Having to ride in the wagon due to his injuries, had not put the man in a good mood. For a time, she wished that they had gone ahead and put the hammock up. Not that he would have probably laid in it, but it would have been there just the same.
Kaeli had check on him, catching a view of his behavior and just chuckled and hugged Cana on her way out of the wagon, and whispered in her ear that she wished her luck.
Very little was said between them during the day. For the most part he had slept, which was good. He needed the rest in order to heal. She did as she usually did when she rode in the wagon. Tended to her son, fed and entertained him, and tried to keep Ba'atar calm and warm. Extra furs were piled on him, and when the baby got sleepy she had tucked him into those furs as well. She would look up from time to time to find him watching her, but still little was said, other than his short one word answers to whether he wanted food or drink. Mostly he slept.
When they had made camp for the night, she had slipped out to get him some broth and a mug of warmed wine. Before she could even finish gathering it up, he came out of the wagon, fully dressed and worrying the arm that was splinted and bandaged. And being the bosk headed man that he was, he took his quiva out and cut the bandages off. She has said a harsh word to him, and he slapped her on the backside with the splints, got angry and stalked back to their wagon.
She followed with the broth and the wine, only to find him sitting leaned up against a wheel, trying to drag a fur up over him against the chill. He looked tired, haggard, and in need of some company, or maybe not? Whether he wanted it or not he got it.
Lowering beside him she gave him the wine which he took. He said he did not feel like arguing, so they didn't. They talked, something they did not get much time to do any more. He explained his feelings on the ring thing, and after hearing them, she understood. She promised to not make a decision like that again without speaking to him first, so basically, that was over.
She did voice the concern about her fear that she was a disappointment to him, which seemed to surprise him. He asked her if he was a bad mate. Now how do you answer that? She tried to answer it as simply and kindly as she could. She told him that she thought that he was just not accustomed to having a mate yet, and that she knew that she and the boys were not his main concern and she could deal with that. She just loved him so much, she hated to see how he struggled with things at times.
This was a man that had taken on a woman that had been mated twice, and who had two sons by warriors other than himself. And to his credit, he had never shown any partiality to his son over the others, and that just made her love and respect him more.
They came to an agreement that she would listen more, and that he would listen more to her, and think before speaking. To think about the impact his words and actions would have on her. She had shifted to sit beside him, holding a rolled up fur for him to brace the injured arm on. It had surprised her a little when he lifted his good arm, and used those calloused fingers to stroke her cheek so gently. It had made her smile, and maybe it have given her a little courage.
She asked if he ever regretted taking her as his mate. This question seemed to surprise him, but he did answer it. How could he regret any decision he had made. He had taken her as his, and saw her as the shadow he cast over others. This was something she would give thought to.
Their teasing sides came out as they spoke of his sons growing up to be just like him. She threatened to cut their little nut sacks off now before they got to that point, with a grin. And he had countered that he was going to miss her, also with a grin. He allowed that his sons would have his charm, and she said hopefully her sense to go along with it.
They were both tired, and she managed to get him up again and into the wagon. He was asleep almost as soon as his head lay on the furs. She took that opportunity to put some salve on his arm, and to wrap bandages around it to protect it from dirt and the cold. There was no splint, so maybe he would leave it bandaged.
Laying down on his good side, she had smiled when in his sleep he had reached for her, to draw her closer to him. Turning over, she lay her head on his shoulder and relaxed. She did not sleep immediately, instead she lay there thinking.
His shadow, the one he cast over the people. Thinking on this, an understanding came to her. He had great expectations of her, and she would work harder to live up to those expectations. If she was to be his shadow, she had to put more thought and consideration into what she said or did, for she was his representative when he was not there. With this on her mind, she finally slept, curled up against him, content and happy.
Kaeli had check on him, catching a view of his behavior and just chuckled and hugged Cana on her way out of the wagon, and whispered in her ear that she wished her luck.
Very little was said between them during the day. For the most part he had slept, which was good. He needed the rest in order to heal. She did as she usually did when she rode in the wagon. Tended to her son, fed and entertained him, and tried to keep Ba'atar calm and warm. Extra furs were piled on him, and when the baby got sleepy she had tucked him into those furs as well. She would look up from time to time to find him watching her, but still little was said, other than his short one word answers to whether he wanted food or drink. Mostly he slept.
When they had made camp for the night, she had slipped out to get him some broth and a mug of warmed wine. Before she could even finish gathering it up, he came out of the wagon, fully dressed and worrying the arm that was splinted and bandaged. And being the bosk headed man that he was, he took his quiva out and cut the bandages off. She has said a harsh word to him, and he slapped her on the backside with the splints, got angry and stalked back to their wagon.
She followed with the broth and the wine, only to find him sitting leaned up against a wheel, trying to drag a fur up over him against the chill. He looked tired, haggard, and in need of some company, or maybe not? Whether he wanted it or not he got it.
Lowering beside him she gave him the wine which he took. He said he did not feel like arguing, so they didn't. They talked, something they did not get much time to do any more. He explained his feelings on the ring thing, and after hearing them, she understood. She promised to not make a decision like that again without speaking to him first, so basically, that was over.
She did voice the concern about her fear that she was a disappointment to him, which seemed to surprise him. He asked her if he was a bad mate. Now how do you answer that? She tried to answer it as simply and kindly as she could. She told him that she thought that he was just not accustomed to having a mate yet, and that she knew that she and the boys were not his main concern and she could deal with that. She just loved him so much, she hated to see how he struggled with things at times.
This was a man that had taken on a woman that had been mated twice, and who had two sons by warriors other than himself. And to his credit, he had never shown any partiality to his son over the others, and that just made her love and respect him more.
They came to an agreement that she would listen more, and that he would listen more to her, and think before speaking. To think about the impact his words and actions would have on her. She had shifted to sit beside him, holding a rolled up fur for him to brace the injured arm on. It had surprised her a little when he lifted his good arm, and used those calloused fingers to stroke her cheek so gently. It had made her smile, and maybe it have given her a little courage.
She asked if he ever regretted taking her as his mate. This question seemed to surprise him, but he did answer it. How could he regret any decision he had made. He had taken her as his, and saw her as the shadow he cast over others. This was something she would give thought to.
Their teasing sides came out as they spoke of his sons growing up to be just like him. She threatened to cut their little nut sacks off now before they got to that point, with a grin. And he had countered that he was going to miss her, also with a grin. He allowed that his sons would have his charm, and she said hopefully her sense to go along with it.
They were both tired, and she managed to get him up again and into the wagon. He was asleep almost as soon as his head lay on the furs. She took that opportunity to put some salve on his arm, and to wrap bandages around it to protect it from dirt and the cold. There was no splint, so maybe he would leave it bandaged.
Laying down on his good side, she had smiled when in his sleep he had reached for her, to draw her closer to him. Turning over, she lay her head on his shoulder and relaxed. She did not sleep immediately, instead she lay there thinking.
His shadow, the one he cast over the people. Thinking on this, an understanding came to her. He had great expectations of her, and she would work harder to live up to those expectations. If she was to be his shadow, she had to put more thought and consideration into what she said or did, for she was his representative when he was not there. With this on her mind, she finally slept, curled up against him, content and happy.
No comments:
Post a Comment