She made a note to bring up later the fact that she took an herbal supplement that made pregnancy very unlikely. It was a common herb in both the Highlands and Lowlands. All female pathfinders were taught how to recognize and prepare the herb to prevent pregnancy. Fallon might want children, but unless she stopped taking the herb, it wasn’t happening.
“Elder Eckbert is the one who requested we summon you, Fallon,” Caden said in a respectful tone of voice.
Fallon nodded and looked at the elder with a questioning look. “Is that right? What is it that you wish to speak with me about?”
Eckbert cackled. “It is, though if I’d known where you two were I would have delayed a few more hours.”
Shea shifted again, silently cursing the fact that she’d ever wanted to take Fallon to that oasis. If she’d known everybody in the Forest of the Giants was going to comment and speculate on her and Fallon’s whereabouts, she would have never given them anything to talk about.
“We’re here now. You might as well speak of your concern.”
“Very well.” Eckbert narrowed his eyes on Fallon. “My people tell me you’re taking fifty of our men.”
Shea stiffened at Fallon’s side, instantly on guard. The Trateri took honor very seriously. If you did anything to impinge on that honor, they reacted with decisive force, usually in the form of violence. While they had an odd respect for those who fought and lost in battle, they had only loathing for those who signed and then broke a treaty. The consequences of such an action often resulted in complete destruction of the village. Any survivors would be enslaved and divvied out among the clans.
Eckbert’s village had already agreed to the treaty. If they tried to go back on their word, Shea feared what might happen to them.
“That is the number that was agreed upon when you signed the treaty. Are you saying that you’re unable to meet these terms?” Fallon’s voice was calm, not giving any hint to his thoughts.
Shea looked up at him in concern, noting the suddenly alertness on his face, like that of a wolf that had just scented prey. His body was tense where it touched hers. She liked these people and didn’t want to see them end, not when it was her stories that had led the Trateri to them.
His hold tightened on her and his eyes dropped to hers in warning. Her mouth thinned, but she kept her council. For now.
Eckbert waved his hand. “Bah, of course we can. That’s not the problem. I want to know why you’re not taking more of our hunters. I can easily give you double that.”
The response was met with a long silence. Fallon blinked at Eckbert in a rare moment of surprise. Caden and the other Anateri studied the other man with undisguised curiosity.
“This is an unusual request,” Fallon’s response was slow in coming. “I’m afraid you have me at a loss.”
Eckbert gave a grunt, sounding more like a crotchety old man. “Yes, I imagine so when you’re dealing with the land dwellers. You’d be hard-pressed to find an honest one among them. For the most part, we avoid them since we’ve had trouble with them in the past. Greedy lot, but none of them want to work for what they have.”
Fallon studied Eckbert, his expression calculating. Shea could almost hear the thoughts turning over in his head. “What is your reasoning behind offering me more men?”
“You take more men; they get to see the world. Maybe when they come home they bring wives.” The elder’s face turned crafty. “Maybe even Trateri wives.”
One of Fallon’s men choked, his laugh disguised as a cough.
Fallon nodded. Only someone who knew him well would be able to tell that the response amused him.
“I’m sure we can accommodate you. I will speak to my generals to find places for the extra men.”
The elder threw his arms out wide, the cane hanging down uselessly, “Aiie, that is outstanding.” He shuffled forward, his balance slightly wobbly without the cane. Fallon’s guards stiffened as the elder got close to Fallon and Shea, his hands lightly patting both of their faces.
“And you must come for dinner tomorrow night. We will throw a feast to celebrate. There will be much entertainment.”
He released Fallon and gestured forward several of his people, all women that Shea could tell. They giggled as they advanced, swarming toward Fallon and Shea.
Caden stepped forward, trying to use his body to usher the elder and the others back. “The Warlord is a busy man.” He was only half-successful. He managed to keep Fallon out of reach, but the women transferred their attention to Caden, who quickly found several pairs of hands patting his cheeks—and other portions of his anatomy.
“We’ll be there,” Shea volunteered, finding herself inordinately amused by how uncomfortable the attention was making Caden, a man who usually possessed confidence and a raw power that warned others of his danger. She looked up at Fallon pointedly. “Won’t we?”
Humor danced behind his eyes, before he broke her gaze and looked back at Eckbert and the women tittering every time one of them touched Caden. “We wouldn’t miss it.”
“Aiie, brilliant.” Eckbert clapped his hands and started shuffling back towards Fallon. Caden grabbed him and tried to steer him away.
“That’s enough. He gets it. You can’t just grab onto the Warlord whenever you want. There’s a protocol to these things.” Caden’s voice was irritated as he tried to keep from getting entangled in Eckbert and the other women’s affections again.
Shea bit back a laugh, finding the sight of the normally austere commander flustered too funny to resist.
