“Lady?”
Markle was being talked to by the Captain about rooms for the women and a place to set up a tent for the squad. He saw Laun being helped out of the carriage and just about dropped his jaw in the dirt.
Laun looked around at the inn. It had not really changed much, perhaps some repair within the last few months, but that was about it. Looking down the road at the private houses, though, she saw a gap. The place where the boy had come from.
“Markle, it is good to see you again. Is Marie inside?” He nodded and looked at her belly. Laun held her hands together over her belly and said, “My Love’s children. Another few months.”
He smiled and turned back to the Captain, a slightly greedy look in his eye as they continued to negotiate.
Marie did not recognize Laun at first and then she dropped the laundry in her arms and held fast to Laun. It was only midday, but Marie suddenly had plans for Laun and the rest of the day.
The tent was set up outside, the men setting up a more traditional camp than the night before. The horses filled the stable and Hunter was happy that Laun told true of the feed and such available for the mounts.
The horses were not the only ones who were well fed. Marie pulled several of the servants from other places at the crossroads and had a small feast underway in short order. Laun sat in the kitchen telling Marie of some of the adventures she had while she was away from the household, Marie giving her some information and news, most good, some unhappy.
The dark man Laun had sent to them was still with them, his thin red hair covered with a woolen cap. He bowed to her and went on his errands. Laun had a flash of guilt, but he was alive when others would have killed him on the spot.
Marie looked at Laun and asked pointedly when they were alone, “Are you under sword ransom?”
Laun shook her head. “If anything, I have Falmir under my sword.” She smiled and accepted another sweet biscuit. They talked some more and it was good to be with someone who treated her as Laun, not Mistress or Princess or even Lady.
The hospitality of the Inn was welcome, the heated water for baths even more so. One of the men had started to show signs of catching a chill from the rain, Kell giving him the stare for not having come to her sooner. He was put into a hot bath first and then she gave him several medicines and sent him to bed even before the evening meal had been finished.
The squad ate well that night. They put themselves to bed early with full bellies, though there were watch shifts to keep track of the horses. Laun made sure there had been ale available and that made the men happier and fall asleep easier.
Laun, Marie and Markle had a bit of a conference. It was decided, since the troops under the Midlands flag had pulled out and past several days before, that the cease message had gone through. Laun did not want the household to be warned because of potential conflicts, and suspicions of what may be behind the message.
Markle looked at Laun and held his hand out to her. She accepted his warrior’s grip. He put his other hand on her shoulder and said, “You have changed much from the frightened slave geased with revenge. You are growing...sorry...into a force to be reckoned with. The news you bring about the greyworld masters is both good and bad, but knowing who the Blue Master is... No one outside of the top levels and her apprentices have known. You truly have become a journeyman clapperless bell and I think you will become a master on your own.”
Laun grimaced but took the compliment as it was meant. “I am rogue, and I know it. Without you two when I came through a year ago, I would not have lived, let alone thrived. You showed me how the Broken Locks work-with honor and grace. Geralk showed me how persistence and flexibility for a Clapperless Bell is the base. I did not know while she was teaching me, but my Lady Hellon was bringing me into the fold of the Crow and Sword, and I will forever remember her fondly for that and the kindness she gave my mother.”
Marie took Laun’s other arm and said, “You are not rogue. You are Laun.”
All three of their heads came together, their foreheads touching. Laun sighed. “This will work out. I will be so happy when I see the old volcano again.”
There were footsteps and the three pulled apart, Marie starting to fuss over Laun’s hair. The Captain came in and made a partial salute.
“Highness, may I have a word about tomorrow’s travel?” His posture was stiff and Laun did not sense he wanted to talk about the travel plans.
Laun nodded and turned to Marie. “If you would, goodwife. If I could have my bath in the morning?”
Marie pulled her hands away from Launs braid and made a curtsey. “As you wish.”
Laun followed the Captain out of the Inn and into the cooling evening air. He held his fist out formally and Laun and he walked along the road in front of the Inn.
“Highness, you do know that this establishment is suspected of harboring fugitives.”
Laun tried to seem shocked. “I have known them for quite some time. I cannot believe that they would do something like that.” Laun stopped and the Captain turned to face her. “But then again, until just about a week ago, I was such a fugitive, Captain.” She looked at him coolly and unblinkingly.
The Captain seemed to shake himself. “Princess... I am sorry. I should have thought.”
Laun leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. “There are many things that I forgive, Captain. Forgetting my past is one of them.” Laun and the Captain walked a little more and returned to the Inn, a quiet between them that Laun did not mind, but the Captain was uncertain about.
The Corporal who had tried to take advantage of Laun was mucking out the stalls of the stables as they came back. Laun stopped and motioned the soldier over. He saluted, she returned the salute and held out her hand to him. He took it and kissed it, bowing over it until Laun moved her hand to his head. She gently stroked his head a few times and then turned away, walking with the Captain into the Inn.
Laun said a good night to the Captain and was escorted to one of the private rooms. Gem and Hazalam were talking in the room, a mat on the floor just big enough for them next to the bed. Laun was tired, even though it had not been a long day. It was nice to just be in a bed and not be expected to perform. Laun told them that if they wanted to, they should make love. She would like to watch them, if they would.
They looked at each other and Hazalam said, “Mistress, not tonight. We need some time to recover, too.”
It was a good night to sleep. Laun was deep into sleep early and slept in a forgotten dream sleep until she was gently woken the next morning.
The men had already been up and breaking camp. She had slept for close to ten hours without interruption. She was rested and in a good mood.
A brief tub time was afforded Laun, Marie tisk-tisking over some of the scars she had not seen before. Laun’s hair was brushed and braided and Marie insisted on powdering Laun’s body for the trip.
Thunder was not as picky that morning. He allowed Laun to mount and she felt comfortable with him under her. Laun waved to the Innkeeper and his wife before they left and they set out again.
It was a hard march that day. Laun wanted to push through but the Captain convinced her that they had to stop for the night only about an hour before the sun would be below the horizon, not just below the treeline along the River.
There was evidence of troop movement and occupation in the area. There weren’t any farmers to ask, so an area that looked like it had been used recently was used again. The big tent was sectioned off slightly, but there was a similar evening from the first.
Because they were in hostile country, watches were set. The men who were not on watch first were the lucky ones. The women were pleasured, the men giving their all, the ones stuck in the dark very envious. Laun did enjoy herself, and the men, but she was itching to just start riding. To get home.
She was still awake when Hunter came in from his watch, slightly cold and slightly miserable. Laun got up from the cot, the quilt wrapped around her and found him starting to bed down. She did not say anything and he did not do anything but hold her as she tried to get sleep in his arms. She did get some sleep, but was up when the sun was coming over the horizon, the man on watch nodding to her with a glazed forced awake look on his face.
She walked the river for a few minutes and then started to do her morning routine. There was only the man on duty who was there to watch. Laun, having been a dancer and entertainer for much of her life, found it difficult to know someone was watching if she was practicing. It was odd, but she did not like people to know that she may not know what she was doing. She thought about that as she did leg sweeps on invisible opponents.
Hot tea and travel cakes were the first meal that day. Laun broke hers in half and soaked it in her hot tea before eating it, much happier than if she had tried to break her teeth on it. Laun knew about how long it would take them to get to the Salam-Dir lands. She wanted her energy to be up, but her patience was not what it could have been.
Laun tried to focus on just the traveling for that day. She kept going through scenarios of what she would find, who she would find. To keep herself calm, Laun finally had to take some time by the river as Gem braided her hair to just watch the flow of the water and let the nervous energy flow out of her and down the river like the water.
There was one pouch that had been in the hidden space with Ithian’s letters to Tressa. Before Laun mounted Thunder that morning, Laun had Gem bring it out and place the piece of metalwork on her head. The three points gleamed in the morning’s golden light and the men saluted her as she took lead in the column.
Getting back Home, in Chapter 54
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