Kate and Sean

Untitled Part 16

The next day home seemed so long for Kate. The woods were so scary. She carried one of the bows that were specially designed for Jocelyn, but she had no clue how to use it. The only reason she had even come on the hunt was to spend time with Genevieve, and to see how Sean would do.

 Up until today she found herself in the company of either Genevieve or Avarr, one of the few guards to accompany the women. He was charming and funny most of the time but she could sense he had a dark side and she never felt comfortable around him or any of the other Joutone for that matter.

Now that Sean was back with them for the long hike back her attitude totally changed, She was happy and smiling most of the time and come evening the two of them huddled Genie's fire while Sean told ghost stories. He managed to scare Kate twice, letting off his corny laugh each time.

Jocelyn sat mesmerized by the awful stories, holding her hunting knife across her lap tightly as she listened, "Wow, your world is so brutal. However did you manage to survive such a place?"

Sean smiled, "Them's just stories sweetie. None of it's fo' real."

Kate got angry over that, "Yes they can, stop lying." She smacked him to put him inline. He laughed again and gave her a light shove back, before she cuddle into his embrace. "Sean?"

"Yeah, babes?" He could feel her breathing stop as she held back her tears.

"I miss home" She stopped to wipe a tear, and he sat up and picked up her chin to look into her eyes.

"Hey, don't be like that. You home. You with me ain't you?" He watched as she closed her eyes and nodded, "Hey wanna swing?"

That answer perked her right up, she wiped her eyes off on her sleeves, and sniffled as he picked up the bow she was using earlier. He took a rope that was leaning on a rock and tied it to the end of his arrow, then aimed it up towards a tall branch.

The first shot missed the mark and he reeled it back in and took a second, this time the rope went over and he climbed up it. He straddled the branch and tied off the rope and shimmied down. He draped his knap sack over the piece of wood he had tied off for a seat and Kate dashed over as soon as she realized he wasn't kidding.

Seeing that he was too far off the ground for her to climb up he hung upside down, taking her by the hand and helping her up. Genie was tickled over watching the two of them work together and Jocelyn was in awe over the contraption. Sean stood with his legs over Kate and pushed and pulled until the two of them were flying through the air. It looked like so much fun and Kate laughed as they gained speed. Sean sat down next to her and as the two of them snuggled on the swing, they looked so peaceful.

After a little while they drifted to a stop and Kate waived to Avarr, "Can you help me?" He was quick to reach up to her as he passed by. She hit the ground and a she wrapped her arms around his waist to thank him before speeding off to the tent.

Jocelyn dashed to the swing as she saw Sean trying to come down, "No, not yet, please let me try it?"

"Only if it's okay with your mom, yo." He sat waiting for a reply and Genie answered by picking her daughter up as Sean again fell backwards and let the little girl climb up. She positioned herself on the seat and just like he had done with Kate, he swayed and pumped until they had some momentum. Jocelyn giggled wildly with each passing, and the queen watched, nervously.

Mavis sat in the tree he was scouting from. His attention should have been on the forest floor but it was hard to pry his attention of the scene before him. Ben lay in the hammock above his head. He closed his book as the moonlight left him nothing to read by anymore. He noticed the king's fixed attention.

"They are just having fun, sir."

Mavis grunted, "If he drops her, nothing will save him." As he sat in his perched position, the sound of Jocelyn's wild, laughter relaxed him. The human was ever so careful in helping her down when the ride was through, letting himself dangle backwards again as the little girl climbed down. He had impressive control for such a puny being. Even Abbott could not perform like that.

Admittedly Gene's latest rescues interesting. At least the few he had met thus far. This interest would be short lived with as much of a nuisance as this critter was. Some warrior would make quick work of the flea for sure. He would not waste wage on a guard. There was only one resolution to as far as he could see. The human had volunteered for a slave position on the trail. If he could find a warrior in need of a servant, it would only cost him the meager rations these two would consume. Even combined, there is no way they could eat more than a cave mouse.

Mavis scanned the camp briefly, just thinking on what to do with the humans when it occurred to him. Thomas had been without a wife for nearly three years. His wage had to be suffering on the costly chambermaids that had been pulling double duty for him. He sucked on his fanged tooth, the fit was too perfect. A quality warrior to discipline the youth, and a long overdue resolution for Thomas, and his daughter.