Chapter 23
Tal and Milla laid next to each other in the same bed of soft furs. Tal didn't like his sleeping quarters and preferred to rest with Milla. Milla hadn't objected to sleeping with Tal in her quarters. In fact she preferred to be by his side now that he was back on the ice. Tal felt more safe and secure just knowing he was near her. Tal was sound asleep and looked very innocent to Milla. He had his arms wrapped around her in an embrace, which Milla didn't mind. She noticed that Tal had a habit of holding on to things and Milla assumed that it was more of a matter of assurance than of intimacy. Milla had noticed that Tal always needed to be sure of things so it wasn't really an issue if Tal slept by here or not. Milla kind of enjoyed his company but in a way it unnerved her. Normally she took it as an action to get warm but lately she was unsure. Although Milla was meant to be sleeping her thoughts of Tal and his habits had kept her annoyingly awake.
"Why do I notice these things about Tal now?" Milla thought.
"Is it love?" she whispered out loud as she turned to face him.
Tal breathed a warm breath over her and Milla felt as if Tal had just answered her unconsciously. Ever since Tal and Milla had shared the passionate night together Milla in the castle, Milla was unsure of her feelings towards him. She didn't know if she should be on intimate terms with him or if she should just block out her feelings. As Milla thought she deduced the torrent of thoughts down to one single emotion. Uncertainty; uncertainty led to the unknown and that scared Milla more than anything. Milla knew she wasn't going to rest despite her fatigue so she removed herself silently from the tangle of Tal's arms and donned her outer furs and left the solace of the room and Tal's innocent sleeping form.
Milla walked around aimlessly through the now quiet halls and corridors. As Milla wandered she found her thoughts always straying to the relationship that Milla and Tal possessed. It wasn't a purely business relationship. It was also a confusing relationship that was all shades of gray. Once, a long time ago, their relationship was a complicated web of debts but it was black and white. It was clear to Milla that it was only business. Then Tal had brought her to Aenir where her world of black and white were warped into different shades of grey. But ever since she had was reacquainted with Tal her world was once again rocked as it was quickly being splashed with colour.
Milla shook her head and came back into reality; too much thinking wasn't good for a tired mind such as Milla's. She had wandered outside unconsciously. Milla was about go back inside when movement between openings of a tree line caught her eyes. Milla moved stealthily into a line of trees. Her White Ursek furs helped her blend into the snow and made her practically invisible. As Milla approached the point where she saw the movement she heard voices. One voice was strangely familiar and Milla had a hard time trying to place a face to the voice, which sounded even and chime like.
"Salama last I heard you were only an honorary shield maiden, but look at you now. You are almost a shield mother. You have gone past all of my expectations," said the familiar voice.
"I learnt from the best Crone," said another voice.
Milla's ears pricked up at the mention of the word Crone. Then just like lightning a face fell into place into Milla's mind. The Crone of the Far Raiders!
"Let's just hope that Breg and Kira can be swayed so easily like you were," said the Crone.
"I have them learning patience and obedience the hard way, so I believe that they will learn to behave soon," Salama said.
"We can only hope," replied the Crone.
Milla couldn't resist meeting her old friend and mentor so she made her presence know to the small band.
"Was I ever a troublesome brat?" she asked smiling as she moved from her hiding place.
The three strangers accompanying the Crone had their weapons out in an instant and aimed them at the source of the sound. Milla walked into the light of the Crone's luminous eyes and a gasp filled the air as the Crone recognised who it was and motioned the others to lower their weapons.
"Milla!" the Crone said in exasperation.
Milla clapped her knuckles and moved to hug her old mentor. Everyone was surprised to see Milla of all people show such a display of emotion but Milla didn't care. If there was one thing she learnt while staying with Tal it was to show people how much you feel for them with out words and clapping her fists together seemed so pointless to her now.
"Milla it is good to see you after all this time, how long has it been?" asked the Crone as they parted.
"Seven years," Milla replied.
"Seven long years," echoed the Crone lost in her thoughts.
"Where are you going?" Milla asked as the silent reunion went on for too long.
"To meet the other Crones to settle a dispute," the Crone answered smiling and resuming their walk towards the ship.
Milla simply nodded and walked along side reminiscing back to when she was only a novice and was under the Crone's command. As the group past the tree towers Milla noticed one of the Crone's followers, the boy, look up at the tower and smile. Milla followed his gaze and saw one of the guards tense her grip on her spear as if ready to throw it.
"Are those the troublesome girls you spoke of?" Milla asked to Salama pointing to the girls in the towers.
Salama looked up at them and nodded but smiled as well.
"They aren't really troublesome they are more unique. I have high hopes for them if only they could control themselves," Salama said frowning.
Milla nodded in understanding as she to had felt held back way when she was a young talented novice.
"Don't punish them to hard, they really only need guidance," Milla said sympathetically.
"I know it is just that they can be unruly at times," Salama conceded.
Milla nodded and promised herself she would have a word with them later. Being the living legend gave her more authority and fame, which was exactly what Milla knew people responded to, although she never liked to admit it.
When the small group arrived at the main entrance, the boy of the group was blind folded much to his dislike. The Thane who Milla now knew as Rallen and the shield maiden, Wraith, led the boy around by the hand as instructed. The boy sighed inaudibly so no one could hear but submitted to the will of the Crone.
"It is now rest hour so you have a little over five hours left to rest," Milla announced as Salama led them away to suitable sleeping quarters.
Milla watched as they left down the hall and after they were out of sight she moved off towards her own quarters suddenly tired. As she entered she found Tal frowning amongst the furs as if in unrest. Milla watched curiously at Tal and shrugged. She stripped off her outer furs and moved in amongst Tal's muscled arms so she was face to face with him. Tal's frown slowly faded as Milla closed the gap between them. Milla didn't close her eyes until she saw the last wrinkle of the frown disappear. Satisfied, she closed her eyes and began to count her breaths.
Tal and Milla laid next to each other in the same bed of soft furs. Tal didn't like his sleeping quarters and preferred to rest with Milla. Milla hadn't objected to sleeping with Tal in her quarters. In fact she preferred to be by his side now that he was back on the ice. Tal felt more safe and secure just knowing he was near her. Tal was sound asleep and looked very innocent to Milla. He had his arms wrapped around her in an embrace, which Milla didn't mind. She noticed that Tal had a habit of holding on to things and Milla assumed that it was more of a matter of assurance than of intimacy. Milla had noticed that Tal always needed to be sure of things so it wasn't really an issue if Tal slept by here or not. Milla kind of enjoyed his company but in a way it unnerved her. Normally she took it as an action to get warm but lately she was unsure. Although Milla was meant to be sleeping her thoughts of Tal and his habits had kept her annoyingly awake.
"Why do I notice these things about Tal now?" Milla thought.
"Is it love?" she whispered out loud as she turned to face him.
Tal breathed a warm breath over her and Milla felt as if Tal had just answered her unconsciously. Ever since Tal and Milla had shared the passionate night together Milla in the castle, Milla was unsure of her feelings towards him. She didn't know if she should be on intimate terms with him or if she should just block out her feelings. As Milla thought she deduced the torrent of thoughts down to one single emotion. Uncertainty; uncertainty led to the unknown and that scared Milla more than anything. Milla knew she wasn't going to rest despite her fatigue so she removed herself silently from the tangle of Tal's arms and donned her outer furs and left the solace of the room and Tal's innocent sleeping form.
Milla walked around aimlessly through the now quiet halls and corridors. As Milla wandered she found her thoughts always straying to the relationship that Milla and Tal possessed. It wasn't a purely business relationship. It was also a confusing relationship that was all shades of gray. Once, a long time ago, their relationship was a complicated web of debts but it was black and white. It was clear to Milla that it was only business. Then Tal had brought her to Aenir where her world of black and white were warped into different shades of grey. But ever since she had was reacquainted with Tal her world was once again rocked as it was quickly being splashed with colour.
Milla shook her head and came back into reality; too much thinking wasn't good for a tired mind such as Milla's. She had wandered outside unconsciously. Milla was about go back inside when movement between openings of a tree line caught her eyes. Milla moved stealthily into a line of trees. Her White Ursek furs helped her blend into the snow and made her practically invisible. As Milla approached the point where she saw the movement she heard voices. One voice was strangely familiar and Milla had a hard time trying to place a face to the voice, which sounded even and chime like.
"Salama last I heard you were only an honorary shield maiden, but look at you now. You are almost a shield mother. You have gone past all of my expectations," said the familiar voice.
"I learnt from the best Crone," said another voice.
Milla's ears pricked up at the mention of the word Crone. Then just like lightning a face fell into place into Milla's mind. The Crone of the Far Raiders!
"Let's just hope that Breg and Kira can be swayed so easily like you were," said the Crone.
"I have them learning patience and obedience the hard way, so I believe that they will learn to behave soon," Salama said.
"We can only hope," replied the Crone.
Milla couldn't resist meeting her old friend and mentor so she made her presence know to the small band.
"Was I ever a troublesome brat?" she asked smiling as she moved from her hiding place.
The three strangers accompanying the Crone had their weapons out in an instant and aimed them at the source of the sound. Milla walked into the light of the Crone's luminous eyes and a gasp filled the air as the Crone recognised who it was and motioned the others to lower their weapons.
"Milla!" the Crone said in exasperation.
Milla clapped her knuckles and moved to hug her old mentor. Everyone was surprised to see Milla of all people show such a display of emotion but Milla didn't care. If there was one thing she learnt while staying with Tal it was to show people how much you feel for them with out words and clapping her fists together seemed so pointless to her now.
"Milla it is good to see you after all this time, how long has it been?" asked the Crone as they parted.
"Seven years," Milla replied.
"Seven long years," echoed the Crone lost in her thoughts.
"Where are you going?" Milla asked as the silent reunion went on for too long.
"To meet the other Crones to settle a dispute," the Crone answered smiling and resuming their walk towards the ship.
Milla simply nodded and walked along side reminiscing back to when she was only a novice and was under the Crone's command. As the group past the tree towers Milla noticed one of the Crone's followers, the boy, look up at the tower and smile. Milla followed his gaze and saw one of the guards tense her grip on her spear as if ready to throw it.
"Are those the troublesome girls you spoke of?" Milla asked to Salama pointing to the girls in the towers.
Salama looked up at them and nodded but smiled as well.
"They aren't really troublesome they are more unique. I have high hopes for them if only they could control themselves," Salama said frowning.
Milla nodded in understanding as she to had felt held back way when she was a young talented novice.
"Don't punish them to hard, they really only need guidance," Milla said sympathetically.
"I know it is just that they can be unruly at times," Salama conceded.
Milla nodded and promised herself she would have a word with them later. Being the living legend gave her more authority and fame, which was exactly what Milla knew people responded to, although she never liked to admit it.
When the small group arrived at the main entrance, the boy of the group was blind folded much to his dislike. The Thane who Milla now knew as Rallen and the shield maiden, Wraith, led the boy around by the hand as instructed. The boy sighed inaudibly so no one could hear but submitted to the will of the Crone.
"It is now rest hour so you have a little over five hours left to rest," Milla announced as Salama led them away to suitable sleeping quarters.
Milla watched as they left down the hall and after they were out of sight she moved off towards her own quarters suddenly tired. As she entered she found Tal frowning amongst the furs as if in unrest. Milla watched curiously at Tal and shrugged. She stripped off her outer furs and moved in amongst Tal's muscled arms so she was face to face with him. Tal's frown slowly faded as Milla closed the gap between them. Milla didn't close her eyes until she saw the last wrinkle of the frown disappear. Satisfied, she closed her eyes and began to count her breaths.