“I know he had a courage elixir running through him,” Mother said.
“Yeah,” he paused, “I’m not sure if he did, though.”
I grew tired of the “grandmother-made-me-do-it” excuse. Their family had used that line too many times already. “Let me guess. Marquette slipped it into his breakfast?” I said sarcastically. He attempted to confirm my suspicions, but I shook my head, uninterested in his plea for sympathy. “Why are you here?”
“Don’t be rude,” Mother instructed. Out of respect for her, I complied.
“Two reasons, actually.” He cleared his throat. “First of all, I wanted to apologize personally to you, Una. I wish I could change the terrible things my family has put you through. I don’t understand their choices; still, I can tell you they didn’t intend on any of this happening,” he offered tearfully.
“Of all the people in your house, you are the last person that owes me an apology,” I said, pulling my knees up to my chest.
“The second reason is Blue requested I speak with your parents about the legal arrangement of your status.”
“I’m not sure that applies any longer.” Father sat back in his chair. “Calish’s birthright has been reinstated by the Lord of the Authority.”
Kali gasped. “They can do that?”
“Apparently they can and have,” Father answered. “He left for training several days ago. We expect him home any minute.”
Pantis shook his head. “I’m sorry, what does that have to do with Una?”
My father chuckled. “Calish only agreed to take the position if Blue’s Petition was revoked.”
Kali screeched, “But you’re pregnant!”
Pantis snapped his fingers at his granddaughter.
“So you understand the sensitivity of the situation.” Mother’s stern response failed to control the room.
“Of course we know!” she burst out.
“Kali!” Pantis barked. “You are not helping. Go outside.”
“But—”
“Did I ask you? No. It was not a request, was it?”
She stood straight, pursing her lips, and all but stomped out the front door, making sure to slam it behind her. She gave a little scream, evidently forgetting about the wolf on our porch. My father jumped up and opened the door to let Rain back inside.
I imagined Kali sprinting toward the safety of her brother and wished the pup hadn’t been let in. His instincts would have overpowered his will, and she wouldn’t have made it across the bridge fast enough. Or perhaps she would. The wolf would still claim his prize.
I bet they wouldn’t visit anymore.
A momentary silence hung in the air before Pantis felt it was appropriate to continue and broke me from my fantasy. “Blue told us the baby was his.” Leaning forward, he said just above a whisper, “Later he told me the truth about the guard. He doesn’t want anyone else to know otherwise.”
“Why would he do that?” Mother asked.
“He intends, well, intended to make Una his wife. With her pregnancy, it satisfies the consummation requirement set by the Priests and keeps her from a Chapel wedding as long as he claims the child as his own.”
My mother scoffed at his suggestion. “I’m not letting her leave this house.”
“Blue doesn’t expect her to.”
I jumped from the loft, landing crouched down on my feet, my fingernails piercing the wooden floor. “I’m not marrying him,” I growled.
The hair on my neck stood on end, and my mark burned. I rose, staring at the people discussing my fate with disdain. I threw open the door. Seeing him standing outside made my blood run hot and saliva pool in the corners of my mouth. Turning my attention back to the adults at the table, I made my intentions known. “I don’t care about the excuses or the plans to win me over that he and Marquette have cooked up. You know what he has done, you’ve seen it. You think you know what he is capable of, but let me tell you, you’ve only discovered a small piece. I’m never marrying him. Never! Your grandson is a demon in the flesh!”
I stormed to my property’s entrance, my pup at my side. Blue’s face brightened as I approached him, and he had the audacity to smile at me. I grabbed a handful of mud and threw it at him. “Get away from me! I hate you!”
“Una, wait!” He put his hands up as the sludge hit him in the arm. “I’m sorry!”
I picked up another slurry mess and launched it. “I don’t care what you are! You’ve done enough to me for this lifetime. You think I’m actually going to let you near my child?”
My father pulled me away as my rant spiraled out of control.
Blue shouted his apologies over and over again, confessing his love for me, but his whining voice pierced my ears, making me angrier. I broke free of my father’s grip and ran straight for the bastard. Mother stepped in front of me and forced me backward into my father’s arms.
“Son, get them over the plank,” Father yelled over my screaming.
Kali chimed in, yelling at me about her rights as an aunt, blah, blah, blah, while my brother shoved her over the gulch.
“Remember your place, woman! If you so much as look down this way again, I swear…”
Mother hurried her friend back to the road, fearful that Rain’s aggression might tear through him any moment. “Get the bridge, Marsh!” she screamed over the bellowing voice of her enraged son.
Instead of pulling the plank away, he picked it up and threw it back into the yard as he roared at Kali, who sobbed uncontrollably. My father, tired of fighting me, scooped me up and carried me back to the house as my mother did her best to drag Marsh away from the entrance. Rain continued pacing our side of the gulch, baring his teeth to his would-be victims.
Once inside the house, my father commanded us to settle down. “I know you’re both upset, but you need to listen!”
I stood dripping wet from the rain, shivering from a combination of adrenaline and anger. Marsh ripped off his jacket, silently objecting to Father’s instructions to stand down.
“We don’t know that Reinick is going to keep his word. If you two don’t learn to control yourselves, that family will take the baby from us and have us all killed!”
“I’m not marrying him.”
My father touched my shoulder and shook his head. “If Calish can’t get that Petition revoked, my dear, you already are.”
I started to cry, knowing his words were true.
He pulled me into him and hugged me tightly. “We have to be smart about this,” he said softly, “all of us, including you, Marsh.”
“I’m sorry, Father.” He nodded.
“I don’t think anything has been done today that cannot be undone,” Mother admitted, “but your father is right, we must be careful from here on out.”
“At least now we know where they stand.” Father sighed. “That makes me feel a little better, anyway.”
We each busied ourselves with tasks to satisfy our hands while our minds suffocated any chance of conversation with another person. Father and Marsh butchered the chickens to roast while I cleaned the same bookcase a hundred times. Desperate to keep myself busy until Calish returned, it was the only task that allowed me to stare out the window and watch for him.
The aroma of dinner filled the house as I moved my dusting rag over the empty shelf. My belly growled, but my eyes stayed focused on the road outside.
When the light left the sky, my parents and Marsh ate at the table set for five. They invited me to sit with them.
“I’ll eat with Calish,” I declared.
Mother stood next to me as the men cleaned up after the meal. I nibbled on the roll she offered, only to settle my nervous stomach.
By the end of the evening, when the lanterns were snuffed out, my love had yet to come home. Despite my spirits being low, I still held hope for his return. Citizens celebrated the most trivial events; he could be delayed by a graduation dinner.
I grabbed the quilt from my bed and wrapped up in it before quietly stepping outside
with Rain. I sat on the chair under the porch with him curled up at my feet. While I’m sure the pup only wished to be near me, I pretended he knew something I didn’t. Could he hear other animals of the night communicating about travelers in the night? Would he know if Calish was en route? Perhaps he had, and he took the place next to me for the opportunity to see him approach. Together we watched for movements on the road until my eyes no longer stayed open by themselves. Eventually, I fell asleep waiting for him to return, just as he must have done for me.
Chapter 13
Marsh woke me up at first light. “Did you sleep out here all night?”
I yawned and nodded. “Is he back?”
“Do you think he’d pass you and wake me up first?”
“No, I guess not.” I reached down and scratched Rain’s neck. Today was day five. Today was the day Calish said to leave if he was not back.
“Hey, are you all right?” Marsh squinted at me.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I stood up, clutching the quilt around my shoulders.
“Mom asked me to get the eggs. You go help her; I’ll be right back.”
I shuffled into the house, still half asleep, holding the door open for Rain to follow.
“What were you doing outside?” Mother asked.
“Waiting for Calish.” I sat at the table and watched the sleepy pup spin around three times before lying down in front of the fire.
“I pray he’ll be home today.” She smiled and handed me a cup of tea. “How are you feeling?”
“I feel fine, just bloated.”
Mother laughed and took a seat next to me. “Well, I can see the changes in you already.”
“What changes?”
“Well, your belly is just a bit rounder, nothing too obvious.” She blushed. “However, your breasts, well, they’re a little more noticeable.”
I pulled my nightshirt open at the neck. She was right; they did seem bigger.
“You may be able to feel it moving soon if my calculations are correct.”
“When do you think the baby will come?”
“Sometime in Toridia.” She grimaced.
“What’s that look for?”
“You’re going to be completing your pregnancy during the hottest season of the year.” She handed me a cup of tea. “I have a feeling you’re going to be miserable.”
“I’m not going to be one of those women who complain about carrying a child.”
“We’ll see.” She chuckled as Marsh walked in with a bunch of eggs piled in his massive hands. “Thank you, sweetheart.”
“What did I interrupt?” he asked, sitting down.
I considered saying something about my growing breasts. “Just talking about the pregnancy,” I said, deciding to keep the details to myself.
“So, Mother, will you be able to tell if it’s a boy or girl?” he asked.
“No, I don’t think so,” she said.
“Will you?” he asked me.
I shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess I didn’t think about that.” During one of my visions, I saw a child, although it was only the top of his or her head.
“Good morning.” My father came in.
Rain jumped from his slumber. Seeing my father, he moaned and lay back down, stretched out in front of the fire to warm his belly.
“Nice to see you awake.” Father kissed my mother as she scrambled up the eggs.
“Where did you run off to this morning, dear?”
“I rode Rebel into the valley.”
“Did you see Calish?”
He shook his head. “I asked around. Nobody seemed to know anything.” He poured a cup of tea and sat next to me.
My panicked expression communicated more than I intended to reveal.
“I’m sure he’ll be home soon, little bird.” Father patted my shoulder.
Faking an agreement, I asked, “Did you see anyone else leaving the Authority? I mean, maybe they’ve not been dismissed yet.”
“I thought about that, so I talked to the boatman. He said that there were no scheduled transports for trainees today. There were a few yesterday afternoon, but there wouldn’t be any more for at least another moon cycle. He said the next run will be when the new officers are due to complete their training.”
“That doesn’t make any sense,” I whined. Where is Calish?
“Una, there’s a thousand explanations for him not being home yet,” Mother tried to comfort me.
“Like what?” I asked, but she had no answer.
“Your mother’s right,” Father attempted to cover for her. “The Authority is overwhelmed by the flooding. The shops are either flooded or washed away. The entire Temple Bridge is underwater. With the Authority’s depleted manpower, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was given an immediate assignment. He probably can’t leave. There’s also a chance he’s going through additional training. Lords don’t get that title overnight. They are senior officers who’ve dedicated their lives to the corps. Calish is smart, but there’s no way he’d learn everything he needs to know in three days.”
I shook my head adamantly. “He would have come home, if only for a moment.”
Mother stopped mixing the eggs. “Did you see something, Una?”
“No.”
“Then what are you freaking out about?” Marsh asked.
I avoided their stares. “I have to go.” This was the sentence I was hoping I wouldn’t have to say; still, I was determined to not let fear get the best of me. I’d focus on the task in front of me and cry about the circumstance at a later time.
“Go?” Father sat back in his chair. “Go where?”
Not sure how to answer, I headed for the loft to get my things. Rain watched me with the same confusion the others had.
“Una, where do you need to go?” Father asked again as I climbed down and stepped behind the privacy screen to change.
“Calish told me to go to the Resistance Camp if he didn’t return.” I saw no reason to hold back the truth of our plan. If we were going to fight about it, I wanted to get it over with quickly and be on my way.
“But, Una, the day’s not over. He might still come home,” Mother objected.
I pulled the tunic over my head and stepped out from their sleeping area. “You heard what Father said, there are no more boats from the Authority for several days, which means if he finished his training, he’d be home by now. If he’s not done, then he’s been assigned to do something else. Either way, he’s not coming home. Calish was very specific. He said day five; that’s today,” I argued as I searched for a back sack to store extra supplies in.
Rain’s tail wagged.
“Where is this Camp?” Mother asked as she set the bowl of raw eggs on the table to give her full attention to our conversation.
I paused, knowing my answer would not help my case. “I’m not sure,” I confessed, finding the sack hanging underneath the many jackets near the door.
My father crossed his arms in front of his chest. “Then how do you suppose you’re going to get there?”
“Rain will lead me.”
The wolf heard his name and stood up at attention.
“As in that lump over there?” Marsh laughed. “He’s been practically hibernating all morning! Wolves hate water. Besides, he hasn’t been there in how long? How is an animal who eats flies for a snack supposed to remember where his pack is? That’s assuming the wolves and the Resistance are in the same place!”
“Rain will lead me to Paw, and Paw will take me to the Camp.”
Hearing his name so many times, Rain barked.
“Una, that’s crap.” He shifted in his seat.
“Marsh has a point,” Father agreed. “You don’t have any idea where you’re headed.”
“Yes I do.” I climbed the ladder and quickly sorted through my clothes. “I know it’s somewhere past the Daxins’ place.” I measured a pair of trousers against my abdomen and stuffed them in the sack.
“This is ridiculous. You’re not going anywhere,
Una.” Marsh shook his head. “Why are you two letting her go on about this?”
Mother chastised him.
“What? Am I wrong?” he scoffed.
“No,” Father answered.
I shoved another shirt in with the others. “What do you mean, no?”
Father sighed and uncrossed his arms. “You cannot just walk around calling for wolves in the rain because Calish isn’t home yet.”
Rain panted excitedly, nibbled at something at the base of his tail, then started chasing his hind end until he toppled over.
I shoved the rest of my clothes in the sack and cinched it closed. “Well, that’s what’s going to happen.” With my things slung over my shoulder, I came down the ladder. Remembering Calish’s medallion, I dropped the bag and climbed back up to get it and the currency wadded up under my mattress.
“Una, please don’t be difficult,” Father pleaded.
“Why should I stay then?”
“Because it’s safer in here than out there!” he said, his eyebrows raised in that don’t-push-me sort of way.
“And you’re pregnant,” Mother added.
“And you have no damn idea where you’re headed!” Marsh threw his hands up in the air as if his answer was the most obvious.
Rain barked as if he had his own opinion to be made known. His addition to the argument made me giggle.
“This is not funny, Una,” Mother warned. “I don’t think you realize what you’re suggesting.”
Sitting at the table, I picked up my cup of tea. “Unlike the three of you, I’ve been thinking about this ever since Calish left. Do you think I want to leave here simply because I long for adventure?”
There was no response.
“Think about this: why isn’t he home? The truth is, he may not be coming back.” My whole body trembled at the thought. “We don’t know if he’s still—”
“Una, don’t you dare.” Mother faced out the window to stifle her cry without an audience.
“I told you I didn’t see anything, I swear. I’m sorry I don’t have the answers, but if he doesn’t come back, then the arrangement with Blue goes into effect. How long will they wait to claim me? Marquette doesn’t come across as a patient woman. Calish doesn’t want me with them. He doesn’t want his child near any of them.”
Season of Hytalia Page 14