
Abigail tipped her head, looking thoughtfully up at the canopy of trees.
“I spend most of my time with the horses. They’re fun, and even if I’m not training or caring for them, Godr is right that they’re good company.
But if the weather is bad or another horsemaster is in the paddock and I’ve got free time, I like to create little decorations with spare leather or clay.
You’ve seen the decorations on the tents?
” She waited for me to nod before continuing.
“They were made for Henry to find his way around without his bondmate to help him, so he can move by touch. The whole clan helped make them, but I found I quite enjoyed it.”
“I play games with the kids,” he replied easily, then made a face. “I still haven’t figured out how my son is cheating, though. I know he is.”
That made me snicker. “I’m skilled in card games. What does he play? Maybe I can figure it out.”
I hadn’t spent much time away from my barbarians since I arrived, and I was realizing slowly that I was missing out. There was more to the clan than I gave them credit for. Perhaps I needed to be more open minded.