The Warlord

Dominic spun around. "Of course I didn't force her. I told her to stop and she didn't so we fucked and now I think it's hit her what she's done cause she's upset about it."

Ter nodded and lent back against the wall. "You want me to talk to her?"

Dominic shrugged. "She won't talk to me about it so do whatever."

Ter huffed at him. "Fine, I will then." Then left Dominic alone to pout on his own. As soon as he left Dominic's room, he went over to Isabella's and knocked. He heard a soft, 'it's open' so headed inside.

He could see she was getting dressed behind the screen. "You alright, my Lady?"

She hesitated for a moment then said, "You can tell him, I'm fine."

That made him chuckle. "I came here on my own, Isabella. I saw you were upset then saw the bed. So put two and two together." He went over and made himself comfortable in one of the chairs in her room and asked, "Are you alright about what happened or did he force you to do it?"

She came out from behind the screen and was brushing her hair. She didn't make eye contact with him as she spoke. "He didn't force me. He said we should stop but I didn't want to. And I wouldn't change my decision if we could turn back time."

Ter gave her a hard look to figure out what she was thinking. "So what are you upset about then? And don't give me the lies of not being upset. I'm good at knowing peoples moods and you are upset, darlin'."

She went and sat down in front of her vanity mirror and started to brush her hair again. She was about to say she wasn't but the tone in his voice, she knew she couldn't say she was fine when she wasn't. She just shook her head. "I don't know what's wrong with me."

He stood up and walked over behind her, taking the brush and started to brush her hair for her. After a long pause of silence and seeing her relax a little. "What are you feeling then? That might help understand what's going on."

She looked into the mirror of the older man and she shrugged a little. "I guess, because it was a one deal." She said simply and looked down at the tabletop.

He stopped brushing her hair. "One time deal? Are you having regrets of offering him your skills? I don't understand." Then started to brush her hair again.

She shook her head. "No, I don't regret that. I think I regret sleeping with him since it's a one time deal. He told me about having a different lover in each region he takes. I seem to be his pick here." Then she paused for a moment. "So, it's a one time deal while we're here and I'd have to distance myself when we move on."

He looked at her a little confused then blinked and stopped brushing her hair again. She had just admitted caring for Dominic and scared he was going to throw her aside like his other lovers. He couldn't help but chuckle and started to brush her hair again until it was soft and tangles were out of it. "I think you give him to little credit, Isabella. Between just us. I have seen how he acts with his past lovers. And the way he treats you is nothing like those whores." He put the brush down and knelt down beside her, turning her around a little. Softly said, "If he didn't care of your feelings, he would of gone up to deal with Amanda himself, but he sent me instead. If he didn't care about your protection, he wouldn't of had Aaron follow you around."

She still never looked into his eyes but she listened to his words and nodded a little. She didn't know what to think now.

He stood up and turned her back around and got a leather ribbon from the table and started to tie her hair back from her face. "You have been the first woman he's allowed to stay when I've gone to him about something. And the first woman who's been allowed to help get information out of a prisoner." Once her hair was tied back, he put his hands on her shoulders and looked at her reflection. "You are important to him, even if he doesn't fully understand it yet. He's never allowed any woman this close before, so just give him time to work out his own emotions and never think he doesn't want you. You and he will be good for each other."

She nodded softly and let her thoughts take over for a while.

He squeezed her shoulders and said, "Your council will be here in a few days. So if you need to do anything to prepare for it, you got a heads up." Then he left her to her thoughts.

She nodded again and watched him leave her room.

* * * * *

Over the next two days, she kept her distance from Dominic. The only people she spoke to, other than her parents was to Ter and Aaron and that was mainly for sparring practice. Her parents had met her at the gates of the castle when it was time for them to meet their council. She looked back at the castle to see Ter watching them then she turned and headed towards the forest. She didn't see Dominic walk onto the balcony.

Ter continued to watch them, not turning as he said. "You should be going with them to show who she works with now, along with sorting the problems out."

Dominic watched the three walk away then shook his head. "She should come to me if she wants it sorted. I don't chase after women." Turned back to go back to his room to sulk some more.

Shaking his head, Ter gave Dominic a little head start then followed. He didn't bother to knock, he just entered Dom's room and stared hard at him. "What do you think of the girl?"

Dominic arched a brow at him. "Like I think of any other of my warriors."

Ter shook his head again. "You bastard. Your treating her like the rest of the whores you take. Looks like I was wrong about you. Why in hell did you accept her skills if you were just going to treat her like a used whore?"

Dominic's eyes narrowed. "I gave her a option to stop. And she hasn't come to me to sort things out so, it's her problem. Not mine."

Ter shook his head again before going back to the door. "Then if there is no problem, stop being a arsehole to the rest of us and tell her, her skills aren't needed so she won't need to come with us." He started to open the door and walk outside but turned before he closed the door.

"Thought you were smart enough to see what she's thinking. She thinks she's your choice of whores here, that's why she was emotional the other day. And now with your attitude towards her, your showing her what she thinks is true." Then he slammed the door shut and headed outside to catch up with Isabella and her parents since someone should represent Dominic since he was in one of his moods.

As soon as Ter slammed the door, Dominic just stared at it. Why on earth did Isabella think that way? Didn't she know he treated her differently to the others? And why did he have to be the one to go to her, instead of her coming to him if she had a problem? He started to pace the room, more annoyance started to build within his body. His hands fisted before throwing his hands up, then growled out, "Women!", as he went to the door, nearly ripping it from the hinges, he stormed out through the castle towards the stables to catch up with them.

* * * * *

It didn't take long for Ter to catch up with Isabella and her parents. Instead of taking a horse, he had taken a wagon instead, pulling up slowly behind them. Mary gave him a smile before going to the back of the wagon and climbed up into it with the help of Anthony. But Isabella continued to walk and he followed behind her slowly. The journey to their council was continued in silence.

When they arrived at the meeting place. Two cloaked figures stood on the other side of the small clearing. Isabella waited until her parents had climbed down and the three of them walked towards the figures. Ter waited a moment before following them, but keeping a small distance from them.

The cloaked figures never said anything until they stopped a few meters away from them then they pulled their hoods back to expose their identity to them. One was a woman who looked older by her silver hair, but her features showed youth. Only her hair seemed to show her true age. She never had any lines to prove her hair was telling the truth of her age.

The other figure was a younger man. He seemed the opposite to the woman. As his hair was dark and rich in color, his face showed aged with a weather look to it.

Not moving from where they stood. The woman bowed her head then a moment later, the man made the same gesture. Then she said, "It is good to see you again, Isabella. It has been to long." Staring straight at the young woman. Then turned her attention to the couple. "As you as well, Anthony and Mary. I wished we had come together in different circumstances. But alas," giving a soft smile, "it is good in any case."

Isabella didn't show any reaction at all. Though her parents gave the woman a small nod and smile. Anthony spoke, "It is good to see you as well Xania, and you Tory. But we all knew this time was coming. I'm just happy it is the both of you that are here to accept our decisions."

Tory looked Isabella over as if judging her. Which made Isabella stare at him with the challenge. "She is truly your child. You had the same look Anthony when we came to you when your parents retired as well."

Anthony just nodded with a small chuckle. "She had the same reaction as I did with the ritual of retiring them as well."

Xania spoke this time. "There is a reason we asked you and Mary to join us in this meeting. It is in hope, that you don't retire as normal."

Neither Mary nor Anthony had heard of a different type of retirement offered. So both gave questionable looks at the woman. Xania just smiled. "We will speak more of the situation when the Warlord Cassiss arrives. We knew who Isabella's future was going to be part of, so none from the Council could interfere with it until it had come to pass."

That piece of information made Ter step forward and speak. "What do you mean?"

Both Xania and Tory looked over to Ter and smiled. "He'll be arriving in a moment, then we will speak." Then they both looked over in the direction where the wagon was and a moment later, Dominic trotted into sight on the back of his horse and over to them.

Ter turned fully and once Dominic had pulled the horse up, he grabbed the reins as his friend climbed down before turning back to them.

Dominic was still seething with emotions and let out a soft growl looking at Isabella. She didn't turn around but felt his angry stare at her back. He walked over to her and stood facing her side. He lent down and softly said, "Next time you decide to leave the protection of my army, I will make sure you won't do it again in a hurry. You are mine so do not think you can leave my sight again without telling me where your going. Do you understand?"

She stared ahead of her, she couldn't help the shiver that ran through her body with his words. Yes, she was stuiped by leaving the castle without informing him they were going to the meeting. Even though he knew of the meeting it would of only been respectful in telling him they were leaving for it. She just nodded and softly said, "Yes, my Lord. It won't happen again."

He just stared hard at her until a clearing of a throat broke his gaze and he looked at the man and woman with smiles across their lips. "It is good to finally meet you, Warlord Cassiss." the woman said. "I am Xania and this is Tory." Motioning to the man as she said his name. "We are two of the seven Vrah council."

Turning to face them, he gave a slight nod of his head. He gave his own judgment gaze of them. He could easily tell there was more to the two than they appeared.

Tory then spoke. "We came to ask for aid. We know of your travels and we can not think of anyone else that could aid us in our time of need. With Isabella and her parents now part of your bloodline, we had to at least try to see if you are interested in helping other Vrah."

Dominic just arched a brow at them. "The Vrah needs help from a Warlord? How is that with all of the skills the Vrah are trained with?"

Tory looked at Xania as if not knowing the right words to say. But she spoke on behalf of both of them. "There is someone from their past who was tricked into service. But now he is twisted with ideals that aren't of the Vrah. He is one reason why our numbers have become so low compared to what we were like decades ago." Letting it sink in with what she said before continuing. "Dimitri's Keeper had a son, who is now after power. He tricked a Vrah into working with him and now the Vrah he keeps has had his ideals twisted. He has also set a contract on Warlord Cassiss's life. So he must be stopped."

Dominic showed no emotion at all when he found he had a contract on his life. It wasn't the first time someone tried to kill him with an assassin and it wouldn't be the last.

Tory looked over to Anthony and Mary, "That is why we would like if you semi-retire instead of a full retirement of our lifestyle. Both Isabella and Warlord Cassiss will need help in taking this threat down. We don't want the Vrah working with him killed. He can be retrained to come back to who he really is."

Anthony thought he knew what they were meaning but needed to know for sure so asked. "What exactly do you want us to do?"

Xania smiled, "The one thing we have held precious from the first Vrah. It goes against our ways but to achieve survival for everyone that has been pulled into it. We must do it."

Anthony shook his head. "You can't be serious in doing that! It goes against everything we believe in."

"There is no other way. In this one instance the Council accepts you doing it. We have thought long and hard in other ways but nothing we came up with will work. It will be the last thing anyone will expect." Xania said.

Not fully following the line of conversation, Dominic then asked. "What are you two on about?"

Isabella answered. "If it is what I think they are meaning. The council is allowing my parents and myself to train a certain amount of you and your men to help to take the threat out."

Xania and Tory nodded, that she had said the right thing. Tory then spoke. "The council is allowing eleven of your men, along with yourself, training of that of the Vrah. You will need to become masters in each skill to achieve the goals needed for the threat to end. It is not just one Vrah you will be up against. Others have been caught and due to threats towards their families, they will defend the enemy until they see that they do not need to fight any more. That their families are safe. We have seen what future holds if you and your men aren't there to aid Isabella in this time, and it does not come out well for her if she is on her own."

Dominic shook his head. "So what you are telling me is, if I want to keep Isabella alive, we have to do it your way?"

Tory just nodded. "We have gone over different endings and only this one comes out the best. We wouldn't have accepted this at all because it goes against what we believe in."

Dominic just nodded. Then turned and walked back to his horse and mounted. He had a lot to take in and now wasn't the time to do it with these people with him. He wanted to speak to Isabella and her parents alone. He nudged the horse forward and held out his hand to Isabella and looked down at her as she hesitated before reaching up to his hand. He pulled her up and let her settle on the back of his horse before looking back to her Council. "We will have rooms set up at the castle for the both of you when you come back to join us. I want to speak with Isabella and her parents first before accepting this. Then I want full details of what is going on if I accept this to happen." Pulling the reins he turned the horse and headed back in the direction of the castle.

Ter just stared at him as he spoke then left. He looked over to the outside Vrah and smiled a little. "I guess that means your coming back with us." He motioned for the four of them to head to the wagon so they could return themselves.

* * * * *

The ride was in silence. Dominic had to sort his feelings out and by the time they returned to the castle. He knew exactly what he wanted. The way Isabella felt against his body was the final thing he needed to figure out. He had taken the long route to return to the castle stables and by the time they arrived. Ter was unhitching the horse and her parents were talking to the council members.

Her parents were just the people he wanted to see before he followed through with his next action. He climbed down from the horse and looked up to Isabella and couldn't help but give her a wicked grin. He had caught her leg between the horse and his body so she couldn't move until he stepped away. Turning his head slightly and called over his shoulder. "I hope you don't mind, Anthony." Before pulling Isabella down and tossing her body over his shoulder.

Anthony looked at him when he heard his name and arched a brow in question before seeing what the Warlord was doing to his daughter. He couldn't help but laugh as Isabella started kicking and yelling at him to be put down. And called out to him, "I don't mind one bit, Warlord!"

As soon as Dominic had tossed Isabella over his shoulder. She started to kick and thump his back with her fists. Protesting against how he was handling her. "Let me down! I can walk on my own! Dominic, please. This is embarrassing!"

He just chuckled and smacked her arse hard. "Oh, my dear Lady. I know you can walk. But what good would that be if I can't claim you properly."

That made her still with what he just said to her. 'Claim you properly'. Her eyes went wide and she started to kick and thump his back harder. "Let me down this instant!"

He just smacked her arse again and started to walk through the castle, making sure everyone saw his claim that mattered to him, and those that didn't would soon be told. Knowing how his men were with gossip, it would quickly get around that he had finally claimed a woman openly. Once he had done a full tour of the ground floor of the castle. He then walked towards the stairs and up to his room to fulfill the claim, even though, he knew she was going to be one hellcat in fully accepting his claim of her.

* * * * *

Dominic and Isabella weren't seen until the next day. And when they were finally seen, Dominic had a strong aura of male pride about him. He even had a strut in his step when he walked. Then on the other hand, when Isabella felt eyes upon her, she blushed deeply and seemed a lot more shy than before. Then had a full blush when Dominic gave her a hungry gaze at her.

When they finally met up with her Council, parents and Ter, they were all grinning at her before they finally got down to business.

Xania was first to speak. "We have told your second everything we know. And have explained it as best we could."

Dominic just nodded and looked over to Ter to get his thoughts on the situation.

Leaning back in his chair, Ter looked at his leader and just said. "We need to help them." Dominic gave him an expression he knew to well so continued with his version of what he was told. "With what I understand. Some arsehole tricked one of their people into working for them. Now he's wanting an army of Vrah and doing anything possible to get them. From what they know, there is only one we have to really watch out for since the others are there against their wills. The spies they have, have come back to tell them, that they are holding their families so we'll have to get them out as well. Or we can just kill the arsehole and end it before anything major happens."

Just staring at the middle of the table. Dominic didn't say anything for a long time before he nodded. "How long would it take us to do the training?" He looked between Xania and Tory for the answer.

Tory then spoke, "With your current skills, a few weeks hard training should give you the skills needed for a quick kill."

Shifting his seat back, then standing up. Dominic looked back to Ter. "Give me your choices then we'll come up with the best ones for it."