The King's Executioner Read Free

prepared if she did not reach her mother’s people by night. Once she arrived at the Lammok village, she would be fed well by her mother’s two sisters.
    A lone howl had her pulling her cloak tighter around her and had her wishing she was home tucked safely in her sleeping pallet. She missed her mum and da terribly and even her four brothers who could torment at times and be much too protective at other times. But she loved each and every one of them.
    She had always thought that one day she would join with a man of her tribe or a neighboring tribe and live a good life with him and with her family nearby. She never imagined or desired to go to the center of the Pict Kingdom—Pictland—home of the ruling High King and away from all that was familiar to her.
    When word arrived that King Talon had chosen her to be his wife, it had been received with mixed feelings by all. Her father had seemed proud that she had been chosen to be Queen to King Talon. Her mother had been shocked and insisted no such union would take place. Her four brothers, Forgan, Reid, Turcan and Hance thought it splendid, seeing the benefits it would bring them having their sister as Queen.
    After a fairly short time, it was apparent to all that no amount of talking with her mother would change her mind. She insisted that Anin would not wed a man who would dictate to her. That Anin’s life was hers to choose. While she had never seen her da dictate to her mum, she was aware that some tribes gave their women little freedom while in other tribes the men and women were equal and still other tribes, like her mum’s tribe the Lammok, the women were warriors and allowed no one to dictate to them.
    Her father had come to her and asked her to help him make her mother see that the decision was final and no amount of arguing would change it. Anin’s mum refused to listen to her. And it had not helped that her mum had known that Anin was not pleased with the King’s edict. After all, her mum had promised her that she could wed a man of her own choosing, the way of the Lammok Tribe. Anin wished that could be so, but when the King commanded his people obeyed. When her mum insisted that she leave and seek shelter someplace safe, Anin knew what she must do.
    She would go to Lammok village and wait there for the executioner, accepting her fate, for he was not a foolish man and would surely track her there. She wished the King had sent someone else to collect her. The executioner was known to instill fear on sight and she was already apprehensive enough with the prospect of being King Talon’s wife.
    The executioner was one of the King’s most trusted warriors and could chop off a person’s head with little effort or reason and the King would praise him for it, or so she heard. Though, she told herself that she had no worry as long as she went willingly with the executioner. What truly should concern her was wedding the King. But then, it was in fate’s hands and fate would have her way. She always did.
    Fatigue took hold and soon Anin fell into a deep sleep not waking until well after the sun had risen and to a disturbing sound. She shook herself fully awake as silently as she could, not wanting to alert anyone or anything to her presence.
    The sound came again and she realized what it was. It was splashing water. Someone or something was in the stream. She carefully leaned forward to take a look, fearful of what she would see.
    Her hand flew to her mouth to stop the gasp that rushed past her lips. A man, completely naked, stood in the stream, the water hugging his legs past his ankles. He was made of solid muscles that rippled over wide shoulders and ran down along his back to grip at a taut backside. The muscles continued down his long legs and while it was quite amazing to gaze upon such a sculpted body, it was his body drawings that utterly mesmerized. With the exception of his face, they appeared to cover his entire body. Never had she seen such drawings.