From Across the Clouded Range (21 page)

She waited then walked slowly, trying
to gather herself, to dispel her sudden fear. Finally, she came
around the last of the building separating her from the green and
saw her nemeses again. But this time, they formed a clump in front
of Ipid’s extravagant coach. In their center was Dasen. Pete corked
a jug of wilderness wine that they had obviously been passing and
handed it to Dasen. They shared a few conspiratorial words. Dasen
laughed, the big laughs of an old joke shared between long friends,
then clasped the big man’s hand and embraced him. As they hugged
like long-lost brothers, Pete whispered in Dasen’s ear, but his
eyes never left Teth’s and the victorious smile never wavered from
his lips.

Chapter 9

“
Excuse me. What did you say?”
Dasen had been so absorbed with thoughts of his pending time alone
with Tethina that he had barely been listening to his father’s
seemingly endless stream of words. The last few had been enough to
penetrate his fog, but he could not believe that he had heard them
correctly.

“
So that got your attention, did
it?” Ipid replied. “You have been around Rynn too long. You seem to
listen without actually paying the slightest attention. It is a
very bad habit, you know.”

“
I’m sorry. It’s not you. I can’t
focus on anything today. I can barely keep my own thoughts
straight.”

“
Hmm,” Ipid mused. “I suppose I
was the same way when your mother and I were joined. I still don’t
remember a thing about the ceremony. It’s as if I woke from a dream
only that night and found out that it was all somehow real.” He
chuckled to himself. “And that is exactly what I am talking about.
Your mother and I had known each other a long time when we were
joined. We had been counting the days in anticipation rather than
anxiety. We were very much ready for that first night. Don’t get me
wrong. We were nervous as lambs at a sheering, but we were
ready.”

Of all the things Dasen did not want floating
around his scattered thoughts right now, his parents’ joining night
was near the top. He looked at his father, appalled.

“
I know you probably don’t want to
hear about that,” Ipid admitted, “but I think it’s important to see
the difference. Now, we have never talked about the things that a
man and wife do on their joining night, but I’m sure it’s no
mystery to you by now.”

Dasen nearly choked. He looked at his father
with wide eyes then scanned the surrounding buildings to be certain
that no one was watching or, worse, listening. “Father, we . . . we
don’t have to talk about this. I’m not a child.”

“
That is what I had guessed.”
Ipid’s voice carried a strange mix of disappointment and relief. “I
have to say I had hoped for better but can’t blame you for
partaking in some of the services offered around the university.
When I was a young man, I was drawn into those establishments more
times than I care to admit, but I was also well older when I joined
your mother. In any case, I know the desires and pressures that
lead to that, but you should not expect Tethina to be like the
women you found in those places.”

Dasen pulled up short as he realized what his
father was implying. He stammered as his mind tried to process the
revelations that his father had once frequented brothels and that
he might have done the same. In all his time, he had never even
realized that there were active brothels near the university much
less considered visiting one. Thinking on it now put some of his
fellow students’ comments into context, but he was nowhere near
popular enough for those boys to invite him along on their
exploits. As it was, he had never even kissed a girl, much less
what his father was suggesting.

Obviously taking his son’s silence for some
kind of confirmation, Ipid sighed and continued, “As I said,
Tethina doesn’t have that kind of experience. As far as I know, she
has never even kissed a boy. She’s not going to know what to do and
may not even be ready to give her body to you. Are you listening to
me, Dasen? This is important.” Dasen could only stammer and nod.
“Good. Now I know it is your right as her husband, but not all
rights need to be exercised. Do you follow me? Just because I have
the right to cut down every tree in this forest does not mean that
I should. Sometimes you have to wait until the trees are tall
enough, straight enough to be useful. If you cut them down too
soon, you may get some boards but not as many as you could if you
waited. Does this make sense?”

Again Dasen nodded, simply hoping to end the
conversation as soon as possible. They had stopped walking and
stood in the empty road. Every living creature in the village,
including the dogs, cats, and mice, were in the village green
partaking in the food, drink, and entertainment that had been
prepared for the ceremony. They were in the middle of the village
and had as much privacy as if they were lost on the other side of
the river.

“
Good. So you will have to judge
Tethina. Even if she says she wants you, even if she asks you to
take her, you have to remember that you are responsible for her.
You have to decide when the time is right. I know you must want to
take what is now yours but just like cutting a tree, you will never
be able to take that decision back, so be sure it is right. Do you
understand?”

Despite his father’s intentions, the lecture
had made Dasen’s thoughts turn uncontrollably toward the very thing
his father was urging him to avoid. The possibility of what would
happen when they reached Lake Mithrel simultaneously enthralled and
terrified him. He knew that he and Tethina should wait – what if
she caught a baby? – but seeing her in that ill-fitting dress,
being with her, touching her – even so innocently – had left him
wanting so much more. He subtly adjusted himself and thanked the
Order for the loose pants he now wore. The tight wool slacks he had
worn for the joining ceremony had left him decidedly uncomfortable
in that area far more times that day than he cared to
admit.

Ipid cleared his throat and glared – obviously
Dasen had not been as subtle as he thought. “Have I made myself at
all clear?” he asked.

“
You have,” Dasen finally managed.
He felt the blood rise in his face.

He drew the breath to continue, but his father
exhaled sharply and spoke over him. “Good. Then let’s forget all
about this. I don’t want you to think I’m telling you how to run
your house. You are a man now in the eyes of the Order, but advice
is one of those things you never value until you’ve wasted it. Now,
let’s get to the coach. It would be terribly rude to leave Tethina
waiting for us.”

#

For the remainder of their walk, Ipid prattled
on about the route to Lake Mithrel, respecting the governor’s
house, remembering that he was a guest, and a number of other
things that seemed obvious. Through it all, Dasen nodded and agreed
without really hearing anything. As his father had suggested, too
much time spent with Rynn had trained him to half-listen while
seeming to be fully engaged. As his father spoke, Dasen stared at
the coach they were approaching. It stood by the road that defined
one edge of the village green. The six draft horses had already
been hitched up. Esso, the driver, circled, checking the wheels,
springs, and harnesses. There was a wobble to his step that Dasen
had not seen before, and he wondered how much of the ale that was
flowing in the green had made its way down his gullet. Waiting in
front of the coach were six of the guards with their mounts. They
were receiving orders from their captain while looking longingly at
the celebration they would be leaving behind. Finally, on top of
the coach was Elton tightening the straps that would hold Dasen’s
trunk onto the roof. Beyond that, there was only the small trunk
that Ipid had given to Tethina and a small leather bag that must be
Tethina’s – she hadn’t been joking when she said that she didn’t
have any proper clothes.

As they approached, the coach suddenly seemed
smaller than it ever had. Though it was, in reality, an enormous
beast of a thing – large enough to serve as Ipid’s mobile office –
the prospect of sharing that confined space with Tethina for the
next few hours was terrifying. What would they find to talk about?
How would he approach her? Should he start defining the rules for
her new life immediately? Should he talk about her previous life,
clear the air of it so they can move on, or ignore it so as to
leave it entirely in the past? Then when they arrived at the
governor’s lodge? Would Tethina be offended if he didn’t at least
try to complete their bond? Would she skin him if he did? What of
his father’s advice and that of the villagers?

As if summoned by the thought, Pete Magee and
his band, walked out from between two of the village’s last
buildings and closed on Dasen and Ipid. “Your lordship,” Pete said.
He removed his ragged hat and made a small bow. His fellows
followed.

Ipid grunted. “Enough of that, boys. I already
told you, there are no lords today. We are all the same, villagers
celebrating a joining ceremony.” He turned to Dasen and lowered his
voice. “I’m going to make sure everything is ready for the trip.
Don’t dally. Tethina should be here any time.” He patted Dasen on
the arm and walked quickly toward the coach.

With Ipid’s departure, Pete’s deference
dissipated. He replaced his hat and closed on Dasen with hand
outstretched. “We’s just come ta see ya off,” he said.

“
That is very thoughtful.” In
respect to his father, Dasen remained friendly. The last thing he
wanted to do was make nice with Pete and his gang, but his father
had decreed that morning that they would treat the villagers as
their hosts and afford them all the appropriate courtesies. “It is
very kind of you to think of me, but I do not want to take you away
from the festivities.”

“
Plenty of time fir that.” Pete
grinned, placed his hand on Dasen’s back, and escorted him toward
the coach. It was only a few hours past noon. The festivities had
been raging since the end of the ceremony, for hours now, but Dasen
had no doubt that they would last long into the night, especially
since Ipid had declared the next day a holiday for all in his
employ. And the Solstice celebrations was only another day after
that. “Besides we’s got a gift fir ya.” He looked across his gang
for Jeb. He found the boy running in from the village with a jug in
his hands. Jeb approached quickly then seemed to trip over his own
feet. He lurched forward and crashed into Dasen. Neither of them
were hurt, but liquor sprayed from the jug like a geyser, dousing
them both.

Dasen backed away and quickly began blotting
his face and jacket. “Ya clumsy idjot,” Pete scolded. He cuffed the
boy and pulled the jug from his hands. “Where’s the cork? Ya can’t
give it ta him without a cork. How’s he s’posed to carry
it?”

“
Sorry, Pete,” Jeb stammered. I
had ta use an old jug and couldn’t find none of the
corks.”

“
Well, git over ta the green an’
find one then.” Pete cuffed the boy again and turned to Dasen. “I’m
sorry ‘bout that. The lad ain’t got the sense of a stump. ‘Ere take
my handkerchief.”

“
It’s alright,” Dasen said. Most
of the liquor had hit his face and was easily wiped away. His
jacket had a damp spot as well, but the clear liquid was not a
great threat to the brown linen. The greatest damage was that the
smell of the sweet, herbal liquor permeated him.

Dabbing at the spot, he walked toward the
coach. Pete prattled on about how much he and his fellows had
enjoyed the ceremony and celebration that followed. He did not
mention Tethina except to say how beautiful she looked in the
joining dress, “Like a right proper girl all ready ta become a
woman.”

By the time they made it to the coach, Jeb was
running back with a cork. He handed it to Pete, who made a show of
sealing the bottle. “I wish we could send ya off wit’ a drink, but
wouldn’t look good ta yir lady fir us ta be passin’ a bottle round.
She might start thinkin’ you’s the one that needs
tamin’.”

Dasen could not help but laugh at that. He
accepted the jug from Pete before handing it on to the driver.
“Thank you for your hospitality. You have made me feel most
welcome.”

“
Mighty glad ta do it.” Pete
grinned, took Dasen’s hand in his, and pulled him in close. “Give
her an extra one fir us, will ya,” Pete whispered in his ear. Then
he pulled back and slapped Dasen on the back so hard that he nearly
lost his balance. “We’ll leave ya now,” he bellowed, “yir wife won’
be ta happy she sees who yir new drinkin’ buddies are.”

“
Thank you again,” Dasen managed
as he shook each hand and tried to hide his relief that they were
leaving before Tethina’s arrival.

And none too soon as it turned out. As Dasen
shook hands with the last of the villagers, a shimmer of blue
appeared from behind the nearest house. He looked up and found
Tethina striding defiantly across the open space that separated the
coach from the village. She was wearing a magnificent blue silk
dress that actually fit her. The silk shimmered and flowed around
her, defining each confident stride with a motion like the sea. Her
fine, auburn hair was pulled back behind her ears and held by blue
glass clips. The hair that hung loose in the back barely made it to
the bottom of her head, leaving her impossibly long neck exposed
all the way to the top of her chest where a tan triangle was framed
on either side by purest white. The dress itself was the best that
could be made in the three short days they spent in Wildern, but
the simple style suited Tethina perfectly.