Read Online The Barbarian's Mistress by Nhys Glover - Free Book Online
Authors: Nhys Glover
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stay away, and if they don’t do as you say, use the dagger. I think you’re safe enough. We’re still close enough to Rome for civility. But you never know. See this as practise.’
She nodded silently, and took the dagger from him, her hands trembling so badly he was sure she’d drop the weapon. Before he second-guessed himself and took her with him, he strode off into the village. They needed supplies to get them through until tomorrow. What little they’d brought with them was insufficient for his huge appetite. The gladiator school had done that to him. They fed their fighters so they bulked up. More muscle meant less possible damage to internal organs from a blow. And it meant he was hungry most of the time. Some bread and cheese barely touched the sides.
He strode into the cluster of dwellings and saw a small marketplace , which was in the process of packing up for the day. He scanned what was left for sale and selected a small, plucked goose, several loaves of crusty bread, a jug of wine, a wheel of pungent cheese, olives, a small jug of olive oil, and some sweet berries he thought might tempt Lara’s appetite.
As he prepared to pay for his items he appreciated his own foresight yesterday when he’d made a point of changing several of the gold aureii for the smaller denominations of denarii and sesterces in the forum. He knew places like this on their way would rarely see gold coins, and they would have attracted too much attention.
Amongst the day old fruit on display some thick skinned citrons caught his eye. He had seen these greenish yellow fruits before. One of his mistresses had used their juice to lighten her hair. What if they could improve Lara’s disguise by changing her appearance? If her mother was looking for her, then her distinctive, warm-brown hair would be a giveaway. But if she had much lighter brown hair, even reddish blonde, no one would match her to the missing girl’s description.
He added the citrons to his purchases, threw in a small bag of oats for the horses, and made his way hurriedly back to the carrus. By the time he got back to her, no more than half an hour had passed. But it probably felt like a lot longer to Lara , as she sat feverishly scanning the terrain like a cornered rabbit. When she noticed him, she beamed with relieved delight. He half expected her to demand to know what took him so long. But of course, his little mistress would never do such a thing. Instead, she simply welcomed him back, and made much of his purchases.
When they stopped to rest and water the horses at another stream well off the road a short time later, the sun was beating down on them remorselessly. Lara’s face was burned red and perspiration ran in muddy tracks down her dust covered cheeks. She kept trying to push back wet tendrils of hair , which had escaped the long braid that fell down her back. Even though she was in obvious discomfort, she didn’t so much as whimper.
He made sure the carrus was out of the sun, unhitched the horses, and walked them down to the small stream. Here he let them drink just enough to meet their needs. Then he rubbed them down, and tethered them in a lush patch of grass in the shade.
In the meantime, without being asked, Lara had unloaded the horse blanket and what was left of the food they brought with them, and had laid them out in the most shaded place she could find.
‘Come on, let’s wash some of the road off us and cool off a little before we eat.’ He held out his hand to her, and she gratefully accepted his assistance to rise. She was in obvious pain from the seat of the carrus. If they’d been provided with a better standard of vehicle she would have handled the trip a little better. But they were stuck with what they had.
‘How would you feel about becoming a blonde?’ he asked as he helped her across the rounded pebbles to the water’s edge.
‘Why? ’ She didn’t look at him, as she dropped his hand and bent over to splash the cool,
She nodded silently, and took the dagger from him, her hands trembling so badly he was sure she’d drop the weapon. Before he second-guessed himself and took her with him, he strode off into the village. They needed supplies to get them through until tomorrow. What little they’d brought with them was insufficient for his huge appetite. The gladiator school had done that to him. They fed their fighters so they bulked up. More muscle meant less possible damage to internal organs from a blow. And it meant he was hungry most of the time. Some bread and cheese barely touched the sides.
He strode into the cluster of dwellings and saw a small marketplace , which was in the process of packing up for the day. He scanned what was left for sale and selected a small, plucked goose, several loaves of crusty bread, a jug of wine, a wheel of pungent cheese, olives, a small jug of olive oil, and some sweet berries he thought might tempt Lara’s appetite.
As he prepared to pay for his items he appreciated his own foresight yesterday when he’d made a point of changing several of the gold aureii for the smaller denominations of denarii and sesterces in the forum. He knew places like this on their way would rarely see gold coins, and they would have attracted too much attention.
Amongst the day old fruit on display some thick skinned citrons caught his eye. He had seen these greenish yellow fruits before. One of his mistresses had used their juice to lighten her hair. What if they could improve Lara’s disguise by changing her appearance? If her mother was looking for her, then her distinctive, warm-brown hair would be a giveaway. But if she had much lighter brown hair, even reddish blonde, no one would match her to the missing girl’s description.
He added the citrons to his purchases, threw in a small bag of oats for the horses, and made his way hurriedly back to the carrus. By the time he got back to her, no more than half an hour had passed. But it probably felt like a lot longer to Lara , as she sat feverishly scanning the terrain like a cornered rabbit. When she noticed him, she beamed with relieved delight. He half expected her to demand to know what took him so long. But of course, his little mistress would never do such a thing. Instead, she simply welcomed him back, and made much of his purchases.
When they stopped to rest and water the horses at another stream well off the road a short time later, the sun was beating down on them remorselessly. Lara’s face was burned red and perspiration ran in muddy tracks down her dust covered cheeks. She kept trying to push back wet tendrils of hair , which had escaped the long braid that fell down her back. Even though she was in obvious discomfort, she didn’t so much as whimper.
He made sure the carrus was out of the sun, unhitched the horses, and walked them down to the small stream. Here he let them drink just enough to meet their needs. Then he rubbed them down, and tethered them in a lush patch of grass in the shade.
In the meantime, without being asked, Lara had unloaded the horse blanket and what was left of the food they brought with them, and had laid them out in the most shaded place she could find.
‘Come on, let’s wash some of the road off us and cool off a little before we eat.’ He held out his hand to her, and she gratefully accepted his assistance to rise. She was in obvious pain from the seat of the carrus. If they’d been provided with a better standard of vehicle she would have handled the trip a little better. But they were stuck with what they had.
‘How would you feel about becoming a blonde?’ he asked as he helped her across the rounded pebbles to the water’s edge.
‘Why? ’ She didn’t look at him, as she dropped his hand and bent over to splash the cool,
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