To Augment the Bond, page 10
I had to snort my agreement with that but my back hurt and I was feeling exceedingly hungry, despite Stephon's ration bar.
Raedon's comment came drifting into my mind,
Dart leaned against Memmyle's leg.
Raedon and his uncle packed up the blankets the next morning and we took them along.
**
The chuten bird was right. Three days later we huddled in the tent while the wind blew and snow fell so hard we couldn't see anything. Just outside the door, the heater smoldered along and every once in a while someone would slip out for a drink and check on visibility. It didn't clear all day. Even though we were packed as usual in the small space, blasts slithered in from somewhere and I was grateful for the warm blanket Raedon buckled around me. Memmyle entertained us with Dart's stories which we mimicked to our mind-mates. I was never, however, able to ignore my empty stomach. I miss Siss.
Raedon said the bars made him feel full even though they tasted like cardboard and were hard to chew. Jokingly, Romdon served “lunch” and offered me a “rat bar.” Perfect name. I hate rats and I hate rat bars.
**
Figuring we were behind our planned schedule by one day, we flew ten hours the next; we'd been averaging eight. It was a mistake. By the time we started looking for a place to land, the light was fading making the ice difficult to judge. Dart spotted something and Bennyon followed him down to check. He landed hard, slipped and skidded forward on his front knees. As he came to a stop, the ice below his front legs began to crack and within seconds, he was slipping into water.
Uncle Rom flung himself off sideways, frantically unwrapping the rope he wore around his waist. I landed, Raedon slipped off with his rope already free, but they couldn't reach Bennyon's torso to tie them on. Unthinking, I closed my teeth on Bennyon's tail and wrenched myself backward. He screamed; it must have hurt worse than anything I could imagine but I pulled him far enough onto the ice for Raedon and Romdon to get ropes around his chest and flanks.
Lillalb and Memmyle snatched the offered ropes and between the three of us we got Bennyon safely on to solid ice. I let go as soon as I could. Bennyon laid his head down, gasping, eyes white with shock, his tail twisted awkwardly to one side. It must be broken!
Our mind-mates hurriedly erected the tent over him, then dried him with towels and wrapped his blanket around him. They set up the heater inside, set to low; the temperature rose quickly. Still Bennyon shivered.
“While he's out,” Stephon said, “we must set that tail. First though, how bad are his front legs?” He leaned over and studied them, made poultices out of folded cloths saturated in Lareina and tied them to Bennyon's shins. “Badly scraped. They'll heal.” He glanced at the heater. “Dart. Watch that. If the pool gets much bigger, warn us. We don't want it melting itself out of our grasp.” He swung around in the small space, then knelt at Bennyon's hip. Romdon dropped beside him and they carefully felt along the tail.
“Here,” Romdon said. He guided Stephon's hand to a point just two inches above the dock. “Feel that. That bone is out of place.”
Stephon massaged gently and Bennyon groaned in his sleep. “I don't feel fragments. Perhaps it's not broken, only dislocated.” He looked grave. “That's probably more painful than a break. Maybe we can shove it back.”
“How?” Romdon's voice was strained. I'm sure he felt Bennyon's pain, even if he didn't have a tail. Where? I wondered, then chastised myself for being flippant.
“Raedon, here at my left.” Raedon knelt beside Stephon with Romdon on his other side. “We're going to wrap our hands around the tail, Romdon above the crook, me at the crook and Raedon below it. Then, we'll manipulate it back into place and splint it.”
Romdon turned white. “Give him more Lareina,” he said. “Me, too. This is going to hurt.”
Stephon looked at Romdon with surprise. “I forgot you feel his pain. Just a second. I'll get more.” Romdon got Bennyon awake enough to swallow another whole bottle, then took several gulps of a third himself. When Stephon had packed the Lareina in the first place, I'd thought it a waste of weight. Glad he brought it.
They followed Stephon's instructions and within minutes had the tail back in alignment. Bennyon was so far gone he didn't even groan, but Romdon was shaking when he stood. I offered a shoulder to lean on.
“I think I'm going to be sick.” He rushed to the tent door, stumbled outside, and vomited. Raedon helped him back in and made him lie down on his bedroll while Stephon wrapped Bennyon's tail in gauze.
Before we retired for the night, Raedon put the heater outside. After checking Bennyon, he retrieved the extra blankets; he and Stephon put them on the rest of us reeth, wrapped Dart in his coat, and crawled into their sleeping bags. I, for one, was exhausted.
**
The next day, Bennyon admitted to his tail aching but didn't feel it bad enough to affect his flying. He was just as anxious to get off the ice as the rest of us. We agreed to stick to our eight-hour days from now on—ten hours were too risky.
After two more days, we had to stop early, all of us reeth feeling weak and fatigued. The rat bars seemed to keep up don and human strength but did little for me. And I knew Bennyon was hurting even though he wouldn't say so. Romdon rode as if strained, his mind-mate's pain revealed in his tense body and stark face. That night, Stephon forced Lareina on them both so they would get a good rest.
I slept like a dead log, yet when I rose the next morning, I still felt feeble. That day was a nightmare. I flew mechanically, moving my wings up and down with no attention from my brain. Raedon had to continually direct me where to turn as he kept a close eye on the ice pack. Again, we stopped early.
While they were putting up the tent, I noticed how thin Raedon had become. With an exhausted lumber, I checked on the rest of the party. Romdon looked brittle, Stephon very tired. My brother's red coat was dull as he stood with head drooping close to the ground, wings and tail hanging limp. Lillalb, older than any of us, looked drained, his hind legs quivering as he waited his turn for water. Bennyon had already laid down; Romdon rubbed his back and neck, helping him relax.
Dart looked the same as always. But then, he'd come to love the rat bars. I hated him at that moment. Good thing I can't eat him, I thought. He whipped his head my direction, then waddled toward me to place his shoulder against mine.
I passed his words and pictures on to the others and I swear, we slept better that night than any time since we'd started this trek.
Chapter 19
Lillair
Pildon didn’t like being away from Keradon for any length of time, especially since we’d learned about her pregnancy. I couldn’t blame him; they’d only been married two and a half years and for a long-time bachelor, he doted on his fym and the thought of a child. I’d grown to love Kera, too, except for the annoying habit she had of trying to foist their happiness onto me. Every time we returned from Delt, she had another filly or mare living with her, “testing,” she said, “their compatibility for partnership.” I couldn’t read her mind, of course, but I knew what she was up to. She hoped one of those mares would attract my attention and I would become as happily married as she and Pildon.
I’d expected that being pregnant would distract her from her search for my mate; to my chagrin, it intensified. These days, we came home to find two or three mares in residence at the same time. I was always polite and careful not to raise expectations in anyone’s heart, but I’d privately come to the conclusion that something was wrong with me. I gave none of them more than a fleeting consideration; most made me shudder at the thought of having them constantly around.
On our return from Whay, Keradon rushed out to greet us as I landed and I stifled a groan. Whatever mare or mares she had with her today had obviously sensed our approach. Not feeling sociable, I turned brusquely away after her greeting, heading determinedly for my quarters.
“See you at dinner,” she called after me.
I’d never told Pildon about my frustration, hesitant to insert a note of discord between them. They’re plenty happy for the three of us, I thought. Why can’t she leave me alone?
Two hours later, the dinner bell rang. I knew Kera would have fixed our favorite meals; she always did when we got home from a meeting in another city-state. She’d learned from one of the human friends of Joedon’s fym how to make oatcakes with applesauce, raisins, and carrots, and I loved them. A stack of flat, delicious treats would be ready next to the pile of whatever special hay she’d found this time. She treated me grandly and I hated to be so grumpy about her matchmaking efforts.
I told myself.
There were two of them, both chestnuts with at least one white sock each. They were alike enough they might have been sisters, each with the same trickle of white down the middle of their faces. Then, I caught their names: Barrianne and Barrene. They are sisters! The older one seemed familiar and I finally placed her. She’d been in the same training class as I years ago. She’d grown into a fine looking mare. Strange she’s still single.
The significance of their name hit me before I noticed Pildon’s body stiffening with rage. Barr—his father’s mind-mate had been Barryon. These mares might be granddaughters! I walked to him and shoved my forehead against his chest, sending soothing thoughts.
The evening passed uneventfully and, to my relief, both mares went home. I’d just settled into a fine pile of straw when I heard hesitant footsteps. Kera peeked around the door into my quarters, her eyebrows raised as if questioning her welcome.
She sank down next to me and put a tentative hand on my shoulder. “What was the tension about at dinner?” Her voice was soft, puzzled.
“He said everything was fine. But it wasn’t. He was very gracious, as he is when faced with political opponents he doesn’t like. Why didn’t he like them?”
I huffed out my breath in a sigh; it ruffled her dark hair.
We walked together to their suite, her hand resting lightly on my withers. Pildon swirled around when we entered, gripping a half-full glass of Lareina in his hand; he’d obviously been staring out the window into the dark. At his heavy scowl, Kera gasped; her hand shook on my back.
The anger and hurt swept out of him as if I’d pulled a plug holding him upright. “You’re right,” he said, his voice so soft I barely heard him. Holding out his hand, he drew Kera to him, escorted her to the couch, and sat down beside her. “Please stay, Lillair. Help me with this.”
I nodded, went around to the back of the couch and placed my muzzle on his shoulder, lending him my support and comfort. Facing Kera, he started to talk. “You didn’t know my father.” He dropped his eyes to stare at their clasped hands, his words coming painfully. “He despised me for not attracting a mind-mate. His reeth-mate was named Barryon and his three sons tormented me the whole time I was growing up. I began to hate reeth because of them.”
He drew in a deep breath and raised one hand to my jaw. “Fortunately, Lillair changed my perception of reeth, but meeting the Barr mares here tonight flashed all my childhood trauma back into my mind. I’m sorry if I ruined your evening.”
Kera squeezed his hand in empathy, but then a puzzled look crossed her face. “It doesn’t seem right that any reeth would torment a don child. Why would their father allow such a thing? Why did yours?”
“I don’t know, of course, why Barryon didn’t stop them, but my father paid no attention to me. If I dared complain about anything they did, he’d take their side.” Pildon gulped and I felt him tremble. “He thought I was a sniveling coward and he couldn’t stand that he’d produced such a disappointment for a son.”
Face flushing red, she reacted with quick sympathy. “How horrible for you! What about your mother?”
“She loved me fiercely, and I her. She tried to soften the blows every time he dealt one, but she couldn’t stand up to him.” He started at the fierce look on Kera’s face. “No! I don’t mean he hit me. He never struck me, or her. It was all emotional, the cutting things he said, the excuses he made to his friends about my behavior, the total neglect of my teenage years. I think the only one he loved was Barryon. And I hated the reeth because of it.”
Kera frowned. “I remember now. How you didn’t want to celebrate after the play we were in. He didn’t come?”
“He was there alright. He talked to Barryon and his family throughout and left with them immediately after. He didn’t even stay for the curtain calls. And he never said a word to me about it.”
“But you were so good!” Tears glimmered in her eyes. I loved this fem for how much she loved my partner, for how much happiness she’d brought him.
“Being a successful actor wasn’t sufficient. He wanted a bruiser, I guess.”
“Oh, Pildon. I’m so sorry!” She scooted close and wrapped her arms around him; he buried his face in her hair. Her words seemed to have opened the floodgates; Pildon poured out all his childhood hurts and humiliations to Kera and me.
I’d never heard the whole story and as Pildon talked, a strange idea occurred to me. When he finally ran down, I asked, cautiously,
“I kicked them out of the house. I haven’t had contact with them since that night.”
He sat up abruptly and stared at me. Tentatively, Kera said, “That’s what I heard, too.”
“Well, to say the truth, it wasn’t Barryon but his youngest son who caused me the most problems. And I don’t even remember his name!”
“No.” His tone was brusque but his eyes were thoughtful.
While I had his attention, I decided to push.
The miserable look on Pildon’s face made my heart ache. “I did that, didn’t I?” he murmured. “In my hatred and rage… When I realized I’d never get another chance to earn Father’s love…” He turned tear-filled eyes at me. “It was the day Joedon was born, you know, and melded with Lillith. That day, Father stormed away in disgust...” His voice hardened as he dashed the tears away. “…and killed my mother by refusing to wait until the storm had passed. His arrogant stupidity killed Barryon, too. And I threw his family out of the only home they’d ever known when they’d lost their father, too.”
He stood and pulled Kera into his arms, his voice coming in jerks from his face buried in her shoulder. “Lillair’s right. It’s time to make amends, probably past time, but I need to try. Will you come with me?”
“Of course, my love. Whenever you want.”
**
I checked with the older Barr sister, Barrianne, to find out where Barryon’s widow was living these days; she agreed to meet me to show me the way since the old mare hadn’t settled in one of the don occupied villages. An hour after leaving Center, we approached a narrow valley. On the west, a fall dropped water into a small stream that snaked from one side to the other until it petered off into the east. The slope seemed gradual, grass flourishing everywhere. A very pleasant place to live, I thought. The old mare should be happy here.
