CARPE NOCTEM
Chapter One
The caravan
to Leones was made up of Tzar, Nekoda, Mihos, Exodus, Velenti, and two other
men I didn’t know besides myself. We were to travel by tarpon for the first
part of the journey. One of the men tried to give me a lift on to the massive
brindle colored tarpon but I shook him off jumping up easily.
The tarpon
snorted pawing the ground so I caressed his large shoulder soothingly. “You’ve
ridden before milady?” Velenti questioned approaching easily on his ebony
stead.
“Yes. Renik
had me leave Fortis on a tarpon named Thunderclap,” I admitted glancing over at
him. His eyes were patient but there was an ache there, an ache I caused. “We
should ride,” I muttered looking away.
“Yes
mistress,” he agreed moving to lead position with Tzar and the man named Faro.
Mihos and Exodus flanked my sides leaving Nekoda and the last man Teliko. They
kept an easy trot through most of the forest but my body was rigid with tension
and soon the tarpon I was on was getting antsy.
“Mari,” Mihos
called firmly. Glancing over I saw the intensity in his eyes. He urged his
tarpon forward whispering in harsh tones to Velenti who looked at me
questioningly. I don’t know what they saw in my eyes but Velenti nodded moving
aside as Mihos waved me forward.
I dug my
heels in urging the lumbering giant into a run. Mihos was at my side in a blink
then he was passing me. A thrill of excitement flooded my body as I lowered
myself down. “You want to run... then run,” I cooed caressing the giant beneath
me.
He took off
in a fast run passing Mihos in a blast of air that made me laugh. We ran north
towards the setting suns breaking a clearing I sat up raising my arms. The
tarpon reared up to his hind legs neighing loudly. Squeezing my thighs I hung
on enjoying the feeling of flight that thrilled my senses. He dropped down
running faster and faster until the entire world blurred around us, behind us.
It was like
running from everything, every bad decision. I let him run until Mihos whistled
a shrill noise. The tarpon slowed to a trot and I fell forward breathing hard.
“You ride like you fly,” Mihos purred sidling up next to us. I tilted my head
spilling the tears that gathered.
“How did you
know I needed to run?”
“My blood is
coursing in you doyenne,” he said
with a dangerous smile, “but some thing’s a cat can just smell. Your tarpon and
you needed that freedom but we are approaching the first camp of night fall.
Are you going to be all right camping out?”
I sat up
straight narrowing my eyes.
“I’m not
challenging you Mari, or trying to imply that you are too ladylike or dainty to
be in the wild,” he smirked. “I simply meant you’d have to share a tent with a
few of us. Is that going to be a problem?”
“How many is
a few, and who?”
“Four to a
tent,” Velenti answered from behind us. “It’s your choice which three you want
with you my mistress.”
“Although
we’d like to have two of our men with you just in case,” Mihos confided.
“Why?”
“In case of
attack,” he offered with a shrug.
“Mihos,” I
warned.
“The Leones
are worried sleeping beside you will provide a temptation that their beasts
will not refuse,” Velenti answered. “Take Exodus, Nekoda, and Mihos, the rest
of us will sleep in the other tent tonight.”
“Velenti,” I
called but he trotted on up the path. I watched him go with a stab in my heart.
Almost all the words along his back had faded away.
“Is that ok
with you Mari?” Mihos queried.
“Yeah I guess so,” I
muttered urging my tarpon forward keeping pace behind Velenti once more.
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