The Second Mango by Shira Glassman

Author:Shira Glassman [Glassman, Shira]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Prizm Books - Torquere Press LLC
Published: 2013-08-19T19:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11: Lighting the Candles

Rivka hadn’t spoken much since trailing off at the end of her story, and the final hour of the ride was mostly silent. Shulamit felt an awkwardness that was practically tangible; it was likely Rivka was withdrawing after spending most of the day speaking about her past. She remembered her own parallel incidents -- for example, those moments when she first told her ladies-in-waiting of her attraction toward other women -- when she was shy after revealing her heart and found it clumsy to return to ordinary discourse. So she tried not to take it personally.

But it made for a tense afternoon. She was awed at the painful events she had heard, but had little of value to say in response. Fortunately, at least the weather and the dragon’s stamina were both cooperating, and they arrived at a safe place to sleep without too much physical hardship.

“It’s still light,” said Rivka abruptly as she bustled around the rocks setting up their makeshift camp. “We should work on some of those self-defense techniques -- if you’re not fatigued from traveling.” She didn’t meet the queen’s eyes.

“No, I’m ready. Like this?” Shulamit took a stance on the rock as Rivka had shown her.

She tried her best to concentrate on the movements, and managed about a half an hour of work before she realized she had pushed herself beyond where her muscles wanted to go. “Rivka, I’m sorry. I need to stop and eat.”

“I’ll send Dragon to go hunt us some food,” said Rivka. “I saw some wild goats beyond the lake. That should give both of us more strength.”

“How will she know not to catch birds first? Aviva taught me that even cooking my meat in the same pan as fowl can contaminate my food and cause... problems... and I see ducks in the water, in the reeds.”

Rivka sighed, biting her lip. “I suppose I could ride with her and keep her to the goats. Do you feel safe waiting here for a few minutes by yourself?”

Shulamit weighed her options. After all she had been through, she still feared the assaults of unknown strangers. But she also had vivid, horrifying, humiliating memories of what would happen to her body if she ate anything tainted by the duck meat. Since it was something she’d experienced again and again, it rose up and took precedence. “I’ll wait here. I think I see mint growing by the lake; I’ll go collect some to season the goat.”

“Good idea. I noticed wild tangerines growing over that way too.” Rivka pointed.

Shulamit’s face brightened at the idea of unexpected fresh fruit. She hurried off toward the lake as Rivka hopped onboard her dragon’s back and leapt into the air.

Kneeling beside the lake gathering the choicest leaves from the wild mint plants into her lilac scarf brought back memories... scenes stored away close to her heart, wrapped in silk and scented with rose water.

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