Hey, Everyone.
I'm sorry these are late. I've put three chapters here, which should make it up to you, I hope. I honestly thought that interest in the story had died at Chapter 6. I waited until evening and it still was a 4.22 stat. I don't pay attention to stats anymore because they're manipulated, but it only had one comment, which seemed to fit the definition of beating a dead horse, so I pulled the chapters I had posted and resigned myself to putting the novels in the round file. I admit I was sad. You do get attached to your creations.
Then in the morning, people had commented and I put my head in my hands and started to write this note.
I learned to write fiction novels on Lit. The first Vanata book was my second attempt at a fiction novel. My genre was academic non-fiction before that. You know. The stuff nobody wants to read ever.
I'm not developing or looking to revise this story. The whole work is actually two novels, the second set in Luteri. To the person who asked awhile ago why Jaime did not allow Emma to be at the dinner with the Mistrals: Jaime at that point believes that Emma is going to stay and be a domestic servant, which would be odd if the Mistrals visited again.
To the person who said I like to torture readers. I do, I admit it. But you all torment me in return, so I figure the relationship is working.
To the stranger on the internet who said please don't make Kane a simp like Shep. Kane is definitely my simpiest, the genre being romantic, but evidently my male characters are all controlling bastards anyway. Send me an mail, maybe. Thanks for the comment, lol. What can you do.
Cheers. Sorry again for the delay posting these.
-Harp
*
Clans of Luteri
Chapter Seven
Kane walked up the stairs slowly to the Corsaire's room. He wasn't sure going to Jaime and agreeing to this Alverian ceremony had not been a mistake. Jaime had insisted she be given her own room, saying in Alveria women and men didn't have relations before marriage.
It was ridiculous, and Kane wasn't sure he believed it. How did they know if they were compatible at all?
It seemed reckless, or calculating, cold. No wonder Alverians strayed so consistently from their oaths.
And this courtship. They had six weeks before the ship that would return them to Luteri, and in this time he was to persuade the Corsaire he was fitting for her. And he was to accomplish this without touching her, because that was what she would expect, having been raised Alverian.
He felt like one of the ancient heroes. It was an impossible task.
He didn't know what he would do if she refused him. She was his oath. He certainly couldn't leave her here alone.
He looked down at his hand. Jaime had said he should bring her gifts. He had given her clothing, which she seemed entirely overwhelmed by, if not dismayed, although she had thanked him politely. Learning about it, Jaime had said that wasn't quite what he had meant and directed him to a more appropriate choice.
Kane paused at the door and then knocked lightly.
#
Emma sat on the bed looking down at her hands. Lord Tavishi—Kane—had spoken with her a week ago and told her he knew her identity, that her name was Aslin, that she was the daughter of the High Lord of Corsaire clan in Luteri, that her father was there and alive, although he believed her mother was dead, and that she was to have her own room.
After what happened when he had done sex with her, he had become stiff, formal. Polite. Maybe he didn't like sex with her. He didn't say anything about it at all, as if it hadn't happened.
But since that morning, he had spent all his time with her. He had arrived at her door the day she moved to her room and asked her to accompany him on a ride. She had assumed he was going to do sex with her again. She had been tense all day, but he had been pleasant, if a little forced, and he had avoided touching her. He hadn't kissed her, and he certainly hadn't taken her to the little grove, it was in an entirely different direction.
She put her hair behind her ear. Even Lord Shetlan, always kind, had seemed strange with her, as if he were uncomfortable, unsure how to treat her. Did he know she and Kane had done sex? She felt her cheeks flush at the thought.
And then when she returned from the ride with Lord Tavishi—Kane—a tailor had arrived and taken her measurements and Lord Tavishi—Kane, she must remember to call him that, he had been clear it was important to him—had said she was to have clothing and he would like her to return with him on the ship to Luteri instead of staying here to work as a servant for Lord Shetlan until Corsaire clan came to retrieve her.
A light knock came at the door.
Emma stood, smoothing her dress. It was new, a gift from Lord—Kane, who had the tailor make several dresses for her. This was an evening dress, and he'd asked her to wear it, although it was only afternoon. The dress was fine, a deep dark blue crepe with lace, the prettiest she could imagine, an Alverian lady's dress with stiff undergarments that raised and showed the tops of her breasts, and she felt entirely uncomfortable in it.
Wearing the dress had necessitated a maid to help her to get into the stays. The young woman Lord Shetlan had sent to her room had not been unkind, but by her manner it was clear she didn't think Emma should be wearing it. The girl had arranged her hair up, tendrils falling around her neck.
Kane was standing there when she opened the door, looking at something in his hands. To her surprise, he was dressed as an Alverian lord, looking strange and different. Still so big, still broad shoulders, big arms, still untamed with that wavy hair between blonde and brown, streaks that lit in the sun, still graceful and dangerous.
He looked up, meeting her eyes. They were always intense, a hazel color that shifted in the light, gold or green, flecks in their depths. His eyes slowly traveled down her and back up. She drew a breath, looking down. He was so sure of himself.
"That's for you," he said, his eyes settling on her chest where the dress showed her breasts before returning to her face, and she realized he was holding something out.
She reached out and took it, a small box. She didn't understand why he kept giving her things.
"Thank you for the clothing, Lord Tavishi—Kane," she said. "You have already given me so much—."
"Open it."
He came closer as she began to undo the ribbon of the box, very close, smelling like outdoors, like the most pleasant spice. Her hands began to shake. She opened the box quickly and looked down at the contents for a long moment, her heart pounding.
"Do you not like it, Aslin?" he asked her.
"I cannot accept this, Lord Tavishi," she said, trying to hand the box to him.
"Kane. Why not?"
"It's far too expensive, Kane, it's not right for me, it is for a...I am a—," she began. Was he going to make her say it? His nearness was so distracting. "It's not a thing I can accept."
"Jaime says it is appropriate for me to give you jewelry," he said.
He took the box, to her relief, but he only raised the locket out of it and reached to put it on her. She shivered a little at the touch of his fingers on the side of her neck, a sensitive place, the necklace cold, and he met her eyes again. She looked down at the piece that settled between her breasts, a deep midnight blue stone that matched the color of the dress, a large sapphire surrounded by a ring of small diamonds. She looked up. His eyes were on it.
"I had it made in the city. It is a Luterian Sapphire from Duellan clan. The trinket looks very pretty on you, Corsaire," he said, his voice husky.
"Thank you," she said, having no choice—as usual—touching it with her hand, still thinking about what he'd said. "Why does Lord Shetlan say it is appropriate for you to give me jewelry?"
Lord Tavishi gestured as if it was obvious.
"To court you."
She felt the blush begin in her cheeks and extend all the way down her neck, her shoulders, burning hot.
"C-court me?" she choked.
He nodded.
"For marriage," he said, as if this needed clarification.
