the
softness. The corner of his mouth began to turn upward. And then,
amazingly, while India stood frozen, unable to react in any way, he
removed his hand and turned from her to the fire.
“Come and eat,” he said in his normal voice.
“You’ve earned your slice of meat this day.”
Chapter 5
They carved the boar by hacking off the
outermost pieces, which were burned on the outside and dripping red
an inch or so inside, and they left the remains to continue cooking
until the meat was more thoroughly done.
India sat on the bare ground between
Theuderic and Marcion. The others were eating heartily, and she was
hungry, too. She had a chunk of greasy meat in one hand, a crust of
stale bread in the other, and a wooden cup of sour ale on the
ground beside her. It was a wonderful, restorative feast. When she
thought of the way she used to pick at her plain, non-fat yogurt
and sip her decaffeinated coffee, she felt like laughing out loud.
She had just survived two incredible days, she felt more alive than
she had ever felt before, and she cared not at all if her present
diet would be considered unhealthy by twentieth-century standards.
Enormously grateful for the food, she swallowed the last bite of
her meat and licked her fingers as Marcion was doing to his.
“Why did you build the shelters?” she asked
Marcion. “We had none in the last place we stopped.”
“Because we’ll be here for two or three
nights,” he replied.
When she looked at Theuderic for confirmation
of this, he nodded.
“I won’t divide my band,” Theuderic said.
“Not while we’re still east of the Rhine. We stay together, and we
stay where we are until Eudon can travel again.”
“How far is it to the Rhine?” she asked.
“Half a day’s ride at the speed we were
traveling. Had Eudon not been hurt, we would have reached it by
tomorrow evening, and we would cross the next morning. As it is, we
will wait.” He said this with no sign of impatience or irritation,
as if a definite schedule were unimportant. She thought that in a
land where time was told by the rising or the setting of the sun
and wrist-watches had not yet been invented, perhaps the delay of a
day or two did not matter. She found that a restful notion.
“Who’s on first watch?” Marcion asked,
smothering a yawn.
“Osric and Rollin,” Theuderic decided. “Then
you and Hugo. I’ll take the dawn watch with one of the others. I’ll
ask for a volunteer.”
“I’ll do it,” India said, feeling at one with
the group around the fire and wanting to contribute to its
collective welfare.
“Not you, India.” Theuderic’s look was warm.
“Thank you for the offer, but we need a full-grown man, able to use
sword and battle-axe if need be.”
“Is it so unsafe here?”
“Probably not. This part of Saxony is well
subdued, not like the area where you found us. Still, it’s always
wise to post a guard.” He rose in a smooth, easy motion that showed
her once again just how flexible and strong he was. “I’ll see Eudon
now, then we can bed down for the night,” he said to her.
She went with him. They found Eudon slightly
feverish, but conscious and alert.
“You’ll feel better in the morning,”
Theuderic promised after checking the wound. “I’m sorry we have no
wine or herbs to ease you into sleep. I see Hugo has been wiping
your face with cool water. That will help.”
“I’ll be all right.” Eudon actually managed
to smile. “I’ll be eating by next midday. Keep some of the boar for
me.”
“We’re saving the best part,” said Theuderic,
laying one hand on Eudon’s shoulder for a moment.
“You care so much for your men,” India
remarked as they walked away from the lean-to.
“How could I lead them if I did not?”
Theuderic asked.
“You are so tough, so completely a warrior,
and yet you are kind, too. You are very different from the man I
first thought you to be.” When she realized that she was speaking
even as the thoughts came
softness. The corner of his mouth began to turn upward. And then,
amazingly, while India stood frozen, unable to react in any way, he
removed his hand and turned from her to the fire.
“Come and eat,” he said in his normal voice.
“You’ve earned your slice of meat this day.”
Chapter 5
They carved the boar by hacking off the
outermost pieces, which were burned on the outside and dripping red
an inch or so inside, and they left the remains to continue cooking
until the meat was more thoroughly done.
India sat on the bare ground between
Theuderic and Marcion. The others were eating heartily, and she was
hungry, too. She had a chunk of greasy meat in one hand, a crust of
stale bread in the other, and a wooden cup of sour ale on the
ground beside her. It was a wonderful, restorative feast. When she
thought of the way she used to pick at her plain, non-fat yogurt
and sip her decaffeinated coffee, she felt like laughing out loud.
She had just survived two incredible days, she felt more alive than
she had ever felt before, and she cared not at all if her present
diet would be considered unhealthy by twentieth-century standards.
Enormously grateful for the food, she swallowed the last bite of
her meat and licked her fingers as Marcion was doing to his.
“Why did you build the shelters?” she asked
Marcion. “We had none in the last place we stopped.”
“Because we’ll be here for two or three
nights,” he replied.
When she looked at Theuderic for confirmation
of this, he nodded.
“I won’t divide my band,” Theuderic said.
“Not while we’re still east of the Rhine. We stay together, and we
stay where we are until Eudon can travel again.”
“How far is it to the Rhine?” she asked.
“Half a day’s ride at the speed we were
traveling. Had Eudon not been hurt, we would have reached it by
tomorrow evening, and we would cross the next morning. As it is, we
will wait.” He said this with no sign of impatience or irritation,
as if a definite schedule were unimportant. She thought that in a
land where time was told by the rising or the setting of the sun
and wrist-watches had not yet been invented, perhaps the delay of a
day or two did not matter. She found that a restful notion.
“Who’s on first watch?” Marcion asked,
smothering a yawn.
“Osric and Rollin,” Theuderic decided. “Then
you and Hugo. I’ll take the dawn watch with one of the others. I’ll
ask for a volunteer.”
“I’ll do it,” India said, feeling at one with
the group around the fire and wanting to contribute to its
collective welfare.
“Not you, India.” Theuderic’s look was warm.
“Thank you for the offer, but we need a full-grown man, able to use
sword and battle-axe if need be.”
“Is it so unsafe here?”
“Probably not. This part of Saxony is well
subdued, not like the area where you found us. Still, it’s always
wise to post a guard.” He rose in a smooth, easy motion that showed
her once again just how flexible and strong he was. “I’ll see Eudon
now, then we can bed down for the night,” he said to her.
She went with him. They found Eudon slightly
feverish, but conscious and alert.
“You’ll feel better in the morning,”
Theuderic promised after checking the wound. “I’m sorry we have no
wine or herbs to ease you into sleep. I see Hugo has been wiping
your face with cool water. That will help.”
“I’ll be all right.” Eudon actually managed
to smile. “I’ll be eating by next midday. Keep some of the boar for
me.”
“We’re saving the best part,” said Theuderic,
laying one hand on Eudon’s shoulder for a moment.
“You care so much for your men,” India
remarked as they walked away from the lean-to.
“How could I lead them if I did not?”
Theuderic asked.
“You are so tough, so completely a warrior,
and yet you are kind, too. You are very different from the man I
first thought you to be.” When she realized that she was speaking
even as the thoughts came
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