Chapter Six
CHAPTER
SIX
They found a second dress, but Jaykun would’ve hardly called it conservative. It had a sweetheart neckline, and the laces at the back of the gown pulled the waist in and accentuated the plumpness of Jileana’s breasts until he felt that was all he could see of her. Those full, ripe breasts …
“Good gods, I’ve become a lecher,” he muttered under his breath.
It didn’t help that she eschewed any sort of undergarment, insisting that the dresses were confining enough, thank you very much.
If she must be clothed, then she must, but she wasn’t going to strangle herself in clothing. Or so she said.
Once he had paid for both dresses, she led the way back toward the castle.
She did, however, stop every two seconds to marvel over everything she saw.
Like a child, she was attracted to bright colors, things that blew in the breeze, things that made noise or entertained.
She spent a good half hour in a toy booth, playing with each and every children’s toy she got her hands on.
He ought to have hurried her along—he was wasting crucial time with her—but he didn’t have the heart to interrupt her pleasure.
The truth was, she was a pleasure to watch.
Her long, loose hair blew in the ocean breezes that came in off the water.
The sun danced on her warm, dark skin and her shiny lips.
Every time she smiled she flashed brilliant white teeth, and every time she laughed it was absolutely infectious.
Every Krizan they encountered was guarded and nearly hostile at first, but by the time she left a booth, she seemed to have warmed them to her considerably.
“I should make you my ambassador,” he mused a bit later as they left the bazaar and headed up toward the castle. “You have that kind of charm about you, the kind that puts all parties instantly at ease.”
“Oh, I don’t think that would be wise. The Krizans have no more trust for my people than they do for yours. And with good reason. The Krizans have long sought a means of getting to my people’s home to destroy us.”
“Really? And where is your people’s home?”
She smiled and took his hand in hers. “Come. I will show you.”
She pulled him after her so quickly he had to run to keep up with her.
She took him into the castle and then ran all around it, taking every flight of stairs she could find.
She didn’t know the castle any better than he did, but she knew she wanted to go up.
Eventually they burst out onto the castle’s battlements.
She pulled him to the ocean-facing side and pointed off toward the horizon.
“There,” she said, pointing to a dark gathering of storm clouds. It was clear that a violent storm was out in that part of the ocean.
“Where the storm is?” he asked as he peered over at it.
He could see nothing. But if he looked to the left, he could see the small speck that was his next target, the Isle of Moroun.
His eventual goal was to cross the ocean and head to the next continent, his newly acquired, armada in tow, but first he would conquer Moroun.
“Yes. It is called Serenmitazahmiktubarinaty.”
“Say that again?” he said with an astounded laugh.
“You can call it Serenity if you cannot say the full of it. Serenmitazahmiktubarinaty is unique, the most beautiful island you would ever know. You’ll never find its like anywhere else.”
“And yet we seem to have much more here than there. I can tell by your reactions to so many things.”
“What you have here is different… not more. I could show you things in my world I expect would have you just as wide with wonder as I find myself to be in your world.”
“Perhaps. Perhaps I should go to your world, meet with your leaders. We could discuss erecting temples to Weysa.”
“And if we do not agree you will try to conquer us?”
“Perhaps,” he said honestly.
“You would fail.”
“Do you have an army? An armada?”
“Serenity protects itself from outsiders like you. We have no need for anything else as far as that is concerned. However, my father is leader of our legion. The legion protects us against our other enemies. Enemies far different from you.”
“Different how?”
“Let’s just say you should be glad the world of men holds no appeal for them.”
“World of men? Is there any other kind of world?” he asked, a bit confused.
“Of course there is. You are well traveled; surely you have learned that there are many worlds out there.”
“You mean races, civilizations. Yes. There are many. But in the end, we are all human. We all have two legs, two arms. We all have males and females, and we all make children and make war upon one another. Your land and people are no different.”
“True, there are many similarities. But there are just as many dissimilarities.”
“If your world is so protected, so distant, how is it you come to be here?”
She gave him an enigmatic little smile. “There are ways if you know them. There are special times. And believe me when I tell you, my father would be very angry if he knew where I was right now. So too would my brothers. But I will worry about that when I return three days from now.” Her smile broadened.
“Perhaps by then you will want to come with me. You cannot bring your army but you can come yourself. And maybe you can go before the empress of our people and perhaps she will erect a temple to your goddess. But I do not see many of our people worshipping your goddess. We worship the goddess of the land and oceans because that is what is known to us. Diathus protects her children, keeps us healthy and safe. We know no other gods.”
“You know of them.”
“Of course we do. But we are Diathus’s children.” She gave him a bright smile. “Now come. I believe it is time for our meal. Then I must let you go to your brothers so you can carry on with your business of the day. I have already monopolized your morning.”
She was right. She had. The entire morning had gone by and he had not even realized it.
His brothers were probably beside themselves wondering what had become of him.
Still, they were more than capable of functioning without him and he was sure they had plenty to do, taking over this city and making it their own.
So too did he. But he had promised her one meal a day and he was a man of his word.
He entered the main dining hall where the brothers’ personal chefs were already laying out a meal for Jaykun and his chief aides.
His brothers were there as well and suddenly he had the urge to take a more private meal with her.
She would find herself lost amongst all these men.
Amongst all the tasks and discussions that would no doubt be overshadowing the meal.
Tomorrow he would see things done differently, but for now, he had no choice but to let it happen.
As it was, his brothers would be champing at the bit for him to get on with the day’s considerable business.
The looks they shot him as he entered the hall revealed as much.
But he didn’t really care. In his mind the morning had been well spent.
Actually, it had been a really good morning, an easy one.
And he had not enjoyed such for a very long time.
His life was one of long, hard campaigns, one after another, eyes always set on the next goal.
That morning his goals had been simple, not pressing or weighty.
He realized he was grateful to her for it.
It would not—could not—last of course, but it had been nice while it had been happening.
He only wished he had appreciated it more.
He sat down at the head of the table, a position given to him by his brothers in deference to his rank over them.
Dethan may be the eldest, but this was Jaykun’s army and they wanted everyone to know it.
The next available seat at the table was several places down on the left and Jaykun frowned.
He hardly thought his promise of a meal with her consisted of her being out of comfortable speaking distance.
“Would everyone be so kind as to shift down,” he asked of those on the left.
They all paused their conversations and actions as if they had been suddenly caught in amber.
Then, slowly, everyone on the left, including his brother Garreth, stood up and shifted down one seat.
Luckily, Garreth did so without verbal comment, but his discontent was obvious.
What it boiled down to, however, was that Jaykun’s word was law and it must be respected and obeyed …
and his brothers must be the first to set the example or there would be discontent and chaos in the ranks.
Jaykun held Jileana’s chair for her as she sat.
Once she was in front of her plate, he took his own seat, and realizing how hungry he was, he began to pile food onto his plate.
However, neither him nor his brothers could keep up with Jileana.
She was voracious, taking one of everything and then some.
She didn’t overstuff her mouth but instead seemed to savor every single bite.
“Oh, this is all so good! What do you call this? And this? Oh, and what about this?”
“We call it food. Do they starve you where you are from?”
She looked at Garreth and smiled in the face of his acerbic tone. “Hardly that. As I have said, it is different. I should like to bring knowledge of some of these things back with me. Can you tell me how this is made?” She held out a piece of bread.
“It’s just bread. You’ve no bread?”
“No. And this is so warm and fluffy. It all but melts in my mouth. And yet it is chewy. Isn’t it delightful?”
“Thrilling,” Garreth said with a sigh.