eze swept through the hair, rustling the trees as the horses stepped out into the vast clearing, a grey field spreading out before them.

," Dov commented, riding

of fellow hunters behind him breaking

terous laugh as he spoke loudly, "We shall finally m

riend. Dov shrugged innocently and kept laughing, ignoring Bjorn's s

Sprite is," one of

even. He had been pushing off this union for the past ten years only for his mother to

he jeering men. They hadn't mentioned such nonsense during the hunt. Maybe it had been the

ar friend," Dov chuckled, his horse darting forward

ly grunted

ifferent place can be unsettling for a lot of people. I wonder if

side glance. "Don't even..." His lips turned d

ld like the even

Yes, Dov. I wou

w to describe the feeling, but he didn't want to call it nervousness. All he proba

cision of raising a proper woman well able to watch over my

h, Bjorn." Dov shook his head. "There is little to no privacy between married partners unless you want your wo

_________

her had given her mere minutes ago. As she held the clay vase in her hands,

ching the young lady trying to make

p and the harbour as they took to the sea. Harriett stood still, watching the Orion ship depart with her daughter

ng arm around Mel's shoulders and drawing the

ped at her face and she sniffed. She had to be strong. Weeping now on what was supposed to be a joy

g to leave a family you'

d in front of Mel and lightly touched her shoulder. "Come in, it

earning a sharp look from Eustace which made them rush about their business. Some sheepishly greeted the new bride-to-be and went about their way. They walked thro

s, and only the richest of clans built a few wooden structures. Then again, thos

the posh divans and the young woman sat down, g

other divan facin

." Eustace nodded at the p

he lone budding flower protruding from one of the green stems. "This

She took a long indrawn breath. "Do you mind if I sit beside you, Mel?

hifted and so did Ana, even though there was mo

at and eased herself beside

age to ask. Then she paused, her heart beating rapidly in anticipation. Then

ttention back when mama wa

rcumstances, your family cannot come." She touched Mel's arm and patted it, a sad look on her slig

o hold back she sniffed and rubbed at her eyes with her sleeves. Anna t

mind these... tears." Mel laughe

around the old woman, her chest swelling as she vented out

_________

aching. She shifted on the cushioned s

ping. Her head was apparently resting on Anna's lap too. She looked up at the sleeping fa

e was nowhere to be seen and Mel properly sat up, leaning back aga

er way to the door, about to open it and ask for water

ck with a start as E

closed his eyes and gave Mel a short nod. "My apologies for barging in,"

ispered. "Please I would

reveal a tray holding two metallic flasks and a

ping the tray on one of the stools before headin

g to serve the

to read her mind. "We will be at Or

?" Her eye

back to her seat and poured the water from the flask into the cup hersel

ned as she stared into space. It had been subtle, but she was ei

murmured to herself, "Maybe it's not

la

a and a warm smile returned to h

el expected and she wrapped her coat tighter around her body. There, she found Eustace on deck and h

ze and the old woman's eyes brighten

men on board disrupted the tranquilit

eally be we

_________

d by it. Even Enmel seemed more receptive the moment they got onli

o her home clan c

ad never really told me what h

erstanding of why her family wouldn't be available on her we

f the Grime clan eager to meet with Mel, and quite a number of them had brought s

e. There were a lot of domed stone structures, with just as many wooden ones, but the streets were wide and the ground was concealed with c

or even gates. Only a clear field surrounded the settlement as far as the eye could see and it seemed pr

e curtain and looked away from the window to find Eustace staring at her acr

tect against..." Mel brushed her lips with her fingers, unable to string her

nation has no need for fences. I believe

mered. "I have no excuse. I had a few lessons but I would have brushed up on them if I had

ered through the moving vehicle to seat beside Mel. She placed a comforting

wly shook her head. "I came to k

t's why you looked so under the weather. I thought it

she shook her head. "There was that too

y the blame. It's on us for taking this long to get in touch with you." She paused and then continued, her voice lower

ed until a persistent thought came to mind. She gently pulled away from Eustace and straightened. Facing the

by the question. Mel couldn't fail to notice it and

Mel couldn't place on her features. Whether it was pit

ed about the fact that you do not know the ans

still puzzled, she aske

tell you." She took Mel's hand in her slightly wrinkled one and gave her a soft, gentle squeeze. "It

. "But I am... I could hav

e husband and this was the most lenient "instruction" he could give." She swallowed. "We truly wish you no har

last words. She was marrying a good man. If h

t.

st gave up. Thought you wer

ong extent, plus he was busy taking over the clan after his father's

after all. She looked up at Eustace. "But I am still curious and I woul

hey heard a few light taps on

reason, Eustace'

rd has

hink of it, she had never even bothered to know his name. Eustace was a sweet woman, but woul

ht outside riding with them? Mel clamped her

before continuing to speak. "Is he right ou

e and the men are back from hunting... We will g

small or anything, but I saw a considerable large number of people

d she beamed. "Majority of our

ew wide and she tried to

even more down below. It is a beautiful sight down there, and most sections of some ho

what to say. That is beyond... how do you see in the dark-" She immediately shook her head, berating h

e. In addition, the winters are heavy and hars

red to her to take off her coat and Eustace hadn't bothered to ask her to remove it. She thought of Anna. Her maidservant had

ly. "You will find everyt

e some of the freedom she had at home and she would love to explore this new worl

k that much different from Mel. This led to an immediate thought of her husband. How big wo

I seem adequate. I learned what I could about Orion, but not about i

of each other's general traditions, but not too much of the ones precise to each clan. And you don't need to apologize for anything. Your mother was the one who told me herself t

an the half-truth. Mel had never been serious with what she learned, even regarding lessons about her own cl

inished those words, the carriage halted. She held Mel's ha