Out of the Faold (Whilst Old Legends Fade Synchronicles) (24 page)

“It’s perfect,” she protested. “I’ve missed you all so much. I haven’t been happier.”

He smiled gently, holding her hands in his softly, looking down at them.
To Coral’s amusement he looked nervous. She searched his face with curiosity.

“I’m sorry
about…” and he motioned to the barracks room they had to share with fourteen other men and two little girls. “And there’s so much we need to talk about. I still can’t understand...believe...what happened.”

“I know.”

“So many pieces to fit together,” he said looking off behind her, lost in thought.

He shook his head
slowly
and looked into her eyes. His lips touched her forehead for long seconds. “Good night, Lady Doran.”

An entire day she
’d
spent staring at his back, thinking about the man she married, how his arms would feel around her, how his eyes would close as he kissed her for the first time, how she’d melt into him…and he kisses her forehead and leaves her at her bunk. Slightly annoyed and surprised she watched as he hoisted himself
up onto the bed above hers. She sat on her covers. Perhaps this wasn’t the best setting for a passionate embrace, but he could have at least kissed her. It was their wedding night!

Morning was busy at the garrison. Functioning as the central post service, it hosted dozens of pairs of boots stomping through just before dawn waking any sleepers housed in the barracks. Coral stretched uncomfortably and groaned as Kel passed her bunk shouting, “Good morning, Lady Doran.”

Pearl and Glory giggled at the joke that never ended as each of the men called out the same in turn.
Amias’ shaggy head peered down from the top bunk and he whispered, “Good morning, Lady Doran.”

She grinned and replied, “Good morning, Lord Doran.”

“Captain to you!” he announced, dropping down to the floor.

Within the hour they were once again in the saddle. Kel took up the rear as the scout stayed far ahead of them, leaving the spot next to Amias open for Coral.
They rode in silence, trying to make time at a quickened pace.
Everyone was anxious to get to the Doran estate. Orders were simple. Establish the household and patrol the coast.
The Marshalls had the simplest task of the entire King’s army due to his admiration of Coral, they reasoned. Warm beds, hot meals, posted to a wealthy estate, nothing was better than that.

While they tried to make good time, they did have to rest the horses and their backsides. A quick break for food and personal relief was required.
The girls kept chattering about the sea and the Doran vineyards and wondered
what the new house looked like.

“Will there be room for all of us?”
Glory called out once they were back on the road.

“Plenty,” Amias replied.

“Do you have dogs?” Pearl asked. “I miss dogs.”

“I will get you some,” Amias called back. “How many would you like?”

She didn’t answer, Coral mused, though when she looked back to question Pearl the girl was staring at something in the distance. Black smoke rose from a cluster of houses back from the road. Where the cart tracks met them was a sign with an X.

“Oh, no,” Coral whispered. “The fever.”

Each of their faces took on a worn distressed look as they rushed along the road eastward. They began to see travelers
coming west, road-
weary men,
women and children heading to the city. Captain Doran spoke to some. They t
old of other signs of fever along the highway, but they were still healthy, thank the gods, they said. Messengers to the King passed throughout their first day of riding. They all saluted the Marshalls but none stopped.

Kel got the campfire lit as they settled in for the night. Bedrolls were placed, soft songs were sung, pipes smoked and girls yawned. It was perfect, Coral smiled to herself. Amias’ face glowed in the firelight, so appealing Coral couldn’t help but go sit next to her husband to get a smile from him.
He did smile and his eyes lingered on hers as she leaned her head against his shoulder. She felt butterflies in her stomach just from the lo
ok he gave her, one of longing.

“I love yo
u in firelight,” she whispered.

He lifted his eyebrows at her in curiosity.
“Does it hide my flaws?”

“Glory says you are the handsomest man she knows.”

He almost snorted at her statement. “Well, that is a serious compliment, coming from her.”

“It is,” she laughed.

Silently they watched the fire as men lay down to sleep, or perhaps just lay down to give the couple their privacy. Amias seemed uneasy. He watched the sky for some time. He listened to the quiet night around them. Coral stood to go to bed and held her hand out for him. He remained sitting and whispered, “
I wish it weren’t so far from home.”

“What do you mean?”

“This isn’t the place for…It isn’t proper.”

“Do you think I need proper?” she asked.

He stood with a serious look on his face. He walked away from the fire, into the darkness away from the others pulling her with him. When he stopped he bent his head to say in her ear, firmly, “I won’t take you out here.”

She stiffened at his tone. He almost sounded angry. “I…”

He continued, “It isn’t right. I can’t sneak you off into the dark to grunt and grope like beasts. You deserve better than that. We both do. I won’t have my men think of you that way.”

Coral tilted her head to rest it against his and nodded, closing her eyes. She reached up to his neck. Her fingers became buried in his hair. Amias’ arms circled her waist pulling her closer. They stood there, listening to each other breathe until she couldn’t stand it any longer as each of his breaths on her neck sent prickles all over her skin. She pulled away, achin
g with the pain of needing him.

He stayed in the dark as she lay down on her bedroll next to Glory. When she pulled the blanket up around her chin he finally approached, sliding down behind her onto his own pallet. Coral felt his hand on her arm so s
he turned her head to face him.

“Come,” he said quietly, pulling her over to him, letting her back rest against his chest. In her ear, he whispered, “I’m sorry.”

Coral smiled, resting her head on his arm that he offered as a pillow. He rested his scruffy face against her neck. “Amias.”

“Yes.”

“You still haven’t kissed me.”

“I know.”

“Are you going to?”

“I can’t.”
Fool, fool, fool.

She lay motionless, barely breathing. “Why not?”

“I’m afraid…It’s like a dream. I forced myself
a
way…couldn’t touch you…now, I’m scared.”

“I don’t understand,” she pleaded, tilting so she could see his face. “I’m here. We are married, it’s real.”

“I feel if I kiss you I’ll wake up and you will be gone.”

The look on her face was reflected in his own. Coral turned to him
, b
ur
ying
her
wet, tear stained
face in his neck
. She clutched onto Amias tightly. H
er mouth brushed his strong neck
forcing her
heart to race
in anger and lust.
Coral lifted her face
, feeling untamed
beard against her smooth cheek. H
er lips sought his, and although he pulled away at the first touch, he finally gave in. Their lips pressed together rigidly then Coral melted into Amias’ arms. T
he kiss was soft and moist. It steadily
grew
needy and
deep
. With shallow
ragged breaths they returned to soft lingering caresses
of lips and tongue that left
them both
shuddering and breathless.

“Gods,” he muttered pulling her face into his chest to hold her close. She nodded, shivering against him. Every nerve in her body was alive.
She closed her eyes, breathed him in; the smell of leather, of horse, campfire, of his own scent after a long day riding. Amias Doran had the most arousing and calming aroma she’d ever experienced. She sank herself into it, into him.

The sky
to the east
flashed a brilliant white li
ght. A crack of thunder followed, then booms like the boots of a giant crossing the land. The camp was awake and seated for the next flickers of light. They didn’t last long. No rain came.

By mid-morning they’d already been on the road several hours. Anxious to be at the Doran estate by nightfall the group kept a steady pace. The storm the night before worried the Captain. It hadn’t lasted long but it meant there was a Kusira Sister along the coast.
They’d
worried about his father but Amias told the others the s
tor
m had been to the south of home, most likely at the coastal town of Shikem.

A whistle from the back of their line brought Amias to a stop. A rumbling noise grew behind them. They all turned in their saddles to note a huge
brigade
of soldiers on horseback, in wagons, even on foot advancing on them from behind. One of their scouts spoke to Kel, who then galloped up to Amias and Coral.

“Third, Eighth and Eleventh regiments all dispatched to
the
Verdera Isthmus.
There are r
eports of foreign ships sailing to the south along the eastern shore to an enclave of the Kusira women. The King’s navy has been trying to intercept. Looks like they are gathering to the south.
Brynntown
is at risk.”

The grea
t swell of soldiers passed the M
arshalls as they moved their small group to the side. Perhaps a thousand men shook the road. The girls simply stared at the numbers. Many salute
d Captain Doran as they passed.

The Captain’s jaw was set. Kel watched hi
s
commander
’s face. He expected him to bark
new orders sending them south.

“We have our orders, continue on.”

It was Pearl who protested. “What? We aren’t going to help?”

“No,” Amias told her gently but firmly.

“They can’t stop them.”

“We are going east to our home. We will patrol the coast like I’ve been ordered.”

Pearl glared at his back. Coral was glad he couldn’t see the girl’s expression.

“If there are a lot of Sisters our people are in danger,” Glory told them all.

“I told them how to move if the Kusira hold them in place,” Coral urged.

“But if they use storms or hurt people…”

The army finally passed allowing the Marshalls to bring their horses back up onto the road for easier travel. Ahead was the southern turn off that ran down the coast to the Isthmus. Still another four to five hours ride would get them to the Doran estate due east.

“I’ll take you ladies to father then the Marshalls will go join them,” Captain Amias announced.

Both Pearl and Glory yelled out their objections. Coral didn’t blame them. They’d fought the Sisters before, successfully, and felt best suited for helping. However, being that they were children she knew the Captain wouldn’t agree to have them come along.

“I’m going,” Coral told him.

He glared at her with a look of fear and determination. To her he whispered, “I can’t
bring my wife into battle.”

“I am Brother Karl, the spiritual leader of this land. I am needed by our men.”

“But the girls…”

“I honestly don’t know how you are going to keep them away,” she told him. “They have the hearts of warriors as much as Kel does.”

He frowned at her. He knew. They weren’t allowed to speak of it but he knew. The visions from the Well. The girls, all three of them, were champions of the people.

“If anything happens to any of you,” he muttered, shaking his head. “I shouldn’t have kissed you.”

“I kissed you,” she reminded him.

At the fork in the road, instead of taking the path to the coast and home, Amias led them south, following the great army. Both Pearl and Glory sat straighter in their saddles. The Marshall Hatchet swung against the skirts of Pearl’s riding dress. Coral started reciting new prayers. Prayers for their success, a quick return to her new home and life, and most of all, to their safety.

The Marshalls were able to travel faster than
the regiments heading south. T
he Captain sought out t
he commanders at the lead with his plans to move forward. They sent horsemen with him he could send back with reports. More X labeled posts along the road appeared but they rode through, stopping short of the town of Shikem. The Sisters had been there. Burned houses could be seen at the edges, a large hole was torn through the main wharf.
X’s marked doorways on buildings. The ominous black smoke told them
the severity of the situation.