the Leathermines

Back to Chapter 41.

 

It had been several days of Laun recovering before Kell decided she could try to walk on her own.  The healer did not know that Laun had been doing her morning routine while the soldiers had been sent off to the kitchen for first meal.  She also did not know that the sleeping elixirs that had been in the milk were starting to not work.

Laun had a cane in hand as she walked to the receiving hall of the manor.  She was happy and was surrounded by many of the troupe.  They said they had an entertainment they wanted to show her and Laun was happy to be out of the rooms.

A small tightrope had been set up.  It was about head high off the ground strung between two sturdy looking poles.  A sitting place had been created by the troupe for Laun by putting hay bales together and draping cloth they had borrowed from the laundry over it.  Laun sat and found that it was more comfortable than it had looked to begin with.

Adelmar did a few tricks, including pulling several bunches of flowers from various places and handing them to Laun.  His last trick involved flower petals that were pulled from his hat and scattered into the air to float down around Laun.

Laun applauded as the troupe around her jeered and whistled at him.  Several of the acrobats started to tumble and twist and contort while the tin whistles played happy tunes.  One of the acrobats climbed one of the guide ropes to the tight rope.  He stood on the top of the pole for a moment, making it look like he was going to fall off.

The troupe around Laun were booing and hissing at him as he stood.  He placed his foot on the rope and there was quiet.  A second foot went out onto the rope and everyone around Laun started to throw things at him.  He easily ignored most of it, ducking down under some, just letting some of it hit him.  Several of the larger men in the troupe were standing lazily at either end of the rope, but Laun saw that they were keeping an eye on the man above them. He walked to the other side and bowed while on the pole.

Laun saw that there was happiness in him, but was confused why the rest of the troupe was giving cat-calls and hissing at him while he was performing.  She went with it, but continued to laugh and clap, not taking up the rude noises from those around her.

Several others tried to walk the rope, none were as successful, but it was a fun morning for Laun, and for them.  

Even with the main activity being the rope, someone was always doing something else in the troupe.  There seemed to be some sort of a game being played by those who had even a hint of sleight of hand ability.  Laun saw people finding a small string with a bell tied to it on their person and then they would try to hide it on someone else without ringing the bell or getting caught.  Laun had her silver clapperless bell in her hair and drew it out as those around her were distracted by one of the women falling from the rope, but into the arms of one of the spotters.

Laun watched who had the bell.  Laun stood with a little help and started to ask questions about the rigging of the ropes and how much practice it took.  She stumbled into the man who had the bell on a string and was able to exchange her clapperless bell for it.  She asked a few more questions and complimented the troupe and the acrobats and asked for some more, if they were not too tired.

They were pleased to show off and tried to outdo each other again.  Laun did not even hide that she was tying the bell to her braid as they performed in the summer heat.  She kept the braid on her chest until there was a rousing pile-up of acrobats when one stumbled and the rest just continued onto him.  She flipped her hair to the back and the little bell could be heard.

“Ha!  Someone got caught!”

Several people started to feel about themselves, but did not find the sounding bell.  Then the little clapperless bell was found on the man and he held it up.

“What the hell?”

Adelmar looked at Laun and squinted at her.  He took the silver ribbon and charm and held it to her.  She tried to look surprised and grabbed her braid to show the other bell.  Several of the troupe looked at each other, trying to find the person who had done it.

“Lady, I do believe this is yours.”  Adelmar had a raised eyebrow and Laun smiled.

Several of the troupe understood and started to make small cat-calls.  Laun pulled the noisy bell from her hair and tossed it into the air at the person who had put it on the man to begin with.  She took the clapperless bell from the magician and nodded at him.

“Verna!  We have a challenger for you!”

Laun shook her head.  “No, just trying to play the game.”  She smiled and several of the troupe bowed to her.

“You do know that means you are fair field from now on.”

“Yes.”

“Ooooohhhhhhhh!” came from several of the entertainers, knowing they wanted to take on the challenge.

They were interrupted, though, as Hunter came up to them with one of the strong war horses on a lead behind him.  Several of the women were very obvious and tried to make themselves appealing as he came closer.  Laun thought she saw his eyes only on her, but she had been having difficulty reading some of the soldiers for a few days.

“Lady, since you are out of your rooms, may I have a moment of your time?”

Laun nodded and started to rise.  She saw a hand starting towards her and held up a finger, the troupe seeing the bell holder and starting to make fun of him.  She bowed slightly with the aide of her cane and said, “It has been a pleasure and I hope that we can continue this.”

Hunter held out his arm and walked them a ways away until the entertainers could not really be heard.

“You were forbidden from coming to see me?”

The tall man grimaced.  “The Lieutenant kept me in the stables or quarters until yesterday.  With your protection detail, I was not comfortable coming to see you.”

Laun smiled.  “They have seen more in the last few days than I think they had in most of their lives.  It is best to keep some things more private.”

He took her hand and kissed the knuckles.  “I am glad you understand, Laun.”

The stallion behind them stomped his foot and snorted.  “This is Thunder.  He is our strongest charger.”

Laun did not wait but put her hand up and put it a few inches away from the stallion’s nose.  He smelled her and shook his head, his braided mane shaking down his back.  Hunter was about to pull Laun’s hand away when Thunder moved and put his nose against her hand.

Hunter watched closely as Laun’s hand paused against the horse’s soft nose and then ran her hand up along the pronounced ridge.  He saw how she carefully moved around the horse and put a hand down his withers to his knee and then moved to the other side and did the same thing.  She took the lead attached to the bit and bridle from Hunter and pulled slightly.  The horse pulled back and then followed the lead.

The trainer crossed his arms as she walked with her cane and led the horse in a circle, bringing Thunder back to Hunter.

“Was he first trained at Kells Arena?”  Hunter nodded.

Laun was not sure this would work, but she missed being on a horse.  The saddle was a different type of saddle, the horse three times the size of Grace.  If he had some of the same training, she might be able to mount and ride for a while.

Laun led the horse to a flatter spot and dropped the reins.  Hunter stepped forward as Laun clicked her tongue and made the hand gesture she knew from Grace.  The horse flipped his mane, the lead whipping around his head.  Laun clicked again and the horse started to go down to his knees.

Thunder snorted as Laun limped around to the back of the horse and then his hide shivered as she put her foot into the stirrup.  She swung her leg over and sat, the saddle being far larger for her than she was used to.  She grabbed some of the braids in his mane and clicked again.

Thunder rolled slightly but got up smoothly.  He backed up when she pressed, he went sideways when she wanted.  She had to drop the cane as he bolted for a few steps and then calmed when she gave him the right signals.  Her hand went to the front of the saddle and her knees found the knobs to go under and around.  She also felt the skirt she was wearing rip, but she didn’t care.

Hunter grabbed the lead and ran his hand over the horses nose.  “It takes weeks for our men to get that.  I was hoping to give you a ride, Lady, but he normally doesn’t take that readily.  You said you had a palfrey?  From Kells?”

Laun nodded.  It was the only thing she could do once she realized that she was further in the air than Grace, and it had been terrifying at times on the smaller horse.  She closed her eyes and then opened them looking straight ahead.  She was gripping the saddle and mane too tightly but could not loosen her grip on the mane.

“Are you well up there?”

Laun blew out pursed lips, trying not to whistle.  “How do you tall guys deal with this?  I mean, I feel light headed sitting here.  It must be like mountain climbing for you.”  Laun smiled down at Hunter.

His eyebrow went up and it looked like he was thinking about something.  Thinking very, very hard about something.  Then, he could not hold back what he was thinking.  “There is a mountain range I would like to climb.  It isn’t too far away, either.”  He moved around the horse and put his hand on Laun’s leg.  

“Ah, but I hear mountain climbing is dangerous if you don’t have the right equipment.  Do you think you have the right equipment for the mountains you would like to conquer?”

“More equipment than some, I believe, but not to conquer.  This range needs a delicate approach for the trailhead.”  His hand followed her leg and moved back to where her butt met the saddle.

“And what technique do you propose to make sure the trail is indeed open?”  Laun squeezed her legs slightly and the horse moved sideways away from Hunter.

“Hmmm.  Seems there may be a moraine in my way that needs to be cleared.  It may take more muscle than I thought.”

Laun smiled.  “Perhaps it is the site of the approach that is making it difficult, Hunter.  Have you considered trying a wooded approach?”  Laun’s eye went to the treeline and back to him.  She felt comfortable enough on the horse to start him on a walk, Hunter’s eyes going wide.

The trainer had to walk fast to keep up.  “Lady, are you sure about this?  Riding alone in your condition-”

Laun sped up the horse and felt her legs remembering how to direct Grace.  She hoped that Thunder was the same.

Laun was at the verge of the treeline and off of the horse before Hunter had caught up.  She was leaning against an older oak surrounded by younger maple saplings.  He did not pause, he did not ask, he went to her and pressed against her, kissing her as she stood there.

His arms went around her, holding her tight.  Her arms went up and around his neck, relaxing into the firm kisses he gave her.

“Damnit, Lady.  You frightened the hell out of me.”  He put his lips on the forehead of the Lady safe within his arms.

She felt the strong heart in his chest.  He was not winded, but his breath was deep as he held her.  She smelled the clean smell of his shaved skin as he rubbed his chin across her forehead.  She heard the summer breeze through the underbrush, the maple leaves waiving around and hitting against each other.

Laun brought her arms down and let them get caught between his chest and hers.  Her head went forward and she leaned into his chest.  His hand started to smooth down the hair on the back of her head, following the braid and then starting again.  She looked up, pushing her chin into his chest.

Hunter took Laun’s head into his large hand and bent down to kiss her again.  It was a long, deep kiss that took Laun’s breath away in more ways than one.  It felt so good and felt so right to be in his arms.  To have his attentions and hands on her.

A part of Laun’s mind stepped back as they stood in the wood’s verge, kissing and warming each other up in the summer heat.  He was not Edgar.  He was not Fount.  He was not to be trusted further than she could bed him.  But-she wanted him, more than just his kisses and strength of arm.  She had to be careful of her reactions to him.

He loosened his grip and stepped back.  He looked around along the field and then into the woods.  He had a shy look on his face that made Laun giggle.

“Afraid of Senri walking up?”

He shook his head. “Thunder has walked away.”

Laun laughed.  And then she stopped.  “Crap.  You didn’t happen to bring my cane, did you?”

He shook his head and looked down at her.  “It is a long way back to the Hawkwell Manor.”

Laun pushed herself away from the tree.  She looked where he had and put her hand over her mouth.  “I thought I tied the lead.”

“He can pull a simple knot-”

“Just like Grace.”

His eyes changed.  “Your palfrey?”

She nodded.  Laun stepped forward and tried to limp past Hunter.  His arm went out and stopped her.

“You aren’t walking anywhere, Laun.”

Laun stood and looked at him.  “Then if I am not walking, what will you do with a cripple such as myself?”  She stepped back against the tree.

Laun was not sure what had changed.  But something had changed.  The look in the soldier’s eye was different, the playfulness gone or hidden.  She looked at his body and saw only two open points she might have been able to reach if he tried to overpower her.  She was scared.

He stepped forward.  He looked like he was thinking again.  His face changed again.  Laun saw him about to step forward and readied her fist to strike where she could.

He went to one knee.  “Lady Laun, before I help you back to the manor, may we talk?”

Laun relaxed, but not much.  She tried to put a happy, relaxed face on and said, “About what?”

He started to unbuckle his uniform jerkin.  “I outfitted several of the nobles being sent to the outlying noble lands.  There was a contingent that was going North, towards Nestwood and then to Uetoi and Salam-Dir.”   He put the jerkin on the ground next to the tree and held his hand out to Laun.

She knelt on the leather.  She looked up at him, imposing even when on one knee.

“I did not want to send nobles to take my Father’s lands... My lands.  But I was under orders.  I remember the Rosemond noble who was to take Salam-Dir.  A weak, pasty man who did not appreciate anything, including the horse he was given.”

Laun tilted her head.  “Butterflies Grace.”

Hunter had his half-smile.  “I’m glad she found a suitable rider.”

Laun relaxed.  “While I was there, no one else could ride her.”

He sat, one of his arms going back to support him.  “How did she take to you?  It took me close to a week to get him to do just the simple commands without having her buck him off.”

Laun smiled, remembering the mud and muck and her back going out.  “I was put on her back.  She tried to throw me and I didn’t let her.  I punched her in the neck.  That was the first five minutes.  And it was raining.  Scared the hell out of F-”  She looked up at Hunter.  “Pardon me, I was going to swear.”

He chuckled.  “Hasn’t stopped you before, Laun.”  He looked at her.  The way he was looking at her made her blush.  She was not sure what it was, but he had a way of making her self-conscious.

Her face went down and she looked at the moss under the leather jerkin.  Hunter leaned forward and put his hand under her chin.  It took very little pressure for him to lift her face back up.  He ran his thumb against her lower lip and she felt more than the babies in her kicking.  She caught a sigh coming out of her lips and felt her eyes close as his hand went to the back of her neck.  Her eyes flew open again and she saw him leaning in to kiss her.

She liked his kissing.  She liked the feel of his hands on her.  And she knew she had to pull back some how.  After they kissed for a while.

His face went down to her neck, pressing in and breathing warmly on her.  His tongue came out and drew a cooling line right below her ear, her back shivering in response.  She rubbed her jawline along his face and tilted her head back.  He was only holding her by the back of the neck, but she felt like he was lifting her entire body off the ground as he kissed her.

“My Lady, what would you like?”

She sighed.  “So many things.  Right now, you are making me want you.”

He brought his lips up to hers again.  He kissed her and he pulled at the back of her neck.  She followed his hand and lips and found that she was partially laying in his arms as he lay under the maple saplings.  They continued to kiss, his hands staying on her neck and face until her hand was on his face and he entwined his fingers with hers.

It was a wonderfully gentle moment.

The moment ended as another soldier came up along the verge, Thunder behind on his lead.  The horse pushed past the soldier and started to push his nose into the saplings, uncovering Laun and Hunter.  It had not been the most complete of hiding spots, but it had been enough that the soldier was going to walk past looking for the Sergeant.

Hunter sighed and lay back in resignation.  “Yes, you stupid horse.”

“Found him loose, Sergeant.  The acrobats said you had him last...”  Hunter stood and then helped Laun up.

“Thank you, Corporal.  I can escort our Lady from here.”  Hunter reached down for his jerkin and picked up the ribbon from the ground.  “Lady, is this yours?”

Laun’s hand went to her hair.  “Yes it is, thank you, Hun-Kan.”  She took it and he saw the little charm on it.

He took the lead from the Corporal and dismissed him.  Laun tied the ribbon tighter on her braid and was glad it was not lost.  It was a silly affectation, but it meant something to her.

Hunter took Laun’s hand and led both she and the horse out of the underbrush.  Laun caught a flash of color behind one of the other large trees.  Charel had been watching.  Laun was glad, also slightly unnerved that someone else had been there.

Hunter clicked and made the hand signal to lower Thunder for Laun.  The horse tried to back away, but Hunter had the lead and tugged once on the bridle.  Laun clicked and the horse tossed his mane.

“Damned stupid horse.  Get down!”  Hunter had a bite to his tone.

The horse went down to his knees and then rolled onto his side.  Laun knew how to deal with that and so stepped carefully over the large belly of the horse, kneeling so that her leg was caught under the knee brace in the saddle.  She held onto the side of the saddle and clicked her tongue.

Thunder rolled under her, lifting her up into the saddle and then up into the air as he stood.  The horse tossed his head and started towards the manor, dragging Hunter alongside until Laun was able to use the right signals to make him walk.

“This has been a good adventure, Hunter.  Thank you.”  Laun’s hand went down to the large man as he walked alongside the warhorse.

He took her hand, holding it firmly.  “It was my pleasure, Lady Laun.  And I hope we may continue this...  But later.  I think I see a little bit of trouble coming our way.”

Lieutenant Senri was being followed by several other officers.  They all looked perturbed and worried.

“Where have you been?”

Laun did not stop the horse, but did use signals to turn the horse towards the men and have the horse walk sideways for a bit as she said, “The Sergeant was letting me take a ride on one of the gentler mounts.  I do miss my horse at home.”

“Lady, I need you back in the manor.  We just got word that a party from the Capitol City is coming and-”

Laun was swearing.  She held onto her belly and prodded Thunder into a canter.  She heard the men behind her but she could not stop.  She had to get to the Library.

Strangely, it was easier for Laun to ride the large warhorse into and through the manor than to try to dismount outside.  No one tried to stop her.  She dismounted when she was at the door to the library, limping inside.  She was in time.

She gathered up the book she had been using to store the almost destroyed documents, some books from Bregnan’s suite and the account book.  She limped back out and used the halter on the horse to help her get a few doors down to her rooms.

Gem and a household servant were changing the linens on the curtained bed.  Hazalam was moving some of the furniture to try to find one of the woolen slippers that had been kicked off and disappeared a few nights before.  They saw Laun, heard the horse and stopped what they were doing.

“Finish the bed, stock clean cloths at the head.  Hazalam, find that slipper.  If you can’t, go to the laundry to see if they have anything I can use.”  Laun put the books on the vanity and headed for the privy.  “Someone from Capitol City is coming,” Laun called over her shoulder.