As the wagons slowed to stop last night, we had a visitor. Lei was helping me to build a small cooking fire and I was rummaging though our small staple of spices. I could hear my daughter singing to herself and I smiled, her little happiness always warmed my heart.
"I found some dried peaches and a little salted butter for the... oh.. Tal." As I climbed down from the wagon I met the gaze of a tall warrior who seemed to be smirking at me, after a moment I realized that was just he looked when he smiled. While I was still trying to place him he moved suddenly and closed the space between us and hugged me, hard. "I am so sorry for your loss, should you need anything, anything at all please come to me first." There was a very subtle emphasis on the last word that made the hair on the back of my neck prickle. I scarcely returned the hug, no one had hugged me, no one male anyway, outside of Trayu and my family. Lei watched us warily. I remembered him at last and my expression softened. Serge, one of Pacu's friends more then Trayu's but he had eaten at my fire before. "Thank you Serge, Fonce has been looking after us, but I will remember to think of you." In reply I only received an "Oh, Fonce." His voice was flat. "Yes, Fonce" I smiled.
"He fixed our wheel." Lei spoke up as watched us.
Serge seemed to regain himself and laughed heartily, bending he picked up Lei, swooped her up and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "You're growing up to be as pretty as your mother." But Lei was unimpressed and, if anything, kind of offended. She was not the kind of child that liked to be picked up by strangers. "You're a st-" She started to say something I was sure would be rude and sassy. I quickly reached to grab her from him and she came easily, eagerly. "Ohhhkay! Lei.. could you please go and ask Mezoo if she would like to come by to eat?" She said nothing as she slipped down my hip to the ground and turned to run off.
"Forgive her, she takes a little time to warm up to people." I thought, for a moment, of inviting him to eat with us. I know it was only he and Fonce who had come back that day, but something stopped me. Perhaps it was because he had not been by to see us until now, or maybe it was the too familiar way he spoke to and touched my daughter. Whatever it was.. I declined to offer him a place, I just stood there.. and waited for him to be on his way. I think he understood because he sighed. "Do not forget my offer Asria, I will be here for you." He turned, heading back the way he had come which seemed stranger still, like he had come this way just to see us. After a moment I glanced around, checking to see if anyone had been watching but there were people everywhere and anyone could have seen and heard us. I flushed lightly and quietly went back to fixing a meal and waiting for Lei to return.
I wasn't sure what that had all been about and I was even less sure that I wanted to ask and found out.
No comments:
Post a Comment