Ba'atar Steps Up

She had lay awake long into the night listening to the steady breathing of the man who lay beside her, staring up at that small patch of stars that she could see through the vent in the top of their wagon. A multitude of emotions flooded through her. All she had to do was turn her head slightly and look at the strong profile of her sleeping mate, and pride swelled within her breast to the point she thought she would burst open.


She often wished that more people knew the man that she did. Yes, he was arrogant, a man with strong convictions and opinions, but what man wasn't? They needed to know the man that loved. He loved the bosk, the skies, his people, their traditions and values and he loved her and their sons.


She has seen him offer prayers to the skies over the birth of a calf, and she had seen him hold her newborn sons up, tears of joy in his eyes as he offered them to the blessings of the skies, vowing to guide their lives in a manner that would bring only honor to the sky and their people. She probably knew better than anyone his love for the land, the skies and his people. They had talked about it at length, even before they were mated. In fact, it was one of the things that drew her to him.


She was proud of him, and proud to be his woman. Did that mean she did not get angry with him. No. She was human after all, and there were things about him that irritated her from time to time. But they were things that could be resolved. He was not perfect, but right now, she could think of no one else that had the visions that Ba'atar had for his people. Visions that would help the tribe to grow and become stronger. Visions that would be built on the traditions of their past, but that also allowed for looking towards their future.


And where he led their people, she would be there with him, supporting him each step of that trail. That was her job, to love him, support him, to raise their sons, and to listen to him when he had need to talk. And to sometimes just be there when he needed a quiet moment. That is no different than any woman would do for the man she loved so deeply.