Tribal Queen Book 1

Chapter 6

Willow walked through the forest the next day, she was picking wild fruit and edible flowers to add to the Queen's meal. She was hurt after being sent away from the Queen's tent last night, but she knew she had messed up and needed to be punished. Willow also was aware that her feelings for Hunter were not going to go away anytime soon. She had to try to make them stop, he had been picked by the Queen, and it looked like she wasn't going to be sharing him.

When she came back from her walk, she found Zu pacing by the fire in the center of their camp. "Zu, what is the matter?" Willow asked him, touching his arm.

"Vai said she had a vision, she said that some of the tribal people will rebel if Reyn doesn't start picking soon."

Willow's face turned to worry, "Gather our armed forces, we march for the capital today. I will gather my list of all the potential candidates and have her narrow them down on our way there. So as soon as we arrive we can send messengers out to all the villages. We can have all the arrangements made for the partnerships within a week. That should put an end to all of their anger, hopefully."

Zu nods over in the direction of the new servants, "What about our new members?"

"As far as I know they are all doing just fine. They all know how to take orders, and are so grateful for her releasing them they pledged to her immediately."

"And... the one she favored?" Zu asked, clearly jealous.

Willow raised an eyebrow, "Hopefully we will have an heir in no time." She felt bad for Zu, but there was nothing she could do about it. Well, there was one thing. "Zu... May I ask you something?"

"You can ask me anything, Lady Willow."

"I am no lady." She blushed.

Zu took a step closer and his hand lightly fell on her waist, "You feel like a lady to me."

Willow's breath caught in her throat, she swallowed hard. "That was actually going to be my question. If I talked to Her Grace... would you like to be my mate?"

Zu leaned down and kissed her, "If she is willing to give you up. I would be honored."

Willow smiled and took her basket of fruit and flowers off to make a special meal for the Queen. She cooked a serving of meat, and then cut up the fruit and added it to a bowl. She added the edible flowers to the plate and headed into the Queen's tent. Willow smiled when she saw how Hunter was holding onto Reyn tightly as she slept on his chest. The Queen might have found her favorite already. If Hunter could prove himself worthy of her love and affection, he could find himself sitting on a throne right next to her.

Willow was not jealous of Hunter, she always knew that a male would come along and take her place. In the case of the Queen... she would soon have a male partner from each tribe. Though only one would be her true lover, she could mate with the others to establish a bloodline with each tribe. That is how each of them tied themselves to the crown. It was an old tradition that went back hundreds of years.

It mattered not if it was a King or a Queen who sat on the throne, the tradition was the same. Reyn had not been looking forward to this part. She wanted one husband, not multiple. Taking multiple lovers she had no issue with that, she had done that since she came of age. But having multiple men around who all had an opinion of how she should run her kingdom was not something she wanted to do.

Reyn ate her breakfast and watched Hunter sleep. She could make him king... she could have him by her side as a loving and faithful partner. The others would fall into line as her council... and she would simply send any heirs she has with Hunter to the villagers. Except for her daughters. If she was to have a daughter, then her daughter could marry who she wanted. So long as it secured something for the realm of course. A queen's job is to always look for the good of her people.