Chapter 22: South

They headed south.

They decided to continue on to John’s even though they believed it had been a fake message. Prue wanted to see him anyway. The two crates on the roof of the carriage were for him. They took it easy as Nianna and Tah’s heads still hurt. Prue sent a message ahead, so John knew they were coming.

He was delighted to see them. “Oh my! Isn’t she a little heartbreaker,” John said when he picked up Nianna. He looked at her and then at Tah.

“I’m glad you’re going to make an honest woman of her at last young man. You put us through some grief. How is it you are with Prue, didn’t you get married?”

Prue butted in, “I made a mistake as it was his cousin’s wedding, not Tah’s that I saw the notice for in the news-sheet. They have similar names.”

Tah looked at her. He grinned, his cousin Prince Tehran did get married about the time she would have been here.

“Tah was on a diplomatic mission in Sunland, we had met previously at the Academe back home. He had left before I realised I had fallen pregnant. But we met up again on the ship when I was going to Haldor,” she explained.

“Then she left me, again. I had to come and find her, and convince her I truly wanted her and our daughter,” Tah said wrapping his arms around Prue.

John nodded, “All’s well and good. I love a good love story. Hmm, Prue are you aware Druid Sandie is here?”

“No I wasn’t, do you think he will be happy to see me?”

John grinned, “Yes, I believe he will be. He has some news for you. Come, come.”

He led them to his wing. He still had hold of Nianna who was happily babbling to him, to the couple’s amusement. “Sandie, where are you, man?” he called out.

Sandie came out of the office to see why John wanted him. He stood there in shock. He looked at the little girl in John’s arms and then at the beautiful woman following. Finally, he registered the man with his arm around Prue. He looked back at Nianna. He swallowed. Gods he had been screwing a Prince’s mistress.

“Sandie, see who I have brought to see you, I believe you delivered this little one,” John said happily. He stopped in front of Sandie.

Nianna looked at him and gave him a strange look. She put out her arms, “Sandie, my Sandie.”

Sandie was amazed to find himself with a little girl with her arms wrapped around his neck. He hugged her tight. She sat back in his arms. She looked over at her mother and smiled, “Mummy look, my Sandie.”

Tah was a bit perplexed. She wasn’t quite three months old when he met her. How could she remember who Sandie was? He also felt an irrational jealousy of the good looking man. He had held his daughter and made love to Prue before he did.

Prue felt his arm tighten around her. She knew he was going to be upset, but Sandie had been an important person in her life. She reached up and gently kissed Tah on the cheek. He looked at her, and she smiled at him.

Prue then stepped out of his arms, and went and hugged Sandie. “It’s so good to see you well, my old friend. It seems Nianna remembers you, too.”

Nianna nodded, and then looked at Tah, “Daddy, my Sandie. Read book.”

Prue and Sandie both looked at her in surprise. Prue turned to Tah, “Sandie always read her a book before bed. I have no idea how she could possibly remember that she was only tiny when we left.”

Nianna hugged Sandie again then put her arms out for Tah. Sandie reluctantly relinquished her. “You have an amazing daughter, Prince Dahl. She was always a happy baby. I missed her when Prue left.”

Nianna laid her head against Tah letting him know she loved him, that he was her daddy. Tah felt better and gently hugged her to himself. “Yes, she sure is. Only the Gods know what her brother and sister will be like,” he added for good measure.

Sandie turned to Prue and placed his hand on her tummy to the surprise of all. He closed his eyes, and a few moments later, he smiled.

He removed his hand and looked at Tah grinning broadly, “Oh, my friend, I think you will have your hands full, with this pair. What is your gift?”

Tah looked at him confused. Sandie approached him. “Would you object to me touching you, Prince Dahl?” he asked.

Tah thought, ‘Well at least he asked this time.’ “Sure, fine,” he said.

Sandie placed his hand on his forehead. He stood there for a few moments then removed his hand, “Very interesting. I can see why you love this man Prue, he compliments you well.”

“Family,” said Nianna.

“Yes, my smart little cookie, your daddy is all about family. He has the ability to bind people together. It would explain why you did well as a diplomat Prince Dahl.”

“With a woman like Prue, you are exactly what she needs to keep her grounded. I have assumed you have seen her when she gets an idea in her head, it’s like moving a mountain to get her to pay attention to herself?”

“Gods yes, I’ve often had to kiss her stupid, to distract her enough to get her to come to eat and join the land of the living.”

John and Sandie burst out laughing to Prue’s consternation. “I’ll remember that,” she said.

Tah kissed her gently and hugged her to him. “But you love me, my sweet,” he said.

“Pesky man. So John what are you guys working on?” she said.

They all laughed. Sandie said, “How about I get Prince Dahl, and Nianna settled in the residence, and we will leave you two, to do whatever it is you do? I think Prue is in need of her fix?”

Tah sighed, “Yes I’m afraid you are correct Sandie, and please call me Tah, the Prince stuff gets a bit unwieldy.”

“Thank you Tah, I’m delighted to meet you, although I may have to watch you with my wife and daughter. They will probably be all over you.”

“Pardon?” said Prue in surprise.

Sandie grinned at her, “You will get to meet them at dinner, and I’ll tell you about them then. Go work, Prue.”

The two men walked off talking as if they had been buddies for years.

“Sorry, Prue I hope that wasn’t too awkward?” John said.

Prue nodded and linked her arm in his, “I have a horrible suspicion that pair, are going to be as thick as thieves.”

John laughed and led her off to show her what he was working on. John tried hard to make sure they got back to the residence at a respectable hour.

He had to agree with Sandie, once Prue got her nose in a project, it was like shifting a mountain. She had already solved his major problem and was now coming up with ways to improve the system.

Prue was amused when she walked in to find Tah in a comfortable chair feeding a five-month-old little girl a bottle, with Nianna curled up under his other arm holding the book he was reading. Nianna would occasionally interject, explaining to the baby something about the story and then Tah would continue.

Sandie introduced her to his wife Bianca, and Prue could see he was very much in love with her. She was happy for him. His daughter was called Karri. “I knew I’d have to watch him, Prue,” he said. “He has already stolen my daughter.”

They all looked at Tah. He was perfectly content right where he was. She had to smile. “Tah told me he plans to be a househusband. I can work and do my thing, and he will look after the kids,” she told Bianca.

Bianca grinned at her, “He certainly seems to have a way with them. You are very lucky. Karri was kicking up a storm when Sandie brought him in here. I was ready to rip out my hair. He picked her up and started rubbing her gum and let her chew on his finger. He talked softly to her, and she has been quiet as a button ever since.”

Prue nodded, he always seemed to know what was wrong with any of the kids long before anyone else managed to work it out. They got the kids settled into bed and were soon enjoying an excellent meal.

“Sandie, how did you know I had a Gift when I didn’t?” Tah asked.

“One of my Gifts, can you think of when you may possibly have received it?” Sandie asked back.

Tah forked in a mouth full of food and thought about it. “The only time I know for sure that I was in an Old Gods Grove was when I was three. It is traditional that due to the high mortality rate of children in my country that a child doesn’t receive their official name until then. All children are named in the Old Gods Shrine and blessed by the Druids.”

“It’s funny that you said my Gift was family. My father once told me that if there was any sort of family gathering, he always insisted I was there. His marriage to my mother fell apart the first year I was sent away to school. They could only be civil to each other if I were with them.”

“When my cousin Tehran was getting married father insisted that I come home else it would turn into a shit fight. But it seemed to go fine once I was there.”

Sandie nodded, “If you were gifted at three you probably never knew that you had been.”

“Willow tends to know when people are Gifted. She knew your sister had been gifted when she stayed in the grove on the way to Bavindor. She never mentioned that you were?” Prue said.