Chapter Seven - Bonds
Spring passed leisurely, the days running together, in an endless cycle of sunshine, rain, sunshine. Longer days meant more work (and more rain) finished in less time and evenings at the forge became times of relaxation and enjoyment. Tamas' household, for the most part, enjoyed each other's company and had few displays of passion beyond the ordinary tempers and occasional sharp word, nothing out of the ordinary in a house with three adolescents and a small child. Kinder stayed until June before taking off early one morning. Nayne was the only one to see him leave and she'd only smile and shake her head when asked about his plans.
On my daily walks into town, I began to observe the farmers working the fields, doing labor of the sort, I couldn`t imagine doing, it looked so hard, and yet, I could hear them singing or laughing or calling cheerfully to each other. I watched the young plants start to push up through the ground with anticipation. My stomach and I were looking forward to fresh vegetables and fruit. Much to Mother's pleasure the watercress crop was strong as well as a variety of other greens. I was less enthusiastic but I had to admit it was nice to eat something different. Melly and several of the serving girls spent the better part of their days out picking fresh gooseberries, blackcurrants and later in June, when the blackberries and raspberries came on, they picked them too. Nayne bought or received fresh berries and greens as payment for Tamas' work. As spring turned into early summer, there were fresh peas, beans and lentils. I, for one, was pleased to see the end of salt pork as other meats started to show up on the table at the castle and in town. Honey, another highly sought after food, started flavoring food and drinks as summer progressed. The majority of it would go into mead production but a portion always ended up in the larder.
Already eggs were making appearances in town and at the castle and more than just chicken eggs. Partridge eggs, a favorite of mine, could be purchased in town and with the birds returning, there would be more opportunities to consume bird flesh, particularly duck. Cook, ever mindful of my affection for fresh milk, would save me a mug every few days. I cheerfully tucked into the fresh fish Nayne served one afternoon, carefully avoiding, even to myself, the fact that they had to have been poached from the river the night before, as most of the hunting and fishing rights belonged to his Lordship, no matter whose land the game happened to be on at the time.
Another, hitherto unknown benefit of spring was that Lehi returned to his usual busy self as the tournament season came upon us. A well-outfitted knight spends quite the fortune on his armor and horse, so tournaments were a valuable source of prize money and equipment. In between jousting, Lehi resumed his diplomatic duties for His Lordship. Much to my relief, and chagrin because prior to meeting Tamas I had longed for his attention, I was abandoned to my own pursuits, one of which was a tall, broad shouldered redhead.
It was a fine day in early June, no rain and the sun bright, as usual, we ate our lunch in the shade of the house where I had become accustomed to working. And for once, we ate it alone; Kinna and Bitte were off exploring in town, with firm orders they were to be back as soon as the clock struck one. Lulled into a good mood by the food, I asked Tamas a question I had been contemplating for sometime now. His spoon rattled in the empty bowl as he dropped it and his face was a mask of shock.
"Yeh want to what?!" He said in a strangled tone.
"I want to work in the forge too," I repeated. "It should be good for me, help build my stamina, maybe strengthen my lungs against the winter cold this year."
"Nicco! Yeh can't!"
"Why not? If Kinna can, I can."
"B-u-u-u-u-," Tamas sputtered his face turning red.
"Tamas," I said with a sigh. "I'm not a girl; I'm tired of people treating me like I'll break."
"No, no, thah's not it. I know yer strong, yeh run up and down them damned stairs all day." Tamas set his bowl down. "But you can't, Guild rules. To work in there, you have to be apprenticed to a Master, if I let you work unbound they could forfeit my Mastership and bar me from ere gettin' it."
"OH!" I was shocked. I had not known that the Guilds were that powerful or that much like my own class in not letting outsiders inside.
"And to apprentice you, a contract has to be drawn up between Granfa and your parents, with a fee paid by your father. Frankly, I don't see that happening anytime before Judgment Day."
"All right, sorry, forget I mentioned it." I stared at my hands in my lap. "I just thought, well..."
I had wanted to work, not just to be near Tamas and the rest but also to do my own body good. All week as I contemplated asking Tamas, I'd felt exhilarated and eager to work with my body. Tamas tipped my chin up with his fist and leaned over to kiss me. Surprised at myself, I grabbed a double handful of his shirt and pressed against him, frustration and disappointment channeled into my sex drive making me more aggressive than usual. He uttered a noise of surprise and leaned into the kiss fiercely.
I don't remember walking to his room, but suddenly I was there, on my back, on his bed. My arms wrapped around his neck, fingers tangled in his hair. Tamas plucked at the buttons on my doublet and pushed it open. His lips on my throat and hands on my body sent fire flooding through my body. Two voices blended together in the quiet of the room, two bodies fused together as if the layer of cloth between them didn't exist. Tamas teased and tormented me into a shuddering, gasping orgasm. As my senses returned, I heard and felt his explosion and heat ran up my leg but no fire this time.
"Taking a long lunch today?" I asked. He grinned and ran a rough hand across my belly.
"Mmm," I murmured.
"Nicco, I'm sorry," he said softly, his lips brushing my ear.
"No, it's all right, I asked for something unreasonable." I lifted the tip of his braid to my nose and inhaled the scent of dragon and hot metal. Sighing I dropped it and rolled onto my side.
"I just, oh I don't know, I feel useless most of the time." Tamas started to talk but I waved him quiet. "Everywhere I am, I seem to be surrounded by strong men. Even Kinna makes me feel weak. Just for once I wanted to feel my body working, to feel like a man instead of a..."
Tamas roughly flipped me over and kissed me cutting off anything else I wanted to say. Hard and possessive, the kiss hurt but it felt good too. He raised his head and glared at me fiercely.
"Yer not useless and yer not ugly or any of those other things they like to call yeh. Yer every inch a man, both here," he tapped my forehead, "And here." His hand caressed my cock through my hose.
"Yeh listen to the wrong things always, listen ta yer heart and if thah don' work, listen ta my heart."
"Tamas," I whispered.
"I've an idea, yeh manage ta old onta mugs and jars and whatnot easily enough. Tis only very small things or odd shaped or really large ones yeh can't hang on ta. I bet yeh could hold a quarterstaff easily enough, specially if I get Sayji to carve a couple grips in it for yeh. Want to try practicing wi' it? Twill build yer stamina as good as working in tha forge."
"Tamas!"
I flung my arms around his neck and kissed him. For a while, there was no need for conversation, as we enjoyed each other's bodies once again. Eagerness flowed through my veins making me especially sensitive. By the time, we finished and cleaned up, Tamas barely made it to the forge ahead of Teru and Noah.
And that is how it came about that the summer evenings in the courtyard were full of the crack of wood on wood, peppered with yelps of pain and the occasional swear word. Nayne with the help of Gisela and Bitte, improvised gauntlets and chausses out of a couple of old winter doublets, the heavy padding with leather on the outside didn't stop the bruises but kept us from breaking our arms and shins.
Kinna, always ready to follow Tamas into any fire, threw himself into learning with enthusiasm as did Teru with his usual cocky grin. Noah just shook his head and retreated to a shady spot near the house. Bitte, who preferred being further away from an opponent, was the only one Kinna could practice with, since the adults' height and reach put Kinna at a terrible disadvantage. Bitte turned out to be surprisingly nimble, which he explained was due to learning to perform for crowds when the Gypsies would set up camp.
"Yer father's an idiot, if yeh'll pardon me saying," Teru panted one evening, as we washed up after a vigorous exercise. "'E should see yeh fight, he'd no think yeh were useless."
Teru blew out his breath and stuck his head into the bucket. I stared at him, so surprised from the compliment I couldn't think. I plucked at the ties for the palm pads Bitte had made for me. The shock of a solid blow would make my hands hurt often causing me to loose grip on the staff, so Bitte had sewn several layers of padded doublet scraps between two pieces of leather. The pads tied around my wrist and just above my knuckles; they proved to be exceedingly helpful and I thanked Bitte lavishly. Tamas came up behind me and finished untying the pads before kissing my palms, just as Teru pulled his head out of the bucket and shook it like a dog. Water sprayed everywhere and we scrambled away to safety laughing.
Thus, it was one evening in late June, while I sat nursing a bruised hip in the quiet of my room that I heard a tap at the partially closed window shutter. I hadn't gone into town that day, Mother demanded my services that morning and by afternoon, my hip was hurting too much to want to walk that far. I hobbled over to the shutter puzzled. Opening it, I found Kinder sitting in the casement, one foot against the opposite side, the other dangling down the side of the wall. I jumped backwards with a shriek of surprise and tumbled over the clothes chest and into the bed frame, knocking the wind out of me.
Kinder swung around and dropped lightly to the floor as Bitte rushed through the door, shouting my name. He stopped dead and stared at Kinder. I struggled to breathe and get my feet under me. Kinder held out his hand.
"Och, laddy, he'll kill me if ye hurt yerself," he said, hauling me to my feet.
"Kinder! How the? I mean the wall! And up here," I babbled incoherently.
"Yer havering," Kinder said with a grin. "If ye think aboot it, I AM a wyvern after all."
Kinder stepped up into the air as if pantomiming walking up stairs, but instead of his feet returning to the ground, they stayed in the air and he easily climbed to the ceiling where he sat cross-legged and laughed at my open mouth. When my brain started working again, I remembered seeing his feet walk on air when Nayne hugged him and later when Tamas hit him.
"Tis a wyvern skill," he said solemnly from just below the ceiling. "Tamas probably could do it if he tried or wasnae so impressed with fire."
"All wyverns can do that?" I asked, feeling rather stupid.
"Oh aye," Kinder said, leaning forward and to my surprised he started to fall. I leaped forward as he swung his body upward into a rolling somersault. Landing gracefully by the door, he bowed. I couldn't help but laugh and clap even as I thought what a terrible showoff he was.
"Now then," Kinder continued speaking. "I'm here to fetch ye for the laddy, if yer up to an adventure tonight."
"Tamas? Where?"
Kinder pointed to the window and puzzled, I limped over to look. On the low ridge some distance beyond the village, a pillar of flame burned strongly. At first, I wondered if there was a fire and then the pillar shrunk to almost nothing. As my eyes accustomed to the dim glow, the flame suddenly leaped into the air blinding me. When I could see again, I saw the flame spiraling upward in a coiled helix.
"Gran!" Bitte exclaimed breathily.
I looked down at his shining face. Not once had I heard him complain about being away from his Gran, though I knew he missed her. I clapped him on his shoulder and he looked up at me hopefully.
"Shall we go then?" I asked.
"Oh yes, Nicco! Please." He said excited.
"So how do we get there, it'd be hours walking," I asked Kinder.
He grinned and pushed off the wall, crossing the room; he jumped up into the window. He turned around, stooping in the small space and stepped backwards off the casement. I leaped forward arms out to catch him, even as I reprimanded myself for being stupid. Kinder grinned, his eyes glowing slightly in the gathering darkness. He balanced lightly in the air as if he were standing on firm ground. He glanced over his shoulder and then back at me.
"Ye haff to trust me, laddy," he said holding out his hands. "But if ye do then dragon speed will get ye there in moments."
I looked at Bitte and he nodded. All aches forgotten, we quickly put on boots, chaperons and grabbed our travel capes from their hooks by the door. My fingers were shaking so badly I couldn't hook the frog on my cape and finally Bitte pushed them away and hooked it. Taking a deep breath, I turned back to the window and held out my hand to Kinder, who had returned to the sill.
"Mind yer heads," he said taking my hand and stepping backwards.
I ducked my head and squeezed my eyes shut as I stepped up into the window. My foot found the edge of the casement and my eyes flew open. Far below me lay the ground, I shrieked in fear and thrashed, trying to go back into my room. I had never been so high in my life without having a firm floor and solid walls around me. A strong arm looped under my arms and a hand covered my eyes; my flailing arms found a solid body and I wrapped my arms around Kinder's neck. My nose filled with the scent of dragon and flowers.
"Whisht, laddy," Kinder's voice purred in my ear. "Himself warned me, ye'd be afraid of falling, but I forgot. I'm verra sorry."
Kinder's rs rolled over me like water over a wheel and I relaxed against him. He leaned forward again and I felt Bitte's arm around my shoulder. I listened to Kinder's heartbeat, very alike and yet not at all his son's. I instantly knew the difference, but there was something just as comforting in hearing Kinder's and I concentrated on counting beats as wind ripped at my hair and cloak.
"There laddy, ye see it?" Kinder said. I heard Bitte's response and tried to turn my head to look but the hand over my eyes held firm. "Not ye, ye stay quiet, til we're on the ground."
Embarrassed, I nodded. After a moment, I felt Bitte's arm slide off my shoulder and heard the ground crunch under his boots before feeling something hard under my feet. I stumbled and my knees sagged. I slumped onto Kinder's shoulder. The hand moved away from my eyes and I saw we were on the outside of a ring of caravans and tents. Bitte had already disappeared in search of his Gran; as I straightened up, I heard my named called. Turning I saw Nayne striding towards us.
"Kinder! What did you do? He's white as death!"
"Och lassie, I dinnae do naething," Kinder protested. Nayne glared at him unconvinced. "All right, lassie, I forgot he was afeered of falling."
"Oh Kinder!"
""No, no, Nayne, please, it's my fault. I didn't think about what I was doing." I said hurriedly trying to explain.
Nayne sighed, "Kinder, stepping out an upper story window would terrify anyone, you great daft showoff. You should have let him meet you at the gate."
Kinder looked thoroughly chastised and I wondered if Nayne was the only person able to correct him so effectively and make him squirm. I had the feeling even his mother wouldn't be able to reprimand him in front of others without him blowing up.
"He really loves her," I thought with a smile.
Nayne sighed and thanked Kinder with a kiss. He nodded before taking off in the opposite direction. I suspected he was headed to where the alcohol would be; the thought of a drunken Kinder boggled my mind. Nayne took my hand, leading me away toward the tents. We wove our way through people, animals and tents to the inner circle.
Three large bonfires, set at the points of a triangle burned furiously and in the center was Tamas. His head was thrown back, unbound hair hung like cascade of flame, arms spread and fingers curled upward, clad only in a pair of loose trousers. Fire dripped off him like rain drops off the edge of a roof. As I stopped and stared, he began to spin on one foot, the fire swirled around and above him in a jagged circle. Faster and faster, the fire and the boy spun to the cheers of the crowd. Fire climbed higher and higher into the sky in the giant helix, I had seen earlier. This close, the helix was a jagged coil of flame reaching to the clouds, looking rather like a curling double-edged saw blade. People leapt forward, as close to the fire as they dared; circling the fire in a stamping, swaying dance accompanied by a variety of tambour drums.
"Tamas," I whispered.
"He won't hear you," Nayne said softly. "He's far away in a world of fire only he can find." She patted my arm. "It's all right, he's the only one who can do it. That's why they," she gestured around at the crowd, "need him for their midsummer rite of fire. He is their fire lord, their Tlacha."
Fire roared as it swirled up again. In the center of the triangle, Tamas whirled so fast all I could see was a blur. I'd seen him call fire in the forge, and hold fire in his hands without injury but this, this was something totally new and incredibly frightening. This was a part of him I had no experience with and no reference from which to gauge my reaction. Frankly, I was terrified, this pillar of flame was the boy I'd slept with, the boy whose hands made me cry out in pleasure, the boy whose gentle touch and soft words made me so happy. Where in that pillar of fire was the laughing lover I knew so well, I hugged myself shivering. The helix expanded and we backed up in the face of overwhelming heat. I covered my eyes and grunted, his heart beat thundering in my ears.
"He'll be back to his usual self in the morning," Nayne said reassuringly and hugged me. "I know it's terrifying to look at, I had to be forcibly dragged away the first time he did it." She gave a rueful laugh. "And he wasn't half this intense then but, he can't maintain this intensity of fire for terribly long, that's why Kinder was told to hurry."
"I thought Kinder had left."
"I made him promise to return in time to see this, it's his due as the Tlacha's father. This is their midsummer celebration, and this is the third year he`s provided the fire for them." Nayne's voice was sharp and I wondered what would have happened if Kinder had forgotten and missed it again.
"The other fires?" I asked shielding my face again, listening to his heartbeat pound in rhythm with the stamping feet..
"Tam is feeding off them, as long as they burn, he will too."
"Oh," I said, watching people add wood to the bonfires, wishing I could make the wood disappear.
I remained silent not certain that there was anything else I could say. Nayne led me along a string of tents to an elaborately carved and painted caravan; on the steps sat an old woman. Her long dark face was heavily wrinkled and despite the heat of the fire, she was well wrapped up. One thin wrinkled hand held a mug and she blew on it as she watched the fire and the people around it. Bitte, his cloak and chaperon discarded, leaned against her knees until he saw me whereupon he leaped off the steps and ran to me apologizing for leaving. I ruffled his hair and told him not to worry. He took my hands and pulled me towards the old woman.
"Gran," he said loudly over the noise of the crowd. "Gran, this is Nicco. Nicco, this is my honored grandmother Mahalia, the headwoman of our tribe."
The old woman tipped her head up and studied me. Her eyes were sharp and clear and left no doubt to the state of her wits. I was willing to bet nothing that happened in her encampment missed her attention, however much others might hope it would. She handed her mug to Bitte and held out her hands. I took them awkwardly in mine feeling bones and paper-thin skin.
"Thank you for taking care of my child," she said, her voice surprisingly strong. "He has been quite enthusiastically telling me about you."
"Oh dear," I said with an embarrassed smile. "I hope it's all good."
"Nicco!" Bitte's exclamation was accompanied by a glare.
The old woman chuckled and shooed him off to join the dancers. The boy hopped from one foot to the other and looked back and forth from me to his Gran and back again, not sure whose authority outranked the other.
"Go, go!" I said waving my hands. He grinned and disappeared into the crowd.
"Will he be all right? There's a lot of people moving around, I can't keep my eye on anyone longer than a moment or two," Nayne said softly scanning the crowd.
"He'll be fine," the old woman said softly. "Bitte won't let his guard down and I doubt anyone would be so foolish as to try to harm him with the Tlacha so close." She contemplated the fire. "I suspect for all that he's in a trance if you were to touch anything he considers his own, fire would rain down on you."
"Hmm, you're probably right," Nayne murmured.
"I want to talk to you later," Bitte's Gran said, looking up at me. "After they," she gestured to the crowd, "fall asleep in exhaustion." Her sharp eyes studied the frenzied crowd. "It won't be long now, the dragon should appear soon, he can't burn much longer."
"But until then," she said turning her attention to me, "find yourself a drink and a comfortable place to watch from, you're welcome to sit here if you like. But I'd not dance if I were you, it can be dangerous if you don't know what to expect."
I nodded in understanding. Nayne pointed out the wagon where they sold drinks; I left my cloak under the steps with Bitte's, as it was too hot from the fire to wear it and headed that way, carefully skirting the edge of the encampment. I felt awkward and out of place, surrounded by so many dark complexions and strange sounding voices. Mother, perhaps, would have enjoyed the colorful clothes and headscarves. Everywhere I looked, I saw glittering jewelry, earrings, bangles - wrist and ankle, nose rings and rings on fingers, I felt extremely under dressed and rather drab.
I found myself unable to get the Gypsy man in the wagon to understand what I wanted and frustration threatened to overwhelm me, why had Tamas brought me here if he wasn't going to be at my side. I clenched my fists and started to turn away when a hand clapped down on my shoulder. Startled, I swung around one fist raised defensively. Kinder's palm blocked my fist without him even looking at it. He shouted something to the caravan man and flipped him a coin, the Gypsy caught it easily and pocketed it. He poured a couple mugs and handed them to Kinder, who took them and gestured to me to follow him.
I followed him through the caravans and people and up a small rise away from the noise and fire. He gestured to me to sit down, handing me a mug when I was comfortable. He flopped down beside me in a movement so like his son's that I saw Tamas' image over top of the small man. Kinder leaned back on an arm and took a sip of the fruity wine in his mug, his eyes never leaving the pillar of fire.
"Yer not dancin?" He asked.
"The headwoman said it'd be dangerous if I didn't know what to expect," I said feeling embarrassed.
"Yer probably right there, pretty laddy like you'd be gang banged afore ye went ten paces." Kinder grinned at me over his mug and I turned bright red.
Kinder stared out at the fire, his eyes dark and unreadable in the dim light. I sipped my wine and contemplated everything but the fact that my lover was in the middle of that conflagration. Kinder sat up and leaned forward, his eyes still on the fire.
"He almost killed her," Kinder said softly, his eses sounding even more sibilant than usual.
"Excuse me?" I said in shock. Kinder nodded.
"It's nae as if he meant to, it's chust the fire. Had I known before then that she was carrying a firedrake..." his voice tapered off and he stared out at the fire. After a few minutes, he started talking again.
"In terms of dragon years, I wass a very young seventy when he was conceived. So for humans' aboot the age ye are now. I had been brawling and fighting all across the continent for the prior twenty-five years, quite the wastrel I was. He must get all that responsible craft master, head of household nonsense from her, it certainly wasnae from me." He chuckled and took another drink.
"Then one morning, after a fight I wass certain I'd die from, I opened my eyes to see a pretty lassie looking at me. And such an adorable lass she was and looking so distressed. Ahhhh, one's heart does what it wants to do, doesnae it?" He winked at me and I blushed. Hurriedly I hid the blush behind my mug.
"I dinnae mean to get her pregnant, I just couldnae control myself and she wass so willing. And so sweet with the softest cries during sex, I chust couldnae resist her." I flushed crimson to my ears. "The old man, her da, gae me the worse beating of my life for it. The fight that landed me in their garden paled in comparison." He looked up at me. "A word of wisdom, laddy, NAEVER anger a blacksmith. But I promised to take responsibility, so he stopped." He chuckled.
"Or maybe he dinnae want his daughter a widow before she was a bride." He grinned impishly before returning to the sober frown. "By the time, I knew she was carrying a firedrake, the damage was done. I mean, I'm a wyvern! Wyverns are the peasants of the dragon clans. Who e'er heard of a firedrake coming from a wyvern?"
"Who indeed," I thought wryly.
"Twas a hard pregnancy, all that fire and carrying a dragon bairn is naever easy, but this one? Whisht, I tell ye, I haff naever been so scairt in my life. I begged and pleaded the old man to let me take her to a dragon midwife." He paused again and stared off into the fire. "Naever haff cried so much before or since."
Kinder's voice was little more than a whisper. We sat in companionable silence, sipping our wine and watching the fire below. The roars of the crowd and the noise of tambours rolled out to be swallowed by the night. Kinder sat down his mug and started talking again.
"He finally gae in after we almost lost her and the bairn, she was bleeding something fierce. Scairt the old man out of his wits, it did, she wass all he had left. Her mum and brother had died in one of the outbreaks of plague. I think, he realized now that I wass right, no human midwife could birth a dragon bairn. The midwife controlled the fire, stopped the bleeding and took care of her until the bairn was born. I remember holding the wee one and wondering if I hated him for almost killing my Nayne."
"Kinder," I said softly.
He looked up at me, his blue eyes glowing slightly in the dark. I was certain he was fairly well intoxicated but I couldn't see it in his eyes or face. He looked back to the fire broodily.
"He scaires me, I'll be honest aboot that. I naever know what to expect and all that fire, even as a bairn when he'd get angry I could see it in his eyes and under his skin. My old Granny looked the same way when I'd misbehave, and hes got her red hair too. Maybe thats where the firedrake came from." He chuckled and lay down on his back.
"I'm verra proud of him, I am; he iss all the things I'm not. And he iss loved, he hass people who would plunge into fire to save him, I wonder sometimes if I am so lucky."
I sat silent, not knowing what to say. My thoughts were whirling in confusion as I tried to sort out all the new knowledge I had of Tamas. He'd told me his birth had been very hard on Nayne, but I suspected he had no idea how close he'd come to actually killing her. I ducked my head at the honor Kinder's confidences bestowed on me. He'd trusted me with knowledge even his son didn't have. I glanced at Kinder, who hadn't moved for several minutes and wondered if he was asleep, when he rolled over on his side.
"Ye best get down there, yon pillar is aboot to change into a dragon and that'll be the end for the laddy this night. He doesnae haff the strength to keep up like this any longer." He rolled onto his back again. "Aye, the dragon council will know the firedrake is aboot to be born after tonight," he murmured softly to the night.
I stood up and looked down at Kinder, his eyes were closed but instinctively I knew he wasn't asleep. I picked up his empty mug and finishing off the wine in my own, I walked back to the caravans. I left the mugs with an elderly woman at the drink caravan and returned to the headwoman's caravan, carefully stepping over collapsed dancers in my way. The old woman nodded in acknowledgement and Nayne asked if I knew where Kinder was. I pointed towards the rise and she hurried off. I sat on the lower step of the old woman's caravan. A familiar body appeared out of the dark and sat on the ground by me.
"'E's about done," Teru said softly. I swallowed wondering what that meant.
"Are Noah and Kinna here?" I asked without taking my eyes off the pillar of fire.
"No," Teru said. "'E won't allow Kinna to come, worrit it'll frighten `im, Noah won't come on accout o' being afraid o' tha fire."
Noah had my sympathies, I was afraid as well. In front of me, the fire was so thick, swirling around and upwards that I couldn't see Tamas at all. For a moment the helix, swelled outwards sending the few dancers still on their feet scrambling backwards and then with a loud roar that drowned out the tambours, the pillar narrowed and surged into the sky. Wind raged around the camp and heat poured off the flame. I wiped sweat off my face with my sleeve as Teru jumped up and pulled me to my feet.
"Get ready," he shouted over the roar.
I opened my mouth to ask why but never got the chance, as the three fires appeared to leap up and blend into the pillar. Now I could see Tamas, floating several feet off the ground, he'd stopped spinning and his arms were stretched up towards the sky. Fire roared, shot up into the air and exploded outward. All around me, people screamed and cried out in fear and adoration. The tambours beat louder. I covered my eyes with one arm and peered out from under it. Leaning down from the top of the pillar was a dragon, gold and orange, the color of fire. The large head reared up, mouth open, fangs gleaming. Silky looking moustaches waved back from the dragon's muzzle. Wind blew the long mane out behind it and across the forehead between two pointed golden ears. The dragon's body appeared out of the pillar, sinuous and glowing, the front legs raised; long vicious claws looked ready to grab at the people below. Two golden wings curved out from its shoulders. The pace and rhythm of the tambours increased. The dragon roared once and plunged down the pillar towards Tamas.
"Thah's tha longest e's ere eld it," Teru said. He grabbed my arm. "Come on, move it!" He took off towards the fire dragging me along in confusion. From across the fire I saw someone else, a large gypsy male, also running toward the dragon.
The dragon moved faster than anything I'd ever seen, its mouth open wide, it dove at Tamas, engulfing him in flame. An explosion like a crack of thunder made me stop and clap my hands to my ears. All around the encampment, others were holding their ears as well. Tambours rolled across the ground, unwanted in the roar of the fire and dragon. Flame rolled out from Tamas, stopping anyone from getting closer, Teru bounced backwards on one foot. I heard Tamas give a shout of pure joy and his heartbeat pounded so loud in my ears I couldn't hear Teru yelling at me. He waved at me to follow him, I took a deep breath and leaped toward the fire, praying it wouldn`t burn me.
Suddenly the fire was gone as if it'd never been there and I saw Tamas suspended some forty feet in the air like a glowing statue. He looked asleep, eyes closed and his arms hanging limply, unbound hair blowing lightly in the air. Now I knew why Teru had run towards the flame and I sped up, a fall from that height would likely kill him. Tamas hung there for a moment longer; then dropped. Every drop of blood in my body turned to ice water and I heard Teru swear loudly, but there was no chance of him, the burly gypsy or me catching Tamas before he hit the ground. Somewhere behind me, I heard Nayne scream her son's name. I swore and cursed my feet for being slow.
Out of the darkness and the edge of my vision, I saw movement. I stopped in surprise and blinked wondering if I saw it at all. Wings?! A tail? Then an abrupt down thrust of wind almost knocked me off my feet. I staggered backwards shaking my head and looked up. Reflected in the glow of the former bonfires and the lamps on the caravans was a long sinuous dark body, giant wings spread out from its shoulders, blocking the moon. The dragon ducked his head to the semi-conscious body clasped in one rear claw.
"Da?" I heard Tamas say.
I thanked heaven he was all right. A roar came from the camp this time as people cheered. The wyvern raised its head; smaller than a firedrake's but still the same long head ending in a blunt moustached muzzle. His blue moustaches and mane waved and danced to the rhythm of the wing beats. Having never seen a wyvern before, I was surprised to see that Kinder had only rear limbs ending in giant taloned feet. Where his front legs would have been were wings made of delicate looking semi-transparent membranes stretched between digits ending in a sharp claw. Kinder stretched out his head toward me and my nose burned from the smell of dragon musk. I stared frozen into eyes so blue they were almost black. His ears flicked and I blinked again, the left one had a gold ring at the top, I hadn`t noticed the ring under his thick hair, when he was human. I reached out my hand and not certain I wanted to risk my hand near his teeth, rubbed his chin. Ice blue skin soft as the finest leather and almost furry feeling greeted my touch; he raised his muzzle in response. This close I could make out his colors, a deep blue fading to blue green to green on his belly and legs that changed to ice blue at his throat and chin. His eyes closed and I heard a low rumble in his throat.
"Thank you, Kinder," I whispered. "Thank you so much."
The dragon breathed out in a wheeze I would swear was a laugh. Kinder raised his head and straightened up. His talons around Tamas' middle looked capable of disemboweling an ox but he held his son as gentle as a baby. Maybe the firedrake scared him but that didn't stop him from loving the boy.
"Will you give him to me, Kinder?" I asked holding out my arms. "I swear, Kinder, on my human soul, I would plunge into fire for both of you."
Kinder pulled back his long neck and raising his head to the sky he roared. I stepped forward still holding out my arms. Kinder dropped closer to the ground, his wingtips ruffling the dirt. I wrapped my arms around Tamas' waist. My cheek brushed talon, smooth, ice blue and unexpectedly warm, I couldn't restrain a shudder from coursing through my body. Above me, I heard Kinder wheeze again in laughter. Eyes closed, I held my breath as tightly as I held Tamas. The talon brushed my cheek as he let go of his son and moved away. I sagged under the weight of the overgrown boy on my shoulder and almost fell before Teru caught a hold of me supporting us both.
"Nicco?" Tamas asked groggily.
"Hai, Tamas, tis I, I've come to get you," I whispered.
"Mmm, did yeh see it? See tha dragon?"
"Hai, I saw it. You are beautiful and magnificent. I won't ever forget this night no matter how long I live." I looked up and Kinder ducked his head before turning sharply to disappear into the night.
Tamas smiled and mumbled good before sagging even heavier against me. The burly gypsy that had been trying to catch him appeared and lifted him out of my arms easily. He carried him toward the headwoman's wagon. I followed, Teru's arm around my shoulders, which was welcome as I felt like I'd run halfway to the capital and back. Bitte joined us and took my arm from the other side. The big man carried Tamas up the steps into the wagon, the old woman said something sharply to him and he answered. I heard a door shut on the other side of the wagon and the whole thing shifted as the man dropped to the ground.
"Here sit down," she patted the step beside her and I sat down. "The Tlacha will sleep until sometime tomorrow. Bori is fetching some water to wash him down. Bitte fetch us a couple drinks." She shouted to a young man, who was helping move passed out dancers. He ran over and bowed, he and Bitte disappeared into the gloom.
"Sasha will keep him away for a few so we can talk in private." Teru started to get up but she waved him to the ground. Her eyes bored into me. "You know why I sent him to you?"
"Yes," I said somberly. "He told me someone here is trying to kill him."
Teru sat up straight and swore softly. The old woman nodded and rocked softly. She looked out over our heads at the fire.
"My granddaughter died bringing him into the world. According to our custom, that makes him cursed and a killer, so he should be put to death." She sighed softly. "But Sha was the last of my family and I couldn't bear not to have her son near me to remind me of my daughter and granddaughter, Sha was too young to bear children. Bitte hates his father enough without telling him, his mother was raped."
I shuddered and Teru swore again. I thought of the Bitte I knew, the fierce boy and the happy one. Images of him running for me and ducking through crowds, I thought of his cleverness and his ability to solve problems like the lack of hot water when we returned to the castle. I remembered him lying on the clothes chest, drowsing lightly on the trip to Fordingham.
"You've done a commendable job of raising him to be a wonderful child," I said softly.
"Oh hai," Teru added. "Tha boy is clever and a hard worker."
The old woman smiled and breathed out a humble thank you. She pulled her wrap closer around her. Now that the fire was burning down, the evening chill was beginning to return. Soon my hands would start to ache and I'd feel stiff in my hips, but for now, I had no desire to leave. The man, Bori, returned with a bucket and the wagon rocked as he climbed up and I heard the door shut again.
"I'm getting near my time to die," she held up a hand. "Don't flatter an old woman, I know it. Actually, I'm looking forward to it. Perhaps I can see Sha again, make sure this time things work better for her. I want you to promise to take care of my Bitte, please for me and for his poor mother."
I ducked my head to hide the tears prickling at my eyes. In just a few short months, I had come to love Bitte and couldn't imagine not taking care of him. I reached out and clasped her tiny hand.
"I swear, on my soul, I'll take care of the boy until he doesn't need me any more."
She nodded and pressed my hand to her cheek. Her tears dampened my hand and I thought about what kind of a fight she had had put up to protect this last member of her immediate family. Silently, I promised her again that I would protect her grandson with my life.
Bitte and the young gypsy, Sasha, returned carrying drinks. Sasha bowed and demurred when invited to stay, I watched him return to helping shift exhausted dancers. I pulled Bitte into my lap and wrapped my heavy cloak around both of us. He peered up at me puzzled, and then shrugged, perhaps thinking that the ways of adults were truly strange. I sipped the hot mulled wine grateful for its warmth spreading through my iced over veins.
"This will be a midsummer celebration that will be talked about for generations," the old headwoman said softly. "Never has the dragon been so well formed, the fire so high or the Tlacha so powerful."
"Scairt me ta death," Teru said. "'E's ne'er been thah igh in tha air. And when tha fire wouldn't let us near im? I was sure `e was a dead man."
In my lap, Bitte shuddered and I rocked him gently. I silently thanked heaven for Kinna not being there, though I was sorry he had to miss Kinder in dragon form. I felt those blue eyes bore into me again and looked over my shoulder. All I could see were gypsies running hither and yon as the fires burned low. However, my gut told me the wyvern wasn't far away from his son. Bori came out of the caravan and spoke to the headwoman. She nodded and answered.
"Bori is finished with the Tlacha; he's sleeping the sleep of the dead." Her eyes captured mine. "But go ahead and check on him, it will make you feel better."
I blushed at her words and lifted Bitte up out of my lap. He held out his hand solemnly and helped me to my feet. I smiled at his display of manners and bowed in return. He colored slightly and flashed that cheeky grin I found so charming. I climbed the stairs careful not to jar the old woman. Pushing the door open, I stepped into another world.
"Tam'll sleep all ni', I reckon," Teru said.
"I should think he'll be lucky to be on his feet by noon tomorrow," the old woman answered.
"Mmm, ows we supposed to get im `ome then?"
"Let him sleep, I'll sleep in Bori's caravan tonight. The Tlacha needs sleep, and that pretty boy from the castle more than I need my bed, I have plenty of time to sleep coming."
"Gran!"
The rest of the conversation cut off as I closed the door. Immediately in front of me, on the left were a pair of tall storage chests, the closest one's door hung open; I could see brightly colored clothes inside as I passed it to where Tamas was sleeping. Across from the chests, was a table hinged to the wall with removable legs to make more room for baggage. Long padded benches, for sleeping, ran down either side of the caravan between the head of the van and the living area. A smaller bunk crossed the head of the caravan with a door underneath. Above the beds at easy reach for an adult were shelves, one on each side, packed with a variety of clothing, pillows, bedding and other less discernable items. A lantern swung from the ceiling giving off meager light.
Bori had laid Tamas on the right side bench and he looked sound asleep. His face and chest shone from the recent scrubbing. Surprisingly from what I could see of him there were no signs of burns, which I'd expected after the intensity of the fire surrounding him earlier. I leaned closer for a better look when his eyes popped open. Startled I let out a squeak of surprise and fell backwards onto the opposite bench.
"Finally yeh get here," he said rolling on his side. Tamas propped his head on his arm and scowled.
"I was bored pretending to sleep, while that heavy handed oaf washed me. Kept thinkin' `joost go away now, so I can call Nicco'."
"The headwoman said you'd sleep til morning," I said.
"Hai, I will, once I get yeh in here," He said lifting the edge of the blankets.
"You're naked!" I said in shock.
Tamas peered under the blanket and then shrugged. He grinned and patted the edge of the bench. With a sigh, because I had worked out already that he was going to drag me along at his pace, whether I wanted it or not, I sat on the edge of the bench. Tamas sat up and grasping my chin pulled me into a kiss. Heat washed over me followed by the memory of the flaming pillar. I shivered breaking the kiss and Tamas dropped backwards onto the bench.
"I'm fair dead, I am," he said his arm over his eyes. "I ne'er have held the fire that long." He turned his head toward me. "What did yeh think o' the dragon?"
"It was the second most beautiful thing I've ever seen," I said soberly.
"Second?" He asked peevishly.
"Mm yes, you in the fire were the most beautiful," I said softly leaning over him.
"He-eh," he said with a grin.
Tamas reached up and pulled my head down to his lips. I shifted slightly for better balance, tangling my fingers in his unbound hair. Passion flooded through me and I wasn't sure whose passion, his or mine, I was feeling. The power that had created the dragon of fire had to have been rather close to sexual ecstasy to guess from the reactions of the dancers. I wondered how he had handled those feelings before, and whether someone else had "helped" him. I was suddenly irrationally jealous.
"I have ta sleep," Tamas mumbled.
"All right," I said starting to rise; his hand caught my arm in a lock grip.
"Don' go," Tamas said, his eyes shut. "Stay wi' me, please."
I smiled and smoothed the hair away from his face. He smiled and kissed my fingers when they brushed his lips. My index finger gently traced the shape of his lips before leaning over to kiss them again. He sighed against my lips. I tried to stand up again but his hand pulled me down.
"Tamas," I sighed. "I'm not leaving, I have to take off my cloak and boots, at least. And I can barely manage them with two hands as it is."
Tamas grinned and, eyes still closed, reached up to the frog on my cape. One quick flick of his fingers and the frog was unhooked; the heavy cape slid down my back to the bench; then off onto the floor. Without opening his eyes, Tamas unbuttoned my doublet and pushed it over my shoulders. I finished removing it, folded it carefully and leaning forward, laid it on the opposite bench, then did the same for my chaperon. Picking up the cloak, I folded it and laid it alongside my doublet. Tamas opened his eyes and grinned again.
"Cheeky, self assured brat," I thought affectionately.
He lightly smacked my knee and held out his hand. I twisted around and put my foot in his hand and he pulled my boot off easily, same for the other one. Lifting the edge of the blankets, I slipped inside and up against his naked body. Tamas wrapped his arms around me and clung to me. I listened to his heartbeat, it sounded terribly tired as if it was an effort just to beat, which scared me. Never before had Tamas seemed so vulnerable, now I understood a little better what an enormous drain on his body it had been to call that pillar of flame.
"Tamas," I whispered into his chest.
"Hai?" he murmured.
"Sleep, my beloved one, sleep," I sang softly remembering a song my nursemaid sung to me long ago.
Tamas grunted and snuggled up closer. His bare leg caressed my thigh through my hose and his hand rubbed my lower back. Slowly his breathing relaxed, getting quieter and quieter until his hand against my back went limp. I closed my eyes, not certain that I'd sleep any that night, and listened to Tamas' breathing and heartbeat.
I awoke the next day to the feeling of the world swaying. I knew it was daytime because of a shaft of sunlight coming through an opened shutter on the opposite side of the caravan. Bitte was hanging out the window chattering excitedly with someone I couldn't see. I sat up and stretched, then rubbed the back of my head to wake me up. Tamas was still asleep, his arm across my lap. He mumbled something in his sleep.
"Bitte?"
The boy popped his head back in and turned around. His eyes were shining and his cheeks looked unusually flushed, a soft red brown that was utterly charming. Thankfully, he looked unharmed. I hadn't meant to leave him the night before, but I was certain his grandmother and Teru would have discouraged any mischief. If there had been anyone in condition to cause trouble at that point.
"Good morrow, Nicco, did you sleep well? Are you hungry? Do you think the Tlacha will wake up and eat soon?"
"Whoa there, one question at a time, I've only just woken up!" I said with a laugh. Bitte flushed slightly then laughed.
The caravan bounced and I scrabbled to keep from falling off the bench. Tamas grunted and his arm tightened around my waist, but he didn't wake up. Bitte rubbed a spot on the back of his head and shouted something that sounded very rude out the window.
"Where are we?" I asked, untangling myself from blankets, Tamas' arm and Tamas' other arm.
When I finally freed myself, I hopped to the other bench and peered out the window. A low wooded copse sat back from the road with a culvert running along the side of the road. A man on horseback following the caravan waved at me and I waved back. The only other thing I could see was clear summer sky. I pulled my head in and sat down with my back to the window.
"We left camp about midnight," Bitte said. "We're circling north were we'll meet up with Nayne and Teru with Sayji's cart. They'll take us back home." He paused and lowered his voice. "I saw Kinder just before daybreak. No mistaking the wings. He's keeping watch."
"Hmm, a dragon flying may cause a commotion and attract unwanted attention," I said fretfully.
"Nah, Kinder's too smart for that. I think I only saw him `cause he wanted me to see him." Bitte shrugged. "The one that attracts attention is the Tlacha. That fire had to be visible half way to the capital! That's why we're moving, by the time His Lordship's men-at-arms gather their courage to face a dragon; we'll be long gone."
"Why didn't we leave after the fire went out?"
Bitte blushed and mumbled something. I tapped his nose and he looked up at me in surprise. I repeated my question and watched him turn even redder.
"'Cause there weren't enough unaffected people to drive all the caravans. Everyone was well, you know..." He made a well known crude pointing gesture with the index finger of one hand and the thumb and index finger of the other.
"Oh," I said blushing. So my guesses about the sexual aspect of the rite were correct. Irrationally I felt cheated because my lover had slept all night and I pouted for several minutes.
"Hrm, I need to piss, how do I do that here?" I asked finally acknowledging the pressure in my bladder.
Bitte giggled and hopped off the bench. He ran to the back door and unlatched it. The door swung open and Bitte leaned out, using a small handle by the door to steady himself, he let loose a stream into the hard packed dirt of the road. He turned around tucking himself in and grinned.
Carefully I negotiated the rocking caravan around various objects stowed inside, including the steps from the prior night. At the back door, I studied the handle. I had my doubts that I'd be able to hang onto it, but I really didn't see any choice in the matter. I was almost finished, when one of the rear wheels hit something and bounced me half out. My grip on the handle, tenuous at best, loosened and I felt myself start to fall. Bitte shouted and I tried to regain my balance. One foot slid on the edge of the door and I toppled head first out the door.
I swung my arms up to protect my face, praying the caravan behind us wouldn't run over me. My body wobbled forward and stopped abruptly. I grunted as something hit me across the stomach and sagged forward.
"Damn, you're heavy first thing in the morning," Tamas said from behind me.
He hauled me back into the cart and enveloped me in his arms until I stopped shaking. When I was calm again, he leaned out and tugged the door closed. I heard appreciative shouts from the caravans behind us and blushed, as he was still naked.
"I know I promised to ne'er let yeh splat, but do yeh have to do something stupid just to test it?" he said walking back up to the front of the caravan.
"Stupid?" I said. "I had to piss."
He sighed and tugged a shirt off the shelf above the bench. He pulled it over his head and belted it with the red belt I loved so much. He turned to me hands on his hips and frowned.
"At least tuck yourself back in, Nicco."
I blushed and quickly rearranged my hose and braies to cover my cock and retucked my shirt before tightening my belt. Tamas reached out his arm and hooked it around my waist urging me toward him. His other hand ran down my arm, then around my waist.
"Sorry," he murmured in my ear. "Yeh scairt me."
"Seems fair," I said. "You scared me pretty badly last night. If it hadn't been for your da..."
I started to shake again. Tamas hugged me and kissed my forehead. I tipped my head up and kissed him, he quirked an eyebrow and kissed me again.
"Next time use the pot," he said letting go of me and walking up to the front of the caravan. He pulled the door open and leaned out to talk to the driver.
"The pot?" I asked looking at Bitte, who was desperately trying to crawl into a crack in the woodwork.
Luckily, for him, Tamas returned and announced we were almost to the meeting place and he hoped Mum had brought plenty of food since he was starving. I eyed Bitte and mouthed `later' to him. He hung his head and nodded. I really didn't plan to do much more than give him a stern lecture on thinking things through before acting, but it couldn't hurt him to worry a little.
By the time we'd finished dressing, I could hear hails and we stopped a moment later. Nayne was waiting as were Kinna and Teru, and surprisingly to perhaps everyone except me, Kinder. Tamas thanked his father formally for saving him and Kinder clasped his hand. I caught Nayne's eye and we both grinned, thinking that maybe there'd be peace at the smithy now.
The gypsies declined on staying, intending to push on towards the North border. Bitte hugged his Gran and bravely held back his tears. The old woman stroked his hair and looked at me. I nodded and bowed.
"I made a good choice in leaving him with you," she said softly. "You're a good man, Bitte will be safe with you."
"Thank you," I said. "I will protect him until he has no need of it."
She smiled and nodded, tears glistening in her eyes. Reaching up to her throat, she deftly unwound a gold chain set with small jewels and gestured to me to come closer. I leaned down and she put it around my neck.
"Wherever you go, my people will be your people. Call on them for help if you ever need it. This necklace will be your safe conduct."
The old headwoman clasped my hands in hers once again before being helped into her caravan by a middle-aged Gypsy male, who glared balefully at Bitte. I wrapped the edge of my cloak around Bitte's shoulders and met the Gypsy's glare. He sneered and spat out something before disappearing into the caravan. Under my hand, Bitte's shoulder quaked, at first, I thought fear, but looking at his face, I realized it was fury making him shake.
"What was that?" I wondered aloud.
"That was the successor to the headwoman," Tamas said, from behind me. He draped his arm around my shoulders. "His leader just bound his tribe to you, you who are protecting the cursed child."
"You mean Bitte?" I exclaimed squirm around to face Tamas.
"Indeed I do," he said with a grin. "It's bad enough that the cursed child is favored by the Tlacha, but to have the tribe bound by hospitality to the one who protects the child. Hai hai, he's going to have a stomach ache!"
"That old woman is clever," I said in awe. "And damned sneaky too."
Tamas laughed and clapped Bitte and me on the back. He steered us toward the wagon where the others were waiting. I glanced over my shoulder to the receding carts. I could swear I heard an old woman laughing.
September 5, 2008