Destroyers and the Dragons

Page 48

      "Yes, the girl he is bound to is a cute little thing," Uncle Marion says pulling me into a hug. "You must be tired of seeing nothing but men and horses."

     "I must admit I am tired of men," I tease.

     "I can take a hint," uncle says and disappears into the tent.

     "I think you should come with me and bathe, wash some of the road from you. I'll redo your braids," aunt says pulling on a few of them.

     "You win," I say grabbing a clean pair of clothes from my saddle bag and following my aunt down to the river. She hands me a bar of soap and hangs a towel from a bush. I strip out of my filthy tunic and breeches.

     "One would think you roll in dirt before putting on your armor," she teases.

     "I do, it helps keep the bugs from biting," I retort grinning as she pushes me into the river. I come up and splash her.

     "Watch it child or I'll come after you," she says.

     "Such idle threats mean nothing to me," I retort swimming out and then ducking under the water. I come up and she throws the soap at me. I catch it and swim to the shallows. I scrub my skin clean and then pull my braids and wash them as well. I finally pull myself out of the water and wrap the thin towel around me. I quickly dress in the clean clothes as my aunt hangs the others over a bush to dry in the waning sunlight. She pulls a bone comb from a leather pouch and begins to work my hair back into the braids. Finally she finishes them and smiles at me.

     "I think you'll be the only woman of the tribe that will marry with war braids in her hair," she says as we pick everything up and return to the camp.

     "If I ever marry," I say with a smirk.

     "You will when you find the right man," my aunt says. "That is if you haven't yet."

     "Are you trying to pry into my personal life, dearest Aunt?" I tease.

     "I can't help, but hope that you aren't this relaxed because you knocked a bunch of dragon heads together," she retorts with a knowing look.

     "I will not spill my secrets so easily," I say as several younglings gather under foot. I finally realize what they want and soon I am braiding little heads full of little braids. My aunt gives in finally and joins me. Finally I am rescued by loving parents.

     "These past months have changed you," uncle Marion says as he sits on a log next to me.

     "I hope for the better," I say.

     "You seem to finally have found a purpose, not just something you are good at but a place where you belong. Maybe this old man is reading too much into this?" he asks looking at me.

     "I don't know, yet, I came home to visit, I am not sure where my future lies, but I can dream," I say hugging him.

     "Good night uncle," I say and slip into the tent. I lay down next to my snoring cousin and am soon asleep. I wake to sunshine and birds chirping and find my aunt watching me from a stool.

     "Good morning aunt," I say stretching. "I think I will hunt today, unless you need me to do something else."

     "I'd like to know who embroidered this tunic and where it came from," she says holding up my spare set.