Concubine by Momsdarksecret

Author:Momsdarksecret [Momsdarksecret]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Amazon: B00D002UAK
Publisher: Diane Berger
Published: 2013-05-23T12:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11: Spring

The weather turned fast in Shendar, especially in the mountains. Just as Cray had said it would, the snow started melting after a few weeks, and it did so with a vengeance. Ravines and washes that had been dry during the waning months of summer now gushed with water as snowmelt flooded down the mountains and poured out onto the valley floor. The waterfall behind the castle ran at full flood, the sound of its water crashing over the rocks so loud that it could be heard in rooms on the opposite of the castle. Reston woke up that morning thinking it was raining, only to realize that what he was hearing was the rush of the waterfall. Cray was still asleep beside him, so he slipped out of bed carefully and pulled on his robe before padding out onto the balcony curiously. Of course, he could not see the waterfall from the balcony, but the sound was very loud. Looking out into the valley, he was astonished to see that the land below had become a shallow lake, the slow moving river bisecting it all but invisible in the general flood. The rising sun glistened on the water.

Cray appeared beside him. “It’s pretty when it floods.”

Reston shook his head. “I do not understand you Shendars. A flood like this would be a disaster in Veldi.”

Cray chuckled softly. “It floods every year, Reston. We expect it. It’s what keeps the valley so fertile.” He pointed at something. “Do you see the skiff? The farmers will tend the walls around the fields to ensure the water doesn’t run off too quickly. The sediment washed down from the mountains is full of nutrients that will refresh the soil.”

Reston looked where Cray was pointing and saw someone polling a flat-bottomed skiff across the water. “Isn’t that dangerous?”

“Not if you stay away from the bottoms of the washes and steer clear of the river itself. The current there can be very strong.” Cray leaned on the railing. “I used to go polling when I was younger.” He sounded wistful. “It was fun.”

Reston studied Cray’s profile. He never tired of looking at the younger prince. “How long will it stay flooded?”

“A few weeks. Maybe a month.” Cray pushed away from the wall and turned to face him. “The Kithrin Plain probably looks a lot like this right now. There are no major rivers through the plain, just lots of streams. But the runoff will have swollen them to dangerous levels, as well as causing a general flood like this. If the Kithki didn’t start moving south before, they will have by now.”

Reston nodded. “Then we should be expecting messages from the front any day now. Is the next supply caravan ready to go?”

“Almost. I’m waiting for some medical supplies from Sherdoe.”

“The flood’s not going to hold that up is it?”

“No.” Cray shook his head. “The highway is above the flood plain, remember.”

“Right.” Reston glanced back out at the water. The sun had climbed higher, turning the floodwaters to a muddy brown.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.