‘What did you trade for these?’ she asked, appreciating anew that everyone worked. She would have to find a way to contribute.
‘A pot of honey. Being a bear’s right hand has its benefits. Drako can’t resist tracking down and collecting honey. He has a very good nose, especially for that.’
Natalya laughed with him. ‘I can’t imagine Drako covered in honey. He seems like a neat person.’
‘Only in human form.’
‘Ah. Freddie, I thought everyone had to work here. Am I keeping you from doing something?’
‘Normally I’d be out hunting. But they can manage without me and I’d rather be here today,’ he said, his gaze out the window returned to her. The pack, Drako and Jim too, understood his time was best spent here with their newest arrival.
Natalya followed his gaze out the window and spotted the three men of their pack dressed in dark clothing already in the distance jogging across the parkland grass beyond the village. They soon disappeared from sight. Closer to hand she watched a man hurry past and up to Drako’s house. He was carrying what looked to be a heavy book and many packages bulged in his satchel.
‘That’s the school’s steward. Let’s stay out of Drako’s way; he’ll be in a foul mood shortly.’
‘That little man is trouble?’
‘No, he’s just odiously nit picking and precise about his numbers,’ Freddie explained. ‘How can we know we will find three bags of nuts tomorrow? Or that we will be successful today on a hunt specifically for boar?’
‘You don’t have a storehouse?’
‘The school does, but they only tend to take finished or processed things now. That little man will be asking Drako to account for every bag of grain supplied to our bakery, to prove how many loaves we’ve made for the school, all the fruit we’ve turned into jars of jam or pickle.’
‘That would be annoying to someone whose word is his honour,’ Natalya mused.
‘You see the problem. Drako is trying to overcome his intolerance, or so he told me,’ Freddie snorted.
‘He does this alone?’
‘Yes. We all have other work to do and he is our leader. He has always taken responsibility for us.’
‘I have some small experience at that kind of work. Well, I’ve assisted; I could help,’ Natalya suggested, but reluctantly.
‘Much as I’m sure he’d love to pass the job over, it’s too much too soon. We cannot ask that of you. You need to recover, grow strong and learn to handle your new abilities. You also need to learn more about us, and the set up here, before you start volunteering. You may find there are many other equally useful jobs you’d far prefer to do.’
‘You’re right as usual. I just don’t want to be a burden. You’ve all been so kind to me.’
‘I noticed we were all so kind you ran away in tears.’
‘There’s always someone you don’t see eye to eye with and end up butting heads with,’ she said with a shrug. ‘The rest of you and you in particular have been wonderful.’
‘I’m glad we managed to do something right. Now, Cassy said you were to eat and sleep. Were those cookies enough for the moment? I need to go down to the bakery and get some more supplies and you need some sleep. It’s still too early for lunch at the school so you could get your sleep now. It’s your choice whether we shop and eat here later, or eat up at the school.’
‘Let me have ten minutes and then I’ll come with you. I’d like to see where they make such delicious things.’ He smiled, made a rather courtly bow, which had her giggling, and then he was helping her out of the chair and upstairs to her room.
10. Revelations
Natalya felt considerably better for her sleep, although she ruefully knew her balance wasn’t quite right. Her mind was simply crammed far too full. She felt like she was juggling awkward shaped packages, trying not to let go of any one of them and have it vanish forever. Memories she didn’t know she’d ever had popped in and out of her mind. Many were just fragments, parts of a scene but not enough to make sense of what was going on. The knowledge someone had gone through her memories hiding parts of them, so the sense was gone, was deeply disturbing. Who had done so, why, and what else was still hidden, was as yet unanswerable.
Freddie was outside chopping wood. She abruptly realised she knew this before looking out the window. How did she know? Someone else in the village could have been making the chopping sounds, but she’d known it was him. She stood at the window watching him. She closed her eyes, breathed slowly and deeply, relaxing herself. Impressions came to her but they were from him. She felt the hot sun burning the back of his neck, the roughness of the split in the axe handle. But these minor irritations didn’t dent his happiness. She curiously explored that impression and learned how happy he was that she was here in his home. She heard his thought that she was where she belonged. It was surprisingly good to be wanted like this and she savoured the feeling. She waited until he’d finished a log before trying to reach for his mind.
‘Freddie, can you hear me?’
The axe fell out of his hand and he turned towards the house. ‘Natalya? You’re talking to me in my mind?’ Freddie asked, or rather formed the question and let it sit prominently in his mind for her to see.
‘So it would seem. You’ve done this before then?’ she asked, trying to be casual.
‘Jim and Cassy have both spoken to me mentally,’ Freddie acknowledged, although he tried not to dwell on the shaft of jealousy he’d just felt from her. Once she wasn’t sharing his mind he would think on that, savour it. ‘I bet you could link us. Cassy was able to link Drako so he can talk to her and reach for her at will.’
‘I don’t know how,’ Natalya told him picking up his eager wistfulness. She also felt the memory he had of Cassy sending him her thanks once with both a physical and mental touch. It had been intoxicating if only for a moment and very intimate. He greatly hoped to experience the intimacy of shared feeling again, but with Natalya.
‘You should fix that axe handle before it cuts you or breaks completely,’ Natalya told him and broke contact. She re-braided her hair before coming downstairs.
‘How did you know about the axe?’ Freddie demanded, when she finally appeared. He was more than a little unnerved.
She took his hands and inspected his palms and the red swelling of the blisters forming on them. ‘Your hands were sore and so is your neck,’ she admitted and had a look there too, seeking proof her senses had been accurate.
‘I know they’re uncomfortable, but how did you?’ Freddie asked. ‘You feel my pain then? Have you always been able to hear my thoughts as well?’
‘No, and I can’t hear your thoughts now. I’m sorry if I’ve offended you. You did say I should try focussing on you to learn control.’
Freddie heard the slightly defensive and hurt tone. He took her hands and led her back to the big armchair inside, settling her into it. ‘I know and I meant it. You just took me by surprise. Normally whenever a wizard contacts me it’s almost like receiving a blow, their presence is so loud I am always aware of them. But you didn’t cause that sort of pain. They always just contact me to pass on a message. No-one’s ever seemed to know or comment on how I feel physically, only mentally.’
‘Maybe I’m breaking some taboo of behaviour, encroaching on your privacy.’
He shrugged ignorance of wizard rules. ‘Or maybe no-one else was interested in how I feel,’ he suggested. His heart lifted to see her expression clear as she nodded and smiled at him. ‘Don’t you like the thought of others reading my mind?’
‘It’s not that,’ she contradicted embarrassed he could tell she’d been jealous. ‘It’s that no-one seems to have cared for you. I know you spend a lot of time with your pack, but why have none of you got wives or even girlfriends?’
‘Maybe I was waiting for you,’ he said softly.
‘I’m serious; I’ve seen three times as many men as women so far and hardly any children.’
‘There’s your answer
as to why we’re single. We’ve been hunted and had to live on the run for too many years. It’s hard on a woman. It’s hard on the men too, trying to guard and protect a pregnant wife or small children. It’s no life for them. We separated and many of the women went into hiding. Unfortunately not enough evaded subsequent capture. We live in hope some did escape and will eventually find their way to us. But we know the women were actively targeted for capture. I was lucky I suppose that I never married; I’ve never experienced that particular heartache. But most animus strangers we find are male. I think you were actively sought by the inquisitors because you are female, not just because the wizard needed to hire help.’
‘They’re determined to stamp out animus people aren’t they,’ she growled. ‘Come on, let’s go get those supplies. I don’t want to sit here dwelling on such gloomy thoughts.’
Freddie was relieved and helped her up. She was clearly still tired and fairly weak. He collected his basket and they went into the village.
‘What have you got to trade?’ Natalya asked seeing something already in the basket.
‘Another little pot of honey and some rabbit skins.’
‘Glad we’re not empty handed. What do we need?’ she asked.
Freddie happily made note of the “we” she referred to, while answering her question. He showed her where everything was to be found, taking her on a tour of the village. He made a point of introducing her to those who either hailed him or that they visited. She seemed interested in everything, asking many questions and expressing her praise for people’s individual skill and ingenuity. She laughed and joked often but kept to Freddie’s side. As long as he was there, and she could keep touching him for reassurance, she was content to be amongst so many strangers. She didn’t seem to notice the smiles she’d created and that followed her.
She slept for a couple of hours after an early lunch feeling far more relaxed with her surroundings. Her full stomach helped to recharge her strength.
‘You’re looking better,’ Freddie greeted her when she finally came down.
‘I feel it. You have a very relaxing home,’ she said glancing about her in approval and sinking into the one comfortable chair. ‘Oh, you don’t have two of these do you. Were you sitting?’
‘Relax, I was working on a hide outside when I heard you moving about.’ He took the boiling kettle off the stove, poured the water into a pot to steep and set out cups. He took their tea outside to the table on the veranda. Whilst he bade her sit, he returned to stretching and working the hide pegged out on a frame.
Natalya watched him closely and decided this softening process was hard work. She drank her tea quickly then got up. ‘Let me take a turn while you drink your tea. I take it this is better if it’s not stopped part way through?’
‘Yes, but are you sure? You don’t need to,’ Freddie said quickly.
Natalya took the pot of stuff he was working into the leather and the tool from his hand. ‘Freddie, your shoulders and back are aching from this. Sit and take a break.’
Freddie dropped into the closest chair and watched, guiding her on technique. ‘I don’t often have a chance to actually cure or tan the hides I get but they’re worth more to trade if this work has already been done. As you can see, it’s slow, hard work. Thank you for giving me a hand,’ he added. She simply smiled at him and carried on. He sat and watched her, completely unused to having someone to share work like this with. The other men might help out if one of them was injured, but otherwise what each did with his kills was up to them. She shifted position and he saw the section she’d just been working on. ‘Have you done this before? You’re making a good job of it.’
‘Not this particular job. I didn’t often have to work at the tannery, but I learned some of the things you needed to do.’
‘I’ve finished, I can take over now.’
‘No need, this’ll be done in a few minutes anyway.’ She noticed his surprise and acceptance of her help. He didn’t sit back idly though while she worked, instead, he collected a bundle of sticks stacked against the wall that was separate from the firewood. With a sharp knife he began stripping the bark and twigs off them.
‘What are you making?’
‘Arrows; you can never have too many when you’re out hunting every day. I’ve already straightened these sticks and they’ve dried reasonably well. I try and reuse the points as long as possible,’ he explained noting her frown at the small basket of metal points; many were the worse for wear, some even going rusty. Another job was going to be cleaning off the rust and sharpening them again. He only managed to finish two arrows in the time it took her to finish the skin.
‘I’ll strip the bark, wax the shaft and nock the end, if you do the cutting to size and fitting of the points and feathers,’ she offered, even while he continued twirling and gluing thread around to fix feathers in place.
‘Sounds good to me,’ he said cheerfully and handed over the knife and pot of wax to seal the bare wood. He watched her prepare the leafy twig into an arrow shaft; she was deft, followed his guidance and turned out a very acceptable shaft. They worked in companionable unison for the rest of the afternoon until they’d used up all the spare points and had made an ample supply.
Natalya stretched cramping fingers and shoulders, watching Freddie pack the arrows into three quivers. The afternoon was nearly over, the light dimming over the wide open meadow. She wistfully gazed at the meadow and secret forest so close by. She went inside shimmered and became her wolf. She stepped out of her clothes nudging them onto a chair. She glanced up as Freddie came in and noticed just how quickly he dumped what he was carrying. He stepped behind the big armchair, removed his clothes swiftly and changed into his wolf too. They touched noses then were off, bypassing Drako’s house to veer into the woods behind.
The wolves ran side by side enjoying the freedom and space to run, particularly when they could share it. In this form their human consciousness receded, freeing the wolf to fully use its eyes, nose and ears to soak up their surroundings. The wolf instincts, playfulness and character dominated the human; an animus usually loved this freedom and simplicity of living.
The meadow was somewhere to run but also to roll about in the sweetly scented spring grass. A fallen log was a prop to leap up and pounce from. Trees were for playing hide and seek and darting away behind. Their spirits were high and they played like puppies.
Freddie returned his consciousness to the fore feeling new and very intensely pleasurable sensations. He was shocked to discover their wolves were mating. Whilst this was a perfectly natural thing, since she was in season, they were not truly wolves. He had no idea if she actually wanted this and all its potential repercussions. He searched his wolf’s memory of what had triggered this. He needed to know he hadn’t forced her in any way. He didn’t realise his angst had stilled his body’s movement. He also didn’t realise that his lack of motion had pulled Natalya back to the fore of her wolf’s mind too.
Natalya too was shocked. She reached for his mind and felt how aghast yet excited and exhilarated he felt physically. He certainly hadn’t planned this. He was remembering her wolf’s body language turn coy and inviting. His wolf had immediately responded; eager to claim his mate. She had encouraged his wolf to come closer and finally mount. Damn.
‘Leave your wolf alone,’ Natalya said quietly. ‘I know we didn’t plan this, but don’t ruin such a beautiful moment.’ As far as she was concerned, they had gone too far to stop. She felt his relief and that he tried to push his worry into the background. He let his wolf take over again and the shift in his mind was quite marked. Then he began moving again and she gasped. She relinquished her own mind up to her wolf, letting her come forth to fully appreciate her mate’s beauty and relish their joining. The knowledge came to her that her wolf was satisfied she’d finally found a mate worthy of siring cubs! To a wolf, life was that simple, to a human it was not necessarily. She wasn’t sure she was ready for a child; she’d not given it any thought whatso
ever.
When the male parted from his mate Freddie regained control. He felt deliciously sated and his wolf was delighted to have claimed such a fine female. But Freddie the man was anxious about her reaction. He sat down in a patch of soft grass without saying a word. He really had no clue what to say. She followed him, sat down leaning against his warm side and fell asleep. Freddie was rather relieved and sat keeping watch over her.
Natalya woke slowly. Her body felt a little tired and sore; well she’d been working hard this afternoon on unaccustomed tasks helping Freddie with his chores. Freddie sat beside her and she laughed at herself for immediately associating that with safety. She rubbed her face against his shoulder affectionately, but her wolf’s sudden smug satisfaction startled her. Her wolf imparted the knowledge that they hadn’t come together casually in a fit of animus passion. Her wolf had chosen her mate from the first instant they’d met as wolves and howled together. Now she had claimed him and what’s more, he had accepted her claim.
‘Have we missed dinner?’ Natalya asked, glancing about at how dark it now was.
‘Not if we’re going up to the school, that’s in half an hour,’ Freddie responded watching her.
‘We’d best hurry then,’ she said and quickly trotted off.
‘We should talk,’ he suggested keeping pace by her side. Her steps faltered then she carried on but faster. She bounded up the steps and into his living room.
‘Please don’t run from me. I’m so sorry,’ he added painfully.
She could feel conflicting emotions pouring out of him as he fought with his wolf. Freddie the man might be appalled he hadn’t asked and be ultimately terrified that she would reject him. But his wolf rejoiced, didn’t comprehend thoughts of wrongdoing and indeed rejected the concept. The female had been inviting and could have walked away. She hadn’t rejected him then, why would she now?
Natalya: Wizards of White Haven Page 10