*** Author's Note: Another plot heavy chapter which will soon be followed up by something filthy. Promise.
Thank you to everyone who added me to favourites, commented, or is following me. It's really fun to know you're out there, reading my very long very dirty story. ***
*****
They slept together in the hollow house. It was strange, sleeping next to him. For years Brandon had come to her cottage to spend the night, but he had always come with a small group of men, and Leda had always put them in the barn. Some nights though, she had lain awake in her cottage, and wondered what it might be like to share a bed with him.
He was a restless sleeper. He was troubled by noise, waking up at every rustling leaf, and even in moments of silence, he'd startle himself awake, look around, and listen for Leda's breath beside him.
But after years of being alone in the woods, Leda was a restless sleeper too. They were a hopelessly on edge, both of them, and Leda couldn't help but remember how Rob, in the height of danger, has simply wrapped his arms around her and invited her to join him in a deep peaceful slumber.
But Brandon was rarely inclined to be peaceful.
When the first signs of light streaked across the sky, Leda sat up quickly. Brandon was already awake, listening to the goings on of the camp.
"They're almost done," he said.
"Done what?"
"Your women friends, they're just about done disposing with my men."
"They didn't kill them," Leda said groggily. "They just give them a bit of sleeping draft."
"Of course they can't kill my rangers under my nose," Brandon scoffed. "But it's hardly a sleeping draft, they poison my men for days, it's why they're never tracked afterwards. My boys are too busy sweating and sleeping and vomiting to go after them."
"Well, if you know so much about these women, why did you walk into their trap?"
"I was trying to keep my men out of the trap, but then I saw you and my plans changed," he leaned over and kissed Leda's forehead sleepily. His lips were dry and his chin was covered in a rough stubble. And it made Leda feel nervous, to be the object of such casual affection from him. It felt more intimate than anything they'd done the night before.
"So what are you going to do?" She asked quickly. "All those men are going to get better eventually and discover that you weren't poisoned too. They might even think you were involved in what happened."
"I was involved," Brandon said. "I'll have to bribe them, probably."
"That's a lot of bribes,"
Brandon stood up, naked, and fixed his breaches around his waist. Leda watched his body move in the early morning light.
"Why do you think I'm so keen to take over your trade?"
He helped her up from the dirt floor. She stood up, and hit with a wave of early morning dizziness, nearly stumbled into Brandon's bare chest. The heat rose up to her cheeks and she knew she was blushing. Brandon saw her pink cheeks and kissed them both, softly. Leda lifted her mouth to meet his and felt a wave of desire come over her as his lips brushed over hers softly.
But instead of kissing her, he told her to put her clothes on. It was a frustrating moment. Leda was left hot and unsatisfied. The loser in yet another power game she didn't know she was playing.
They had already decided what they were going to do about Alec. It had felt good for Leda to discuss it with Brandon. He was strategic, practical, but seemed to genuinely want to make her happy in this. He didn't resent that she had changed her mind after all the effort he had made to take a prisoner to the fort, and Leda felt comfortable with their new plan.
Alec would be let go. but Brandon would secretly ensure he was never able to join any band of rangers. They'd lose his name, and Alec would effectively cease to exist in the Outerlands. But first, Leda suggested, he should be marked. So every woman he met knew that he was dangerous. Tatiana and Maria seemed to agree that this was fair. Maria even offered to do the marking herself. She still had Old Joe's needles and ink.
Ned brought him to the caravan. When Leda saw him, she almost felt guilty. He was shackled, and had a thick layer of dirt where his shirt should have been. He hadn't been washed or had a chance to change since that night in the woods.
He hadn't changed his attitude either. As soon as he saw Leda, he spit at her, but the wad of spittle only went as far as his toes . Leda asked Ned to give him some water and Alec took it, greedily.
"If you let me go, I'm only going to come after you with more men," he said. "Brandon isn't as good as he thinks he is. Lots of the boys would kill him as soon as take orders from him. And lots of boys looking forward to killing you too."
"Yes, we know, Alec," Brandon said dryly. "This is why you were never much of a ranger. You always thought you were smarter than anyone else. It made you so lazy."
"You might have him now, bitch," Alec spoke exclusively to Leda. "but he can't stay with you forever. We've got plans for you, girl. "
"You know, Alec, now that you're not a ranger anymore you can start your own trade," Brandon was perfectly calm. "It'll be hard at first, harder than murdering and raping my woman, but you'll get through it with your cock intact."
