[Complete] Eroh has reached his seventeenth spring and has finally become a man. With manhood comes a gift: marriage to the woman he loves. But when a strange new woman from another world enters his life, he is stuck with the decision to honor his...
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Father and I rode north towards Bronzebuck Village, our sacks full of treasures; one for King Enoch and the other for my soon-to-be-husband Eroh. Yet all I thought of was the beast Tardakk. My heart skipped every time I thought of his face.
"Father," I said, riding beside him. "How is Tardakk captured?"
He looked my way and his dark eyes shone golden in the sun. "Eastern magic ... The Yornmen made it so he could not leave the castle. He will die outside the walls. The walls are all that protects."
"From what?"
Father looked out across the prairie, "from becoming a beast ... becoming a beast like the other Centaurs and Minotaurs. That's why we must save him."
I pat Mayhee and he nodded. "Have they come to finish him off or just to raid our lands?"
Father shrugged, "both."
The rest of the ride was a silent one. We rode into Bronzebuck village when the sun sat high at midday. The heat was already enough to make me sweat in my leathers, and make dark hair hot, causing my head to feel like it was on fire. Mother opened the door of our cottage and ran out to us. I saw in her face the worry. Something was troubling her while we'd gone.
"Reigrum," She said. "I have grave news ..."
Father and I halted our horses looking down upon mother. She wore a hide robe. Her dark hair pulled back into a ponytail. The beautiful look in her eyes replaced by a grim darkness.
Father came off his horse and grabbed Nasalis hands. "What is it, my love?"
"Eroh ... he has been captured by the Merfolk of the Loch."
My heart felt heavy and my body tingled. I swallowed. "When did you hear of this news?"
"This morning ... Enoch is calling the horns ... they're marching ... they're going to war."
Father held my mother tightly then turned and looked into my eyes. Gazing into them, I sank in his worry. Afraid of what could happen to Eroh. What would happen to him if he were a captive too much longer.
"We must free him father."
He nodded. "We will get three-hundred strong and march to the Loch."
Mother asked, "only three hundred?"
"Father, we need every man—"
"We cannot spare every man, Nhedri." He said in his lordly tone. Father pointed. "There is another enemy to the south ... if we march north and they march north we could put our tribe at risk to be destroyed."
I furrowed my eyebrows. "We don't know how strong the Merfolk are. If we do not help our allies now, they will remember ... the Chief will remember."
