She had slept through the remainder of the night, and well into the next day. At one point she had awoke to a wizened old woman exploring her belly with her hands. Lifting her head she watched her for a moment, then had dropped her head back to the furs. The woman took a long, thick reed and pressed one end of it to her belly, and the other to her ear and had listened. Satisfied, she had then moved it to beside her left breast and had listened again. What she had heard had seemed to satisfy her, and she nodded. Patting her hand, she had wheezed out.
"Rest. Your time is near"
The woman had left, and she lay there in the dark coolness of her wagon, eyes closed, lacking the energy to move, or the will to. Drifting in and out of sleep, she was aware of voices outside her wagon. Sometimes she could understand the words, but most of the time, they were simply a noise. The girls had came in from time to time with cups of tea or cool water. At first she had waved them away, just wishing to sleep, to remain in that cocoon of cool darkness. What had finally sank into that place where she was hiding, was the voice of her eldest son, demanding to see his mother, then the whines of her youngest, who had just recently began to vocalize that one word.....Mama. Her life called to her, and she knew she had to heed its' call.
Calling out for kasra, when the girl stepped inside, she had sat up and in a hoarse voice asked for a basin of water, soap and some scented oils. As the girl left to fetch her wants, she had sat up, twisted to sit up on the side of the sleeping platform, gripping the furs against the dizziness she felt. Both girls returned, and helped her to bathe and dress. It was juneau who helped her to her feet, offering support against another wave of dizziness. Taking a deep breath, she exhaled it and spoke softly. "I will eat now." The girl kasra was off like a bolt shot from a bow, to fix her something to eat, with juneau helping her to step between the flaps of the wagon into the sunlight.
Rook had been standing there, and reached up to lift her from the platform and carried her to a brace of furs near the fire where her sons were eating. Tug immediately set his bowl aside, and ran to where Rook had settled her, flinging his arms around her neck, holding tight. Another One was a bit slower, but had toddled over and tried his best to muscle in beside her. The heaviness in her heat lifted, as she reached to embrace and kiss them both, murmuring words of love to them both. Regardless of what was to happen to her, this was her life, being a mother to her children.
As she sipped at the broth that kasra had brought her, and nibbled on the buttered bread, she began to feel better. Tug retrieved his bowl, sat to one side of her and regaled her of stories of what he and Gabe had done, between bites. Another One reached to take part of her bread and plopped down close to her other side, and began to eat, babbling in that way baby's have. A sort of peace crept into her being, as she shared this simple meal with her sons. Soon laughter rang around the fire as she teased not only her sons, but the slaves. They had such looks of concern on their faces, that she felt the need to lift their spirits too. Rook simply sat, drinking his tea, watching her closely.
The peaceful venue was interrupted when the youngest of the leather workers daughters arrived to return the empty basket, and to tell her that Aleyna had greatly appreciated the small gifts. At first, there was that shot of jealousy that stabbed at her, but she had lifted her head, smiled at the young woman and thanked her for returning the basket. She had even taken a deep breath, and assured the young woman that as soon as Ba'atar returned from his quest, she would tell him that he needed to visit, for they all missed him greatly. A bright smile had broke across the younger woman's face, as she thanked her, and told her they looked forward to seeing him, for he brought great joy to them when he visited.
After the woman left, she had leaned back into the furs, a sort of acceptance coming over her. She had a duty to her children, and to Ba'atar in away. Her job was to keep happiness at these wagons, to raise her children, and to see that her mate was well fed, that he had clean clothes, and his sons. If he chose to dally with others, there was not much else that she could do, now was there? And if he found another, there was also nothing she could do about that. He was a man. Her heart ached with the thought of this, but she swallowed to keep the sobs she wanted to loose into the air, deep inside.
Instead, she sent Tug inside for her flute. The afternoon was spent with her playing the flute, Tug singing funny little songs, and Another One finally napping on the furs beside her. Yes, this was her life, her sons. As long as they loved her, she would find a way to deal with the fact that her mate did not. It had been done by women before, and it was evidently her lot in life now.
The girls had loaded up the empty botas to go to the stream to fetch water, and when Tug asked if he could go with them, she had chuckled softly and nodded. She knew exactly what he wanted. He wanted to swim, and to play along the shore, and she knew the girls would keep a close eye on him.
As she sat there, stroking her belly with one hand, and Another One's head with the other, she was finding peace within her self. The commotion that ensued next, came that peace crashing down. A rider had stopped to speak with Rook, casting glances towards her, then turning his head in what seemed to be embarrassment. When he left, Rook had lifted then come to sit beside her, talking her hand, and spoke to her in a very low, calm tone.
"Cana, two of the kaiila that the hunting party jad been riding, have returned without their riders. They are bloodied, and seem to have come a long way." Her heart jumped into her throat, and the tears began to flow down her face. The old oralu, slid his arm around her, pulled her close and continued to speak gently. "Do not give up hope yet. They are already gathering a party to back track the beasts. We will find them, but you need to be strong, because the boys will need you even more, now."
"Rest. Your time is near"
The woman had left, and she lay there in the dark coolness of her wagon, eyes closed, lacking the energy to move, or the will to. Drifting in and out of sleep, she was aware of voices outside her wagon. Sometimes she could understand the words, but most of the time, they were simply a noise. The girls had came in from time to time with cups of tea or cool water. At first she had waved them away, just wishing to sleep, to remain in that cocoon of cool darkness. What had finally sank into that place where she was hiding, was the voice of her eldest son, demanding to see his mother, then the whines of her youngest, who had just recently began to vocalize that one word.....Mama. Her life called to her, and she knew she had to heed its' call.
Calling out for kasra, when the girl stepped inside, she had sat up and in a hoarse voice asked for a basin of water, soap and some scented oils. As the girl left to fetch her wants, she had sat up, twisted to sit up on the side of the sleeping platform, gripping the furs against the dizziness she felt. Both girls returned, and helped her to bathe and dress. It was juneau who helped her to her feet, offering support against another wave of dizziness. Taking a deep breath, she exhaled it and spoke softly. "I will eat now." The girl kasra was off like a bolt shot from a bow, to fix her something to eat, with juneau helping her to step between the flaps of the wagon into the sunlight.
Rook had been standing there, and reached up to lift her from the platform and carried her to a brace of furs near the fire where her sons were eating. Tug immediately set his bowl aside, and ran to where Rook had settled her, flinging his arms around her neck, holding tight. Another One was a bit slower, but had toddled over and tried his best to muscle in beside her. The heaviness in her heat lifted, as she reached to embrace and kiss them both, murmuring words of love to them both. Regardless of what was to happen to her, this was her life, being a mother to her children.
As she sipped at the broth that kasra had brought her, and nibbled on the buttered bread, she began to feel better. Tug retrieved his bowl, sat to one side of her and regaled her of stories of what he and Gabe had done, between bites. Another One reached to take part of her bread and plopped down close to her other side, and began to eat, babbling in that way baby's have. A sort of peace crept into her being, as she shared this simple meal with her sons. Soon laughter rang around the fire as she teased not only her sons, but the slaves. They had such looks of concern on their faces, that she felt the need to lift their spirits too. Rook simply sat, drinking his tea, watching her closely.
The peaceful venue was interrupted when the youngest of the leather workers daughters arrived to return the empty basket, and to tell her that Aleyna had greatly appreciated the small gifts. At first, there was that shot of jealousy that stabbed at her, but she had lifted her head, smiled at the young woman and thanked her for returning the basket. She had even taken a deep breath, and assured the young woman that as soon as Ba'atar returned from his quest, she would tell him that he needed to visit, for they all missed him greatly. A bright smile had broke across the younger woman's face, as she thanked her, and told her they looked forward to seeing him, for he brought great joy to them when he visited.
After the woman left, she had leaned back into the furs, a sort of acceptance coming over her. She had a duty to her children, and to Ba'atar in away. Her job was to keep happiness at these wagons, to raise her children, and to see that her mate was well fed, that he had clean clothes, and his sons. If he chose to dally with others, there was not much else that she could do, now was there? And if he found another, there was also nothing she could do about that. He was a man. Her heart ached with the thought of this, but she swallowed to keep the sobs she wanted to loose into the air, deep inside.
Instead, she sent Tug inside for her flute. The afternoon was spent with her playing the flute, Tug singing funny little songs, and Another One finally napping on the furs beside her. Yes, this was her life, her sons. As long as they loved her, she would find a way to deal with the fact that her mate did not. It had been done by women before, and it was evidently her lot in life now.
The girls had loaded up the empty botas to go to the stream to fetch water, and when Tug asked if he could go with them, she had chuckled softly and nodded. She knew exactly what he wanted. He wanted to swim, and to play along the shore, and she knew the girls would keep a close eye on him.
As she sat there, stroking her belly with one hand, and Another One's head with the other, she was finding peace within her self. The commotion that ensued next, came that peace crashing down. A rider had stopped to speak with Rook, casting glances towards her, then turning his head in what seemed to be embarrassment. When he left, Rook had lifted then come to sit beside her, talking her hand, and spoke to her in a very low, calm tone.
"Cana, two of the kaiila that the hunting party jad been riding, have returned without their riders. They are bloodied, and seem to have come a long way." Her heart jumped into her throat, and the tears began to flow down her face. The old oralu, slid his arm around her, pulled her close and continued to speak gently. "Do not give up hope yet. They are already gathering a party to back track the beasts. We will find them, but you need to be strong, because the boys will need you even more, now."
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