by Kya Lind
Traven frowned at her. “But there is no sense in getting your feet wet if we can avoid it.”
“But you would not have carried me if I was the boy.”
Traven continued to frown because she was right, but that was a different manner.
“So, it’s all right to treat me like an infant now that you are no longer raising me to be a man?”
Traven stood in the doorway, with his hands on his hips, looking at her in frustration.
Reya laughed at his expression. She danced up to him. She had made the decision this morning to get passed the awkwardness between them and she put the plan into action. “Well, you may carry me, kind sir, if I am allowed to pay in tribute.” She ducked her head shyly.
At Traven’s shocked breath, she decided she might have gone too far. “Well, I mean, just this once. . . I thought if we kissed we might get past this awkward behavior. . . We act like strangers. . . . and I thought . . . .Well, besides, I was most curious about real kisses. . . .” she stumbled to a stop and blushed prettily.
“Real kisses?” Traven asked quietly.
“To compare them with Dream kisses,” Reya whispered, now embarrassed with her forward behavior.
Traven chuckled and pulled her into his arms. “ just to compare . . ,” his lips stopped just almost touching Reya’s. She rose up on her toes and kissed him. Traven felt the floor tilt, and his brain spun drunkenly from the kiss they shared. When he raised his head and stared into her eyes, he knew she had felt it too.
“Uhhm. So real kisses are better.” She licked her lips nervously, “That probably was not a good thing for us to have learned.”
Traven smiled at her assessment of the situation.
He swept her up in his arms, and strode out the door with her. He sat her up on Barn.
“How are you going to get on now?” asked Reya. Traven swung himself up behind her. “This is the type of behavior; I keep discussing with you. Soldiers do not allow their squires to ride in the front.”
“We are not soldiers, we are a grandfather and kid, remember. Grandsons can ride in the front.”
“But if we have to ride fast. . . .”
“I want you in the front.”
“But if . . . . .”
“Can we go back to you not talking?”
Reya look angrily at him over her shoulder. Traven laughed at her expression and nudged Barn forward.
They rode toward the Shadow Mountains. The snow had melted completely away by the time they skirted the Persuader’s town and headed west on the road to TwinPeaks.
Traven sat with his arms wrapped around his precious cargo. His mouth was level with her ear. She still smelled faintly of roses, but mostly she smelled of dirty coat. The coat collar was pulled up around her stocking cap and even with her sitting directly in front of him on the horse, he couldn’t see her. She was humming softly to herself under her breath. “This coat is so big on you. Did you pick it for that reason?” Traven asked, and humming stopped.
The top of the stocking cap moved in a nod. “I thought it was a good choice considering. It has enough padding that no one can see my shape, and the collar covers most of my face. . . . I only have to mirage when someone sees us. It makes it easier and takes less concentration. I can only hold a mirage for a few hours, except for when I was scared and then I held it for almost a day.”
Traven thought about what she was telling him. “You have been hiding behind my back for weeks?” he said incredulously.
“It is safer back there. I can even sleep sitting up now. If I hadn’t picked this coat, you might have found out sooner. And, I needed a coat I could sleep in. I can’t sleep and mirage at the same time.”
“But you really don’t like to sleep with your head covered do you?” he guessed. Again the stocking cap moved shaking back and forth this time.
“Tell me more about Mirages,” Traven invited.
“Well, in real life it isn’t a practical gift to have. Not like being able to read someone’s thoughts would be. I mean, appearing to be a warhorse does not get the chores done any faster. The only time it really comes in handy is when one is hiding. . . . or begging, I guess.”
“Most Mirages cannot change important things around their images, and that is why they are easy to spot.”
“Like the shadows, and the hoof prints?” Traven confirmed.
Reya continued, “…and their voices. . . Oh, there are some who can change those things, but Sir Talone says there are only a few.”
Traven asked, “If you can change what I see from a tall, beautiful girl to a small butterfly, why can’t you change the shadows also?”
The bundle of coat in his arms shrugged. “I don’t know, but I can’t do it.”
“The butterfly was so small, but I could not see you,” he said.
“I was pretending to be a small butterfly, and I convinced your mind to play along.”
“Like a persuader?” he asked.
“The difference is, I can only ask you to pretend with me. I do not have the power to force you to do something you wouldn’t do on your own. They are different facets of the same gemstone. As long as the image is touching me physically, even the end of my finger and I pretend that it is me that is what most people see.”
“But you change you, me, and the horse.”
“I am very proud of that skill. I cannot wait to show Sir Talone. But I can only change our appearance and not our shapes. I cannot convince others that we are a tree or a frog. They will still see two people and a horse. I only change what two people and a horse they perceive.”
“So tell me about Dreamweavers: how do you come through the door into my sleep?”
Again, Reya shrugged, “It’s not my talent. Dreamweavers like Presuaders can only use their talents on people who are close enough. Some can only reach someone in the next room, but really powerful ones can reach people anywhere within a city’s width. The best bet is to just get away from them. They are one of the most dangerous kinds of Magics.”
This was another piece of the puzzle. If he had understood Magics, he would have realized that she couldn’t have visited his dreams unless she were close by, really close by and not in some castle far away and safe from harm. Traven nodded his understanding and saw that a wagon was moving toward them on the road.
Lady Beth fidgeted and started trying to pull up her long coat sleeves. Traven chuckled at her difficulties, and instead pulled off one of his gloves and slid his warm hand under her bulky coat and laid it against her bare back. “Does that work?” he asked.
“Oh, . . . .yes,” she stammered breathlessly. She sat forward awkwardly as the wagon rolled past.
The driver tipped his hat in their direction, “Morning, elder.” He greeted them cheerfully.
As soon as he was behind them, Traven removed his hand. This whole situation was impossible he thought. He had thought he was crazy when the kid miraged into Benette, but that was just the tip of the iceberg. He knew Lady Beth was out of his league even when he was trying to convince himself that she was just a figment of his imagination. And it wasn’t the image of Benette that caused the problems it was the knowledge that she could be his – that they were in the same class. It was the knowledge that class did not separate them and a relationship between them was possible. Traven shifted uncomfortably. His mind had known that Lady Beth and Benette were the same person. And now he was in the worst possible situation. He was in love and wholly devoted to a Noble’s daughter, someone completely out of his class. Someone who could never be his – no matter what either one of their feelings were in the matter. Traven smiled into the stocking cap. And she definitely had feelings for him. His smile widened as he remembered her asking to compare kisses. The smile quickly disappeared. It was his sworn duty to protect her from everyone, including himself. Traven felt so frustrated. How was he supposed to protect her life and virtue if he couldn’t keep his hands off of her?
“ . . . . . and Allures are able to make the most ama
zing illusions do the most amazing things.”
Traven tried to force his mind to concentrate on what she was telling him and away from the silk of her skin, and the dreamy look in her eyes when he kissed her. And the fact that she had knocked his socks off with that real kiss.
He drew his mind back to the present when she stiffened. Another wagon rolled lazily toward them. Traven reached forward with both hands and pulled her sleeve up so that he could twine his fingers with hers this time. She sighed happily and leaned back against his chest.
The other driver greeted, “Elder.”
Traven looked down at the bundle of coat in his arms and their fingers lying entwined on the saddle horn. “Yup, they were in deep trouble.”
Chapter 21
When they stopped for the night, Reya tripped off to get firewood. Traven, instead of unpacking supplies, followed her and gathered sticks, always keeping her in sight.
“I can do this chore by myself,” she stated, low and angry. “It’s not hard to pick up sticks, you know.”
Traven tilted his head. “I don’t want you out of my sight. I need to make sure you are safe.”
Reya groaned. “Be reasonable, you cannot watch me every second. Sometimes I will need to be alone.” She could not believe she could ask the man for a kiss, but couldn’t discuss having to go to the bathroom.
He inclined his head understanding her meaning. He searched the surrounding area for movement and determined it to be safe. He took her bundle of sticks as well as his own. “I will wait back at camp, don’t take too long,” and strolled away. Reya glared at his back. She thought he had been hard to live with when he had been raising her to be a man. Now that he was treating her like a lady he was impossible. She took care of business and wandered back to camp before he came looking for her.
She sat down and put her frozen feet against the fire pit edge. The heat slowly steamed the moisture out of leather and warmed her toes. Traven handed her a plate of food.
“I’m sorry; I don’t have something more appetizing,” he apologized.
Reya’s glare communicated that he was doing it again.
“He shrugged. It wasn’t his fault if he wanted the best for her. They ate in silence, and then settled in for the night. Reya slept, but Traven waited, and watched and worried.
The next morning, Traven cut up their last bedroll, and wrapped Barn’s hooves in booties again. They should be to TwinPeaks today. Traven had a bad feeling about this. Not the gut kick or hair raising sign of immediate danger, but just a feeling of dread. Oh, he knew the danger was still out there. The four riders and the gallan of Royals were still coming this way, but they weren’t here yet. How was he supposed to quickly find a guide in this city that he thought he could trust and get supplies and get out in only a couple of hours. He had considered leaving Lady Beth and going in alone. But that idea hadn’t lasted long enough to think it. There was no way he was letting her out of his sight. So they went in together, an old man and his grandson on a plow horse. Traven felt Reya tense as the number of people increased. He frowned down at their entwined fingers. He had never thought about how much concentration it would take to convince all these people to pretend something that isn’t real is, and something that is real isn’t there. Traven looked at all the people in the marketplace, about forty or fifty people.
He remembered Lady Beth begging –demanding - that he not take the kid into large groups of people. He frowned. He just kept doing it and expecting her to be able to handle it. He was an idiot.
Several people greeted them, “Afternoon, Elder.”
They slowly wandered into a back alley, and dismounted. Traven tucked the pouch of coin into his shirt and checked his weapons. He rolled the sleeve on one of Reya’s hands up out of the way, and linked his fingers with hers. They walked leisurely down the street to a large inn, facing the river that meandered through the town.
Several young boys were skating around on the top of the frozen river, daring each other to get closer to the wet, thinner patches. Traven smiled at their antics. He thought that was me twenty years ago. I was always in the thick of trouble; he glanced over at Lady Beth who appeared as the six-year-old boy. He snorted. Well nothing had changed; he was still in the thick of it.
He pulled Lady Beth forward into the inn, found them seats against the back wall and ordered two big meals of steak and potatoes. The kid grinned up at him in delight, their hands still linked under the table.
Traven surveyed the occupants of the inn again. There were only a few people in the room as it was past noon and too early for dinner. The other occupants kept glancing in their direction repeatedly, but no one seemed to be disturbed by their presence. Traven frowned. Another piece of the puzzle clicked into place. Mirages only drew attention to themselves when they were mirages. He felt like kicking himself, he should have figured that out sooner.
The innkeeper returned with two heaping plates and sat them down on the table. Reya pulled hers forward eagerly and started eating hungrily. Traven gave the innkeeper four coppers, making sure the man saw the pouch of coins. When the man would have turned away, Traven called him back and laid two bronze on the table and motioned for the man to have a seat. The innkeeper looked at the old man and the kid, and then slid into the chair. The two bronze coins sat on the table between the two men. “I need to hire a guide who knows the Shadow Mountains. And we need to leave tonight.”
The innkeeper assessed the Elder and the young boy. “Going into the mountains is dangerous this time of year.”
The old man nodded, “Do you know such a person?” His voice stronger than his weak frame said it should be.
The innkeeper glanced around at the other diners casually. He took in their repeated glances in their direction. The innkeeper had enough experiences living this close to the Shadow Mountains to recognize the signs. He looked at the old man who he now knew as a Mirage.
“I might have some information that could locate such a person.”
The old man slid the two bronze toward the innkeeper.
“The man I know will be here at this table tonight.
“I need to meet him sooner.”
The innkeeper shook his head, “The earliest I can have him here is dinnertime. He is a trustworthy sort and comes at a fair price. You are not going to find many, even in this town, that are willing to enter those mountains this time of year.”
The old man nodded his head in agreement.
The innkeeper collected the coins and returned to the kitchen. He sent a young boy to fetch the guide. “Tell old Hal, that a Mirage wants to hire him to track into the mountains, and he wants to leave tonight.” The young boy disappeared down the street. The innkeeper snorted. Anyone wanting to track into those mountains at any time of the year was loony as a bird. Well, no one ever said Mirages were smart, they just ‘appeared’ smarter. The innkeeper laughed as he remembered this very old joke.
After the meal, Traven led Reya to a common store where he purchased two bedrolls, and supplies for the mountain trip. They returned to Barn and packed the supplies. Barn shifted uncomfortably and shook each foot trying to dislodge the canvas booties. Reya giggled at his antics.
Traven guided the three of them into an enclosed backyard attached to one of the empty shops. Barn dosed sleepily in the small yard while Traven guided Reya onto the small wooden porch and sat down in a wooden chair. Traven pulled Reya into his lap and adjusted her bulky coat and settled her against his chest. “Go to sleep,” he commanded softly in her ear.
Reya stiffened at his tone, but then relaxed against him. After half an hour, she drifted off to sleep. Traven shifted his position and gazed down at her. He grinned down at her sleeping face. Her collar was pulled up and her stocking cap was pulling low and the only thing he could see was the tip of her nose and one closed eye with long eyelashes laying against the deeper circle beneath; the darker color fading into the soft round of her cheekbone. He really liked her freckles. They sat like this until the s
un began to set. Traven dozed off and on, always aware of his surroundings.
In time for an early dinner, Traven gently woke Reya. She readjusted her clothes, and their mirage. Leaving Barn in the small enclosed yard, they wandered slowly back to the inn. There was no one seated at their table. They sat down at the table, and Traven ordered them food. He shifted uncomfortably as Reya ate, and watched the door. Something was going to happen; he felt it like a storm in the distance. He tapped his fingers nervously against the tabletop. Reya glanced at him inquisitively as she tried to eat with her left hand; her right hand still linked with his under the table. He shook his head and indicated that she should eat. She happily dug back into the apple cobbler.
Chapter 22
The door of the inn opened and a short, wiry man approached their table. He sat down without asking, “Evening, Captain,” the stranger said.
Reya’s head jerked up.
The stranger inclined his head in her direction. “You’re good all right, but not that good, lass.”
Reya cut her eyes to Traven. He was inspecting their guest.
“My name is Hal. I’m the only guide fool enough to go into them mountains with the snows coming,” he declared proudly.
Reya dropped her eyes down and continued cautiously eating, listening intently to each word the stranger said.
Hal looked directly into Traven’s eyes. “You got a hankering to go into the maze I hear?”
Traven shifted position in his seat, “We must leave tonight.”
Hal laughed, “Sweet Molly Ann, we can’t be going that soon.” The wiry man declared, “earliest we’ll be leaving is first light, son.”
Traven stared back at him. “Tomorrow is too late.”
Hal stilled and listened. Then he named a sum.
Traven nodded. “Half now. Half when we get to White Dragon Tower.” Traven gave the coin pouch to the man. It held a few bronze short of the first half. Traven shrugged, he would worry about the other half later.
