Sosha gave Marljas a wry smile. Since her ordeal, she had made great strides towards healing, both mentally and physically. Sheala had spent far less time in Bakom’s clutches than Sosha herself had. She was of the opinion that Sheala would also have come to terms with her own rape sooner if she hadn’t been married. Marljas’ masculine presence and obvious sexual needs put too much of a strain on her.
“I’ll try, husband to my bloodsister,” she said to the distraught man, “but perhaps your mother would be a better one to talk with her.”
“Thank you, Sosha. I am in your debt.”
Around the corner, Kadis smiled maliciously. She had been passing by Marljas and Sheala’s room when she heard Marljas give voice to his frustration. She hadn’t been able to hear Sheala’s reply, but Marljas’
side of the argument had been quite clear. His new Drakian wife was refusing his sexual advances. Such a refusal was enough to dissolve a marriage. Her mother would know what to do. Then she, Kadis, would marry Marljas and teach this family of upstarts what it meant to antagonize the sister and niece of the queen.
Flinging the door open, Marljas burst into his mother’s sitting room.
“Marljas! Surely I have taught you better manners than that?”
He began to pace. “Forgive me, Mother. My behavior is inexcusable, but I don’t know what else to do.
I’ve been patient. I haven’t forced myself upon her, but she isn’t getting better. She still won’t trust me.”
“Sheala? I thought yesterday in the barn…”
Marljas braced his hands against the mantel and stared into the empty fireplace. “Yesterday was—a small relief. But we didn’t make love, not completely. I didn’t touch her.”
Rising, Teena walked to her son, turned him to face her, and embraced him. “Denieen told me everything that happened with Rodak don al’ Bakom. I’ll talk to Sheala. Perhaps I’ll be able to ease her mind. My advice to you, though, my son, is that you might be too understanding. I saw the kiss she gave you last night, and I know she sleeps in your bed.”
“And my arms,” Marljas muttered.
Teena ignored the interruption. “Sheala obviously trusts you. Push her a little. Maybe she needs only to be reminded of the joys of physical love. But,” she cautioned, “do not push too hard. You don’t want her to start fearing you.”
He curled his hands into fists and growled. “Push but don’t push. That makes no sense!”
Smiling, Teena stepped away from him. “Go to your father and brother. They’re in the barn getting ready for the herd. The mares will be foaling soon.”
After a deep breath, Marljas unfisted his hands. Nodding, he kissed his mother’s cheek and left the room.
Teena sighed. Marljas was easy to console. Now, however, she had a much harder task ahead of her.
Lower lip clenched between her teeth, Sheala slumped on the bed while Sosha held her hand. Sheala had cried herself dry while her friend sat in silent support. Both girls looked up when the door opened.
Sosha rose when Teena entered.
“Excuse me, Teena Seenasdotir,” she began.
“Sit back down, Sosha. What I have to say applies to both of you.”
With those words, Teena locked the door behind her and began disrobing. Both girls watched in amazement as each piece of clothing fell to the floor until Teena stood naked before them. Both girls’
eyes widened when they saw the scars that covered her body, especially those on her thighs.
“Look closely, girls. These aren’t all battle scars.”
Sheala swallowed. “What happened to you?”
“You aren’t the only women to suffer rape at the hands of a madman.”
Sosha stared into her hostess’s face. “Who did this to you, Teena Seenasdotir?”
Teena began to redon her clothing. “His name was Fordrin Hodresson, and he wanted to marry me, but I chose Drefes.”
“He kidnapped you?” Sheala interjected.
“Patience, wife of my son, it’s my story to tell.”
Sheala dipped her head. If she were capable of blushing, she would have.
“Wendjas was eight and Marljas five when Fordrin struck. Drefes and I were in the capital celebrating our tenth year of marriage when Fordrin seemingly met us by accident. He was gracious and lulled away our wariness. Leaving us in a restaurant, he concealed himself outside until we finished our meal. It was late by the time we left, and there were few people on the streets.
“We were only a few feet from the door of the restaurant when Drefes was struck on the back of the head and knocked unconscious. I learned later that Fordrin’s intent had been to kill, but he’d misjudged his blow. I tried to defend Drefes, but an accomplice sprayed something into my face, and I also lost consciousness. When I awoke, I was Fordrin’s prisoner. The scars tell you how he treated me.”
Sheala gripped Sosha’s hand harder. “What happened to him?”
Sitting in the chair next to the bed, Teena continued. “Fordrin wasn’t a very intelligent man. He’d taken me to the home he’d recently inherited from his grandmother. Drefes rescued me three days later.
Fordrin died very slowly.”
Sheala stared into her mother-in-law’s face. “How did you…”
“Accept Drefes’ physical love after the way I’d been treated? I was very much like you, Sheala. I had a husband who loved me very much, one who did not hold me responsible for the horror I’d been through.
But I could not stand to have him touch me.”
“What did you do?”
Leaning forward, Teena smiled and cupped Sheala’s cheek. “I healed. First in body then in mind.
Eventually, I was able to accept that Drefes loved me, and his love would never harm me in any way.”
“How long did it take before…?”
“I could make love with him?” asked Teena, slightly amused. “For a Drakian, you seem to have a great deal of trouble talking about sex, Sheala.”
Sheala’s temper flared, but before she could comment, Teena said, “Good, you can become angry. I think there is little for you to worry about. Rape is not pleasant, but Sosha endured far worse than you, far worse than I.”
“But Sosha doesn’t have a husband.”
“Neither did you. Who was it that demanded Marljas marry her?” Teena asked sternly. “You had firsthand knowledge, from what I was told, about how virile a man my son is. Did you expect him to change? To live platonically for the rest of your lives? You? A Drakian?”
Sheala lost her stubborn look. “No. Teena Seenasdotir, I didn’t. I could only remember how safe I felt with him.”
“Then how can you doubt your safety with him now?”
“I don’t,” Sheala whispered, “but every time I feel his—erection, I remember. Bakom’s assistants hurt me. They enjoyed hurting me. They got excited from the pain they inflicted. I have to block it out.”
“With the unpleasantness, you block out Marljas’ love,” Teena stated. “Stop blocking it out. Let the memory continue. Then you will be able to compare my son’s behavior with that of your captors. The difference will be obvious.”
Sosha stared into her hostess’s face. “Is that what you did, Teena Seenasdotir?”
“Yes, Sosha, and please don’t be so formal. You’re bloodsister to my daughter-by-marriage, a member of my family. Call me Teena. Now,” she continued as she rose to her feet. “The herd comes in today. It’s a sight neither of you will want to miss. Sheala, you must shower and dress. Sosha, go down to the kitchens and get the two of you something to eat. Tell Cook I said she was to accommodate you this once.”
Both girls nodded and hurried to do her bidding.
“I hope,” Teena muttered to herself as she exited the room and made her way to the lower floors, “this past half hour proves to be productive.”
A loud crash and an angry voice hurried Teena along. Once she got Kadis and her things loaded onto a shuttle and on the way back to her mother’s house, things would become much more peaceful around here.
* * * * *
Raking his hair back off his forehead, Marljas strode across the corral to join them. “The herd’s been sighted and will be here within the hour.”
Before he could say anything else, Radris’
pholola
mare ambled over and pushed him out of the way.
“Beautiful, isn’t she,” Marljas said as he rested his arms nonchalantly on the top rail of the fence. “She was foaled here. She likes to return to view each year’s foaling when she can.”
“Her name is Jota,” Radris added, coming to stand on the other side of his mare.
Ignoring her rider, Jota stuck her head between the top two rails of the fence and nuzzled Sheala’s chest.
A genuinely happy smile spread across Sheala’s face as she stroked the mare’s soft neck.
“Traitor,” Radris mumbled in an amused tone. “Very well, I leave you with your new friends.” With those words, he turned and disappeared into a stable.
At Sheala and Sosha’s curious looks, Marljas shrugged, “She hasn’t had her sugar yet today. She won’t have anything to do with him until he gives her some. Jota’s been spoiled horribly.”
Sheala continued to stroke the mare’s neck. Even with the rails of the fence and the mare between them, she could still feel Marljas’ overwhelming masculine presence. He was big and strong, more than capable of throwing her over his shoulder, carrying her off, and forcing himself on her. And he hadn’t done it.
Closing her eyes, she leaned her forehead against the mare’s. What was she going to do? Would this fear ever leave her?
Trust yourself and your mate, Drakian.
Jerking her head up, Sheala stared at the mare.
Warm, dark eyes stared into hers.
A rumbling sound like thunder rolled over the hill.
Marljas stopped staring at her and turned. “The herd’s here.” He pointed to a not-so-distant ridge, and soon the first of the herd appeared. Heads held high and nostrils flaring, the heavily pregnant mares and last year’s foals galloped over the crest of the hill and down towards the corrals in a rainbow of green, blue, yellow, and pink.
“This year there are ninety-five mares in foal,” Marljas said proudly as the mares headed for the grain spread for them in long troughs. “The yearlings will be separated from their mothers today,” he continued,
“and each family will decide what to do with the horses they own. Some will be sold, and others will be transferred to the nonbreeding herd.”
Sheala stared at all the horses. “What do you do with all of them? With technology, there can’t be much need for them.”
Chuckling, Marljas watched the stragglers come down over the hill. “There’s a great deal of truth in your words, my love. Except for racing, our horses have become mostly an expensive hobby. Many will never know the weight of a saddle on their backs.”
Sheala shook her head. She’d always enjoyed riding and was considered quite accomplished on her planet. But riding on Drakan was nothing more than a hobby, and there were far fewer riding beasts.
However, if their mounts looked like Gattan horses, perhaps more Drakians would ride. They were truly magnificent animals.
“Something’s wrong,” Marljas mumbled, turning to where his father and brother talked with the outriders who had accompanied the herd. “The herd stallion has not come.”
At that moment, a galloping rider crested the hill and made a beeline towards the barn. Close behind him followed an obviously irate stallion. He stopped on the crest of the hill, reared, and turned to face the direction from which he’d come. In a few moments, one last mare slowly crested the hill. She took only a few steps before she sank to the ground.
“It’s the renegade mare,” yelled the galloping rider as he pulled his lathered horse to a quick halt. “She went into labor on the trail and is having complications. The stallion won’t let anyone near her.”
Along with his father and brother, Marljas ran towards the barn where their mounts were stabled.
Jota’s head came up and she scented the wind. Her neigh vibrated off the hills, and she used her nose to push the gate open. A swing of her head and neck pushed both Sheala and Sosha towards her side.
“I think she wants us to get on, Sosha.”
The mare’s commanding neigh confirmed Sheala’s statement.
They were barely settled on her back when the mare exploded into movement and shot up the hill towards the downed mare.
Far faster than Sheala had imagined possible, Jota reached the laboring mare’s side. As both girls slid off, the high-strung stallion bugled a challenge and started towards them.
One snort from Jota stilled him.
“Will he try to come after us?” Sheala asked cautiously as she and Sosha knelt beside the laboring mare.
“No.” Sosha gasped as she jumped back when the laboring mare tried to bite her. “But this mare might.
Everyone on Gattan has heard of her,” she continued. “She’s a complete throwback to the horses that ran wild across our planet’s grasslands centuries ago. She won’t allow anyone near her.”
“Why not just turn her loose, then?” Sheala asked. “Marljas said there are still wild horses in very remote parts of your planet.”
Sosha walked around the young mare. “Jota is her mother. There are only three
pholola
mares on Gattan that are not part of the
Snowpards
’herds, and Jota is the only one who has had a foal. Ah, here’s the problem.”
Sheala joined Sosha behind the mare and saw what Sosha meant. The unborn foal had one hoof and foreleg protruding from the birth canal.
Sheala squatted down for a closer look. “The other leg must be bent at the knee.”
The laboring mare screamed and attempted to rise. Both girls jumped back.
Sheala glared at the recalcitrant mare. “How can anyone help her if she won’t cooperate!”
Jota had watched the two girls closely. Taking a few steps forward, she brought her head down to her daughter and whickered. Then she turned her head and looked at the girls.
A strong female voice popped into their heads.
Help her.
Sheala looked at Sosha. “Well, if that’s not an order nothing is. Let’s see what we can do.”
Once again squatting behind the laboring mare, Sheala motioned Sosha down beside her. “If we can push this leg back in, maybe the other one will straighten out and the foal will just slide out.”