Chapter 31

The air outside was quite crisp and cold, but there were sparkles of sweat on Kara’s forehead. I took the small towel and wiped them away. Kara looked at me and gave me a small smile.

””Thank you, Stian.””

I smiled back at her and there was nothing fake in that smile this time.

””I wish I could do more here, Kara. I really do.””

””I know you do. Already this is something more than I ever dared to imagine... - Or to be truthful, I probably never really imagined that I would be a mother... - auuugh!””

Another contraction hit Kara, and her voice was enough to wake Allynna who had been snoozing on the bed nearby. I estimated that the time was close to midnight and, according to Allynna, it might still take some time before our baby would be born. Allynna didn’t say anything, but our gazes met quickly and the look on my face was enough for her to decide to just turn on her side and go back to sleep. I appreciated the fact that Allynna wanted to be here with us even if she already had at least two assistants who would most likely be able to handle any childbirth. But Allynna wanted to be here with us.

Once the contraction eased and Kara was able close her eyes and relax again, I let my mind wonder a bit around all the things that had happened during the last months and weeks. In general everything was good, or even better than good, at least for now.

Merging together Elven women, Island men and some Island women had happened without much problem - the only problem was that, if there had been some plans about when and how many babies should be born, they were certainly forgotten. On the other hand, now there should be enough people available for guarding and other duties. There was also something with those fluyts that would help us that Tofi had mentioned. Those ships probably needed fewer crew than the ships that had been used before. It seems that those Duutsc had been considering the same kind of trade that we are now planning. They probably wanted to have light, fast ships that would either be able to quickly sail through the sound between the continent and our Kingdom - or then go around our island Kingdom.

As far as I knew our Kingdom was not now at war against the Duutsc, but the relationship between the nations was frosty at its best - and it wasn’t because of the Duutsc. Which had caused us to decide to sail under the flag of the North Islands instead of the one of the Kingdom. That might give us at least the possibility to explain our semi-independent position. Might.

Then I chuckled as my thoughts ran freely. There was the moment when Immianthe and Toki met for the first time. Two strong, independent persons who were like oil and water and at the same time the opposite ends of the magnet. Even if Mylaela and Immianthe shared some characteristics, they were also quite different. Tofi and Toki might have some interesting discussions if they would compare their notes about women. If they would dare. There are things even brave men should avoid.

Despite the occasionally bad weather, the Elven women had taken part in the training at sea together with the Island men and either Tofi or Toki being the captain. I had taken part in a few short cruises and I had often had the responsibility to navigate the ship either away from the harbor or back into it. The other times I had just been there to check that there were no extra eyes that might see something. Luckily for us, the area around that small cape was quite rough terrain and nobody had shown any interest in living there. Hunting might have been the only way to make your living and living there as a hunter would be lonely.

I couldn’t help thinking that I might have ended up living there after abandoning Erika and Siv.

Soon, when the worst of the winter was over, a group would sail back to the North Islands to take possession of the second ship and soon after that we’d do our first trading mission. Not to the other side of the world, but a practice trip far enough south that we might find a country that would not think too badly of traders from our Kingdom. The problem would be to figure out what we could offer them besides gold and silver - and of course usquebae. Luckily we did at least have some gold and silver, so that we would be able to start our trade. Even if the Elven women liked jewelry just like any other women, they were willing to give away all they had if that would help us with the trade.

Besides Immianthe and Toki there was another, much more surprising pairing - or triad - that made me smile - Caladwen, Snorri - and Ceveneth. Which didn’t mean that Snorri had become normal, but those two totally different women took care of him and they kept on pushing him a bit every now and then. I also tried to keep on meeting him regularly. I kept on speaking the Old Language to him and he kept on answering me about the clock or clocks he needed to make. But things also seemed to be getting better with him.

In general, things seemed to be progressing well. Nobody had been threatening the valley for some time and Elise had not reported any worrying acts at Aston, either. It seemed almost as though those Magicians and Shinies had just canceled all their plans and the Trolls had decided that they could live happily in their own valley. And there was the fact that within a year there would probably be a bunch of new babies. So at the moment, I was sitting there next to Kara everything seemed to fine in this world.

The problem was that I knew this wasn’t true. I was just as happy as everybody else with the state of things and the way everything was progressing, but I also knew that it wasn’t true. It wouldn’t last. Not here. Not like this. Even if those damned Shinies weren’t actively doing anything right now, new rumors were spreading about natural magic users - and Elves. Those beautiful women who would steal the human men and kill all the human babies.

Intelligent people knew that those things weren’t true, but they stayed quiet. The Royals stayed quiet because that stuff didn’t matter to them. The priests didn’t mind those rumors because neither the Elves nor the natural Mages had been regulars in their churches. Besides, the Elves were pretty women and pretty women could be connected to lustful, sinful things. Ugly Trolls they were able to ignore. So, there was no one to really defend us in Aston. It seemed that those people we opposed had learned something and they now wanted to ensure the support of the common people.