Change of Plans

In my restless half-sleep I have a sense of being cold while curled up on hard ground with rough grass against my face and hands. That is, until a warm dry blanket is spread over me and a lithe demon-hot body curls up inside my ‘spoon’. My whole body relaxes as my Lady’s unique aroma fills my noise and the cool of the night is erased in our little cocoon of love.

“Mmmm.” I stir and nuzzle into Rosa’s soft hair between her horns, pulling her into me. I whisper. “This must be a dream.”

“Mmm.” She wriggles into me. “Of a sort.”

“Hahhh. Now that’s a better wakeup call than any old rooster.”

With a giggle she reaches back and strokes my cheek. “Sleep a bit longer, my love.”

It is then I hear whispered voices a short distance away along with the rustle of things being folded and packed away. Allowing myself to fully surface I blink my eyes open to see Cassie and Colly putting away our belongings that had been left out to dry over the night. Around us is the lovely cacophony of morning bird song, extra welcome this particular morning. With a kiss to Rosa’s head I rub my eyes and sit up.

Making note of the sky to the east already past pink and into amber I mutter. “Overslept.”

“Rest, Quin.” Rosa strokes my arm. “Cassie says you were up late. We’re safe. Sylvanus is happy this morning.”

“No, thank you.” I kiss her delicate hand. “I’m good to go. Just needed a couple of hours.”

“Good mornin, Thir.” My goblins says as she is laying out a couple of apples along with some soggy cheese and flatbread on a flat stone she’d brought up from the bank.

“Mornin, Colly.”

“Food’th low. Thith is it.”

“Mmm.” I nod. We hadn’t gotten to stock up either at Tiro’s or my old home and the food we had was what survived getting waterlogged as Colly had been carrying our rations. “We’ll find more. No worries.” My assurance brightens her mood.

With a glance and a smirk Cassie says. “About time you woke up. Thought you might sleep until noon.”

I grin back and quip. “I was worn right out. It was a long day…and night.”

Rosa, now sitting beside me with most of the blankets around her, leans into my side, head upturned, and…sniffs. Touching my lips and chin she brings her fingers to her nose and sniffs again. Biting back an amused smile of her own she puts two and two together and realizes why Cassie and I were a bit more chipper this morning than one might expect. She pulls me in for a kiss then pats my cheek. “Okay, lover boy. Let’s get you shaved and put something in your belly.”

The thought of arguing did cross my mind but I could sense that Rosa was set on this, our morning shave ritual had become an important daily ritual of care and bonding in our time together. We’d skipped it twice already so early in our journey and it was something neither of us wanted to lose. With Sylvanus’ song alive all around us it felt like we could afford a few more minutes to feel our souls before we fed our mouths.

After getting dressed and looking after herself Rosa takes charge of me, sitting me back against one of the loaded packs. With the help of her cooling tesserae and Danae at her side nudging her this way and that to keep her on safe footing Rosa goes down to the river to collect some water, returns, finds the shaving kit, unfolds the leather and begins to sharpen the blade, all without the aid of anybody else. After months of doing it Rosa’s deft hands could shave me better than I could shave myself.

I close my eyes and relax as I feel the cooling touch of the magic that allowed Rosa to ‘see’, though just for a moment as she memorized the location and position of my neck and face. Straddling my thighs so tight to me that I could feel her balls touch my penis through our clothes Rosa washes my face then rubs some oil across my whiskers. As she always did she takes her time with this part, knowing how good it made me feel. Then with clean, steady, perfect strokes she scrapes the razor over my stubble. Each time she wipes the blade, touches my face to get angle just right, then pulls the blade down my cheek or neck. Another might have been nervous to have a blind woman drawing sharp steel over their throat, but not me. Not with Rosa. She finishes with a rinse then wipes my face clean. Not done with me yet she stays on top of me to brush my hair.

When she was done she feels around my face and gently pets my hair to ensure all was just how she wanted it. She finishes with a kiss and whisper for my ear alone. “So handsome” She shimmies back and pats the erection now tenting my breeches that her moving and rubbing had aroused. “Down boy.”

I chuckle. “Yes, my Lady.” I lay my hand over her stomach and hold it there a moment, hoping our growing child could somehow feel her father’s warmth and love. “You ready, Rosa?”

With a tender smile she lays her hand over mine and nods. “I’m ready.”

We get up, I adjust my clothes, then I at last get to work with the others.

“Look Mathter.” Colly says as she proudly leads Catalus around in a slow circle as Cassie watches the animal closely. “He’th okay!”

“He’s moving better everyday.” I say, noting there was only a hint of a limp now. “Miraculous given he hasn’t had a proper rest. To say nothing of walking over those river rocks last night.”

Cassie approaches Catalus and brings him to a stop. She pats his onyx shoulder then kneels down to feel around his ankle wrapping. “He’s no common cart horse. This boy was bred for war.”

“Those Iberians take pride in their steeds.” I say, approaching to pet his neck. “Especially those in Andalusia. Quique and Oeneus spoke of a breeder near their hometown who spun a magic of a sort when a mare was in season.”

Cassie stands and rubs under his chin. “I suspect the big baby was just playing it up for sympathy. I think it’s safe to at least let him carry the packs. Maybe Rosa in a pinch, but she weighs nothing.”

“Hey now.” Rosa says with a cheek full of apple, the juice wetting her lips. “I’m big enough to put a sassy girl over my knee.”

“Promises, promises.” Cassie laughs. “I’m just saying I think our soldier’s ready for the front line again.”

“Agreed.” I say, turning to her. “Anything odd last night while I slept? Weird silences…anything?”

“Nothing.” Cassie says. “Either it’s lost our trail or…I dunno, disappeared. Who can say.”

“Either way Fortuna is with us.”

The others already had the packs packed so, after taking out a bit of the leather we’d brought, I lash them together and affix them onto the horse’s harness. Free of gear we would be able to move much more nimbly now and push longer into the day if needed. The leather I wrap around the base of my sword’s blade and feed it through the ring on my belt turned baldric. It wasn’t perfect and the leather would fall free if I had to draw the sword but it was better than having naked steel bumping against my back all day long. I would have to get myself a proper scabbard eventually but this would do for now.

The others gather near me. Colly offers me my breakfast and I take it from her, planning to eat it on the move. She stands beside me. Cassie waits with Catalus’ lead in her hand. Rosa waits about six feet away, hands folded in front of her, with her fox sitting at her feet, it’s fluffy tail curled around its paws. All of them look to me, even Danae, waiting for what came next. The faith I saw in their eyes leaves me humbled yet feeling strong, like that ‘rock’ Cassie spoke of last night.

“The river trick seemed to work. We’ll use the river a bit further. Maybe cross a few times back and forth.” I look to Collywaddle. “At the shallower areas. With luck, a lot of luck, maybe we’ll come across Rosa’s bracelet. Either way we’ll make for the bridge that is east of here then get onto the path. And then…” Cassie and I share and hold a gaze for a few seconds before I say. “We go. South.”

“South?” Rosa says as she and Danae tilt their head in perfect unison, though in opposite directions.

Holding back a laugh at the cuteness of it I say. “I’ll explain on the way.”