Azure could not help but be impressed by the man who
had purchased her. He was a magnificent
physical specimen, standing well over six feet tall and powerfully
muscled. He wore a great two-handed
sword at his side and had the confident manner of a man who well knew how to
use such a weapon effectively.
He led her through the winding streets of El
Arish. Despite the fact that he and his
friend were leading her through one of the seedier, and therefore, more
dangerous, sections of the city, neither he nor his friend Zendar seemed even
the least bit concerned. As a matter of
fact, Azure noticed that people moved out of their way and gave them every
indication of respect.
They stopped in front of a large windowless
building. Valkar stepped up to the door
and pounded on it with his fist. A
small window opened in the door, and then the door itself was swung wide.
“Ho Captain.”
The guard just inside the door had caught sight of Azure. “I see you picked yourself up a little
prize.”
“Watch your tongue, Ellial,” cautioned Zendar. “This woman cost the captain 6000 gold
crowns.”
Ellial’s mouth dropped open in disbelief. “Six Thousand?” he repeated stupidly.
Valkar ignored the man and moved on into the center
of the building. Azure saw that she was
entering a barracks. Everyone she saw
was male, young, and armed. She was
being taken into the middle of a warrior’s camp.
Shouts of amazement followed Valkar as he marched steadily
through the barracks. Eventually he
reached what appeared to be a guardroom.
Sentries stood outside the door and its windows were barred. The sentries saluted by placing a clenched
fist over their hearts as Valkar entered.
Once in the room Valkar removed Azure’s
shackles. He did not seem the least
concerned that she would try to escape, and indeed she was not much
inclined. She knew that since she was
surrounded by heavily armed men the likelihood of a successful escape were
about zero. She was prepared to bide
her time until a better opportunity presented itself.
“Place her in a clean cell,” said Valkar, “and bring
her food and drink. I want her well
taken care of.” Turning to Azure he
continued: “I apologize for this indignity my lady, but I believe you are very
tired. I will explain myself to you in
the morning”
Without waiting for a reply Valkar turned and
left. Azure was escorted to a cell and
the door was locked behind her. As
Valkar had ordered, she was brought food and drink. It turned out to be quite good food, and the drink was quite a
good wine. Her cell was fairly
comfortable as well, for a cell.
“I must have been given the best room in the house,”
Azure muttered. Valkar had been
right. She was tired. She lay down on the bed, pulled a blanket
over her, and slept.
* * *
Azure was awakened by the sound of the guard
bringing her breakfast. She ate and
cleaned herself as well as she could by bathing in a bowl of water that had
been brought by the guard.
Valkar came for her soon after that. He brought several men with him. Although he did not chain her up again one
man took each of her arms. There seemed
little chance of escape. She was
marched out of the guardroom and to a different part of the military complex
she was in. Entering a large building
Azure found herself in what seemed to be a training hall.
Valkar turned to her. For the first time he spoke to her directly. “Princess, I have brought you here to make a
formal application for union between yourself and me. These men are my friends and witnesses to this application.”
Azure was dumbfounded. For several moment she said nothing, but finally managed to
stammer out an answer. “I…I do not
understand your proposal. First I am no
princess. I am a warrior of the
Sisterhood of the Blood Ruby. Second, I
have no intention of willingly becoming part of any union, with you or any
other man.”
“I know what you are and I know your order,” replied
Valkar. “I have long searched Lemuria
for a woman worthy of my union. When I
visited the slave auction yesterday I knew that I had ended my search.”
Azure began to laugh. She suddenly found the entire proceeding incredibly funny. “You mean that out of all the young women
who were sold into slavery yesterday, you were able to determine the I was the
perfect match for you?” She began to
giggle again.
Valkar remained perfectly serious. He was not quite sure what to make of this
giggling young girl. “No,” he answered,
“there were three who would have been suitable. You, your sister, and the Amazon who was sold with your sister.”
Azure stopped laughing. The man was actually serious.
“Your proposal is ridiculous,” she said. “A Daughter of the Sky does not give herself to any man.”
“No, replied Valkar, “but she can be taken if she is
defeated in unarmed combat by a member of her Sisterhood’s chosen group.”
Azure gasped.
“How did you know that? Only
warriors of Clan Wolverine and members of
the Sisterhood are privy to such knowledge.”
Valkar smiled.
He was incredibly handsome when he smiled. “I am a captain of Clan Wolverine. You are in the barracks of the order.”
Azure swayed.
The was a hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach. She was caught in the ancient warrior code
that controlled both Valkar’s clan and her Sisterhood.
The Sisterhood of the Blood Ruby excluded all males
from its membership as a matter of course.
Only young girls were admitted to its
cloisters for training. This
created a difficulty. How did such an
order replace its membership? Over the
centuries the Sisterhood had evolved a tradition to deal with the problem. It had arranged for its most adept pupils to
mate with males deemed worthy of the honor.
The worthiness of the males was determined by two factors. They must be members of an elite warrior
clan, and they must show their worthiness by defeating a sister of the order in
unarmed combat. Valkar qualified on the
first count, and since he had
challenged her, under the ancient code that bound her Sisterhood, Azure had no
choice but to accept the challenge.
“That is why we are in a training hall,” thought
Azure, “he means to battle me here for the right to mate with me.”
Valkar seemed to guess what was running through her
mind. “Yes,” he said, “I do understand
the ancient laws. You will fight me and
you will have my child.”
“A child,” thought Azure. “Of course, this was what Valkar wanted.” The Sisters of the
Bloody Ruby were sterile unless they could be brought to orgasm by someone they
loved or respected. Since the Sisters
did not meet men for reasons of romance it had to be someone they respected,
and respect could only be earned by beating them in unarmed combat. Who received the offspring of such a union
depended on the sex of the child. If it
was a girl, it stayed with its mother and became a member of the
Sisterhood. If it was a boy, it was
turned over to its father at age ten for training as a member of the male
clan. Thus it was that each institution
maintained its membership.
Valkar had caught her in a trap she could not
escape. He had issued the challenge and
she had to accept.
Valkar moved into the center of the room. It was a large circular area used for combat
training. He removed his sword and
handed it to Zendar. Without another
word Azure stepped into the circle with him.
Slowly the two combatants circled one another. Valkar knew the reputation of the
Sisterhood. It was famed for the
martial prowess of its members. It
would be no easy victory. Still he was
sure of his success. He had fought many
battles and had yet to be defeated.
Azure on her part was equally cautious. She was supremely confident in her ability,
but there was no mistaking Valkar’s a skill.
He was an opponent to be reckoned with and had a tremendous advantage in
size and strength. It would not do to
be overconfident.
Valkar made the first move, attempting to foot sweep
her. His attack was rapid and
unexpected, but Azure avoided it with ease, and moving beneath his guard,
struck two powerful blows to his ribs before darting back to avoid a
counterstrike.
Valkar gasped.
The force of Azure’s punches had almost taken the wind out of him, but
he was not seriously hurt. It would
take more than a couple of blows to bring him down.
Valkar faked a punch to Azure’s midsection. As her
hand came up to block it, he swung his foot in a roundhouse kick intended to
strike her in the ribs. Again, she
anticipated his attack, catching his foot and striking toward his groin. Valkar just managed to deflect the blow,
taking the force of it on his inner thigh instead.
And so the combat continued, with Valkar launching
attack after attack, but with Azure blocking his attack at every turn, and
hammering him continually in her counterattacks. A half hour of combat left him battered, bruised, and on the edge
of collapse. Azure on the other hand,
seemed as strong and unmarked as before the contest had begun.
It was now Azure who was the aggressor in the
contest, she sensed that she was not far from victory. And victory meant that Valkar would have to
give her freedom.
Valkar was desperate. It now appeared to be little more than a matter of time before he
was humiliatingly defeated in front of his men. As he circled away from the now aggressive female warrior he
formulated a desperate plan. Ripping
off his sweat-soaked shirt he tossed it to the edge of the circle. Azure was puzzled by this action, but
concluded that Valkar was attempting to cool his overheated body. It would do him little good. As he weakened his guard dropped lower and
lower. One more successful attack and
he would be finished.
Valkar stepped carelessly toward her. Azure countered with a foot sweep, catching
him in mid step. Off balance, he
sprawled to the floor. Now to finish
him!
But Valkar was not done just yet. Even as he hit the arena floor, he rolled to
the edge of the combat area. Azure
followed, but as she did so, Valkar’s hand went back and seized his discarded
shirt. With his last reserves of
strength he flicked the sweat soaked garment like a whip, catching Azure’s
right ankle just as she stepped forward.
Yanking hard, he jerked her leg out from under her, causing her to fall
directly on top of him. As his powerful
arms closed about her, she realized that she had fallen into a clever
trap.
Valkar pinned the struggling warrior’s arms to her
sides while at the same time maneuvering to get his legs around her waist. In a few seconds he had her in a double
hold, her arms held tightly to her sides while his powerful legs compressed her
torso.
Now it was Azure’s turn to fight in desperation, as
Valkar’s giant strength slowly squeezed the breath out of her. Unable to use her superior martial arts
skills the contest was now to be decided by brute strength. Would Valkar’s battered body be able to
subdue her before her desperate struggles enabled her to break free?
Azure thrashed about like a wild animal. Valkar had never felt such strength in a
woman. He held on for dear life,
knowing that if she broke free he would not have the strength to continue the
battle. Slowly, Azure’s strength waned,
as Valkar’s power arms and legs compressed her body, depriving her of
oxygen. She was now gasping desperately
for air, but fight as she might she could not shake free of Valkar’s
grasp. Slowly she weakened and then
went limp.
Valkar maintained the pressure for a full half
minute after Azure ceased struggling.
He wanted to be sure that she was not faking her defeat. Then he released her and ripping his shirt
into strips, bound her hand and foot.
He finished just as she opened her eyes.
Picking up the helpless woman, he slung her over his
shoulder and carried her to his room.
Azure hung limply as he carried her, too exhausted to protest. Valkar’s procession through the barracks was
accompanied by the cheers of his comrades, all of whom now envied his
conquest.
The sound of their cheering and good wishes died out
as Valkar closed the door to his Spartan room.
It was little more than a bedchamber, containing only a small cot and a
wardrobe for his gear.
Valkar set his prize down on the cot. “I wish I could offer you better
accommodation on the night of our union, but I am afraid this is the best I
have.”
“You won unfairly,” protested Azure. “The contest was to be without weapons.”
“Surely, my shirt cannot be considered a weapon,” he
answered. “You fell for a clever ruse,
that is all.”
“I was tricked, and you won unfairly. You did not take me in combat, but by
subterfuge.”
“Nevertheless, I won in unarmed combat,” said
Valkar. “No weapons were used and you
were not harmed. I have the right to
mate with you.”
Azure struggled to break free of her bonds, but
Valkar had tied her well. There was no
escape.
Valkar sat down on the cot next to her. Taking a dagger from a small chest by the
bed he surprised her by cutting the strips of fabric that held her. Instantly, Azure was on her feet, ready to
defend herself, but Valkar made no move toward her. Instead, he remained sitting quietly on the bed.
“I will not force you,” he said. “I have never had a woman that way. Either you give yourself willingly to me or
you go free.”
“What about the ritual of unarmed combat?” she
asked. “Does that not entitle you to
take me?”
“I will not take you against your wishes,” Valkar
replied.
Azure sat down on the bed. “I do not even know your name, nor do you know mine. If we are to mate perhaps we should get to
know one another better.”
“Forgive me.
I was so consumed by your beauty that I quite forgot my manners. I am Valkar, Captain in the service of Clan
Wolverine.”
“And I am Azure, novitiate in the Sisterhood of the
Blood Ruby.”
Azure and Valkar exchanged polite conversation,
learning more abut one another. Azure
explained how she had come to be taken to the slave market and the concern she
felt for her sister and their newfound friend Shanna. Valkar told tales of his life as a warrior and how he had managed
to accumulate 5000 gold pieces through his military service.
“How many women have you mated with?” asked Azure,
wondering if any of the Sisters she knew had been past loves of the man with
which she was to have union.
“You will be my first. I have had other women, but not for the purpose of
procreation. What is the purpose of
your question?”
“I just wondered if perhaps you had had union with
any of the Sisters I have been acquainted with.”
“No, but you might know one that was close to
me. My mother was a member of the
Sisterhood. Her name was Beryl.”
Azure’s eyes widened. Then she smiled. Taking
Valkar’s head gently in her hands she kissed him softly on the cheek. Valkar was about to reciprocate, when
Azure’s words froze him like a statue.
“Greetings, brother, she said, “I am your half sister.”