Shield Mate

The respect of many pales beside the regard of one who matters above all else. Ranael knew his obligations to family and society. A scion of Ylandre's most powerful House, he was destined for a life of service, albeit a privileged one. The son of a wealthy fief-lord, he was supposed to bed or wed as befitted his station. With obedience to authority ingrained in him, Ranael hewed closely to what was expected of a royal-blooded aristocrat and a military officer. Defiance of the strictures of his position never entered his mind. Until he came to covet Vaeren Henaz. Vaeren did his duty to king and country despite attempts to put him in his place and keep him there. A survivor of neglect and frightful adversity, Vaeren refused to let his bastardy or lack of sufficient lineage stop him from fighting his way up the ranks of Ylandre's hidebound army. Nor did he allow anything or anyone to trample on his dignity or his heart. Until he learned to love Ranael Mesare. In the dual-gendered realm of Ylandre, two warriors of nigh irreconcilably dissimilar backgrounds battle their way through the vagaries of military conventions, social strictures, and personal vendettas. All while struggling with an attraction that contravenes the traditions and expectations that shape life and love in the world of Aisen's most powerful nation.