Megan Lindholm by The Reindeer People

Author:The Reindeer People
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2011-12-16T14:28:54+00:00

CHAPTER ELEVEN

The questing tongues of fire popped the sap pocket under the hark of the pine log and crackled suddenly into reaching flames. Heckram opened his eyes to the new light. It felt earlier than their usual rising time, but Ristin was already up, sitting beside the hearth, a cup of tea in her hands. His eyes met hers, and hers suddenly brightened with moisture before she could turn away from him. He rubbed at his face, self-conscious at having caught her watching him sleep.

‘Is something wrong?’ he asked, his voice still thick with drowsiness.

‘No. No, everything is right. I was just thinking it was the last morning that my son would wake up in my home. Tomorrow I will wake up alone. And every day after that.’ Her voice tightened as she spoke, and she didn’t look at him.

Heckram rubbed at his face wearily, feeling the new stubble scratchy against his palms. He didn’t release the sigh coiled inside his chest. Mastering his own reluctance had been difficult enough. He didn’t think he could contend with Ristin’s new doubts as well, isn’t that what you wanted? It seems to me that I’ve been told any number of times that I should be in my own home, fathering grandchildren for your entertainment. So I finally take your advice, and wake up to find you weeping at me.’

Ristin gave a short, high laugh and then sobbed. She turned to him, her smile showing between the tears that damped her cheeks, ‘I am glad for you. So glad, and so pleased that it is Elsa with you. I don’t weep for your joining. Only for the changes it will bring. We old people always weep for the change times: for births, and deaths, for joinings and sunderings. They are the proper times for these tears.’

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