Far From Home: The Tribal Chief's Mate- a M/M fantasy romance

PROLOGUE: Marriage Agreement

*****Welcome to Jake and Srin'yete's story! Get some tissues, ya'll , 'cause this one's gonna be... a ride. There are major trigger warnings, so please read them if you need to. If you don't, feel free to skip them. I know I tend to put spoilers in the warnings but idk it's better than, like * sudden rape scene *

Also, you may not like the Akarans so much in this one. They're kind of prudes when it comes to ex-slaves.

Also also, this will be short. A bit longer than Untamed, but not by much. I may go back and expand it into a novella or even a full novel someday, but for now it's kind of what it is 🤷‍♀️

TRIGGER WARNINGS: suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt, mentions of rape including the rape of a child. There are no detailed scenes, but it's a focal point of the story since Srin'yete was a slave to a pedophile for over a decade.

Enjoy!! *****

JAKE—

"JakeJake!" the child cooed, jumping into my arms without warning and making me cackle with laughter. I gathered him up, feeling my laughter double as he squirmed and giggled in my arms, the sound pulled from deep in my chest. "Higher, JakeJake!"

I swung the child in a circle as he clung to me like a lifeline, all chubby limbs and long, dark brown hair.

"JakeJake, I missed you!" the child shouted up at me, his group of parents chuckling behind him. Their gaggle of children, none over the age of 10, wound around their feet and the feet of my mate Menya. She met my eyes as I looked over at her, her mouth curved in a knowing smirk.

It was no secret my precious Srin was my favorite of the Regniir family children. There were six, with Srin being somewhere near the exact middle at five-years-old, but there was something about his jubilant, joyous spirit that called to me and simply made me smile.

I dug my nose into his hair, basking in the scent of homemade soap and some kind of herb. One of his mothers, Troy'an, was a hedge witch, and each of the children bore the smells of herbs and protection charms.

"Leave the poor man be," Lillian called, her eyes sparkling with laughter. Lillian was Srin's birth mother, the one who bore him in her womb, and their resemblance was stunning. She had the same light-toned skin, angular yet soft features, and green-black eyes. His mother was obvious, his father less so.

The Regniir family had five mates in their union— three women and two men. Lillian, Troy'an, and Gaz, and Ander and Cratz. Both men could be Srin's father, but I had money on Cratz. Ander's darker skin tone would have clashed with Lillian's, and Srin would have darker skin than he did.

"No!" Srin called back to his mother stubbornly. "He's mine! My JakeJake!"

I chuckled and met my mate's eyes as she laughed even harder at me. Sadly, my mate and I had never been able to bear children. We'd tried, prayed for young of our own, but it had simply never been gifted to us by the gods. Due to this, we had chosen the Regniir family as an adopted family of sorts, and would choose one of their young as my heir.

They all thought I would likely pick Srin, but I wasn't as sure. Did I adore the bright, joyful boy? Of course. He was the light of my life.

But I wasn't sure if he was strong enough for the mantle of Chief.

The title took much out of you, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to drag the boy down with the worries and responsibilities of being Chief.

"He's not yours," Ander grumbled, moving forward to pry the child from my arms. "He belongs to his mate, Menya,"

"But I'mma gonna be his mate when I'm big. Aren't I, Papa?"

The man smirked and winked at me as the child reluctantly released his iron grip on me.

Ander set the boy on his feet as Menya stepped up beside me and gripped my hand in her own.

"I don't see why not, little one," Menya whispered in her quiet, calm, unassuming voice. "Once you're of age, I wouldn't mind sharing my Jacob with one as cute as you."

"See, Papa?" the boy crowed, yanking away from the man and running back to clutch my legs in a big, enveloping hug. He stared up into my eyes and his face was oddly solemn and somber for a child of five.

"When I'm old enough, I'm gonna mate you, JakeJake. Don't forget, ok? You're gonna be mine forever."

"Of course, arayna," I replied with the deepest of smiles touching my lips. His infatuation with me would peter out as he grew, so I saw no reason to deny his little fantasy now. Arayna, I called him. Little dear heart. "Forever, arayna."