Vixen Anthology: The Huntress (Legend & Lore 2)
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Queen, Princess, Lady, peasant, mercenary, whore, pirate, knight, cop, clerk, soldier, and everything in between—and always a mother, daughter, sister, lover, and friend. The power and appeal of women is great, and there’s nothing better than watching a woman do what she loves best.
But what happens when what she loves best is another woman? What does a Queen do when she wants no man to be her consort? What of a princess who will never be a damsel to any prince? What tale can you spin of women loving women? A modern tale of a working mother? A romantic tale of a stoic lady knight? A femme fatale? A lady dragon? A prostitute looking to change her fate? Read these tales of what can happen when the only thing that will make a woman happy is the embrace of another woman…
(c) T. T. Kove
The inn was crowded, the noise level close to unbearable.
Liv was sitting in her dark corner, enjoying the simple life of peasants. Men drank and boasted amongst each other, women sat in groups of four or five and whispered and giggled. They were all dressed in a manner of simple clothing that Liv never would’ve worn in the castle.
But since she’d left her privileged life, she’d acquired proper wear for a commoner’s life. It was a bit coarse, and it itched, but she could not go around wearing her fancy dresses out in public anymore. Here she did not want to be the princess—she did not ever want to be the princess, but back home in the capital she had to be. Here no one knew her, and if they had ever seen her, they wouldn’t recognize her dressed as she was now.
Liv took another spoonful of stew, eyes not stopping their roaming.
The inn was driven by a fierce-looking woman that no one seemed to want to provoke even the tiniest bit. Two maids worked the floor, slipping from one table to the next, delivering food or ale or taking empty mugs and plates with them back to the kitchen.
This was nothing like what Liv was used to at the castle—and she was fascinated by it. She wasn’t meant to live a princess’ privileged life, she was meant to live amongst commoners, live a normal, hard-working life. Not that she was working, she was just traveling through the country, but if the opportunity presented itself … she might take it.
Liv had only stopped at the inn for some hot supper, and when she was done, she would be on her way. She camped out in the open at night, even if she could afford to rent a room, but she preferred sleeping under the stars. Her parents and siblings back home would be abhorrent if they knew, but Liv cared very little about what they would feel. It was a bit uncomfortable, and a bit cold, but the sight of the stars made up for it.
The only thing nagging her was leaving Bas, which gnawed on her conscience. She could have perhaps talked him into coming with her, but on the other side … Bas had known about the marriage her parents planned to force her into and had not told her about it. “When you’re a princess you do not get to decide over your life,” he had snapped. “Duty to family and country comes first, no matter what. It is time for you to learn that, Liv.” And so saying he had stomped out of her rooms in anger.
So Liv did not feel as bad as she would’ve normally done. He’d had it coming, the stupid cat. Her familiar or not … sometimes she just had to be on her own. She couldn’t count on Bas for everything—he was not her lover. He was her bonded yes, but he was so holier-than-though that sometimes Liv wanted to smack him upside the head.
He was older than her, yes, and he was her tutor … but that did not give him the right to think he was so much better than her. He had been like that for as long as Liv could remember, and she was sick of it. So it was good to get away from him too—though she couldn’t forever. He was her familiar, after all, and she did care for him. He was more of a brother to her than her real brothers were.
She just had to make her own life before she went back. She had to find her place in the world, because it was not being a princess and living in the castle all her life, marrying a noble and giving him children. She would be miserable then, she knew it.
And that was why she was here. To find her own destiny.