Band of bastards

Aurelia

The morning came quicker than I would have liked. Kairios and I stayed up late into the night relishing in each other's body. The sounds of camp being packed up woke me first. I laid in the not too soft bed and readied myself to face the troubles of the day. I watched as the sun started to shine through the tiny cracks in the tent. Kairios slept through it all, breathing in a steady rhythm.

I loved this. To be on the road with a mission. I hadn't realized while in the city how much I needed to be on the move. That’s why I was so intrigued by Galorian’s offer of freedom aboard that great ship of his. I lifted my hand to look at the feather shaped ring on the little finger. The token of his affection that I couldn’t bring myself to get rid of.

I told him to stay away. I told him I would kill him. And yet he still pursued me. Brazen fool. Do you burn with me? My movement drew Kairios from his sleep and he rolled to look at me. His green eyes bore into me and I felt warmed as I thought about the night before. His hand and lips had coaxed moans and cries from every part of me.

His heavy arm wrapped around my body and pulled me close to him, strong hands held my back so I stayed pressed against him. My own hands came to rest on his chest and I pressed my lips to his soft ones. Our lips pressed together for a long while in sot smooth kisses before I pulled back and said “good morning.”

He smiled softly at me, “I've missed this first thing, I can still taste you on my tongue.” His green eyes burned like emeralds in light.

Heat swirled between my legs and I pushed him onto his back. He let me push him and made no move to stop me. I climbed on top of him. His hands ran up my sides and came to cup my breasts, squeezing them while twirling his thumb around my peeked nipple. His hardness met with my wetness and he slid into me like he was meant to be there.

I braced my hands on his shoulders and moved my hips. I rode him until we both reached our pleasure. Moments after, while I was still astride him, Saira burst into the tent. Her silver eyes landed on us and grew wide as the red blush spread across her cheeks. I couldn’t stop the laugh that came out of my lips.

“We will meet you outside in a minute.” I managed to say between laughs. Kairios was laughing as well.

When she turned and ran out, I laughed again. I climbed off of Kairios and slid down the side of the bed. A basin of water had been set aside for to washing. I cleaned up and began to dress while Kairios did the same.

“Is there a way that we can do some training while on the way? We need to follow through with them and be ready for the next town or the next force we face.” I honestly did not think we would be able to handle sights like that of yesterday.

“We will when we stop. There's not much we can do while walking. We should send out scouts, and hunters. I have a feeling we will be longer on this journey then we thought.” He was able to dress faster than me and came to help me with my own belts and laces.

“I agree. I will give the word as soon as we get outside.” With scouts out, we would have a better advantage and not get caught with surprise like we did yesterday.

“I’ll speak with the generals and have them set up a training schedule that fits in with the travel plans. We may have to give up an hour of travel each day to train. It will hurt our time but we will be stronger when we get there.”

“It's what we need to do, then it will be done.” As much as I hated that fact here could be no arguing it.

We left the tent, kissed and went our separate ways. I would set up a squad that we could send out as scouts. I think two teams would do. We would send them out in a cycle. Four to a group sounded right. Small enough to go unnoticed and enough that they would have back up should anything go wrong. I would have to give orders to not engage anyone. Their only job was to search and report.

Mana wasn’t far behind me and quicky fell into step with my pace. I was starting to think that man didn’t need sleep. “Goodmorning my queen. Did you sleep well?”

“As well as could be on that hard bed. Did you sleep, my friend?”

“What are we doing?” He asked not answering my question on his sleep patterns.

“We are going to send scouts out. I don’t want any more surprises.”

“Is there anything you would ask of me?” When I looked at him, he had a raised eye brow and a slight smirk on his lips.

“No Mana.” I knew what he meant. He would send word to Galorian if I wanted. I couldn’t want it. I didn’t have time for all the drama that would come from me calling him here. I needed to focus and I needed my men to focus. Kairios would never forgive me if I called him here.

“How would it work? Would you leave my side to go get him?” These were dangerous questions.

“No, I am never to leave your side. Your ring is the key. All we need to is whisper the words and he will know to come.”

“How is that possible?”

“Magic, from lands far from here.”

“All I have to do was whisper some words?” It seemed like it was too simple for his usual flamboyant tastes.

“Yes.”

Simple brazen fool. The ring seemed to burn on my finger as if it knew I was thinking about it. I clenched my hand. “I can't.” I said in a small voice as I watched my feet kick through the dry dirt of the road.

“You can do what you want, my queen.”

“That just it, Mana.” I said coming to a halt in front of him. “I am queen. I cannot do whatever I want and live care free. My actions and decisions impact the people of the kingdom. Kairios is the father of my children and he will be king. If I disrespect him in front of all these people. It will be over between us.”

“Men of these lands are strange to me.”

“How so?” I asked beginning to walk to my destination again.

“Men don’t possess women where I come from. Woman are free to love and live with anyone they wish.”

“I can't think about that right now.” We came up to the tents that I knew had the perfect men for the job.

Within the hour they had orders, were packed, horses saddled and they left. It didn't take much longer for our camp to finish packing and we were on the road again. Kairios rode beside me and shared the generals plans to incorporate more changes into the training schedule.

The days started to continue on repeat. We would ride all day. Stop early in the evening and train. It was hard on the men, even I was feeling tired from all the work. I kept my promise and trained beside them. Each day that passed by I was happy with the improvement that I had seen. Confidence swelled in each and every one of us.

We were ready for our next fight. We passed through a few towns at this point. Some of them had been able to with stand any attacks, others weren't so lucky. This roaming band of criminals was starting to get on my nerves.

It was like they were able to sweep into a town, ravish it, kill every one and be gone without a trace. Our scouts had seen a few signs that we were starting to get closer to them. Soon we would have them, revenge and justice would be served.

Many of the towns that we came upon with survivors were recommended to head to the capital. These lands would soon become a warzone and they would be safer in the city. Many went. A lot more than I would have liked stayed. I did what I could to get them to leave their homes but they refused. It was out of my hands at that point.

We started to hear more and more news about monsters attacking towns along the mountains. Some gave reports of creatures made of fire, great beasts that spit lava. Another old man we came cross said he watched his whole family be swallowed up into sand. When he tried to dig out their bodies, tress grew to stop him.

It was magic. Saira’s brother. The one who marked my side with the curse. Soon I would be able to wrap my hands around his throat, but. The bandits needed to be delt with first. Then I could go further into those lands and see what monsters awaited us. Word started to spread that the dragon queen was hunting them down. Saira also started to grow in fame.

She was becoming known as the Silver lady, healer of all. She had gone from feared to mistrusted and now she was becoming one of them. She would make a great ruler after this war was won. I was the one who would fight the wars and the battles to come, she would be the one to heal us after. We had to be together to make this work.

I was sitting by the river, watching while Scorch grazed in the fresh grass. From across the water, I could hear the hooves charging as four men approached. “My queen!” The one in the lead shouted to me. The one further behind him had blood on his cheek, a small cut was the source.

I took them all in closer and saw that the others had some injuries as well and each of them had their swords drawn, blood dripping into the clear water. “What happened?” I demanded of them while I jumped to my feet.

“Ambush up the road. Its them my queen. They are waiting for you.”

So, it was time then. They knew we were here. It would make sense that they would have scouts out as well. “Get back to camp now, the generals need to know what you saw.” They were off before I was able to jump onto Scorch’s back.

I charged after them. I wanted to waist my energy on fear and worry. But I didn’t have the time. I would fight shoulder to shoulder with my men. I wouldn’t change into a dragon unless I needed to. This battle had to be won without magic.

Kairios was listening to the report when I got there. In an instant he was ready to start ordering the men into lines. We would head down the road in the same direction as planned. There was no way we could get around them. They had been here waiting for us and would likely have us surrounded. We would have to be on guard in every direction as we went.

“Stay in the middle. You will be safer there.” Kairios was saying to me as we both mounted up, our bodies now covered in what armor we had.

“You should know by now that I would never do that.” I said to him as I put my heels into Scorch and we were off for the front lines.