“You won’t always get your way,” he told her. “And I am seriously pissed at you.”
She didn’t answer him, and the rest of the journey continued in stony silence. They only made a few brief stops to drink, eat and stretch before continuing their journey. When the sun was starting to drift down towards the mountains in the distance, Laylla pulled the beast up. They were up high, looking down at a valley below. Smoke drifted up, and he could make out some pale-colored buildings. A stream of water ribboned its way along the outskirts of what looked to be a small village.
“I guess this is your home?” he asked.
She clicked her feet against the beast and made her way down the hillside to the buildings. Well, at least she didn’t live in a tent or cave. These buildings were made of a pale stone, and the roofs looked to be woven from some sort of flax-like plant. As she rode closer, someone sent up a shout. People called out to her, and she called back. Seemed like everyone knew her but then that wouldn’t be hard. The entire village was made up of less than fifty buildings, most were small hut-like dwellings. A couple of the buildings were larger, and she came to a stop in front of one of those.
Three older women stood in front of the building as though waiting for them. Their long hair was gray, their faces wrinkled and deeply bronzed. One of them stepped forward and said something sharp.
Laylla answered back, her voice softer, as though deferring to the wrinkled woman in front of her. Who was this woman? And why did she seem to be so angry with Laylla? She continued to speak, her voice sharp and harsh. Behind her, the other two women, who looked nearly as old and angry, nodded every so often.
They might be hunched and ancient-looking, but it seemed like they were in charge. The leader held a large stick in her hand, which she leaned against as she moved forward. Laylla climbed down from her mount then reached for him, pulling him down. He stepped away from her angrily.
“I could have gotten down myself,” he snapped, straightening his clothes and trying to convince his legs that they didn’t want to collapse beneath him like limp noodles. He’d ridden horses as a child, but never for so long at one time and always with a saddle. His butt felt bruised, his legs were shaking, and he all he wanted was a long, hot bath and a steak. A big, juicy steak.
His stomach rumbled, and the old woman with the stick turned to him, studying him. She asked Laylla something, and Laylla nodded, but he sensed she was reluctant. The old woman, her gaze sharp and critical, walked around him as though inspecting him.
Shit. He’d kind of figured they didn’t actually intend to eat him after all. But the way she was staring at him, now he wasn’t so sure.
He turned as he saw a familiar figure limp towards them. Laylla’s friend. She watched on worriedly.
Something slapped his ass, and he turned with a growl to the old bat. He pointed at Laylla. “She can do it because it’s foreplay. You don’t get to touch.”
The old bitch snapped something at Laylla, her voice rising. Laylla spoke back, shaking her head. Then she yelled out something that made a few people gasp. They stared at him then back at Laylla who stood there like a warrior princess, her face fierce, her gaze cold.
The old bat snapped something, and an argument commenced, then Laylla nodded and stepped away. Two other women reached for him, each clasping hold of his arms and pulling him along. Away from Laylla.
“Hey, what do you think you’re doing? Laylla! Laylla!” he screamed her name as they dragged him along. He attempted to fight them, but they soon overpowered him, using their hair to bind him before picking him up and carrying him into the largest of the buildings he’d seen. “Laylla!”
She had to work hard not to react to Rich’s pleas. But she knew hearing him scream her name would haunt her. At least until she had him back in her furs.
Where he belonged.
The elders were angry with her for missing the ceremony. She knew they needed to save face by punishing her. Many people looked to her as their leader, despite her youth, and she knew that annoyed the elders. Not arriving in time for the ceremony, it could be seen as an act of defiance. The fact that she’d brought a male and claimed him in front of an audience without consulting the elders first had only made them more furious.
So, her punishment did not surprise her. But their insistence that Rich be kept in with the unclaimed males while she was being punished did come as a shock and not a welcome one. She knew that it was part of her punishment even though they insisted it was for both their safety. Rich would need care while she was being punished by being sent to work on the wall they were building around their village. One that she had argued should be installed.
She did not mind the physical labor, but she knew she would spend the whole time worrying about Rich. He did not understand what was happening. He might think she was abandoning him. But she could not show her concern in front of the elders. They might see it as an insult that she didn’t believe Rich would be cared for properly.
“We are not happy, Laylla,” Elder Torin told her, stamping her stick down. “You were to join with Eion, not a foreign male who does not know our ways.”
“I know. I apologize for displeasing the elders. If you will excuse me, I will go start work on the wall.” The physical work might keep her mind off her worries about Rich. He didn’t understand the rules. What if he broke them and was punished? The idea did not sit well with her.
“Wait,” Elder Maren called out. “Sirya said you were injured?”
She stiffened. “I am fine now.”
Elder Torin nodded. “Then you are excused. We will take this opportunity to watch your male and ensure he is the right fit for you.”
Laylla turned. “I have claimed him already.”
Elder Torin narrowed her gaze. “You are to take over leadership one day, Laylla. You must have the right male to ensure that your offspring are strong and capable.”
“Rich is a strong male. You saw that. Stronger than Eion.” Eion was a handsome male with fine features, but he was far softer than Rich.
“We shall see,” Elder Torin said ominously.
Laylla forced herself to nod and turn away. But she knew that she could allow no one to take Rich from her. He was hers, and if they tried, they would have a fight on their hands.
Chapter Six
What the fuck had just happened? Where the hell was he now? Rich looked around in astonishment as the two women carried him into a large building. Once inside, the women let him go. He fell to the ground, but quickly jumped up, backing away from them, even as his gaze darted around the room. It was large and had plenty of light filtering in from the windows set high up on the walls.
The ground was covered in more of that flax-like plant they’d used for the roof. Plenty of furs were strewn around.
“Seems like I’ve found the men.”
Several men lay about on the furs, some sitting and talking, others napping or eating. The room soon went quiet as everyone stopped and stared at him. At least it looked like he wasn’t being sentenced to hard labor. Not if these men were anything to go by. They looked soft. Content. Most of them were older with graying hair and soft, rounded bodies.
They were naked except for a small skirt that covered their crotch and ass. Barely. Rich swallowed heavily. What the hell had he gotten himself into? And where the fuck was Laylla? How could she let him get separated from her?
Okay, calm down, Rich.
Maybe there’s a way to escape from here. At least he wouldn’t have Laylla exhausting him each night by sucking his brains right out of his cock. That’s what it felt like anyway. Each time she wrapped her mouth around his dick, his ability to think of anything beyond his own pleasure disappeared.
The two women prodded him forward and when he wouldn’t move, they each wrapped a hand around his arm and dragged him.