An Iron Age Fantasy with heart.

Tierndraal huffed. "I am a bonded man."

"Your faithfulness is admirable, but unnecessary," Fieshtar said.

"Because she'll never know?"

"Because she'll never return." Fieshtar closed her eyes and shook her head. "I'm sorry. I..."

"It's alright," Tierndraal said softly. "My honour is all I have left to feel good about."

"I think you should feel good about young Shieshestar. A young girl with so much to fear can see your goodness and know she's safe to sob in your arms."

Life's good for young Gourdia. Son of the leader of the tribe of Darklanders called the Drokart, he gets to do almost everything he wants and have almost as many girls he wants, but there's a catch. He can't do or have the things he really wants.

As the only son he must prepare to one day become the leader himself. This means he needs to grow up. Decisions he makes will one day cost men their lives. He learns this on the day he meets his father's Blutling friend Darshmir and a Northern Darklander named Tierndraal.

Life's not so good for Tierndraal. On a hopeless quest to find the woman he loves, he comes across a young slave girl he rescues from "being whored" on the day he meets young Gourdia. Not knowing the girl's language, Tierndraal needs the help of a woman who does speak her language. Forced to face harsh realities, Tierndraal has a hard choice. Abandon his foolish quest, or abandon the girl he had pity on, the woman who would help him, and the young lad Gourdia to their evil fates.

With treachery, murder, and rare friendships, Tierndraal's choice seems to be a simple one. A simple one if Tierndraal wasn't a Northern Darklander with the sense of honour of a Northern Darklander. He could die looking for his lost woman, as he should, and fail. Or he could abandon his quest for his lost woman and die protecting the women and friends who've become family.

And then there's somebody who wants to see him dead. Something else Tierndraal has in common with Gourdia.

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Just to let you know, there's swearing and blokey dialogue in these pages.