Chapter Ten

The next morning dawned bright and sunny. Lora pushed herself up in bed and blinked her eyes into focus. Leaning against footboard of her bed was a worn set of sturdy crutches. They were a bit beaten up and when she pulled them up onto her lap to examine them, she found they had been recently adjusted to her height. Assuming Seth had given Ian permission to give them to her, Lora put them beneath her shoulders and practiced taking a turn about the room. With their help, she was able to dress and freshen up without assistance. She was still cautious, though, to obey Seth’s instructions not to put weight on her foot. Eager to try the limits of her new freedom, Lora left her room and ventured out into the hall.

“Ah, I see you have discovered the crutches,” Danica exclaimed when she spotted Lora. “Ian had me try them out so that they would be the right height for you. As you probably noticed, I never had to use them. You are the first female to need them.”

“You never used them?” Lora found that fact hard to believe.

“Nope,” Danica replied. “The boys were always the ones spraining ankles and knees and breaking bones. I just managed to always get the bumps and bruises.”

“Momma!” A young voice came from one of the far bedrooms. “Kosh, I told you not to do that! Patri was playing with that.” A sharp wail that Lora guessed was Patri voicing his anger was followed by a yell and then Jonas’ voice rose above the ruckus. “Momma, Kosh is teasing Patri.”

Danica rolled her eyes and with a sigh hurried in the direction of the noise. Lora listened for a moment, but Danica seemed to have everything under control. Turning toward the stairs, Lora made her way toward them. Her stomach was reminding her that she hadn’t eaten much of her dinner the night before.

The stairs weren’t much of a problem. A seasoned veteran of sprains and other injuries, Lora managed to make a steady, but slow progress downstairs and reached the bottom without mishap. She swung herself around and thumped her way toward the kitchen. The smells of cooking pancakes and blueberry preserve filled air. She pushed open the door to the kitchen and came to an abrupt stop.

Sitting at the table before a heaping plate of pancakes and preserves was a vastly different looking Seth. It took her a moment to realize it was him for his skin was a brown as Quinn and Lachine’s. In fact, if she hadn’t known that he wasn’t Ratharian, she would have never guessed he was anything but.

“Good morning, Lora,” Eve greeted her with a smile as she passed the doorway. She caught Lora’s eye with a wink and a smile. “How many pancakes would you like?” she asked.

“Four please,” Lora answered as she watched Eve cross to the stove. “Dinner was wonderful last night, but I didn’t manage to eat much.”

“Nerves,” Eve said with an understanding nod. “Seth is the same when he gets a new assignment.”

Lora maneuvered her way around the door and into the middle of the room. As she approached the table, she glanced over at Seth and found him glowering at her. He had been intimidating as his normal self, but with the addition of darker skin, he really was daunting. “I thought I told Ian not to give you those.”

“I assumed you had,” she told him. “They were leaning against the end of my bed this morning.” He rose to pull out a chair for her.

“Are you keeping off your ankle?” he asked as he watched her maneuver the crutches aside and slide into the seat without resting her weight on the injured limb.

“Don’t worry. I have had my share of injuries. I have been on crutches before.”

Moving the crutches out of the walkway, he reclaimed his seat. “I guess it is alright as long as you promise to stay off the foot.”

“I promise,” she replied.

Seth began cutting his food. “I talked to Ian earlier this morning. He says he can arrange passage on one of his ships the day after tomorrow. That means we are going to have to leave very early tomorrow morning and ride all day to reach Jumare in time to board in the morning the next day. Quinn and Lachine are already gathering supplies and I am going to busy getting our papers in order. If you don’t mind, I asked Elana and mother to help you pack. Elana pointed out to me that you will probably also need a brief course in the culture of Ratharia before we leave. So, after breakfast, you should find her and start right away.” Lora nodded and he started eating just as Eve set a full plate in front of her.

After preparing her own food with butter and blueberries, Lora glanced over to watch Seth’s work on his own. It was strange to see his dark hands wielding the fork as he cut another bite. “How did you do it?” she asked.

He looked up in surprise. “Do what?”

“How did you darken your skin?”

“Oh.” He smiled; his teeth looking very white against the darkness of his skin. “There are berries that grow on the western sides of the mountains that if you brew them with the right herbs, it makes a harmless stain that darkens skin and hair. I keep a supply with me at all times for emergencies. Mother keeps a supply too.”

“Does it wear off?” she asked.

Nodding, Seth said, “I am going to be taking a large supply with me to keep the tone. I used it the whole time I was in Ratharia last time.”

“Yes, I didn’t know he had been using it and when I saw him, I didn’t recognize him,” Eve said as she set a mug of tea in front of Lora’s plate.

“That was delicious as usual,” Seth said as he pushed his empty plate away. “Lachine is a decent cook and Lora here is excellent, but only you are the best. If I stayed any longer, I would never be able to go back to work. Your good cooking would make me too slow.”

Eve laughed. “Nonsense, you would burn it off somehow. You never stop long enough to bother worrying about slowing down.” Moving toward the stove, she checked on the pancakes in the pan.

“I have a lot of work to do,” Seth told Lora. “Make sure to find Elana once you have finished. There is a great deal to learn before we leave. If you have any questions she cannot answer, come find me. I will most likely be in the library.” With that, he rose. Walking to the door, he paused before going through it. “Lora, remember to keep off that foot. Once we reach the Jumare, you are going to have to walk without the crutches.” Then he was gone, the door swinging close in his wake.

Lora systematically finished her breakfast and tea. With the assistance of Eve, she managed to gain her crutches again; Seth had set them out of her reach. Then she left in search of Elana.

Although she knew the next few hours were going to be full and hectic, Lora enjoyed the anticipation of a new place. She had always wanted to travel and now she was going to be going to Ratharia. If she ever found her brothers, they were going to be very jealous. Thoughts of her brothers reminded her to ask Labren if he could maybe help her locate them after she returned from Ratharia. Seth’s father might know how to find the school where her aunt had enrolled them.

Lora found Elana in the hall outside Ian and her bedroom. She was coming out with a box in her arms. “Ah, you are up,” she said upon seeing Lora. “Have you had breakfast?”

Nodding, Lora returned the beautiful woman’s smile. “I also saw Seth and he said you were going to help me pack and teach me what I need to know about Ratharia.”

Elana’s smile broadened. “So you are ready to begin?” She led the way to Lora’s bedroom and held the door for her. “Seth emphasized that you stay off your ankle, but some of the things I need to teach you will require you to walk a little. I will save those for last. So, sit,” she said waving an elegant hand in the direction of a chair. “Where is your trunk?”

When Lora informed her that she had left her trunk in Anavrea, Elana shook her head and clicked her tongue. “Here read this.” She took a book from her box. Then after handing it to Lora, she disappeared out the door.

The book was thin and simply bound with worn leather. When Lora carefully opened the cover to find it filled with elegantly formed Ratharian letters. ‘The diary of Listhira Yarentis’ was carefully scribed across the first page. As she read, Lora quickly became aware of the magnitude of what she had to learn. By the time Elana returned with Ian and trunk in tow, Lora was halfway through the volume. Ian obediently placed the small trunk where Elana instructed. He winked at Lora as he quickly exited again.

“Eve is coming up soon to help,” Elana informed her as she began folding the garments she had given Lora the day before. The first one to be folded was the purple one Lora had found breathtaking. She watched the way Elana folded the long tunic and the loose pants called inkos. The whole time she folded the outfits, the woman talked.

Lora learned that slaves were sold into slavery for a limited numbers of reasons in Ratharia. First, one sold oneself or one’s family members to get money to pay off debt. Second, one was a spoil of war. Thirdly, one was born of two slave parents who were enslaved for life. She also learned that as a slave, she was always to walk three paces behind Seth’s left shoulder and do nothing unless he bids her. To do otherwise would be an insult to Seth’s authority and she would be worthy of punishment as Seth desired. As a slave, Lora’s place in the household would be beneath both Quinn and Lachine since they were free men. Elana mentioned that Lora might be hassled, if she left the company of Seth, Quinn, and Lachine, so for her own protection she must be sure to be in one of their company whenever she left the house.

“Now,” Elana declared as she laid the last of the clothing in the trunk. “Now it is time for your first lesson in managing your clothing.” Crossing to the box she had carried in with her, Elana drew out a long black shroud. It looked just like the other wraps she had just packed into Lora’s trunk. “Stand up,” she instructed.

Obediently, Lora rose and stood silently as Elana carefully draped the material around her. Lora made note of the tucks and where the material was supposed to drape and how, but she wasn’t sure she was going to be able to duplicate it. Stepping back after she finished, Elana looked her over with a critical eye. “Lower your chin,” Elana ordered, “You are no longer a proud free woman. You are a slave. Show humility. You dread being noticed, because notice brings pain.”

Lora lowered her chin and lowered her eyes.

“Good.” Elana circled her once. “Now walk across the room as best as you can.”

Lora had taken only a few steps when Elana exclaimed, “No, no. See. Watch.” Lora turned to watch as Elana crossed the room. Her steps were short and swift so that she glided across the floor while barely stirring the hem of her dress. It took an hour of painful practice before Lora was able to mimic Elana well enough to suit the young woman. “You are not native born; so, no one will expect you to be able to do it perfectly, but Seth doesn’t need the complication of you showing your ankles to the world and shocking the community.”

Instructing Lora that she had to wear the karbarka, which is what Elana called the black wrap, the rest of the day, Elana began to work on the rules of serving food and drink. The hours passed and before Lora was ready, the clock in the dormitory tower struck noon. Sighing, Elana looked over at Lora with a weak smile. “Lunch,” she said in relief. Then laughing, she said, “Don’t worry, you are doing very well. You are a wonderful student and I am sure you will learn enough by tonight. Come, let us go down.”

Lora wasn’t as convinced. Her head was swimming with all the new information and rules she was trying to remember, not to mention practice. Only practice was going to make the new movements stick. She quickly discovered that she was not going to manage the crutches while wearing the karbarka. Elana helped her remove it and they went down for the meal.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Seth watched Lora’s smooth progress as she descended the staircase. She did handle the crutches like a veteran. Both she and Elana looked tired. For the fiftieth time, he wondered if taking Lora with them was a wise decision. It was true that there was much he could gain from having her with him, but there was much she could lose. Ratharia was a difficult country to live in when you weren’t born to it. It had taken him years to understand and function within the complex and structured society. As a female, she was going to have an even more difficult time. Hidden from the world of men, women were treated as possessions. Valuable possessions, if they were rich and married influential men, or things to used and abused, if they were born poor or of the slaves. Either way, they were treated as less than human. He was taking her to live in such a world. He frowned. At least her collar with its identifying signs would keep her safe, unless, of course, something happened to him. He was going to have to be extra cautious that nothing happened to him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After the meal, Lora and Elana returned to the lessons. Lora practiced with the karbarka until she could no longer stand on her ankle without tears coming to her eyes. Elana, seeing her wincing, ordered her to remove the garment and they resumed with the etiquette and culture lessons. The dinner bell rang and Lora began the process of maneuvering herself from the bed onto the crutches. Ian appeared at the door and asked for Elana’s assistance with finding a clean shirt. The one he had worn for the afternoon ramble with his nephews was covered in mud and grass stains and he needed a new one to wear to dinner.

“He never can find anything,” Elana commented to Lora before leaving to help her husband. “I am surprised he never lost a ship considering the things he manages to lose. Are you sure you can manage to make downstairs on your own?” she asked with a searching look at Lora’s face. Lora nodded just as a crash of something falling and Ian’s muffled exclamation caused Elana to hurry from the room.

Easing her injured foot over the edge of the bed, she set it down gingerly on the floor with a grimace. She had over done it. Hoisting herself up with all her weight on good foot, she rose and adjusted the crutches under her arms.

“I see you were disobeyed my orders.” Seth’s voice suddenly came from the direction of the hall.

Lora jumped and bumped her heel against the side of the bed. Biting her lip against a yelp of pain, she blinked furiously to stop the instant tears welled into her eyes. She didn’t look up. She knew what she would see, Seth standing in the doorway looking forbidding and angry. He had every right to be. She had disobeyed his orders, but with good reason, the deadline for her course was the next morning.

Then suddenly a large warm hand caught her chin and gently forced her to raise her face and meet Seth’s strange colored eyes. He was standing close, looking down at her, and blocking all chance of escape with his broad shoulders. As she expected, his expression was hard, but at the sight of her face, it softened. Raising his other hand, he brushed away the tears that had escaped her eyes.

“I am sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.” He frowned. “Are you alright?”

Lora attempted to swallow the lump in her throat. It wouldn’t budge; so, she nodded instead.

The response that flickered in Seth’s eyes made it clear he did not believe her. “Leave the crutches here. I will carry you down to dinner. I have to speak with you afterwards anyway. At least this way I know you won’t go wandering off before I can catch you.” He smiled down at her. Lora felt her heart beat faster. Then he lifted her up and just like the evening before, he carefully avoided striking her feet on the doorjamb and carried her down the stairs.

The family had completely gathered by then and was waiting for them when they arrived. As soon as Seth had deposited her in her chair and taken his own place, the meal commenced. Jonas was full of the events of Ian’s afternoon with the nephews. Rynan and Labren immediately began discussing the upcoming school schedules and Elana asked Seth about his new appearance.

Lora found herself only half heartedly listening to the different conversations around her. After a few bites, she suddenly found herself no longer hungry. Her eyes remained on her plate, however. It was as if she couldn’t muster the energy to move them unless there was a good reason. Beneath the table, her ankle was throbbing painfully. Just the thought of walking on it tomorrow tightened her chest.

“Why didn’t you have Lora stain her skin, too,” Ian asked suddenly.

Curious because she had wondered the same thing herself, Lora found the strength to look up and across the table to Seth’s place. He was sitting back in his chair with his large, long fingered hands resting on either side of his half empty plate. As she raised her eyes to his face, she was startled to find him watching her.

Without dropping his gaze, he answered his brother. “She will get more latitude as a foreign slave. As a native slave, she would be expected to know all the cultural requirements and rules of a woman’s role in Ratharian society. This way if Elana or I have forgotten something in educating her, her mistake will be in character, not a revealing flaw in her portrayal of her role.”

“Besides, she will get more respect and better treatment as a foreign slave,” Elana added.

Ian seemed satisfied with this explanation. Nobody protested when Seth rose and announced that he had a great deal of work to finish before morning. He kissed Elana’s cheek while murmuring that he was please to meet his brother’s new wife. Understanding that she should make her goodbyes now, Lora turned to find Ian on her other side. He knelt so that he could meet her eyes at a level.

“If Seth never gets around to confessing his feelings to you before you return, I will personally seek him out and pound some sense into his thick skull,” he declared in a whisper. As Lora opened her mouth to protest, he raised his hand. “I know what you are about to say, but you don’t need to say it. You have handled my teasing with patience and I admire that. You are a rare find, Lora Guinia, and if I wasn’t happily married, I would give Seth some competition. I am still hopeful that I will be able to content myself with being your brother-in-law. Regardless, take good care of Seth.” He extended her an open hand. When she offered her own, he took it gently in his and bringing it to his face, brushed her fingers with his lips. Then just as suddenly as he had appeared he was gone and Eve was leaning down to envelope Lora in a warm hug.

“Come back to us,” she said. “No matter what, you will always have a home with us.” Lora’s heart was suddenly full. How wonderful it would be to stay. Eve could replace the mother she had never really had an opportunity to know and Danica and Elana were already quickly becoming like sisters. Somehow Lora knew if she returned, she was never going to be able to tear herself away again. Danica and Elana’s goodbyes were rushed hugs, but they both echoed Eve’s offer. By the time Seth appeared at her side to carry her upstairs, Lora was again blinking back tears. Irritated at herself for being so soft, she tried desperately to hold them at bay. Thankfully Seth didn’t pause to check her emotional state before picking her up. He said a final goodbye and left the room, striding swiftly toward the main foyer and the stairs to the second floor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lora was exhausted. Seth had read it in her eyes and her blank observation of her half eaten dinner. He had hoped to talk with her more tonight, but he didn’t have the heart to force her to assimilate any more new information. He saw the tears in her eyes as he bent to raise her into his arms and felt a twinge of guilt. He could still insist she stay, but his head reminded him of all the plans that were already made and the plans already in motion. It was too late to turn back now.

As they entered the foyer, her head lowered and she rested her forehead against the base of his neck. He wondered if she could hear the increase in his heartbeat at her closeness. By the time he reached the first floor, she was beginning to fall asleep. He could feel her muscles relaxing as she gave into unconsciousness. Reaching her door, he eased it open with his foot. He looked down at her limp form. He gently lowered her onto the bed and taking the quilt that lay folded at the end, he covered her. She sighed in her sleep. He waited, but she didn’t wake.

Not trusting himself a moment longer, he left the room shutting the door softly behind him. He would have Danica or Elana check in on her later and make her more comfortable. Yawning, he climbed the stairs to the third floor. He had a long night yet to go. Stifling a yawn, he groaned. Now he was going to be counting the hours until departure, then, and only then, would he allow himself to sleep. Thankfully, he had never had any difficulty sleeping in a carriage.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lora woke to the sound of someone calling her name. She opened her eyes to blurry dimness. The sun was not up yet.

“Are you awake?” a hushed male voice demanded. Turning her head, she focused on Seth’s face in the flicker of candlelight. “It is time for you to get up and dress. Lachine is loading the carriage and we leave in a few moments. Put this on before I return to get you,” he said, laying a dark colored tunic, inkos, and karbarka on the bedclothes. “Do you understand?” He asked as he brought the candle to shine light on her face.

Nodding her understanding, Lora began pushing herself up from the pillows. Before she was fully seated, Seth was gone and all that remained of his coming was the candle on the nightstand and the attire on the bed at her feet. Sleepily, Lora forced herself to widen her eyes and begin the process of climbing out of bed.

It took some careful negotiations, but she managed to get into all the clothing except the karbarka. Putting any pressure on her injured ankle caused great pain and her uninjured ankle was irritated from doing the job of two the day before. Finally, she managed to get to the chair with the karbarka in her lap lest it was forgotten in the rush of leaving and set both her bound and naked foot on the matching footstool. Elana had given her two pairs of leather shoes to wear with her new garments and a pair of sandals for when she was working around the house, but they had all been packed. Only then, as she was vaguely contemplating her cold feet, did she notice the pair of shoes lying next to the end of the bed. She just sat and looked at them. A hazy idea about getting up and fetching them flickered across her mind, but it was gone before she could fully grasp it. Then her head eased back and the oblivion of sleep claimed her.

* * *

Copyright 2006 by Rachel Rossano.
Do not reproduce without express written permission of the author.

Chapter Nine

Seth looked down at Lora as the rain roared around them. She looked vulnerable and small standing there in the shadow of the great tree holding up the bottom end of a huge umbrella. The tip of the umbrella rested in the quickly softening dirt at her feet. Her damp hair hanging about her face and the uncertainty in her brown eyes, pulled at his heart.

Gone was the creature he beheld in the boat calmly and steadfastly doing what she believed to be right by refusing to repeat his brother’s words. He recalled the determined look in her eye as she raised her chin in a movement he now found familiar and the firm decision in her face as she answered him. She had been strong and confident in her choice. Yet now, that same woman stood before him looking lost and hesitant.

“Ian is an expert at teasing,” Seth told her as he reached for the umbrella. She willingly allowed him to take the monstrosity.

The umbrella was initially made to attach to the cart and shelter the occupants within. There were two of them and Seth could only guess that the other was gone with the cart. Ian had chosen well. The pole of the structure was as thick as one of Lora’s wrists, came up to her chin and the bulky canvas at the end was heavy.

“And he never gives up,” Seth said as he raised the canvas roof over his head and settled the pole against his shoulder. Motioning for her to come beneath the shelter, he frowned. “The trail down is going to be slippery, so take care.” He took her hand in his and started forward into the rain.

As he expected, the way down was tricky. Rain flattened the grass and turned the earth to mud. Rocks that offered a foothold on the trip up were now slick with running water. Seth was thankful for the heavy boots he had put on that morning. They were sturdy and well soled for this type of climbing. With their help, he moved a little ahead of Lora and found the safest way down the trickier parts.

The cart trail was a river of muddy rivulets to be avoided by climbing down the side of the rise. He was climbing down a particularly bad section of the rise with Lora above him so her feet were at eye level. He checked on her progress and then his eye caught sight of a stocking covered foot as she sought out the next foothold. She found a good spot and as he watched, her other foot appeared, shod with a mud encrusted shoe. She reached down yet again and stepped down into the circle of his arms with her face to the side of the hill.

“Why didn’t you tell me you had lost a shoe?” he demanded.

She started slightly at his voice. “Why have you stopped?”

“I asked first,” he replied, raising his voice to be heard over the increased noise of the rain drumming the canvas of the umbrella.

“It wasn’t important, now please move. My grip is slipping.”

Reluctantly he did move, but Seth didn’t waste time readdressing the issue once his feet were firmly on the level ground. Putting down the umbrella, he caught Lora around the waist. Lifting her down the last few feet, he turned her around to face him. She seemed to wince as he set her down on the grass, but he ignored it. “When did you lose it?” he demanded.

Blinking as she looked up at him through the rain, Lora frowned back at him. “It doesn’t matter. I have gone barefoot most of my life. A trudging through the rain barefoot isn’t going to harm me.”

“You should have told me,” he insisted. “Those stockings are not going to help your climbing.”

“What would you have done?” she asked. “You would hardly be able to carry me over that.” She gestured toward the incline they had just climbed down. “I lost the shoe on the first hill. I figured if I told you that I had lost it, you would insist that we go back to the trees and wait out the storm which would have given Ian even more encouragement.”

“I would have at least paid more attention to your progress. You could have fallen and I wouldn’t have been prepared to catch you. I wouldn’t have let you fall so far back.”

A strange look passed across her face. “I suppose you would also like to know how I lost it. I twisted my ankle. Now are you going to get upset with me about that too?” She looked up at him and suddenly Seth realized that there were tears mingling with the rain on her face.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lora was so angry with herself. Not just because she was silly enough to lose the stinking shoe and twist her ankle doing it, but because she was crying. She hated it when she cried. It was such a female thing to do; something her brothers had always jeered at her about when they were children. She had been okay until Seth had aggravated the ankle by stopping while she was resting most of her weight on it moments ago and now setting her down so abruptly on the grass. The tears had come regardless of her efforts to stop them and now she could see in his face that he saw them too. Closing her eyes against the throb of her ankle and the anger in his face, she willed the tears to stop.

Suddenly without a word, he lifted her up into his strong arms as if she weighed next to nothing. Carrying her over to the shelter of a nearby tree, he set her down gently on the grass. He then knelt in the grass and held out a hand.

“Your foot,” he demanded. The stern look on his face made it clear he intended her to obey immediately, which she did by sticking the throbbing foot out from beneath her skirts. Bending over it, Seth closed his hands gently around it and with gentle fingers, felt his way slowly up it from toes toward the ankle. The tenderness in his fingers made the tears flow even faster. He isn’t for me, she repeatedly told herself as she tried to draw her attention from the warmth of his hands on her cold foot.

Then his fingers touched the swollen ankle and Lora could not catch the soft cry of pain that slipped from her lips. Seth looked up at her with concern in his eyes.

“I want to make sure it isn’t broken,” he told her. “This is going to hurt, but I will try to do it as quickly as I can. Are you ready?” The warmth and concern in his eyes surprised her. Only moments ago he had been so angry.

Taking a deep breath, Lora nodded that she was ready.

He rotated her foot while holding her ankle. Biting her lip, Lora managed to not cry out. Then he straightened it again. “I don’t think it is broken, but you have definitely made the sprain worse by walking on it.” He met her eyes seriously. “I am not going to let you walk on this any more. Thankfully the worst is over and I think I will be able to manage to carry you the rest of the way.” Rising, he strode to the umbrella that still remained where he had dropped it. He closed it and brought it back to set it against the trunk of the tree.

“Put your arms around my neck,” he instructed. He crouched down to lift her. Lora obeyed as he brought her up against him. Immediately he started walking through the grass and mud. The rain slowed and the wind died down making the going easier. Still it was a few minutes before either one of them spoke.

“I need you to promise that you will tell me right away next time you injure yourself.” Seth’s breath was shortened with his work, but the firm set to his face, which was now only inches from her own made his seriousness clear to Lora. “I ask this not because you are a woman, but because you are part of my team. Right now it doesn’t matter much, but once we are in the middle of an operation you communicating with me that you are injured is going to be essential. Then it will be a matter of life or death for you and others. Do you understand me?” He turned his head to meet her eyes.

As understanding of what he was saying sunk into Lora’s fogged mind, a heavy feeling of guilt followed. Yet again she felt the pressure of unshed tears in back of her throat and a subdued sob tightening her chest. She was not prepared for the intensity of his gaze as his grey-green gaze locked with hers. Whatever he saw in her face made him pause.

“Are you alright?” he asked as his face softened. “We will be at the house in a few minutes. Then Mother will get you some warm dry clothing and I will make a compress for that ankle. Then, if you like, I will track down Ian and have it out with him. After all it is his fault you got stuck in this situation in the first place.”

She shook her head. “Don’t hurt Ian. He is just trying to help you toward what he believes will make you happy.”

Something intense crossed Seth’s face. He turned away and started walking even more quickly than before. Lora was beginning to think that she might have offended him, when he suddenly spoke. “I won’t touch Ian, but I am going to give him a talking to. I don’t care what his motives are; he shouldn’t be giving you such a hard time.”

They lapsed into silence again. Lulled by the movement of Seth’s strides, Lora felt her eyes growing heavy. He was warm and his body heat was spreading through her making her limbs feel leaden. She was comfortable despite the steady throb of her ankle. Without thinking about it, she let her head fall against Seth’s shoulder and gradually fell asleep.

“Lora, you are going to have to let go.” Seth’s voice broke through her slumber. Suddenly opening her eyes, she found Seth’s face only inches from her own. “You need to release my shirt,” he informed her with a twinkle in his eye. Lora promptly relaxed her fingers and Seth straightened.

She was lying on a bed and Eve was going through the little clothing she had. “I don’t see another clean dress anywhere,” she announced. “I guess we will have to put her in one of the outfits Elana gave her.”

“Whatever you want to do, Mother,” Seth replied. “Just let me know when you are done; I will go change and make that compress for her ankle. Don’t let her put any weight on it.”

Eve frowned dramatically at her son. “I know how to treat a twisted ankle, Son. Who do you think taught you how to treat one?” She waved her hand in his direction. “Go get changed or you will catch a cold.” Seth exited the room and Eve began helping Lora out of her wet clothing. With little fuss and impressive economy, Eve had Lora in dry clothing and back on the bed.

The moment Eve closed the door behind her, Lora dropped off to sleep. She woke to someone wrapping her foot in something moist and warm. She looked to the end of the bed to find Seth bent over her ankle as he carefully wrapped a cloth around it. His hair was mussed as if he had just rubbed it with a towel without combing it yet.

“How does it look?” she asked.

Seth met her eyes and smiled slowly. A dark curl fell down over his forehead between his eyes giving him a boyish look. “It is better than earlier. If you keep being good and resting, I might let you come down to dinner. I have assured everyone that you were going to be fine, but they are all eager to see for themselves. Ian dug out a set of our old crutches for you to use, but I am not sure I am going to allow you to use them yet.”

“You want to make Ian suffer a little longer?” she asked.

“That is a good idea, but no.” He eyed her seriously. “Considering your behavior earlier today, I am not sure I trust you to not put pressure on it.” Returning his attention to the compress, he finished wrapping it and placed her foot gently on the bed. “Now go back to sleep. I will return in time to carry you down for dinner.”

He rose and picked up the bowl he had apparently used to carry the compress. Coming to the side of the bed he looked down at her for a moment. The intense look that had crossed his face before burned in his eyes again. Then suddenly it was gone. “I will return,” he said as he turned away. She watched as he exited, closing the door behind him with a soft click of the latch.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Seth came down from the library to fetch Lora. He still had not sorted out the mess in his head, but he felt less shaken than when he had left her room a few hours ago. This vacation was not turning out how he expected. Instead of feeling rested and relaxed, he felt tense and bothered, more than he had in years. Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly before knocking on Lora’s door.

Hearing a muffled summons, Seth opened and stepped into the room. Glancing toward the bed, where expected her to be, he was surprised to find it empty.

“I am over here,” Lora informed him, drawing his attention to the chair next to the door. “Before you ask,” she continued, “I didn’t put any weight on my ankle.” She looked up at him with a smile. “I have twisted my ankle this badly before and I know how to get around a little.”

“So, are you hungry?” he asked as he examined her face. The pain was gone from her eyes and she had tidied her hair. Seth found himself wishing she had not. He liked the sight of her hair hanging about her face in soft curls.

“Starving,” she replied.

Leaning down, he scooped her into his arms. Without prompting, she slipped her arm around his neck. Cautious of striking her feet against the doorway, he turned and exited the bedroom.

They were at the head of the staircase to the first floor when the bell rang at the front door. Seth stopped and turned. Walking along the balcony overlooking the foyer, he moved to where he could see the man standing outside the door. At the sight of the green and gold livery, he felt his stomach turn. A vacation with tension was still a vacation and he wasn’t ready to end it. The arrival of a man dressed in the Anavrean Royal House’s colors most likely was signaling the end of his break.

“Who is it?” Lora asked. He turned his head slightly to find her watching his face with concern.

“A messenger from my uncle, if I don’t miss my guess.”

Just then, Ian was crossing the foyer to answer the door. He glanced up at them as he set his hand on the handle, but didn’t say anything. Opening the door, he greeted the new arrival.

“A message from His Majesty Ireic Theodoric King of Anavrea for Jorthta Ethan,” the man announced.

“I will see that he gets it,” Ian said as he extended his hand.

“I have instructions to deliver it into his hands only and await a reply.”

Seth frowned. It was serious if Ireic wanted an immediate reply. Ian looked up and met his gaze questioningly. Seth nodded. Turning back to the stairs with Lora still in his arms, he quickly descended. Upon reaching the first floor, he crossed to the door.

“I am Jorthta Ethan,” Seth informed the messenger. The man’s eyes widened as he took in Seth’s relaxed attire and Lora, who was still in his arms. “If you would just hand the envelope to Lora here, I will have an answer for you to take within the hour. Ian will escort you to the kitchens so you might have something to eat while you wait.”

Looking uncertain, the young man hesitated, but finally relinquished the message into Lora’s outstretched hand. As soon as he withdrew his hand, Seth turned to Ian. “Tell them, I will not be joining them for dinner so they should begin without me.”

“What about Lora?” Ian asked.

Looking down at her, he said, “Have something brought in for her. If this is what I think it is, we will need to talk. We will be in the study.”

Ian nodded and ushered the messenger in the direction of the kitchen. Seth carried Lora into a room right off the main hall that led back to the dining room. He kicked the door closed behind him and set Lora on a soft overstuffed chair. Taking the letter from her, he walked across the thick carpet that covered the center of the floor. Picking up the letter opener from the desk, he broke the seal and unfolded the thick packet of papers. He then scanned the contents with growing unease.

As he expected, the Raijia’s health had taken a turn for the worse and his uncle was ordering him to leave for Ratharia as soon as possible. What he hadn’t expected was the news that all the contacts that still remained were disappearing. The network was being eliminated man by man. Seth frowned. If someone was killing off agents, he was going to have to be more cautious that he was planning already. Either someone was anti-Anavrean enough to kill and they knew how to identify the contacts or the contacts were getting messy and forgetting to be discreet.

“Was it what you expected?” Lora asked. He turned to find her watching him with concern.

“Worse,” he told her as he flipped through the sheets. Traveling papers for all of them, including Lora, were enclosed. The only information missing from the documents was name, occupation, and purpose of travel. The orders were clearly spelled out with the each objective outlined in detail. As Seth had dreaded, one of his assignments was to establish a reliable system for gathering and retrieving data. He closed his eyes. A long and difficult journey lay ahead. The challenges and intrigue that this opportunity offered should have made him eager to rise to the task, but he found himself thinking of how long he was going to be away from home.

Frowning, he crossed to the chair across from Lora’s and sat with a sigh. “We are going to be leaving for Ratharia in two days at the latest, sooner if I can arrange it.” He met her eyes. “I need to know if you wish to go with us,” he said. She opened her mouth, but he raised his hand to stop her from speaking. “Before you tell me your answer, you need to know some things. First, you will be going as my slave girl. It will be easier for you to keep your nationality that way. You won’t truly be a slave, but for purposes of the mission, that is the only way to not arouse suspicion. Your duties will be to keep house and cook. The three of us will guide you a little, but for cultural reasons, while in public, we will ignore you.

“I will be expecting you to keep your eyes and ears open. Each evening you will report to me everything you have observed during that day. If you have an opportunity to make friends, make them. You job will be to be accepted as a slave girl and collect gossip and news items as they pass through the slave and servant world. It will be dangerous work and difficult. Are you still interested in coming with us?”

He watched her face as she promptly replied, “Yes.”

“You don’t have to go,” he clarified. “You can remain right here. My parents would welcome you as one of the family. They are growing very fond of you.”

She shook her head. “I wish to go to Ratharia.”

“All right, then let us start working out the details.” A knock on the door interrupted him. It was Quinn with a tray of food.

“There is a messenger from the king in the kitchen. Did he bring orders?”

“Yes,” Seth replied.

Quinn nodded solemnly. “Lachine and I suspected as much. Do you wish me to fetch him?”

“Yes, do.” Seth rose to take the tray. “Also, please tell the messenger to come here after he has finished his meal. I will have a written answer for him by then.”

Quinn nodded and disappeared out the door. Setting the tray on the desk, Seth served Lora. His mother, as usual, sent in another place setting for him, but he ignored it. He didn’t have time. Crossing back to the desk, he set the tray aside; taking out a sheet of parchment and the uncapping the ink well, he began the process of wording his acceptance of the commission and communicating his plans and needs.

He finished by the time Quinn returned with Lachine in tow. Sealing the missive, Seth set it aside and pulled his plate toward him. He would eat while they planned.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lora listened with fascination as Seth, Quinn, and Lachine flushed out every detail of their journey from the Academy to where in the capital city of Ratharia they were going to rent a house. The men worked together with the seamlessness of long acquaintance and friendship.

It was late when they finally began to wind down the conversation and Lachine rose to leave. Smiling down at Lora, he slipped quietly out into the dark hallway. Quinn and Seth sat for a few moments in silence before Quinn spoke.

“You realize that the neighbors are going to assume that she is your concubine.” Seth met his friend’s gaze. Weariness pulled at Seth’s features and the stress line around his eyes and mouth that had lightened over the past few days were deepening again.

“Do you know of another role for her? I cannot think of a way to make it seem otherwise.”

Quinn nodded slowly in understanding. “I just wanted to make sure you had thought about that aspect.”

“We are going to need her. There is no other way to keep a finger on the gossip and what is going on in the homes of our neighbors.”

Quinn nodded again.

Seth rubbed his temples. “I am sorry I couldn’t manage a longer break.”

“You needed it more than we did.” Rising, Quinn laid a hand briefly on Seth’s shoulder as he crossed to the door. He reached for the handle and then looked over to Lora, sitting in the same chair that Seth had placed her in hours before. He stood silently, meeting her gaze for a few moments with his unreadable dark eyes. “Get some sleep. We all have a long day ahead of us tomorrow,” he said and then left.

Silence descended over the room. Lora watched Seth as he rested his head on his hands. His broad shoulders were bowed as if he carried a heavy load. From her angle, all she could see was the top of his dark head and his fingers threaded through the almost black strands of his hair. His face was hidden in the shadows. After a few minutes, she began to wonder if he had forgotten her presence. Then he sighed and straightened.

“Are you still sure you wish to go with us?” he asked suddenly. The heavy tone in his voice made her wonder if he expected her to change her mind.

“My answer is the same,” she told him, meeting his gray-green gaze.

He nodded without looking away. Then he rose. Crossing to her chair, he looked down at her and his eyes darkened. Then without a word, he lifted her into his arms. Lora felt suddenly light headed. Leaning into his shoulder and tightening her grip on the back of his neck, she willed her heart to stop its sudden pounding.

In silence, he carried her up to her room and set her gently on the bed. “Rest well,” he said and then was gone, closing the door behind him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Copyright 2006 by Rachel Rossano
Do not reproduce without express written permission of the author.

Chapter Eight

The morning of the picnic, Lora opened her eyes to find a gray hazy light coming through her window and filling her room with muted tones. Even before she pulled back the curtains, she knew what she would see. The cloudy sky gave everything a heavy dull look. Even the trees in the orchard, which had looked so bright and cheerful the day before, were looking limp and depressed this morning.

I doubt we are still going to have our picnic. She even as she realized that the plans would have to be changed, she felt a little less cheerful. The picnic place sounded beautiful and she had been looking forward to seeing the tree house that Jonas and Kosh raved about the day before. It would have been an opportunity to spend some time with Seth, Quinn, and Lachine too. She had not seen them at all the day before and she was realizing she missed their company.

She had been too busy to notice the missing men at first. Her morning had been very full. There were children to bathe and feed. Elana and Eve insisted she spend time with them so both of them could make progress toward being able to communicate. Lora found working with the mother and daughter-in-law enlightening. Even as Eve and Elana were beginning to get to know each other, Lora was growing to like them both.

Eve was so warm and accepting, she made everyone about her comfortable. Lora found herself drawn to the woman. When she reflected upon the overwhelming response in herself to being near Eve, Lora began to wonder if it was because she never really related to her own mother this way.

Elana was like the sister she had never had. Once Elana heard that Seth was taking her with him to Ratharia, she immediately asked, “Do you have clothes?”

Puzzled, Lora replied, “I have dresses.”

Dramatically shaking her head, Elana laughed. “No, you must not wear dresses like that.” She pointed to the worn, but still presentable dress Lora was wearing. “You will need to dress like the locals otherwise, Seth will be fined for indecently exposing you.” Seeing Lora’s look of surprise and worry as she tried to figure out how she was going to manage to find such items, Elana touched her hand and smiled. “Don’t worry. I will look into it after lunch.”

When lunch arrived, look to it she did. Cornering Seth before he got to the table, she quizzed him on where they would be traveling, what arrangements he had already made, and what Lora’s duties would be. Promptly after lunch, she took Lora up to her room and they spent the afternoon planning clothing for the trip.

Even now, in the dreary light of the morning, Lora was still in awe of the beauty of the clothing Elana had picked out. After she dressed in her only clean dress, a simple dark green piece, she paused to let her fingertips graze the silken material of the purple over tunic of the fanciest outfit. Lora had never worn anything so beautiful; in fact, she felt uncomfortable about the thought of wearing the flowing garment in public. She was certain she would ruin it by accident, certain that Elana had been wrong in assuring her that she would need it in Ratharia, she turned toward the door. After all she was only Seth’s housekeeper, not his wife.

The hall was empty and surprisingly quiet. As she walked across the wood floor toward the stairs, Lora began to wonder if she had over slept or under slept. Then a crash from the front hall drew her attention. Running to the banister, she glanced down to find Lachine looking over a scattered pile of folded umbrellas and muttering to himself.

By the time she reached the first floor, he had begun collecting them again. His arms were full and he was trying to set them aside so he could pick up the last two, when he spotted Lora.

“Could you grab those two for me and carry them for me?” he asked, jutting his chin toward the two smaller umbrellas lying at her feet.

Picking them up, she asked, “Where are you taking them?”

“Eve wants them in the dining room, so they can be loaded on the cart for the picnic.”

“But it is going to rain,” she protested as Lach started toward the back of the house. She followed carrying the last two umbrellas.

“Apparently, that is what they want these for,” Lach replied as they entered the dining room to find the table laden with baskets and blankets. He began to maneuver his burden into a position so he could set it on the floor, when Ian entered through the back door.

“Ah, just what we were waiting for. Lach, why don’t you just carry those out and put them in the cart? Father knows where he wants them.” Crossing to Lora, he took the two she carried. “You better scoot into the kitchen, Mother was about to send the children up to wake you. We are packing up and will be ready to start the walk in less than a half hour.” He smiled and winked at her before turning to open the door for Lach.

Obediently entering the kitchen, she found Seth and Danica arguing over what was an acceptable age to begin teaching boys self defense while Eve attempted to pack the last of their lunch around them. Stepping in to help Eve by placing bundles and dishes into the open basket on the table, Lora listened to the siblings argue.

“I still say the earlier the better,” Seth told his sister as he leaned against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest. He looked forbidding as he frowned across at Danica who was spoon-feeding Asha. “Father gave me my first lesson when I was seven, after Toniah Jarone pounded me for my share of the taffy from the taffy pull party. Toniah never tried it again after I returned the favor when he tried to take my gingerbread.”

“Yeah, but you used that same skill to torment Ian and me when we didn’t do what you wanted.” Danica waved the empty spoon in her daughter’s direction. “I don’t want to come across the boys doing the same to Asha.”

“Then teach her, too.”

“What?” Danica raised her eyebrows at her brother. “I am going to have enough trouble as it is with her being a tomboy running after her brothers and learning their bad habits. I am not going to have her learning such a boyish thing.”

“So, what are you going to do, Danica, when you find her crying a corner, because one of her brothers took her dolls and beheaded them? You remember what you did when Ian did that to yours?”

Danica paused and a glimmer of pride passed across her face before she contained it. Turning back to her daughter with a determined frown, she said, “That does not count.”

“What did she do?” Lora couldn’t help asking.

Seth smiled, looking pleased that he had made his point. “She gave him a black eye.” Pushing off from the wall, he crossed to lean on the table at his sister’s side. “Asha will turn out just fine, Danica. Just look at Lora. She grew up with four older brothers without a mother to protect her femininity and she turned out just fine.”

Lora looked up in surprise to find Seth looking at her. Something flickered in his eyes. Winking, he asked, “So, Lora when did you learn to fight back and hold your own?”

Dropping her eyes, she turned her attention to the packing and tried to ignore the warming of her face. Seth did not take the hint.

“Come on, Lora. I know you held your own because Quinn and Lach don’t scare you. I don’t even scare you and I have been known to intimidating.”

You are intimidating. Lora frowned. Then closing the basket lid, she finally said, “I got in a fight with Braun because he broke my doll’s head by throwing it across the room. He won, but I gave him a bloody nose.” Homesickness for her brothers caused moisture to build up behind her eyes.

“See, Danica,” Seth said, turning back to his sister. “I am telling you. I think you should let Rynan teach Jonas to defend himself before these older school students make it necessary. He has the right idea and I am sure he will impress upon Jonas the importance of only using force when necessary.”

Dancia remained silent, but Seth smiled down at her. Turning to Eve, he asked, “Is the last basket ready, Mother?”

Eve looked up from the napkins she was pulling out of a drawer. “You can take it out to the cart, but be careful. There are breakable and spillable items in this one. Be sure to tell Labren that this is the fragile one.”

Nodding, Seth turned toward Lora. “I know you agree with me, Lora,” he said as he lifted the basket from the table. “Try to convince her for Asha’s sake. I would hate to see that girl at the mercy of three older brothers. Danica barely survived and she only had me and Ian.” With that, he exited through the door into the dining room. Eve followed right behind him with her arms full of linens.

“I hate it when he is right,” Danica declared as she wiped Asha’s laughing face. Even being spoon fed the girl had managed to get food all over her face, hands, and the highchair. Lora watched as Danica extracted Ash’s thumb from her mouth long enough to wash the arm. Asha immediately stuck it back in and started sucking on it fiercely. Picking the baby up, Danica turned in her seat to face Lora. “Was it really that bad?” she asked.

Lora smiled in spite of the dull ache in her chest. “It wasn’t bad, just difficult. Father wasn’t the one who taught me to fight. It was Kaled, my oldest brother. He saw how Braun was constantly picking on me, so he took me aside one day and taught me how to fight with my fists. Then the next day, Braun broke my only doll. I hit him so fast he didn’t react in time to defend himself. I was aiming for his eye, but I hit his nose. He got so mad that he slapped me. Father walked in, just in time to see that. I promised I would never punch anyone again and Braun got a severe lecture on not hitting girls.”

“You miss them,” Danica observed.

Lora swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded.

Danica smiled warmly. “Well you are part of my family now and we will try to fill that hole until Seth and Father find them. Come hold Asha. She is such a happy baby, she will make you smile.”

Lora willingly accepted the giggling baby. Asha promptly reached out her slobbered hand and patted the side of Lora’s face. Chattering to herself in her baby language, she smiled happily up at Lora and Lora found she could not help smiling back. She followed Danica outside and waited while she climbed into the wagon By the time she handed the baby to her mother, Lora did feel better.

Turning to catch up with the others walking through the orchard in the direction of the picnic site, Lora spotted Lach. Soon she was falling into step with him as they passed through the orchard gate and started the gradual climb toward the trees. Within minutes the cart passed them and they were the last of the group to be walking to the picnic.

“So, what do you think of Seth’s family?”

Lora looked over at Lach to find him smiling knowingly at her. “Oh no, not you, too,” she protested.

“What do you mean, not me, too?” he asked.

“You aren’t going to start trying to pair Seth and me up?” One glance at his face answered her question. He had been thinking just that.

“Why shouldn’t you set your eyes on Seth?” he asked. She stopped and stared at him a moment. He turned and meeting her eyes, raised his eyebrows questioningly. “He is a handsome and honorable man and you could do a lot worse. I am sure your brothers would approve of him. I am like a brother and I approve of it.”

She frowned at him. “It isn’t his character that bothers me,” she admitted as she realized that the others were drawing away. Continuing up the hill, she walked past him.

“Then what?” he asked as he fell into step with her.

“You aren’t going to give up are you?”

“No, so you better tell me.”

“We come from different classes. I am a poor professor’s daughter with no dowry or money. He is a titled man with power and prestige. He is the nephew of the King of Anavrea.” She shook her head. “No, he is not for me. Besides, he is married to his work.”

Lach also shook his head and frowned. “Those things don’t matter to him. You should know that by now.”

Lora didn’t answer his comment. Instead, she picked up her pace. Lach matched it. They were gaining on the group among the trees when a thought occurred to her. “Why doesn’t anyone assume you and I are a pair? You pay more attention to me than he does.”

“Maybe it is because you remind me of the sister I left behind in Ratharia,” he offered her with a smile. “I can remember her playing with dolls and getting into scrapes, but while I was away in the infantry, I missed her growing up. When I returned, she was married and had children pulling at her skirts. I couldn’t get to know her then. It was too late; her days were full of cooking, cleaning, and pleasing her husband.”

He grinned at her. “Then you showed up. Someone has to see that you don’t get yourself hurt and look after you until you find a husband of your own. I figure with your brothers gone, I should step in and keep an eye on you.”

She looked at him in disbelief. “And what might you get out of all this work?”

“I am hoping you will let me be an uncle to your little ones,” he suggested.

She laughed. “You are just as bad as the rest of them. I am going to have to go walk with Quinn. At least he won’t tease me.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Seth watched as Lach and Lora climbed the trail. She was laughing, her head thrown back and her eyes dancing. Lach helped her over a steep part of the trail and Seth frowned.

“You aren’t getting jealous, are you?” Ian asked from his place slightly higher on the trail.

“Hush,” he told his brother.

“Come on, Seth,” Ian said as he came to stand beside him. “I am telling you that you should reconsider your future. There is a lot that can be said in favor of settling down with a wife and starting to think about a family.”

Seth shoved his brother away. “I told you I didn’t want to talk about it.”

“Fine,” Ian said, stepping back and spreading his hands slightly to the side, “but you are thinking about it and that is a start.”

Seth strode in the direction of the picnic site. As much as he hated it, his brother was right, he was thinking about it. Try as he might, he could not make the thoughts stay out of his mind.

“Uncle Seth,” Jonas cried as Seth emerged from the trees into the clearing. Jumping over the baskets, the boy ran over to Seth and grabbed his hand. “Come up in the tree house with me. I want to show you what I did.”

“Be careful,” Danica reminded them as Jonas pulled at Seth’s hand in the direction of the ladder. “Make sure he doesn’t fall,” she added before turning back to spreading the blankets on the grass. Seth allowed his nephew to tug him across the grass to the base of the tree.

“Father and I added the railing,” Jonas informed him. Seth only half-listened as his nephew talked about how he and his father had improved the tree house. Improved it they had. When Seth had last been up in it the ‘house’ had only been a wooden platform propped into the branches of the large oak with long boards. Now it was more secure in its placement and a sturdy looking banister ringed the outside edge. Rynan had begun to attach wooden slats to the outside to that they ran from the floor to a little past the top of the railing. Eventually the sides would be covered with the slats, making it possible to hide completely from sight, but the work had only covered one side.

“Jonas, come down.” Danica’s voice rang clearly across the clearing.

Obediently, Jonas scrambled to the ladder and soon the top of his head disappeared beneath the floor. Lying flat on his back, Seth stared up into the branches. The light was dim and the leaves rustled restlessly as the breeze picked up. Breathing deeply of the heavy air, he felt himself relaxing for the first time in ages. Closing his eyes, he let his mind wander.

The details of the mission ahead marched across his brain, but he pushed them aside. He and his father had taken care of the last of those items yesterday. He had wanted to get them out of the way so he wouldn’t have to worry about them. Now that they were dealt with, he could truly escape from the stress of his work.

“So this is where you went.” Ian’s voice cut through his thoughts. “Jonas and I are organizing a little game and I thought you should join us.”

“Can’t you see I am resting? Go away and leave me be,” he said without opening his eyes.

“Fine, but I can’t promise I will behave,” Ian told him smugly in a low voice. “Then who will defend Lora, if you aren’t there.”

Suddenly rolling over, Seth opened his eyes and reached for the source of his brother’s voice. Ian ducked and Seth’s fingers grasped at the air where his head had been. Back on his back, he frowned up at the leaves. Ian was not going to let him have a moment’s peace unless he showed Lora some attention.

Thankful he had clarified things with her already, he reluctantly sat up and moved toward the hole for the ladder. If he joined them now and showed her some friendly attention, Ian would be satisfied and leave him alone for a time. At least he hoped his brother would.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Come.”

Lora looked up from the napkin in her lap to find Seth standing over her looking grim. She frowned up at him, but taking the hand he offered her, she allowed him to pull her to her feet. Drawing her with him, he headed toward the rowboat tied to a short pier on the edge of the water.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“I promised I would take you out on the water in the boat. Ian is starting to hatch another idea to get us together, so I thought now was a good time to take you.” He glanced back at her.

Ian’s attempts at keeping her and Seth together were painfully obvious. Every game they had played had been pair oriented and since all the other adults were married, she and Seth were thrown together. She didn’t mind having him for a partner. In fact, she enjoyed his company. He was good at everything they tried and compensated for her lack of knowledge or skill. She found herself enjoying him, but Seth’s darkening mood had given her the impression that he, on the other hand, did not appreciate being on her team.

She followed him to the water, though he didn’t give her a choice. He didn’t release her hand until they reached the edge and he needed both hands to draw the boat alongside the dock.

“Put your hand on my shoulder and step in,” he instructed as he held the edge of the boat.

She laid her hand on his broad shoulder and stepped down into the bobbing boat. As soon as she was seated, he followed and sat down at the oars. With a firm shove, he pushed the craft away from the dock and out onto the water. Bending to the oars, he rowed them out into the center of the water before lifting the oars out of the water and letting the boat float placidly.

Lora felt her heart constrict in fear when she looked up to find him watching her expectantly. He was intimidating. His keen eyes studied her face as if he could read what he wanted to know if he just looked hard enough. It didn’t help that he frowned at her as he reached for her hands. Considering the dark look on his face, Lora half expected his touch to be rough, but he took her hands gently in his.

Lowering his eyes, he said, “I was just speaking with Elana. She said Ian refuses to tell her what he said to you during dinner the day we arrived.” His thumbs caressed the back of her hands and she began to feel warm. “I know you don’t want to tell me about it, but I am beginning to think you should.” He raised his eyes and met hers. “Ian has been known to go beyond the rules of propriety to make his point. The years at sea with a crew of all men has only encouraged his rebellious nature. Add in the fact he has been a captain accustomed to his word being law and he can get downright obnoxious at times. If he has done so with you, I wish to confront him on it.”

Lora felt the warmth creeping to her face as it always did when she thought of Ian’s suggestions that day. Even as she lowered her eyes and wished that Seth would release her hands, she was certain she was not going to be able to repeat Ian’s words, not just because she was embarrassed by the words themselves but by the reaction that they had drawn out of her. Despite all her denials to the contrary, she knew she was attracted to Seth.

She liked the comfortable friendship that they were developing. Bringing the possibility of more up before they were ready for it would kill the friendship and make them both awkward with each other.

Carefully she shook her head.

“No, he did not act inappropriately or no, you aren’t going to tell me?” Seth asked.

Lifting her head and meeting his darkened eyes, she said, “Both.”

His eyes held hers for a few moments before he seemed satisfied. “You will tell me if he bothers you?” he asked.

Nodding, Lora agreed. “So, what did you want to show me about the swimming hole?” she asked to make it clear that she wished to change the topic.

He smiled slowly in understanding. Then turning to scan the far end of the pond, he pulled out the oars and began to maneuver the craft in that direction. The sky above darkened so that just as they reached the right spot, it began to rain. “I will have to show you another time,” he said as the rain started to increase. Bending to the oars, he turned the dingy once again in the direction of the dock.

By the time Seth tied the boat up and helped her out, the rest of the family had packed up the cart with gear, children, and leftover food. Loaded heavily, it was already making its way down the beginning of the trail, when Lora reached the shelter of the trees. Ian was handing out the last of the umbrellas for the walk to the house. “The last one,” he informed Lora as she approached. Handing her a heavy pole with yards of canvas, he then turned to open his own. “You and Seth are going to have to share.” He winked and taking his own portable shelter, headed for the trail.

Lora frowned down at the cumbersome umbrella he had handed her. Certain she was not going to manage carrying it all the way back, she was beginning to consider walking on her own and leaving it for Seth.

“He did it again, didn’t he?” She looked up to find Seth standing over her looking soaked to the skin already, his dark hair plastered to his head. Beyond their meager shelter, the water poured down in sheets.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Copyright 2006 by Rachel Rossano
Do not reproduce without express written permission of the author.

Chapter Seven

Seth spent his afternoon wandering about and visiting his old haunts. He spotted Lachine and Quinn talking with Horan, the groundskeeper, when he passed the vegetable gardens. He encountered Danica and Lora mid-tour at least twice. Danica’s cheerful voice echoed in the empty rooms of the dormitories and Seth had no trouble avoiding them. He also almost walked in on Ian and Elana having an intense discussion in rapid Ratharian in the front room. They had paused for a moment, but as Seth’s hand was on the knob, Ian started to apologize. Seth quickly turned and walked back the way he had come.

The sky was growing red, when he found himself standing outside the old library. Located at the top of the main house, it was once the library for the whole school when the Academy was confined to the main house. Now it was still a library, but Father used it as a study and during the school year students could be found haunting the chairs and couches. Easing the heavy oak doors open, he slipped into the welcoming atmosphere of his favorite room in the house.

Tall windows lined the opposite wall making bands of red-gold light on the carpets. Bookshelves laden with heavy volumes lined the walls. Across the room, sitting with his back to the window, was Seth’s father. Since Seth could remember, he could find his father in just this position, at his desk reading or writing with his head bent over his work.

Silver, more than the last time he had found him thus, highlighted Labren’s temples. It stood out against his dark brown hair. What concerned Seth more, though, was the presence of the intricately carved walking stick leaning against the edge of the desk. It meant that his father’s old injuries were causing trouble again.

As he approached, Labren looked up from the letter he was writing. Leaning back in his chair, he greeted his son with a smile that brightened his whole face and made his laugh lines deepen. “As I said before, it is good to see you home, Seth.”

Seth nodded as he sank into a nearby chair. “I am very glad to be home. It has been too long.”

“Ireic works you hard I am sure.” Labren sighed as he ran his hands through his hair. “He always works his men hard.”

“No harder than he works himself,” Seth pointed out.

His father nodded in agreement.

Meeting his father’s deep blue gaze from across the desk, Seth frowned. “I came to seek your advice and your help.”

“What is the trouble?”

“Uncle Ireic is sending me to Ratharia.” Seth watched as his father’s face darkened slightly with concern. “He wants me to defend Anavrea’s interest in the coming transition of power. The contacts I set up during my time over there before have broken down. He wants more complete and reliable information in all the usual areas.”

Leaning back, Labren crossed his arms and began studying the air. “Are you planning on using Quinn and Lachine?”

“Yes,” Seth agreed, “Both of them are ready and willing. Lora also appears interested. She would give me an avenue into some areas I have not been able to enter before, but I am reluctant to use her openly. I have been initially planning on her just keeping her eyes and ears open as she performs the usual duties of a housekeeper and cook. Her being there will also free up Lachine for other duties.

“My main point of concern is getting within the walls of the Raijia’s palace. Uncle Ireic can’t just give me clearance as ambassador because it would ruin my cover as a merchant and close more doors than it would open. I know you have contacts in the Raijia’s service; is it possible one of them could get me in?”

Slowly Labren nodded. “I believe I know of someone you can contact. He was once a student here. In fact, I can give you two names. Randare Portis is the right hand man of Tritarn, the Raijia’s nephew and Arickan Laroris is the Raijia’s Sharid.” The Sharid was a hereditary title of the Raijia’s Prime Minister. “Both were once students here. Arickan graduated right before you were born and Randare left us when you were four.”

Labren sighed and continued. “You probably recall the big uproar about five years ago when the current Sharid made his nephew his heir instead of his son.”

Seth vaguely recalled hearing about the incident. Many of the Raijia’s opponents had raised questions, especially when it was discovered that the heir apparent, Arickan Laroris, had been educated outside of Ratharia. The Ratharians were very proud of their education system for their young men. The fact that the second highest position in the country was going to be given to a young man who had been educated in Braulyn by foreigners caused quite a fuss. As was the usual way of things in the Ratharian court, a new issue drew the court’s attention a month later and the Sharid position was forgotten for the time being.

“How long has he been Sharid now?” Seth asked.

“About three years,” Labren answered. “He has been showing great potential as a statesman. He would be a valuable ally for you to have.”

Seth nodded agreement. “Would you mind writing to him this week? I am planning on setting up shop and house as a native merchant returning from Braulyn. If you would introduce me as such and request that I be able to meet with him after I arrive, that would be perfect. I haven’t begun making the arrangements yet, but I am hoping to set up house in the capital city.”

His father leaned forward and picking up his pen, scribbled a note on one of the loose sheets of paper on his desk. “Consider it done,” he told Seth. “I will work on it tomorrow morning before the first of the teachers arrive.”

“The other matter that I was hoping you could help me with is concerning Lora.” Seth watched his father’s eyebrows raised and found himself frowning in response. “It isn’t as I know you are hoping, Father,” he clarified. “I know you and mother are hoping I will settle down with a nice wife and give you more grandchildren. The fact I have brought Lora along with me has brought all those desires to the surface. I want to make it clear that I am not planning on marrying anytime in the near future. Anavrea and Uncle Ireic need me and I have sworn to serve.”

“That was not what I was thinking, Son.”

Seth looked up in surprise.

“Well, not completely what I was thinking,” he clarified. “I do hope for all those things you have just accused me of hoping for, but I am not blind. I see that you do not care for Lora that way, yet.” He leaned forward and continued.

“I know and understand how you feel toward Ireic and Anavrea. I felt the same way and still feel the same way, but I have made my choices and do not regret them. The time will come, however, that you will care for someone enough to wish you hadn’t sworn the oath of service. When that time comes, I want you to remember one thing. Anavrea and your Uncle Ireic will always need you, but that doesn’t mean you always have to be the one to step forward. There are others who will take your place when you decide the happiness of a woman is more important than the security of a country.”

Seth wasn’t sure he agreed with his father on this one, but he respected his father’s age and wisdom. He had heard of how and why his father had made the choices he had. His father, then called Trahern, the name he had been given at birth, had been the heir apparent of the throne of Anavrea. A scandal and betrayal caused him to fall from his father’s grace and forced him to run for his life. Ireic, Labren’s younger, half-brother, was proclaimed heir. After their father’s death, Ireic tried to give the crown to Labren, but because of his marriage to Eve and her pregnancy, Labren turned it down.

Growing up, Seth had been thankful for that choice. He saw how his cousins were forced to carry a much heavier burden than he was given. As an adult, Seth chose to serve Anavrea, yet his cousins were never given a choice. They had been born into the duty.

“So, now that we have clarified our positions,” Labren said, drawing Seth’s attention back to the present. “What was the favor you wanted to ask regarding Lora?”

Seth leaned back in his chair. “She has four brothers, Kaled, Waren, Jerat, and Braun. When their father died, they were sent to a boarding school to finish their education to become healers. Lora’s Aunt Roalalt, her mother’s sister, dropped her at my door to apply for the place of housekeeper and promptly left without seeing if she obtained the position. I would hate to think what would have happened if I hadn’t accepted her.

“Anyway, I have told Lora I would try to locate her brothers for her. I am suspicious of how the aunt handled things and suspect the boys have been dumped in an inferior school to save money. I know if I can locate them and help them, they will be more than willing to take care of Lora. From what she has told me they are of the age to support themselves and their sister. I think that her aunt has purposefully arranged their estate for her convenience and possibly her personal profit.” Seth looked over to find his father watching his face carefully.

“I will write inquiries to all the schools I know of and find out if her brothers are in any of them. It will take some time, but I am sure that if they are in a school with in Braulyn and Anavrea, I will find them.” Labren leaned forward and added to his note on the desk. Without setting down the pen, he asked, “How long do I have?”

Seth shrugged. “I have no idea how long we will be in Ratharia, possibly years, but I would be willing to send Lora back if she desires after you have found them.”

His father raised his eyebrows. “So, Ireic didn’t give you a time frame for this trip?”

“No he hasn’t,” Seth confirmed. “It concerns me, too. I am reluctant to return as it is, but having it so open ended makes me wonder if he ever expects me to return. I am there for the transition period between Raijias at the least. I will also be setting up a new network, but I have no idea how long that will take. What Ireic really needs is a reliable native contact with loyalties to Anavrea. Considering how nearly impossible that is going to be to find, I might be over there indefinitely.”

Labren nodded.

“Of course,” Seth said, “If I could get Quinn interested in doing it on his own, Uncle Ireic wouldn’t have anything to worry about.”

“Quinn won’t do that,” Labren pointed out. “He is too attached to you, Son. Do you know how angry he was with me and your uncle for letting you enlist in the Ratharian military? He demanded to be allowed to follow you.”

Seth’s eyes widened in surprise. “So that was why he suddenly showed up when he did.”

His father laughed. “You mean he never told you?”

“No. He just showed up one day on the sidelines while we were drilling. I missed a step when I saw him. He never spoke directly to me, but he kept showing up in the oddest places.” Seth smiled. “You should have seen his face when I introduced Lachine. I have never seen him look so suspicious in my life.”

“You mean he wasn’t suspicious of Lora?”

Seth paused to think back. “Not really. I would have expected him to be more guarded, but he wasn’t.”

Just then a bell rang. Both men lifted their heads and smiled. “Dinner,” Labren said as he pushed his chair back and reached for his cane. Catching the look of concern on Seth’s face, he laughed. “Don’t look so anxious, Seth. I am fine. I am just getting older. I can no longer do all the things I used to without it. Don’t go worrying that I have one foot in the grave.”

The frown did not leave Seth’s face though. “I know you told me that one day you would have to use it all the time, but I always thought that day was far in the future.” He rose.

Putting a hand on his son’s shoulder, Labren squeezed it firmly. “Old injuries return to haunt you in your old age, but they are worth the pain if you succeeded in making them count. This,” he said lifting his weaker leg, “Is how I met your mother. Without it, you would not be standing here with me today. The results are well worth the pain, Son. Now let us see if Elana has convinced Ian to apologize and behave himself.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lora’s mind was still trying to process all the information that Danica had exposed to her during the tour. Even as she helped Patri stack his wooden blocks into neat towers, she wondered if she was going to be able to keep it all straight.

“’ora, not there!” the three year old protested. A small hand pointed emphatically at the tallest tower. “There!” Patri instructed. “B’ock goes there.”

“Are you sure? It looks like it is going to fall over.”

“B’ock there,” he insisted with a nod of his head.

“Okay.” Lora reached out and gingerly set the block on top of the tilting tower. As predicted, the pile crashed to the floor.

Patri jumped up with a squeal. “Fa’ down,” he announced with hands extended dramatically. Then falling to the rug in an imitation of the blocks, he lay still for a moment. Jumping up again, he smiled over at Lora. “Do again?” he asked.

“Certainly,” Lora agreed and they both bent to the task of gathering the blocks again.

“Can I interrupt?”

Lora looked up to find Ian standing over them. He towered above their position on the floor. Instantly his words at the noon meal jumped into her mind. She firmly pushed them back.

“Unc’e Ian!” Patri jumped up and threw his arms around Ian’s leg. “Horse,” he asked, looking up at his uncle with pleading blue eyes.

“Not until after dinner,” Ian replied. “I will help you build the tower again instead.”

Patri immediately agreed. Releasing his uncle’s leg and started piling blocks once again.

“I have come to apologize,” Ian said as he folded his long legs. Reaching for the nearest block, he added it to Patri’s pile straightening it as he did. “My behavior at lunch was unacceptable and I won’t tease you at the table that way again.”

Straightening, Lora looked over at him in time to catch the glimmer of mischief in his eye before he turned to watch his nephew. As she studied him, she realized that Seth had been correct. Ian was not going to be easy to convince that she and Seth were nothing more than friends. After she had been watching him a moment, he met her gaze. “You don’t believe me, do you?” His dark eyes challenged her. Unlike Seth’s gray-green, his eyes were brown.

“I accept your apology, but I wouldn’t be surprised if you teased me again at dinner. You put enough qualifiers on that statement to get around it. Did you tell Elana the same thing?”

Ian laughed. “I promised her not to whisper disturbing things in your ear again. So, I shall not be doing that again, at the table or otherwise.” He flashed her a mischievous wink and placed another block on the tower.

“Did you tell her what you said?”

“No,” he grinned, but did not meet her eyes. “Did you tell Seth?”

Lora felt her cheeks warm, but she did not drop her eyes. “No.”

Ian raised his eyebrows as he glanced over at her. “Hm…I guess I am going to have to make the suggestions to him and see what he does.”

Her cheeks grew warmer and she dropped her eyes. “He doesn’t think of me that way,” she stated firmly. “He is my employer.” When she finally looked up, he was watching her face carefully.

“Ian, are you tormenting the poor girl again?” Danica asked as she came into the room. Noting Lora’s flushed face and lowered eyes, she frowned down at her brother. “Leave her alone. As if you haven’t done enough at lunch,” she said as she picked up her son. “Dinner is ready and you better behave, or I believe Seth will wallop you,” she warned Ian. “From what I heard, he was pretty upset with you after lunch.”

“He has calmed down,” Ian told her.

“I hope so. I don’t want to have to explain to the boys that brawling at the table isn’t acceptable even though their uncles do it.”

Ian rose and offered Lora a hand. She accepted it reluctantly, allowing him to help her to her feet. As they followed Danica out into the foyer, Seth and Labren were just reaching the bottom of the stairs. Seth immediately upon seeing his brother and her flushed face, shot Ian an annoyed look. He might have moved to offer Lora an arm, but his father beat him to it.

“Is my son behaving himself?” Labren asked as he extended an arm to Lora.

Lora took it gratefully. She didn’t feel particularly comfortable with either of the brothers at the moment. She didn’t trust Ian to behave and the look on Seth’s face made it clear that he was not in a good mood.

Noticing her hesitation in answering, Labren smiled down at her reassuringly.

“So, what do you think of the Academy?”

“The buildings and grounds are beautiful. There is so much space and roaming room.”

“Yes, it is big. Remember that when the children get here. They will make the place seem small, at least the buildings.” He smiled down at her.

Labren Theodoric was a handsome man. Tall and commanding, she could see where his sons got their dark hair and unique presence. Yet, unlike his sons, he had a calming manner about him. There were no secrets hiding behind his eyes or a mischievous streak like she had noticed in both Seth and Ian. He reminded her of her father, steady and trustworthy.

They entered the dining room and he led her to her seat. The seating was the same as it was for lunch, except for one minor change. Elana and Ian switched places, putting Elana next to Lora.

The meal passed very pleasantly. Lora was able to ask Elana all kinds of questions about Ratharia and Elana showed a great interest in Lora’s childhood. Periodically, when she looked up, Lora would find Seth or Labren watching her. When she met Labren’s eyes, he would frequently smile and return to his meal. She got the impression that he was listening to their conversation. Seth, however, would usually study her face for a moment without responding to her smile. It was as if he was monitoring her emotional or mental state.

After dinner, the family moved to the front room, Quinn and Lachine disappeared and Elana insisted that she come along. “I need an interpreter,” she said, “Please.” Reluctantly Lora agreed. Following Elana into the room, she sat down with her on the settee.

“Horse,” Patri yelled as he hurled himself at his Uncle Ian’s legs the moment he entered the room. “You promise.”

Ian looked down at the little boy with amusement. “What did you just call me?”

Patri grinned and squirmed in anticipation. “Horse,” he proclaimed loudly.

“What are you teaching our nephews, Danica,” he asked his sister. “Your son just called me a horse.”

“What is the magic word?” Danica asked absentmindedly as she tried to straighten her daughter’s dress.

“Horse, p’ease,” Patri begged.

“Oh, just do it,” Seth said shoving Ian gently on the shoulder. Ian turned to protest, but Jonas and Kosh galloped into the room and immediately started begging for horse rides too. In moments, both men had surrendered and the boys’ father was ensnared too.

Elana laughed at the sight of three men crawling about the floor with children on their backs. “My father would have never done this for me,” she told Lora. “That is what attracted me to Ian; how different he was from my father.”

“What was your father like that made you not want your husband to be the same?” Lora asked before thinking about how offensive her question could be.

Elana’s face sobered and Lora was concerned she had tread on a forbidden topic. Catching sight of Lora’s face, Elana smiled reassuringly. “Don’t look so worried. I loved my father, but it just makes me sad that he is gone and I will never be able to tell him that. He died right before we left Ratharia.”

“I am sorry,” Lora said, though the words sounded inadequate as they came from her lips.

Elana smiled as she watched the boys argue over whose mount would go through the doorway first. “He was so distant with his children. He traveled a lot and when he was home, mother was the only one he wanted to see. The first time I saw Ian, he was lecturing his cabin boy. He was obviously upset with him, but when he finished speaking, he ruffled the boy’s hair and smiled at him.” She paused as if lost in her memory. “My father never did that. I knew he was the one I wanted to buy me.”

“You were for sale?” Lora couldn’t believe her ears. The beautiful young woman sitting next to her looked as if she came from a wealthy family. The Theodoric family were also obviously wealthy and in addition to that, noble. Labren, Seth’s father, was the brother of the King of Anavrea.

“Yes,” Elana answered with a frown. “Father had died and left us with nothing. My brothers would support Mother, but not me. They sold me with the other household items they did not want.” Tears glistened in her eyes as she continued. “Ian bought me with some of the other goods. Once we were on the ship and had left the port, he told me I was a free woman again.”

She laughed. “It seems to run in the family, this freeing of women from slavery and then marrying them.” Then seeing Lora’s confusion, she frowned. “You didn’t know about Labren and Eve? Eve was a slave before she married Labren. He married her to free her.”

Lora glanced over at Seth’s parents sitting together on the far side of the room watching their sons and grandsons romping on the floor. Labren’s arm was around Eve’s shoulders and her hand rested on his thigh. Every nuance of their manner showed their obvious affection for each other. It was hard to believe that theirs had begun as a marriage of convenience.

“I have been blessed by finding this family,” Elana said.

Lora found herself nodded in agreement. Seth’s family was definitely different than she had expected.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Copyright 2006 by Rachel Rossano

Do not reproduce without express written permission of the author.

Chapter Six

“What is your name?” Jonas inquired as he looked up at Lora. He and she were standing in the wide aisle between the horses’ stalls. Quinn and Lachine were settling the horses into their new stalls. Lora had offered to help, but both men refused to let her. Jonas, having finally slowed in his questions for Quinn, was now taking a great interest in her.

“My name is Lora,” she informed him with a smile.

He squinted up at her. “Are you married to my uncle?”

A loud thunk that sounded like a brush hitting the floor came from the stall where Lachine was working, but Lora ignored it. “No, I am his housekeeper.”

Jonas frowned as he digested this new information. “Uncle Ian arrived yesterday with a girl. She is really nice. She doesn’t look like any other girl I have ever seen though. She has darker skin and wide slanted eyes. Uncle Ian says he loves her and that is why he wants to spend more time alone with her without me. They went for a walk right before you came. Grandma says they are planning to build a house nearby. I heard her telling Grandpa that last night before they went to bed. I hope they do. It would be nice to have Uncle Ian nearby so we can go fishing and do all kinds of boy stuff.” He paused for a moment and then looked up at her. “Momma doesn’t like it when I do boy’s stuff and get dirty. Do you think momma would mind if I got dirty when I did boy stuff with Uncle Ian?”

“I don’t know,” she replied honestly, as Quinn approached them. Lachine was right behind him. They were carrying the saddlebags.

When Jonas saw them, he eagerly bounced on his heels. “Are you ready to go in now?” he asked Quinn excitedly. “I want to show you to Grandma. I have to ask her if all your stories are really true.”

“Don’t you believe me?”

“I believe you,” Jonas declared as he ran ahead. “I will go open the door for you.” Bare feet flying, he ran in the direction of the front doors and disappeared inside. True to his word, he had opened the door for them and left it standing open. As the three of them stepped across the threshold, they could here Jonas’ voice calling from somewhere within, “Uncle Seth is here and he brought Quinn.”

Lachine and Lora glanced over at Quinn. “I guess you get top billing after Uncle Seth,” Lachine commented with a teasing grin. “Do you feel honored?”

“It will only last until something else catches his attention,” Quinn said as he lowered his load to the smooth tile. Lora noted the small smile tugging at his lips.

The main foyer was huge, rising two stories and enclosing a long winding staircase that started on the left on the first floor and rose to the second floor in the center above their heads. A long balcony rimmed the space on the second floor on three sides and Lora could see doors through the railing. On the first floor directly before them, a wide hall opened up toward the back of the house and the shine of natural light reflected of the smooth wooden floor. Another hall opened off to the right and left. The house was even larger than the outside had appeared.

“He definitely is an inquisitive fellow,” Lora commented as she gazed up at the large window that lit the foyer from above.

“He takes after his mother,” Quinn told her. “Danica was exactly the same when she was his age, dirt and all.”

“Oh, Quinn!” All three of them turned to meet the slender woman crossing the hall with her arms opened to Quinn. “Don’t let Jonas hear you say that or I will never get him to take a bath again,” she protested before enveloping Quinn in a quick hug and rising on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. Seth’s sister had dark hair and green eyes, just like her brother, but there the similarity ended. She was small, slender, and feminine. Lora could not envision her with dirty bare feet and braids. She was clean and neat, making Lora very aware that she had been wearing her dress for three days now.

Danica introduced herself and shook hands with Lachine. “Now, you must be Lora,” she said as she turned to Lora. Hugging her warmly, she drew back with a smile to study Lora’s face. “I am delighted that Seth brought you. It will be wonderful to have another female about the house. Mother and I sometimes get so lonely. Now we will have you and Elana to get to know while the men are off together.” Lora couldn’t help smiling in return as Danica wrapped her arm around her shoulders and drew her down the hall under the large staircase.

“Come on, men,” she called over her shoulder. “Mother already has the table set and I sent Jonas to fetch Father and Rynan. Ian and Elana are going to wander in any minute and you know, Quinn, Mother doesn’t like to serve cold food.”

“I don’t like giving it a chance to grow cold,” Quinn informed her. “I have always said Eve is the best cook I have every met.”

The natural light Lora had noted before was from the open dining room doors. A row of tall stately windows gave a beautiful view of a courtyard between buildings set perpendicular and off to the left and right. Beyond the courtyard, lay the golds and reds of the orchard. Danica disappeared through a door to the left and Lachine asked Quinn a question, so Lora wandered over to the closest window and drank in the view.

It wasn’t until she felt a hand resting on her arm that she realized that someone was standing next to her. She turned to find an older woman smiling at her. She had an inner glow that was more beautiful than an attractive face. Lora felt instantly accepted and at ease. Guessing that she must be Seth’s mother, Lora found herself smiling back “It is beautiful, isn’t it,” the woman said softly.

Nodding, Lora looked back out at the trees.

“This is Seth’s favorite season. He loves the colors in the trees and the apples.” They stood for a moment looking out as the breeze picked up and the leaves waved at them.

“Seth,” a loud voice suddenly exclaimed. Both Lora and Seth’s mother turned in time to see a dark haired man run across the dining room and tackle Seth in a bear hug.

“Good to see you, too, Ian,” Seth gasped with a laugh as he returned the hug. “I didn’t expect you to be home.”

Releasing his brother, Ian stepped back and looked him over. “You aren’t taking care of yourself,” he observed with a frown. “Uncle Ireic is working you too hard.”

“What have I heard about you bringing home a wife?” Seth countered in an attempt to change the subject.

Ian’s frown deepened, but he let his brother off with a look that made it clear that the subject of Seth’s health was not forgotten. Turning to the woman who lingered in the doorway, he drew her forward. “Elana,” he said, “I want you to meet my brother, Seth.”

Jonas description of his new aunt was very observant. Elana was beautiful in the exotic way of Ratharia. Slender, tall and thin, her face boasted clear, smooth, bronzed skin and slanted eyes. Her shy smile was completely charming, but there was no guile in her wide, dark eyes as she raised them to meet Seth’s.

“I am delighted,” Seth told her in Ratharian. Bowing slightly, he smiled. “Welcome to the family.”

“Thank you,” she replied in the same language.

“Quinn?” Seth said turning to look for the older Ratharian. Spotting him and Lachine, he motioned for them to come over and be introduced. He turned and met Lora’s watching eyes. Smiling, he gestured to her as well.

“Oh, I was hoping you would bring Quinn,” Ian exclaimed as he stepped forward to shake the man’s hand. “Elana needs an interpreter.”

“Mother, you still haven’t learned to speak Ratharian?” Seth turned to look accusingly at his mother only to find she had disappeared. “Anyway,” he said turning and seeking out Lora from where she was trying to hang back and stay out of the way. Slipping his arm around her shoulders, he brought her forward. In Ratharian, he said, “Elana this is Lora. Lora, Elana.”

Lora smiled warmly into the young woman’s face. “Pleased to meet you,” she said in Ratharian. Smiles blossomed across both Elana and Ian’s faces.

“At last, a woman who speaks my language,” Elana exclaimed. Taking Lora’s hands in hers, she pressed her cheek to Lora’s. “Ian has been my only conversation for months.”

“Father scares her,” Ian explained to Seth over the women’s heads.

“I scare who?” Everyone turned to meet the last arrival. “Why are we still standing? Eve? Is the food ready?”

Seth’s mother appeared carrying a large platter covered in carved meat. “Ready and waiting for you, Labren.”

“Then let us eat,” Seth’s father said. Stepping to Seth’s side, he hugged him swiftly. “It is good to see you home, son.”

“It is good to be home.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

During the following meal, Seth spent more time watching than eating. He ate enough to satisfy his hunger, but he was much more interested in watching the others at the table. Mother and Father sat as they always did at opposite ends of the long table. Periodically throughout the meal they would catch each other’s eye and smile. Mother always enjoyed sitting with the children, so, she had Jonas on one side of her and Kosh on the other. She spent time making sure they had food on their plates and were putting it in their mouths at regular intervals while she carried on a conversation with Quinn and Lachine who had been posted on either side by special request of the boys. Danica had excused herself earlier when the nursemaid appeared to announce the two smaller ones were up from their nap.

At the other end of the table, Danica’s husband, Rynan was deep in conversation with Father about a subject that appeared to interest Elana, who was sitting on the opposite side of Father, and Ian, sitting next to her. Finally, Seth’s eyes fell on Lora in her place directly across from him. Her head bent over her meal she was eating steadily as if that was the only thing on her mind. However, when her head came up, she glanced Father’s way when he challenged something Rynan was claiming. Seth realized that she was actually listening to the conversation going at that end of the table.

It was good to be home, Seth decided as he continued to watch her movements. Ian, apparently loosing interest in the conversation, glanced around the table. Seth met his eyes briefly and then resumed watching Lora’s hands. Content in his thoughts as he tried to decide what he was planning to accomplish during this visit home, he did not realize anything was amiss until suddenly Lora’s hands froze. As Seth raised his eyes to her face, he encountered her wide eyes watching him in surprise. Ian, who was leaning over and whispering in her ear, continued his private one-sided conversation while shooting a mischievous look in Seth’s direction. Seth’s danger sense rose in full battle gear. The last time Ian had looked like that, Seth ended up itching for weeks with the worst case of poison ivy in memory.

Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do. His brother was across the table and Seth couldn’t get at him without causing a scene. Even as he was realizing this, Lora stiffened in her seat and her eyes widened. Seth couldn’t read the emotion in them, but he knew he was going to make his brother regret this, new wife or not, poison ivy was going to be the least of his worries. Suddenly Lora’s face flushed bright red and she dropped her eyes to her plate. Ian leaned away and watched his handy work play out.

Seth willed Lora to ride the storm. If she could just manage to make it through the meal and not make a scene, he would be so proud of her. But then he noticed her hands beginning to shake. Seth lifted her eyes again to her face; she was again looking at him. The moment their eyes met, she dropped the utensils to her plate with a clatter. The noise broke through both conversations, and in the silence, all eyes went to her.

Quickly drawing her hands to her lap, she lowered her eyes. “Please excuse me,” she said. Then shoving back her chair, she fled, dinner napkin still clutched tightly in her fist.

“Ian Lucas Theodoric!” Mother’s voice cut through the silence like a hatchet. Her eyes blazing, she glared at her son. “What did you say to that girl?”

“Nothing, Mother,” Ian said, but when Seth glanced at him, he was looking smugger than a cat that caught a snake. It took all of Seth’s training and experience not to jump across the table and wallop that look of his brother’s face.

“That was obviously not ‘nothing,’” Father said.

Since none of them were speaking in Ratharian and her husband was obviously the focus, Elana turned to her father-in-law and asked what was going on. Father told her and she turned to Ian. “What is this!” she demanded. “I told you no more tricks and you promised.”

“But…” Ian protested, but she cut him off with a wave.

“No more.” She stated. Setting down her knife, she rose and turned to Mother. “Excuse me.”

Mother didn’t need a translation. She nodded.

“Elana,” Ian began, but Elana turned and gave him a look so cold that Seth felt the temperature drop from across the table. Then turning and gracefully dropping Father a curtsey, she exited with her head held high.

Ian turned around with a stormy look on his face.

“What did you say,” Seth demanded.

“If you are so interested, brother, go ask her yourself,” Ian retorted. Taking up his knife, he stabbed a piece of meat from the center platter and proceeded to shred it.

Silence again fell over the table. Finally, Mother spoke. “Seth, I think I saw her go in the direction of the orchards. One of my shawls is hanging inside the kitchen. You best go try to straighten things out.”

“Yes, Mother,” he agreed. Whatever Ian said to her, he was not going to be revealing anytime soon and it had something to do with Seth, so he probably was the best person to talk it out with Lora. After he fetched the heavy woolen shawl from the kitchen, he went out of his way to pass by the back of Ian’s chair and whap the back of it sharply. For once, Mother didn’t admonish Seth. Ian stubbornly did not react and Seth slipped out into the cool autumn air in search of Lora.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lora closed her eyes and willed away the images that Ian had planted with his words. They didn’t budge. She opened her eyes and forced her mind in a different direction. She looked up at the branches waving their multicolored leaves in the wind and smiled. This was a beautiful place. It reminded her of home.

An empty feeling filled her middle as she recalled her last glimpses of the house where she had grown up. She had been the last of her family to walk over the worn sill and latch the heavy door. Her brothers had left for their new school two days before, promising to write and to send for her when they could. Little did they know the plans Aunt Roalalt was putting in motion for her.

Ian and Seth’s playful manner reminded her of the boys. Even Ian’s teasing of her had the flavor of a younger brother pushing his older brother’s buttons. Ian obviously thought Lora meant something to Seth. That much had been clear in his tone and subject. Little did he realize how far from the truth he was guessing. Lora knew Seth only saw her as an employee, someone who was useful.

Lora was content in that. After all that was what she had been seeking when she had arrived on his doorstep. Yes, he was an admirable man, attractive, resourceful, honorable, thoughtful, kind, and much more, but he was not for her. She felt her cheeks warm yet again as Ian’s suggestions slipped across her thoughts. She understood that his family was thinking she was wife material, but she also knew it wasn’t going to happen. He was of a royal line, he had his work that was obviously his life, and he had no interest in marrying. Besides it was clear he was not interested in her in that way. He still referred to her as a child.

“Ian is showing no sign of confessing or apologizing.” Lora jumped at the sound of Seth’s voice. Looking over, she found him standing less than a foot away looking up into the trees. He looked relaxed and comfortable as if he was commenting on the weather. “Normally I would say that his stubborn streak could go on for days, but apparently he has offended Elana with his behavior as well. That changes things.”

“What did he do to Elana?”

He looked down at her and studied her face as he answered. “It seems he promised her he would behave and teasing you did not fit under her definition of behaving.” His gray-green gaze glanced over her face as if assessing her emotional state and something briefly flickered across his face before he turned away. “Are you going to be all right?” he asked, playing with a rotting apple with the toe of his boot.

“Just unsettled,” Lora admitted as the color rose again in her cheeks. Wishing she wasn’t so prone to blushing, she smoothed the dinner napkin and began folding it.

“Was it something about me?”

Without looking up, she nodded.

“I am sorry,” he said. “I should have warned you that they all have been watching for me to show interest in a woman for years. Ever since…” He stopped suddenly. “I guess it was inevitable that they would try to link us together. Ian just is less polite than the others.”

Lora agreed whole-heartedly to the fact Ian had been less than subtle. “So what do we do?” She watched him as he frowned down at the apple. “I got the impression he is not easily dissuaded from a purpose.”

When he turned to her, the frown was gone, but he was very serious. “Let us agree to be friends and let them think what they will. If anyone bothers you, most likely Ian will try again, come find me and I will deal with them. I would guess he is the only one who will act on his belief that I need a wife. I already explained the situation to Mother. She will be an ally.” Kicking the apple away, he offered her his right hand. “Friends?” he asked.

She smiled up at him. He looked almost boyish as he gazed down at her hopefully. Taking his hand, she agreed, “Friends.”

A warm smile crossed his face and he squeezed her hand gently before he released it. “Thank you for understanding. Shall we return to the house? I am sure Mother saved the rest of your dinner. The other two little ones are probably up and I am anxious to meet them.” He offered her his arm. When she didn’t immediately take it, he raised his eyebrow. “We are friends, right?”

All the suggestions that Ian had whispered in her ear teased her memory. Determined she wasn’t going to compromise a possible friendship with Seth, she set her hand timidly on Seth’s forearm. He smiled as he placed his own hand over it possessively before leading her in the direction of the house.

They entered the kitchen just as Danica was setting dinner before her two smallest children. Patri, a stout little three year old, dug into his food with gusto. He out of the three boys looked the most like his father with auburn curls and blue eyes. He steadily shoveled mouthful after mouthful into his little round mouth. “He has been starving after his naps for the past few days,” Danica informed Lora as she settled at the table with her own plate.

“He is stocking up for a growing spurt,” Eve said. She smiled and ruffled the lad’s hair as she passed. “Just watch. He will shoot up a few inches in the next month.”

Danica looked up in horror. “But I just hemmed up Kosh’s old trousers for him.”

Eve laughed. “Haven’t you learned yet? They grow faster than you can adjust the clothes. The first years are the most full of hemming and letting out.”

“Apparently not,” Seth commented with a wink. Turning his attention the little niece who was only managing to get fifty percent of her dinner in her mouth, ten percent on the table and forty percent on her face and large over tunic. Expertly catching a tomato that slipped through Asha’s chubby fingers, he asked, “What is on the agenda for tomorrow, Mother?”

“The teachers are arriving tomorrow,” Danica offered before Eve got a chance to answer.

“Yes,” Eve paused in her dishwashing. “The students are due to start arriving in four days. Labren and Rynan are almost ready for them. You came just in time,” she said smiling over her shoulder. “We were planning one last summer picnic to the swimming hole the day after tomorrow. The teachers are always anxious to get settled in their classrooms and Labren thinks he will have all his preparations done by then.”

“Sounds great,” Seth agreed as he saved Asha’s bread pieces from her lap. “You are going to love the swimming hole,” he told Lora with a smile. “It is too late in the year to go swimming, but I will take you out in the boat and show you around.” Then he was distracted because Asha hurled a handful of peas at him.

“It is beautiful,” Danica continued smiling as she washed Patri’s hands before letting him leave the table. “The trees are particularly colorful and there are plenty of places to roam. I used to walk up there just to swing on the tire swing for hours.”

“So, that is where you would disappear to,” Eve interjected with a laugh.

“Danica, is the old tree house still there?” Seth asked as he continued to pull peas out of his hair.

“What do you mean ‘still there.’” She made a girlish face of disgust. “Rynan insisted on repairing it two years ago for the boys.” She turned to Lora. “I loathe the thing. It is a good twenty feet off the ground and originally had no railing. I insisted that Rynan add a railing before Jonas went up the first time. I still fear he is going to fall and crack his skull one of these days. The boy has no fear of heights.”

“Neither did you at his age,” Seth reminded her. “I recall you liking to see how high you got before the tree started to sway with your weight.”

Danica shot him a smirk and then turned back to Lora. “As soon as I finish cleaning up Asha, I will show you around the buildings. You will need to get to know the layout of the buildings before the students arrive. For those first days, not one of them can ever remember where to go for what and they pester everyone. I will fill you in on what classroom is for what and what all the rules are too. That is the disadvantage of living in a school,” she said as she watched Patri climb down, “Everybody has to obey and enforce the rules.”

“Even the headmaster’s children,” Seth added.

“Especially the headmaster’s children,” Eve corrected him as she took away his empty plate.

* * *

Copyright 2006 Rachel Rossano. Please do not reproduce without express written permission of the author.

Chapter Five

Read Chapter One first!

The next morning Lora woke to Lachine’s colorful Ratharian metaphors as he fumbled with something on the ground two feet from her head.

“Lachine!” Quinn’s voice cut through the younger man’s muffled exclamations in the rapid syllables of the Ratharian language. “She can understand you. Cease!”

Now fully awake, Lora found their campsite crowded with a thick covering of fog. It blanketed everything in gray and played with her sense of space. Her legs were reluctant to move, when she tried to untangle them from her bedding. When she finally managed to get on her feet, she discovered a new muscle in her back she never knew she had. It was declaring its injured existence with a loud and painful cry. Refusing to give in to her body’s complaints, she carefully folded up her bedding and made slow but steady progress toward the campfire.

She located it by listening to Lachine’s continued commentary on the woes of traveling in the fog. She thankfully noted that he had stopped cursing. When she arrived, she found Seth crouched over the small fire stirring porridge in a small pot. He looked up as she melted out of the haze and smiled. Reaching into the bag at his side, he pulled out a bowl and served her breakfast.

“I am telling you,” Lachine continued in his native tongue. “We could walk off a cliff if we traveled in this.” He shot Seth a pointed look before lifting his bowl to his mouth.

“We are traveling today,” Seth informed him firmly. “Quinn and I know the trail and the fog will burn off by mid morning. It is just the temperature change coming off the mountains. Once we reach the tree line and the sun is fully up, it will be gone.” Lachine grimaced, but fell silent as he turned his attention to consuming his breakfast.

“Did you sleep well,” Seth asked. Lora lowered her bowl from her mouth to find him looking at her with a question in his eyes. He hadn’t packed spoons so she was sliding her meal from the edge of the bowl into her mouth.

“Fine, considering it has been awhile since I have slept on the ground.”

“We are going to be on the move all day,” he said as he turned his attention to the small amount of porridge left in the pot. “I am hoping to reach the other side of the pass before nightfall. Then it will only be another day’s journey to the Academy.”

Quinn emerged out of the gray void and loomed above her. “The horses are loaded up except for the cooking gear and I filled the water skins. As soon as you are ready, we can leave.”

“I will eat the rest,” Lachine offered as Seth began to scrape the pan. Lora rushed to finish her first portion as Lachine downed his second. Seth disappeared to clean the pan in the stream as Lora made her way over to the horses. It took her a moment, but she finally managed to repack her saddlebags. She was just about to start on the problem of mounting, when Seth emerged from the mist.

“I figured you would need some help again,” he said as he set down the sack of supplies. Without waiting for her reply, he lifted her up and set her in the saddle. “Are you steady?” he asked.

“Yes, thank you,” she replied in surprise. He seemed in a great hurry to start moving.

“Good.” He retrieved his sack and strode in the direction of his horse, a great dark shadow in the fog. Glancing around, Lora spotted Lachine and Quinn already mounted a short distance away. Urging Taffy forward, she fell into formation as Quinn began to lead them across the stream.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Seth glanced over their roughly single-file line. They were making excellent progress considering the changes in terrain and the problems Lora was having with her horse. They had picked their way carefully around two rockslides and so far, they forced to backtrack twice to find an alternate route around washouts. As he predicted, the fog was gone by the time the sun reached its highest point.

They only thing worrying him now was Lora’s horse. The chestnut was not comfortable with the narrow trails and steep incline of parts of the trail up, but now that they were descending, Taffy was getting skittish. He had been watching Lora’s handling of the reins and her balance and he was impressed at her skill. However, even the best horsewoman cannot handle every situation, especially when her mount was upset.

Lachine’s mount flicked a pebble with its hoof. The stone rattled as fell down the steep drop to the left. Taffy blew air swiftly out of her nostrils, flaring them, but she kept moving. He watched as Lora carefully tightened her grip on the reins and spoke soothingly to the horse. If the trail wasn’t so tight, he would have had her stop and dismount, but Seth knew that would be just as, if not more, dangerous. So he continued letting Lora handle it until the trail opened up again, just forty feet beyond her current position.

Suddenly Taffy stopped. Lora leaned forward and whispered in the mare’s ear as she rubbed the side of her neck. Seth stopped his own mount a safe distance back and watched as Lora continued to talk to the horse. Beyond her Quinn and Lachine had reached the open area and were realizing that Lora was not behind them. Both of them dismounted and Quinn handed the reins to Lach. Turning back, he started to retrace his steps to Lora on foot.

Lora didn’t see him as she concentrated on Taffy trembling beneath her. Seth prayed desperately she wouldn’t be startled when Quinn entered her sight. Taffy was shaking; the quivering was visible as it flowed across the muscles beneath the horse’s hide. Lora, still not seeing Quinn’s approach, gradually applied the pressure of her single heel to Taffy’s side. The mare’s response was to stamp her feet and back up, spraying pebbles down the drop. They rang out as they showered down the slope. Lora gave the horse a terse, firm command and the mare stood still again.

Quinn was only a few feet away, when Taffy decided she had enough. Without warning, she lunged forward. Quinn threw himself against the side of the mountain to the right, scrambling to get his feet off the trail. The mare’s hooves barely missed him as she bolted past. As soon as the trail widened, Lora seemed to get control again as she pulled up hard. Taffy pawed the air in protest, but stopped her forward lunge. As soon as the horse’s four hooves were on the ground, Lora began to unhook her leg. Lachine reached her first, just in time to catch her as she struggled to get down.

Seth was impatient to get to her, but he could only go as fast as Quinn could move until there was enough room to go around him. By the time, he had drawn the black up and leapt down, Lachine had lifted her down. She didn’t even try to stand but sank to the grass and buried her face in her shaking hands.

“Are you hurt?” Seth demanded as he knelt beside her. She shook her head in reply, but did not look up. Her breath was coming in long shuddering bursts as she tried to calm herself. Quinn arrived, field kit in hand.

“Is she injured?” he asked as he loomed over them.

Seth looked up and shook his head. “Just shaken, I think.”

Quinn nodded his understanding. “It is good a place as any to stop for a meal. I will get out the food. You can bring her over when she is ready.”

As Quinn moved away and Lachine took the mare’s reins to draw her back to the other horses, Seth turned his attention back to Lora. Her hands were still shaking, but she was getting her breathing under control. “At least look at me, so I know you are alright,” he coaxed.

Slowly she lowered her hands, clasping them to hide their shaking. Her face was completely white beneath the dirt and her brown eyes stood out, dark and wide. He watched as she carefully swallowed. “I wasn’t certain she was going to stop,” she whispered. Then she laughed, it was a shaky weak sound. “Now my shoulders and arms hurt even more than my legs.” She flashed him a wobbly smile and swiped at the stray tear making a wet streak across her cheek.

“I think my heart stopped,” Seth admitted as he smiled. “I don’t think you will be riding her any more today. We are only halfway down and I know of at least one more spot like that one between here and where I was planning to camp tonight.”

She shook her head. “Somebody has to ride her and I got her this far. She is getting used to me and if you change her rider now, she is going to be even more difficult to handle.”

Seth held up his hand to cut her off and waited for her to stop before he said, “Nobody is going to ride her until we are on the flat land. We will have you double up with one of us and shift some of the gear to her. Gear that we don’t mind losing.” He smiled at her encouragingly. “Both Lach and Quinn would have my skin if I let you get back on the horse and I plan on keeping my skin for a long while.”

A brief flicker of relief passed across her face. He realized she had not been willing to admit how much she dreaded getting back on Taffy.

“Come,” he said as he rose and offered her a hand, “Let me help you over to the food. You will feel better once you have something to eat.”

Obediently she placed her hand in his. It was so small his seemed to swallow it. He gently pulled her to her feet and offered her an arm.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The rest of the afternoon and evening, Lora rode with Seth. As uncomfortable as sharing a horse was, Lora was thankful when Taffy caused problems at least four more times. Quinn spent more time on foot leading Taffy than he did in the saddle for most of the afternoon as they descended. Once they reached the foothills, their pace increased and by nightfall the terrain had eased into gently rolling hills.

The sun was set and the stars had come out when Seth finally called for them to halt. They were still in the dense woodland that they had entered at the tree line coming down the mountain. The path was wide and clear with the trees well back so Lora could see the sky when she look up, but a few steps beyond the trail the dense brush crowded out any sight of the stars or the ground. The space around the trail widened slightly and as Seth guided his horse off the trail, Lora made out a circle of stones on the ground in the center of the clearing.

“We are on my family’s land,” Seth informed her as he dismounted. “We won’t reach the house until noon or later tomorrow, but we are close.”

Impressed, Lora looked down at him in surprise. In the lantern light, his eyes were hidden in the shadow, but she sensed eagerness in his manner that she had not sensed before. “You are glad to be home aren’t you?” she asked before she thought about it.

He looked up at her in surprise. Then he smiled. “Yes,” he said, “It is good to be so close and know I am going to be there soon. It feels nice to be camping in a familiar place.” He stood silently for a few moments looking up at her without saying anything. His face was unreadable so she had no idea of his thoughts, but the intensity of his gaze made her uncomfortable. Then he raised his hands to her waist. “Come,” he said.

Obediently, she placed her hands on his shoulders, but he didn’t simply lift her down as he had done before. He caught her legs and carried her over to a dry place near Lachine. Setting her on a log that was lying near the fire ring, he immediately turned and walked back to his horse.

“Say something to annoy him?” Lachine asked as he watched Seth’s retreating back.

“Not that I know of,” Lora admitted. He had seemed a little swift in his movements, but otherwise, he was gentle. She shrugged and turned her attention to watching Lach’s fire building while she massaged feeling back into her legs.

Dinner was a quiet affair. The men had a brief discussion of the watch duty assignments. Quinn took first watch, Lach took second, and Seth, again, chose to be the one to greet the dawn. When Lora offered to take a watch too, all three men told her that her assistance wasn’t needed. “We are used to less sleep. There is no need for you to have less than you usually get,” Lach assured her.

“I wouldn’t want you looking tired and drawn when you meet my mother,” Seth told her. “Besides she would tan my hide if I let you take a watch.”

Quinn silently nodded his agreement, but he kept glancing at her throughout the meal. He didn’t look worried or pleased; he just met her eyes briefly and then turned his attention to his food. She also caught him studying Seth when Seth wasn’t looking.

Lachine turned his full attention to his dinner and then promptly went to bed. Lora followed his lead, but as she was drifting off, she heard the murmur of voices from the campfire. She glanced over to see Quinn and Seth having a low discussion. She couldn’t make out the words, but Seth was frowning at the older Ratharian. This was all she noticed before the low hum lulled her off to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“She noticed you looking at her tonight,” Seth commented as he watched the fire. The wood glowed from within as the flames leapt above the logs. “I also noticed you watching me. What is on your mind?”

Quinn didn’t answer at first and when Seth looked up, he found the man’s dark eyes watching his face. Refusing to be let the older man look into his soul, Seth returned his attention to the flames and glowing wood.

“You are growing attached to her,” he stated matter-of-factly in Ratharian. “And you are fighting it.”

“Not you, too.” Seth frowned. “Why does everyone assume that I am growing attached to her, just because she is still with us?”

“That is not why I think you are growing attached,” Quinn stated calmly.

Seth looked over at the man he had been working alongside for over eight years. In all that time, he had never made a comment about Seth’s relationships. Not that there had been any during that time. There hadn’t been a woman of any kind in his life since Parel when he was seventeen and he had not even been interested in her. The interest had all been on her side.

“Quinn, you and I both know that getting attached to anyone in my line of work is a death sentence. I have resolved that I will never put that kind of guilt on anyone. I am not going to even consider marriage until I am ready to retire and maybe not even then. So you can stop your matchmaking now and forget about it and that is an order.” He met Quinn’s eyes steadily to make it clear that he was serious about the order.

“I won’t mention it again, sir,” Quinn told him calmly.

Seth turned back to the fire and purposefully pushed the subject from his mind.

“What are you going to tell your mother?” Quinn asked. Seth’s head snapped up, but he grabbed the anger before it made it to his mouth. As he struggled to get his temper under control, Quinn poked again. “You know that your uncle was right about them thinking immediately of her being your choice.”

“I don’t regard her in that way,” Seth assured Quinn.

“Then you should start preparing your explanation for tomorrow.” Quinn stood and stretched. “I am going to take a walk around the perimeter. You should get some sleep.” Then he walked off into the darkness.

Seth frowned into the fire. As much as he didn’t like it, Quinn was right. Lora was going to cause a small sensation. He groaned and rubbed his eyes so that the flames blurred.

If only Ian would marry and settle down, then all the pressure would move from Seth to him. Their three cousins, Ireic’s sons, had already secured the name of Theodoric with their two sons each, but Seth’s parents seemed hopeful that their sons’ would soon settle down and do the same. Seth had to admit that he understood their impatience. Ian was twenty-seven, he was twenty-eight, and neither one of them were showing signs of wanting to marry and start a family.

Seth ran his hands through his hair. It wasn’t time yet. He knew it. There was too much more to be done before he could let his mind turn to the subject. Wearily, he got to his feet and went in search of his bedding. The problem would still be there the next morning and perhaps his head would clear by then.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Late morning the next day, Lora got her first glimpse of the Academy. They had just emerged from the closely grown trees for the first time at the crest of a hill. The valley spread out before them in green with a garland of golds and reds. The orchards below were beginning to turn to their autumn garb and the colors were eye catching. But even more eye catching were the buildings beyond the orchards. Three tall stately structures peered at them from among the trees. The roofs were peaked and at least one of them looked to be four stories high.

The sounds of children playing in the orchard came on the breeze as they began to follow the path into the valley. They approached the buildings by way of the orchards, which were surrounded by a low stonewall. The entrance was an opening wide enough to allow the passage of a wagon or carriage. When they reached it, Seth dismounted and unlatched the gate. As he dragged it aside, a child appeared from between the trees.

The boy had a head full of rather mussed dark red hair and he watched them with a pair of bright green eyes. Lora judged him to be about seven years old. He watched Seth’s moving of the gate with great interest. “Are you my Uncle Seth?” he asked suddenly as if he could not handle the suspense any longer.

Seth turned and regarded him seriously. “I don’t know,” Seth replied. “Am I?”

The boy stepped forward, wiped his palm on the back of his britches, and then extended a very dirty hand toward Seth. “I am Jonas Wickman. I am pleased to meet you, sir.” He said it with great gravity and solemnity.

Seth leaned down and took the hand with equal gravity. “I am pleased to meet you Master Wickman. I am Seth Theodoric.”

Instantly Jonas’ face lit up. “You are my uncle,” he proclaimed and promptly threw his arms around Seth as far as they would go. “Grandma said you were coming. She promised to make gingerbread cookies when you got here and Grandpa said he would take us fishing. I have never been fishing before. Have you been fishing before, Uncle Seth?” The boy leaned back so he could see Seth’s face.

Seth laughed. “Yes, I have been fishing before and I look forward to going again.”

“Uncle Ian said he beat you at swimming around the water hole, but I told him he was fibbing, because I always beat my little brothers at everything because I am bigger than them. Uncle Ian said you are no longer bigger than him; so, you have even chances and he says he is faster than you at everything now. Is it true? ‘Cause if it is, I have to start practicing so I can still beat Kosh and Patri when we are all grown.”

“I’ll tell you what,” Seth interjected as the Jonas paused to take a breath. “Why don’t you ask Quinn about it as you escort him and the others to the stables? I want to go surprise Grandma.”

Jonas stepped back willingly. “Can I lead your horse?” He eyed the animal with awe. “I want a black one like him when I grow up.”

Seth looked down at him skeptically and then glanced over at Quinn with a raised eyebrow. Quinn took the hint and dismounted. Turning back to his nephew, Seth said, “I will do something even better; I will let you ride him.” For a second, Lora was certain the boy’s eyes were going to pop out of his head. “But first I want you to meet someone. This is Master Quinn.” Right on cue, the tall, thin Ratharian bowed solemnly to the small boy. The awe and surprise on the child’s face was priceless as he regarded Quinn. “He knew both Uncle Ian and myself when we were your age, if you want to know anything about us, he is the best person to ask.”

“But Grandpa claims he is,” Jonas protested and then looked thoughtful. “But so does Grandma.”

“They are biased,” Quinn informed the lad.

Jonas looked from Seth to Quinn and back as if deciding whether or not these two new men were pulling his leg. He finally asked, “What does biased mean?”

“Biased means they see things differently than others do because they love your uncles so much,” Quinn offered. “Do you wish to ride?”

Jonas nodded and Quinn lifted him onto the horse. As soon as he was astride, he asked, “So, you don’t love my uncles?”

Lora laughed; she couldn’t help it. Lachine joined her. Quinn remained stubbornly solemn as Jonas looked from them to Quinn and back.

“Was I not supposed to ask that?” Jonas asked seriously. His eyebrows puckered.

“Don’t pay any attention to them.” Quinn pointedly turned away and started leading the two horses toward the stables. “You can ask me anything you want, Master Jonas.”

The child immediately took him up on the offer and began pestering Quinn with questions about Seth and Ian’s childhood. Lora turned Taffy to follow and out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Seth disappearing among the trees in the direction of the buildings.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Seth breathed deeply, filling his lungs with the familiar scents of autumn. The breeze nipped at his hands and the sun warmed his head as it filtered through the trees. Memories of autumns past flooded his mind as he walked. The yearly argument as mother tried to convince Ian and him that they now had to keep more clothing on when playing outside. Apple harvest was a favorite time, climbing up to reach the highest branches, racing to see who could pick the most, and tasting the apples fresh from the tree.

He stepped beyond the shelter of the boughs and looked across the courtyard at the house where he had been born. Tall and stately, the outer appearance gave no hint of the uses of the space beneath its roof. There were no signs of the general chaos that descended upon it during the school year, the mad pattering of children’s feet as they raced along the halls and the whispered secrets and tall tales at bedtime.

He recalled the time he and Ian had made their own rope ladder and tried to sneak out for a midnight swim. Fortunately, they had miscalculated the distance between their third floor window and the ground by ten feet. Ian, who had gone first, refused to make the jump and in the scramble to change places, Seth stepped on his hand. Ian howled and yelled. Seth still remembered the sinking feeling in his stomach when he saw Father appearing seconds later directly below them. He had stood there in only his britches watching as the two of them clinging to the ropes, swinging and bumping the wall.

Seth smiled as he crossed the courtyard between the dormitories and the classroom building and approached the main house. Entering by the double doors, he slipped into the dining room. He glanced around to find it empty. The large table was spread with the place settings for the noon meal and the savory aroma of apple pie and fresh bread wafted from the direction of the kitchen. He smiled as his stomach rumbled and his mouth watered. He quickly crossed to the kitchen door and listened. As he expected, the muffled sound of Mother’s voice greeted him. Slowly turned he turned the handle.

As he eased the door open, the sound grew louder. Noiselessly he slipped inside and closed the door with care. Turning to survey the room, he found everything just as he remembered it. The high, whitewashed walls covered with hooks and various pans and utensils. The wide hearth, swept clean and glowing with the cooking fire, took up the right hand wall while the large windows, standing open to the breeze, dominated the other outside wall. His mother, Eve Theodoric, was at the table. At her feet was a large basket of apples, half full. In the large bowl beneath her hands, he could see the tips of sliced apples. Her voice was soft and pleasant as she peeled the delicate skin off another piece of fruit.

There was more silver and less gold in her long hair than when he had last seen her. She still wore it long and wavy down her back, pulled back with a single ribbon, the way Father liked it. He was certain, though he couldn’t see her face at this angle, that there were more wrinkles about her eyes and mouth. He hoped most of them were from laughter. Having a grandson like Jonas around would have surely added to her joy lines.

He watched her hands. He had always loved watching her hands. Even as a child he would gaze for hours as her fingers moving gracefully, lithe and strong, as they slipped the knife beneath the thin skin of the fruit and peeled it away.

“Can you still peel a whole apple in one strip?” he asked suddenly.

She froze. “Seth?” she whispered. She dropped the apple and knife on the table and turned to face him. The apple rolled across the surface and hit the floor with a sticky thump. “Seth!” she exclaimed. She rose and stretched her open arms toward him.

Seth crossed the short distance in a few strides and slipping his arms beneath hers, he picked her up and held her close. Burying his face in her hair, he filled his lungs with the warm scents of home and hearth. They held each other for a moment before reluctantly parting.

“I didn’t expect you until tomorrow at the earliest,” she said as she blinked back tears.

Digging a handkerchief out of his pocket, Seth offered it to her. “Uncle Ireic was easier to convince than I had hoped.” He smiled and crossed to pick up the wayward apple. As he handed to her, he said, “It is so good to be home.”

She looked up at him with shining eyes. “It is good to have you home. Come sit and tell me about what you have been doing.” She went to wash the apple off at the pump and Seth eased into one of the worn kitchen chairs.

“I would rather wait and tell everyone at once. You know Father likes to be the first to know what is going on in the outside world.”

Eve nodded in understanding. “So, where are Quinn and that other man you wrote about? I hope you didn’t leave them off somewhere while you came here.”

“No, they are taking the horses to the stables.” He watched as Eve crossed back to the table and picked up her knife again. “We met Jonas on the edge of the orchards. I can’t believe how much he has grown.”

“You should see them all,” Eve answered. “Kosh and Patri are turning into little versions of their father. Oh, and Asha is so sweet, she looks just like Danica did at two.” Seth smiled as a proud maternal glint appeared in Eve’s eye as she spoke of her grandchildren. “Ian is home too,” she continued. “He brought home a young woman, Elana.” She glanced at Seth before turning her attention back to the apple skin. “He met her in Ratharia and brought her home. He says his shipping business is finally at a point where he can manage it from land and he is going to settle down. She is beautiful, Seth, and perfect for Ian. I can’t wait for you to meet her.”

“Uh, Mother,” he interrupted as he reached across the table to grab a discarded peeling. “I also brought home a young woman.” Eve’s head came up suddenly and her eyes lit with hope, as he knew they would. “But she isn’t a potential bride, Mother,” he clarified. He watched regretfully as her eyes dimmed slightly. “She is an employee. She appeared on our doorstep in Jumare needing a job. We needed help with the house, so I hired her. Quinn and Lachine are quite taken with her and I feel obligated to make sure she is taken care of, at least until I can locate her brothers. So, she is part of our group for the foreseeable future.” He creased the peeling, putting the smooth sides together. Bending back the other way, it snapped in two.

“You are asking me not to make her uncomfortable.” Seth raised his eyes to find his mother watching him carefully. “She is welcome here as long as she wants to stay. Your father might even be able to help you find her brothers.”

“I hope so,” Seth admitted as he dropped his gaze to the broken peel.

Suddenly the door burst open and a small boy of perhaps five tore into the room as fast as his little legs could carry him. Seth only got a brief glimpse of the child as he careened around the table and ran full-tilt into Eve’s skirts. “Granme,” he exclaimed into to the material. The glimpse that Seth got though was enough. The child was naked from the waist down.

“Kosh!” A stern female voice came from the direction of the dining room and a moment later a slender woman in her late twenties burst into the room. “Mother have you seen Kosh?” she asked as she put a tired hand to her forehead. “He has messed his pants again and when I took them off, he escaped before I could get these on him.” She raised a pair of small trousers and under things to emphasize her point. “I have no idea how you managed to keep Seth and Ian decently clothed when they were this age. I am about to give up.”

“She didn’t,” Seth informed her matter-of-factly. “If I remember the stories correctly, I was stripping for Uncle Ireic and Aunt Lirth all the time.”

Recognition dawned across her face. “Seth!” Child and clothing forgotten, she dropped the pants on the tabletop as she flew to hug Seth.

Eve, who had long since set down her last apple, caught the clothing up, leaned over, and expertly slipped them on the fugitive’s bum. Turning him around, she sent him out of the kitchen with a slight pat and a whispered, “keep them on.” Seeing the opportunity, Kosh ran for it.

* * *

Copyright 2006 by Rachel Rossano. Do not reproduce without express written permission of the author.

Chapter Four

The room was dim, but Seth knew what to expect. He had been here numerous times before. Three men were there waiting for them. Two were standing at attention with large capable hands resting too casually on the hilts of their swords. The third, Seth instantly recognized: King Ireic Theodoric of Anavrea was sitting at the only table in the sparsely furnished room. The late morning sunlight was falling across the desk onto the papers and oilskin bag that lay spread across it. It highlighted the king’s strong lean fingers and the single gold ring adorning his left hand. He raised this hand as they entered, but did not look up. The guard on the left instructed them to be seated.

Read Chapter Three first!

There were only three chairs pushed against the left wall, so Seth chose to stand. He pulled out a chair and motioned Lora into it as Quinn and Lachine also pulled out chairs for themselves. Taking a position leaning against the left wall, Seth waited for Lora’s presence to be noticed. He was slightly nervous about the sensation she was going to produce over the next few hours, but he was certain how his superior would react.

“Seth,” Ireic began before looking up and then as he raised his eyes, he stopped. His eyes widened as they took in Lora’s appearance, a small young woman in a worn traveling cloak. He then glanced to Seth with raised eyebrows. Seth couldn’t suppress the smile. He seldom got a chance to truly surprise his superior.

“Your Majesty,” Seth said. “May I present to you, my housekeeper and cook, Miss Lora Guinia.” He gestured from Lora to the King. “Lora, this is the King of Anavrea, Ireic Theodoric.” As he looked to Lora, he found her frowning fiercely at him. He grinned in return.

Rising quickly to her feet, she executed a curtsy suitable for the court.

King Ireic also rose and circling the desk, he bowed slightly to her. “Any woman who can react so well to such a surprise is well worth a little honor,” he said as he offered his hand. Lora reluctantly allowed him to take hers and blushed becomingly when Ireic bowed over and brought it to his lips. “Please be seated,” he said as he released her fingers. “I am sorry we do not have surroundings suitable for a lady, but I can at least offer a chair to you while I deal with Seth.”

“Thank you, Sire,” she murmured and sank gratefully into the offered chair.

“Seth,” Ireic said sternly as he turned his attention to Seth.

“She showed up on my steps one stormy night almost a week ago. Quinn didn’t have the heart to turn her away and we needed help preparing the house, so I hired her.” Seth watched Ireic’s face as he offered his explanation. “We had some slight complications, but the operation was completed successfully. I have taken a fancy to the child, so I decided to bring her along. I have an inkling that she will be of use later.”

Ireic nodded thoughtfully. Quinn and Lachine were both frowning, but had remained silent. The king turned to Quinn. “Is this what happened?”

“Yes, Sire,” the older Ratharian replied.

“Is there anything else you would like to add?”

“Yes, Sire. She had no knowledge of our previous operations and knew nothing of the package. There was no way she could have leaked of its possible locations since she was never out of any of our sights long enough to relay a message of any kind.”

The king studied Quinn for a moment. “Do you also vouch for this girl?” he asked Lachine.

“Yes, Sire,” Lachine said immediately. “I also agree with Quinn that she had no knowledge or opportunity.”

Ireic nodded slowly and then turned to Lora. “What is the country of your birth?”

“Braulyn, Sire,” Lora responded promptly.

The king looked to Seth. “I can assure you that our operations in no way hurt Braulyn’s interests. With that knowledge, do you feel comfortable taking an oath to never reveal anything to anyone about the conversations that are about to take place in this room? The lives of these men will depend on your ability to keep silent.”

“Yes, Sire.”

“Good. Now raise your right hand and repeat after me…” Seth watched as Lora swore an oath similar to the one he had sworn when he had entered into the King’s Service. Her doing this still did not prove her loyalty, but it did add a measure of reassurance to her case.

The oath finished, the king turned his attention back to Seth. Leaning on the edge of the table, he said, “Report.”

Seth began his report. The operation along the Sardmaran Northern border was successful. The local information network was in place and functioning. The first report would be arriving in a month. The King Parnan of Sardmara sent greetings. The slave trade was flourishing despite the King Parnan’s efforts to undermine it out of existence. He is hesitant to begin to take a more solid stand on the issue, but would in Seth’s opinion eventually do so. The Ratharian Ambassador at the Sardmaran court was less than cooperative. All he was willing to admit was that the Ratharian Raijia’s health was not the best and that there was still no heir.

The time spent in Braulyn had proven profitable. They had made all the exchanges of information and goods that were arranged, including the purchase of the medicine that was desperately needed in Edgton and Ana City. The contacts in Blairdark, Jumare, and Kiylin were doing well. The leak in Tyre was dealt with and the dispute in Lorant was resolved.

As he reached the end of the report, Seth motioned Quinn to stand. He did and began removing his cloak. “As you already know, we were searched at the Braulyn border. That is not unusual, but they problem is that they knew to check the hidden compartment under the carriage bottom and beneath the left lantern catch. They got the information from someone, because their finding of the compartments was not accidental. They knew what they were looking for and where to look for it.” As he spoke, Quinn had removed his outer vest and tunic and was now unwinding the thin cloth that was bound around his ribs. “Thankfully, we were not transporting anything in those compartments.”

The king watched with interest as Quinn produced ten thin packets of brown and green powder from the layers of cloth. “What about the documents and signatures?” he asked Seth.

Seth nodded and leaning down, he began unlacing his boots. He had deposited the papers the night before, as soon as Ratuer and his minions had been truly gone. “The payment for the silk is in the carriage, we didn’t see the need to hide it,” he told the king as he pulled a sheaf of papers from a pocket in the leather that had covered his calf.

Ireic examined the packets and glanced over the papers as Quinn replaced his clothing and Seth relaced his boots. Once Quinn was seated, the king looked up. “Excellent work as usual,” he said. “Except for the leak, you have excelled yourselves. Seth, your father is going to be proud.” Something in the way he said it made Seth suspicious.

“But…” he prompted the king.

Ireic met his eyes regretfully. “I am sorry to say this, but I am going to have to send you to Ratharia. Information from our resources there has been sketchy since you left and for the past month, I have received nothing. Considering the Raijia’s declining health and the lack of a heir, I am going to need someone I can rely on to get me information and oversee Anavrea’s interests in the transfer of power. In light of your service and experience, you are the best man for the job.”

Seth frowned as he met Ireic’s eyes. “I and my men have not had a break in five years, Sire. I was planning on requesting time to visit my family.”

Ireic’s face softened. “How are they?”

“You would know better than I, Sire,” Seth responded coolly. “You saw father four months ago. I have not seen him for seven years. He wasn’t there when I visited five years ago. Mother, Danica, and her oldest were the only ones I saw and Danica has three more children now: a niece and nephews that I have never seen. I don’t even know where my brother, Ian, is anymore. Please let me go home for a few months.”

For a moment, he forgot the others in the room. “Uncle Ireic, I promised to serve you and Anavrea as best I could, but I never agreed to never see my family again. My men and I are tired; it is a bone weariness that a few good nights sleep will not relieve. If we don’t get a break soon, we will crack. I don’t want to take on a mission knowing that I might fail in completing it.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lora looked up in surprise. She had been listening with interest to Seth’s report and wondering what she had gotten herself into when he had suddenly addressed the King as Uncle Ireic. Even now as she looked from one face to the other, she could see the family resemblance. The king’s hair was graying and his eyes were brown and framed with wrinkles, but she could see the similarities in their built and facial structure, especially their noses and around the eyes. Of course, the fact both men had a deep fatigue lingering barely beneath the surface probably helped them look related. Even as she listened to Seth try to convince the king to give him and his men time off, she couldn’t help thinking that the king looked like he needed it just as badly.

The air between Seth and the king hung heavy with an old tension. These men had covered this ground before more than once. She glanced at Lachine and Quinn. Lachine was watching the king’s face hopefully. He was clearly hoping for a positive answer. Quinn, however, was watching Seth closely, much as he had been for the entire conversation. There was concern in his gaze.

Finally the king leaned back with a sigh and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Alright,” he said in a low voice, “I can give you a month, but only a month. From the last report I received, the Raijia will most likely last five months in his condition. So, I can spare you for a month, which will give you plenty of time to travel to Ratharia and get settled before things really go critical.”

Seth nodded gravely. “Thank you, Uncle.”

The king nodded without looking up. “I or Dorn will meet you here to brief and supply you for the journey. Are you going to want to bring Miss Guinia to Ratharia too?”

“Yes,” Seth said glancing over his shoulder and meeting her eyes. “I will let you know if she changes her mind, but if she is still interested in going, she may.”

The king was also looking at her with amusement. “Seth, have considered how your family is going to react to you showing up on the doorstep with a young female in tow?”

“What do you mean?” Seth immediately asked, turning his attention back to his uncle.

Then the king suddenly laughed. “Don’t you remember?”

“I remember,” Seth told him, “but I don’t think she qualifies.” He glanced back at her. Lora wasn’t sure what they were talking about. She looked at Seth questioningly. “Don’t worry,” he said as he straightened. Turning back to his uncle, the king, he extended his hand. “Until a month from now…”

Rising, the king took Seth’s hand. “Say hello to you parents for me. Tell Eve I couldn’t keep her son from her any longer. He has too much of his father in him.”

Then the king dismissed each of them with a handclasp and a smile. When he came to her, he leaned over and kissed her cheek. “I hope for Seth’s sake, I will be seeing you in a month.” Before she could think of a response, Seth was taking her hand and leading her back out into the sunlight.

“We are going to head north and cross the border at the next pass,” Seth informed them as they emerged on the porch. Turning to Lora, he asked, “Do you ride?”

She was still trying to sort out the conversation she had just overheard, so she did not answer immediately. “Yes, I ride.”

“Good,” he said and dropping her hand, he stepped down off the porch. “Quinn you see to the horses. I will get the supplies and the map. It has been a while since we traveled this way and I don’t want to risk getting lost.” Turning his attention to Lachine he said, “Show Lora to the cook and see that she eats, we will not be stopping for dinner. Get some food for yourself too. We will be back here in a half hour.” With that, he started striding toward one of the other buildings scattered among the trees. Quinn likewise disappeared in the opposite direction.

“Well how do you like that?” Lach exclaimed. “For a moment there I didn’t think he was going to manage it. What about you?”

Lora shrugged. She was not completely sure what had actually occurred back in that room. Her head was still swimming with the new information that her employer was the nephew of the King of Anavrea. “Where does his family live?” she wondered aloud.

“Somewhere in Braulyn I would guess,” Lach replied as he stepped off the porch.

“You mean you didn’t go with him when he visited them last?” She trotted to keep up with him as he started off into the trees toward a large, low sprawling building. Smoke wisped out of the chimney.

“Nope,” Lach announced as she caught up. “I have only been working with him for four and half years. I met him before that, though, in Ratharia while he was serving in the Ratharian military.”

“That was when he was Jorthta Ethan.” She suddenly understood where the title came from.

“Yep,” Lach agreed as he shot her a smile. “He was the best Jorthta in the whole infantry. He saved my hide many times before he was released. That was why I got this position, because he requested me. Once he heard I have arrived in the country, he requested that I be commissioned as his assistant. Here we are,” he announced as he pulled the door open for her. “Remember what the Jorthta ordered and don’t give me any hassle about eating. When he tells you we aren’t stopping for dinner, he means it.”

The savory smell of cooking food filled Lora’s nose even before she had stepped over the doorsill. Her stomach answered with a rumble and Lachine’s fears of having to force her were put to rest.

A half hour later, they were back at the small building, sitting side by side on the porch talking like old friends. Lora had learned about Lach’s childhood in the poor village on the western side of the Ratharia. He had entered the military to escape a future as a poverty-stricken farmer. After his time under Seth, he continued to serve for a few years. Then he was injured and discharged. Having lost touch with his family, he returned home to find his father long dead, his mother raising a second family, and no place left for him. So, he took his discharge allotment and paid for passage to Anavrea. “Seth had spoken so highly of the country, I wanted to see his homeland for myself,” he told her as they scanned the yard for signs of either Quinn or Seth. “Somehow, I still don’t know how, he found out I was on this side of the Silver Channel and sent a man to enlist me. I have been with him ever since.”

Lora watched the man’s face as he talked and tried to imagine herself in his shoes, a man in a foreign land serving a foreign government all because he admired the man he was working under. “What about Quinn?” she asked. “You mentioned something about him raising Seth.”

Lach was shaking his head even before Lora had finished her question. “If you have any questions about Quinn, you ask Quinn. I am not volunteering any information about that puzzle. I have no idea how he got hooked up with Seth, but I do know they have known each other for years, even from before Seth went to Ratharia.”

“So, Quinn was with him in Ratharia?”

Lach held up a hand and jutted his chin in the direction of some approaching horses and the man leading them. “I told you, Miss Lora. If you want to know about Quinn, you ask him.” Lach then rose and met Quinn. Lora was left to hurry after him as best she could.

Quinn asked Lachine a question that Lora could not make out, but she heard Lach’s reply. “He hasn’t returned yet.”

Quinn stopped and the four horses’ heads bobbed impatiently. “You will have plenty time to use up that energy, boys,” Lachine said to the horses as he reached out to touch the nearest one’s nose. “So which of these beauties is mine?”

“The butter colored,” Quinn replied smoothly. “The chestnut is for Miss Guinia and the black for Master Ethan.”

Lach took the reigns of his horse and led it a little ways away. Lora watched as he started talking to it is low tones as he stroked the beast’s nose. She remembered her brother Braun would do the same thing whenever they had gone riding as a group. A spasm of homesickness swept over her. With the plans to go to Ratharia for an undetermined amount of time, she had no idea if she would ever see her brothers again. The strong desire to see them brought tears to her eyes.

“Are you alright?” Quinn’s concerned voice broke through her thoughts. She turned to find him standing over her with a look similar to the one he had regarded Seth with earlier. The look of a father or mentor worried about the state of his child or charge. She nodded, but she knew he didn’t believe her.

“Here,” he offered the reigns of the chestnut to her. “Her name is Taffy.” She glanced up at him in surprise. That was a strange name for a military horse. He smiled at her. “She is the stable master’s wife’s mount. I told her that I needed a lady’s mount and he insisted I take her for you. His wife no longer rides and it has been time consuming for him to exercise her every day.” She accepted the reigns and introduced herself to the horse.

She was adjusting the stirrups when Seth appeared carrying saddlebags for them all. He handed one to Quinn and Lach before he approached her. “The guards moved your trunk to the storage area. You are going to need clothing for the journey, but leave most of it here. It will be here when we return. Just follow Lach and Quinn; I will watch the horses.” He handed her the saddlebags and took the horse’s reins.

When she caught up with the two men, they fell suspiciously silent when she came into earshot. Quinn held the door for her and they entered a dimly lit crowded building. Lach appeared to know where he was going as he going as he disappeared into the shadows. Within minutes he had located their luggage.

Lora separated out three dresses and folded them into her bags. She was already wearing her only pair of shoes and very little of her remaining possessions looked like they would be useful enough to take on the journey ahead. Closing the lid and locking the catch, she returned the key to the pouch she wore beneath her skirt.

They returned to the horses to find Seth standing a little ways away and deep in conversation with the king. The king’s bodyguards were standing nearby and as they approached, Lora felt the men’s eyes examine them. Lachine offered to attach her saddlebags. By the time he had finished, Seth had rejoined them.

“So what is the story this time?” Lachine asked as Seth approached.

“Same story,” he replied as he met Lora’s gaze. “Are you ready?” he asked her.

“I believe so,” she answered.

“Then let me get you up.” She nodded and turned to put her foot in the stirrup. Seth’s hands went a round her waist and he lifted her easily. She settled into the saddle regretting that she was going to have to ride sidesaddle. Growing up she had learned both, but she preferred riding astride as she had when riding with her brothers.

Quinn and Lachine were mounted when she looked around. Seth mounted smoothly and urged his black forward. Taking the lead he walked the horse through the buildings and out a different gate. The road leading north was well worn and smooth, promising an easy journey for a while. Quinn joined Seth at the front and Lachine fell back leaving Lora in the middle, alone in her thoughts.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

True to his word, Seth did not allow them to stop for the evening meal. He and Quinn had eaten and Lachine assured him that Lora had eaten plenty back at the border outpost. The road remained empty and smooth for the whole journey and they reached the turn off at twilight. He glanced back at Lora. In the dimming light he could not read her face well, but her shoulders were slightly slumped.

“She probably will be able to travel farther tomorrow if we stop now and she gets a good night’s rest,” Quinn commented when Seth turned back around.

He nodded in return. “We will make camp just a ways from the turn off. I would feel better not being close to this road, it is too open.”

“There should be a stream a quarter mile from the turn off that would make a good place to set up camp.”

“Sounds good,” Seth agreed. “Drop back and let Lachine know the plan.”

Moments later Lachine was at his elbow. “Who is taking the first watch?” he asked.

“Are you volunteering?”

“I can do it. Quinn wants second which leaves you with third.”

“Sounds good to me,” Seth agreed. “I don’t mind being in charge of breakfast.” Silence fell between them, but Lachine did not fall back. Seth glanced over and caught his expression of indecision. “What is the matter?” he asked.

“Lora is getting inquisitive. She asked me quite a few questions while we were waiting for you and Quinn. Mostly they were about me, but…” His voice faded, but Seth understood his concern.

“I doubt she is a spy,” he told Lach. “Just to be sure, I asked my uncle to have her story looked into. He will have an answer for me when we return. Until then, don’t worry about it.”

Lach glanced back and then over at Seth. “I don’t want you to think that I don’t trust her,” he explained.

“I know,” Seth said, cutting him off. “Just relax, Lach. We are not on a mission and we aren’t carrying anything of value. Here is the turn off. Drop back we are going to have to go single file.”

The turn off was a narrow horse trail that cut through the underbrush and straight into the forest that cloaked the base of the mountains. The trees were dense and the foliage about their roots was thick. As their horses stepped beyond the edge, the visibility dropped drastically. The setting sun did not reach beyond the canopy of branches and dim shadows clothed the ground in mystery. Seth paused long enough to light his lantern and behind him Quinn did the same. The trail was clearly marked, but even Seth was having difficulty seeing it when he finally heard the gurgle of the stream. The trees thinned slightly around the water, but not enough to be considered a clearing. He dismounted and led his mount to the stream.

Lora’s mount joined him, but he was surprised when he looked up to find she was still in the saddle. In the dim light, he couldn’t read her face, so he asked. “Do you need help down?”

She didn’t look at him. “It has been so long, I think my legs have fallen asleep.”

He smiled. He understood. “Hold on for a moment. Let the horses drink and then I will lift you down.”

She nodded and turned her face away.

As soon as the black had finished, Seth led him over to where Quinn was brushing the other two down. “I have to help Lora,” he told Quinn as he handed over the reins.

Returning to the stream, he took the reins of the chestnut and led it away from the stream and toward where Lachine was beginning to build a fire. When he turned to reach for her, he found her unhooking her legs and turning in the saddle. He reached up and put his hands on her waist. “Put your hands on my shoulders.” She obeyed and braced herself with them as he lowered her to the ground. In the dimness he saw her wince as her feet touched the ground, but her legs didn’t collapse. She wavered slightly as he withdrew his hands. He caught her upper arms to steady her.

“Are you going to be able to stay standing?” he asked.

She nodded, but he wasn’t convinced.

“You certain?”

“Yes,” she said and pushed at his hands. “I will be fine.”

Reluctantly he released his hold. She stood. Just then her horse snorted restlessly. Seth turned and caught the dangling reins. “Come on, girl,” he said as he led the mare in the direction of the other mounts. He glanced back a few times, and Lora was making slow progress toward the nearby boulder. By the time he had returned, she had gathered her bedding and was stretched out on the ground with her back to the fire.

Gathering his own bedding, he lay down nearby where he could see her. Quinn returned from the horses and lay on the opposite side of the fire. Lachine had perched himself on a log and was poking at the fire as Seth drifted off. He was one day closer to home.

* * *

Copyright 2006 Rachel Rossano
Please do not reproduce without express written permission of the author.