Claimed by the King: A BBW Bear Shifter Fantasy Romance (Shifters of Black Isle Book 1) Read online

  Chapter Four

  Broc’s position at the head of the main banquet table was perfect to oversee the rowdy company he found himself in. His subjects were in a very good mood indeed.

  He himself had been thoughtful, until movement at the other end of the hall caught his attention.

  Suddenly it became easy to ignore the goings-on around him, as Kelly, his human, walked into the Great Hall. A vision in gold, the new dress she had worn had transformed her from the diamond in the rough they'd found on the beach to a jewel worthy of kings.

  Even her mannerisms had changed, or so it seemed, as she elegantly placed one foot in front of the other, reluctantly heading towards Broc's throne.

  She was tall, for a human, and her figure was unlike any of the Black Isle females. Soft curves, rather than hard muscle, hidden underneath the delicate, flowing fabric of her gown… Watching her made him forget his aversion to this particular tradition.

  She was to be his bride, no question about it, and at this time he did not feel unease, but pride instead.

  Through their interaction earlier, he had also seen that she wasn't as meek and fearful as he had expected human females to be. Of course his presence had startled her, but her questions suggested curiosity rather than despair. With a bit of luck she would adjust quickly; learn their ways and make them her own.

  Then, they could learn all there was to know about one another. Even Black Isle’s biggest secret.

  Broc continued to watch as Bree guided the human through the crowd of men and women, who were already well underway in their celebrations. The Reaping had always been an occasion for everyone; an excuse for a lavish celebration that would last for days, commemorating the new addition to their clan and the promise of their continued survival.

  It was a welcome change from their daily routine. It wasn’t easy, feeding the giant appetites of the islanders. And on top of that they had to continue defending their territory, as well as the mainland, from the threats that originated further out to sea.

  His people had a lot going for them, but an easy peace was not one of them.

  "Please, join us." Broc waved Kelly over towards the seat to his left. The ornately carved chair wasn’t as imposing as his own throne, but it was appropriate for her future position in his court.

  The much cruder seat to the right of course was already occupied by Teaq, who despite the promise of ale to mark this joyous occasion could not stop himself from glaring at the human. Thankfully she seemed not to take notice.

  Kelly nodded and clambered backwards onto her chair, her face reddening when she finally met Broc’s stare.

  "It's a little tall," she explained dryly, before smoothing down her dress and diverting her gaze toward the festivities going on in the rest of the hall.

  Broc could not suppress a smile. The human, she seemed to have a sense of humor.

  "Although the feast is about to begin, I felt it prudent to send you some breakfast. You had been sleeping for quite a while,” he said, changing the topic.

  Kelly looked up at him in surprise. "How long?"

  "A day." Noting the shock in Kelly's eyes, he added, "Don't worry, it's not uncommon during the transition."

  She opened her mouth slightly, as though she wanted to say something, but their moment of quiet was interrupted by an outburst from the crowd seated in front of them.

  "What are we waiting for?" someone shouted.

  "We want more ale!"

  The islanders roared and some banged their empty tankards rhythmically onto the battered wooden tables in front of them.

  "And wine!" one of the older members of the castle guard shouted, while raising a pewter chalice up into the air.

  Even the small group of normally very sedate Elders was starting to become vocal.

  Broc got up from his throne, his hands raised in an attempt to control the commotion.

  "My dear men and women of Black Isle. Settle down!" Broc spoke with authority, without raising his voice much. Still, quiet spread around the hall as his subjects found their way back to their seats.

  "Tonight we celebrate a new Reaping!" Again, the crowd cheered, some of the more excitable men clanging the butts of their swords or axes against the tables and benches.

  "As you know, it has been eight years since our people have been blessed with new blood. The last time the lucky man was Elog of the Shard." Broc raised his tankard, his gesture mirrored by his followers. "And we all know how that turned out!"

  Broc’s latter remark sparked cheers, whistles and laughter.

  "Bastard hardly leaves the house, I hear," Teaq remarked. Despite his still grim expression, he got up and clanged his tankard to Broc's.

  “To Elog!” Teaq cheered, before sitting back down.

  "Five beautiful children!" Broc exclaimed, met by an even bigger ruckus from the crowd. "To ensure the future of our clan!"

  "May all our unions be as fruitful!" a booming voice shouted from across the room.

  "May our ranks swell to their former glory!" the crowd responded in unison.

  "May our honor be restored!" Broc replied. "Let the feast begin!"

  As soon as Broc finished speaking and sat back down in his ceremonial seat, some of the seated giants got up and vanished through the double doors towards the side of the hall, before re-emerging with trays laden with roast wild boar, smoked whole fish, lobsters and other seafood, as well as breads of varying shapes and colors. Numerous barrels of ale and wine were rolled in, one of each per table, and empty tankards and platters travelled the lengths of the crowd back and forth until everyone's plates were full and the feast could begin.

  "Here you go," Bree said as she approached Kelly, handing her a large chalice.

  The latter seemed taken aback by the festivities unfolding in front of her. She was observing everything and everyone with wide, curious eyes.

  "Don't worry." Broc leaned over and tried to reassure her. "They're a good bunch. Our circumstances don't permit celebrations like this too often so we try to make the most of it."

  "What circumstances are those?" Kelly asked.

  Broc's expression turned serious. The firmness in her voice had surprised him.

  "We may be in the midst of a truce with the people of West Hythe, but life on a rock in the middle of the Northern Sea is far from easy or peaceful."

  He averted his gaze from hers, staring darkly in the distance. "There are things out there which the humans on the mainland couldn't dream up in their worst nightmares."

  Teaq, who seemingly had just begun listening in on their conversation, subtly shook his head, probably as a warning.

  Broc responded with a very brief and very silent glare. He watched as Teaq got up and left the table to join Rhea, who had taken a seat at the other end of the hall.

  Just as well. If the two of them wanted to brood throughout the Reaping feast, that was their own choice. They might make a fine couple one day, if only they could get over their stubbornness.

  "We tend to be preoccupied with what's on the Black Isles themselves," Kelly remarked.

  This single statement drew Broc back into their conversation. What did the humans know of the Black Isles beyond what had been written into the treaty so many generations ago? The previous offerings had precious little knowledge of where they were being sent.

  "How so?" he asked.

  "Only last year, a young boy vanished while out crabbing at the bay. All that remained of him was the jute sack containing his catch for the day. Blood stained."

  "And your people believe we were responsible?" Broc squinted at Kelly, curious how she might respond. Things were getting interesting now.

  "Well you like your meat, don’t you? That's what's been said. That after growing tired of the taste of fish, the giants of Black Isle have developed a taste for human flesh." Kelly spoke in such a matter-of-fact fashion it sounded almost flippant.

  Broc was surprised at her candor. Who would willingly divulge such a terrible story to the very
same people who were supposedly responsible? Or did she have her own doubts about the truth in her tale and was just testing the waters?

  "Human flesh isn't all it's cracked up to be. We much prefer wild boar when the craving for meat strikes us." Broc kept his expression straight as he raised up his plate as a form of proof.

  Kelly, who had just taken a sip of her wine, seemed completely unfazed by the turn of their conversation. “I’m glad to hear it.”

  When their eyes met, he thought he could detect a hint of amusement.

  This human sure was different. A morbid sense of humor was something usually reserved for those hardened in battle. And Kelly, much like the other women who had joined their clan over the years, did not look like much of a fighter.

  "After the feast, I would like to show you around if that's agreeable to you," Broc said.

  Kelly nodded, and broke off a piece of bread from the platter that was currently making the rounds on their table.

  "I would like that very much, thank you."

  They did not speak much for the remainder of the meal; the loud celebrations surrounding them prevented it. When Teaq returned with a fresh cask of ale, Broc figured it was just as well.

  Still, he caught himself glancing over at his future companion, wondering what was going on in her head. He hadn’t mentioned his intentions to her, yet, instead reserving that topic for a more appropriate time. Would she be agreeable?

  His inner beast insisted she would have to be.

  A blush had crept over her cheeks and the sweet, floral scent he had first noticed on the beach continued to tempt him even now. The celebration had suited her.

  Broc tried to shake these observations for the time being and instead enjoy the evening, as Kelly seemed to do.

  By the time the food had all but been finished, and the casks of ale and wine were near empty, the Reaping feast had progressed to the next stage, song.

  Ancient melodies flooded the hall and those with good singing voices added the lyrics. The songs told of legendary battles, of the invasion of the mainland by the humans. Of sorcery and monsters living deep underneath the sea.

  Some even told of his own people and their secrets; though the words were poetic and deliberately vague. Taming one’s inner beast; that could be interpreted in any number of ways.

  He noticed Kelly softly tapping her fingers along with the rhythm of the music.

  Did they tell these same stories in West Hythe?

  Did the humans, Kelly included, realize they weren’t just stories?

  If Kelly had any suspicions about the true nature of the people of the Black Isles, she certainly knew how to hide it.

  Some of the men and women got up to dance, but Broc himself was content as an observer. Maybe he’d have the opportunity to dance with her one of these days. Once the uncertainty was over, and there were no more secrets between him and his future bride.

  This was not that day.

  Chapter Five

  What was she thinking? Kelly couldn’t believe she had just told the story of little Timothy’s disappearance, all but accusing Broc and his clan of eating the boy alive.

  It must have been the wine. Surely that, or whatever strange exhaustion that had overwhelmed her on the beach. Apparently it was all normal during her transition, whatever that meant.

  Thankfully it seemed Broc had taken it well enough. His remark about wild boar had almost sounded like a joke, though she couldn’t be certain.

  For the remainder of the feast, she tried to keep her head down, and her conversation to a minimum to avoid further awkwardness. Thankfully the crowd started to sing soon after, eliminating the chance for further chats.

  She was surprised to find that these barbarians were seemingly less cannibalistic than the stories of the village elders had made them appear. They also had great taste in food and wine.

  Especially the latter had a very agreeable flavor, not too much of a burn, certainly not as sharp as the stuff her father used to drink when he thought she had gone to bed already. After only a few sips, she stopped feeling the slight chill coming off the dark granite walls of the Great Hall, her body instead filled with a pleasing warmth and cheeriness that seemed completely inappropriate for someone in her situation.

  From what she had gathered during Broc’s speech earlier, it seemed her role was not at all like that of a normal slave or prisoner. She was going to be a kept woman, responsible for providing healthy heirs for one of these wildlings. The fact that Broc had taken a personal interest in her and even made her sit by his side suggested she was going to be his bride.

  This thought ought to fill her with dread, but somehow, their interactions had had a calming effect on her.

  He had been respectful and decent, not aggressive and intimidating like some of the others. Imagine if it had been the other giant, Teaq… Kelly shuddered at the thought.

  She couldn’t help but steal a glance at the huge man by her side. She had never met any nobleman, never mind a king, but she imagined in the human world a feast like this would be conducted very differently.

  The giants seemed to treat each other mostly as equals. Everyone, even the men, served each other when another’s plate became empty. They treated each other as a family, with Broc firmly at the helm yet not exempt from jokes or even criticism.

  It was a strange sight to behold, especially when it was a male offering a refilled glass or plate to a female. This type of thing would never happen in her village. There, especially the tavern was off limits for females, except for the beer wenches that worked there, whose position was certainly not enviable or respected.

  Women were expected to take care of the home, while men went out and reaped the benefits of their farming or fishing efforts. That was the way things had always been as far as Kelly knew.

  On this dark, cold island in the middle of the sea, everything she thought she knew about the world seemed obsolete. Her thoughts were interrupted by the occasional loud remark or question directed at Broc, which he responded to in the same controlled, quiet manner he adopted in all of his interactions.

  He seemed like a good leader, well respected by almost everyone except perhaps Teaq, who Kelly had learned was his brother.

  After a few rounds of drinks, even Teaq had cast off his earlier bad mood and properly joined in the celebrations. The dirty looks in Kelly’s direction had also subsided as the night grew darker.

  Perhaps she had been too quick to judge the giants, based on the snide remark she’d overheard in her room earlier. And of course, the better part of two decades listening to stories the villagers of West Hythe had told over open fires.

  All this could still be just a ruse to get her to feel comfortable. However, Kelly doubted anyone, especially these exuberant people, could act so well while imbibing this much liquor.

  Just the one glass full had gone to her own head significantly.

  After listening to the various conversations and introductions over the past two hours, she now knew a few of the faces surrounding her a little better. There was Teaq of course, the commander in charge of Broc’s army, Rhea, Broc’s cousin and the most fearsome female Kelly had ever seen. Rhea also seemed the most disapproving of Kelly’s presence, though Kelly still had no idea what caused her offense.

  Broc had introduced her to some of the others at the first table as well, but she couldn’t recall their names anymore. They all looked and acted alike, the only notable differences between them their different lengths and shades of facial hair.

  At one end of the hall sat a few white-haired men in pale grey robes. The giants’ elders. Kelly couldn’t help but wonder how old they were. Their skin was so wrinkled and fragile. Like flakes of ash, about to turn to dust. And their beards, white as snow.

  None of the senior inhabitants of West Hythe looked nearly as old as these men.

  “If you’re ready,” Broc asked beside her.

  She looked over at his outstretched hand and paused.

  �
�I can show you around your new home now. They won’t miss us.” Unlike everyone around them, Broc was still his calm, controlled self. Either he’d not fully given in to the celebrations like the others, or he must have had an incredible amount of self-discipline not to let it show.

  Kelly nodded and slid off her chair, accepting Broc’s hand to keep her steady.

  That wine really had been quite strong. She took a deep breath and focused on placing one foot ahead of the other, while keeping her head high as to not show weakness. Thankfully the floor did not feel quite as cold as it had before.

  In fact she could not really feel her feet at all anymore. It was like she was floating.

  Broc adjusted his long strides to match her pace better as they weaved past the banquet tables where the other giants were still eating, drinking and making merry.

  A guard opened the large double doors at the side of the main hall and Broc and Kelly stepped into a dark corridor lined with the occasional torch on the wall. These giants really needed to address their lighting situation. The dim glow of the torches was not enough for her poor eyes.

  Kelly was apprehensive about where they were headed, but then reconciled herself with the fact that if Broc had any ill will towards her, there was nothing she could do about it. She was at his mercy, so she might as well not worry about it.

  After making it to the end of the corridor, around a couple of corners, Broc led her through a doorway, where all of a sudden a gust of wind chilled her to her core.

  The vista stretched out ahead of her was breathtaking. Dramatic grey clouds lined with silver where the moonlight passed by them; the gurgling dark waters below seemed to hide all manner of evil. They stood quite high up on a plateau of stone surrounded by a fortified wall just low enough for her to peer over, yet high enough to keep her from being swept up by the wind.

  Despite the cold, and the powerful gusts, Kelly stepped forward and placed her hands on the cold stone wall, allowing her to lean forward slightly. Perhaps a hundred feet below the platform, Kelly could make out the rocky mass of the island which the fortress had been built upon. The seas ahead of them were broken apart by the occasional sharp cluster of rocks, shiny yet black in the subdued moonlight.