Zenith sounded pissed too.
"I don't think that is what we'll have to review." Cost said.
"And we're in enough trouble as it is." Tromp admitted.
The main sheep herd was spread out over the hill, some of them blocked the path. The stupid animals didn't improve any of their moods. Tromp kicked one especially slow ewe.
"Hey, stupid animals shouldn't kick."
"Be kicked, you moron." Tromp spotted the goatherd. One of them, the Goat Boys. Yeah, it was Havi the Eunuch.
"Yeah, that too."
She turned toward him, but two more of them popped up out of the grass. "You goat boys sure do seem to spend a lot of time with these sheep. When's the wedding?"
They all laughed, and gave a group "Maaaaah!"
Tromp stalked away. She'd get them back. But not right now.
***
Rustle rubbed her tummy and felt a smile spread across her face.
"You look so happy. It's just weird, for awhile there it was like something horrible had happened to you. Now you're practically glowing." Ask trailed her silently for a few minutes. "I won't go to Karista."
"My grandfather . . . If Happy asked . . . "
"I will not be dependent," Ask frowned unhappily down at her hands. "Ash isn't really any better than the City. Here I'm a powerless no-body, there I'd be a bastard upstart, not that I don't appreciate that your grandfather could help. But while it would be a change, it doesn't look like an improvement."
Rustle hugged her. "Bah. You only lack some sorts of power. You need to get busy doing something beside trailing around after witches. I love your weaving, and you have you own loom. And you've always been the best with dyes. Maybe you should get some sheep all your own."
"Optimist. What if the sheep all die?"
"Pessimist. I bet your sheep would have the best wool in the valley. In fact I know how to make sure of that."
"I don't think the Sheep M an will sell that ram."
Rustle snickered . "Umm, no, I suppose not. But I do know the, umm, genetics that give him that incredible coat."
"Not if it comes with the personality. Honestly Rustle, if you told me that ram was half wolf I'd probably believe you."
Rustle bit her lip. "No, he's not half wolf."
"Anyway, all of us former witches are going to move into the Mayor's house. It's been empty for years. And I'm going to talk to Havi. There's nothing here for the goat boys either. They've been talking about a land grant in the New Lands. Maybe they need someone with a spinning wheel and loom."
Chapter Seven
1369 Fall Equinox
Ash
"Twins," Xanthic insisted. "I'll bet you have twins like us."
"And we're up to 'X' in the alphabet so your babies will be Xenotine and Yodarite." Young informed her.
"Nope," Rustle winced as the wagon jolted over a pothole. "I refuse to have twins. You two can do that."
Xanthic steered the team into the clearing in front of the house. "We're jealous, we wanted those letters."
"One. I refuse to have babies two at a time."
"Ha!" Never swooped down from the other side as Rustle climbed out of the wagon. "A bit late to change that, one way or the other, daughter. The way you look, I think you won't make it back to the hot springs for the Equinox Council."
"Now there I think you are right." Rustle waddled to the house. She waved as the twins turned the wagon and headed down the hill. Her visit to the Wizards' Tower had been fun, but she was glad Justice had insisted she accept a ride back home.
I can barely walk now. Hip ligaments loosening up for delivery? She shivered, half scared, half anticipating.
The first contraction rippled across her womb at the front door, and she could s ee the stretched muscles. Those muscles would gradually pull the mouth of her womb wide open for the baby, and now that her mind was focused, she could see her child, tucked in tight, still asleep. Head down, everything ready. She took a couple of deep breaths and walked on in the house.
"Was that what I think it was?" Never asked.
"Yep. If I'd visited just a bit longer, I'd have been
"I don't think that is what we'll have to review." Cost said.
"And we're in enough trouble as it is." Tromp admitted.
The main sheep herd was spread out over the hill, some of them blocked the path. The stupid animals didn't improve any of their moods. Tromp kicked one especially slow ewe.
"Hey, stupid animals shouldn't kick."
"Be kicked, you moron." Tromp spotted the goatherd. One of them, the Goat Boys. Yeah, it was Havi the Eunuch.
"Yeah, that too."
She turned toward him, but two more of them popped up out of the grass. "You goat boys sure do seem to spend a lot of time with these sheep. When's the wedding?"
They all laughed, and gave a group "Maaaaah!"
Tromp stalked away. She'd get them back. But not right now.
***
Rustle rubbed her tummy and felt a smile spread across her face.
"You look so happy. It's just weird, for awhile there it was like something horrible had happened to you. Now you're practically glowing." Ask trailed her silently for a few minutes. "I won't go to Karista."
"My grandfather . . . If Happy asked . . . "
"I will not be dependent," Ask frowned unhappily down at her hands. "Ash isn't really any better than the City. Here I'm a powerless no-body, there I'd be a bastard upstart, not that I don't appreciate that your grandfather could help. But while it would be a change, it doesn't look like an improvement."
Rustle hugged her. "Bah. You only lack some sorts of power. You need to get busy doing something beside trailing around after witches. I love your weaving, and you have you own loom. And you've always been the best with dyes. Maybe you should get some sheep all your own."
"Optimist. What if the sheep all die?"
"Pessimist. I bet your sheep would have the best wool in the valley. In fact I know how to make sure of that."
"I don't think the Sheep M an will sell that ram."
Rustle snickered . "Umm, no, I suppose not. But I do know the, umm, genetics that give him that incredible coat."
"Not if it comes with the personality. Honestly Rustle, if you told me that ram was half wolf I'd probably believe you."
Rustle bit her lip. "No, he's not half wolf."
"Anyway, all of us former witches are going to move into the Mayor's house. It's been empty for years. And I'm going to talk to Havi. There's nothing here for the goat boys either. They've been talking about a land grant in the New Lands. Maybe they need someone with a spinning wheel and loom."
Chapter Seven
1369 Fall Equinox
Ash
"Twins," Xanthic insisted. "I'll bet you have twins like us."
"And we're up to 'X' in the alphabet so your babies will be Xenotine and Yodarite." Young informed her.
"Nope," Rustle winced as the wagon jolted over a pothole. "I refuse to have twins. You two can do that."
Xanthic steered the team into the clearing in front of the house. "We're jealous, we wanted those letters."
"One. I refuse to have babies two at a time."
"Ha!" Never swooped down from the other side as Rustle climbed out of the wagon. "A bit late to change that, one way or the other, daughter. The way you look, I think you won't make it back to the hot springs for the Equinox Council."
"Now there I think you are right." Rustle waddled to the house. She waved as the twins turned the wagon and headed down the hill. Her visit to the Wizards' Tower had been fun, but she was glad Justice had insisted she accept a ride back home.
I can barely walk now. Hip ligaments loosening up for delivery? She shivered, half scared, half anticipating.
The first contraction rippled across her womb at the front door, and she could s ee the stretched muscles. Those muscles would gradually pull the mouth of her womb wide open for the baby, and now that her mind was focused, she could see her child, tucked in tight, still asleep. Head down, everything ready. She took a couple of deep breaths and walked on in the house.
"Was that what I think it was?" Never asked.
"Yep. If I'd visited just a bit longer, I'd have been
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