Scarlet and the White Wolf #1 Read Online

Ruby-red & The White Wolf
Volume 1

A romantic retelling of a archetype fairytale...

The Southern Continent of Nemerl is a lawless region of brigands, slavers, and petty overlords. The state is embroiled in encarmine edge skirmishes between the Hilurin and Aralyrin factions of Byzantur, and every day brings a new clash, a new horror. Carmine of Lysia is an honest Hilurin pedlar, a young merchant traveling the wild, undefended roads. Liall, called the Wolf of Omara, is the handsome, world-weary chieftain of a tribe of Kasiri bandits blocking a mountain road that Ruby needs to cantankerous, except Liall demands a lecherous toll for the privilege. Scarlet angrily refuses and an inventive boxing of wills ensues, with disastrous results. Soon, the hostile countryside explodes into new violence, and proud Ruby-red is forced to look to the most unlikely savior in the world for help.

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Liall woke to Peysho scratching at the wall of the yurt over again, then the flap moved bated and Peysho thrust his caput in. The bending of the moon behind him told Liall information technology had been only an hr or and then since he had fallen back comatose. The feather and the ring were tucked safely under his mattress.

�There�s a matter, atya. Ye�d best come up.�

Grumbling, he pushed aside his blankets and furs as Peysho retreated. And then much for sleep. In that location were few reasons he tolerated existence roused twice from his bed: raid, flood, fire, or the soft peel of some other nuzzling his side. None of those were in sight when he exited the yurt and stepped close to the circle of warriors huddling close to the bivouac. Then the circle opened upwardly and Kio flung the black-haired pedlar at his anxiety.

The pedlar�s easily were tied behind his dorsum and his white pare was dirtied with ash. His night eyes blazed with fury as he struggled uselessly with the ropes binding him. �Let me become, damn y'all! Kasiri dogs!�

Liall laughed and drew his cloak closer around him. This, at least, was a happy diversion. The wind was frigid. Inwardly, he felt a tinge of admiration toward the youth for venturing out into the dark, cold forest in an attempt to sneak past his men. He watched every bit the pedlar attempted to rise and Peysho grabbed him past the neck and flung him dorsum to his knees in the snowfall and dirt. The boy looked fierce as a wolf, squatting on his heels and baring his teeth in the orange light of the bivouac.

�What�s this?� Liall flowed down to i knee and took the pedlar�s chin in his hand, just barely retrieving his fingers before the pedlar snarled and snapped. He contemplated his whole digits, and then the boy, more thoughtfully and with less humor.

�You accept the atmosphere of a Minh,� he said, which was more of an insult among Byzans. �Perhaps they should call y'all the wolf instead of me. Speaking of which.� He reached for him more swiftly this fourth dimension, dodging his dangerous teeth and seizing his smooth jaw in his hand. �You did not requite me your proper noun earlier, though I gave yous mine. I will have information technology now.�

The pedlar only narrowed his optics at him and closed his mouth more than firmly.

�You�re stubborn, I�ll give you that,� Liall said, greatly impressed. �And you take backbone, if not the brains to dorsum it upwards. Did you not know we would patrol the forest?�

�I knew.�

�Hark, he speaks at last.� Liall released him. Standing up, he motioned for Peysho to slash the bindings on the boy�south hands. �And then you idea you could slip past the Kasiri, did yous? Whence comes such confidence?�

The pedlar stood and stripped the severed-leather laces from his hands earlier he angrily kicked them toward Liall with the toe of his boot. �I�m not confident. I have to become to the other side of this mountain and you won�t let me by. That�s all.�

�Ah, but I will� for a toll.�

�I don�t like your stinkin� mucked toll,� he snapped.

Behind the pedlar, Peysho chuckled, then prudently coughed and looked away.

Liall dropped his voice and moved a little closer to the irate youth. �The price, or me?�

The pedlar met his eyes unflinchingly but did not answer immediately, and Liall saw that he was struggling with his answer. The atya fought down a surge of irritation. Princes had knelt at his feet one time. Who was this illiterate merchant to reject him? Who did he recollect he was?

�Come now,� he coaxed. �You will non injure my feelings. I am no charming prince, this I know. Simply still, am I an ogre?�

�No,� the pedlar judged subsequently a moment, studying him. �Y'all�re a wolf.�

�And you exercise non like wolves?�

�I like wolves fine, so long as they stay clear of my path. Wolves and men don�t mix.�

Or men and men, Liall supposed he would accept liked to say. Peysho had shooed the tribesmen off and taken himself abroad with them, leaving Liall with the pedlar, the bivouac, and the soft-snowing nighttime around them.

�What virtually wolves and pedlars?� Liall asked softly, daring another footstep.

�I don�t�� the pedlar began. He stopped and swallowed hard, looking upward at Liall. At that place was no fear in his eyes. �I don�t encounter why you lot�re vexin� yourself, is all.�

�Vexin�?� Local dialects oft threw him. He waited for the boy to explain.

�Why are yous going to so much problem on my account? I can�t be worth this much bother.�

Liall began to doubtable that this one was not terribly experienced with the desires of men. �Are there no mirrors in Lysia? Give me your proper name,� he urged.

�I�� he closed his mouth. �Let me laissez passer.�

Liall shook his head slowly. Information technology made the pedlar aroused once again.

�Damn you, why not?�

�Because I�m not through vexin� myself, I suppose.�

Snowflakes drifted slowly down and settled on the pedlar�south blackness hair as he glared at Liall in loathing. And then, he abruptly dropped his gaze to his boots and his shoulders slumped. �All right,� he muttered.

�What?�

The boy clenched his hands into fists and yelled information technology at him in a blitz; �I said all correct, I�ll run across your gods-be-buggered price!�

Liall cocked his head as he regarded the pedlar. This capitulation was unexpected. Now that the youth had consented, Liall discovered that he had not asked enough. The pedlar would scrub the kiss from his mouth and walk abroad: still hating him, all the same believing himself superior, and Liall would have won a hollow victory.

Liall noted the opinion of the pedlar�s feet and the position of his fists before he spoke his next words. Afterwards all, this ane had already mortgaged his precious pride. He would not bask what he heard next.

�The price has changed, carmine-coat.�

The pedlar gaped. �What?�

�Today, it was a kiss. Tonight, since you have disturbed my sleep crashing about in the wood, it is one hour.�

�An hour� what?�

He would have to be more blunt. �One hour,� he said with a smile he hoped was gentle. �With me. Solitary.�

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Source: http://kirbycrow.com/novel_scarlet.html