Medice Ceres

Chapter 32

Waithe's head bobbed as he rode along. Having slept little through the night, the motion of his horse made him drowsy. Eira rode in the saddle with him. He woke well before dawn and could not still his swirling thoughts enough to return to sleep. The vision kept playing itself over and over in his mind. Seeing his wife in the vision just moments before her death dredged up powerful feelings that nearly overwhelmed him. But as it was for Ceres, he did need to see that. He needed to see his wife one last time and to hear that, even at the end, she loved him and held him blameless.

The vision hit Ceres much harder. Last night, she openly sobbed as she embraced her father. The message that Fera gave Aala to deliver to him was now fulfilled.

Waithe allowed Eira to take the reins as she rode in the saddle with him. The little girl continued to amaze him, this time with her resiliency. She seemed strong again now, but last night she was not. The vision touched something deep and dark within her as well. She must had been left alone much like Aala. The little girl pulled her knees in and trembled. Waithe held her in his arms to reassure her, but her only real comfort had came from Ceres' embrace. They ended up comforting each other.

Although he did not share in the vision, it still shook Alden through his concern for Ceres. As Ceres cuddled Eira, he came up to embrace both of them.

"You do as well with horse riding as you do with Magic, little one." He ruffled her hair and she cast her impish grin up to him. "The village be just ahead."

Three other horses followed them on a tether, one Ceres' packhorse and two others taken from the dark uniformed men who nearly took his and Ceres' life. Waithe intended to trade these two for supplies and warmer clothing, and perhaps a pint of ale as well. It was early autumn and the mountain passes would be cold, maybe even snowy.

Waithe said, "I wonder what Ceres and Alden be doing?" He grimaced at his words. "Perhaps it best we do not speculate on that, my dear young girl."

Alden's mother, Lady Jenn, was right, Waithe realized. Those two did deserve a chance at love, especially with the dangerous and uncertain future that laid ahead. Waithe and Eira had left them behind at the rundown house for the day. He had to admit that his continued presence likely inhibited their budding romance, both as Ceres' protector and now even more so as her father. Sometimes, it did feel awkward.

*****

The village sat at the crossroads of two trading routes and along a clear tumbling stream that flowed down from the nearby mountains. One route, the most traveled of the two, led west through the snow-capped mountains and eventually to Welde, the capital city of Kust. The other headed northeast to the upper lakes or south to villages in the foothills. As he hoped, the village did have a small general store and tavern. It and most of the buildings in the town were constructed of logs and rock.

A large frothy mug of ale appeared in front of Waithe and a cup of apple cider before Eira as he lifted her up onto one of the high stools before a long scuffed wooden bar. Her feet dangled down well above the floor. She grinned as she took a sip of the fruity sweet liquid. Waithe came here not just for the ale, although that was an important consideration. Bartenders at taverns such as this one usually held a wealth of information about road conditions and local happenings. If something was going on, they would know.

The bearded bartender struck up a conversation as he cleaned a mug. "Where do you travel, friend?"

"I take my granddaughter on a grand adventure and give my harried daughter a chance to rest." He was purposely vague as to his destination. "What hear you of the roads? Be they clear?"

"Aye, or they shall be now that the rains leave us. There be snow on the pass to the west, but it still be open, although time grows short before it would close for the winter."