Chapter Nine
Free to be Safe
Talin stared after Zevin for a long moment and then he turned to go back inside. While he had been gone the women, who had assisted in the delivery had cleaned Salien up and she looked much better, but still very tired.
She smiled when she saw him. The little bundle in her arms cried out and she gave her attention to the little boy, who was still hungry, but not quite getting the way things worked yet in terms of feeding.
Getting him satisfied she looked up at Talin and blushed slightly, “I did not mean to hold on to you and keep you here throughout the whole birthing! I can never repay you enough for what you have done for me and my baby! Thank you so much!” She said her voice full of emotion.
Talin spoke huskily, “Don’t thank me I was happy to help you. I’d do it again for you. I’m glad everything turned out well.”
He looked like he wanted to say more, but after an awkward pause he turned to go.
“Talin?”
He turned back, “What is to become of us now? Are we to be slaves here to?”Salien asked hesitantly.
Talin studied her for a long moment until she grew slightly uncomfortable under his direct gaze. He broke eye contact with her and closed the door. He then unbuckled his sword and then his armor laying it all piled up on a chair.
Salien watched him closely, what was he doing?
He sat down in another chair and pulled off his boots and then he took off his sweat stained over shirt. Standing he walked over to the bed and gently eased her forward a little and then he slipped in behind her.
He pulled her back to rest against his chest as she lay between his legs. One arm came around her and helped to support her arm holding the baby and the other hand slipped down to enfold with hers, which rested on his thigh.
His breathing evened out and she thought he had gone to sleep, when he spoke up suddenly surprising her, “You will never be a slave again and you will be answerable to no one except me and your son will have a father, even as I now claim you for my wife. Does that sound good to you?”
“Yes!” Salien breathed out unable to believe what she was hearing.
“Good.”
After a while she heard and felt his breathing deepen and she knew that he was asleep. She looked down at the big hand that held hers, even as she felt the steady beat of his heart against her back.
Tears coursed down her cheeks, but they were happy tears and not sad tears for the first time in her life. She wanted to just ball her eyes out because she was so happy, but she restrained herself because she didn’t want to wake Talin or the baby that had fallen asleep against her breast.
She’d had a few happy moments in her life before now, but this was the first time in her life that she could remember ever feeling as safe as she did now in Talin’s arms.
The God of the strangers must be real because nothing like this had ever happened to her until now and couldn’t be explained in any other way. She had been praying to the God of the strangers ever since the old woman, who had helped her up off the street after she had been raped yet one more time by the men of her people, had told her of the great Creator.
She didn’t deserve any of this, but she would gladly take and live every moment of it to the fullest. She turned her head to listen to the heart of a man she knew would never hurt her, even as she felt the warm presence of a new life snuggle deeper into the crook of her arm.
This man would teach her son how to be a better man than the men of her people had been for a very long time.
There was hope for the future and peace and more joy than she had ever known possible in the present. She closed her eyes and restful sleep soon overtook her.
I awoke to the sound of hammers. Rubbing my eyes I tried to get rid of the tiredness I still felt. From the sounds of it the General was hard at work on the next phase of the plan.
I hadn’t seen anyone the day before on my way to my quarters where I had collapsed. There had been something I was going to do before I slept.
Eat!
I had forgotten to eat! My stomach was one long grumble as I sat up and I received a pleasant surprise. There were three trays heaped high with steaming food in front of me.
“God bless you Gavin!”
There were certain perks to being a king’s brother after all it would seem.
“How’s it going General?” I asked from beside General Lasho as I viewed the construction of the temporary shelters.
The General was as ebullient of mood as I had ever seen him before. “Everything is going according to plan Master Zevin! We should be done with these shelters in two more days and then we’ll send the fleet out north!”
“Good! I’ll head north myself tonight.” I said.
“Tonight! Shouldn’t you rest more before starting out on that phase of the plan?” General Lasho asked with evident concern.
I shook my head no, “Now is no time to rest. Resting can be done after the war. Now is the time to keep eating away at the enemy, while we have them thrown off guard by our aggression.”
“I understand Master Zevin. You are wise to keep pressing at the enemy’s throat.”
“I really wish you would stop calling me master General Lasho.”
There was no comment from the General.
“If I’m successful in convincing the North I will be back with the relief troops needed for the battle for the city. If they do not come with me I will return any way and take my place in the city and together we will see what comes of us.”
The General turned to me and said, “Let us hope that they see the side of reason and decide to throw in with us. I look forward to your return Master Zevin!”
The old general moved off to bark an order out at someone, who had the misfortune of being at the wrong place at the wrong time.
The night was cool and quiet as I stood beside Relentless checking my gear. He was eager for the trip and the next adventure. I wish I could say the same. I was getting a little adventured out in all honesty.
Gavin was beside me protesting, “I really think you should take some men with you Zevin! What if you run into trouble or have an accident and are unable to get north to broker an agreement?”
I snorted, “Don’t write me off that easily brother please!”
“Well if you won’t take a party of warriors at least take Holon and Talin with you!”
“They’re both preoccupied and needed here in the defense of the city Gavin.”
“You won’t see reason will you?”
“I’ll be all right Gavin. Trust me it’s better that I go alone.”
Gavin walked off frustrated, but then came back to give me a brief hug before he left again.
Zalisha stepped out of the shadows of the night and I indicated after my brother’s retreating form, “Watch over him. He worries too much.”
“In this case I’m inclined to believe that his worrying is somewhat justified. I wish you safe passage Zevin.”
I nodded and was about to mount Relentless when she spoke again, “Zevin.”
I looked back at her.
“There’s something I neglected to tell you about the mountains. They’re dangerous in many ways, but one of the worst dangers they hold are the mountain demons.”
“Mountain demons?” I asked skeptically.
“Yes they have the form of humans only they have glowing eyes and sometimes their bodies glow as well. They like to play tricks and worse on people. Avoid them at all cost! You’ll only have to be concerned about them at night, as that is when they come out of their caves to hunt unwary victims. I just wanted you to know about them before you left, as I neglected to mention them before to you. Godspeed Zevin.”
Zalisha moved off into the darkness and I watched her go. I hadn’t given her much credit for a sense of humor before and I didn’t give her any now. Her sense of humor was as bad as mine.
Mountain demons? ‘Oh by the way I forgot to mention that the mountains are crawling with demons, who glow in the dark and come out and feed at night on unwary travelers, have a safe trip see you back soon.’
If she thought I was that gullible well…… well I wasn’t! An involuntary chill went down my spine, as I gazed at the distant snowcapped mountains highlighted by the moon, as I thought a very unkind thought in regards to my new sister-in-law.
By moonlight I made my way out onto the plain and then headed north for the distant mountains and their glowing demons.