Suddenly worried Giselle stepped back only to be pushed roughly forward. As she stumbled the lead male reached out and tore at the red cloak, she had tied around her.
"Stop!" Giselle screamed.
It was like she was back at square one. The warriors she'd been riding with had gotten used to the fact she spoke and Kagan had clothed her, but not these men. Giselle refused to be treated this way. Another warrior grabbed her cloak and pulled it off but not before Giselle grabbed something of his.
"Back the fuck off!" Giselle growled as she crouched low waving the dagger she swiped.
The warriors couldn't have looked more stunned.
Giselle spun and saw several warriors she was familiar with had joined the ring and were looking on in amusement. She was instantly pissed. They were ganging up on her.
Kagan quo Rordan
Kagan wanted to be happy by the fact his army had surprised the contingent of Scelus Cadi. The way Cyprian poured through the pass and decimating the enemy was a thing of beauty. Unfortunately Vigdis wasn't among the fallen, nor was his lieutenant Madhava.
Now Kagan was desperate for word of how Giselle fared along with the warrior she attempted to rescue.
"You saved our tails." Kagan told Cyprian with a clap on his back.
"I'd call the mission a success." Cyprian replied as he glanced over at the large number of Toufik they liberated. Kagan wasn't certain considering the handful of men they'd lost today.
"They'll certainly help with the upcoming harvest." Dagaa said.
The trio headed for the camp Cyprian erected to regroup and deal with the injured. Kagan had to find Giselle. He looked all around but couldn't see her in the sea of warriors. They approached a tightly clumped circle of his warriors and Kagan wondered what captured their attention.
"How much you want to bet she kicks Bram's tail." One of the warriors who'd ridden with Kagan said to one of the new comers who looked skeptical.
"Bring it on assholes." Kagan heard Giselle yell as he shouldered his way through the throng of men.
Kagan was instantly angry as he saw his small brave little female surrounded by a dozen taunting men. Giselle was practically snarling as she waved a knife at the warrior who held the remnants of her cape. She only acted this violently when she was frightened.
"ENOUGH!" Kagan roared as he entered the circle.
Kagan was practically blind with rage. How dare they threaten the female he'd marked as his own!
Giselle spun around and swiped him across the stomach with the blade she held. Kagan jumped back in time to avoid a deep laceration from his dismayed pet. All the warriors gasped including Giselle. She instantly dropped the knife and flew into his arms. Her fingers feathered over the shallow scratch across his abdomen.
"Oh my god Kagan I'm so sorry are you okay?" Giselle hollered even though he was right in front of her.
Kagan noticed the gash on Giselle's arm and reached for it.
"She is injured, and you thought it more important to strip and threaten her." Kagan snarled at the shameful warriors. "She saved one of your brethren and this is how you behave, like a rabid pack of mongrels."
The warriors had good sense to look cowed.
Giselle peered up at him her eyes were wide with worry and confusion.
"I can't hear you." Giselle said as she rubbed her ears. "The awful screeching stopped but my ears are still ringing."
Suddenly frightened, Kagan placed his hands on Giselle's small face and brushed her hair out of the way checking for injuries that would cause her to lose her hearing. He sighed in relief when he saw no head injury, but was still worried. There had to be a cause for her hearing loss.
"She has warrior's ink." Cyprian exclaimed as Giselle's golden hair fell away from her shoulder.
The new warriors looked stunned. Kagan ignored them as he examined Giselle further. The injury on her arm looked worse than it was, most of it smeared dried blood.
"And she bears a conjugo mark." Bram, one of his commanders and the leader of the gathered rabble added. This time all the warriors were shocked. "How in the name of Kali? What warrior in their right mind would mark a pet." The warrior's words faded as Kagan cast him a menacing glare.
The cat was out of the bag now. Kagan pulled Giselle to him. It was obvious the warriors were confused. He couldn't blame them. At first he himself couldn't understand why he'd been compelled to mark Giselle. But everything he'd come to learn about her said that she'd make a far better mate and possibly warrior than countless Cadi he'd met, certainly the present company. Giselle was valiant, intelligent, selfless and brave all wrapped up in a lush little package.
"Enough gawking at the Daimio's pet. Get back to it." Dagaa barked, and the men dispersed.