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Authors: Paulette Miller
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tree where Tianna was perched like a bird. He gazed at her beautiful form for a moment, and called, “Sleep tight my lady, knowing that we’ll be here to protect you while you rest. I’ll anxiously await the kiss of morning’s light so that I may be once again blessed by the warmth of your smile.”
Everyone was left speechless, having never heard Nathaniel being so charming. Tianna gazed down at the poet and said, “Why, thank you, Nathaniel. I guess there’s hope for you after all. I’ll see you in the morning.” She couldn’t hold back a smile.
He gave her a bow but kept his gaze locked on her form, watching as she climbed fluidly and quietly up to her bed. His pulse raced. He wasn’t sure where his words had come from. His older cousin, Duncan, had the gift to charm, not him. With Nathaniel’s natural allure, he never needed to waist energy on such trivial things as romancing a potential mate. They came to him no matter what he said or did. Everything about this small woman called to him—her appearance, scent, and even her voice. For the first time ever, he was completely out of control. Obviously, if he wanted to attract Tianna, he was going to have to take a whole new approach. He secretly wished he had Duncan by his side to help guide him.
As Tianna settled herself into her bed for the night, she thought of Nathaniel. He was everything she knew women were told to watch out for, but somehow he managed to touch her heart. She quietly pulled out her journal. Today’s events warranted a major entry in her book. When done, she sighed quietly and tucked the book back into its hiding place. Once she was lying hugging the large branch she was snuggled onto, she listened to the men preparing for bed and, for the first time in a very long time, she looked forward to the morning. Once those below her were silent, she fell fast asleep and had a night of wonderful dreams.
Chapter 5 - Marks
Tianna was awake and out of her tree before the sun was up. She dressed in another home-made outfit, but this time, one designed for riding. The pants were made of thick leather to help protect her backside and thighs while sitting on the back of a horse. She knew Nathaniel would be disappointed that this outfit, while flattering, hung loosely from her body. She thought it silly, but she cared about what he thought.
Since the men had made her the evening meal, she wanted to wait on them. As with everything else in her life, she had learned to cook at a very young age. When she was selected to be the wizard’s apprentice, she moved out of her parents’ home and into a back room at Zarin’s. Although she knew Zarin thought of her like a daughter, he often forgot she was just an eight year old child. He would work for hours on researching spells and creating potions, forgetting to feed her, clean her clothes, or any other normal domestic tasks. If she wanted to eat, she needed to learn to cook. If she wanted to be dressed, she had to make her own clothes. Soon she was doing all of the domestic chores not just for herself but for Zarin as well. She didn’t mind as she felt like she owed him something for letting her live there and teaching her.
One of the items that Zarin said she made especially well was biscuits, so she decided to make a batch for her camping companions. As she prepared the meal, the men began to rise and prepare for the day. She knew they were awake the moment she stirred in the trees because she felt them watching her.
Tianna glanced up just as Marcus was re-entering the camp from bathing in the river. He had his shirt in hand and was starting to put it on when her eyes caught sight of a tattoo that started over his heart and ran up to his left shoulder.
Tianna couldn’t hold back her curiosity and asked, “Marcus, what’s that on your chest?”
“It’s the mark of my village that has been burned into my skin.”
Tianna walked over to
Everyone was left speechless, having never heard Nathaniel being so charming. Tianna gazed down at the poet and said, “Why, thank you, Nathaniel. I guess there’s hope for you after all. I’ll see you in the morning.” She couldn’t hold back a smile.
He gave her a bow but kept his gaze locked on her form, watching as she climbed fluidly and quietly up to her bed. His pulse raced. He wasn’t sure where his words had come from. His older cousin, Duncan, had the gift to charm, not him. With Nathaniel’s natural allure, he never needed to waist energy on such trivial things as romancing a potential mate. They came to him no matter what he said or did. Everything about this small woman called to him—her appearance, scent, and even her voice. For the first time ever, he was completely out of control. Obviously, if he wanted to attract Tianna, he was going to have to take a whole new approach. He secretly wished he had Duncan by his side to help guide him.
As Tianna settled herself into her bed for the night, she thought of Nathaniel. He was everything she knew women were told to watch out for, but somehow he managed to touch her heart. She quietly pulled out her journal. Today’s events warranted a major entry in her book. When done, she sighed quietly and tucked the book back into its hiding place. Once she was lying hugging the large branch she was snuggled onto, she listened to the men preparing for bed and, for the first time in a very long time, she looked forward to the morning. Once those below her were silent, she fell fast asleep and had a night of wonderful dreams.
Chapter 5 - Marks
Tianna was awake and out of her tree before the sun was up. She dressed in another home-made outfit, but this time, one designed for riding. The pants were made of thick leather to help protect her backside and thighs while sitting on the back of a horse. She knew Nathaniel would be disappointed that this outfit, while flattering, hung loosely from her body. She thought it silly, but she cared about what he thought.
Since the men had made her the evening meal, she wanted to wait on them. As with everything else in her life, she had learned to cook at a very young age. When she was selected to be the wizard’s apprentice, she moved out of her parents’ home and into a back room at Zarin’s. Although she knew Zarin thought of her like a daughter, he often forgot she was just an eight year old child. He would work for hours on researching spells and creating potions, forgetting to feed her, clean her clothes, or any other normal domestic tasks. If she wanted to eat, she needed to learn to cook. If she wanted to be dressed, she had to make her own clothes. Soon she was doing all of the domestic chores not just for herself but for Zarin as well. She didn’t mind as she felt like she owed him something for letting her live there and teaching her.
One of the items that Zarin said she made especially well was biscuits, so she decided to make a batch for her camping companions. As she prepared the meal, the men began to rise and prepare for the day. She knew they were awake the moment she stirred in the trees because she felt them watching her.
Tianna glanced up just as Marcus was re-entering the camp from bathing in the river. He had his shirt in hand and was starting to put it on when her eyes caught sight of a tattoo that started over his heart and ran up to his left shoulder.
Tianna couldn’t hold back her curiosity and asked, “Marcus, what’s that on your chest?”
“It’s the mark of my village that has been burned into my skin.”
Tianna walked over to
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