important
to me,” Dasid said gently. “I’ve served with many men and what matters is his
heart and mind, not the circumstances of his birth. And as for their mothers,
well, there’s always a man involved at some point in time so to blame only the
woman seems unfair.” Dasid looked down at Ronan and smiled. “And to blame the
child is ridiculous.”
Brenna squeezed Kane’s
hand and abruptly stood up.
“Well, I’m for bed.” She
turned to him and winked. “Come along Kane. I’ll need to contact Yowan tomorrow
night so I want to make sure I get my rest tonight.”
Kane took her hand and she
pulled him to his feet. After some quick good nights they made their way up to
their room.
She closed the door and
walked over to stand in front of him.
“You’re not really tired,
are you?” he drawled.
“Not really.” Brenna’s
smile slowly widened and his breath caught when she reached over and unbuckled
his knife belt. “I just thought it might be nice to leave them alone for a
bit.”
“Hmm, you did?” Kane
nuzzled her neck and pulled her to him.
“Yes. I also thought it
wouldn’t hurt them to imagine exactly what we’re doing right now.”
Her voice was breathy and
he could feel her heart beating against his chest.
“And what exactly is it
we’re doing?” he asked.
“I was sure you were a man
of imagination.”
“Oh I am,” he said as he
unlaced her shirt and started to pull it over her head.
Brenna followed Neemah as
she trudged through the cramped streets of Silverdale. She’d talk to Ewart
about this, she thought as she looked around at the rough shacks and lean-tos
huddled up against the buildings. It looked like every available space was
occupied, and mostly by women and children.
“Is it always this
crowded?” she asked Neemah. They edged around a cart that was being used as
shelter - three small children huddled underneath it.
“No, this is new,” Neemah
said. “It’s poor here but most folk have been able to find a roof afore this.”
Brenna frowned. The crowds
were worse the closer they got to the poorest district.
“Excuse me.” Brenna
stopped beside a tired-looking woman who held a baby. “Can you tell me where
you came from?”
The woman turned frightened
eyes to Brenna but she relaxed when she looked her over.
“I’m from Comack, near the
ferry,” she said. “Though there’s lots here from closer to Kingsreach. Ain’t
safe there ‘cause of the edict. My man, like most, has gone to join the
militia.”
“How long have you been
here?” Brenna asked, noting the dirty pot of water sitting beside the woman on
the street.
“Four days. I can’t leave
‘cause then how would my man find me?”
Brenna reached into her
purse and pulled out a crown. She handed it to the woman, who looked at her in
surprise.
“Here. I’ll give you this
if you promise you’ll buy food that can be shared with some of the others near
you.”
The woman nodded and
clutched the coin tightly in her hand.
“I’ll make sure that
everyone gets something to eat by the end of the day. Everyone,” Brenna said
solemnly, “I promise.”
She and Neemah continued down
the alley but at the end of it Brenna turned to look back - the woman was talking
to a few of her neighbours, holding out the coin, gesturing for more people to
join her.
They traveled a few more
streets before Neemah ducked through a small door set into a white painted
wall. There was no sign that Brenna could see but the minute she walked into
the darkened shop she knew they were in the right place. The scents of lavender,
cinnamon, rose hips and pepper assaulted her nose and she sneezed.
“Who’s there?” asked a
whispery voice. “Make yourself plain to me.”
“It’s me, Neemah Linney, Mother
Lyran,” Neemah said, stepping into the center of the room. “And I’ve brought a
friend.” Neemah gestured to her and Brenna stepped up beside her.
“Neemah, bless you girl, I
thought you’d walked away
to me,” Dasid said gently. “I’ve served with many men and what matters is his
heart and mind, not the circumstances of his birth. And as for their mothers,
well, there’s always a man involved at some point in time so to blame only the
woman seems unfair.” Dasid looked down at Ronan and smiled. “And to blame the
child is ridiculous.”
Brenna squeezed Kane’s
hand and abruptly stood up.
“Well, I’m for bed.” She
turned to him and winked. “Come along Kane. I’ll need to contact Yowan tomorrow
night so I want to make sure I get my rest tonight.”
Kane took her hand and she
pulled him to his feet. After some quick good nights they made their way up to
their room.
She closed the door and
walked over to stand in front of him.
“You’re not really tired,
are you?” he drawled.
“Not really.” Brenna’s
smile slowly widened and his breath caught when she reached over and unbuckled
his knife belt. “I just thought it might be nice to leave them alone for a
bit.”
“Hmm, you did?” Kane
nuzzled her neck and pulled her to him.
“Yes. I also thought it
wouldn’t hurt them to imagine exactly what we’re doing right now.”
Her voice was breathy and
he could feel her heart beating against his chest.
“And what exactly is it
we’re doing?” he asked.
“I was sure you were a man
of imagination.”
“Oh I am,” he said as he
unlaced her shirt and started to pull it over her head.
Brenna followed Neemah as
she trudged through the cramped streets of Silverdale. She’d talk to Ewart
about this, she thought as she looked around at the rough shacks and lean-tos
huddled up against the buildings. It looked like every available space was
occupied, and mostly by women and children.
“Is it always this
crowded?” she asked Neemah. They edged around a cart that was being used as
shelter - three small children huddled underneath it.
“No, this is new,” Neemah
said. “It’s poor here but most folk have been able to find a roof afore this.”
Brenna frowned. The crowds
were worse the closer they got to the poorest district.
“Excuse me.” Brenna
stopped beside a tired-looking woman who held a baby. “Can you tell me where
you came from?”
The woman turned frightened
eyes to Brenna but she relaxed when she looked her over.
“I’m from Comack, near the
ferry,” she said. “Though there’s lots here from closer to Kingsreach. Ain’t
safe there ‘cause of the edict. My man, like most, has gone to join the
militia.”
“How long have you been
here?” Brenna asked, noting the dirty pot of water sitting beside the woman on
the street.
“Four days. I can’t leave
‘cause then how would my man find me?”
Brenna reached into her
purse and pulled out a crown. She handed it to the woman, who looked at her in
surprise.
“Here. I’ll give you this
if you promise you’ll buy food that can be shared with some of the others near
you.”
The woman nodded and
clutched the coin tightly in her hand.
“I’ll make sure that
everyone gets something to eat by the end of the day. Everyone,” Brenna said
solemnly, “I promise.”
She and Neemah continued down
the alley but at the end of it Brenna turned to look back - the woman was talking
to a few of her neighbours, holding out the coin, gesturing for more people to
join her.
They traveled a few more
streets before Neemah ducked through a small door set into a white painted
wall. There was no sign that Brenna could see but the minute she walked into
the darkened shop she knew they were in the right place. The scents of lavender,
cinnamon, rose hips and pepper assaulted her nose and she sneezed.
“Who’s there?” asked a
whispery voice. “Make yourself plain to me.”
“It’s me, Neemah Linney, Mother
Lyran,” Neemah said, stepping into the center of the room. “And I’ve brought a
friend.” Neemah gestured to her and Brenna stepped up beside her.
“Neemah, bless you girl, I
thought you’d walked away
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