In The Beginning, Gail Daley [red white royal blue .TXT] 📗

"Ah—Sylvie said Mikel after her father."

Careful not to disturb the exhausted Sylvie, Catrin picked up Mikel. She showed Logan how to hold him, and how to hold the bottle. Mikel latched on to the leather nipple greedily and began to eat.

Catrin boiled her instruments again, setting them out on a clean towel to dry.

When Rebecca and Andre came back in, Rebecca washed her bloody hands and went to the larder to assemble what she would need to make supper. Andre brought in a load of wood.

"I'm thinking we should consider putting someone at this cabin on a permanent basis," Andre said.

"Why?" Catrin asked curiously.

"Oh, as a border lookout station and to make our guests welcome."

"It's not a bad idea. Another couple of rooms could be added for sleeping as well. There seems to be plenty of pasture out there for a few goats," Rebecca said thoughtfully, stirring the stew she was making.

"I think he's finished," Logan reported. "What do I do now?"

Catrin took the bottle from him and held it up, "He ate quite a bit. Excellent." She laid a cloth over Logan's shoulder and showed him how to change Mikel’s position. "Okay, now rub his back until he burps."

During the night, Sylvie started bleeding again. Catrin grimly packed her womb, and fed her as much of the broth from Rebecca's stew as the woman could keep down.

Catrin's movements woke Logan and he sat up on his pallet. "What's wrong?"

"Her womb is bleeding," she said grimly. "I think something may be torn inside her. I've seen this before when woman has been raped multiple times. I need to get her to the infirmary in Ironlyn as soon as I can. I have more resources there."

The Emissary

WHILE CATRIN WAS RIDING up to the hidden cabin, Andre, Lewys and Rebecca were riding down to Land's End. The Jacite Emissary, one Abram Slokovoki, was a long thin man with a short goatee beginning to grey. He met them in the parlor of the Inn.

"Greetings Dracon Mabinogion," he bowed low. "Welcome Draconi Rebecca and Drake Andre, please be seated." He clapped his hands and a young boy scurried out and quickly returned with a laden tray too heavy for him. Andre sprang up and caught it, helping the lad to set it on the table. The boy flashed him a smile of thanks. Ignoring the byplay, the Emissary asked, "May I offer you tea?"

"No thank you," Rebecca replied. "We have never met, but you identified us immediately. How did you do it?"

Slokovoki smiled at her. "Ah, but I asked the Harbormaster to describe you to me. You are sure you will not join me? It is a pity, it is good tea."

He gestured, and the boy brought the teapot and poured a small amount into the cup he held out. "Thank you Arsen. I won't need you any more for a while."

The boy carefully set the teapot back on the tray and slipped noiselessly out the door.

Slokovoki sipped his tea. "I have a message to be passed to the Magi of Askela," he said abruptly, apparently deciding to dispense with social graces and get to the point.

Lewys now wished he had accepted a cup of the tea. It would have given him something to do with his hands while he thought.

"Indeed," he said. "Why come to me with such a message?"

"Come now, Dracon, it is well known in my country that you speak for, or can speak to, the leaders of the unregistered Magi Cadre." Sokolowski apparently sensed Rebecca readying a spell, for he said quickly. "There is no need for that Draconi. I mean no harm."

"Such ill chosen words could do us a great deal of harm in the right ears," Andre remarked. "As well you know."

The Emissary shook his head. "I will not be here long enough to gossip with anyone, Drake Andre. I merely wish to give the Dracon a document to read. It will be up to him what he does with it. Once I have accomplished my mission, I will sail away. My ship waits for me in the harbor."

"What is in this document?" Rebecca inquired. "Certain matters, if found in our possession in writing, could do us as much harm as the wrong words in the wrong ears."

"May I fetch it?"

Lewys, Andre and Rebecca exchanged glances. Andre shrugged and Rebecca nodded. "Very well," Lewys said. "Drag it out here and we will look at it. I don't promise to do more, mind you."

Slokovoki smiled in relief. "I have it here," he said, rising and going to the desk. He took several rolled sheets out  and handed them to Lewys, who unrolled them and began to read.

He handed the first sheet to Rebecca and unrolled the second scroll. As she finished, she handed it turn to Andre. When all three of them had read the document, they exchanged glances again.

"We would naturally like to discuss this in private, Emissary," Lewys said. "Will you stay a few days?"

"Of course. I will be happy to stay and to answer any questions, you might have," he smiled happily.

They waited until they were out of earshot of the village before Andre pulled up and stopped at a place he had marked as an excellent lookout station. It already had a partially built shelter and a bench.

"We need to talk about this before we get back to the house," he said.

"Yes," Rebecca agreed, stepping down off her mount.

"You do think we have a traitor reporting on our doings in Ironlyn?" Lewys asked in distress.

"Yes," Andre affirmed. "This document could start a revolution if the promises made in it to the Magi of Askela get spread around."

Lewys sighed. "Yes, I agree. If used properly though, it could also be a tool to break the back of the Magi Proctors power."

"And if it doesn't?" Rebecca demanded. "Will you use it as the Jacites intend? To start a revolution?"

Lewys bowed his head. "The Magi Proctors power