There was an air of contentment about her as she sat on the platform, holding the baby as she watched her two eldest sons at play. Her mind wandered over the events of the past few days.........
It's funny how just looking into someone's eyes, or feeling their touch, can change your entire world. She can now see Ba'atar and how he looks at her, how he touches her, and realize that all of her feelings of jealousy, rage and abandonment were foolish. One thing he said to her, had really sunk in. She had been honest with him, telling him of some of her fears, and those calloused fingers went to her chin, lifting it so that he could look into her eyes, and he told her. You should not doubt me. All you have to do is to look into the eyes of our sons, and you will know that I am with you always. How could she argue with that? How could she argue with his kisses, that were sweeter than any honey she could have collected? How could she argue with his touch, that sent a thrill through her each time? How could she argue with the longing that she saw in his gaze? She couldn't.
They would probably have their disagreements, their moments, but just in the few days that he had been home, she realized how strong their love truly was, and that she had gotten herself worked up over nothing. She carefully explained to him, that women were different than men, that they did need that reassurance. That most of them drew strength from knowing that they were loved and needed. It was just how they were. And truthfully, she believes he understands this now. Perhaps his being away was good for them both.
He told her that he would have paid many bosk to capture how she looked, standing there, holding his son in her arms the night he had returned. She had laughed, and told him that she would have paid just as many bosk if someone had been able to capture the look upon his face, when he realized she was holding his son. She would also have paid many to have captured the image of Ba'atar riding off to the plains, with Tug, Another One and Aamon, they night they went out to offer this youngest son to the Skies, to give thanks for him, to pledge him to them. It had made her heart swell with love and pride, and she would have loved to have gone with them, but she realized that this was a man thing. Something that needed to be done between Father, Son, Brothers, and Son, and she would not begrudge them this moment of male bonding.
Then there was the slave. He had told her he had brought back a slave. Now, men have slaves, and she was accustomed to that. But what bothered her slightly, was he mentioned the creature had blue eyes. What was it with Ba'atar and blue eyes? She even asked him that very question, and he was very direct. Anytime he saw blue eyes, he saw them in a collar, it was just that simple.
Juneau had come to her, allowing that Master had given her a switch, and told her to make sure the new slave did as told, because if she did not, then he would not only beat the new one, but he would beat her as well. Cana had told gently just to do as she was told, and to try and keep the beast on task. She had not interfered, but she had watched from a distance. The woman had a haughtiness that was grating, and she balked quite often, causing juneau to use the switch quite often. There was this feeling that the training was going to be quite rocky, but she knew that juneau would try. When they were working on the hides, the new one tossed the scraper away, and refused. Juneau switched her, picked up the scraper and handed it back. And so it went for quite sometime. She had finally turned away, bored and irritated with it. She did not trust the dark-skinned woman, and more than likely, that trust might never come.
Taking the sleeping baby into the wagon, to put him down, a hand caressed his head as she smiled down at him for a time before she returned to the platform, to settle down with her thoughts again.
He asked her if she was happy. Well, that came out of no where, and came as a huge shock to her. He had never seemed concerned about her happiness before. He had this arrogance about him, that more or less said that she was his woman, and that alone should make her happy.
Since he had opened the flap, she stepped out with her thoughts on the subject. Yes, she was happy. She explained to him the he and her sons made her happy, and she also took this opportunity to approach another subject. Laying there, on the bank of the stream, his arms around her, she looked up into that handsome face and explained something else to him. The things she did for him, such as his laundry, keeping his wagons clean, keeping him and their sons fed, were outward signs of her love for him. She could do these things, and still fulfill her duties to her clan. Her clan work, was her duty to her people, and every Tuchuk was taught from the cradle board and into adulthood, that the tribe was first and foremost. He seemed to accept this, and made her promise, that if she were ever unhappy, that she would tell him.
Now, that went well............didn't it? And yes, she is a very happy woman.
It's funny how just looking into someone's eyes, or feeling their touch, can change your entire world. She can now see Ba'atar and how he looks at her, how he touches her, and realize that all of her feelings of jealousy, rage and abandonment were foolish. One thing he said to her, had really sunk in. She had been honest with him, telling him of some of her fears, and those calloused fingers went to her chin, lifting it so that he could look into her eyes, and he told her. You should not doubt me. All you have to do is to look into the eyes of our sons, and you will know that I am with you always. How could she argue with that? How could she argue with his kisses, that were sweeter than any honey she could have collected? How could she argue with his touch, that sent a thrill through her each time? How could she argue with the longing that she saw in his gaze? She couldn't.
They would probably have their disagreements, their moments, but just in the few days that he had been home, she realized how strong their love truly was, and that she had gotten herself worked up over nothing. She carefully explained to him, that women were different than men, that they did need that reassurance. That most of them drew strength from knowing that they were loved and needed. It was just how they were. And truthfully, she believes he understands this now. Perhaps his being away was good for them both.
He told her that he would have paid many bosk to capture how she looked, standing there, holding his son in her arms the night he had returned. She had laughed, and told him that she would have paid just as many bosk if someone had been able to capture the look upon his face, when he realized she was holding his son. She would also have paid many to have captured the image of Ba'atar riding off to the plains, with Tug, Another One and Aamon, they night they went out to offer this youngest son to the Skies, to give thanks for him, to pledge him to them. It had made her heart swell with love and pride, and she would have loved to have gone with them, but she realized that this was a man thing. Something that needed to be done between Father, Son, Brothers, and Son, and she would not begrudge them this moment of male bonding.
Then there was the slave. He had told her he had brought back a slave. Now, men have slaves, and she was accustomed to that. But what bothered her slightly, was he mentioned the creature had blue eyes. What was it with Ba'atar and blue eyes? She even asked him that very question, and he was very direct. Anytime he saw blue eyes, he saw them in a collar, it was just that simple.
Juneau had come to her, allowing that Master had given her a switch, and told her to make sure the new slave did as told, because if she did not, then he would not only beat the new one, but he would beat her as well. Cana had told gently just to do as she was told, and to try and keep the beast on task. She had not interfered, but she had watched from a distance. The woman had a haughtiness that was grating, and she balked quite often, causing juneau to use the switch quite often. There was this feeling that the training was going to be quite rocky, but she knew that juneau would try. When they were working on the hides, the new one tossed the scraper away, and refused. Juneau switched her, picked up the scraper and handed it back. And so it went for quite sometime. She had finally turned away, bored and irritated with it. She did not trust the dark-skinned woman, and more than likely, that trust might never come.
Taking the sleeping baby into the wagon, to put him down, a hand caressed his head as she smiled down at him for a time before she returned to the platform, to settle down with her thoughts again.
He asked her if she was happy. Well, that came out of no where, and came as a huge shock to her. He had never seemed concerned about her happiness before. He had this arrogance about him, that more or less said that she was his woman, and that alone should make her happy.
Since he had opened the flap, she stepped out with her thoughts on the subject. Yes, she was happy. She explained to him the he and her sons made her happy, and she also took this opportunity to approach another subject. Laying there, on the bank of the stream, his arms around her, she looked up into that handsome face and explained something else to him. The things she did for him, such as his laundry, keeping his wagons clean, keeping him and their sons fed, were outward signs of her love for him. She could do these things, and still fulfill her duties to her clan. Her clan work, was her duty to her people, and every Tuchuk was taught from the cradle board and into adulthood, that the tribe was first and foremost. He seemed to accept this, and made her promise, that if she were ever unhappy, that she would tell him.
Now, that went well............didn't it? And yes, she is a very happy woman.
No comments:
Post a Comment