It just so happened that Rhia’s third day of rest, post-partum, fell on New Spring’s Eve. At noon, she was up and about after promising, of course, to nap when she needed to rest.
The townsfolk had arrived and the vast courtyards that surrounded the villa were brimming with revelers. There was nothing quite like a New Spring party, but this one had a few very special twists.
The first of which, were the two receiving lines—RuArk sat at the head of one for the men, and Rhia sat at one for the women. It was wholly Gaian and nothing she’d ever seen before at a festival of any kind. She was relieved when her mother-in-law accepted an invitation to sit with her.
Besides, it was only proper since Mila was in residence, that she personally present the beautiful sarands Rhia had commissioned from the vast amount of silk the woman had sent over weeks ago. Sitting beneath a large sun sunshade in the middle of the largest courtyard, Rhia greeted every woman, whether Draeman or Gaian, with a genuine smile.
Her heart filled with warmth as one after another expressed gratitude to the Queen of Gaia, who winked as each held the colorful garments up to their bodies. Rhia knew they were imagining what they would look like once they put them on, because she’d done the same on several occasions after receiving one of the lovely outfits.
RuArk presented each man with a well-made dagger and a tunic with the sigil of the Wind embroidered over the left breast—a symbol that they were, indeed, under his Protection. When RuArk had first arrived, the Draeman accepted him because he had the blessing of the High Counsel. Now they accepted him because he’d shown himself to be a man worthy of respect, and they would serve without question.
Rhia shook her head at the strange, yet wonderfulness of it all. These people were Draeman citizens on the edge of their province. Their Council of Seven rep hadn’t been through in so long, many didn’t even remember what he looked like. Yet here were the elusive Gaian, again showing their hospitality.
The kitchen had outdone itself providing relaxed, but substantial meals for everyone, even those who preferred Draeman engineered synth protein meals. The Houseman had managed to spice up the blandness of the foodstuff, which put the staff firmly in godlike territory as far as Rhia was concerned.
The acres of gardens RuArk ordered installed a cycle ago had yielded abundantly, so there was no need to send to Gaia for all the ingredients they needed. As a result, the feast was the most lavish and decadent the people had ever experienced. They were getting used to seeing some rich Gaian food, but only those who resided, worked, or reported to RuArk in the Protector’s home had the fare with any regularity.
Fish from the lake were now freshly baked and laced with ginger butter. Roasted wild hare and water fowl had such a variety of sauces to choose from that it was impossible to select just one.
The sweet orange-colored squash preserved during the winter had been taken out of the stores, baked and then garnished with mint sprigs and fresh berries. Several roasted yearling calves turned over a spit in the center of the courtyard were constantly surrounded by merrymakers urging the cooking staff to slice the succulent meat faster.
There were loaves of hot crusty bread still warm from the baker’s ovens, rolls with honey were piled high on huge platters. Next to them was as array of colorful, fresh greens, crispy and sweet, smothered with a tart and creamy dressing. Pans of crispy noodles tossed in a kind of sweet and sour spice sat next to trays of meat pies filled with duck, chickpeas, carrots, potatoes, onion and savory broth.
Rhia had deferred to Joan on the desserts, and the woman’s choices were beyond addictive. She’d had the bakers deliver fruitcakes soaked in lemon liqueur, shortcake drizzled with hot butter and a dollop of winterberry jam, and Gaian coffee laced with dark chocolate rounded out the desserts. The children received hot chocolate and sweets of hardened spun sugar made into little trees, animals and tiny sigils of both Draema and Gaia in every color imaginable. They quickly became a favorite of the kidlets who wished to be just like their Protector and First Heir.
The warriors stationed inside the township rode to the outer walls and delivered goodies to their comrades on guard duty so no one was left out of the festivities.
All the townsfolk mingled together with no care that some of them were Draeman and some were from the land of Gaia across the river. Celebrating well into the night, the courtyard emptied slowly, each person returning to their home with high spirits and a lighter, though somewhat wobbly, step.
The following morning was the traditional exchanging of the gifts. Rhia rose early, threw on a morning suit and robe and after their feeding, scooped up the twins. RuArk was already breaking his fast, standing in front of the fireplace near the high table when she arrived. He sipped a steaming cup of coffee and held another out for her.
RuArk relieved her of their daughter and rubbed his face against a chubby cheek. Gurgling in response to her father’s attention, Relaina Grey grabbed a fistful of his long black hair and promptly stuffed it into her mouth. Rhia smiled at the tender scene. RuArk dropped a kiss on Taté Icamna’s forehead as they turned both babies over to their caregiver, Rose.
Sharing a plate, they sat at the high table. Speaking quietly to one another, they watched their friends and family make their way into the hall. Almost every one of them headed directly for the coffee carafes to pour a healthy cup and not bothering with sweetener or crème.
“I think there may have been a bit more liqueur in those desserts than expected,” RuArk whispered with a wicked grin.
Rhia snapped her gaze to her husband’s. “Did you...?” He winked. She gaped. “You did that on purpose? Seriously?” He said nothing. Instead, he simply raised his cup with a wink and took a sip of the steaming brew.
Marth plopped down in the seat opposite RuArk.
“I believe I should have left my head upstairs with my lifemate,” he groaned, took a gulp of his coffee, and then rested his forehead daintily in his hands.
“Marth, I don’t believe I have ever seen you with elbows on the table, head in your hands and utterly miserable,” RuArk chided.
Marth grumbled. “Your voice is as loud as that bloody train that runs through the eastern Neine.”
RuArk laughed even louder and Rhia stifled a giggle as Marth lapsed into a round of pitiful groaning.
“Perhaps you should give up your swords and take up gardening. Flowers are nice and quiet,” Rhia said. Marth turned toward Rhia and tried to scowl, but he couldn’t get his facial muscles to cooperate. He settled for a low growl instead.
“Speaking of life mates, when is Linc going to join with Sharyn?” RuArk asked.
“Your cousin, Sharyn, is the most stubborn Miwatani alive, and that includes you, RuArk.”
“Well,” Rhia chimed in, “he’s been wooing her relentlessly.”
“Hopefully Linc’s gift is impressive enough to move her to say yes. Finally.”
“Speaking of gifts, isn’t it time?” Rhia asked.
“Indeed.” RuArk stood and signaled to Lunis, who then signaled to a Houseman closest to the door. A moment later, a loud gong-like sound filled the room. Rhia knew the same sound was ringing throughout the villa. It usually rang five minutes before main meals, but today it signaled gift giving time.
Moments later, the last of their family and Household, with their mates and children streamed in and took their seats. This was a very private affair. Rhia knew that across the river, the rest of their family was doing the exact same thing—honoring one another with gifts of love.
Linc escorted Queen Mila and Sharyn, along with Joan, Brita, Drefan, Dalmore, Osgar and several other bleary-eyed folks.
When the Housemen brought in box after box, Rhia sat...and sat, and sat as her eyes got wider and wider. Her father, who had come in and taken the chair next to her, winked devilishly.
No wonder there weren’t any goodies for me in the things that arrived weeks ago.
There were endless packages and containers to open and every single one was for her and the new babies! The notes and little tags showed that the Grandfather, numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and other members of Clan Miwatani had all sent their love.
She received several sets of linens for summer and warm soft silks for winter. She crooned over leather leggings with matching tunics, boots and vests—some silk-lined and some fur-lined to accommodate the weather. And the cloaks with special pockets in the lining for her weapons to be concealed were to die for. Now who had thought of that?
The gifts for the children were just as amazing. Not one cradle, but two, hand carved, polished and engraved with their sigils. There were beaded soft leather shoes, tiny buckskin leggings and shirts in all shades of soft blue, yellow, white, green, gray and pink. Then came the tiny silk undershirts, tightly woven cotton bibs, warm hats, wraps and such. There were so many outfits, clothes and toys for the children that Rhia wondered how she would get them to wear it all, play with it all, and chew on it all before they were ten cycles old. Rhia turned to her mother-in-law in awe.
“How did you know we were having two babies, a girl and a boy?”
“The Grandfather told us.”
That should have been no surprise. The man knew everything.
Marth gave Joan a pendant of the clearest, most beautiful pink diamond set inside a loop of cleverly intertwined silver and gold strands, and hung on a thin rope of gold.
In true suitor-in-pursuit-of-warrior-mate fashion, Linc gifted Sharyn with a new bow, wrist guards and a quiver of arrows designed especially for her. The bow was carved of spirewood, a rare tree found only in the northernmost forests of Gaia. It was light and pliable, but incredibly strong and durable. The bowstring was crafted of the thinnest, most flexible steel cord Rhia had ever seen. This would eliminate the need for concern if caught fighting in wet weather.
The quiver was fashioned from oiled leather. It was full, but still somewhat smaller and lighter than the one she presently carried. They all wondered why until Sharyn began to remove the arrows—they were made of hollowed, brushed Draeman steel and were thinner and shorter than her traditional wooden arrows.
Remarkably, these arrows could fly a much farther distance and she could carry more of them. The vivid burgundy feathers set into the ends, the colors of the house of O’dann, were coated with a clear, almost undetectable finish to protect them from the elements.
The most unexpected present was Marth and Linc’s parents who’d arrived just in time for the exchange, along with Joan’s parents who’d come from the High City to surprise their daughter and meet their new son-in-law.
Rhia nervously presented RuArk with his gift—a hand sewn white buckskin shirt, with beadwork done in the traditional blue hues of Clan Miwatani, along with the subtle grays of his house.
“I understand the time and effort it takes to make something like this. So I have one question, Rhia—between running the estate, learning the Gaian customs, and training any and all who wished to learn the skill of the blade, when in the world did you have time to do something like this?”
“A woman has her secrets,” she mused. Then he kissed her soundly in front of all their close friends and family, which caused a raucous cheer.
“Well, one good turn deserves another,” he said with a wink and a devilish smile.
From the warrior who had once forbidden her to wear anything but the sarand, she now received the finest and most beautifully made fighting gear and workout clothes done in a cross of the Draeman and Gaian styles. Her man had style and she recognized the quality that went into each and every piece.
And it was all for her.
By the time he placed the final two packages in her hands she was in tears, overwhelmed by the generosity of this fierce, yet tender man. One box contained a finely wrought gold ring with an ancient Gaian blessing engraved on the inside. On the outside, instead of the sigil of the Wind Storm, RuArk had created a swirling combination of lines and symbols that brought together the Wind Storm and the Fire Storm to create a new sigil symbolizing the gathering of the Storms.
He slipped the ring on her finger and waited. Rhia sat down heavily in a chair and just looked at her hand for long moments.
“It’s feminine, yet sturdy, just like you. Do you like it?”
When she could take her eyes off the ring, she stood and kissed her husband on the cheek, but still said nothing. There were no words that fit what she was feeling—the piece symbolized the intertwining of their lives. Her father had been right from the very beginning—she would never be alone as long as RuArk had breath in his body.
“I’ll take that as a yes?” he queried.
She nodded dumbly as he took her hands and placed the final gift into her trembling fingers.
This last box contained a dagger wrought of the finest hardened black steel. At first glance, it looked identical to her mother’s, which she always carried. When she looked a little closer, the saw that the forging and style of the weapons were unique enough that she could tell them apart.
“This was made for you, my love. While you may look like your wonderful mother, you are not her,” RuArk said. “You are yourself, your own woman, and I love everything about you. I hope that you can leave the past behind and move forward into a future of your own making.”
She looked up, throat clogged with tears, and whispered, “No. A future of our making.”
She got it. She truly knew what he’d been trying to show her all along. She was Rhia. No one else. There was no need to try to emulate anyone else. She was respected and loved simply because she was herself. And that was enough.
She removed her mother’s dagger from the little sheath that was always strapped around her thigh. She held it up to the light and examined the expertly crafted blade. The hilt, beautifully inlaid with gold and silver, was somewhat worn now. She stood and turned to her father with shimmering eyes and a watery smile. She took his hand and presented her mother’s blade to the High Counsel.
“She would want you to have this, Father. For a long time, it was my link to her, my way of reaching out to her so I wouldn’t feel so alone. But I’m not alone anymore. She would want you to live again. As you begin to do so, remember her with fondness. Not with grief.”
Wrapped in her father’s arms, hot tears ran down her cheeks—a mix of her own and his. It was a bittersweet moment that she would remember forever.
Once back in her seat, RuArk took her hand and gave an affectionate squeeze, but in his eyes were unspoken promises of things to come as soon as her time of recovery from the birthing was done.
At the calls of cheer that circled the room, Taté Icamna would not be left out of the festivities. From their cradle near the high table, Relaina Grey slumbered but her brother let out a rafter-shaking wail that declared a feeding would happen now and the rest of New Spring be damned.
* * * * *
The three-day celebration had gone off without a hitch and, once again, everyone headed home. Thankfully, the weather was cooperating nicely for those who had to travel. Though it was somewhat chilly in the early hours, there was very little wind. A late night rain had fallen and morning dawned with clear blue skies.
Evidence of the new season spread quickly. Lush green fields and newly budding trees were abundant, just as they’d been when they’d arrived at this same time last spring.
Marth and Linc’s parents had instantly loved Joan and they’d all gotten along splendidly. Now, all the Gaian in-laws were packed up and ready for the trip across the river to RuArk’s private home at Wind Song. From there, the King and Queen would go to the high seat of Miwatan to the east, while the O’dann’s would ride for their home in the Plains to the northeast.
The High Counsel and Joan’s parents headed for the train depot in central Draema Neine for their ride back to the High City. RuArk sent two fireteams with them to make sure they cleared the passes down out of the mountains safely. New Spring may have been a fabulous affair, but he had not forgotten the threat that loomed over Rhia’s life. While it had been strangely quiet for months, he didn’t believe for a second that the danger had simply faded to nothing.