Free Elizabeth McBride by Arrow of Desire Page B

night. A guard is useful.
But it's not us you're guarding. It's yourselves. The fort
wouldn't require a guard if there weren't so many large
male creatures in it to attract attention. These women, remember, have managed to live here quietly and without
incident for a long time."
    "Well, we're here now. And I don't want your women
distracting my men from their duties."
    "Distracting! They're the ones lingering about and telling
stories and keeping people from doing their work."
    "And-" one golden brow lifted-"what were you doing?"
    "I? Nothing! Elanta offered your men porridge, and they
took it. I did not wish her to make the offer."
    "Then it appears you need to exercise more control over
your women."
    "As you do over your men?"
    Drosten's head snapped back. "I will instruct my men to
stay away from your women, and they will obey me." His
eyes began to burn like a kindling fire, and she felt a flash
of satisfaction.
    "You want to make this fort prosper by yourself-fine,"
he continued. "You say you don't want any help. Fine. We
won't give you any. But I won't risk getting my head cut
off, and I will do what I think I have to do to keep this
fort safe."
    "Fine. Do what you have to do. Just remember we don't
need your help."
    Drosten's hard jaw tensed. He nodded.
    Mhoire nodded.
    Elanta cleared her throat. "Er, Mhoire. We could use a
little help with food."

    Mhoire whipped around to face her. "We'll hunt our own
food."
    Elanta flushed and bowed her head.
    Mhoire turned back to Drosten. "It's settled then."
    Drosten made for the door.
    "Wait!" Oran chirped. "I have an idea!"
    Heads swiveled to look at the little girl sitting on the
floor.
    "Listen," Oran continued, jumping to her feet. "This is
my idea." She hopped from one foot to the other, like a
little bird. "Whatever Drosten fells, we cook. And whatever
we fell, he cooks. And everybody gets to eat everything!"
She lifted her hands, palms up, as if to show how simple
a scheme it was.
    Mhoire frowned. It was not such a bad arrangement. If
they did what Oran was suggesting, both sides would be
making an equal contribution to the welfare of the group.
They all had to eat. And she was fully confident of her
bow-hunting skills. She looked over at Drosten.
    He shrugged. "I'll do it if you will. I wouldn't mind the
taste of a woman's cooking for a change."
    Mhoire arched an eyebrow. "A woman's cooking? You
think you'll be the one to get all the game?"
    Drosten blinked. Then he grasped her meaning. "And
you think you will?"
    "I think you may find yourself doing considerably more
cooking than you anticipate."
    Drosten looked incredulous.
    She was provoking him. Odd, but that left her a little
breathless.
    An anticipatory hum coursed through the air.
    Elanta cleared her throat again. "So, it's settled then?"
    Drosten and Mhoire locked eyes and nodded as one.
    Brigit and Elanta exchanged a knowing look.
    Oran peered at Drosten, and then Mhoire, and then Drosten again, uncertain of what was going on or what should
happen next. "Drosten," she finally chirruped. "Do you want the rest of my porridge? You can have it if you wash
your hands."

    Drosten threw back his head and laughed-a deep, warm
laugh that Mhoire realized she had never heard from him
before. Something in her belly fluttered.
    He regarded his hands, one side and then the other,
spreading wide his large fingers. "Little one, it would take
half a day to wash these hands properly." He looked up
and smiled at the girl, whose innocent words seemed to
have expelled whatever it was that had been troubling him.
"You finish your porridge. I have some serious hunting to
do."
    A few hours later, Mhoire was kneeling in the overgrown
field, a burlap sack full of seed open before her. She
plunged both of her hands into the sack and let the small,
wispy ovules run through her fingers. The seed was still
dry. Good. She had brought two sacks each of barley and
oat seed, and they were going to