Title: Bobby's Birthday
Author: Sam
Series: Choices Freely Stolen 06 / ?
Rating: M: sexual discussion; future chapters
Setting: Autumn 1992: The Realm of Dungeons & Dragons
Summary: Bobby's eighteenth birthday is a turning point in the young Barbarian's life. Happy Birthday, Bobby.
Feedback: Please? I love comments.
xxx
October 27, 1992
The harsh glare of sunlight across her face woke Terri from a rare pleasant dream. She brought her hand up to shade her eyes and blinked in the early morning brightness. Something felt different but it took a moment or two for her to realize what it was: she felt completely rested.
Terri stretched, smiling as she worked the kinks from her arms and back. Rolling over, the Dreamer smiled wider. Bobby lay next to her, on his back, one arm flung wide and mouth open in a light snore. Ever since Dara had begun standing watch with Bobby, he seemed less restless after his watches ended. Slowly Terri stood and moved among her other sleeping friends, careful not to tread on hand or foot.
Her smile softened as she nodded to Uni who leaned against Eric's gold-sparkled flank while they ate their vegetarian breakfast, remaining alert and on watch.
"Hey," Terri slipped to the ground next to Uni, leaning against Eric and reaching for a bowl of grains and berries; Eric must have eaten his main meal earlier. For the last few days Terri had been getting up early to join the other two in breakfast. It was far easier to simply eat with the pair than to explain to Dara why she didn't like any of the food the guide provided everyone. Most of their meals now consisted of wild game, roots, berries, and other wilderness edibles. Dara had even delighted in presenting special tidbits to Eric, probably because she adored the unicorn, and Terri, who remained on the verge of nausea and exhaustion. Terri privately suspected Dara of trying to poison her but couldn't figure out why. Thus, she had taken to eating with the equally distrustful Uni and Eric.
As Terri sat, Uni smiled in return. "Hey back, Terri."
Eric softly whickered a greeting.
Terri slipped a wild onion into her mouth and savored the gentle bite of the vegetable, smiling wider. She'd always loved onions, but somehow Dara's use of them had turned Terri's stomach against them recently. Surprisingly, this was the first onion the teen had been able to even get near since the guide had joined the party. She enjoyed every last drop of juice.
Shifting a bit, Terri leaned against Eric's flank, next to Uni. Of the entire group, no one else had dared use Eric as a backrest. At first, Terri had only done so due to her continuing exhaustion, but now she leaned on the former Cavalier regularly. Somehow, she thought he enjoyed the contact. Since he'd become a unicorn, the others rarely touched Eric anymore . . . except Uni. She always retained as much contact as possible, even keeping a hand on his shoulder while they walked.
When her mouth was clear, Terri turned a curious look on the red-haired Elf beside her. "Do you think Dara's been poisoning me?" She hadn't meant to ask the question, but now that she couldn't take it back, Terri really did want an answer.
Maroon eyes met denim blue and Uni took a slow bite of a large apple. After chewing thoughtfully she swallowed and nodded. "Not sure."
Eric's head bobbed and he whickered softly, though Terri wasn't sure if he was agreeing with her or with Uni.
"But you don't think I'm crazy for believing it, do you?" Terri pushed.
Eric shook his head, mane rippling. Uni patted him absently and said, "You're safer not trusting her." She paused, sharing an unreadable look with Eric, then turned back to Terri. "She gives me a creepy, nauseous feeling. Airk, too."
The unicorn bobbed his head once more.
With a sigh, Terri nodded and began to nibble on the watercress Uni had provided. "I thought I might just be paranoid." She glanced at Eric then hesitantly lifted a hand to stroke his soft flank. As he watched, expression confused but not annoyed, Terri petted him again. "I've gotten less and less sick this last week. I'm even putting weight back on. I was using the tightest hole on my belt but now I'm at the second hole."
Nudging Uni gently with his nose, Eric made a wuffling noise Terri didn't understand . . . until Uni held up an apple on her flattened palm for him to eat. Eric crunched it slowly, dark brown eyes narrowing in pleasure. The apple tree they'd found last night really had been a boon; apparently most of the Champions hadn't seen apples in years on their travels.
"And you are not sick today, Terri," Uni observed with a small smile. She patted Eric's soft nose and looked at the other teen. "Or you wouldn't have eaten the onion or the cress. Both have made you sick recently."
Terri laughed, taking a bite from her own breakfast apple. Titling her head, swallowing, Terri asked "so you think Dara might be keeping me sick? Why would she?"
Uni shrugged. "I don't know. I just don't trust her, Terri." At Eric's whicker of agreement, Uni added, "she keeps trying to feed Airk, too. She's offered many times to brush him down and change his bandages." Uni looked up at the bandaged claw injury that wouldn't seem to heal. She sighed and turned back to Terri. Slowly, she said, "I think . . . she wants to . . . steal Airk."
Shock stiffened Terri's spine, but Eric reacted as if this thought was old news. The eighteen year old Dreamer turned to the older Elf and repeated "steal? But how? She couldn't get away with it, Uni. We'd know instantly that he's gone."
Frustration seemed to vibrate through the former unicorn. She rose gracefully to her feet and grabbed a currying brush Ayisha had provided in Eric's pack. Turning, she quickly began to run the brush over Eric's side, in preparation for getting him into the barding and hated saddle. "I think she studies me too closely. As if she is memorizing me."
"Memorizing you?"
The sleepy voice made the pair of women jump, but Eric merely turned his head, having heard Presto's soft-footed approach. The Magician held up a hand, sleeve sliding to his elbow and revealing a wristwatch that had long stopped working: its battery had died years ago. "Hey. I heard voices so came over, but I couldn't catch what you guys were talking about. All I heard is 'memorizing me.' Should I go away again?"
Eric shook his head emphatically, his vocal response almost a neigh. Uni and Terri spoke as one. "No!"
"Don't go, Presto," Uni added with a genuine smile for the auburn-haired man. "Is anyone else awake?"
Presto nodded. "Diana and Sheila are up. They're going to take advantage of the stream running by the apple tree over the hill. But the others are still sleeping." He took the brush from Uni's hand and stepped to Eric's other side, starting to curry his long ago best friend. "I peeked under Hank's bandages and his wounds are totally healed . . . only a minor scar left. I can't say the same for Sheila, but her face looks ninety percent better than when we started. I told her to leave off the bandages so she can get some sun." His voice was nonchalant, but his tone was hungry. Presto stayed almost exclusively silent around Dara due to her obvious and intense dislike of him. Apparently, the Magician was in desperate need of conversation.
Terri sighed and stood. "That Rosemary Tincture Dara used on Hank seems to have done the trick." She shook her head. "Sorry Presto for ditching, but I'm gonna join the ladies. I . . . gotta go." With a small smile, Terri took her half-finished breakfast with her as she headed towards the tree over the hill.
Uni ducked around Eric's side to stand next to Presto. She studied him as he worked on Eric. Minutes passed in relative silence. Finally, Presto shook his head and turned to Uni, dropping his hand from Eric's shoulder.
"What, Uni?" He kept his voice light.
She smiled. "I think it's wonderful for us to be together again, Presto. We missed you all."
A grin spread over Presto's face. With a chuckle, he suddenly reached out and pulled Uni into a hug. "You two aren't anti-social at all, are you?"
"Anti-social . . . no, we aren't," Uni answered, returning the hug with a smile. "How anyone could think Airk is anti-social is a mystery. It's Airk after all."
In answer, Eric rolled his eyes and stamped his right front hoof.
Presto snorted, pushing his glasses up on his nose with his index finger. "Yeah, we tend to forget that fact, don't we? I mean, you guys were without steady company for what . . . six years? But, I'll bet that only made the pair of you more eager for company than less eager."
Eric and Uni exchanged a look but neither answered. Rather, the sound of Bobby's voice broke through the early morning air.
"Hey, Dara, is Uni with Eric?"
Uni stiffened, maroon eyes narrowing, as Eric threw back his head with a loud neigh. Presto jumped at his friend's reaction; Eric always seemed to want to fight or hide his equine reactions, not flaunt them. In fact, the sound was so odd coming from the unicorn it brought everyone running, including the three women who'd been about to undress for a bath.
"Eric?" Hank strode quickly to his friend, bow ready but unstrung. "Where's Uni?"
Eric swung his head around to pierce Dara with a look of pure dislike, ignoring Hank completely.
The guide seemed surprised at the look. She stood within five feet of the gold-flecked unicorn, a pair of apples held in one strong, tanned hand. The appearance of Uni and Presto from around Eric's other side seemed to startle her, and Dara took a step back.
Hank took in the exchange without a word, watching as Dara recognized Presto and withdrew as quickly as if demons were on her tail. The Ranger turned to look once more at the Magician and the other two. He kept his voice neutral as he asked, "everything alright, Uni? I heard Eric call out." He deliberately did not use a horse-related term in deference to Eric's feelings.
"Yes." Uni replied, watching after Dara's retreating figure. Slowly she added "too many people were too close to him."
Presto turned surprised gold eyes on his companion. Whispering so only she and Eric could hear, he asked, "you've been deliberately letting us think you hate company?"
She turned her gaze up to meet his and replied just as softly, "everyone seems to approve of Dara. We do not but don't know why. Best to let everyone blame us until we can figure out what Dara really wants."
With that, the former unicorn walked over to Eric's belongings and pulled out the crimson saddle blanket to throw over Eric's back.
Frowning, wordlessly, Presto began to help her prepare Eric for the day's journey. He didn't point out that so far Dara had saved the lives of both Eric and Hank, as well as the fact that she kept them fed better than they'd ever been fed before splitting up six years before. Uni had been a baby when she'd been pretty much cut off from any contact except Eric; and Eric had always been a self-centered, cynical snob. Maybe the blame really did lie with Uni and Eric and not Dara.
Hank lowered his bow and walked quickly after Dara. He didn't want the guide out of their sight. It wasn't that he didn't trust her, exactly, but he certainly didn't trust her fully either. "Dara? Are you okay?" Maybe a man following her wasn't the greatest idea since she feared and hated anyone male, but the women were run ragged enough playing peace keeper on a daily basis. Maybe it was time for Dara to see that the men she worked with weren't going to hurt her. "Dara, you shouldn't go wandering away from the group."
He got to the edge of the tree-lined meadow and stopped, sighing. Looking for a hint of grey or silver, Hank studied the trees and the field beyond. Where did she go so quickly?
"Bow?"
Jumping at the woman's voice behind him rather than in front where he'd expected her, Hank whirled around, clutching his hand around his bow tighter. "What?" He stared down into the curious blue gaze of the guide.
"Not string bow." Dara pointed to his weapon but kept her eyes on his face, a wary, yet curious, look in her eyes.
"Oh." Hank nodded and shrugged. "Habit. Even unstrung I tend to instinctively raise it for use." He waited to see if the half-truth would suffice. It did.
Dara nodded and turned back towards their camp without another word.
Following at a small distance so as not to spook her again, Hank frowned and fingered his bow. So far the group had managed to keep the magic in their weapons a secret. Dara preferred not to hunt with the males so often went solo while the others split off to help. She hadn't seen Hank's energy arrows and ropes yet. As far as he knew, Dara didn't remember his energy rope the night Eric nearly drowned in the swamp, either. But it wasn't easy to keep the magic a secret. Sooner or later, they were bound to be attacked by an enemy. Hank sighed; Dara would know everything if they were attacked. He wondered if they should break down and tell her sooner. She had, after all, proved a valuable team member.
He shook his head. The decision wasn't his to make alone. He'd have to find a time when they were all together without Dara . . . that would be nearly impossible.
Switching from the camp trail towards the apple tree, Hank sighed. Another near impossible task was getting Sheila alone. He wanted to talk to her about that last night in the battle camp . . . about the kiss they'd shared . . . about . . . their future. But when they weren't traveling in the group, everyone was eating, bathing, or resting. There was little time to go wandering off alone to have a heart-to-heart with the woman he loved.
Hank ran a well-tanned hand over his face and through his thick blond hair. He had to find a way. Maybe after this quest? He needed to talk to Sheila, find out what she felt, what she wanted.
The sounds of women's voices cut into his private musings and Hank stopped. Looking around, he caught a glimpse of flesh tones and water. Embarrassed to have nearly interrupted the ladies in the nude, the Ranger back-tracked and found his way into camp. Apples were a small sacrifice for trust. He'd have the group pick some before they left this place. They'd have to get moving soon, after all.
xxx
November 5, 1992
The group sat in a slight depression around a campfire in the early morning light of the four rising suns. They were at the edge of a large boulder field, having just left the lightly wooded land behind. The main group ate leftover rabbit stew while Uni and Terri ate something vegetarian Uni had prepared, leaning against Eric's side. Bobby sat on Terri's other side but did not lean on Eric, cautious of the Cavalier-turned-unicorn.
"Airk?" Uni pitched her voice low, only including Terri, Bobby, and Eric. Those across the campfire couldn't distinguish her words.
Eric turned his head, bobbing it lightly.
Uni looked up at him, lifting a hand to stroke under his chin. Soon they'd have to put him back in the barding and the saddle he hated so much, though the metallic-blue and silvery leather seemed pointless: even Uni hadn't dared ride him. The former unicorn smiled and said, "I should teach you unicorn things."
The unicorn drew his face out of her touch but remained where he was. He lifted his head and looked down on Uni in what could only be termed 'arrogance', his body stiff, the look in his dark eyes haughty.
Bobby snickered. "You know, Eric, even though you're a lot quieter now, you're still the stuck up jerk we've always known. Hey!" The Barbarian whirled, stunned, as Eric swatted his raven-dark tail over Bobby's arm, as if hitting at a fly. "Jerk!" Bobby repeated, tempering his exasperation with humor for Eric's 'comeback.'
Terri giggled, drawing a smile from her boyfriend. Even if Eric was annoying, anything that could bring a smile to Terri's tired, pale face was okay by Bobby. He reached over and took the Dreamer's hand, squeezing gently. "Nice to see you smiling, Terri."
She smiled wide and leaned into him. "Today, I feel fine." The exhaustion and nausea was non-existent that morning. She looked at him and lowered her voice to a private whisper, though Eric's sharp equine hearing could still pick it up. "I've been paranoid, Bobby, thinking Dara might have been trying to poison me."
Eric's ears flattened to his skull and he nickered, inadvertently drawing attention from the others across the fire pit.
Bobby frowned and made a show of standing and stretching then offering a hand up to Terri and Uni. "Time we got going. Let's get Eric dressed." He didn't like that Terri had started buying into Uni's hostility. It was weird. As a unicorn, Uni had always been right when it came to who they could trust. But now that she was an Elf, the Barbarian felt her senses were skewed - - especially by her odd attachment to Eric. Bobby couldn't figure that one out, even after two months: Uni and Eric? He just couldn't see it. They'd barely tolerated each other all those years ago and now - - now they seemed as inseparable as Uni and Bobby had been before. It was wrong - - on so many levels. Or was Bobby just jealous of the new closeness between the other two since Uni seemed so distant from him now?
Frowning, Bobby picked up Eric's head piece and began to carefully settle it over Eric's alicorn, wincing yet again at the unhealed claw rakes over the gold-flecked hide. At least Hank had healed fully in the last two months, despite the scars he bore from his encounter with the ghast, but nothing Dara tried seemed to work on Eric's vampiric injury. That was one more cure the group would be asking of Heart's Unity, whenever they found the woman.
Eric rose to his feet after Bobby fastened the head piece. He restlessly stepped back and forth a few paces then settled into a waiting stance, patient while the others placed saddle blanket, saddle, barding, and saddle bags on him. Presto joined them, helping Bobby and Uni as they worked steadily to arm Eric. Diana and Hank cleared up the camp and repacked their bags, while Terri and Sheila helped Dara gather plants for their future meals, the Dreamer especially careful to choose things that Uni had used for their own meals.
"Dance Rock now," Dara said, her voice light, tone friendly, as she stepped closer to Terri.
"So," Sheila smiled at Dara, though the strain of the past months showed on her pale freckled face. "Why is this place called Dance Rock?" The Thief had a feeling the answer was obvious but getting some conversation going might relieve the already mounting tension that morning.
Dara shrugged and nodded her head towards their path. "Move rocks. Not see. Say other." She shrugged again and closed the pack she had filled. She smiled at Diana as the Acrobat walked towards them with Hank.
"The rocks move?" Sheila echoed. "I hope they dance slowly so we can get around them," she added hopefully. When she didn't get an answer, the red-headed Thief looked up at the sky. "What are we going to do about Bobby's birthday this year?"
Terri laughed softly. "I know it'll be the first birthday we can celebrate all together but that's months away. We've got plenty of time." She sent a grin to the older woman.
Sheila shook her head, reaching back to braid her long red hair. "No we don't. Bobby's eighteen today." Her teal eyes followed Hank's approach as a soft smile played on her lips. She looked at peace.
Ignoring the bemused look, Terri reached over and gripped Sheila's arm, panic beginning in her normally husky voice. "What do you mean today? It can't have been two months already." Her own face had paled considerably.
Worried, Hank stopped and studied the pale brunette. She seemed healthier the last two weeks, but had lost all of that color now. "Why, Terri? . . . You were so sick the last couple of months, no wonder time flew for you."
She shook her head, long black ponytail swinging. "But, two months? That's not possible. Maybe," she turned hopeful denim eyes on Hank, "Maybe Sheila's wrong. Maybe's it's only been one month?"
Slowly, tones soothing, Hank said, "I'm afraid not, Terri. Sheila's always been able to keep track of time in the Realm. She's never been wrong before."
"I don't know how. I just know." Sheila added with a shrug, but she watched Terri with real concern. "Besides, the Dance Rocks are just there and Dara said it would take two months to get here. Again, that means Bobby's birthday."
"No," Terri shook her head and sank to the ground, eyes wide.
Diana, the closest, dropped to her knees to check on the younger woman. "Terri? Are you sick again?" She doubted it; something about Terri's words told of a different possibility, but the Acrobat didn't want to air the problem in front of everyone.
Dara didn't seem as inclined to protect Terri's privacy. "Not bleed Terri two moon."
The others looked at the guide and Sheila raised a hand to her mouth. Diana merely narrowed her eyes at Dara then turned to look at Terri. "Lots of exercise, stress, being sick, changes in diet . . . there are all kinds of reasons to skip a period, Terri." Besides, when would Terri have had time to . . . Diana stopped that thought and patted Terri's shoulder.
Terri shook her head. "No. I've always been regular. Even when I had appendicitis, I was regular. I've never skipped since the day I started." Her voice grew smaller with each word until she fell silent, tears beginning in her dark blue eyes.
With a shake of his head, Hank squatted down and looked the girl directly in the eyes, his own full of gentle understanding. "When did you last have sex, Terri?"
"Hank!" Sheila flushed bright red, and Diana cleared her throat. The conversation was not about the most comfortable subject, especially in mixed company.
He merely shook his head and looked up at Sheila. "It's the reason she's so scared, Sheila. And if Terri's pregnant, we're going to have to deal with it. We can hardly send her back to camp on her own." He turned back to Terri. Trying a slightly gentler approach, he said, "I had a foster sister named Tiffany who was pregnant at fifteen from a rape. Another one, named Mabel, was pregnant at seventeen but didn't know how to tell her boyfriend."
Realizing that of everyone in the group, Hank seemed the most understanding of her plight, Terri gulped and nodded. "The last night in camp. Bobby and . . ."
Sheila bit back a groan, whirling to pick out Bobby in the small group by the unicorn. She didn't know what to say, how to react, as she watched him break away from the group and turn towards them. Her baby brother might be a father before he was even nineteen?
Terri looked up at Sheila then back at Hank. "It just happened, Hank. We didn't plan it." She finally broke into a sob and Hank slid his arms around her, rocking her gently.
"It's going to be okay, Terri. I promise," he soothed. Somehow, when the age-old platitudes came from Hank, they sounded serious, like he really could make everything okay for an unwed pregnant teen on an arduous journey in a dangerous world. "Hey, we're all here for you, Terri. Never forget that."
She lifted her head, tears running down her face. "But . . . Bobby . . ."
"Bobby what?" asked the approaching Barbarian, club slung over his shoulder. At the sight of his girlfriend's tears, Bobby let out a soft growl and jumped to her side, ignoring Dara's look of shock. "Terri, what happened? Are you hurt?"
Hank retained control of the situation. He reached a hand over to grip the younger man's shoulder and said, "Terri might be pregnant, Bobby." True, it wasn't the gentlest reveal in the world, but they really had no time for gentle on this quest. Besides, they were in the Realm; Bobby would have to act like a man and make some decisions quickly.
"What?" Bobby looked blank then slowly went pale, his freckles standing out on his round face. "Terri?" He turned to the crying brunette and reached a hesitant hand to touch her shoulder. As she flung herself into his arms, Bobby's blue eyes widened and he fell backwards onto his butt, Terri tumbling with him and landing in his lap. "Pregnant?"
Diana nodded. "Look, guys, hate to push and all, but it's not the end of the world. Like Hank said, girls get pregnant every day. The main decision right now, Terri, is if you're going to get an abortion, because we don't know of a lot of doctors nearby to do it." Diana hated the idea of killing an unborn child, but this wasn't her call. It was Terri's life, interrupted at eighteen with an unwanted child.
"No way!" Anger surged through Bobby's voice and he turned a glare on Diana as he wrapped his arms more securely around Terri. "No abortion!"
Squatting, Diana looked him in the eyes. "You're not the one carrying the child, Bobby. That's Terri's call."
Terri sobbed again and Bobby shook his head emphatically. "I don't care. If Terri doesn't want the baby, I'll raise it. But no one's killing any kids."
Sheila whirled around, shocked at her brother's words. And he meant them . . . she could tell by his fierce expression. How much her baby brother had grown while they'd been apart. Softly, she said, "Terri, do you need a moment, honey?"
The girl lifted her face and shook her head, arms still securely around her boyfriend. "No killing," she muttered then buried her face back in Bobby's shoulder.
He turned a look of triumph on the others. Finally, he dropped his club to stroke a hand through Terri's ragged ponytail. "Hey, Terr, I'm drowning here." His voice shook, indicating the Barbarian wasn't as calm as he pretended about the entire episode. "We gotta get going, okay? Need us to go slow so you can catch your breath?"
Slowly, she lifted her face and studied his worried eyes. Softly, she asked, "Bobby, what are we going to do?" She let him pull her to her feet, his arm encircling her still.
Bobby grinned suddenly, though a flash of pure terror streaked through his eyes before he tamped it down. "We're gonna get married is what we're gonna do, Terr. But first let's get that Rosemary Tincture from Dara. We can bring it back to camp while the others go to Heart's Unity for the rest of the cures."
Another bout of crying broke from the Dreamer as she collapsed against Bobby. He looked desperately at the others and said "weirdest birthday I ever had." Terri hiccupped against his shoulder but didn't stop crying.
Sheila, Hank, and Diana exchanged worried looks, no one noticing the pure annoyance on Dara's face as the guide turned back to camp.
As Bobby quietly discussed things with Terri, the others rejoined Eric, Uni, and Presto. All three looked worried.
Knowing they couldn't keep this a secret, Hank sighed and ran a hand through his hair then held the hand up to attract their attention. In a steady voice he said, "Terri might be pregnant."
Eric dropped his head, the unicorn's expression particularly unreadable with his soulful dark eyes downcast. He stayed relatively still under Uni's hand, though he pawed the ground with his right front hoof. For her part, the former unicorn seemed unsurprised even though her back stiffened at the verbal acknowledgement.
"Whoa!" Presto shook his head. "Uh, is she going back to camp? That's a long trip and winter's coming on." He glanced towards the embracing pair then back at the group. Even after two months it was hard to believe their youngest members had grown up.
"I think so," Sheila said, trying for the same control Hank and Bobby had displayed. For a brief moment she wondered . . . then pushed away the thought and flushed. 'No way. I've had my cycle every month.' Relief washed over her followed by a low ache. She would love to have children . . . but this really was a bad time to even think about starting a family. Besides, she had no clue if Hank wanted a repeat of that night; she looked at Hank from under her lashes. Sheila flushed darker knowing she and Hank were just as guilty as the younger pair. Determinedly, she tried to bring her mind back to the subject at hand: Terri.
Diana broke into Sheila's thoughts by clearing her throat and asking, "So, Dara, there should be an eclipse soon right? How can we help with the Rosemary Tincture?" The change of subject was obvious, but everyone seemed to jump on it . . . except Presto, who glanced back at the still embracing couple, something undeterminable in his golden eyes.
With a wide smile, the blonde woman turned to Diana and said "gather herbs. Make. Sit. Wait."
"Right," Diana continued to smile, though the instructions made little sense to her. Medicine had never been her forte.
Keeping his eyes on Bobby and Terri, Presto softly asked "how long does it need to cure, Dara?"
The others turned surprised looks on the Magician. Even though they knew he was a genius, it still surprised them that he was able to follow practically any subject or conversation, no matter how obscure seeming. Dara seemed equally surprised but not in the least delighted.
She turned to look at Diana, as if the question had come from the Acrobat instead. "Mash herbs. Mix. Cook day night. Sit six moon. Sit more moon good."
"What!" Presto's voice rose louder, his head snapping around so he could stare at Dara. She jumped at the surprised anger in his tone then sidled to hide behind Diana, shooting a wary look at the suddenly agitated redhead. Ignoring her distrust, the Magician translated, "we have to gather the herbs, crush them and mix them together. Then we cook them for twenty-four hours. Once that's done, it has to cure for at least six months, longer if you want the medicine to be stronger." He didn't apologize for his increased hostility.
The others looked at Dara and she frowned at Presto, nodding in reluctant agreement.
"Six months?" Sheila looked dumbfounded. "For a jar of goop?"
Diana hugged herself suddenly. "And if we need at least a handful for every five inches of skin, that'd be . . ."
Crossing his arms, Presto said, "Yeah, a whole lot of goop. And we'd have to have it sealed and curing, presumably in a warm dry location, for at least the rest of our journey to the Singing Forest. We could make brick urns to hold the stuff, and even coax Eric into carrying it all over the place, but it's very impractical for a cure which Dara said probably wouldn't work on a demi-lich blast to begin with."
Dara seemed to shrink further behind the Acrobat, her blue eyes wide in her cherubic face. The enormity of the project suddenly became clearer to the travelers.
"Oh," Sheila ran a hand over her still healing cheek, tracing the tender scabbing there. "Why didn't we ask all this before we left? It would have been smarter to bring Dara to camp to make the tincture while we went on this quest."
"Yeah, I'm beginning to think that, too," Presto didn't take his golden eyes off the blonde woman. Finally, Dara seemed to gather her courage and she glared back at Presto in defiance; though, she never spoke as the Magician continued. "We can't change things now. And, there's real value in the tincture even if we can't use it for Dekion." He reached out and absently stroked Eric, wondering why the unicorn hadn't protested the idea of carrying what promised to be extremely heavy urns of medicine. Probably, Eric had known Presto was being facetious.
Hank looked at Dara. "So, what now? It looks like the tincture isn't needed after all." He watched to see what their guide would do now that the group knew she was practically useless for Dekion's cure.
Dara nodded. "Make. Use others." She smiled, her eyes almost pleading with the Ranger. "Guide Sing Forest. Heal sick. Cook." She held out both hands and turned her hopeful look on the others, none of whom seemed terribly receptive for once. The last two months had been increasingly stressful with the barely reacquainted Champions trying to dance around the hostilities between Dara and the men. Finally, as if making up her mind in a difficult situation, Dara turned beseechingly to Presto. It was as if she sensed that the Magician had all the power at the moment. "Fight. Strong. Fast. Smart. Hunt. Track. Know trees, ground, animals. Cure not-dead hurt." She hesitated at the implacable look in Presto's eyes then reached out and touched his arm with one trembling hand. "Let Dara help?"
All held their breath as the normally hostile woman actually touched the man she seemed to hate most. Presto looked down at her hand then slowly raised his eyes to meet hers, studying her face for something he didn't reveal. Finally, he said, "Okay. We could make the tincture, bury it here, and dig it up on our way back."
"And Dara?" Sheila asked, worrying her lip. To see the guide's almost desperation was saddening. "What about Dara, Presto?"
Presto turned surprised eyes on the others but didn't pretend to misunderstand Sheila's question. "What about Dara? It's not my call to kick anyone out. She's been a great help so far, so just because we can't use the tincture yet doesn't mean we should tell her to get lost." He turned back to look at the hand on his sleeve then looked back at the suddenly smiling guide. "But, you've got to keep doing watch and hunting and everything. And if there's a fight, you better be as good as you say." He shrugged one shoulder, not dislodging her hand. "It's your life on the line same as us if we're attacked. We can't protect you." He didn't say they'd have enough trouble protecting Terri.
She nodded and slowly drew her hand from his arm, never looking away. She offered a last smile before withdrawing her hand completely. Once she'd let him go, Dara turned enthusiastically towards the boulder field close by. "Rosemary rocks." She strode confidently among the huge stones.
With a shudder, Presto wiped his free hand down his sleeve as if cleaning it off. Absently, he said, "she's creepy."
The others turned surprised looks on him and he seemed to notice at last that he was part of a crowd. Presto took off his glasses, holding them loosely in his last two fingers as he pinched the bridge of his nose between thumb and forefinger. He breathed deeply two . . . three times before finally putting them back on. Looking at the others he said "look, I know she's been a big help, guys, but I don't trust anyone who conquers her life-long animosity quickly enough to beg to stay in the group. And holding onto the thing she hates the most. I think she's up to something. I'm not sure what, but I say we keep an eye on her. If that means dragging her to the forest and back then so be it."
Uni smiled gently and touched his sleeve, right where Dara had before. "I think so, too, Presto," she said.
"Guys," Sheila began but Diana interrupted.
"No, I'm beginning to think they're right."
"Diana!"
"Sheila," Diana turned her chocolate eyes on her best friend. "I don't know if she's out to kill us, rob us, or desert us when we need her most, but something isn't right with that girl. I say we keep her close and watch her closer."
Hank rested a hand on Sheila's shoulder. "Forewarned is forearmed, Sheila." When the Thief turned her eyes up to the Ranger's, he added "she did an awful quick turn-around from hating Presto to practically begging him. It's possible she's been faking or is now." He sighed and glanced to where Bobby had one arm around Terri and lead her towards them. "Let's not tell Terri. She's paranoid enough." He looked at the others. "I think Terri thinks Dara's been trying to poison her, and she may not yet realize it was only morning sickness." It always amazed the others how intuitive Hank was concerning his friends.
Sheila groaned softly. "Oh, Hank, what'll we do?"
He shrugged. "Sheila, they're adults now. We can't do anything but support and help them."
Presto frowned and looked towards the slowly advancing couple. "Would it be safer to bring them with us or send them back to camp?"
"Camp of course!" Sheila whirled on the auburn-haired man.
He shook his head. "I'm not so sure about that, Sheila. This quest has been the safest so far, which is odd in itself." When she opened her mouth to protest, he held up a hand, stopping her. "We were attacked in that swamp by will-o-wisps, and Dara said there was a lot of undead in the swamp, but we didn't see anything else. Since the war, anything that was our enemy will be out for revenge, and a lot of those guys came this way. So far, for whatever reason, they've left us alone. But if two break away from the pack, I don't think they'd be as fortunate." He pushed his glasses up his nose with his index finger then shrugged again. "I think, despite the pregnancy, Terri and Bobby would be safer with us. We can protect her with our weapons, for one. And I know about child birth."
"What?" Diana and Sheila turned surprised looks on the man.
With a nod, Presto explained, "I told you I learned a lot from Ramuud and his people. One of the things I learned was how to deliver children. I worked extensively with the midwives and other physicians in fact. I know a lot about medicine now."
Eric's whicker sounded almost like a soft laugh and Presto smiled in return.
"Then we should tell them," Hank gestured towards Bobby and Terri, "before they set their hearts on going back to camp."
Sheila looked over at the couple and sighed. "Poor Terri. She stayed in the Realm for Bobby, but she hates it here."
Uni shook her head with a smile. "I have a feeling Terri doesn't hate it as much as she used to. You'll see. Now that she feels better, she will realize she has better control than she used to. She did fine when she traveled with me and Airk from the Dragons' Graveyard."
The group turned, silently, as Bobby and Terri came to a halt beside them.
Before anyone could pass on the group decision, Bobby said, "Terri and I are gonna come with you guys on the quest."
"You are?" Diana asked in amusement.
"Sure," Bobby added, his manner more confident than his voice. "She'll only be about seven months . . ." he paused and swallowed then tried again. "Seven months along when we get to Heart's Unity. From there, if we're gonna bring the lady back, we'll have a top notch healer with us to help. So, instead of going all the way back through that swamp and probably tons of retreating enemies, we'll go with you guys." He grinned and hefted his club. "Besides, I can protect her . . . and so can you guys . . . right?" He said the last with more hope than bravado.
Sheila threw her arms around the pair and grinned. "Sure we can, Bobby. We think it's the best idea, too." She turned to the pale brunette with the tear-streaked face. Reaching to her hip, Sheila pulled out her dagger and expertly spun it around in her hand, gripping the blade without cutting herself. "Here, Terri. You'll need a weapon to fight with, just in case." Surprise crossed everyone's faces. Sheila had been carrying the dagger their entire trip, but no one really thought about her ability to actually use it.
Terri's denim eyes turned to Sheila's teal ones. She cleared her throat, her voice still raspy from crying. "I . . . I don't know how to use one," she said.
With a nod, the Thief offered the blade again. "I'll teach you. Jaref taught me while I was with them."
Slowly, Terri reached out to grasp the handle and Sheila withdrew the blade with a shake of her head. "Confidence is the first step, Terri. If you pick up a weapon, know you're going to use it." Sheila offered the eleven inch blade to the Dreamer.
Terri looked at Bobby then back at Sheila. She reached out and took the hilt.
Sheila let go. "C'mon, Terri. Let's get cleaned up and . . ."
Presto interrupted "help me find the right kind of mud and straw so I can make those urns for the tincture. I need to bake them all night so they don't leak." He shaded his eyes and glanced towards the sky. "The quadruple solar eclipse will happen in two days, so we need to be ready by then to collect the rosemary."
"Quadruple solar eclipse," Diana chuckled sadly, voice catching. "I would love to show it to Dekion. We always seemed to miss it in our travels."
Bobby nodded decisively. "Well, once we get him healed, you can show him the quadruple solar eclipse and the double lunar eclipse, too. Come on, gang. Let's get that mud."
No one bothered to tell Bobby or Terri that Dekion's hopes now lay in Heart's Unity alone; Dara's cure was no longer their fall-back plan.
xxx
Continued in Chapter Seven: Rites of Passage