dwelling was a small well, vegetable garden, and a stable that held bays for four horses. A few hundred yards away I saw a broad expanse of wooden fencing and another large barn. Brown cows with shaggy coats dotted the landscape past the fence.
"We've got two horses that my son and daughter are using to survey the herd right now. They will be back at nightfall, so we'll keep one of your horses in the main area when they get back," Rayat said apologetically.
"No worries. Thank you for letting us stay with you." Jessmei had stopped crying but was softly repeating the word “dead” over and over again.
"We'll put you up in my daughter's room. It is this way." They led me through the small front foyer, through a hallway, and into a tiny room with a simple flower embroidered bed that would fit Jessmei's contorted form and little else. I set the princess down carefully on the bed, but she didn't release the death grip on my arms.
"Don't leave me!" she almost screamed. Her voice sounded lost. She tried to pull me down on top of her but my swords got in the way. I pulled the sheathed weapons out of my belt lashing and set them on the floor next to the bed.
"Poor dear," Greta sniffled in an attempt to fight back her own tears. "I'll go get you some warm tea, milk, and soup. Just wait here. We'll be back." Our hosts disappeared, but I heard them whisper to each other.
"That girl is really upset. Do you think it was her parents that died?" Greta asked Rayat.
"Who knows? They both need rest and food. Her husband looks like a walking skeleton. I wonder how long they have been married."
"Bring them this soup and some milk. I'll brew the tea." The woman's voice developed an edge of caution. "Tira and Jiure will be back in a few hours?"
"Yes. The swords make me nervous. These are the first refugees we have seen since Nia was conquered." His voice faded as he walked out the back door and closed it.
Jessmei was repeating my name like a song, low, keening. I touched her hair softly and kissed her forehead, but her eyes were far away and she did not respond. I had felt the pain she was experiencing now, and while I had cried the last of my tears for my brother and father, I knew how difficult it would be for Jessmei to recover from the loss of her family.
Rayat knocked on the door and entered with two steaming bowls of soup, a large pitcher of water, and a smaller container of milk. There was also a huge wedge of cheese on the plate that smelled better than the soup did.
"Tell us if you need more, son." He nodded at me as he backed out and softly closed the door.
Jessmei suddenly stopped crying and pulled away from me. Her eyes looked wild and I met her gaze.
"You are all I have left, Kaiyer. Everyone else I've ever loved is dead." Her hand came up to stroke my face cautiously. "You won't leave me will you? I don't want to be alone." I smiled down at her and kissed her fingertips. Her eyes were red and soaked with tears.
"No. I won't leave you. Also, we don't know if they are dead. They might be alive." I tried to comfort her. "Here, drink this." I handed her a cup of milk but she pushed it away.
"How could there be any survivors? If my father is dead, then my mother, brother, uncle, Nadea, Greykin, Cerra, Yera, Siliah, Damina, and Levie are all dead." Her eyes were glazed glass. I suddenly wondered if our abilities to recall memories were even useful. Sometimes they caused so much pain.
"We aren't sure of anything Jessmei," I whispered. "Can you try to drink this milk?"
"I don't feel hungry. I wish I was dead with them." She rolled over on the bed and looked away from me and the offered glass. I sighed and reached my hand out to stroke her back.
"Eat some food for me. Didn't you just say that I was the only one you have left? You are the same for me, Jessmei. All of my friends are your family. If they are gone then you are the only person I have left as well." She turned around and nodded. Tears were still coming down her
"We've got two horses that my son and daughter are using to survey the herd right now. They will be back at nightfall, so we'll keep one of your horses in the main area when they get back," Rayat said apologetically.
"No worries. Thank you for letting us stay with you." Jessmei had stopped crying but was softly repeating the word “dead” over and over again.
"We'll put you up in my daughter's room. It is this way." They led me through the small front foyer, through a hallway, and into a tiny room with a simple flower embroidered bed that would fit Jessmei's contorted form and little else. I set the princess down carefully on the bed, but she didn't release the death grip on my arms.
"Don't leave me!" she almost screamed. Her voice sounded lost. She tried to pull me down on top of her but my swords got in the way. I pulled the sheathed weapons out of my belt lashing and set them on the floor next to the bed.
"Poor dear," Greta sniffled in an attempt to fight back her own tears. "I'll go get you some warm tea, milk, and soup. Just wait here. We'll be back." Our hosts disappeared, but I heard them whisper to each other.
"That girl is really upset. Do you think it was her parents that died?" Greta asked Rayat.
"Who knows? They both need rest and food. Her husband looks like a walking skeleton. I wonder how long they have been married."
"Bring them this soup and some milk. I'll brew the tea." The woman's voice developed an edge of caution. "Tira and Jiure will be back in a few hours?"
"Yes. The swords make me nervous. These are the first refugees we have seen since Nia was conquered." His voice faded as he walked out the back door and closed it.
Jessmei was repeating my name like a song, low, keening. I touched her hair softly and kissed her forehead, but her eyes were far away and she did not respond. I had felt the pain she was experiencing now, and while I had cried the last of my tears for my brother and father, I knew how difficult it would be for Jessmei to recover from the loss of her family.
Rayat knocked on the door and entered with two steaming bowls of soup, a large pitcher of water, and a smaller container of milk. There was also a huge wedge of cheese on the plate that smelled better than the soup did.
"Tell us if you need more, son." He nodded at me as he backed out and softly closed the door.
Jessmei suddenly stopped crying and pulled away from me. Her eyes looked wild and I met her gaze.
"You are all I have left, Kaiyer. Everyone else I've ever loved is dead." Her hand came up to stroke my face cautiously. "You won't leave me will you? I don't want to be alone." I smiled down at her and kissed her fingertips. Her eyes were red and soaked with tears.
"No. I won't leave you. Also, we don't know if they are dead. They might be alive." I tried to comfort her. "Here, drink this." I handed her a cup of milk but she pushed it away.
"How could there be any survivors? If my father is dead, then my mother, brother, uncle, Nadea, Greykin, Cerra, Yera, Siliah, Damina, and Levie are all dead." Her eyes were glazed glass. I suddenly wondered if our abilities to recall memories were even useful. Sometimes they caused so much pain.
"We aren't sure of anything Jessmei," I whispered. "Can you try to drink this milk?"
"I don't feel hungry. I wish I was dead with them." She rolled over on the bed and looked away from me and the offered glass. I sighed and reached my hand out to stroke her back.
"Eat some food for me. Didn't you just say that I was the only one you have left? You are the same for me, Jessmei. All of my friends are your family. If they are gone then you are the only person I have left as well." She turned around and nodded. Tears were still coming down her
Similar Books
Taste of Lacey
Linden Hughes
Hot, Sour, Salty, Sweet
Sherri L. Smith
in0
Unknown
Rimfire Bride
Sara Luck
Doctor Who: Rags
Mick Lewis
At First Sight
Nicholas Sparks
Liberty At Last (The Liberty Series)
Leigh James
Chances
Pamela Nowak
Ducal Encounters 03 - Portrait of a Duke
Wendy Soliman