Doctor Linkler, who was riding toward the rear, initially insisted Samantha ride in a wagon, but after catching the fierce look she shot him, he’d backed down almost immediately. Samantha got the distinct impression that he was a bit afraid of her. It was a novel thought…a man afraid of her, but then ever since her injury men were treating her differently. No longer did they simply pander to her thoughts and ideas of war…now they listened, now they showed respect for everything she said. It was an empowering sensation, one she enjoyed, but one that she would have gladly given up for the return of her left hand.
She rode near the front of the column still slightly surprised that she’d agreed to abandon Manse and the fight. But the fall from the wall had frightened her, frightened her badly. In all her life she had never experienced such fear, not when her family was killed, not when her own head was on the block, for this was a deep aching fear, not for herself but for another. It was fear for the baby that was rapidly growing inside her. And Samantha found that she could not fight this fear, she could only obey her instincts, instincts that would hopefully keep the fear at bay. The baby had to survive! This thought was the driving force behind her existence now. Every waking thought, every dream and whisper bouncing about her brain was now about the baby and the baby’s safety. How the obsession started she did not know, all she knew was that the baby, her baby, Gwaynn’s baby, must survive and if she had stayed behind in Manse…somehow she knew…if she stayed, the baby would die. And if the baby died…she would die. Somehow the two facts were now hopelessly entwined.
“Your scar will fade over time,” Samantha heard Emm tell Cyndar. The two were riding directly ahead, while the ever-faithful Cobb rode by Samantha’s side. He left the army behind with Gwaynn’s blessing, for though the man was somewhat simple in the mind, his devotion to Samantha could not be questioned, and Gwaynn knew that he would do anything to protect her…anything at all.
“I like my scar,” Cyndar replied, thinking how she would relish showing it to Tar Nacht before she killed him.
Emm was about to reply when quite suddenly the skies opened up and the rain fell heavily on them. And it kept falling at a hard steady pace for the entire five hours it took the medical train to reach Colchester. Everyone was tired, soaked and in ill humor, but the people of Colchester were as accommodating as ever. Despite the weather, nearly the entire town rolled out to meet the Massi wounded, and almost everyone pitched in as they quickly worked to set up the hospital camp just north of town.
“Of course you will stay with us,” stated Anda Botnick, Colchester’s magistrate. “My wife, Raisa will be very excited to see you once more,” he added his eyes drifting from Samantha’s growing belly to her mutilated arm.
Samantha was too tired and wet to care. “I would love to…”
“Come…come,” the magistrate said to the girl and silently wondered if the baby growing in her belly was conceived in his home. It was a thought he would be sure to mention to Raisa…imagine it…a future King…created in their very home. It was all dreadfully exciting.
“I will come,” the hulking Cobb said and for a moment Anda thought perhaps the Prince and this woman were no longer bound together.
“Cobb…” Samantha started and Anda was immediately reassured by her tone. This was definitely a servant…or guard…he was no lover.
“He can sleep downstairs in the parlor…” Anda offered quickly, then looked Cobb over more thoroughly, “or perhaps on the porch if the wind stays down.”
Cobb nodded happily and followed behind.
Cyn de Baard, who was standing across the street just inside the double doors of the town barn, watched as Samantha moved off toward the middle of town.
‘Tonight…tonight will be the night of your death.’ de Baard smiled, warmed by the thought. She would kill the Fultan girl then head south toward the Aleria Pass, which was wide open now. Once across the Scar Mountains she would head north toward Eno, and then to Sinis and Nacht. Of Gwaynn…Gwaynn was lost to her now, even though her first and only mission was his death…but that was now beyond her. She shook her head…he may have always been beyond her. His skill was unbelievable and now with a host of Tars in the fight…the mission was doomed. But what did it matter. Now there were only two people who mattered to her…two deaths; first the Fultan girl and then High Tar Nacht.
Once she was High Tarina…why she would have the power to kill anyone…anyone she so desired.
Samantha, unaware of these thoughts and schemes, felt safe without Gwaynn at her side for the first time in many months. She was surprised to find that she was happy to be away from the action, away from the fighting and had not realized how living in constant danger was draining her peace of mind.
She was very tired and it was nice getting out of her wet clothes. She would have been happy to crawl directly into bed…the same bed she’d shared so long ago with Gwaynn, but when Raisa drew a hot bath, she could not resist and pulled her night clothes from her body eagerly, but with some difficulty. Dressing and undressing with just one hand was much harder than one would suppose, but Raisa stepped forward to help without being asked.
“Two months, I would say,” Raisa said, happily looking Samantha’s naked form over closely. “Your belly is showing nicely…but I think on a young girl like you it would show late. Yes…I’d say two more months and then you have yourself a young King.”
Samantha blushed as the older woman actually walked up to her and placed one hand on the small of her back and rubbed her stomach with the other.
“Ah…he will be big…strong. You will see,” Raisa said and with gentle pressure led Samantha to the tub and carefully helped her to climb in, mindful of the missing section of the girl’s left arm.
Samantha sighed, though moments before she felt she would never want to be wet again. The hot water quickly loosened her muscles and worked its way into her chilled bones.
Raisa smiled as the girl closed her eyes. She looked one last time at the bulge in the girl’s midsection then turned to go. “You relax…I will come and check on you after a while.”
Raisa left, but Samantha did not know or care as heat soaked into her body, causing her limbs to grow relaxed and rubbery. Moments later she was drifting comfortably toward sleep, her last conscious thought of Gwaynn.
XI
Tarina re N’dori kept her eyes on Gwaynn even as the Palmerrio army began to advance on their position. The young Prince was very calm and it was easy to see that the men and women nearby worshiped him. N’dori was sure that part of that adoration came from the fact that Gwaynn took up position directly on the front lines. And though he had great input into the preparation of the battle, once it started he allowed his General to deal with the troop movements and reinforcements while he fought with the common soldiers.
N’dori studied the young man’s profile as the Palmerrio marched closer, pounding their shields, now moving through only a light afternoon rain. She, Gwaynn and Vio were located on the very far left of the Massi lines supporting the gap which would open between the Massi and the Toranado as the later attempted to push forward and circle around the enemy. Tar Kostek and Tar Endid were on the far right near the creek with the remainder of the students supporting the Massi lines that had to hold for the plan to be successful. Tar Halstad and Myson were in the center of the Massi lines. For this battle to be won, the Massi had to hold the center without the help of the Toranado.