Yuzu patted Tell’s wool cap. "He’s with me, Big Al."
Big Al leaned over the counter and regarded Timothy. "Told ya you needed more meat to keep them both satisfied."
Timothy grinned and shook his head.
Tell’s mouth hung open, and Yuzu chuckled behind her hand. Elsie shot Timothy an unreadable look before she ducked into the kitchen.
"I am quite satisfied, Master Doni." Kit shot a smile at Timothy. He rolled his eyes. Kit pursed her lips at him before returning to Big Al. "We would like—"
"Please, just call me Big Al. I feel as if I’ve known you forever, lassie. Did you find what you were looking for?"
Kit hesitated. "In a way."
"Sounds like you have a story. You did have something to do with that Daeric fellow being trussed. I’d bet my beard on it. "
Marc scratched his chin. "You’d starve without that hairy larder on your chin."
"Bah, not like I am going to lose that wager. Am I right? I’ve no love for Inquisitors after what they did to our friends at Belafonte, but past is past. No point in blaming boys who were at their mommas’ teats. The Inquisitor said little, but the soldiers who wandered in spoke about what happened. Demons, heretics, and their own captain burning his men? Pffah. What’s this world coming to when a captain is a turncoat? Some said that lad you left with, Daeric Whine—Rhine—whatever—was one too."
"Daeric was, Big Al." Timothy sat at the counter, feeling his chest tighten. He noticed his chest did that whenever he was tired. "He was a part of a group of…heretics who…who were killing Churchmen."
"Damn Luthers." Marc sipped from his mug.
"You look as if you’d seen some things since you left here, lad." Big Al winked. "I want to hear your story. Food and room are on the house."
"You give travelers free food, but you make your friends pay?" Marc asked.
"Who said you were a friend, Marc? I can’t help Elsie’s the best cook in this part of the country. Besides, we all want to hear a good story."
"Aye, she is that," a farmer said from one of the tables.
"Wait till I tell Ashley that," someone else said.
Kit smiled. "Timmy and I would be happy to tell it. It is a long one."
Timothy looked at her, and she kicked his shin. Her ears pushed against her hood.
Big Al rubbed his hands together. "Now that’s what I’m saying. First, what’s this boy’s story? He’s got red hair too." Big Al pointed a thick finger at Tell.
"He’s my lover," Yuzu said.
Tell backed away from her, shaking his head. "She…she…."
Big Al boomed a laugh. "Why are you embarrassed, lad? She’s a looker. If I was younger, right, Marc?" Marc grunted, and Big Al swiped his hand in Marc’s direction. "Bah, your old age has made you a monk. Both of you lads would be in trouble if I was younger."
Kit patted Timothy’s shoulder. "Careful, Master Doni. My husband would take objection."
"And so would Master Doni’s wife." Elsie came out of the kitchen with a large platter heaped with the white vegetable Big Al called mash, gravy, meat, and bread. "You folks are all Al could talk about these last few months. Yes, Al. I figured you’d want to feed them while they tell their story."
Big Al laughed and slapped his wide stomach. "You know me, Elsie."
Marc gestured with his mug. "It beats hearing another of Al’s stories for the hundredth time."
Elsie sat the platter in front of Timothy. Kit slipped into the chair beside him. A pregnant serving girl placed a second platter for Yuzu and Tell. Elsie settled into a chair near the kitchen’s entrance and waved the girl back to the kitchen.
"Sit down, lad." Big Al gestured at Tell. "I’ll let you go first."
"Go first?"
"First to tell your story, Telly." Yuzu guided him to the stool. "Tell here used to work with Daeric and the other…heretics. But I reformed him."
"Oh, so you were a wild one too, lad? Elsie tried to tame me—"
"And did a good job at it," Elsie said.
"Go ahead." Yuzu’s cheek protruded, and she waved her fork at Tell.
Tell kept his eyes on the platter of food. "I…my father’s name was Jan, but he wasn’t much of a father. Daeric, Gert, and Jan decided to get revenge for my mother’s death. She was burned at the stake…"
Chapter 12
Three days later, Timothy sat on the seat of a sled Kit had purchased from a farmer Big Al knew. Two horses more accustomed to plowing fields than pulling a sled filled with supplies trudged through the snow. Timothy had his doubts about a wagon without wheels, but the runners seemed to work well. Yuzu and Tell sat with the supplies. Snow fell.
"I…I feel much better after talking with Big Al," Tell told Yuzu.
"I need to think of some new way to make money." Kit leaned against Timothy. "This wagon of supplies took the rest of the money I earned from Honheim." Her weight made his chest and shoulder ache, but he didn’t say anything.
"You’ll think of something."
"I better. I have a terrible shepherd to take care of now."
They rode in silence. Yuzu and Tell spoke in hushed tones, punctuated by Yuzu giggling. Those two have gotten closer, Timothy thought.
Nestled in his scarf and thick cloak, with Kit dozing on him, Timothy smiled.
The weeks passed uneventfully. Timothy skirted the burned-out ruins of Honheim. The silhouette in the distance tugged at his memory. Yuzu stared after the ruins long after they disappeared behind the hills. Snow gave way to mud as they traveled west. The air remained cold, but it lacked the bite they endured back at Belafonte.
As they topped a rise, Timothy spotted the abbey and what looked to be a town sprouted around it. Roughhewn houses huddled against the cold. A few people worked in the streets.
"Are those people from Honheim?" Kit stood on the seat, peering around.
"Sit down. If they are, they know you are a fox, remember?" Over the last several days Timothy began to doubt the wisdom of returning to see Aunt Mae. Too many sisters knew Kit was a fox. But they had to go somewhere.
"They are. I recognize many of them." Yuzu stood in the wagon bed. "Could Mira, Colt, and Hoss be here?"
"The children you told me about?" Tell asked.
Yuzu nodded. The horses tugged the wagon through the mud that served as a street.
The runners work as well on mud as on the snow, Timothy thought. He looked at Kit, seated beside him again.
"You are worrying again." She patted his knee.
"If these people are from Honheim, that means you are in danger. Sister Tera is here."
"Yuzu?" A lanky boy approached. A basket of firewood weighed his back.
"Colt?" Yuzu leaned over the wagon bed. "Colt!" She vaulted to the ground and swept the boy into a hug. "I thought you died in the fire."
Timothy eased the horses to a stop. Kit muttered something.
"Hoss said you didn’t make it out of the fire," Colt said.
"Hoss is here? What about Mira?" Yuzu asked.
"You should go with her, Tell," Kit said. "We have business in the abbey with the nuns." She stared at Tell until he fidgeted.
"Just tell him, Kit." Timothy rolled his eyes.
"He needs to learn how to understand what a woman means by her stares."
"What she means is these people know about…what Kit is. So stay hidden, and go with Yuzu."
Tell looked at Timothy. "You understood that from her stare?"
He shrugged. "I know Kit."
Tell scratched his temple. "Yuzu doesn’t look to need me." Yuzu walked away with Colt’s hand in hers. She bent toward him.
Kit glared at Tell.
"All right, I’ll go." Tell scrambled out of the wagon and trotted after Yuzu.
"There’s hope for you two yet," Kit said.
Timothy flipped the reins and got the horses moving again.
A woman Timothy didn’t recognize waited outside the abbey’s entrance. "Who might you be, and what’s your business?"
<
br /> "Timothy Clarke. Aunt—Mother Mae will want to see us."
"She’s a mite busy, but I will ask. A moment." She slid the heavy door open and slipped through.
"Last time was a better welcome," Kit said.
"They know who you are now."
"Funny."
The woman reappeared. "You may come in, Master Clarke." She approached the sled. "I will tend to your horses."
Timothy slid from the hard seat. "Sounds good." Kit followed after hesitating a moment. The woman clambered up and switched the horses into motion with more skill than Timothy could muster.
"She’d better not take anything," Kit said.
"It’ll be fine…as long as you keep your face covered." They entered the abbey.
"Timothy! Kit!" Sister Rae stood just inside the hall. She wagged a finger at him. "Traveling in terrible weather again, I see."
"I—we—"
The old nun planted a fist on her a plump hip. "Sister Tera told us all about what happened. Bold of you to come back home after that."
"What did she tell you?" Kit asked.
"Sister Tera’s here? If she sees you, Kit…" Timothy knew they shouldn’t have returned.
"Nothing for you to worry about." Sister Rae waved her hand. "Sister Tera is away on business."
"How is our dear Sister Tera?" Kit asked.
Sister Rae chuckled. "Regretting the good work she did. Don’t worry, child. She’s too busy to worry about a fox."
Timothy choked.
"We all heard about what happened. More than a few sisters left over it. Sister Grace, Nika, and several others." Sister Rae shook her head. "Those who are still here have no ill will toward you. In fact, it fixed the vexing problem of Sister Grace vying to become abbess. Bah, look at me jabber. You’ve come to visit Mother Mae. Come along then." She began walking. Timothy and Kit followed.
"What about the Inquisition?" Timothy asked. "Wouldn’t they—"
"Mother Mae is more capable than you think, Timothy. Besides, the Inquisition is too busy now. What, you hadn’t heard? The Papal States and all the states of Italy are at war. Honestly, Mother Mae’s idea to found a town elsewhere isn’t going to work with more people coming from the south. But she’s surprised me before. Ah, here we are. Just a moment." Sister Rae knocked and entered Aunt Mae’s office.
Timothy blinked, feeling overwhelmed from Sister Rae’s rambling. Kit snatched his hand.
Sister Rae opened the door and stepped out. "Mother will see you now. You two look like you’ve been through a lot since you left. We will talk later. I promise I will listen more than talk this time." She grinned and hurried off.
Timothy took a deep breath, and his hands felt clammy. He looked at Kit’s hood. With his free hand he opened the door.
Aunt Mae sat behind her desk, sipping tea. Her desk retained its cluttered organization. He pushed the door closed. Aunt Mae studied them over her teacup. Kit removed her hood and met the nun’s gaze. Her ears twitched. Timothy resisted the urge to fidget. Finally, Aunt Mae sat the cup aside, stood, and walked around the desk. She embraced them both.
"Welcome back, dearies. Welcome home." She broke the embrace and stepped back. She crossed her arms and glared at them. "Now tell me why I shouldn’t take a switch to the two of you. Oh, I can see you’ve been hurt, Timothy. You look older and frailer. No denying it." She rounded on Kit. "I told you to look after him."
Kit met the nun’s gaze. "I know. I tried. But…I fear I hurt him more than protected him."
"Kit…" Timothy squeezed her hand.
"What I know about him, that’s nonsense. He caused his own trouble, and you had to save him. Now out with it." Aunt Mae sat on her desk. "Tell me all about what happened since you left. Sister Tera spoke about seeing Evelyn."
"Aunt Mae—"
"Mother Mae, Timothy."
"We…Mom tried to kill me."
If Aunt Mae was surprised, she didn’t show it. "Start with what happened when you left here."
Timothy looked at Kit. She took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. A small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "It all started when Timothy tried to take a bath with me."
He frowned. "It was raining." Trust Kit to not feel cowed for long.
"Shower. Bath. Same thing. You know how he is, Mother. Well, Cat and I…"
When Kit finished her story, Aunt Mae turned to Timothy. "Quite a bit of trouble you’ve gotten into."
The door burst open. Yuzu lurched into the space with Tell beside. She grasped the young man’s hand. Sister Rae grabbed Yuzu and Tell by the backs of their necks. "Sorry, Mother. When these two asked where Timothy was—"
"They are all alive." Yuzu didn’t seem to feel the nun’s fingers. "Hoss, Mira, Colt. They are all alive!"
Aunt Mae frowned. "So this is the Yuzu and Tell you mentioned."
Tell gazed at Aunt Mae with wide eyes. "P-pardon. I tried to stop her, but…."
"It’s all right—this time." Aunt Mae waved her hand. "It’s fine, Sister Rae. You might as well come in. We need witnesses anyway."
Timothy frowned. "Witnesses for what?"
Sister Rae freed Yuzu and Tell. Then the nun smiled and rubbed her hands. "It’s about time we finally took care of our family problem."
Yuzu glared over her shoulder at the old nun. "What problem?" She glanced around the room. "What is going on, Sis?"
"You don’t have to worry." Aunt Mae paused and looked at Tell. "You are a fox too aren’t you?"
Tell backed into Sister Rae. "N-no. I’m not."
"Don’t lie to the abbess," Sister Rae patted Tell’s shoulder. "You don’t have to worry. We all know about foxes, but we are not like the Inquisitors."
Tell looked at Timothy.
"It’s true. You don’t have to worry about Aunt Mae. She protected Kit when Inquisitors came looking for her. Now what do you mean witnesses, Aunt Mae?"
Aunt Mae stood and folded her hands in front of her. "I had decided when next we met I would settle some matters."
Kit’s smile faded, and Sister Rae bobbed her head. What matters? Timothy thought. Tell and Yuzu shared a look.
Aunt Mae stood straight. "While I am not a priest, I can serve as a marriage witness for friends and family. And since no priest is available, I can perform this sacrament. Do you, Kitsune, take my adopted son, Timothy, in holy matrimony?"
Wait. Where did this come from? Timothy looked at Kit. Panic and an emotion he couldn’t name welled in his chest.
Kit’s ears didn’t flinch. She grabbed his other hand. "Despite him being a woolbrain, bookbug, flea-attracting shepherd, I do."
"I now pronounce you—"
"Wait!" Timothy pulled away from Kit. "This is too fast. Don’t I have to agree?"
Kit leaned in, revealing her fangs. Her ears flicked. "So you are saying no?"
"No. I mean, I…"
Aunt Mae regarded him. "Everyone can see it, dearie. It’s past time you two stopped living that lie. You are still telling that story, aren’t you? Well, I decided to have you married when you returned."
"This will be us, Tell, in a few months," Yuzu said.
"At least she is giving you a warning as to when," Timothy said.
Kit stepped up to Timothy. "We already talked about this. There’s no backing out now."
"I…I don’t want to back out. It’s just too soon. Things—"
Aunt Mae fought a smile. "It’s too late. I already said the words before man and God. Everyone here knows you won’t say no."
"I didn’t hear all of the words."
"She said them. I witnessed your marriage." Sister Rae winked. "I expect you to name your first daughter after me. It’s the least you could do for all the trouble you caused me over the years."
Kit grabbed his coat collar and pulled him close. "You get the better end of this, but you are still my shepherd. Now shut up and accept your fate, my husband in truth."
"Fine. I do. I hope you are a better kisser than Kyle."
S
he laced her fingers around his neck. "You will see how some of the fox stories are true. I’ve wanted to try out some new ways to make you blush."
Her lips were as warm as her spring-meadow eyes.
Christopher Kincaid spends his time wandering worlds of paper and ink. He sports a negative tan after too many hours in front of computer screens. In addition to having a weakness for good tea and books, he is often found indulging his love for antique video games.
Hunted Trilogy
Vixen Hunted
Shepherd Hunted
Other Books by Christopher Kincaid
Folklore
Come and Sleep: The Folklore of the Japanese Fox
Tanuki: The Folklore of Japan’s Trickster
You can read more about Japanese folklore, culture, and American anime culture at Christopher's blog JapanPowered
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