It is late afternoon and the promotion ceremony is underway. Klevon and I are in the front yard and are standing together with all the other warriors. The Pitchford six generals are in front of us, lining up close to Theo.
I am promoted to First Lieutenant because of the number of times I saved the King's life. However, I believe Harbin has done something to it too. I jump six positions just from saving the King's life three times.
Klevon, on the other hand, jumps from Captain and becomes the seventh General. Rumor is that he was supposed to take one of the remaining general positions years before, but he keeps on declining the offer. So it's a grand celebration that he finally accepted it.
Other than that, there is also another piece of news the Kingdom has to celebrate. Princess Kissa is pregnant, and she is now officially Theo's first concubine. His other pregnant concubines also have ranks now–second to fourth concubines. And those who will be unable to bear him a child within the year will be returned to their own kingdoms.
I look up at the dais. Theo is not happy with this. Now that I have a rank, I will not be forced to stay at his side all the time. I will have other responsibilities.
I glance at the pin against my vest. It is still within Pitchford, but at least, I am moving forward. Besides, I can't leave Pitchford until the expiration of my mark on Theo. Two years. I only have less than two years to stay here.
When the last promoted warrior climbs the dais and received his new designation, the people clap. After the closing remarks, people disperse. I look for Ami. She is waving at me. I smile. I am about to dash towards her when someone catches my arm.
"Let's celebrate and have a drink later," Klevon whispers in my ears. Too close for comfort. "My treat," he adds, and I nod at him. He grins and is about to say something else when someone pulls him away from me.
Free from Klevon, I approach Ami. "Let's drink!" she invites.
"That's the same invitation from Klevon," I divulge. "It's his treat," I add.
She pouts. "That's unfair! He never invited us!"
I wink at her. "Now, I am inviting you."
She laughs. "You are too mean to my captain!"
"He's our general now," I correct her. "Next time, he will be up on the dais with the other generals. Which means… he needs to treat us all fairly."
Ami laughs at my logic. I miss her laughter. After that time in Duran, we patch things up the instant we return to Pitchford. Then, she regales my story to both Nadif and Elroy. Instead of being entertained, they look at me with fear instead. Then, they added that they were glad I am still alive. I wince at that because I also thought he will punish me once we return to the ship.
"I will find you in the usual waiting area," I say. "Let me just change into something more comfortable."
"Okay!" she says, a little too excited. "I will tell Elroy and Nadif!"
And then she's off. So, I walk to my room. I now occupy the same room as the other warriors. Thankfully, Pitchford provides private quarters to their warriors. It is tiny though and only fits a bed and a cabinet.
Opening the door, I am bombarded by the smell of lavender. I lock my door and shift my attention to the cause of the flowery smell–Theo. He is hunched over while sitting on my bed with another book in hand.
"Kaiya!" he calls. There is a smile on his face upon seeing me.
He stands up and moves towards me. And I am assailed by his overpowering smell. The more I evade him, and the longer we don't copulate, the stronger his smell becomes. I scrunch my nose and glare at him, annoyed that everything about him entices me.
"I was checking the market when I found a new book. I'm sure that we still don't have-"
"Just place it on the table," I cut him off.
His smile disappears. "Your table is full."
"Then place it at the foot of the bed."
"You might kick it in your sleep."
"Then at the floor."
"Kaiya, will you look at me?"
I sigh and place the pin inside my drawer. I turn towards him and ask, "What are you doing here, my King? It's not yet my shift to guard you. And besides, visiting your personal guard in her room is inappropriate. I hope no one saw you come here?"
Of course, there is. I heard something whispering about me being promoted because of opening my legs to the King. That warrior was punished by Brandon, but it didn't stop the whispers among them.
"I miss you. It's been over a month."
"What do you want, my King? Do you need me to hug you? To kiss you? Or to have sex with you?"
I start to unbutton my clothes. He walks towards me and stops my hand. "I just need you to warm up to me again."
"So, your payment is these books?"
"That's not payment! Oh, Kaiya, please stop being difficult!"
I clench my jaws and glare at him. It's the most I can do. Until now, even if I know that he is a child inside, I still find him overly attractive. If I let my instincts take a hold of me, I will undress him right this instant and copulate with him until morning.
"My King. You are giving me too many books already. I don't need it."
"Then what do you need? What can I give you?" He peers into my eyes and asks, "What should I do so you won't look at me like this anymore?"
"Maybe you can start by leaving me alone. I have other things to do."
He inhales and looks at me in pain. Then he grabs my shoulders. I stare at him, ready to react to whatever he plans to do. Seeing the decisiveness in me, he pulls back. His shoulders droop and he starts to retreat from me until he hits the door.
"Kaiya, I don't know what to do anymore."
"I told you, you can leave."
His form quivers, and with no choice, he grabs the door handle and leaves. Alone in my room, I can breathe again. I drag my feet to my bed and sit heavily on it. As time passes, it is getting harder to control this need to be with my mate. And yet, I will. I can do this until my mark in him expires.


*********************************
Ami and I grin at each other as we interlace our arms and drink alcohol from our cups. I shut my eyes as I let the strong alcohol through my throat.
"Ah!" I exhale at the same time that she did. We laugh at each other again and Nadif and Elroy pour our glasses with alcohol again.
"Let's do it again later!" Ami says, aware of my weakness in alcohol. "Nadif! Come here. You will be my drinking partner!"
I grin at her because I know I am getting a bit tipsy. I empty my cup again and Klevon, who is on my left, pours me alcohol.
"Get yourself promoted again, Captain Klevon!" Elroy says, raising his cup to him. "Then we'll have free drinks again!"
"Shut up! I only invited Kaiya, the three of you are just extra!"
I laugh at the banter of these warriors. I tap Klevon's arm and he stops growling at Elroy. He looks at me and asks, "Are you okay?"
I lean my head on his shoulders. "Yes, just a little bit dizzy."
He chuckles in reply and supports my back. "You better take a rest then."
I grin as I close my eyes. When I appear with these three, Klevon was surprised. He's even wearing a clean suit in front of an expensive-looking restaurant. After exhaling and shaking his head, he loosened the button on his shirt and told us to follow him-which brings us here.
We are in an open-air drinking spot in the town proper. It's rowdy and there are a lot of groups having fun. It's nice. I feel free and a regular person. The food tastes good as well. Although most of them are fried and a bit oily.
I take a deep breath. Being with Klevon is calming. He doesn't force me. He has some penchant for perverseness but he doesn't push it. As long as there is a limit, he allows me to do what I want. I hope I have a mate bond with him instead.
"Miss Kaiya."
I open my eyes to see General Brandon peering at me. He glances at the way Klevon's arms are around my shoulders, and the way I lean close to his body. I even see the disappointment in his expression.
"What is it?" I ask. I sit up properly and cover my mouth to yawn.
He looks at Klevon and then at me. "I need to talk privately to you."
I stand up, and he gestures for me to follow him. A few meters away from our table. He glances at Klevon and then back at me.
"Miss Kaiya, I will advise you not to get too close to another man. King Theo is a possessive man. You might find yourself on the other side of his anger."
I glower at him. "Is that why you call me here?"
When he didn't respond, I was about to return when he holds my arm. "Lately, King Theo is becoming hard to handle. And that includes tonight."
I frown. "Hard to handle?"
"The King is having a drinking issue since he returned from the Orttenburg visit. It's sporadic, but tonight is the worst I've seen."
"And so?"
He faces me and states, "Harbin thinks it's connected to you. Did something happen earlier this day? The other guards mentioned to me that he came out of your quarters looking…" He clears his throat and adds, "… upset."
"Let Princess Kissa handle him. I am not one of his women anymore."
"You are his mate."
"He is my mate. It's not the other way around," I correct him. "Let the princess or his other concubines handle his drinking problem. I am just his personal guard and my shift won't start in another five hours."
I turn my heel and walk away from him.
"See to the King tonight and I will give you bow and arrows made of laquisha," he calls after me.
I turn my attention back to him. My brows furrowed and yet, I find myself walking back to him.
"What kind of 'see to him' do you need me to do?"
"Stop his drinking, just for tonight. Stay with him until your shift to guard him."
I purse my lips, and we stare at each other. "Fine," I say. I have nothing to do anyway but drink with Ami and the rest. "I will do it. But please note that I will ask for overtime pay tomorrow."