The Unsuspecting Mage - Brian S. Pratt [144]
Rylin looks a little uncomfortable at the attention, but not altogether unhappy with it either.
Shawna’s face turns dark as she looks at the way her daughter is acting. She says crisply, “Sheila, go and start dinner for us please.”
Lifting her head off Rylin’s shoulder, she replies, “Yes mother.” She gives Rylin’s arm one last squeeze before going over to the wagon and starts gathering together the items she will need in order to prepare dinner.
Looking a little embarrassed, Rylin says, “I should go and check on the horses, make sure they will be alright during the night.” With a slight nod to Shawna, he turns and heads over to where the horses are picketed.
Stepping closer to Shawna, James says, “I take it you don’t approve of what is developing between Rylin and your daughter?”
Giving James a sharp glance which seems to say ‘It’s none of your business’, she says, “I don’t think a hired guard is a suitable match for my daughter, no.”
“What would be?” James asks. Seeing her expression darken, James hurriedly continues, “I mean, Rylin has already proven he would lay his life down for your daughter. Any other man you couldn’t be sure if his words of love are for her or her money.”
Her expression softens slightly as she begins to consider his words. “Rylin would always be there for her and she for him. You’ve seen them together, he loves her and she him. There can be no better foundation for a relationship than that.”
“Maybe,” she says, “but what kind of life is it to be married to a man like that? She should be married to a noble, so she can have servants to make her days easier for her than mine have been for me.”
“Would you have wanted an easier life if it meant not having been with your husband?” he asks her.
Smiling a sad smile, she answers, “No, I wouldn’t.” Chuckling a little she adds, “In fact, my mother was dead set against me marrying him, but I was in love.” Sighing a little, she continues, “We snuck out one night and got married in the next town.”
“Oh, you should have heard my father erupt when he found out what I had done,” she says with a wistful laugh. “We stood our ground and after awhile, they came to understand that we were meant for each other.”
He motions over to the campfire that Sheila has built, “It looks like she’s her mother’s daughter.”
Shawna turns and discovers that Rylin has found his way over to where Sheila is preparing the meal. He sits not far from her sharpening his sword while she slices vegetables for the stew pot. Sheila has a smile, a glow about her that only being near the one you love can bring. Miko found his way over there as well, trying to engage them in conversation, but is being completely ignored.
As she turns toward James, he can see that she now has a look of understanding, “It won’t be easy for them, especially her.”
“Since you will always need guards for you caravans,” James explains, “make him the lead guard and you’ll always have him near. She wouldn’t have to worry about what he is doing, or if he’s getting hurt.”
“Perhaps you are right,” she concedes and then makes her way over to the campfire.
Miko comes over to James and says, “No one is paying me any attention over there.”
James continues to look at Sheila and Rylin as he says to Miko, “They only have eyes for each other.”
“Why don’t we travel with them all the way into Trademeet?” Miko asks him.
“It’ll take too long. Besides, I want to find that temple quickly,” he explains. “There’s a war over there and if it should move north, I would like to be done with what I need to do before it gets there.”
Nodding, Miko says, “I hope we can find it fast.”
“So do I,” agrees James, “so do I.” He then goes over and joins the others by the fire.
After supper, they settle down around the campfire, Rylin and Sheila sit together, sharing a blanket. Shawna’s gaze is no longer one of disapproval, but a wistful one, remembering when she was young and in love with her man.
A strumming of a musical instrument from the soldiers’