Love Never-Ending

by Anny Cook

  With a last manly pat on the shoulder, Bishop released him. “Yeah, now that you mention it, why are you here in Dai’s Hamlet anyway?”

  “We brought Nikolas to visit Susie,” Llyon explained quietly. “And before you start with the objections, try to trust my experience. Nikolas needs Susie.”

  Bish took a closer look at his half brother. The fine taut lines around his mouth were pronounced. His entire body vibrated with little tremors. And the most telling and obvious of all, his cock was a rigid presence beneath the soft sharda. “Take him. Take him now. She’ll definitely be good for what ails him.”

  “We’ll be back tomorrow, late in the afternoon.” Tyger tapped Nik’s elbow. “Come, Uncle. Let’s go see Susie.”

  Llyon planted his hands on his hips and surveyed Bishop with a practiced eye. “You look pretty good. How are you feeling?”

  “Tired.” A sour smile accompanied Bish’s wry reply.

  “Well? What did you expect?” Ly pursed his lips in thought. “I have to go. We’re going up to Talking Wall to fetch Falcon and Panther for winter break. While we’re there we’re going to witness Ban’s warrior vows. But I’ll do a complete physical when I come back tomorrow.”

  Shadrach and Lazarus grinned hugely when Llyon shared his news. “Ah, ah, Ban’s gonna finally do it, eh?” Laz chuckled. “I knew it! He’s going to be the oldest novice warrior in the valley!”

  His teasing words met with answering grins. “But he won’t have that distinction for long if Bishop decides to take the plunge!” Shade added. “Well, please pass on our best wishes.”

  “I will.” Llyon trotted off to catch up with Tyger and Nik, leaving Bishop and his bodyguards in the shadow of the old building.

  “Tell me, Bishop. Why have you decided that you won’t settle here in the village?” Shade asked with idle curiosity.

  Bish shrugged. “If Samara takes me back, I’ll never give her reason to hurt. If we lived here, she would see Susie every day. It’s not that she wouldn’t trust me but she would remember. I won’t do that to her.”

  After a thoughtful silence, Shade and Laz nodded. “Smart man.” Laz pointed to the barter keeper’s hut. “I suggest you talk to Marcus before he goes home for dinner. I’ll wait here.”

  * * * * *

  Hurrying down the shadowy path, Samara cursed under her breath for talking so long to Dan at the bakery. Since the warriors still hadn’t apprehended Jiph, she tried never to be out after dark, especially in the woods, by herself. She tripped on a hidden root, staggered into a tree and bounced back into the path, landing on her back with her basket flung off the path into the woods.

  After determining that she had suffered no permanent damage, she crawled to her feet, brushed down her heavy meerlim and straightened her shawl. She peered into the dark woods, wondering if she dared look for her basket. A darting shadow deposited the basket near her feet—and was gone. The tiny hairs on her neck stiffened in alarm. Who was that?

  Snatching up the basket, she ran down the path in a full-out panic, frantic to escape whoever or whatever hid in the woods. When she reached her dome she rushed up the stairs and inside, slamming the door behind her and locking it before setting the security bar in place. In all the time she’d lived there, she had never used the security bars but now she rushed to the back door and put that bar in place too.

  Then she stood in the kitchen with her hands pressed to her stomach while she tried to think of anything else she could do to be safe. When it occurred to her that someone might be in the house already, she grabbed her biggest knife and sidled into the bedroom and bathing room to check. Once assured that she was alone, she ran from window to window, making sure that the window coverings were secure. Finally, she slumped into a chair at the table and stared around the kitchen blankly. Who was that?

  What should she do? With shaking hands, she filled her kettle and put it on the fire to heat while she readied a mug with the wachaz tea preparation that Robyn had provided, much against her will, without telling Llyon or Dai.

  Samara was nearly sure that she was in the first stages of schalzina. But without Bishop’s cooperation, there wasn’t much she could do other than drink the tea and take warm baths. Fortunately, the weather was getting colder so warm baths really felt relaxing. She knew she should be hungry but her stomach roiled and rebelled so violently that she settled with a cup of tea and warm bath. Maybe tomorrow would be better. Or the day after that.

  * * * * *

  Tyger took his two younger brothers to the butcher shop to visit with Jacob while they waited for Llyon to complete his examination of Bishop. They had already stopped briefly at Susie’s where they were quite content to leave Nikolas after a very short conversation. As Llyon had anticipated, Susie had finally met her match in Nikolas and Nik was in no hurry to leave.

  So while Llyon hurried on to Lark’s house, Tyger and the boys snacked on jerked rowan strips and barbahla breadsticks while Tyger reported on Ban’s warrior vows ceremony. Jacob’s wife Patty was half-sister to Ban so he summoned her to the shop to hear what Tyger had to say.

  “They went to bonding circle nine?” she asked, enthralled with the story.

  “Oh, yes. All the warriors in the area came to witness. Wolfe, Joshua, Henry and the boys, of course. Arturo renewed his vows, also. That was necessary after he repudiated them before they bonded.” Tyger waved a breadstick at Jacob. “I was glad that Ban convinced him to do that. We need all the warriors we have.”

  “Who sponsored Ban?”

  “Who else? Arturo. I expected nothing else.”

  Jacob leaned his elbows on the sturdy counter. “Well, then. Who sponsored Arturo?”

  “Andrew McCrory. He was the only other morkert around.” Tyger frowned. “I didn’t know he was a morkert until yesterday. It used to be that we knew all the other warriors but this summer has been very busy. Too busy to keep track of everything.”

  “It was well done in any case. I’m sure that Ban’s father was pleased. Too bad he couldn’t be there.”

  “The weather is getting too cold for Dai to travel that far. Perhaps next spring he’ll be able to see him. Tell me the news. When we came through yesterday, we didn’t have time to stop.”

  “Have a seat. There isn’t much news to report…”

  * * * * *

  At Lark’s house, Llyon took his time examining Bishop while Lark observed. Finally, she asked, “Did you tell him about the stomach cramps, Bish?”

  “What stomach cramps?” Llyon lifted a brow in query. “Something you forgot to mention?”

  “They’re just little cramps. Probably something I ate.” Bishop was surly and annoyed that Lark had mentioned the cramps. “I’m sure that it’s nothing.”

  “Uh-huh. How often are you having these nothing cramps?”

  “I don’t know. You expect me to keep track of stomachaches?”

  “How often?” Llyon inquired patiently.

  “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe every other day.”

  “Hmmm.” Palpating his belly, Llyon racked his brain for a reason for Bishop’s stomach cramps. There were no obvious problems that he could detect. “So what time of day are you having these cramps?”

  “Late afternoon,” Bish growled. “I tell you it’s nothing.”

  Llyon sighed. “Lark, keep track of them. If he still has them next week, I’ll come back and do a deep reading.”

  “All right. I can do that.” Bishop dressed and stomped into his room, aggravated with what he felt was a very minor problem.

  When the door closed, Llyon sat down on the bed and crossed his arms. “Now suppose you tell me what you really think?”

  “I think Samara has started schalzina,” she replied baldly. “Late afternoon every other day? And it doesn’t last long, Ly. Just about long enough for her to drink some wachaz tea.”

  “I haven’t prescribed any wachaz tea for her,” Llyon protested.

  Lark just snorted in disgust. “Your sister is a herbalist, Ly. An
d women have been loaning each other wachaz tea for hundreds of years without the help of a healer.”

  “That would mean that they have an attachment!” he objected.

  “Their attachment hasn’t been in doubt since she bit him!” She slammed her hand onto the table, making the light stone jump. “Isn’t anyone paying attention?”

  “Evidently not.” He stood up and stretched. “I need to meet Tyger and the boys and leave. As it is, it’s going to be after dark before we reach Lost Market. First thing tomorrow, I’ll pin Samara down on this and let you know.”

  “You do that. If she’s in schalzina, he needs to get off the fence and reconcile with her.” Noting the militant sparkle in her eyes Llyon decided there was no doubt about Bishop and Samara’s future. No doubt at all.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Midwinter Surprise

  In the new living room dome at the Llewellyn domes, the family was gathered for the Midwinter celebration. Outside a rare fluffy snow was blanketing the entire valley like frosting on a cake. In the old living room, now in use as a dining room, Dancer was supervising his small platoon of helpers as they arranged the tables and decorated the walls for the Midwinter feast. Near the patio doors stood a huge bright red pine heavy with glittering ornaments fashioned from the chinka materials by Traveller.

  Out in the master suite, with Llyon and Wolfe in attendance and Merlyn and Dai offering love and encouragement, Jade labored to deliver the last of her children. A hush fell over the living room when that first tiny cry reached them and then there was a soft excited babble as they speculated about the babies. Finally Dai appeared in the doorway and announced the good news. “A boy and a girl, Dragon and Dovyna. Both healthy and Jade is well.”

  All through the early afternoon, guests continued to arrive, loaded down with Midwinter gifts and food. Tyger supervised the younger children who were all anxious to open their gifts. Robyn and Tracer took charge of the staggering number of dishes that steadily arrived in the kitchen.

  It was late afternoon when dinner was finally ready and the family began to sit down at the tables scattered in the dining room. Suddenly, the doors next to the Midwinter tree flew open and swirling snow blew in as three tall warriors and a companion stood smiling in the doorway.

  Dai was the first to recognize the snow-covered figures as he leaped to his feet and rushed over to hug them, snow and all. “Ban! Arturo and Hawke! Bishop! Welcome home!”

  Hugs and kisses were exchanged as the latest arrivals were quickly divested of heavy sheras and their packs. Hawke softly trod down the hall to visit with his parents after his long absence with the drangs. Ban and Arturo fended off good-natured teasing about their rush to swear their covenant bond so that they dragged Wolfe out of bed before dawn to serve as a witness. Ignoring the babble of good wishes and laughter all around him, Bishop searched for Samara.

  Finally, he pulled Dancer aside. “Do you know where Samara is?”

  Dance’s green eyes glittered with sudden awareness. “She was going to finish some baking and then arrive this afternoon.” He noted the deepening dusk outside the windows. “Something’s wrong. She should have been here by now.”

  Bishop turned and rushed down the hall to the bedroom where the extra shawls and sheras from the visitors were piled on a bed. Hastily, he pawed through them until he found his shera and thick woolie scarf. Within seconds he was dressed for outdoors and tugging on his high boots. Llyon and Arturo joined him in the hallway while several more of the male family members hurried to throw on their sheras.

  Bish went out the nearest patio door, followed by Llyon and Arturo. They ran across the village green while keeping a sharp eye out for Samara, in case she had fallen on the way to the Llewellyn domes. As Bish pounded past the barter keeper’s dome a searing cramp seized him in the gut. He folded up so quickly that he hit the ground in a rolling flurry of woolie fabric and snowflakes.

  Llyon raced past him while Arturo stopped to check on Bish. “What happened?” he demanded.

  “Oh, my God, it’s Samara!” Bish clutched his belly and groaned. “What the hell is wrong with her?”

  Arturo hauled him to his feet. “Come. It sounds like schalzina. If that’s what is wrong, she needs you!”

  Wolfe arrived in a spray of snow and captured Bishop’s other arm. His two nephews literally dragged him down the path to Samara’s dome. They were in the yard when a bloodcurdling shriek belled out across the small clearing. Bish shook off his restraints and leaped up onto the porch, pushing the door open with such force that it banged against the wall inside.

  He shoved the bedroom door open, entering in a rush at the strain he heard in her voice. “Samara? What’s wrong?” She was curled in a tight ball on the bed, cowering away from Llyon. Bishop elbowed him out of the way and gathered her in his arms. “Don’t touch her!”

  “Bishop. I need to examine her,” Llyon said calmly. “Clearly, there is something wrong. I could feel her pain all the way in Lost Market!”

  “She doesn’t want anyone to touch her!”

  “Bishop.” Llyon struggled with the need to remain calm at all costs. “I will not hurt her. Surely you don’t want her to continue to suffer if I can help her?”

  The outcome hung in a fine balance for a long moment. Then, with obvious reluctance, Bishop twisted just enough that Llyon could reach her. Llyon tenderly placed his hands on her belly and closed his eyes. Almost immediately, his eyes flashed open in shock. “She’s in the last stages of schalzina! That’s not possible!”

  “Well, don’t tell me that! Tell her!” Bishop blurted in frustration. “I didn’t make up the stupid rules!”

  Arturo stirred in the doorway. “The rules are not the important thing now. Samara’s life is in danger. The question now is whether you will take responsibility for saving her life. Or will you selfishly let her die?”

  With barely restrained violence, Bishop shouted, “Get out! Now!”

  Hiding an odd little smile that threatened to break across his face, Llyon nodded once and left, pushing Arturo through the door ahead of him. “We will go wait in the living room.”

  Herding a protesting Arturo in front of him, Llyon firmly closed the front door. Then he sat down on the couch with a deep sigh and prepared for a silent discussion with Dai and Tyger.

  “Why are you smiling?” Arturo demanded impatiently. “What is there to smile about? What does this mean?”

  “Our uncle may protest all he wishes but his heart is tied to Samara. I know not what this means. The one thing I do know is that Bishop has found something in this valley that he values over his desire to escape. Now I will talk to Dai.”

  Samara’s soft whimpers were the only sound in the bedroom as Bishop tightly held her against his chest while he gently kneaded her belly. He could feel the rippling contractions beneath his palm. Silently, he prayed for wisdom and then he began to whisper in her ear. “You told me once upon a time that you loved me. Selfishly, I threw your gift away.”

  She trembled in his arms but remained silent, waiting to hear what he would say.

  “Clearly, I don’t deserve you. And I don’t have anything to offer you yet.” Bish’s took a deep breath. “But I hope you’ll still take me as your bond mate.”

  “W-why?” she asked with chattering teeth. “Because of this?”

  “Hell no. The reason I came to Lost Market for Midwinter was so that I could ask you. Dammit, you made me fall in love with you! Don’t leave me alone now!”

  “E-even if we can’t have ch-children?”

  “Even then.” He hugged her close. “I have a feeling that you might just be surprised, though. I’m not asking for a measly covenant bond. I want the whole thing.”

  “Nothing’s ch-changed, Bish.”

  “Yeah, something’s changed. I’ll explain it on the way.” He stood up and lifted her in his arms. “Where’s your shawl?”

  “What are y-you doing?”

  “We’re going to the bonding circle rig
ht now. I’m going to tie you to me so firmly that you’ll never even think about anyone else.”

  Feebly, she pounded on his shoulder. “You fool! I never wanted anyone but you!”

  “And you caught me. Now where’s your shawl?”

  “I don’t know,” she whimpered while pressing her arm against her belly.

  The rolling cramps nearly took Bishop to his knees. “Never mind,” he gritted. “We’ll use a blanket!” He yanked the blanket off the bed and wrapped it around her. “We’re out of here!” Stumbling out to the living room, he headed for the door.

  Without a word, Llyon opened it with a flourish. Arturo leaped out ahead of Bishop so that he could lend a hand going down the steps. With a wicked grin he twisted a light stone to its brightest setting and drolly inquired, “Where are we going?”

  “The closest bonding circle!”

  Llyon jumped from the porch and plucked at his arm. “This way! There’s shortcut through the woods from her backyard.”

  Bishop blindly followed Llyon’s lime green and pink striped shera through the building storm. The wind was picking up, howling through the trees, stinging his face with tiny icy darts. The walk seemed endless as Bishop struggled to stay upright while traversing the forest trail littered with icy, slippery leaves and wet pine needles. At last they arrived at the tall stone sentinels, passing through them into unearthly silence.

  Tyger and Hamilton were waiting for them in the circle. Samara’s bonding blanket, completed only the day before was spread across the stone. Gently, Bishop settled her on the stone, still wrapped in her bedding from home.

  Ty and Hamilton joined Arturo outside the circle, huddling in the shadow of a huge sentinel while Llyon assisted Bishop and Samara in preparing for their bonding. “You have a knife?” Llyon asked calmly.

  Bishop shoved the scarf wound around his head and neck back from his face and tapped a tiny slith. “Hawke gave me this when we were traveling to Lost Market. He assured me that it would do the job.”

  Llyon’s eyes widened in surprise when he identified the slith. “That is quite an honor, Uncle. He gave you the slith from his warrior vows ceremony.”