Doc woke slowly, thinking about dinner the night before. Everyone who was close to his mission had been there, and it’d been a bright evening of friends and family. Wenn raised a half-dozen toasts to Doc over the course of the evening.
“Everyone was happy…” Rosa murmured.
Turning his head, he found her, as always, kneeling beside the bed and watching him. “I’m glad to hear that, Rosa. Come here.” He slid over, patting the bed. “Cuddle time.”
Eyes barely glowing, she climbed into bed— she knew he really just wanted to hold her and not more. Slipping under the blanket with her back to him, she giggled when he cupped her breast.
“Today marks the day that we leave for half a year or longer…” Doc murmured, kissing her shoulder.
“Yes, but we will come back for Sonya’s child,” Rosa whispered. “Unless the church blockades us, as you think of it.”
“If they’re that intent on me by then, I won’t put her or our child at risk. It’ll cut my heart, but I won’t expose them to that if I can help it.”
“She knows, Doc. I talked with Petal and she talked with them. You will have some contact, just like you did before.”
“Not as good as a ‘cell phone,’ but far better than it should be.”
The door opening got Doc to lift his head to see who it was. Sophia gave him a smile as she came into the room. “Good morning, my lovely wife.”
“Good morning, husband,” Sophia smiled. “Is our Weed teasing you?”
“No. I wanted a snuggle this morning.” He tweaked the nipple under his fingers, earning a moan from Rosa. “But I’ve teased her.”
“I see. Rosa, will you get him ready for me? Lia said we have thirty minutes before breakfast, and I want him at least twice before we finish.”
Rosa was out of Doc’s arms and down at the bottom of the bed in seconds.
Doc inhaled sharply, his eyelid twitching as he watched Sophia strip. “Feisty this morning.”
“Mother’s questions got me… eager for the act, if not her full wish,” Sophia murmured as she slid her dress off her body. “You don’t mind, do you?”
“I’ll never mind giving my wives as much love as they want.”
“Wonderful,” Sophia said, crawling into bed and pulling the covers off him.
~*~*~
Ayla snickered when the trio came into the dining room. “She ran you right up to the wire.”
“He was… commanding,” Sophia murmured happily as Doc sat her. “We did make it before breakfast was on the table.”
“Barely,” Jesamin laughed as she picked up the serving platters.
“But she did as I asked,” Lia added, helping bring the food and coffee to the table. “Fry bread and ground mutton with cheese and lettuce.”
“Oh, traditional breakfast,” Doc grinned, taking his seat. “Thank you, ladies. I enjoyed it when Lia made it last time.”
“I was only assisting. Your elder made this,” Lia smirked.
“You are heading out to further the work of Mother,” Jesamin said slowly. “I thought a good breakfast to show my appreciation would be welcome.”
Ayla giggled. “She also wants it to show her appreciation for yesterday.”
Jesamin flushed, but didn’t correct Ayla, which got Doc to chuckle.
“Thank you, Elder. I will enjoy every bit you offer,” Doc said, staring at her.
Jesamin looked away, blushing hotly. The last time he’d said that to her, it hadn’t been over food.
Lia snickered. “Stop teasing the elder, Shaman.”
The table laughed, but there was something missing. Doc looked at the side where Harrid had used to sit— the absence of a harrumph from his friend at the sexual banter was loud to him. Rosa rested her head on his thigh, giving him a sad smile. He stroked her hair before he put together his plate to eat.
~*~*~
The goodbye with Jesamin was subdued, though Doc did spend a good minute petting Krisriit and checking him over. The cougar hadn’t gotten a lot of time with Doc, but Doc could see the joy in the large cat when he slunk to Jesamin’s side.
The wagon they’d borrowed from the clan carried their luggage to the depot, with them walking behind it. As they went, Doc noticed the large number of people on their porches. When the first young boy ran out toward them, Doc smiled sadly. He healed the small cut the boy had on his leg, then sent him off.
No one cheered, and no one tried to stop them. The smiles on their faces were bright, though, because they’d all come out to see him off again. That touched Doc as he waved to the few who waved to him.
The depot had others waiting for them, and his heart clenched when he saw them. Their easy goodbyes the night before made sense to him now— they’d planned to be here when he left.
Geno stood with Lotus, Jasmine, and their two children in their arms. He gave Doc a respectful nod when he saw the group coming. Beside them, Gretchen stood with her son in her arms and a dwarven male beside her, looking a little uncomfortable; Doc tagged him as her husband. Posy and Daf were there, as well. Daf had a hand on Posy’s shoulder, likely to stop her from rushing at him. Becker and Koch stood on the platform with Greta and Otto, showing clan support for him.
The porters started getting their bags loaded as the group climbed onto the platform. Hugs and tears were prevalent as goodbyes or farewells were said. Doc kissed each of his children’s foreheads, then the mother’s cheeks, whispering good wishes to them.
Geno shook his hand firmly, promising to look after his wives and their children. Doc healed the part-dwarf of the minor aches he had, thanking him. He then infused the man with increased virility, softly commenting that he’d more than likely be a father in short order. Geno grinned broadly, thanking Doc once more.
There was a moment of awkwardness when Doc went to shake Gretchen’s husband, Derrick’s, hand. “Thank you, Shaman.”
“Derrick, you have an amazing wife. She chose well, and I think you two will be happy for years to come.”
“I will care for the children with my last breath, Shaman. I was honored when she chose me to marry.”
Doc infused Derrick the same way he had Geno, making it so the husband would be extra potent for the next few days. “Your wife might have twins next. Luck blesses the faithful. Thank you for caring for my wife’s best friend. If Sonya was here, she’d thank you, but since she isn’t, I do so in her stead.”
Derrick felt the energy rush into him and he swallowed. “I will always be faithful to Luck, second only to my wife and children.”
“Then Luck will surely smile down on you.”
The elders promised to keep the clan supporting him and thanked him for raising a shaman, shaking hands with him as they said their goodbyes. Greta hugged him, thanking him for the grandchild she would have and her new path in life. Otto clapped his back with a bright smile, saying much the same as Greta had.
The last ones for him to say goodbye to were Daf and Posy. He turned to them with wet eyes, seeing the tears in theirs to match his. Doc hugged Daf first. “Take care of yourself and your precious flower, Daf. Thank you for sharing her life with me. I hope nothing bad ever comes to either of you.”
Daf hugged him back, sniffling as she squeezed. “Thank you, Doc. You gave me the rest of my life with her, and gave her that smile she wears every day and a goal in life. Luck will have my prayers every day for bringing you to us. Be safe, and we’ll be here when you can visit again.” She kissed his cheek. “Go with Luck.”
Stepping back, Doc turned only to get staggered a step when Posy hit him with a tight hug. He picked her up, squeezing her back, the tears falling faster. “Hey, you… You be a good girl for your momma, okay?”
“I will!” Posy sobbed. “I’ll be the bestest flower for her!”
“Be safe, too. Your life means the world to me, Posy. I can’t let my first daughter get hurt.”
Posy sobbed harder, clutching him tightly.
“Until we see each other again, you’re Luck’s Voice in Deep Gulch. Help Greta with learning her gifts, watch the young ones, and…” His voice caught, making him clear it to keep speaking. “And, remember: I love you.”
“Love you, too, Poppa!” Posy sobbed. “Come back, okay? You have to come back, no matter what.”
Setting her down, he took a knee with her. Pushing her back a little, he met her eyes. “I will do my damnedest to come back. If that means moving mountains, well, I’ll push them by hand if I need to. But if it means I bring danger to you and the others, I’ll stay away until it is safe enough to come back… because you being hurt… I can’t… alright?”
Posy nodded, her lips quivering before she slammed into him again, crying harder. Daf collected her after a couple of minutes, and Doc walked to the side to compose himself.
“Shaman,” Masha said, having been staying to the side the entire time, “my brother and I will lay down our lives long before hers is taken. Every fiber of our being will be bent to her protection.”
“She is right,” Melvin added. “If the church comes in force, they will pay in blood before they touch a single hair on her head.”
“Peace, Voice,” Ambrose said, moving forward to hug him. “Your precious daughter will be safe, even if I have to spirit her into the wilds. I can see your thoughts and know what would happen if the worst came to be. The town will perish before your daughter ever comes to harm.”
Doc wiped his face, blowing his nose before he met their eyes. Seeing their dedication and resolute determination, he bowed his head. “Thank you. Be blessed by Mother and Luck.”
A few more words were exchanged before Doc stepped onto the train, the last of his group to do so. Holding onto the handle by the door, he waved to the crowd, as the town had come to the depot over the last half-hour. This time, the crowd cheered, hats were waved, and children were held up to see him off.
He stayed in the doorway even as the crowd got farther and farther away. It would only take minutes to reach the cliffs where he would pause to bless the tombs of the tribe and others who had been interred there— it was his last duty before he turned his eyes to the north. His plans were nearly complete for the railroads, and he needed to secure the Pale River tribes’ agreement for the mines in the frozen north.