by Derek White
CHAPTER EIGHT
By lunch time they were approaching the banks of the River Midway, having travelled North East all morning. Just as George had assured them they would, they found it possible to ford at that point, and they were near enough to Abinger to draw on the historian's food supply for lunch whilst Karim and Rebel rested and grazed.
A hard afternoon's gallop got them to the junction of rivers which gave it the name Lambda and all agreed that it was far enough for the first day. Sometime during the journey Rebel had taken over the job of multiplying his stride and it was with great pride that Marcus told Tyana of this. Karim commented,
They tried, and as with most things they got better with practice. Soon they were being blown upwind at thirty knots, and Marcus wished this world had photography to capture the look on Rix's face.
They said their farewells, but Tyana had a very serious suggestion for Rix before they left. "If you can persuade your builders to produce a fleet of schooners like this one you could venture a lot further out to sea than in your present craft. You could also run a service of both goods and people to New Salem, Drogheda, and Eureka. Maybe even as far as Brigadoon, or at least to a dock we can have built at the river mouth."
Because of the danger of missing Weasel-face and his friend Tyana and Karim went overland, leaving Marcus and Rebel, who assured her they could manage, to bring the Unicorn Witch to Eureka. They were in Drogheda when the unicorns set up a conference.
> began Marcus, >
>
After an evening spent with Michaela, Tyana put her in touch with Pegasus, the local herd stallion, who promised to watch out for strangers and warn her.
Before noon she was in Eureka with Bill who promised to post lookouts along the South side and let her know when the thieves arrived without alarming them.
She was still waiting almost a week later when Marcus tied up at the dock Tyana and Karim had prepared. Bill was introduced and said,
"When Tyana ordered this dock built I thought she'd taken leave of her senses. With anyone else I wouldn't have allowed it, but I see she was exactly right about the size you'd need.
"And you say we'll get more like this visiting when they're built?"
"We hope so. Is there any news of Weasel-face and his friend? I expected them to be here by now."
"You settle in with Bill, Darling. Now you're here Karim and I'll take a look to the South."
They needn't have worried. They met the travellers ten miles out, and, as they hadn't met them in Camelot went up to the wagon. Weasel-face turned out to be DaGarma the leader, and his colleague was DaSilva. When Tyana commented that they didn't look well they explained that they'd only just been able to travel again after contracting some bug which gave sickness and diarrhoea.
"Have you far to go?" she asked so that Karim could read the true answer.
"Only to Eureka. We're hoping to settle there, and we have furs to give us a start in trading. Are you from there?"
"No, I'm only visiting Bill Cassidy, The Council Head, and I'll be returning to Camelot soon. He's a good friend of my family, and if you seek us out when you get there I'll make sure he takes care of your health problems."
"Thank you, Ma'am!" replied DaGarma. "Please forgive my curiosity, but is that unicorn your familiar?"
"She is! The best friend anyone could want. I presume yours are the two horses?"
"That's right. Are there many people with unicorns where you come from?"
"Only a few. Don't forget to call on Bill to see his healer will you?"
They thanked her, and she returned to Bill's house. He was included when Karim gave her report on the meeting
>
Marcus felt a trip to the estuary to see just what sort of boat the thieves had come in was worth while, and as it would be the last chance to gallop for some time they decided to go overland, retracing the route Tyana had used along the coast. By evening they were examining a fishing boat that could easily have passed for one of the Newport fleet.
"You were right, as usual." commented Tyana.
"Not so much of the 'as usual'. I make plenty of mistakes, you just haven't seen any yet. It was only a guess that happened to be right. I'm more interested in whether they have any maps or other useful information on board."
Unfortunately they didn't. Obviously this was in case a traveller found it. "We must make sure, though, that this boat is not here when the next pair arrive, I'll advise Merlin.
"Let's have a swim, Darling. I'll try not to get cramp this time. Anyway it should be a lot warmer here on the West coast than in a river fed from mountain streams."
All four went in, the humans a fraction slower as they had to strip first. To Tyana's satisfaction each unicorn conjured its own swimming aids and they soon left the humans behind. She pointed it out to Marcus, and added, "I believe Rebel has caught up with Karim's ability. He told me last night when you were asleep that he loves her. And that he loves you. I thought you'd like to know."
Unlike the unicorns who were revelling in the unusual speed at which they could now swim, Tyana and Marcus were doing a gentle sidestroke, facing and chatting as they went.
"How do you keep such a wonderful figure? - No, I'm not just flattering you. You seem to ride everywhere, and eat just what you like, yet you're far fitter than I am. What's the secret?"
Tyana laughed. "You're not going to like this. Haven't you noticed that the whole Counter clan is like it. And since she spent a month with us Megan too?
"Well it doesn't happen by accident. Any day in which we haven't done any really hard physical work is followed by an exercise routine next morning. All our friends are the same. Even Merlin works out when he's not nursing a broken arm. Isn't it marvellous news about he and Laura getting together? What's so funny?"
"I'm laughing because you're just like my mother. In response to a simple question you've given me a lecture, ending with a complete change of subject.
"In answer to your last question - Yes it is. She's still young enough to be able to enjoy life here, and I really do want her to be as happy as I am."
They turned back and, still chatting, arrived where they had agreed to camp. There was no sign of the unicorns, but neither worried as nothing could possibly happen without a mental cry for help. In such a deserted area neither thought it necessary to dress.
There was still an hour or so of daylight, but the swim, followed by a meal, had left them ready to rest if not to sleep and they laid down on the mattress.
Relaxing in Marcus's embrace after a long tender kiss, Tyana thought 'Megan was right, and the expression ready to climb all over him just about sums it up. I can't understand why he won't commit himself though. He says he loves me, yet he doesn't seem willing to make love. I wonder what it will be like? No one has ever told me. They just say you can't describe it and leave it at that.'
"I said what are you dreaming about? Something nice, obviously, from the smile on your face. Will you share it?"
She realised that Marcus must have spoken before, but she had been lost. To cover it she took his hand and kissed each finger, taking her time. "I'm just happy," was all the reply she intended, but added an afterthought, "How about you?"
For an answer Marcus moved to kiss her nearest foot, then slowly worked his way up the left leg whilst his fingers kept pace on the right one. He planted a long kiss just below her navel.
Tyana just laid there thinking, 'Is this going to be it?'
Marcus could reach no further without moving, so he knelt astride her by her knees leaning over to tickle her left ear with his tongue before saying, "I love every inch of you, Darling Tyana. Each one seems more interesting than the one before."
Suddenly she was certain that this was the man she was going to spend the rest of her life with. She put her arms around him, destroying the balance on his elbows so that he had to roll to the side to avoid crushing her. She l
aughed. "I'm not that fragile. Come back. Lay on your side if you're worried." She took his left hand to her right breast and relaxed again.
To be fair to Marcus he was completely in control. Although a virgin he had read all the right books and was determined to be patient as after all, they had weeks, if not months, together on the voyage and he was determined not to do anything to spoil their working relationship.
Unfortunately for his plans, Rebel chose exactly that moment to mount Karim and express his love in the only way he knew. The mare was a very willing partner, which had the same effect on Tyana as Rebel's passion had on Marcus.
With all the cooperation and help possible from Tyana the waiting ended, and they made love more passionately than they ever would again. For a few minutes the two pairs were as one, with each of the four getting some feedback from his or her partner, then Marcus and Tyana managed to concentrate on each other and split the foursome into two couples again.
"That was frightening!" whispered Tyana. "I was Karim, I was Rebel, I was even you for a moment......Don't stop, Darling. I love you more than ever now, after feeling how much you love me. I'm so lucky!.... Even Rebel loves me."
Eventually even their unicorn induced passion was spent and they collapsed into each others arms to sleep, Tyana just having time to use Refuge style contraception. She almost refrained, but her last thought was, 'We must get the job done first.' When comparing experiences with Karim next day she found that she too wanted a foal but had, like Tyana, decided that she must wait.
After an uneventful gallop back to the Unicorn Witch they set sail West. The first week was taken up turning one sailor and three novices into four experts. Each could navigate by the stars or the sun, an instinctive time sense allowing Marcus to calculate how far they had travelled, using a part home designed, part conjured sextant.
During the second week Tyana introduced a fitness programme. For an hour each day they trimmed back the sails and swam. This proved to be enough for the unicorns, but she insisted that she and Marcus do a complete work-out as well.
Partly to get his own back, and partly in case it would ever be necessary, Marcus spent two hours a day turning Tyana from a girl who had never been in a fight into a Karate expert. He had himself been State champion before leaving Illinois, and by the end of the second month he was sure she was his equal.
He had the edge in strength, of course, but she made up for that in speed of reaction and balance. On Earth it had always been assumed that female reflexes were slower than male ones. This certainly was not the case with Tyana.
By that time Tyana, Rebel, and Karim knew more about the universe and the sciences than anyone on Refuge had learned before. Marcus knew everything the other three could teach him about Refuge history and practices. They also each knew how the other three thought and Marcus spent many hours creating dangerous situations for them to react to.
Land was sighted on the sixty fifth day, and rather than rush ashore, Marcus conjured a crow's nest to the masthead and a telescope, and they turned North with all except the top of the mast 'over the horizon' if viewed from shore. Hopefully this course would, allowing for a different starting point, keep them away from the departure zone of the enemy.
When, eventually, they saw a river estuary with no sign of life they waited until dark then conjured a thirty knot wind to take them in, and by morning the schooner was hidden and they went ashore.
Marcus was certain that they could not be better prepared than they were, and he was himself fitter than at any time in his life. He felt that they could tackle anything Europe had to offer.