Thoughtful Thursday #3

We are back with the latest installment of my work in progress. This has been edited for continuity, typographical errors and spelling mistakes, but I do not make any promises it will be the final result (-: There are still over 130k words to go…

~~~~~~~The Ciaran, scene 3~~~~~~

It was just getting dark when she realized the folly of her choice. If she had stayed with Bertram she could have spent the night with Karla, and tried again in the morning. She might even have traveled on with one of the others heading east toward the sea. Instead, she was now a good day’s ride from anyone who cared about her with only her pony as a companion and the sun beginning to set.

With a deep sigh, she looked about for a clearing or safe haven. There would be no inns at this distance from town. She did run a risk of a thief coming after her pony but she doubted anything else she carried, save her femininity, would attract any attention. Seeing a small creek in the distance, she turned Lian from the road and toward it.

The trees were a little closer than they appeared so she dismounted and led the horse onward. Sure enough, there was another break in the trees near the source of the creek and fresh water bubbled out from the rocks. It may be the first place a predator would look for her but she thought with a good sturdy rock or tree trunk behind her, a creek in front of her and Lian to warn her of unusual smells she might stand a chance of surviving the night.

Once Lian was unsaddled, brushed and picketed, Kiera rummaged about the neighboring forest for some dead wood. She would have preferred it to be already free from its trunks, like branches knocked down by recent winds, but she was left much as she and Tia had been earlier in the day tearing strips of bark and chunks of decaying wood from an old stump laying on one side. The wood closest to the ground was crumbly and damp, but a little further up it was firmer and she thought she might even be able to shave some out for tinder.

Once her wood was collected, she laid out her blankets next to the saddle. The smell of horse and leather she found comforting and she planned to use a bit of her pack as a pillow against the firm saddle supports. At last, she dug about for her pot, Ronar’s leftovers and her tinder stick.

The flint struck quickly and her tinder bundle flamed faster than she had expected. This cheered her and her mood was further lifted by the savory aroma of her dinner as it reheated in her pot. She looked up at the pair of dark eyes glittering in the firelight. “What say you, Lian? Is this camp site decent enough for the evening?”

“It seems pleasant enough to me.” A quiet baritone voice answered her. Whirling about towards it, Kiera brandished her cooking knife. “Easy, I mean no harm. I saw your camp fire from the road and hoped to find a fellow traveler.”

Kiera stayed crouched where she was. “Then come nearer the fire, stranger, and let me see you.”

A lean man about her height stepped from the trees, his hands extended open and upward. “I carry no weapon, see?” Over his arm was draped the rein of his horse, which followed so close the lead was loose. “Honestly, Kiera, I’m here to help.” As he stepped into the firelight, the flame reflected off the brown eyes that laughed at her.

“Jace, is that you?” Kiera didn’t know whether to laugh or scream. “What in the name of all holy things are you doing here?”

“There is nothing holy, nothing magical.” He laughed. “Karla had told me you were probably coming my way. I was already on my way to come get you. Then today I heard rumors of a woman traveling alone from the messengers. They ride faster than you do, you know.”

Kiera nodded, and then cursed as the smell of her dinner scalding reached her nostrils. “Sit down.” She said irritably. “If Ronar’s stew is ruined you’ll have to cook for me tonight.”

“Then I certainly hope it isn’t.” Jace laughed as she turned to tend the meal. “Do you mind if I unsaddle Kago?”

Kiera gestured for him to go ahead, her attention all on the simmering stew. Her spoon scraped the bottom free of where it was starting to stick and with a little more work it all stirred smoothly again. “Get your plate out while you are there. I have enough for two, but only just. ”

Liam nickered quietly at the new horse and the gelding nuzzled her in return. Their greetings complete, each horse turned its attention to the nearby grasses.

Jace quickly toweled down his horse then obediently joined her by the campfire with his plate, his hunting knife and a fork. “I have an extra fork if you have need.”

“Do you really believe Karla would have sent me out ill prepared?” Kiera snorted. “Although she might have told me you were on your way here instead of sending me off to find you.”

“I didn’t tell her.” Jace shrugged. “Most of my mob is waiting for us in Elura.” His eyes lit up as he smelled the plateful of food Kiera ladled out for him. “Where did you find such wonderful victuals? Who’s Ronar?”

Kiera chuckled. Trust him to keep his own counsel and not miss a word she said. “He is a cook I met around mid-day. He was traveling east. If Karla hadn’t made me promise to find you, I may have traveled with him, just for the way he cooks.” Suddenly it occurred to her the comment might have been a veiled slight. “What, you don’t believe I can cook this well?” She batted his arm before settling down to her own plate.

“Not last I saw you, you couldn’t. And while married life may have suited you well, I doubt you could have improved this much.” His light jesting tone disappeared. “Sorry to hear about Triman and the children.” His jaw working as he studied his plate for a moment he cleared his throat and added, “I guess you know about Rae?”

Kiera nodded. She didn’t know what to say. She wasn’t sure which was worse, to lose a spouse and children or to lose a spouse still with child. She ate silently for a brief time. “Is that why you are on the road?”

“That and a desperate need for craftsmen the halls won’t recognize.” Jace chewed his food thoroughly, and although he never counted aloud, Kiera always thought he chewed the same number of bites with each mouthful. He was so deliberate in all his actions she found it odd to find him here, as if on a lark.

“So why did you come for me?” Kiera kept her eyes on her plate. She didn’t want to see the lie if there was one.

“You have no hall either. Each of us has been expelled and each of us is as skilled as we were the day we made journeymen. It is silly for the halls to hold onto archaic traditions and tell us we cannot work when there are towns desperate for our assistance.” He lifted another spoonful to his mouth and Kiera knew she had time to ask another question.

“I know why I have no hall. Who wants an angel of death as their angel of mercy?” It came out more bitter than she had expected. “Why are the rest of you? Surely no one can find fault with a carpenter or a cartwright.”

“We all lost loved ones to the plague didn’t we?” Jace studied her.

“This is our fault?” Her voice was incredulous.

“Just so. Every craftsman you find expelled from a hall will have lost a spouse or a child to the plague. The Craft Masters say it is a warning from the Lady that She is displeased with us for our lack of attention.” His voice was full of scorn. “You would think the Goddess would know it was the King that made Her worship illegal, not the crafters.”

Kiera said nothing. From her mother she had some knowledge of the Lady, but knew nothing of the time She was worshipped before the temples were closed. “Are the Craft Masters that superstitious?” She finally asked.

Jace shrugged.

Finishing her meal, she stood to take the dishes. Jace shook his head. “You cooked. I clean up. It is only fair.”

Kiera laughed. “You say the most charming things.” She let him take the plate and cutlery, and settled back down against her saddle. Adding more wood to the fire, she watched as sparks twinkled off into the night, red-hot embers turning to glittering stars in the middle distance. By the time he had returned with clean dishes and more wood, she had her guitar out and was fine-tuning it. “Don’t expect me to play. It’s only in tune to itself. I need a tuning fork before I will play for anyone else.”

Jace shrugged. “That’s all right. Unless you’ve improved your playing as much as you have improved your cooking, I am not sure I would want to hear it anyway.” His voice back to its teasing lilt, Kiera almost forgot it had been almost twenty years since they had seen each other. “Besides, I’m tired.” He stretched and yawned. “I can’t wait to get us back to Elura. All my fine living has made me soft. I hate sleeping in my clothes.”

“At least change your stockings.” Kiera laughed reprovingly. “You sweated in them all day. If you don’t change them, it won’t matter how hot we keep this fire, you will feel cold.”

“Yes ma’am.” Jace chuckled but did as he was told. Wrapping himself up in his blanket he laid down with his head upon his saddle, on the far side of the fire. “Wake me up when you get sleepy and I will stoke the fire for a bit.”

Kiera nodded, and then leaned back and tinkered with her guitar. The notes she picked out were more for her benefit than for his, but soon enough she could tell from his heavy breathing he was asleep. She shook her head as she looked at him. He seemed so different from the lad she had known. He had changed. But then, so had she.