A Marq's Woman Ch. 06

Ginny turned to face Ty, and saw the uncontrolled anger in his eyes. She knew that he could see the imprint of her mother's hand on her cheek, and that had increased his anger. She laid a hand on his arm and stroked it soothingly.

"I knew you'd be a bastard. Just like your father. Led around by your dicks -."

"Watch your mouth, madam," Ty turned frosty eyes towards the bitch in red, his voice cold enough to freeze an average man in midstep. "I will forgive you this transaction because you are my father's second wife, but mark my words, I am sorely tempted to wring your neck. If you ever dare lay hands on my wife again -."

"Wife? What wife? Everyone in the towns is talking. She's nothing but your whore. I noticed the way you looked at her when she was younger, and I knew, I just knew this would happen. I sent her to the Chapel so that it would not, but it was inevitable. She's a whore. Nothing but a harlot, a tart, a whore!"

The fist came from nowhere.

"Mother!"

Tyson only vaguely heard Ginny's aggrieved cry. The blood was pulsing heavily through his veins and the anger in him was so potent that he felt that he could tear the bitch from limb to limb with his bare hands. Ginny was crouched over her mother now, wiping at the blood that was oozing from the corner of her lips. Tyson felt utterly disgusted by the woman's mouth and the things it said. He could not believe that she was bound by blood to his sweet-tempered Ginny. Ginny was nothing like her mother.

"Ginny. Come here," Ty ordered and slipped his hands around her shoulders when she did. He looked down at the old woman balefully.

"We had intended to invite you to our wedding, but I see now that you will not be attending. Good day, madam."

*

"You should not have hit her."

Tyson turned startled eyes to his lover, unsure if he'd heard correctly. Ginny repeated her statement.

"And whyever not? The woman called you – she called you a…" Tyson stumbled over his words, unable to let the blasphemous word slip out of his lips where Ginny was concerned. He shifted his grip on her waist, bringing her soft bottom up to the cradle of his thighs.

"It isn't new to me, Tyson. She started calling me that when I was twelve. The day you rode off: do you remember the kiss that you gave me?" Tyson nodded. "She saw that. And she's been calling me a whore ever since. 'Tis nothing new to me."

"But it doesn't make it right. You're not a loose woman. You never were. I certainly know that. She has no reason to call you that. No reason at all. Though I doubt she'll call you that anymore."

Ginny sighed. She knew that Tyson had struck her mother out of anger, an anger that should have been hers. For years, she had despised her mother for calling her that filthy word – not only in her chamber, but in front of servants as well. It had cut her heart to the quick, to know that her mother had such a hateful soul. And she should rot in hell for feeling the quick stab of gleeful revenge when her mother had fallen to the floor.

"'Tis over and done with, shaz'ra. Do not think about it. Our wedding will be held at the manor's chapel this Saturday. You're a bride – you're supposed to smile, not frown." He leaned down to nuzzle her neck, and she giggled and shied away.

"Your beard tickles," she said, her fingers moving to caress the silky roughness of it.

"You'll have to shave it for me, then. Tonight. While I take a bath."

Her mischievous smile was taken captive by his hungry mouth.

*

Kistle sat under the Erb tree, a small mountain of books by her side. In her hands was a thick tome of the adventures of Dariel Mehand, a famous explorer of the galaxy. He had been to every planet, including Kierania, and had recounted each and every one in detail in his biography.

1729, Rasphere

It is beautiful here. The trees grow, untouched by any creature's hand, as tall as the heaven's above. The lakes not only overflow with the sweetest of waters, but with a new breed of red fish which I have aptly named 'Redtail'.

What people that do live here, live high on the mountain tops where there is rain and sunlight aplenty for their farming needs. Every once in a while, a rainbow could be seen creasing the blue, cloudless sky in the distance, over the small, brown huts that are visible to the naked eye.

It is truly a wonder -

"Excuse me, milady," a voice cut into Kistle's intense concentration. She had almost seen Rasphere in front of her eyes! And what a beautiful place it was, Kistle mused, looking up to find a bearded man poised above her.

"Yes, sir?"

"I apologize for the inconvenience, milady, but the men need to use this area for their training. Would you mind stepping inside the manor? For I assume that the soft cushions are much for fitting for such a gentle young woman, as opposed to a wooden garden bench." He smiled down at her, revealing even, white teeth. Kistle was almost immediately charmed.

"Of course, sir. I'll be but a moment," she said and gathered the books that were scattered in a pile.

"Allow me, milady," the man offered, and scooped the thick, heavy books into his hands as though they weighed naught but a feather. Kistle followed beside the tall man, hugging the adventures of Mehand to her chest.

"My name is Kistle," she said after a moment of silence, expecting him to introduce himself in return.

"I know that, milady."

She found it peculiar that he hadn't introduced himself.

"And what is your name, sir?" she asked.

"I am not permitted to tell you that, milady."

"And why not?"

Quinn winced when he saw the disappointment in the lady's eyes. How was he supposed to tell her that soldiers were not allowed to even converse with the love slaves of royalty?

"I am not permitted to tell you that, either," he said.

"Oh."

Her pretty violet eyes looked like flowers that were wilting. Quinn felt the slashes of pain tear at his heart almost immediately. She did not utter a single word until they reached the great hall, where he set the pile of books down on the great dining table. How one woman could read so much was beyond his comprehension, but he did admire Lady Kistle for trying.

"Well, thank you, sir," she whispered, her face averted.

Quinn sighed, knowing that one day he would pay for what he was about to do.

"My name is Quinn, milady. Quinn Teel. I head the third section of the Marq Army."

Quinn thought that the smile she bequeathed him was well worth the consequence if Sir Rade found out that Quinn had been talking to his love slave.

Little did he know that Rade had been watching the couple dallying flirtatiously from the courtyard.