Freyja's Fire - Chapter 19 - A'mara Books

19

(Wirnday, cont)

On the Road

.
Gemina rode along the road on the chestnut mare she had been entrusted with. She didn’t dare look to her right where she knew Kolt rode alongside, at the same jog. At the first comfort stop, she came out from behind a bush to see the naked perfection of a man that Kolt was tucking his loincloth into the pack on the horse.

“I hope you don’t mind,” he said, turning towards her. She barely averted her eyes.

“I don’t know how you’re supposed to defend me like that!” Gemina said, looking at him, carefully holding her hand to avoid seeing his masculinity.

“Why does my lack of clothing make me unable to wield this dagger?” he countered, pointing at the scabbard he had moved to the harness on the palomino. Damn it if he wasn’t perfectly logical! As if that knowledge gave her mind permission, Gemina had to admire his smooth, olive-brown buttocks while he was turned safely away from her.

“Why do you insist on being naked?” she asked.

“Why do you insist on clothing?” he countered again. He turned towards her. “Stop avoiding the truth. Why can’t you accept me as I am? I have already accepted you, Princess.” With that he came closer. “Do you need a leg-up?”

Very aware of his naked nearness, she shook her head, not trusting her words. Seeing a useful rock, she led the chestnut mare to it and climbed up onto the horse.

“I’m sure it would have been faster if you’d let me help you,” Kolt commented as he moved the palomino to join her.

She shrugged and urged her horse back to the jog they had agreed upon.

Kolt kept abreast. “Okay, I will explain to you why I prefer my skin to anything we make to cover ourselves.”

Gemina looked over, interested in what he had to say.

“Maybe we can walk for a bit,” he suggested.

She nodded and sat back a little to encourage the slower pace of the horse.

“It’s just easier to talk when I’m not being jostled around,” he commented.

She looked at him.

“I don’t remember my parents, except tiny snatches of memory. From what I’ve learned since, my father was murdered outright. My mother was probably raped and forced to produce another family. I ran away, terrified.”

“I’m sorry!” Gemina gasped, horrified.

“Some tribes do this as a way to dominate those weaker than them. It is what it is,” he said with a shrug. “Anyway, I was just a child at the time. Old enough to take care of myself – just. In the Çtara rainforest, there is little need for clothing. It’s warm most of the time, though sometimes wet – clothes don’t help much when they’re wet. I learned how to build shelters, make tools and weapons, how to hunt and kill in order to feed myself.”

She nodded, feeling warmer towards this handsome man again. She allowed her gaze to take in his muscular body, safely astride the palomino mare next to her.

“You sit astride your horse,” he commented. “Most women don’t.”

“Yes. My sister-in-law started that trend in Velantia. It is safer, we have found. Fewer young women have accidents, even though it’s not considered modest by the older generations,” Gemina explained.

He nodded. “It’s a good idea. How good is your seat?” he asked.

“Pretty good.”

“Catch!” he challenged, kicking the horse into a gallop.

Gemina grinned and followed on her chestnut, wishing she had the connection with this horse that Rachel had with her horse, Melodia – who had been untrainable before Rachel bonded with her.

♥

Sisters of Vasana Convent

.
Katja of Velantia sat by the fountain in the Cloisters of the Sisters of Vasana. She watched Aron and Sirius play with Emma and Bridget. She watched Ewan “supervising” like the 9-year-old he was, alternately joining in and stepping aside to boss someone around. He’d have more luck herding cats than a group of toddlers, she thought to herself.

As if in reply, a tiny movement inside her slightly swollen abdomen let her know that Aron’s sibling agreed with her thoughts.

She wondered what Adrick was up to. She hadn’t been away from him for so long since she met him over two years ago. She hoped he would be safe. She had grown up with fears of the Black Death. Now, suddenly, it was no longer confined to the annals of history for her. It was here. It was real. At least she had Doc Rodney and his wife Deby. Mind, they weren’t married when they arrived. She and Rachel had searched for an open-minded doctor and a midwife. The fact that the doctor was from California and the midwife from Berkshire, England, was immaterial.

It wasn’t long until the two of them were making excuses to do things together. Then, Stella let it slip that Deby was pregnant.

The joy turned to sadness as Deby miscarried several times.

“What’s up, m’lady?” Sister Klara asked, sitting next to her.

“Just thinking.”

“About?”

“So much has happened since I came to Velantia.”

The radio Katja had clipped to her came to life. “Anyone read me at the convent?” Adrick’s voice came loud and clear.

Katja’s heart skipped. “This is Katja, my love!” she cried excitedly. “I was just thinking about you.”

“I was just thinking about you too, but we’ve had some developments here. Is anyone else with you right now?”

“Sister Klara,” Katja replied. “What’s happened, Adrick?”

“Half our guards are sick now. A bunch of people in the pub where I was with Aurelia the past two evenings,” Adrick replied.

Katja felt her worry increase a thousand fold.

“Let me relay the rest,” Doc’s voice said, replacing the voice of her beloved. “I lost a sailor earlier who I shouldn’t have lost. There’s something wrong with this disease. It’s not responding the same way Black Death did in our world.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I tried contacting Stella, but she didn’t answer. The haze to the south has me worried that the swamp fires have started already.”

“So, what are we going to do?” Katja asked again.

“Gemina has gone with one of the sailors to look for her,” Doc said.

“She can’t! It’s too dangerous!” Katja protested angrily. “And if the fires are already burning!!!”

“We all told her that too, but the sailor insisted that he can take care of her. I have to admit, your highness, that we desperately need Stella’s advice. I know Earth diseases, not the ones that have evolved differently on Terrenden.”

Katja nodded. “I’m not happy about it, but I can see...”

“It may save lives of people you care about. I can’t be sure our medicines are enough. Even if the courier gets here in time.”

“I hope Stella can help. Otherwise...” she shuddered.

“You’d better start singing again,” Doc advised gravely.

“Let me tell her what I saw!” Deby insisted as she replaced Doc’s voice.

“What are you so excited about?” Katja asked.

“I saw Gemina kissing the sailor she’s with tonight!”

“Well!” Katja said with a laugh. “If he’s able to keep her safe, maybe there will be another wedding in our near future.”

“Take that thought to keep you cheerful,” Deby said. “And Rachel? How is she and the babe?”

“Very well,” Sister Klara replied. “They are a delight to host.”

“Good, good,” Deby replied. “We will talk again soon. Good night.”