Chapter 7
They would arrive at the beach soon. Mazey was so excited she could hardly contain herself.
Baile said nothing more about the kiss. The scenery was beautiful and held her attention for a while, but even the green countryside and thick forests got boring after a while.
Her mind drifted away on a cloud of day dreams. She relived the kiss with Baile in the study, but instead of moving away from her, he continued.
He took her by the hand and led her into his chambers where his kisses became more passionate.
Siusan spoke rapidly, pulling her out of the daydream.
By the last hour of travel, she chattered incessantly with no one listening.
At one point she realized everyone’s attention diverted, and she went silent.
The change in sound drew everyone’s attention back to her and her monologue resumed again as if uninterrupted.
Mazey caught pieces here or there. It was sweet stories about Malmuira, all the things she would do once they arrived at their destination, and random facts about herself she found interesting.
The road sloped down. The grass, soft and green inland, was now sparse and long. The salty smell of the sea hit her in a wave. She never knew a smell could permeate every inch of the air. She smelled fish and salt, but somehow the smell was pleasant and sweet.
After walking farther on, she noticed a shining light near the horizon.
It was the light of the sun reflecting off of the water.
The water was a deep dark blue that stretched as far as she could see.
When they got closer to the waterline, she saw waves breaking on the shore.
They walked parallel to the ocean for a while longer.
Gohrich led the way, sure-footed and eager.
She wondered what particular destination drew them and where they would stay.
When walking near the ocean, there was a line of land where the water never touched.
You could tell because the plants grew better after that line and the earth was more dirt than rock.
Just off that line, on a little hill, stood a small cottage made of rock.
The cottage itself looked abandoned. The sand swept into the building and dirt covered the door.
Baile jumped off his horse and tied it to a pole outside the house.
He helped Siusan down first, then offered his arm to Mazey.
Siusan was inside first, bouncing around the one-room shanty and looking through the drawers and cupboards curiously.
There was a bed in the room's corner and a couple mats for sleeping along the other wall.
A sturdy chest stood in the corner and a small desk in the center of the back wall.
She could see parchment and quill sticking out of various drawers.
Dust covered everything in the room. How long was this house abandoned?
“How are all six of us going to sleep in this little house?” Mazey asked.
“Ah don’t suspect the men’ll stay in here. They have tents to keep them dry should it rain, and ah suspect it will. Ye will stay here with us. Gilla is sleeping in the kitchen space.”
“Ah could sleep in there with Gilla,” she noted.
Baile shook his head. “Nay, there’s but one sleeping mat. It’s damp. Ah think it best for ye to sleep here.”
Mazey eyed the small bed suspiciously. Baile noticed where she looked and blustered. “Ah’ll be sleeping on a sleep mat. Ye should have the bed in yer delicate condition.”
“Nay, ah’ll not be sleeping on a bed when the chief of our clan sleeps on the floor.” She could perfectly sleep on the floor. It wouldn’t be as comfortable, but she felt as if she were being pampered too much. She was merely a servant.
“Fine, ah’ll sleep on the bed then,” Siusan squealed, jumping onto the bed and snuggling down in the heather stuffed mattress.
Both Baile and Mazey smiled as the girl kicked her shoes off her feet and wrapped herself in a blanket she brought from home. She was snoring before they even had time to bring anything inside.
“Ah guess we are both sleeping on the floor then,” Baile laughed again. The girl had him wrapped around her finger and he knew it. They brought their belongings into the house before bidding goodnight to the guards.
“Won’t they think it improper for us to stay together in the same room? Ah have little reputation, but ah know ye have to protect yers.” She felt uncomfortable with the arrangement.
“What would ye have us do? Ah could sleep in the tent with the guards, but ah should stay and protect Siusan. They know Siusan is here with us. Should not be a problem. Plus ah asked my most trusted guards to come with us. They are to protect ye and Siusan at any cost. Gilla has proven repeatedly as a trustworthy woman. She wants to care for her children and nothing more. Would ye prefer ah sleep with the guard?”
“Nay, ah’ll not feel safe without ye here. Best if ye stay.”
He sat down on his sleeping mat and removed his shoes and linen shirt.
Mazey looked away, unsure where her eyes should be.
Baile didn’t look like an old man. Muscles sharply defined his stomach arms appealingly.
Her mind flashed with an image of her nibbling down his stomach and the ways he would groan if she did.
She still had her eyes averted, and she thanked the powers that be Baile wasn’t able to read her mind.
“No need to be ashamed lass, ah’ll not undress further. Just can’t sleep in so many clothes.”
“Sorry for being so transparent. Ah’ve never been good at hiding my feelings.” If she couldn’t hide her feelings, he would know all the things her mind could imagine.
Baile stretched out on his mat and threw a blanket over him. The house cooled with the sun now set. “Never apologize for that, Mazey. It’s a good attribute. Most people try to hide their thoughts. Yers are written across yer face, plain as day. It’s refreshing.”
Her eyes grew wide. What if he could tell how attractive she found him? “Aye, but yer difficult to read. People take advantage of ye when they can tell yer feelings.”
“Ah’d not take advantage of ye,” he whispered.
She laid on her side. It was like the bairn knew just when she was about to fall asleep. She wiggled and kicked, full of energy. “Ugh,” Mazey groaned.
“What’s bothering ye lass?” Baile sat back up.
“’Tis the bairn. She wriggles whenever ah lay down and won’t hold still for a moment. Ah have slept little the last week and ah really need the rest.”
“Ah remember that happened to Moire. She would get in such a state when we went to bed. One night cried because she was so tired.”
Mazey nodded in sympathy. She was emotional over almost everything.
“Ah would help her sleep by rubbing her feet. She dozed off right away and then she slept through the night. Worked better than any herbs Cohlm tried to give her.”
She couldn’t see him anymore in the darkness. “Ah bet. Anything’s better than those potions of his. Ah can’t stand the taste or the smell.”
She heard some rustling. “If ye’d like, ah could rub yer feet so ye can sleep.”
She felt apprehension, but then baby jumped around again, reminding her how tired she would be tomorrow. “Aye, ah’ll do whatever ah can to sleep.”
He found her feet and thumbs pressed against the arch of her foot.
He rubbed circles and applied pressure. The movements calmed her.
She found her mind slow. She fell asleep and dreamt she was giving birth, but it was to a horse.
Her mind registered something before she fell into the dream world.
A quiet whisper she could swear was just a part of her dream.
“Don’t fret, lass. Ah’ll take care of ye. ”
Siusan bounced up and down with excitement. “Ah want to see a tide pool, and ah want to catch a fish. Can ah find some sea shells? Are there faeries in the ocean?”
“Hush wee’un,” Mazey said. She scooped some food onto a plate. Siusan ate it quickly, almost inhaling in her haste. “We’ll not get out of here any faster if ye choke on yer food. Now make sure ye chew what yer eating.”
Siusan chewed the bite in her mouth and then spooned the rest in as quickly as she could.
“Can we play with Faither too? Will he fish with us?” She bounced again up and down on the rock near the fire.
The morning sunshine was warm enough it should be comfortable, but she was still chilled. The sea air brought a nip in the air she wasn’t used to. “Ah’m sure he’ll join us soon, but for now we eat.”
“What’s he doing right now?”
Mazey sat next to the child and took her hand. “He’s setting up his bait lines so we can have fresh supper tonight. He likes to do that, so he’s having fun right now.”
Siusan seemed satisfied with the answer. “Faither needs more fun. He frowns too much, sometimes.”
“He has a lot of things to do. That’s a lot to worry about.” Mazey replied.
“Aye, but he frowns much less now ye’re here. Ah think he smiles a lot at ye too.” She said that so quickly Mazey almost forgot to feel embarrassed by the implication.
“Ah think it’s just cause ye are much happier.”
Siusan bit on her lip. Her eyes were far away. “Aye, ah’m happier because ah have ye too. And ye’re as nice as Mally. Ah miss her.”
“Let’s go look at the tide pools until yer faither gets back from setting his lines.
” She took Siusan’s hand in hers and headed off toward the ocean, looking for crevices in rocks where sea critters would hide.
The stones and sand of the beach were dark black, grey and brown.
The water rumbled to shore rhythmically.
Mazey found herself lost in the picturesque landscape, the scents and the feel of the breeze on her skin.
Siusan enjoyed herself. She looked down at the ground for seashells and small creatures.
Every rock was flipped to see what was underneath.
Sometimes, squirmy things appeared under the rock and Siusan squealed and ran away, only to circle around again.