The Illegitimate Claim (10 page)

Meah couldn’t tell if the young Neurian wiped away a tear or not.

* * * * *

Rog sat in front of the upright landlink on the wooden table in his hut. He reached

for his drink, and downed over half the glass before looking back at the screen.

“Are you sure this is true?” He looked at the beautiful young Neurian woman on

his landlink screen. Her silky black hair was woven halfway down her back, in the

Neurian upper-class fashion. A large black hair clasp secured it at the end of the weave

at the base of her neck.

“Rog, it’s the worst nightmare I’ve ever experienced. Those people are barbaric and

I’m being sold to them like a piece of property. I tried to leave with the priest yesterday

but Papa stopped me. I’m being held prisoner in my own home until we leave for

Gothman.” The woman wiped delicate fingers with long off-white fingernails across her

eyes as if prohibiting tears from falling.

“Sharay, why has your papa done this? Haven’t we done everything that he has

asked so that we may be together?” Rog’s pulse raced as he watched the beautiful

woman, who should be traveling to him this very moment, tremble as she looked into

the screen.

“He says it’s good diplomacy and that the Gothman lord will be very powerful.”

She broke into full tears now. “I’m being given to him according to Gothman law. I’ll

have no rights. That beast will own me.”

It was all Rog could do not to pound his fists down on the table. He couldn’t

comfort her, and her future would definitely be a torturous one if turned over to those

brutal people. How could Dorn Gowsky be so coldhearted?

“And what’s worse, Rog, is that the young Lord Andru claimed a woman a long

time ago but she ran off. They will have to pronounce her dead so he can claim me. Do

you know how awful he must be if a woman with no rights had the nerve to run away?

They say she took to a life with Crator and no one knows for sure if she’s really dead.

But they’re going to say she’s dead and then if they find her they’ll kill her. I guess she’s

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a Runner but they haven’t found her at any of the clans.” Sharay sighed and looked

over her shoulder nervously.

“I will think of something, Sharay. Crator means for you and me to be together, of

that much I’m certain.” Rog tried to sound optimistic.

“What we have to do is find that first claim and make her family take a stand so

that Lord Andru will be forced to take her back and not take me.” Sharay stuck out her

chin stubbornly but then her voice quavered. “I’m afraid that won’t happen fast enough

for me to avoid being abused by this Gothman monster, though.”

Rog swore and Sharay reached her delicate hand out to the screen.

“I’ll take you gratefully into my arms no matter what that brute does to you. You

know that, don’t you, Sharay?” Rog felt his heart race as he wondered how he could

find the power to fight a lord. “Now I don’t know much about Runners but I do know

they can be impossible to find if they want to be. What is this Runner’s name? Do you

have a picture of her?”

Sharay punched some buttons on her screen and a small square appeared in the

corner of the monitor. “It says the picture is five winters old and that she would have

twenty-three winters now. Her name is Meah and she is from the Red Star clan,

although her brother, who leads that clan, hasn’t heard from her since she left.”

Rog couldn’t speak. He stared dumbfounded at the small picture in the corner of

the screen. She did look younger, possibly less wise, but beyond all doubt that was his

Meah. Over five winters ago he’d met Meah for the first time and he’d never had a clue

about her past. Rather impressive, Meah, he thought to himself. Then another thought

entered his mind. Tory and Tia were probably the lord’s children. She’d never

mentioned their papa, although she did say he didn’t know they existed. That would

make Tory the next heir to Gothman. What an excellent negotiation tool—if he could

find Meah.

“Sharay, Crator has blessed us today,” he whispered for fear the facts might change

if he grew too excited.

“Why? What are you talking about?” Again she looked over her shoulder.

“Do you remember me telling you about the young woman who helped organize

this village with me?”

“Do you mean the lovely young lady that I assured you I wouldn’t like and so you

arranged for her to leave before I arrived?” Sharay glowered at him in spite of her

depression.

“Her name is Meah.” When Sharay just stared at him he continued slowly. He

pointed to the picture in the corner of his screen. “It is the same woman.”

“And now she is gone.” Sharay’s expression didn’t change.

“Yes. But I told her I would worry with her traveling alone and so she left me the

route she would take. She ends it west of Gothman but I’m sure that is where she is

headed.” He frowned suddenly and Sharay raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think she

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knows anything about her lord declaring her dead, or trying to have her killed. She said

she left because Crator told her to go.”

Rog slapped the table with his hand unable to contain his excitement as his plan of

revenge quickly took shape in his head. “I’ll go after her and capture her. It shouldn’t be

too difficult. She has several days travel on me, but she travels with two small children

and they would force her to travel slowly. How soon do you leave for Gothman?”

“My papa and I plan on leaving for Bryton, the main town of Gothman, tomorrow

morning. Gothman scouts will meet us at the border and escort us to the lord’s house.”

“I won’t be able to move quickly enough to stop you from meeting this lord but

your stay won’t be long, I promise you, Sharay. I’ll find Meah and her children and I’ll

hold them until the lord is willing to trade them for you. I’ll leave within the hour and

travel at top speed. I should be able to catch up with her by tomorrow if not the next

day. Crator willing, you and I will be together soon.”

“And this Meah, will she be happy to see you?” Sharay crossed her arms in front of

her well-endowed chest.

Rog laughed. The first cheer he’d felt since the beginning of their sad conversation.

“My jealous little vixen. Meah always held another in her heart. That much was

obvious. She works for Crator and the friendship I developed with her was due to our

love for Crator…nothing more. You are for me, don’t you forget that.”

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The Illegitimate Claim

Chapter Six

Meah walked across the dark campsite after relieving herself in the forest. Muffled

voices caught her attention and she stopped outside one of the tents.

“Are you sure, man? If you’re sure, we’ll be rolling in dorsels before long, to be

certain.”

“Look at this picture and tell me it’s not the same woman. Didn’t you look at her?”

“How could I not look at a beauty like that? I daresay it would explain that

muscular body of hers. I didn’t hear say where she’s from but I’d bet twenty dorsels

right here and now that she’s a Runner.”

“It’s those children that first caught my eye. Twins—think about it, my friend. And

did you see those gray eyes on them kids?” The chuckle that followed curdled Meah’s

blood. “The Lord of Gothman has put a mark on that woman’s head, but he don’t

bother to tell us it’s the children he probably wants. How many dorsels do you want to

bet they’re bastards of the heir to Gothman? She’s on the run, mark my word. And

trying to set us off by saying she’s heading north. Well, that pretty lady’s luck has just

run out.”

Meah could hardly breathe when she reentered her tent. She ignored the two

Neurian women who sat quietly on their bedrolls talking. One lantern offered light, but

the corner where the children slept was dark.

“What is wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Paleah followed Meah with

her eyes as she questioned her.

“I…I must leave. I overheard the River People talking when I walked past their

tent,” Meah mumbled, as if she were actually talking to herself. She squatted down

where her children slept and put a hand on either one of them. “I didn’t realize I was in

danger. We all are.”

Not much was unpacked and it took seconds for Meah to put her gear in order.

“You’ve been very decent to let me stay with you and eat at your fire. I don’t want to be

trouble, and I fear it’s coming around soon.”

Paleah reached over and grabbed her landlink, then pushed several buttons before

handing the flat screen with attached keys to Meah. “Is this what has you in a sudden

panic?”

Meah’s face proved to the two women she hadn’t seen the transmission before. A

picture of her taken by her old trailer in the Red Star clan stared back at her. She stared

at the words next to the picture and then back at the picture. The words read simply…

“The Lord of Gothman will pay gold for information or the capture of this woman.”

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That was all it said other than listing her name and how many winters she had as well

as her skills.

“You didn’t know about this, did you?” Paleah asked.

“No. No, I didn’t.” Meah looked up at the two women who stared intently at her.

“Why does he want me?”

“She’s speaking the truth. I can tell by her eyes,” Jasvee said as she continued to

study Meah.

“Are those his children?” Paleah nodded toward Tory and Tia.

“No.” Meah spoke almost too loud, and then quickly lowered her voice. “No, they

aren’t Lord Darius’ children, nor have I ever been with him. It simply makes no sense. If

Lord Andru sent the message…”

“Lord Andru?” Paleah hissed the name. “Are they his children?”

Meah looked at her but didn’t answer. How far could she trust this very young

Neurian?

Paleah seemed to understand her hesitation. She patted Jasvee’s knee. “Quick, run

and get the priest. We must help Meah. It could only come back as good for us…for

me.”

Jasvee placed her hand on Paleah’s for only a second and Meah thought she saw a