by C. Litka
04
I considered giving Malin the heads up about the expedition before word came from the Elder Council, but decided not. I was very reluctant to talk about the horde of darq gems, and to say nothing about them would involve a great deal of lying, which I did not care to do.
In the meantime, guests began to arrive, keeping me busy doing household tasks around The Hermitage. In my free time, I had long talks with Molaye and my old shipmates, when they were free. And when they weren't, I took long walks amongst the pines and boulders trying to discover exactly what I wanted to do - after the blasted expedition to DeArjen's Islands - which I really didn't want to do. I had little success because it all depended on Naylea. I was like a dog chasing it's tail - or rather stalking it, since I seemed unable to discover what she thought, no matter how carefully I tried.
On the third round after my conversation with Botts, I rose with the Laezans. Hissi slipped over to the warm half of the pallet and went back to sleep. I grabbed a towel and slipped out into the ever-day - another very damp and misty one. The Laezans were slowly beginning their silent shadowboxing meditations in the courtyard. I crossed the narrow valley and wound my way through the boulders and pines to the long waterfall-fed pool in the cove for a swim, as had become my daily custom. The crystal clear water was rather cold - it was spring fed - but refreshing, once you got used to it, and its rocky bottom and finned inhabitants were interesting to explore. It had been a long time since I had a chance to swim without crossbow bolts raining down on me, and so I took my time. As it turned out, I rather lost track of time.
I pulled myself out of the water and after glancing around, stripped off my old spaceer undershirt and briefs to wring them out. Since they were made of armored material - I took no chances in the Drifts - they were not merely, nearly indestructible, but they could be washed and wrung free of water to be nearly dry within a minute. Waving them about to dry them, I walked over to the flat stone where I had piled the rest of my clothes, only to discover that the towel I had laid on top was nowhere to be seen. My first racing thoughts jumped to feathered bears. My second thought was that was silly. Why would a feather-bear steal a towel? Still, I slowly looked around, trying to pierce the deep shadows between the jumble of boulders and thick pines that surrounded the pool. It was very quiet. The only sound was the slow splashing of water down the cliff, over the rocks and into the pool. I casually reached into the pile of clothes for my trousers, where I kept my trusty sissy?
There was a sharp crack! And a dart of pain in my backside.
I spun around to find Naylea - her damp hair half undone from her recent exercise, with the tightly twisted towel in her hand and her once familiar glint of cruel delightful in her eyes.
'My, that brings back memories,' she said with a wicked laugh and spun the towel even tighter.
'Don't you dare!'
'And why not?'
'It wouldn't be in accordance with the Way,' I replied. 'You took a vow to follow the Way.'
She grinned, dared, and snapped the towel at me, once again. I leaped aside, and then leaped for her, catching hold of her by her jacket, I pulled her close and kissed her.
She pressed closer and kissed me as well, for several long seconds.
She backed off a little and looked up at me.
'You're overdressed,' I whispered.
She shook her head "no."
'You're almost as wet as I am. You'll catch your death of cold.'
'I'm quite warm from my exercise. I just came to thank you.'
'For what? Never mind. Just thank me again?'
She leaned in and kissed me lightly again before pushing me away, though she kept her arms on my shoulders. With a bright, and now, not a cruel smile, said, 'I think that's enough, Captain Litang. I just wanted to thank you for arranging with Botts to send my message. I received a long reply from my mother before I slept. She seemed truly overjoyed to hear from me, and sent me a long, and loving reply.'
'That's hardly surprising. Why wouldn't she be happy? You're her daughter and you were on very good terms with her.'
She slipped her hands from my shoulders, to my waist and pulled me close. 'It's been nearly 20 years since I sent her a message. Hardly the dutiful, loving daughter.'
'You sent one the first opportunity you had.'
'Not quite. I could've sent a message from Ravin - but I was on a mission and that would've been a breach of operational secrecy. Still? that is all in the past. I just wanted to thank you and Botts, and the Directorate for their kindness. It has made me and, I believe, my mother very happy.'
'I'm happy as well.' I pulled her close again.
'I can see that,' she replied with a leer and pushed me away again. 'Now get dressed. You'll miss breakfast,' she added, and breaking free, turned to go.
'I'm willing to give it a miss.'
'But I'm not,' she laughed, and slipped into the shadows without a glance back, leaving me in love with her, once again.
I picked up the towel she'd dropped and absently started drying myself off.
Well, I thought, noting the beating of my heart, that did it. I was once again in love. I wanted Cin, my sometimes cruel, would-be assassin. And for that, I blamed my 500 generations of St Bleyth - who, very smugly didn't bother denying it. My head may've been Unity Standard, but my passions were ruled by St Bleyth. All my Unity Standardness could do is suggest that it was not so much Cin's cruelty, but her cheerful use of it only when necessary that attracted me to her, a St Bleyth characteristic, just as mine was a cold ruthlessness when I needed it. And as much as I appreciated the Laezan, NyLi, with kindness to all, NyLi was not Naylea Cin. I loved Naylea Cin. Neb help me.