Richard Parker - Elsewhere

Minutes past and without realizing it Vio grew groggy, though her mind was still moving from thought to thought, completely out of control. Jealousy and sadness tinged her psyche as she considered Samantha…Gwaynn’s supposed bride. She thought of the girl’s injury and wondered how she, herself would handle a missing hand. It could happen. She had no illusions that she was invulnerable, but she did not think it likely. She was too skilled, too aware, and too experienced to let anything so catastrophic happen to her. But then, just as sleep was about to take her, the thought of the Captain…Huntley entered her mind.

‘I know her,’ Vio thought dimly. ‘Her walk…there was something about her walk.’

But Vio did not place her before sleep finally came, and she rolled over, her face mere inches from Tam’s, the two girls finally sleeping in complete peace.

ǂ

Very early the following morning, Gwaynn left Samantha’s side and climbed from the bed. She came awake almost instantly, happy at first but then fearful when the realization hit her that Gwaynn was leaving to face more danger. Krys was killed so quickly, with no warning, no chance. The same could happen to Gwaynn. Her heart jumped in her throat but she said nothing…he was King…he had to fight, she knew that and accepted it, but somehow it was so much easier when she’d been able to fight at his side. Now she must wait and wonder. She didn’t know how most women could do it…it was agonizing and Gwaynn was still in the room quietly dressing!

He glanced up at her, then down at her bare breasts.

“They’re getting bigger,” he commented and at first she didn’t understand, then she looked down and grinned.

“You like?”

Gwaynn nodded and moved to her and nuzzled each breast briefly. “I like,” he mumbled.

“The rest of me is getting bigger as well,” she said and rubbed her stomach with her lone hand.

“You’re so beautiful,” he answered softly then stood and finished dressing.

“Come back to me,” she whispered.

“Nothing will stop that,” he said with fierce determination. “Please believe me.”

She looked up at him…his youth, his strength and vitality were beyond question and she found that without a doubt, she believed him.

“I love you,” she said.

“And I you,” he answered and with a long kiss he stood. “You be careful…and do what Doctor Linkler orders.”

“Yes sir,” she answered and they both smiled, and then he was gone.

Samantha felt lonely for a moment, then the knowledge of Gwaynn’s love wrapped itself around her and she suddenly felt warm and drowsy. She dropped back down on the bed and before Gwaynn was out of the bailey she was sleeping once more.

Gwaynn walked from the wooden fortress and down the Scar toward the bridge that would lead him to Manse. He was met by the entire group from Noble, even Tar Grace, who would not be leaving with them.

Vio, Tam and William greeted Gwaynn warmly and he could feel their excitement. They were going to war!

“I’ve located the Massi army with the help of Zarina Monde,” N’dori said in her calm, almost bored manner. For some reason Gwaynn had come to believe all the Solitaries would behave similar to Tar Nev’s happy, laughing manner. N’dori studied Gwaynn’s reaction with interest though her expression gave away nothing. Gwaynn considered her in return. She was slightly taller than average with nondescript, very long brown hair that she kept tied up tight, but here and there a few strands worked themselves free. Her face appeared plain initially but on closer inspection Gwaynn saw that her skin was smooth and her complexion slightly creamy. It was an open face, sporting wide, high cheekbones. And though her manner was very different from Tar Nev’s, when Gwaynn looked closely he could see a familiar twinkle in her eye. He smiled at her and she nodded with understanding. “Are you ready to depart?”

Gwaynn looked to the others, who all assented and Lady Bethany even placed her right hand on the hilt of her kali, as if the Tarina were about to transport them into the middle of a battle.

Gwaynn then turned to Tarina Grace. “Contact me if our friends outside decide to visit uninvited,” he said, giving the simple order in a manner that said he was used to being obeyed.

The Tarina nodded but said nothing more.

“Very well,” N’dori said and almost instantly a bridge appeared before her. The students around her gasped though they’d witnessed such power from Tar Nev when he’d created the bridge from Noble. Gwaynn on the other hand, frowned. The bridge had opened quickly but Gwaynn had no sense that the Tarina had altered time in any way. He took a moment to mentally reach out and test her power. Instantly she was aware of his presence and turned to look at him. She smiled for the first time.

“After you Sire,” she added. Gwaynn tipped his head slightly and stepped through the bridge. The others followed and immediately found themselves in the middle of the Massi camp which was bustling with early morning activity.

Tarina Monde, Jess na Gall and Lonogan Bock all waited for them in the center of camp.

Lonogan stepped forward and grasped Gwaynn’s hand. “Welcome, welcome,” he said with a wide smile full of excitement and relief.

ǂ

Almost exactly one hour after Gwaynn and his party departed from Manse the Temple Knights moved forward to attack. The alarm rang out across the town and Tar Grace rushed to the walls of the levee to see the nature of the threat. She was soon joined on the wall by Captain Huntley, who was barking orders farther to the west, near the gates. To the Tar’s surprise Samantha, Gwaynn’s woman, also climbed the ladder to the ramparts. She negotiated the climb rather quickly despite having to use the crook of her elbow on her bad arm for support.

“You should be in the hospital tent,” Grace said blandly to Samantha as she approached.

“I’ll be all right,” Samantha answered, slightly intimidated by the elder Tar. “I can still run if the walls are breeched…my legs are fine. But I’m here to see that it doesn’t happen.”

Tarina Marissa Grace studied the girl for a brief moment then together they turned back and watched as the constructed causeways of the Temple Knights slowly rolled toward the protective ditch of the levee. At the moment, the causeways were still well out of arrow range, but at the pace they were coming they would soon be close enough.

Samantha turned. “Sergeant…prepare to fire on my order,” she yelled to the host of archers set back from the walls, most of which were hiding in their own protective shelters against the possibility of any return fire, though as far as Samantha could tell there were no mass of archers among the Knights.

Tarina Grace could feel the nervous excitement running through the men and women who manned the walls.

“Steady,” she said confidently and her demeanor, plus the fact that she was a Tarina from Noble, served to calm the nerves of those near her position. She walked slowly along the wall toward the west and the only gate that marred the strong fortifications of the levee.

“Steady,” she repeated, always keeping a very close eye on the progress of the enemy. They were coming slowly but steadily. The heavy tall causeways, though built onto a wheeled base, were ungainly and apparently hard to move. The Tarina smiled to herself. ‘The Knights are not suited for siege warfare,’ she thought with satisfaction. ‘It plays against their strengths…as does fighting on foot.’

“Have the oil ready,” she shouted to those defenders near her, vaguely aware of Samantha shouting orders to the east and Captain Huntley doing the same closer to the gates. She wondered if three women had ever led the defense of a city before…she thought not, but wouldn’t have bet against it.