The Fox by Arlene Radasky

Author:Arlene Radasky [Radasky, Arlene]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, Historical, Fantasy
ISBN: 9781439211755
Publisher: BookSurge, LLC
Published: 2008-11-17T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 15

JAHNA

75 AD August

Lovern waited outside the door to our dwelling, his eyes filled with questions. After treading slowly through the gates of our village, my head full of doubts and fear, I stopped in front of him, not knowing how he would receive me. He gently took both my hands into his, raised them to his lips, and kissed my fingers, his tears wetting my knuckles. His right hand moved to my head – I leaned into it – and his left hand to our doorframe; he prayed a blessing on our home and me. His hand then rested on my shoulder. I looked into his deep blue eyes and saw an immense relief and then deep concern. Dread replaced my temporary happiness. I did not know how much he knew of the events that led me here.

“I arrived home several days ago,” he said, “after you came to me in the passage dream. We rode as fast as we could, stopping only to sleep a few hours and feed the ponies. You were gone when I arrived. I learned of your taking and of Beathan’s death from your mother.”

I bowed my head, unable to look into his eyes any longer.

“I thanked all the gods for sparing your life,” he said. “I wanted to ride after you to comfort you and heal your spirit. I craved to hold you in my arms and assure myself you were well.”

“Yet you did not come,” I whispered. “Why?” The heat of his body touching my skin made my stomach burn. I drew into myself, unclean, not worthy of his touch. I felt his arms fall away, and air moved as he stepped back. In my mind, I knew he smelled the stench of the badger, the man who took me, which I carried in my nose continually.

“I could not leave your mother. We have taken her to the hospice. She was not eating when I arrived two days ago. She is very ill.”

Startled at his news, I said, “My mother? My mother is not here?” I had prayed to hear her healing words on my arrival home. Disturbing news of my mother’s progressing illness was not in the vocabulary of my dreams. My stomach turned inside out, and my world began to tumble again. My reunion with Lovern, curative moments of talk and love, would have to wait. The forgiveness I felt at Beathan’s tomb was far away in the depths of my heart.

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