after all. I don’t think it’s...safe.”
He mastered his dismay. “I’m afraid it’s too late to refuse. You’re no longer safe anywhere.”
****
“Will it be difficult to stay seated?” Shae eyed Flecht with new respect. It had been one thing to remain on the wingabeast’s back while riding yesterday, but today they would lift into the air and fly like the birds. What had persuaded her to agree to such a thing?
Kai laughed. “You look as you did when you swung on that rope across the stream as it ran with water in the early spring.”
She narrowed her eyes. “And do you recall what happened then?”
“You only got a little wet.” The mirth left his face and he touched her cheek. “Pay no mind, Shae. This will come easier than using our rope swing. The saddle is built to carry two in safety, and I won’t let you fall.”
She hesitated, bit her lower lip, and then reached for the saddle. Kai steadied her as she placed her foot in the rear stirrup and pulled herself upward into the back seat of the double saddle. Now astride , she felt somehow better, although she couldn’t unravel the hidden thread of logic in such a thing. Kai lifted into the saddle before her, and she put her arms around him. “Will we lodge the night somewhere?”
He spoke near her ear. “We will. I can’t expect you to ride all night as I sometimes must. It would not please the Lof Raelein if I delivered you fainting to her bedside.”
Shae smiled at such an image. Her spirits lifted, despite the danger, at the prospect of a journey. She had never traveled far from Whellein. The idea of going anywhere, let alone to Torindan, filled her with wonder. That she should go with Kai only increased her joy. But her happiness dimmed at the prospect of visiting the Lof Raeleinupon her deathbed. And Shae could not shake the sense of foreboding that hounded her.
As they left the stables for the outer bailey and turned onto the path that would take them past the great hall and on to the west gate, Shae couldn’t help a hollow feeling of loss.
“Wait!” A voice hailed them from the archway that led to the inner drawbridge. Mother ran toward them in the gathering light, the cloak of scarlet wool she carried trailing from her hands. Her silver hair flew unbound behind her, and she looked as if she had dressed in haste.
Kai turned Flecht, and his mother caught the wingabeast’s bridle.
He reached down to take the hand she raised. “What troubles you, Mother?”
“I thought—” She gasped for breath. “I thought I had missed your going.”
“It is well you did not.” Kai chided her, but in a warm voice.
She turned to Shae. “Take this cloak to warm you in your journeys.”
“Mother, I can’t take your best cloak.”
“ Please!” she cried and put her face against the marmelot fur of the cloak’s lining. “Pray, receive my gift.”
Shae blinked away tears. “Thank you.” When Kai helped her dismount, she exchanged her own cloak for the embrace of her mother’s. “I shall return it unharmed.”
Giving a wispy smile, Mother touched Shae’s face. “Mind you do.”
With a small sound, Shae went into her mother’s arms.
When the embrace ended, Mother held her at arm’s length as her gaze traveled over Shae.
Shae stirred. “I’ve had no time to say goodbye to anyone.”
“I’ll say your farewells, my daughter.”
Kai helped Shae mount, and then joined her on Flecht’s back.
Mother gazed up at Shae, her eyes bright with tears. “Submit to your brother’s care. I would have you safe.” With a last butterfly touch of Shae’s hand, she stepped away.
At the west gate, Kai turned Flecht for a final goodbye.
Shae lifted her hand at her mother’s wave and, as they passed through the gatehouse, carried away the image of Aeleanor of Whellein wrapped in an emerald cloak with the early light threading her hair, watching her children depart from her.
****
With beating wings Flecht leaped into
He mastered his dismay. “I’m afraid it’s too late to refuse. You’re no longer safe anywhere.”
****
“Will it be difficult to stay seated?” Shae eyed Flecht with new respect. It had been one thing to remain on the wingabeast’s back while riding yesterday, but today they would lift into the air and fly like the birds. What had persuaded her to agree to such a thing?
Kai laughed. “You look as you did when you swung on that rope across the stream as it ran with water in the early spring.”
She narrowed her eyes. “And do you recall what happened then?”
“You only got a little wet.” The mirth left his face and he touched her cheek. “Pay no mind, Shae. This will come easier than using our rope swing. The saddle is built to carry two in safety, and I won’t let you fall.”
She hesitated, bit her lower lip, and then reached for the saddle. Kai steadied her as she placed her foot in the rear stirrup and pulled herself upward into the back seat of the double saddle. Now astride , she felt somehow better, although she couldn’t unravel the hidden thread of logic in such a thing. Kai lifted into the saddle before her, and she put her arms around him. “Will we lodge the night somewhere?”
He spoke near her ear. “We will. I can’t expect you to ride all night as I sometimes must. It would not please the Lof Raelein if I delivered you fainting to her bedside.”
Shae smiled at such an image. Her spirits lifted, despite the danger, at the prospect of a journey. She had never traveled far from Whellein. The idea of going anywhere, let alone to Torindan, filled her with wonder. That she should go with Kai only increased her joy. But her happiness dimmed at the prospect of visiting the Lof Raeleinupon her deathbed. And Shae could not shake the sense of foreboding that hounded her.
As they left the stables for the outer bailey and turned onto the path that would take them past the great hall and on to the west gate, Shae couldn’t help a hollow feeling of loss.
“Wait!” A voice hailed them from the archway that led to the inner drawbridge. Mother ran toward them in the gathering light, the cloak of scarlet wool she carried trailing from her hands. Her silver hair flew unbound behind her, and she looked as if she had dressed in haste.
Kai turned Flecht, and his mother caught the wingabeast’s bridle.
He reached down to take the hand she raised. “What troubles you, Mother?”
“I thought—” She gasped for breath. “I thought I had missed your going.”
“It is well you did not.” Kai chided her, but in a warm voice.
She turned to Shae. “Take this cloak to warm you in your journeys.”
“Mother, I can’t take your best cloak.”
“ Please!” she cried and put her face against the marmelot fur of the cloak’s lining. “Pray, receive my gift.”
Shae blinked away tears. “Thank you.” When Kai helped her dismount, she exchanged her own cloak for the embrace of her mother’s. “I shall return it unharmed.”
Giving a wispy smile, Mother touched Shae’s face. “Mind you do.”
With a small sound, Shae went into her mother’s arms.
When the embrace ended, Mother held her at arm’s length as her gaze traveled over Shae.
Shae stirred. “I’ve had no time to say goodbye to anyone.”
“I’ll say your farewells, my daughter.”
Kai helped Shae mount, and then joined her on Flecht’s back.
Mother gazed up at Shae, her eyes bright with tears. “Submit to your brother’s care. I would have you safe.” With a last butterfly touch of Shae’s hand, she stepped away.
At the west gate, Kai turned Flecht for a final goodbye.
Shae lifted her hand at her mother’s wave and, as they passed through the gatehouse, carried away the image of Aeleanor of Whellein wrapped in an emerald cloak with the early light threading her hair, watching her children depart from her.
****
With beating wings Flecht leaped into
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