Rachel Rossano - The Theodoric Saga (3 page)

She realized the severity of his injuries three days ago. He would have never given in so quickly when whole. Even now, discomfort still creased lines around his mouth and eyes. She needed a chance to go herb gathering. Maybe a simple herbal tea, the one she used for aches, could ease some of his pain.

“Would you be willing to marry me?” His voice broke into her thoughts and before she processed his question, he continued. “It is the only option I can think of that makes you both unquestionably free and under my protection.” Fixing his dark blue eyes on her green ones, he declared. ”The problem is…I follow the Kurios and He teaches marriage for life.”

Fighting past the instinctive fear that he was going be another form of Horben, she tried to consider the consequences of such a step.

Labren reexamined his motives. He studied her. Strands of warm, honey blonde hair escaped from the braid wound around her crown. They curled about her ears. Pleasing to look at and spirited enough to make life interesting, she appealed to him in many ways. However, the primary appeal was her apparent strength. She presented a brave front. She had survived her master, but no matter how strong her spirit, her body was weak and her position vulnerable. She already sacrificed so much for him; he was responsible for her now.

Her previous master was not an option. Also, their time together in this shack unchaperoned compromised her reputation. In marriage he could keep her close and, hopefully, safe until he finished getting himself out of this mess. The new found intention to build a future for her, for them, filled him with hope. He liked the thought of a future with her.

“What happens if I marry you?”

“After I am well enough to travel, we will go south. I have to get to the capital city. Once there about a month I should be free to earn a living. During that time, we can seek a place for you to stay while I am away.”

She stared intensely at her clasped hands.

“What do you expect of me as your wife?”

He frowned.

“Cook our meals. Wash our clothing occasionally. Of course other household chores will need tending.” He glanced her way. “Is that what you are asking?”

“Sort of.” After a moment or two, she gathered the courage to meet his gaze. “Are you going to want children?”

As he processed the fear in Eve’s eyes, visions of his father and brother flashed through his mind. His shoulders hurt from the pressure of an invisible burden. Children were an absolute necessity. How could he tell her when she clearly feared the process? The intensity of the emotion surprised him.  It answered his question: did she fear anything?

“Not until you are ready.” They had time. She was too young at this point anyway. “How old are you anyway?”

“Twenty-one.”

His eyebrows rose. She didn’t look it.

“Yes,” she took a deep breath, “I will marry you.” The fear lingered in her eyes.

He responded without thinking. “Why?”

Even though her cheeks flushed a bright red, she met him with a steady gaze. “I want to be free, but I also don’t want to starve.”

Her words reminded him of another woman. That one had said she would rather starve than marry him. Brushing the painful memory aside, Labren dragged his mind back to the present situation. Eve was not Trina and he no longer lived in the King’s palace. He sat at an old table in a falling down hermit’s shack near the Northern Mountains. Across from him was not a dark-haired, cold-faced princess. Instead his gaze fell on Eve, a gentle, warm and caring young woman who had just accepted his proposal.

He gave Eve a half smile. “I will try to make you happy you chose me over those options.”

She opened her mouth to retort, but instead she bit her lip.

“Where should we go to find a seeker who would be willing to perform such a ceremony?” he asked.

“There is a Servant of the Kurios in the next village. He can help us.” Her thoughts were on something else.

“Will he keep your whereabouts a secret?”

“Yes, he is a friend of mine. He tried to buy me from Mridle many times.” After a second or two she continued. “You will probably be well enough to travel on foot in a week.”

“What about on horseback?”

That got her attention and she focused on him. “In a few days, if necessary. Do you have a horse?”

“No, but I could purchase one and a cart.” He smiled to himself at her surprise. “A wagon would be best, don’t you think?”

She resumed her thinking. “How will we buy them? Neither one of us should be seen.”

“I leave that up to you.” Her amazement at his trust crept across her face. “I am sure you know someone who can manage to arrange something.”

She was already plotting; thoughts and plans formed behind her eyes. Shakily rising, he limped toward the shelf where she perched on.

“I need to rest. My short walk wore me out.”

She moved quickly from her seat. She backed away from him as if he represented something dangerous. After lying down, he contemplated her reactions.

Eve returned to her work with an air of preoccupation. He noticed she went out of her way to avoid going near the sleeping ledge, which was quite a challenge in such a small room.

~~~

Chapter II

The mountains rose to the west in cold white-tipped glory.  They loomed in the distance beyond the forest to the right of the trail. The golden light of dawn gilded the snowy crests.

The first sunrise of my married life.
Eve fought back the disturbing thought and glanced at her husband. Attached for the rest of her existence, they were beginning their relationship as such strangers. She swallowed the panicky tightening in her throat.

She studied her mate.  An attractive man, not even his loose shirt disguised the muscle that came from hard work or the pleasing breadth of his shoulders. She reluctantly admitted his thick, brown hair made her fingers itch to smooth it back from his forehead. Even now, when only his profile was visible, she admired many of the features, like his straight nose.

Ever since leaving the Servant of the Kurios the evening before, Labren urged the horses forward through the night. The resulting strain hunched his torso forward and his head down. His lips pulled taut in determination, and extra lines creased the skin around his eyes and mouth.

He promised her they would stop soon after sunrise.  Hours had passed since their last heated exchange and his descent into stony silence. Not the way she pictured spending her first night with her new husband.  Not that she had ever considered being married. But the hope he would spare himself an extra few hours’ sleep if she fought for it was incentive enough. Now his steady and pointed ignoring made her uneasy.
What kind of a man is he when angered?
Fear flickered in her heart. She was just going to have to find out for his sake.
Give me boldness, Kurios,
she prayed.

Although she did not look forward to the awkwardness of their new sleeping arrangements, he was pushing himself too hard for his own good.  His limbs needed rest and time to heal. He refused to give them either. Wary of the consequences of sparking his anger further, she debated speaking again.

“Shouldn’t we stop soon?” She drew his attention to the brightening skies above the foot hills to their left. “The grove of trees over there offers a perfect shelter.” She pointed to a place about a mile back from the road. The vegetation grew thick enough to offer cool, dark shade from the midday sun. Also, the foliage would block their camp from the sight of any other travelers. She hoped he had stopped ignoring her. The reins shook in his hands.

“All right.” He turned off the dirt way into the tall grass.

Eve let out the air she had been holding in her lungs and relaxed a little.
Thank you.
At least her husband was listening again.

Labren guided the horses around the grove to the side away from the main road. The wagon stopped under the shadow of an ancient oak. Eve jumped down. Her knees shook and threatened to give, but she ignored them as she ran around to the other side to help Labren.

He moved slowly. By the time she reached his elbow he had turned in his seat. Groaning at the screaming of his abused legs and arms, he started to gingerly move toward the ground. At first he planned to disregard Eve’s offered shoulder, but his weak leg forced him to use it.

A nearby stump made a solid seat. Eve gathered a small heap of brush and then fetched the tinderbox. She gave it to him.

“We will need a small fire for cooking dinner.” She returned to the wagon to gather the supplies.

Grateful for an occupation, Labren bent to the task. Eve was long in returning; so, when she did, he had let the original blaze burn down to a good cooking temperature. She prepared a simple meal of tea, bacon, and bread.

Labren watched her, feeling guilty. He had been outright rude to her. The fact her motivation was his best interest made his behavior all the more awful. Not even one day into their marriage and he was already acting like a heel, hardly God honoring behavior. His stomach clenched.

“I apologize.”

His voice sounded harsh to his ears. She looked up from her crouching position near the sizzling bacon.

“For what?”

Anger rose in his chest because he thought she was being difficult. He opened his mouth to retort, but the mild confusion on her face brought the words to a halt. Her expression quickly changed into hurt. She moved the food around in the pan.

“Oh, that. You are forgiven.”

“Thank you.” His words sounded stiff.

She removed the bacon from the fire. “You’re welcome.”

Labren still regretted his behavior as he ate his meal. Also, what had absorbed her attention enough to wipe everything else from her mind? When he finished his food, his head and eyes grew heavy. Fighting to stay awake he tried to stand. Before he realized she moved, Eve was next to him, draping his good arm across her thin shoulders. Unusually strong for her size, she bore his weight steadily. He would not have thought her small frame was so sturdy. Thankfully, appearances deceived in this instance; he needed her support.

They crossed the clearing together. With her assistance, he climbed into the wagon bed. He discovered that she had made up their one mattress with pillows and quilts. She helped him out of his jacket, shirt, pants, boots, and socks. Then she left him to climb under the blankets. Labren did not note the chill earlier in the day. Now with only his under things and hose protecting him from the cold he remembered it was mid-November. Winter was coming.

He slipped into the soft bedclothes. Sleep claimed him quickly. His last thought was a question.
How are we going to get through the mountains in snow?

Huddling against the sudden wind, Eve briskly cleared the meal mess. She almost longed for the shelter of the wagon when she finished. The smell of winter came in frigid gusts. The sky, which had been clear earlier, filled with dark clouds. Eve figured the overdue winter weather would debut during the day. Even then she was not eager to encounter the cold and wet.

After stowing the pan under the seat, she climbed over it and between the canvas flaps that blocked out the wind. The air inside still bit at her hands and face. She studied her sleeping husband. His long legs and out-flung arm took up most of the bed. Maybe if she moved it a little, she would have space to lie without touching him. The temperature dropped even as she removed her dress and petticoat. She pulled back the covers and climbed under the quilts.

Beneath the covers, Labren radiated a tempting aura of heat. She adjusted herself for sleep. He moved just as she found a comfortable position on the lumpy mattress. At first she thought he was awake, but as his hand slid to touch her shoulder she grew uncertain. Holding her breath, she waited to see what he would do. He rolled over and put his arm loosely about her waist. This trapped her on her side with her back to his front. She tensed, but he seemed to have fallen into peaceful slumber. His breath tickled the hairs at the nape of her neck while his warmth soaked into her back. Resigned to their new position, she closed her eyes and tried to sleep. She, at least, needed to be rested.

Labren waited until her body and breathing indicated she had fallen asleep.  Then he moved. From the sound of the wind, they needed each other to stay warm tonight. Once he was satisfied she was not going to freeze, he let the comfort of sleep claim him again.

Eve awoke before Labren. With difficulty she extracted herself from his embrace. She crept from the refuge of the bedclothes and quickly dressed. After checking that Labren remained warm, she slipped between the cover flaps and into the chill of the evening.

 A light blanket of snow frosted the ground. Eve’s shoes offered little protection from even this dusting. By the time she started a small fire, she could no longer feel her toes. Shaking against the cold, she broke the thin layer of ice in the water bucket and poured the liquid beneath into the kettle. She set the pot close to the fire, soaking up the warmth of the flame. The potatoes would be a welcome treat if she baked them in the coals.

She quietly climbed back into the wagon to find Labren awake and digging through one of the trunks. He looked up when she appeared. “Where are the bundles…?” He clamored across the crowded wagon bed to claim her hands. “You must be frozen. What are you thinking going out without an extra layer?” He massaged her frigid fingers with his gloved ones.

“I don’t have one.” Her teeth knocked together as she spoke.

“Yes, you do.” Frustrated at the clumsiness of his gloves, he removed the offending items. He warmed her fingers with one of his large hands while reaching toward a nearby trunk simultaneously. “I bought outer clothing that I thought would possibly fit you when we were in town. Now where are those packages?”

Before Eve could protest, he bundled her into a coat two sizes too big. He produced mittens and boots, both of which were larger than needed. Only after he had found woolen socks and a scarf for each of them, did he stop to examine her.

Eve immediately spoke up. “It is not cold enough out to merit all this. Besides I could not possibly do chores in these; I would ruin them.” She held out the gloves for his inspection.

“Nonsense.” Labren waded through the mess again, so that he towered over her. “You will wear them for as long as I say you need them. I bought them for our use.” Eve indignantly straightened to his commanding tone. She was about to speak her mind. Labren stopped her by placing his warm fingers against her cold mouth.

“I try not to issue commands very often, Eve. But when I do, I believe I have a right to your obedience. Let me be a good husband in at least this way.” His face was kind; however Eve sensed he would not back down on this point.

“I will use them. I need to finish preparing breakfast.” She gathered the potatoes and climbed over the side. She hated to admit it, but she needed the extra protection the coat gave against the wind.

Two weeks passed in dragging monotony. Traveling by night, sleeping by day, Labren watched the pace wear down his body and the concern grow in Eve’s eyes. Every time she redressed his wounds or glanced his way, her worry pulled at her brow. He hated seeing the tightening of her mouth and her turning away to hide what she thought.

So, when they discovered a traveling caravan one morning as they searched for a campsite for the night, he made a decision.

“We should join them if we can.”

He pulled at the reins and guided their horses over to the side of the road. Ten wagons camped about twenty feet away. Amber and gold cooking fires lit the gray dawn within the circle. Men and women moved around them, most likely eating their morning meals.

Handing Eve the leads, he climbed down from the seat.

“What about our rest? You have been driving all night.”

He waved away her objection and strode off toward the wagons.  “Keep the horses still.  I will be right back.”

His arrival at the fringe of the camp caused a small stir.

“What business do you have here?” a young man demanded, stepping out from the shadow of the closest wagon. He stood at least as tall as Labren, but still had the lankiness of youth about his limbs.

“I wish to speak to the wagon master regarding joining your caravan.”

“You come alone?” The man looked past Labren to Eve.

“No, my wife,” the word still sounded foreign to his tongue, “and I are traveling toward Ana City. Where are you headed?”

“As far as Canktinton, on the border.”

Labren nodded. “I am familiar with the area. May we travel with you?”

The man glanced over at Eve again. “We’ll find room, but it will cost you. We don’t have extra supplies.”

Labren frowned, but shook his head. “We brought our own.” The pointed interest in Eve rankled his instincts, but the dull ache in his limbs overwhelmed them.

The man shrugged. “Father will still insist on payment.” Then he turned and strode toward the central fire circle.

The young man, Ulysses, was correct. His father demanded an outrageous fee, but Labren was compelled to pay for the peace of mind. He read the signs of his earlier pursuers closing in on them: strangers asking questions, strained looks when purchasing supplies, and an occasional patrol riding past them. Any time now they would connect him to the disappearance of a slave girl. The additional cover of traveling in a caravan might help. They traveled slowly with all the women and children, the opposite of what the trackers would expect.

“So, where are you from, little mouse?”

Eve lifted her head from scrubbing the dinner pot. Her hands shook from exhaustion. They had now traveled a full day and night without rest. Her eyes protested at the idea of focusing. The wagon master’s son stood over her, grinning in a way he clearly thought disarming.

Eve returned to scrubbing.

“Must be somewhere north.”

Eve blinked hazily and tried to think about what she needed to do next.

“Now is not the time to visit, Ulysses.” Labren’s voice broke through her drifting thoughts. “We have had a long day.”

Ulysses shrugged. “See you folks tomorrow.”

Labren watched him leave through narrowed eyes. Eve felt vaguely uneasy.