Chapter 30

Dinner was more formal than usual as a couple of the noble lords and their families were visiting us from Port City. These were merchants that Derwen often worked with in her ship transport business, moving goods for other merchants to smaller ports not normally visited by Derwen's fleet. Normally Derwen had been the one entertained in Port City; however, her desire not to travel far until after the birth of her children changed the annual routine, so Derwen and I entertained them at the estate.

Both elderly noble couples had their eldest sons present, who actually ran the family business. The younger men turned the conversation to my arrival in the marsh as much as possible, trying to divine my origin and background, so I covered the story about traveling south after my uncle's death. Derwen told how we first happened on each other, as we held hands, both laughing about how Coven and Tharin had attacked me and now they are my most trusted friends.

Derwen regaled them with my heroic defense of her ship, which won her heart. The older noblemen and ladies seemed impressed with her tale, but one of the younger men seemed to discount it. I felt indifferent to the young man's attitude, preferring instead to enjoy the company of the other members of the party. Derwen mentioned the sales of Juniper Hills water in Lone Tree and the same young man laughed at the stupidity of people, buying water at ale prices. His elderly mother clutched at her charge, trying to deflect his attention, but he gracelessly found a way to actually insult me before he was stifled.

The dinner discussion shifted to Port City merchant politics and the young man kept his mouth closed the rest of the night. I marked the man as no friend of mine, so his business wouldn't benefit from my knowledge. The dinner turned into an object lesson for me, a reminder that Port City nobles were certainly a different breed from the Convey rural folk, as I'd yet to encounter a disrespectful village resident.

The night fell and we adjourned to bed. Derwen and Mercedes cuddled me with silent tears, not wanting me to leave. A single candle burned in the corner, I swallowed hard, settling my gaze on the expanded bellies of my loves. They were important women in my life, our precious babies growing stronger and larger each day. I lingered on each of their words and kisses, touching them in the darkness. Their shoulder length hair rained on my chest with soft swipes as they took turns dangling a breast into my mouth playfully teasing me. Each telling me these were a reminder of what was awaiting my return. I equally teased them back telling them I had something they would miss too. After many giggles, tickles and gentle touches we fell asleep intertwined.

Streaks of reddish-orange heralded the morning, my blanket pulled from my feet exposing their cold members.

Derwen said, "Mercedes went to release her morning water and get something salty."

"Well we get the first kisses of a dawn lit sky," I said laughingly.

Mercedes had salt cravings and often went looking for smoked fish in the morning. No cravings had assailed Derwen thus far in her pregnancy, but rapid kicks often sent her running behind a privacy screen. The babies fighting for room pushed on her bladder.

I was fortunate Derwen's shipping family history had such a strong influence on her emotions. She had told me I was like a ship's captain; his first love was the sea and she could never compete. Derwen told me last night she loved the sea too, understanding the pull of something you loved and she understood my homestead with Swarta and Palus was my sea. Derwen was a smart woman, perhaps gifted, certainly a woman of the world as these people knew it.

Nevertheless, it was our link that opened me up and revealed my emotional state and its pull to Juniper Hills. The same link gave her confidence in my love for her and my affection for Mercedes. My love for each was layered and unequal but my commitment to honor both was bedrock, a strong rock to build a family upon. A family in the oldest traditions of Convey nobility with the Earth Mother temple an important element. I suspect if the mystery of my origin were truly known, panic, anger and fear would face me from all sources both within the estate and beyond. In that case powerful people would take any leverage they could gather to control me and mine.

The Lady of Truth was waiting for me in the fishing village. As we stepped out of the wolf carriage onto the inlet's wet sand I looked upon Mercedes. She seemed resigned to my departure, wrapping herself in Derwen's embrace, the older woman surrounding her in a motherly protective barrier. Both of their heads of hair shimmered in the morning sun's bright rays, a halo of love looked at me from my ladies' faces. They radiated an unnatural beauty, smooth soft ebony skin with the clearest complexions. It had been the envious glances from the women on the estate that made me realize medical nanomites were in play.

My sharp memory about high technology devices did not include any mention of nanomites crossing into another person which delayed my acceptance of the fact. While my past was dim and flashes of unnamed people and places seemed more common, my past life still remained distant. I had lost any interest in my rescue or my former life anymore. These women and my children were everything to me now.

Arms outstretched, I hugged both women and gushed a few last passionate kisses as the boat crew stood behind us, eager to catch the best part of the morning tide. There was some urgency since my vivid dreams told of a coming storm from the south sea and a couple of returning raiders turning the horn of Conquest Point, northeast of us. As it was The Lady of Truth would need to stay in the estuary warehouse dock an extra day because of the storm's projected path.

Our ship was particularly heavily laden this trip with animals, iron bars and tools, and most importantly a contingent of shipbuilders on contract to Juniper Hill's for one cycle. Derwen's estate manager had quietly pulled these skilled men from various ports around the island not to attract any attention to my secret ship project. Since my village was isolated and Derwen's ship was the means for the tradesmen to get home, I had no fear for our privacy.

The men rowed to the ship with quick strokes and I sat near the tiller watching my women.

Mercedes bowed legs looked funny as she ran to the water's edge and shouted, "Von, I almost forgot! My mother is coming to visit the manor tomorrow."

Her happy tone carried over the water. "What can I say?" I thought."Last time I ate with her they poisoned me." All I did was wave back, wondering if Lady Katsu was coming to see her daughter or for some other intrigue, intelligence gathering for her husband perhaps. The harsh reality of noble power games, envy and scorn still fresh in my mind.

The loading barge that was the temporary dock platform for the village cove. I strode up the gangplank. The sailing master was shouting out commands to cast off and to drop canvas. Derwen and Mercedes had entered the carriage and it pulled out of sight; knowing Derwen, they would find a cliff vintage point to watch us sail beyond the horizon. The crew knew their work and made for the open sea as swiftly as any warship. I was never concerned for the professionalism of the sailors on this ship; Derwen paid for the best and a crew member rarely left her employ. This trip I actually recognized a few marines and made my way to talk with them until the island disappeared. Goats, not accustomed to riding waves made distressed calls from their pens which had been tied to the command tower. I ignored all the distractions and decided to rest in my bed.