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A SWITHIN SPIN 1:A QUEEN‟S MOVESharon Maria Bidwellwww.loose-id.comWarningThis e-book contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language and may be consideredoffensive to some readers. Loose Id® e-books are for sale to adults ONLY, as defined by thelaws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, wherethey cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.A Swithin Spin 1: A Queen‟s MoveSharon Maria BidwellThis e-book is a work of fiction. While reference might be made to actual historical events orexisting locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of theauthor‟s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living ordead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.Published byLoose Id LLC870 Market St, Suite 1201San Francisco CA 94102-2907www.loose-id.comCopyright © January 2009 by Sharon Maria BidwellAll rights reserved. This copy is intended for the purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part ofthis e-book may be reproduced or shared in any form, including, but not limited to printing,photocopying, faxing, or emailing without prior written permission from Loose Id LLC.ISBN 978-1-59632-326-1Available in Adobe PDF, HTML, MobiPocket, and MS ReaderPrinted in the United States of AmericaEditor: C. B. CalsingCover Artist: April MartinezDedicationI wasn‟t sure what to put in this dedication. I thought of dedicating it to a couple offriends of mine who have suffragettes in their family history and, therefore, those womenwho sacrificed so much, who suffered such hardship in the fight for equality. Then I thoughtthat wasn‟t enough and I should dedicate it to women everywhere, but if I do that, I have toinclude the men who‟ve stood by them, believed in them. If I do that, I can‟t stop there. Ihave to include everyone who has ever spoken out for equality and freedom for others nomatter what their sex or sexuality. So, I have to dedicate this book to everyone, to the type ofpeople I‟d be happy to call friends. Thank you for reading.Author‟s Note:This story takes place after the last chapter of The Swithin Chronicles 3: The CometCometh, but before the epilogue, although it can be read entirely as a separate book.Chapter One“So, explain to me more precisely why you‟ve dragged me on this little jaunt.â€After so much silence, Meira‟s order (she could hardly call it a question) surprisedTressa. They had spent two weeks, mostly in this carriage, navigating a route that wouldavoid the Azu Plains. They were now in the forests surrounding her homeland, a few milesoutside Orland, the main city. At times, when their silence was mutual, the time shared hadfelt almost companionable. Even so, to contemplate such a long journey spent in silence wasnothing short of ridiculous. Tressa had expended some effort into striking up conversation.Mostly though, Tressa felt too peeved by Meira to be the one to break her silence first. Alltoo quickly, she had come to realise such an obstinate display would not work with the otherwoman, and if it came down to a battle of wills, then in all likelihood neither would break.They were both too stubborn. As to what Meira was doing here, surely she knew.Tressa swallowed, ignoring the increased beat of her heart. She had as good asconfessed to Markis, her husband, the Swithin king, her romantic interest in Meira. Thatmight seem odd to most, but when one understood that the Swithin way allowed for unusualrelationships, and that she and Markis had wed only out of duty, that paved the way for herto have another love. Markis loved her well enough, but his heart was too full to bursting2Sharon Maria Bidwellwith love for the two men in his life to have much room for her. Her boys, as she had takento calling them, were at least honest concerning their feelings. As a princess, Tressa hadalways known her father would sell her as a bargaining tool one day. At least in Markis shehad escaped her father‟s plan and chosen her husband. Likewise, Markis had done the samein choosing his wife. Neither of their fathers had wished the two of them to marry. Nowonder they understood each other so well, and the dynamic created a strange but righteouskind of balance between them. Still, her nation treated women harshly, and although sheknew Markis and the Swithin race were not of the same ilk, she craved femalecompanionship once again. Not that she had ever --Tressa cut the ensuing images dead and struggled not to blush. She‟d never beenintimate with another woman, and while rumours existed that such occurrences happenedbetween Azulite women, the men denied the very suggestion. Whether it happened or not,such a thing was outside of Tressa‟s experiences. During a very difficult and all too recenttime, she had gained much comfort from Meira‟s presence. The woman was a great healer,and when she had agreed to join her on this journey, Tressa had expected Meira to makesome sort of advance in response to the undeniable attraction that existed between them. Shecould think of no other reason for Meira‟s recent interest and almost eager acceptance tomake an exhausting journey.“Did you only come because Markis ordered it?†Tressa voiced the sudden thought.“He didn‟t order.â€Meira sat on the other side of the carriage as it swayed and bounced. The woodenstructure creaked so much after many days on the road that Tressa had begun to wonder if itwould slowly fall apart despite being of sound Swithin construction. She silently cursed herpeople for not caring for their roads.While Tressa tried to look regal and hoped that she would not be thrown out of herseat to the floor, Meira leaned back, looking almost nonchalant. With her long legs crossed atthe ankles, her arms folded across her stomach, and the ability to rock and sway with theA Swithin Spin 1: A Queen‟s Move3movement of the carriage, Meira appeared relaxed. Tressa didn‟t know how the otherwoman managed it. Even the heavily padded seats did little to cushion her backside. Tressahid her discomfort well enough, but she had to admit she couldn‟t have appeared relaxed ifher life depended on it. The most she could hope for was to appear dignified. Right now, shesat as demurely as the jolting carriage would allow and admired Meira‟s dark hair, which inmany respects resembled her own. Hair aside, they looked very different. Tressa‟s eyes werebrown; Meira had the glittering green eyes of a cat, as all Kita did. She was taller, stockier,and possessed a more angular face. The woman wasn‟t entirely Swithin. Her father had beenKita, and his race had killed Meira‟s parents for the union that they considered a travesty.The Kita were a vicious race, but not many of them survived.“Markis doesn‟t order unless he deems it necessary. He asked if I would care to comewith you,†Meira finished explaining.“So, you are here of your own volition?â€Meira didn‟t answer her. She just sat and stared. Tressa thought of how she couldexplain her interest without making it sound too personal. She was feeling her way throughthe possibility of a same-sex relationship, and although she had taken readily to the Swithinlife, she still felt a twinge of embarrassment over such things. “I told you why I need youhere. I need a strong woman to help me to --â€â€œYou mean to use the attraction we feel to help change things for your people, but Idon‟t see how.â€This was the first time Meira had made any allusion to their feelings, and heatimmediately rushed into Tressa‟s face. Meira roughly voiced what Tressa had intended to say,although she hadn‟t planned to mention the part concerning their mutual affection. Shewasn‟t sure whether to cringe now that their emotions were out there for open discussion orto give in to the fluttering of her heart that wanted to dance and skip with joy over the ideathat Meira might possibly share her feelings to the same extent. She erred on the side ofcaution and spoke responsibly. “I am uncertain myself. The first thing I shall do is --â€4Sharon Maria Bidwell“Winging it is never a good idea.â€Tressa frowned. “I…am unfamiliar with that expression.†Alas, Meira just sat andstared, her gaze now expressing disapproval. Tressa began to feel as though she were not aqueen, but a young princess again and this time in audience with her own mother. The ideagave her pause. How would she feel face-to-face once again with her mother? Did a daughterever grow out of that feeling of insecurity when facing the woman who had given birth toher? Even worse was the fact that Tressa had as good as absconded, run away to wed theSwithin prince to become the Swithin queen, and now she returned in defiance.Although the position of Azulite women was a peculiar one, they did hold some power.Even as a princess, Tressa had enough power that, under certain circumstances, she couldorder a man to his death, but in regards to a husband, she was supposed to obey him in allthings. Mothers still held sway over their daughters unless the father chose to take over achild‟s discipline. In the matter of disciplining a male child, even a queen was supposed toconsult her husband first. Now a queen in her own right, Tressa could all too easily imagineher mothe... [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]