“Yuna!”
Thrusting mightily, she impaled herself again and again. He thrashed. His cheeks flushed, sweaty against the sheets.
“No, you fool,” she hissed. “I will have my own first!”
With escalating cries, Yuna threw her head back and screamed, digging her hands into the hard flesh of his chest. With one last, deep thrust, he groaned her name, shuddering. His body slowed.
Yuna calmed, resting her hips against him. She lifted a lazy eyebrow, lowering her torso until her breasts pressed against his chest. She folded her hands, resting her chin on top of them.
“And how does Kenzo, the ruler of the Ameya Clan, enjoy waking with such ferocity? Surely your subjects should never know how naughty you can be,” she drawled.
He lifted a trembling hand. “My dear,” he murmured, “you are exquisite in every way. I will never share you with them.”
She grinned and rolled off of him. The rush of cool air coming from the open window made goosebumps rise from her flushed skin.
Kenzo sighed, pushing himself into a seated position while Yuna strolled to the edge of the bed where the early morning light accentuated the graceful curves of her naked body.
Feeling his gaze lingering on her back, she paused for a moment, as if deciding what clothes to don first, then pretended to abandon the idea and strolled to a porcelain pitcher near the window which was ajar. The morning air filtered across her skin, cooling her as it stirred her bright red tresses.
Kenzo pushed the remaining blankets away. The rest had already fallen to the floor due to Yuna’s . . . free-spirited . . . ideas.
Seconds later he appeared behind her, still hot from his exertion.
“A beautiful morning,” he murmured in her ear, running the tips of his fingers through her long red hair.
“Indeed. Your palace has an interesting view of the sunrise this time of year.”
“The sun shines all the time when you are here, Yuna,” he said in a soft and adoring tone.
She pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek, then pulled away, her gaze lingering on the sight below his expansive villa within the palace.
Several stories beneath them, an open courtyard filled the ground. Men scrambled around in small formations of three and four. Yuna’s eyes narrowed as, on a call from the leader standing on a nearby wall, the formations changed. Merging, they coalesced into one great mass. Framed by the borders of the soldiers below, the strange group created a very familiar shape. On one last command from their leader, they all lifted their shields above their heads.
Yuna’s lips lifted in a smirk.
“Ah,” she murmured. “The famous Ameyan turtle formation at work, I see. You continue to believe in such a strategy?”
“It holds strong.”
“Strong, yes, but it’s believed that turtles have never been punctual. Strength means nothing if you cannot be on time. That’s a poor report to take to my father, wouldn’t you agree?”
Kenzo’s shoulders lifted as he drew in a deep breath. “Of course. Yet one should not suppose that because legend states a fact it must be so. Turtles have always been known for their legendary wisdom. Some turtles,” he said, glancing at her affectionately, “are always on time. Reassure your father of that.”
His arms came around her bare body, jerking her up against him. Yuna twined her arms around his shoulders, raking her fingers through his hair with a sharp tug. He grabbed her chin with his teeth.
“Ah,” she hissed. “The ruler is back for a little more subjugation, is he?”
He dropped his lips to her earlobe, tightening his grip on her body to the point of pain. Just when she bit into the soft flesh of his neck, a sound rang into the room from the door. Yuna jerked away.
“Allow me,” he said, drawing his hand across her neck in a last caress.
On his way to the door, he strode past the bed, grabbing up a blanket on his way. He wrapped it around his waist, tying it in a crude knot.
Yuna rushed into her gown, throwing a cloak on top and pulling it shut. Just as the door open, she yanked her hood over her face, retreating deep into the folds.
“Ah!” Kenzo’s voice rang out. “My son, Nobu. Come in, come in. You are always welcome.”
A blonde-haired man with striking green eyes stepped into the room, his gaze instantly narrowing on Yuna. He didn’t seem all that surprised to see someone standing there.
The skin on the back of Yuna’s neck prickled, but she forced herself to remain calm.
“Forgive me,” Nobu said, not taking his eyes from her. “I didn’t mean to interrupt any… morning routines.”
“Nothing we can’t reschedule later.” Kenzo sent Yuna a discreet glance. “Until next time, of course.”
Yuna didn’t need this permission to depart; she had already started toward the only escape in the expansive room. Just as she slipped toward the door, Nobu’s hand shot out, grabbing her wrist. Yuna jerked free and thrust the heel of her other hand into his jaw near his ear. Then, grabbing his wrist, she forced him to his knees.
Nobu grunted, nostrils flared, but he made no outcry.
“Touch me again,” she whispered, “and you won’t hear my warning.”
With a shove, she released him and drew her hand back under the cloak. He caught his balance and stood, eyeing her.
Kenzo, standing behind his son, burst into a deep, rolling laugh. He tilted his head back. “Oh, Nobu! Really. You know better than to grab a fair woman when she’s not invited you to do so.”
The back of Nobu’s neck flushed bright red. He gritted his teeth, speaking through them. “I see that, Father.”
Yuna stepped into the hall, drawing the door closed behind her. She paused, cocked her ear toward the door, and waited.
“Forgive my intrusion, Father,” Nobu muttered, his voice muffled by the barrier of the door. “But your precious cargo has arrived.”
Yuna waited a moment more, then slipped away and made sure.
Soon enough she ensured her figure faded into the quiet bustle of life at the glittering palace.
The scent of fish and rotting seaweed drew Yuna out of the palace and into the streets of Gulan. Her feet pattered over the cobblestone streets, still damp from a late-night rain. Several carts rolled down the road, attended by sleepy salesmen who would peddle their food wares as soon as the majority of the residents of the city awoke.
Yuna stepped into an alley and became a part of the shadows. Children squawked from the windows above her, and lines of laundry fluttered overhead as she moved down the maze of alleys, through the refuse of the city, and toward the sea.
Ameya Palace was far off in the distance behind Yuna when she stopped a few paces away from the biggest of Gulan’s two harbors. Here, a road followed the jagged coastline, meandering like a brook. Thick, knotted ropes along the road’s far side looped from post to post to block any traffic from falling into the ocean. Boats littered the water, bobbing up and down on a calm, glassy sea.
Yuna breathed through her mouth; the scent of rotting fish guts permeated the air here. She grimaced, catching a fishy taste on her tongue as she walked along the harbor road. Weary fisherman who had just docked their boats after a long night on the ocean straggled past her. No one asked her who she was or if she needed any help finding her way. No one paid attention to her.
Gulls swooped overhead as she surveyed the boats. Too small. Too big. Too narrow. Too empty.
She noticed a gaggle of children get tangled in the ropes that strung through posts, dividing the road from docks. They freed themselves and scurried around a small fishing ship.
One little boy climbed to the top of the boat and held a wooden sword high above his head. “I am the fearless pirate Beltran! I will conquer every sea.”
She continued on, ignoring the boy. Her gaze drifted well beyond the depths of her hood, moving quickly from ship to ship.