Richard Parker - The Black Horseman

“Hear the thunder all ready,” Leek added with a straight face, referring to the noise coming from the boy’s abdomen. Gwaynn smiled, but it fell away as they moved closer and closer to the main house and he realized that though he had all day to consider what to do about Mille, as yet, he was unable to come to a decision. His mind raced for a solution, but not fast enough, as the house approached rapidly, seemingly on its own accord. They reached the door well before he was ready. They entered and there in the kitchen helping her mother prepare the early evening meal was Mille and her younger sister Mari. All the women fell suddenly quiet as they turned toward the newcomers and Mari put her hand over her mouth to silence the laughter that was threatening to bubble out of her.

“Grandpa!” she yelled and ran and jumped into the old man’s arms. Leek smiled widely and swung her about. Mille glanced at Gwaynn and then quickly away, suddenly shy.

“Grandpa,” Mari said as he set her back on the ground. “Mille and Gwaynn….”

“Mari!” Shari and Mille yelled together so loudly that the young girl fell immediately silent, Mille turning a bright shade of red.

Shari shook her head at her chastised daughter and Mari frowned.

“Mille, why don’t you take Gwaynn out and fetch the others,” she said, knowing that the only way to release the tension would be for her daughter and Gwaynn to be alone for a spell.

Mille nodded and moved to the door, making no signal for Gwaynn to follow, but he did so in any case. Once outside Mille seemed to grow more relaxed but Gwaynn felt as if he was still tied in knots. He wanted to touch the girl again, as he had never wanted to touch anyone in his life, but he dared not. They walked to the barn, each very aware of the other, but neither able to break the barrier that had somehow sprung up between them.

Clouds covered the sun and a strong gust suddenly hit them. Gwaynn could smell rain on the wind and he wondered how Leek had known a storm was coming so early in the day. He was jerked out of his thoughts as a small, warm hand slipped easily into his own. He glanced down at it and then over to Mille, who continued to look straight ahead, though she gave a quick squeeze with her hand. Gwaynn returned it and they both knew that, for the moment, everything was all right.

Just before they reached the barn Karin stepped out, and though Mille quickly jerked her hand from Gwaynn’s, her older sister noticed the contact before it was broken. Karin smiled and shook her head, studying Gwaynn who had a hard time meeting her eye for some reason. Deirdre followed.

“Suppers ready,” Mille said and with a glance at Gwaynn turned and moved ahead of him back to the house. Deirdre smiled at him as she passed, but Karin simply waited until they were both far enough up ahead not to over hear.

“I’m glad you’ve picked Mille,” she said quietly, and not for the first time wished that Gwaynn was a bit older.

“Picked Mille?” Gwaynn asked.

“Deirdre would have you I’m sure,” Karin continued, ignoring his question, “but she would have liked anyone. Mille is a bit more discriminating.”

Gwaynn was still confused. He had not actually picked anyone, though at present he could honestly say, right now, at this moment, Mille was the one person he would like to have alone. His royal life had been well regimented and his experience with young girls very limited. As far as he could remember he’d never been alone with a girl near his age with the exception of his sister. He never noticed this fact at the time because girls up until a few days ago did not interest him. They simply never crossed his mind.

“I like Mille,” he answered with a shrug and when she looked at him knowingly he flushed. “I like Deirdre too….and you and Mari,” he added quickly.

“You’re sweet,” she added, laughing at his discomfort, and began to move toward the house. “Just concentrate on Mille for now.”

Gwaynn knew he should tell them who he was, but he also realized that the more who knew, the more danger he was in. He decided to keep quiet for now, but would be sure to let Mille know before anyone could get hurt. He followed Karin and was soon inside the bustling house, which was beginning to feel very much like home.

ǂ

After dinner it was completely dark outside and the wind was beginning to gust strongly, but as yet, it had not started to rain. When everyone was finished eating, Mille and the rest of the girls stood and began to clear away the remains of the meal.

“Mille, take Gwaynn out and fetch more firewood before the rains start,” Shari said to her daughter, but gave no indication that she was in on any conspiracy. Deirdre visibly pouted, but Shari ignored her. As a mother, she understood all too well which way the wind was blowing at the moment. On the island, the facts were simple. There were very few eligible men available to her girls. Oh, there were a number of boys in town, but as a family they did not get away very often and then there was Getty Reed, the eldest boy of Tom and Jovana Reed. He was of a proper age for Deirdre, and Jovana seemed to think he was sweet on her, but Deirdre had yet to notice any of his charms. Up until the time Gwaynn had arrived, Deirdre seemed to have her mind set on a student…any student. Throughout the year she cycled through most of them. First she fancied William and then Stephen and then Krys. Getty, the son of another caretaker, was not even close to strumming her heartstrings.

But Mille was a bit more particular and had shown little or no interest in the boys surrounding her, unlike her older sister who flitted from one to another like a hummingbird feeding. Well, Mille’s mind had finally settled on a boy, and Shari was not about to let Deirdre distract him. And besides, over the past few months Shari had grown fond of Gwaynn. There was something exotic and mature about the boy. Even though he had a tragic past, what with the shipwreck and all, Gwaynn still managed to exude a quiet inner peace that would have attracted her immensely had he come along when she was younger. All in all she wanted Gwaynn to be happy and felt that Mille was the best match for him.

Without a word Gwaynn followed Mille outside, where she smiled shyly at him then took his hand and led him away from the house, and much to his surprise, away from the firewood.

“Let’s check the storm first,” Mille said, speaking loudly to be heard over the noise of the wind.

Gwaynn was less enthusiastic than the girl who led him by the hand, but he did not resist. She walked swiftly down the path to the beach, pulling him along. As they moved he watched the wind attack her blonde hair, working hard to pull it from the thong that held it back and out of her face. The thong was losing, but Mille paid it no mind. She stopped at the top of the rise that overlooked the ocean. Her hair broke loose and was now whipping nearly straight behind her, but they both ignored it, their attention riveted on the sea. The main part of the storm was still out near the horizon. Lightning lit the night sky brilliantly, briefly illuminating the distant waves. Near the shore those same waves, large and powerful, crashed against the beach and rode up high onto the sand.

“Isn’t it…” Mille shouted, but paused to watch the force of nature with wonder.

“Unspeakable,” Gwaynn finished for her, but he spoke barely above a whisper and she did not hear. He was remembering that last time he was in a storm on this very same sea. But even so, he allowed the girl to lead him down the pathway and closer to the pounding surf, such was the power she held over him. Once at the bottom of the hill they walked out on the beach, but not overly far, and well away from the surging water. The noise of the waves was tremendous, though down closer to the shore the wind was somewhat lessened however it still came in violent gusts.