Page 17 of Surrender
“I’m hungry too,” she wailed. “I hate this place! I hate the cold, the bad smells. I hate having everyone touching me but never allowing me gratification. I wish I’d never come to your miserable planet!”
Chapter Twelve
Kylar froze, his arm in the air ready to deliver another smack.Never came to my miserable planet?The poor girl truly did have an addled brain.
Was no one caring for her? Perhaps, in all the confusion, she’d been separated from her family. No wonder she’d been wandering around the city all alone. She was helpless as a babe. And he’d spanked her for not behaving like a full-grown Viking woman. Ashamed of his fit of temper, he stroked her reddened bottom, murmuring words of comfort.
But that seemed to make things worse. Instead of calming down, she cried even harder. He lifted her and sat her on his lap, cradled her against his chest, and stroked her hair. For once, she didn’t fight him, allowing him to cuddle her like a toddler. He needed to find out who she belonged to. They’d be frantic with worry by now.
Once the storm had subsided and she was reduced to sniffles, he began. His voice raised, his words slow and simple.
“What is your name, my child?”
She’d recovered enough to lift her tear-streaked face from his chest and stare at him. “My name is Talia. Talia Anderson. I’m not your child. And I’m not deaf or slow-witted, so you can quit talking to me as if I were.”
“Anderson? I know an Anderson but I wasn’t aware that he had a grown daughter. Is your father Sven Anderson?”
“My father is William Anderson. Why do you care what his first name is?”
“William?” His brow wrinkled. “That’s not a Viking name.”
She opened her mouth but before she could speak he hurried on, still in that soothing tone, as though speaking to a child. “It’s no matter if you’ve gotten it wrong. Don’t be afraid. I’ll see that we find the right man and return you to him. Until then, I’ll give you to my sister. She’s in the fortress with the rest of the womenfolk. She’ll take good care of you.”
She pulled away and put both hands over her face, shoulders heaving.
“Don’t cry. Everything’s going to be all right. My sister is very kind. You’ll like her. And I promise no one there will spank you.”
* * *
Comprehension dawned. Talia couldn’t hold it in. She covered her face and burst out laughing as hard as she’d been crying moments earlier. One part of her brain registered the fact that her emotions had spun out of control. But she couldn’t seem to pull herself together. It was as though her calm, rational mind had disappeared somewhere on her journey through the portal, leaving behind a body that was nothing but a mass of primitive emotions.
Seeing the startled look on his face, she fought for composure. If she kept on this way, sobbing uncontrollably then giving way to fits of laughter, he’d have good reason to think her brain-damaged. Talia wiped her eyes, took a deep breath, and lifted her chin.
“I don’t need you to take me to your sister. Apparently, King Sigrun has been captured and is being held prisoner, as I was. Please take me to whoever is in charge in his stead.”
He stiffened, as though he’d been insulted. “That would be me.”
She sighed. “Of course it would.” Talia struggled off his lap. “They told me to expect this,” she muttered to herself, as if he wasn’t there. “Told me the men here would probably address all their remarks to Nelson or my other assistants. Warned me I’d be dealing with a backward, male-dominated culture. I assured them I was up to the challenge. I’d win their respect.”
She smoothed his shirt down over her stinging bottom with both hands. Trying to forget the sensation ofhishand stroking her hot cheeks while the bulge in his trousers pressed against her mound, radiating a different kind of heat. Summoning as much dignity as she could, she stood tall, shoulders back, head held high.
“I am Talia Anderson, newly appointed ambassador to Gadolinium from the Interstellar Federation. Please take me to whoever is acting as your ruler in the absence of King Sigrun.”
He rose too, towering over her. Eyes dark, face suddenly expressionless, voice cold. “As I said earlier, that would be me.” He gave a mocking half-bow. “Prince Kylar of Trondheim. In the absence of my father, reigning monarch of Gadolinium.”
He went on. “So you’re the new ambassador. We expected a man. I sent my representative to welcome you and escort you to the palace days ago. He never returned.” He stopped, shook his head slowly. “It was early in the morning…the day the Tabun attacked. I didn’t know about the invasion until after he left. My apologies, excellency. My thoughts were occupied with evacuating the entire town and escorting everyone to the fortress. In all the chaos I forgot about him. Later, when he did come to mind, I assumed, I hoped, that he’d gotten you safely out of the city.”
Talia listened to his speech, her mouth hanging open. At their first meeting, he’d groped her, treated her with disrespect. Hauled her out of the palace over his shoulder like a sack of grain at their second. He forced her to run until she dropped from exhaustion then spanked her bare bottom. This rude, ill-mannered oaf was the acting king?
He also risked his life to save yours. Twice.
She made a valiant effort to put her injured pride aside. “Your…apology…is accepted. On behalf of all the worlds of the Interstellar Federation, I offer my condolences on the loss of so many of your citizens – and the plight of your king.”
Kylar raised one eyebrow. “I accept your apology as well. And on behalf of the people of Gadolinium, I bid you welcome.”
She opened her mouth to point out that she’d offered no apology, but he went on before she could get a word in. “Though you are a guest in our world, you have arrived in the midst of an interplanetary war with the Tabun, the likes of which has not been seen in living memory. I must insist that from this moment on, you accept my authority and give me the same unquestioning obedience I expect from everyone whose life it is now my responsibility to protect.”
He continued in the same formal tone. “I need to fetch more wood if we’re to have a fire to keep us warm all night. We need nourishment as well.” He gestured to the hare. A note of sarcasm crept into his voice. “Despite yourdignifiedposition, I must insist that you do as I requested and cook our dinner. I’m needed back at the fortress, so we’ll have to be on the move by dawn. We’ve both expended a great deal of energy, today, and we won’t be able to travel swiftly without food and rest.”