Their Battle Lord's Sacrifice

Chapter 3

Chapter 1

Lamplight

“We should reach Wallis by tomorrow.”

The words were barely audible, more breath than sound, but Yulen D’Jacques heard them clearly. Rolling over, he found himself nose-to-nose with his wife, who gave him a loving smile. Making the extra effort, he leaned on his elbow to kiss her. A sweet, warm kiss that was nothing more than a gesture of affection. Regrettably.

He cast a glance at the pillows buffered behind their heads. Cradled within a small hollow in the center of those pillows, their newborn daughter rested. Reaching over a bolster, he lightly placed his hand on the miniature figure. Mistelle reacted with a little wriggle, kicking out with her unique feet, sighed, and settled back to sleep.

“I wonder how Mattox will take to his new sibling,” Atty whispered.

“We’ll find out in a few days.”

Yulen studied the single lit lamp hanging overhead. Getting to his feet, he unhooked the lantern from where it dangled almost directly above his daughter’s bed and rehung it on one of the tent poles. Atty was laughing softly when he crawled back under the covers with her. “I couldn’t risk it falling on her,” he gently protested.

She scooted closer to him and draped an arm over his neck. Her fingers slowly combed through his shoulder-length hair. It was a loving gesture that always seemed to soothe him. “I know why you moved it,” she murmured. “It’s moments like that that remind me how amazing you are.”

“I am?”

“You are such a dichotomy, my dearest Battle Lord. Hard as iron, yet soft as dandelion fluff.”

“Better not tell my men about the fluff,” he growled, teasing her.

“I will keep your weakness strictly between us,” Atty giggled.

Reaching out, he dragged her closer to him and nuzzled her forehead. Her breasts were once again voluptuous as they pressed against his chest. “How are you feeling?”

“Tired,” she admitted. “I would rather be riding astride a horse instead of in a wagon.”

“Wouldn’t it be better for you to be on the wagon? Especially after giving birth?”

Atty rolled her shoulders. “I would prefer my horse. If I get tired, I’ll move to a wagon.”

“Your call.” He smiled.

“About Wallis,” she said, bringing him back to her original remark.

“Mmm? Let me guess. You want to stay a few days.”

“Returning home is going to be very stressful for Keelor. I want to be there for her and help her adjust to all the changes.”

“I understand, but you must also understand that I need to return to Alta Novis. How long were you wanting to remain at Wallis?”

“I don’t know. I was thinking a couple of weeks. Maybe a month.”

Yulen sighed. Stretching his arm behind his back, his fingers brushed the polished blade, reassuring himself that his sword remained close by. They were encamped along the road, on their way back from Rocky Gorge, and he was looking forward to returning home. Home where he would feel safer. Home to his son. Home where he could show off his new daughter.

He coughed slightly. Atty touched his cheek. Before she could ask, he shook his head. “I’m fine. Atty, what has Keelor said, if anything, about coming back with us to Alta Novis? I know you’ve spent most of this trip talking with her.”

It was a small thing, but he regretted not being able to spend this time on the road with his wife whenever he felt like it. He understood why the sisters remained nearly inseparable. Keelor and their mother had been kidn*pped by Bloods the same week he and his men invaded the Mutah compound of Wallis nearly four years ago. All this time, Atty had believed her mother and sister were dead. It had been a shock to find the elfin young woman alive and living at Rocky Gorge. Still, he missed having Atty by his side. He missed her teasing jabs. He missed her pointing out little things along the trail, bringing them to his attention as if she was a teacher and he her pupil.

He missed her presence, like a shield protecting him. The nightmare that had nearly killed him remained fresh in his mind. Every word, every nuance, every smell and situation. Although it had turned out to be a foretelling, he knew it would haunt him for the rest of his life. Only by having Atty beside him could he concentrate on the matters at hand. Only with her in eyesight could he feel sane and whole again.

He missed her because she completed him in a way he never believed possible.

“She doesn’t know what she wants to do,” Atty admitted. “And I’m not going to pressure her to make a decision. I’ll wait until she’s ready.”

“What if that decision is not forthcoming before we have to push off from Wallis?”

Atty shrugged. “I can’t say one way or the other. If you’re asking me if I’ll leave her behind to go back with you, I can’t make that decision either. Please don’t ask me to.”

“I won’t. I would never put you in that position,” he promised.

A soft whimper caught their attention. Atty sat up and retrieved their daughter from her makeshift bed. Yulen watched as his wife changed Mistelle’s nappie before bringing her back to where they were resting. Lifting her blouse and tucking it under her chin, Atty gave their daughter a n****e to nurse.

He watched in fascination, as he had when his wife had fed Mattox. Reaching down between them, he found one of Mistelle’s unusual feet and studied it. The infant tried to jerk it out of his hand.

“They must be sensitive.”

“Or they could be ticklish,” Atty chuckled.

He pressed lightly on the single nail. “Do you think these are hooves?”

“If all you saw were her feet, what would you think?”

Yulen acquiesced. “That they’re hooves. Do you think they’ll affect the way she’ll walk?”

“She’s half-Mutah. She’ll adjust in her own way. To be honest, she may have the advantage having the one toe.” Atty caressed the baby’s thick mop of golden-red hair. “I’ve examined every inch of her. Other than her feet, she will appear normal. She won’t have to face the prejudice and disdain most of us have to deal with because she’ll be able to hide her mark…unlike Mattox.”

“Mattox is a strong little man.”

“True. He’s strong and bull-headed, much like his father.” She gave him a teasing smile, which quickly faded. “But we can’t protect him all his life. He will have to learn to defend himself, and to stand up for himself. And sooner than we’d like.”

Yulen frowned at her. “Are you insinuating there are people in Alta Novis who are treating him with that disdain you mentioned?”

“Don’t deny you’re not aware of it. The first time newcomers see our son’s eyes, they react. Even though they all claim they are not prejudiced against Mutah, they are.”

He gave a deep sigh, and the action pleased him. After battling pneumonia and nearly dying because of it, the simple act of breathing was a blessing. “The people are trying, Atty. Those who’ve been at the compound for years have, for the most part, accepted you and the others with generous and open arms. But, as I’ve told you in the past, generations of hatred cannot be erased within the span of a few short years. We’re making progress. It’s gradual, and at times it feels like it’s crawling or come to a complete halt, but there is progress.”

“I know that, and I agree.” She raised the baby’s fist to her lips and kissed it. “We also knew what could happen if we chose to bring children into this world. We knew there was a good chance whatever Mutah genes they got from me could drastically affect their appearance…which would determine how Normals reacted to them.”

“My men have pledged to protect our children, as they’ve pledged to protect us,” he swore to her.

“I know, but still…”

“It’s your motherly instincts kicking in, beloved. The same way my paternal ones fire up whenever I see a blatant injustice against our son, or you, or toward any of the other Mutah residing at Alta Novis.”

Mistelle finished nursing. Sitting up, Atty placed the baby on her shoulder to burp her. It didn’t take long before the infant let go with a loud belch that made Yulen chuckle. As Atty rocked their daughter back to sleep, he continued to evaluate their options. “So what is our decision once we reach Wallis?” he reiterated.

“I don’t know. Perhaps it would be better if we waited to see how things develop along the way. We still don’t know how far Highcliff’s insane plan to send infected people to the Mutah compounds succeeded.” Her eyes widened with trepidation. “Wallis and the others may have suffered disastrous results.”

As always, he had to bow to Atty’s insight and wisdom. Best laid plans often hit a snag because of what could unexpectedly occur in this world. Every day he was able to open his eyes and see that she was still with him was a blessing. After what they had endured together these past few years, he no longer took their future for granted.

“You’re right. Let’s wait until we get there and evaluate the situation before we make any plans.” Squinting his eyes at her, he halfway teased, “You’re not having any foretelling, are you?”

“I wish I was, dear husband. I wish I was.”