the Leathermines

Back to Chapter 3

Packing up the tent took longer than it had to set it up.  The cart had become mired in the back trail they had used to bring the props and supplies to the spot.  The temperature started to drop as clouds started to come overhead.

Laun was still not speaking after the messenger had left.  She was thinking and tapping out dance rhythms on the side of her mug of tea.  Edgar wanted to know what she was thinking, but the way she worked, she had to be left to come out of her thoughts.

She spotted horses being led across the field by Ali and smiled.  She clicked her tongue and the small bay pulled away and trotted to the tent.  Her head went down and her soft nose nudged a forgotten small bread before mouthing it and eating.  Laun put out her hand and the mare’s nose went into it, blowing hot air through her large, soft nostrils.

“How did it go?”  Ali looked like she was in a good mood, though tempered by the reason they were all out there.

Laun nodded to her and smiled.  “I think I just tempted fate once too often.  Sent the messenger away with a message Falmir is not going to like.”

Edgar’s hand was on Launs’ shoulder as he said, “I don’t think he would like anything but you on your knees before him.”

Laun did a sideways nod and had a sideways smile.  “Wouldn’t he be surprised.”

The wagon was being hauled into the field by a mule and several big people.  The tent suddenly was being taken down around them and everyone scooted out from under.  The brasier was moved and the coals dumped into a puddle not too far away in the field.  There was a small steam cloud in the air, but it was pushed away as a small gust of wind came along.

The cold was starting to push what heat there had been in the sun away.  Laun made a hand signal and Grace found a place she liked and went down to the ground.  Laun mounted and watched the efficient team that was putting all the things in the cart.  She liked watching people who knew what they were doing.  It taught her things.

It also distracted her enough that when another gust of wind came along, she had to catch onto Grace’s mane to keep upright.  Her belly was throwing her off balance and she could not keep her leg hold on the saddle.  Ali was at her side and Grace started to go down on her knees to let Laun off again.

Laun was cursing as she was given an arm to steady her.  “Damnit!  If I knew that it was going to be this damndable of an experience, I would have taken the fucking elixir when Pillar offered it!”

Ali was stricken.  “Laun...?”

Laun took a breath and put a hand on the stablehand’s cheek.  “I don’t mean it.  I just am...tired of not having my body be my own.”  She leaned in and put her arms around the masculine woman.  She could feel the shift of balance working against her, but the embrace she was in was strong and comforting.

Edgar was at her back and had his arms around her, too.  One arm went down with a hand on her belly and one around her shoulders that included Ali.  “I know, love.  You need some rest.”

Laun’s head went back and on his shoulder.  She looked up and saw the concern in his eyes.  “I am not walking back.  I will take Grace, but I think this may be the last ride I have on her for a while.”

Edgar nodded and kissed her on the forehead.  “As you wish.”  The rumble went straight through her.

It was warm in between the two of them and her loins decided to warm when he spoke.  Inappropriately.  She knew that it would be only a few motions on Grace and she would be falling off again.

“Damn you, Edgar.”

She knew he did it on purpose.  She wanted to slap him on the back of the head, but the two lovers who were embracing her also had confined her.  Edgar was grinning.

“Shall we see if there is room in the wagon?”

The trip back was not really painful, but Laun’s back was telling her that she was not going to be comfortable for very much longer if she had to stay in the bouncing thing.  She called for a halt and walked once she saw that it was only about ten minutes away from the keep.

There were people out testing the fields to see if it was time to turn the soil and plant the seeds.  The places that had more sun would be the most frost free, and the easiest to turn at the moment.  Even with the last snow storm having been almost a week behind, the cold wind that blew could mean more snow, another delay in getting the fields ready for the planting.

It was going to take most of the people in the household to get the planting done.  When the bandits had come during the festival the summer before, they had killed all the farmers they had found along the way.  The numbers were staggering.  They still found partial bodies from predators that had dragged the bodies into the woods.  The household had not just been in the castle and keep, it had been the farmers on the land, almost fifty other people who knew the land and kept the land producing.

Some of the wardsmen did not like the prospect of having to do such labour.  Most would have wanted to just keep to their weapons training, but Laun pointed out at one of the morning meetings that, just like they helped with the toil of harvest, the backs and hands they had were needed for the planting.  Or else the family would starve.

Laun was happy to see that at least one of those who had been loud about not going to the fields was in the group that went past.  Though, perhaps the woman protector that was in the group had been what persuaded him to go.  Laun smiled at that.

It was almost time for the Spring blessing.  It had been easy to remember the blessing for First Feast.  She had heard it every year from Lord Vami and Lady Hellon.  She had lived inside the keep all of her life, hardly venturing outside because her Lady’s whim held all the dancers close.  She had not been at the Spring Blessing that she could recall.  Laun only remembered being at the Spring blessing once, and she had been sent right back to the keep with some odd errand when Lady Hellon had seen her in with the Dancers.

Laun knew she had been protected.  She was wondering what that had protected her from.

Laun came to the area around the front gate and stopped.  The mud had been churned up enough that she was not going to be able to avoid going through it.  Her slippers had some mud on them, unavoidable, but she saw where her feet were going to be sucked into the earth if she tried to step closer.

Lady Hellon had hated mud and dirt.  Lady Laun was finding out why.

Several of the household staff and protectors saw that their Lady was standing at the edge of the road, watching the people come and go, but not approaching.  She had her skirts over her arm to keep them up off the ground, the soft layers being pushed by the cold wind coming down past the old volcano.

“Lady?  May we help you?”

Laun smiled and nodded.  Two of the men locked their arms together and made a seat for Laun to sit on.  She did, putting her arms around their shoulders.  Before they lifted her, she leaned to each of them and gave them each a peck on the cheek.  “Thank you.  I am helpless.”

The men laughed and straightened up.  They carried Laun over the mud and to the door into the keep, passing through the two courtyards and over quite a bit of mud.  She thanked them when they set her down and immediately went to find the privy.

Disa caught Laun in the corridor on the way back from the facilities.  “I hear you sent the messenger packing.”

Laun tilted her head at the phrase.  “Well, I sent him with a message back to Falmir...”

Disa walked with Laun back to the Great Hall.  “It is all over the household how you sent him running back to the Capitol City.  I wish I could have been there...”

Laun stopped and held out her hand.  “You were so helpful getting us ready.  Your skills with hair and the cosmetics are amazing.  But you and Orgia have been deep into the Spring inventory, and I did not want to take you away from that for any longer than I had to for just a bit of theatrics.”

Disa nodded.  She brought Laun’s hand up to her lips and kissed the palm.  “It’s not just that...”  She moved closer and put a hand on the side of Laun’s belly.  “I miss being around you.”

Laun leaned closer and they kissed.  It wasn’t a peck on the cheek or a brush of the lips.  This was a kiss that was deep and meaningful.  The tenderness and longing that they showed for each other standing in the corridor of the keep was not just between them.  Any of the household who passed by could feel it.

Laun turned away and burped slightly, her brow furrowed at the bilious taste at the back of her mouth.  “Pardon me.  It isn’t you-”

Disa took Laun’s face in her hands and lightly kissed her Lady on the lips.  “Thank you for not doing that while we were kissing.”  They smiled and hugged each other.

Laun had a naughty glint in her eye as they pulled away from each other.  “How are Pillar and Lucaris?”

Disa colored slightly and said, “They are in the middle of some sort of Spring ceremony preparation and don’t want to be disturbed.”  The maid glanced down and looked at Laun’s belly for a moment.  “I am feeling... left out of everything.”

Laun embraced Disa again and said into her neck, “You are always welcome in the tower room.  I have missed you, too.”

There was a bit of a nod and Disa had a small smile when she looked up again.  “Thank you.  I should have asked earlier.”

“We have all been busy, and I have to admit I have gotten into a rut over the last months.  Sleeping all the time, I really don’t get to spend much time with people like I would hope to.”

Disa nodded.  “I really have to get back to Orgia.  I told her I had to go to the privy...”

Laun smiled.  “Then go and get back to her.  She doesn’t go for the same excuse more than once.”

They parted after another small kiss and hug.  Laun felt the need of a lay-down, possibly to sleep.  Her back was still on the verge of complaining about the cart ride.  Beside that, she was starting to get cold.  Her hands ached when she was cold and she really did not want to deal with yet another uncomfortable thing in her body.

The two protectors on duty at her room’s door were discussing the annual falling stars that were soon to lighten the night skies.  “...as long as the clouds don’t block them, it should be on the part of the cycle that brings the red flashes along with the yellow.”

“The weather is changing, but that is about a week away, I think, so it may clear up by then.  Lady, do you need help?”

Laun smiled at them and said, “No, just a nap.  I’ll leave the door open.  Keep talking, I never really saw the falling stars before.  It sounds interesting.”

They nodded to her and they continued to make small talk about the night watching on the top walkway or perhaps in one of the fields.  Laun settled down under the blankets and found their voices comforting as she drifted off to sleep.

 

Onto Chapter 5.