Mahrree was bewildered. “What do you mean, this difficult time will be over soon enough? What time?”
“The time you’re tied up by demanding little children! Truly, you’ll soon forget how difficult this was once they’re old enough to go to school.” She winced as Jaytsy demonstrated her high pitched scream and ability to kick in all directions at the same time.
Mahrree tried to hand her to Perrin, and Jaytsy added flailing to her list of skills. Perrin took Jaytsy, held her at arm’s length to avoid being bruised, and walked her back to the kitchen.
Mahrree sighed and said, “It’s bathing time, but I guess that’s obvious. My children have me tied?”
The thought had never occurred to Mahrree. True, her life was completely different now. And she didn’t participate in anything outside of the house. And she hadn’t thought about the condition of her hair in nearly two years. Or the condition of her clothes. Or her house. Or garden.
But caring for these little children, who she thought were funny more often than frustrating, loving more often than loud, was an honor. It said so in The Writings, and she’d chosen to believe it from the moment she knew she was expecting her firstborn. And choosing to believe it had made all the difference in her attitude as a mother.
Were they difficult? Yes.
Demanding?
For some reason that word just didn’t seem right. It suggested that she and Perrin hadn’t invited them to be part of their family. An infestation of roaches suddenly filled her mind.
Mrs. Hili shook her head gently at Mahrree’s mystified face. “You really need to get out once in a while. Captain!” she called past Mahrree. “Find someone to stay with your children one evening, and take this poor thing out to see the world.”
Perrin poked his head out the kitchen door. In his arms was Jaytsy, squirming to put back on the clothes Perrin was trying to take off. “Are you volunteering?” he asked with a wicked smile.
Mahrree knew he would never want Mrs. Hili watching his children, but he was never one to pass up an opportunity to tease an unsuspecting citizen. Mahrree sighed to herself.
It was useless to ask her mother to watch the children. Hycymum was the kind of woman who loved the idea of children, but struggled to know how to deal with the actual manifestations. She lavished clothing and gifts on them, but she couldn’t stand their noise, energy, constant demands, sticky parts, and wet patches.
Their great-great-aunt loved them too, but Tabbit was slowing down considerably to the point that Peto could now out-crawl her.
When Joriana had visited at the end of Weeding Season for a few weeks, Perrin and Mahrree actually escaped a few times to the concerts. Mahrree enjoyed getting out, albeit for only an hour at a time because she worried about her babies, but now with her mother-in-law gone there was no else they trusted.
Perrin certainly didn’t trust Mrs. Hili, but Mahrree knew he was looking forward to her reaction.
She turned almost as red as the burgundy stripes on her dress. “Gracious, no!” she flustered and fanned herself despite the cold outside.
Perrin smiled in satisfaction.
“I have too many things to do,” she tried to explain. “But certainly you can find someone to help poor Miss Mahrree. Now, I really must go. The performance will have started.”
Mahrree stood at the door for a few moments watching Poe’s mother glide down the cobblestones in a hurry. She wondered what Poe was doing now. And where was his father?
From the kitchen she heard the sounds of Jaytsy in the large washing basin, splashing and giggling. For all the fussing she did before it, the moment Jaytsy’s toes hit the warm water she loved her baths. It was as if she forgot each day that baths were a favorite activity. Getting her out again would be yet another battle, one that Perrin was well suited for.
Mahrree glanced down at her dress, faded in parts, mucked up by a variety of smudges and smears. True, it was her daily work dress, so it should look like this. She did have a few others, and one was even in good condition. She wondered if she really was missing something, spending every day and night with her babies.
Yes, there were days she was frustrated to tears by the never-ending messes and crying. But she also knew that the never-ending would end, sooner than she would want. Despite it all, she found herself fascinated by her remarkable children. As they discovered the world, she felt she was seeing it new herself.
Take, for instance, just this morning. Mahrree realized to her chagrin that she hadn’t swept under the sofa since before Peto was born, nearly seven moons ago. So while her babies were unraveling balls of yarn from their Grandmother Peto, Mahrree bravely slid over the sofa and braced for the worst.
It was a practical warren of dust bunnies. She quickly swept it together, but not before Jaytsy toddled over, crouched, and oohed! at the pile of dust, soot, and—
Mahrree peered closer, suddenly panicked—
No, no that was only a clump of black Barker fur.
In his odd crawling technique, Peto skooched himself over to stare in wonder at the pile, and Mahrree realized it actually was a fascinating sight. She watched her budding little scientists stare in rapt interest and tried to remember where her notes on the moldy blob were. In a couple of years, Jaytsy and Peto would undoubtedly find that a most enthralling experiment.
Then, the children reached simultaneously for the pile of black dust, their mouths already opened for a taste—
And Mahrree briskly swept up the mess before anyone choked on Barker fur. Perhaps regrowing the blob should wait for at least ten more years . . .
And that was yet another thing that intrigued her. Why was it that her babies were so eager to taste anything, except the food she cooked for them? Yet another amusing mystery to ponder.
Oh yes, being their mother was, by far, the most difficult work she’d ever undertaken.
And it also was, by far, the most satisfying.
At the end of the day, she knew she’d accomplished an enormous amount of work, even if the house looked as messy as it had in the morning. At this point of her life, messy meant success. Things happened.
To look forward to the day she no longer found surprises in Jaytsy’s changing cloths or when Peto no longer spewed half of his meals? The thought already made her sad. It was such a short time. Only a few years . . .
She didn’t notice the blue uniform standing directly in front of her in the open doorway.
The soldier looked at her worriedly and knocked lightly on the door frame. “Mrs. Shin? Are you all right?”
Mahrree’s head snapped up and she found herself face to face with Private Shem Zenos. She shook her head a little. “Oh, oh, yes. I’m sorry—just a little lost, I suppose.”
Private Zenos took her by the arm and turned her gently back into her house.
“I think I understand, Mrs. Shin. They call it sleep deprivation. It was a form of warfare used during the Great War, back home near Waves.” He closed the front door behind him as he explained. “Villagers from Waves would capture female cats that were in season—” he blushed briefly, “secure them in baskets, then hide them around the village of Flax after nightfall. Naturally, the male cats would come seeking them and start caterwauling in desperation to find their new loves. The residents spent most of the night trying to shut up the cats and find the females. By morning they were exhausted and that’s when Waves attacked them.”
Mahrree, now fully out of her daydream, folded her arms. “Cat warfare?” she said dubiously.
“Absolutely,” Zenos said solemnly. “I understand it was suggested by a man who was father to triplets. Meowaaaaah!” he demonstrated a mix between meowing and crying.
Mahrree looked at him in disbelief until she couldn’t hold it in anymore, and she laughed.
“How do you keep such a straight face? I never know when to believe you! If there was a contest for lying, Zenos, you’d take first prize! What are you doing here this evening? Come, sit down.”
He did
n’t sit, but stood at ease in the gathering room, his happy sky blue eyes twinkling at her. “Thank you, ma’am, but I was wondering if I could have a moment with the captain. I’m sorry to have come so late to your home, but—”
“It’s not a problem, Private. And it’s not late. But you’ll have to wait your turn. He’s already busy in the other room with a female, and I strongly suspect she’s undressed,” Mahrree said gravely.
The private’s eyes flashed in shock and his mouth began to open.
Mahrree winked at him.
Perrin called loudly from the kitchen, “I’m just giving Jaytsy a bath. Don’t listen to her, Zenos! Haven’t I told you that before?”
The private broke into a wide grin and said, “Yes, sir! That’s why I keep finding excuses to come here. It reminds me of home.”
Mahrree laughed. Private Zenos was not only Perrin’s favorite soldier, but hers too. If ever she had a little brother, she imagined he would have been exactly like Zenos.
Perrin emerged from the kitchen with Jaytsy wrapped in a thick cloth. His tan shirt was nearly as wet as her wild hair. “And cat warfare? While I’d like to believe that, since I hate cats, I have to tell you—I never read about that in any of the history books, Zenos.”
“The best things never are remembered, sir,” Zenos declared earnestly.
Perrin chuckled. “I suspect that’s true. Peto’s turn for a bath,” he said to Mahrree. “There’s still a corner of the basin clean enough for him.”
On cue Peto began to roll from his playing area. Mahrree caught him and walked with him towards the kitchen.
“Mahrree, where are Jaytsy’s bed clothes?” Perrin called to her.
Mahrree stopped. “Oh, I forgot. They must still be upstairs on our bed.”
Private Zenos held out his arms to Mahrree. “I’ve been meaning to ask for a while, and now seems the right time: Can I hold Peto while you find the clothes?”
Mahrree’s eyebrows rose at his offer. Maybe it was because he was from the southernmost areas, but Private Zenos was so unlike the men of the village. The last several weeks he had been happily serving as their messenger demonstrated that.
He always first delivered Perrin’s message, then added an outlandish story or joke to make Mahrree laugh. She looked forward to his visits, and if Perrin hadn’t sent a message for three or four days, she told him in the morning he needed to, because she thought of something new to say to the young private to tease or embarrass him. Half of the time she succeeded. The other half he would startle her instead. He must be always thinking up ways to get her back, just as she planned on ways to get him first.
Whenever he dropped by, the children usually stopped whatever they were doing when they heard his voice and hooted eagerly at him. Zenos always took a moment to tickle Jaytsy or make faces at Peto.
And now Zenos was offering to hold Peto. Mahrree had met only one other baby-snatching man in her life: her husband. Now there seemed to be another in the world, and he was only twenty years old.
Mahrree said to Perrin a couple of weeks ago that she thought Zenos was the sweetest soldier she had ever met.
Perrin had glared at that and said to never, ever call a soldier “sweet” again.
Or adorable.
Mahrree evaluated the sincerity of Zenos’s offer. His blue eyes were completely honest. “Peto’s a little sticky,” she warned him.
“That’s how babies should be, ma’am.” Zenos smiled and took Peto confidently.
Peto stared at him with big eyes and reached up to grab his nose.
Perrin looked at Mahrree. “Better run and get the clothes before Peto claws his face. We don’t want to ruin a good thing here.”
Mahrree nodded and went upstairs leaving Perrin to watch his young recruit who sat down on a chair and easily bounced laughter out of his son. She soon came down the stairs in time to see Zenos tipping Peto upside down and flipping him back up again. Alarmed she asked, “Is that safe?”
“None of the babies in our family have had permanent damage yet, ma’am!” he assured her and flipped Peto yet again, to his giggling delight.
Perrin held his gaze for a moment, then sat down on the stuffed chair near the hearth and started to put a changing cloth on Jaytsy by the warmth of the fire.
“Perrin!” Mahrree exclaimed. “Not in front of the private!”
The soldier grinned. “I promise I won’t peek, Mrs. Shin. But it’s really nothing new to me. I have a sister who has two little girls, and I was always the one who stayed with them and even changed their cloths when she needed to go to the market. They loved their Uncle Shem.” He nuzzled Peto’s neck as only someone who was completely comfortable with babies knew how to do. “Yes they did!” he crooned as Peto giggled and grabbed clumps of his short light brown hair in his chubby fists.
Mahrree stared. Even in Hycymum’s most relaxed moments she would only drop cookies on their heads from above.
But, Mahrree thought, wild ideas running in her mind, he’s a young man. Why would a young man agree to . . . ?
She continued to stare at him.
Zenos didn’t notice—his face was buried in Peto’s neck, making a bubbling noise which made Peto howl uncontrollably with laughter.
It would make sense, really. Should anything happen while they were away, having someone who knew how to handle a sword would be the best choice for defending the captain’s children.
But still, Mahrree thought.
Now Zenos had Peto lying in his lap doing something called “eentsy weensy beetle” up his body and tickling him under his chin. Then he lifted Peto and impulsively gave him a kiss.
Mahrree smiled. No matter what Perrin insisted, Zenos was sweet.
And adorable.
Mahrree and Perrin exchanged the same look. Then they shrugged at each other. Then they gave each other an it-couldn’t-hurt-to-ask look.
“Private,” Mahrree began slowly, “what I am about to ask, I say as a friend, not as the wife of your captain.” She glanced back to Perrin who nodded. “Would you ever consider, as a friend, you see, when you have free time, maybe coming over here and . . .” She couldn’t get the rest of the words out.
Zenos squinted. “Stay with your children? Let you get away a little bit? ‘See the world,’ as that lady in silk said to you? Yes, ma’am, I was waiting and listening in the bushes for a time,” he explained to Mahrree’s questioning expression.
Mahrree turned to her husband. “Why did you name that dog Barker when he never barks? Not even when someone’s hiding in our bushes?!”
Perrin merely rolled his eyes at her as tried to get his daughter’s arm into the sleeve of her sleeping gown. The dog was staying, as ineffective as he was.
Zenos chuckled. “I’d be honored to watch your children, Mrs. Shin.”
“Really?” Mahrree sat down. “You’re an unusual young man, Private Zenos.”
“You better just call me Shem, ma’am. That’s the custom where I come from. Especially if I get to care for your children.” Then he turned to Peto. “Did you hear that? I get to come play with you!”
Peto giggled and clawed at his face. Zenos didn’t even flinch.
But his commander stared in wonder.
Somewhere in the forest, Perrin thought to himself, a mountain lion just rolled over in submission. That was the kind of influence that boy had. It wasn’t his words so much as it was his manner, his being. And he didn’t even realize it.
Mahrree shook her head. “I mean, it’s a little odd, I know, asking a soldier.”
“Nothing odd about it, ma’am. So, when do you want me to come over? I have it in pretty good with the captain, and can probably get him change my duty shifts,” Zenos said soberly, but the corner of his mouth tugged upwards.
A bear would have sat down on its haunches, Perrin mused, fascinated by the boy’s sincere exuberance.
“Private Zenos, I’d like you here on duty day after tomorrow, after midday meal,” he ordered with a wink. “These c
hildren should be ready for a nap then.”
“So soon?” Mahrree asked in a panic.
“Well when were you thinking? That’s my first day off.”
“I was thinking much later, like when Peto—”
“—is five years old?” Perrin interrupted.
“Yes!” Mahrree agreed.
Perrin shook his head and worked Jaytsy’s second arm into a sleeve. “Peto likes to drink from a mug and eats tolerably well. He’ll be fine. I think we really need to get out,” he said steadily. “Private Zenos, in two days?”
“Sir, I can only do that if you’ll please call me Shem when I’m in your home. That just seems right,” he said carefully, almost sweetly.
Lambs would’ve followed him anywhere.
His captain smiled at him. “All right, Shem.”
Mahrree looked at Zenos thoughtfully. “Perrin, I know what this young man needs—he needs a wife! He’d be a wonderful father. Do you think we can help him?”
Perrin laughed at Zenos’s disturbed expression.
“Mrs. Shin, I’m afraid I’m not here to find a wife. I came here to serve your husband. I’m not the marrying type. Yet.”
“I spoke those words once before, too,” Perrin said kindly. “Only days after I arrived here. I changed my mind. You might, too.”
The private paused before saying intently, “Perhaps someday, sir. But right now my obligation is only to you and your family, until I’m released from this duty.”
Perrin stopped trying to button Jaytsy’s sleeping gown, since she had gone uncooperatively limp over them, and asked, “What do you mean, ‘released from this duty’?”
Zenos hesitated. “Why, released from watching over your children. When they’re grown, I guess then I’ll have to get some of my own, sir.” He grinned broadly, and somewhere a garden of flowers unexpectedly bloomed in the night.
Perrin shook his head slowly. “Shem Zenos, you are an unusual young man. I need to keep an eye on you.”
“Sir, I certainly hope you will.”
It wasn’t until Zenos was replacing his cap and heading out the door, after involving Jaytsy in an introductory game of Tie up Your Uncle, that Perrin remembered. “Private, why did you come here tonight anyway?”
Soldier at the Door (Forest at the Edge) Page 13