Here is another chapter
Streams of sunlight fell through the thick wall of trees, filling up every space between the leaves with warm, sugary light. The rays tumbled down strands of grass, which gleamed with remains of the morning dew. The sky has ripened from a fresh orange color into a pale blue. Wisps of white clouds stood unmoving. They were so thin, they appeared to be stray brush marks on the blue canvas or traces of powdered sugar on a baker's azure countertop. I strolled up a large hill as the summer breeze pushed past. Looking up, I saw the sunshine brighter than I ever knew before. I saw a tree in the distance glisten gently as it reflected the sun's rays. My consciousness ebbed away with the heat. I took a few blinks, my body was sore as the days are long and filled with hard work, a person of our time would bulk at, they turn tail and run in any direction but the one with this.
I knew this was the best route to escape if things have gone wrong, it was an easy trek that leads to safety. Gino was doing well and Mina was smitten with this foreigner, I knew we are doubling on our joined workload to weather the battle coming. Like Warren had said the women of his clan wanted to fight, but I had a few things up my sleeve.
In the haze of the afternoon I can feel the sweat trickled down my back, free-flowing like condensation on a windowpane, it beaded on my forehead as I helped Daro with the crops, this was odd as my eyes found Warren who was with Gili making sure the fence was in the very best shape. I just yanked and the hand made plow did its job and faster then these men could do. I was super strong and making life just a little easier, but today I was going to wow them. I smiled when done and knowing the would have great crops, "Daro, watch this," but many watched as Warren was wiping his face with a cloth, my knees are in the dirt as I nestled my hands into the fresh soil, the richness covered my hands when my eyes close.
Their farm grew up out of the pale green hills as if it had always been part of the scenery. I channeled Layla, seeing her radiant red hair and feeling her deep love of all animals and nature, like a spark that caught flare the rush of power made everything a wave of pleasure. It was like the wheat, grains, fruit, potatoes, corn, various other vegetation all touch me sparking my power until my eyes opened seeing the clans harvest-ready months early.
I sighed when laughing was heard. "SHOW OFF," was bellowed as Willo started hitting him. "Hey," I glared at him making a face but he just sees something, right after he was putting a wet cloth on the back of my neck. "You look like you might pass out," he muttered as everyone was worried.
Standing, "No, I am fine. I have stored many powers and don't know how they will affect me when used. But all this must be harvested now, I only grew half and another half in a couple of days. This will help our family," yes, our family, after all, their kindness they were as much mine as his.
He spoke in deep grunted Austrian, I was picking it up as Willo, Mina, and Daca helped me learn so I was never who of the loop. "Come, we need to harvest, more will be here in a week," all rushed in with baskets. From the windmill, the ground sloped westward, down to the barns and granaries and the pig-yards. This slope was trampled hard and bare and washed out in winding gullies by the rain. Beyond the corncribs, at the bottom of the shallow draw, was a muddy little pond, with rusty willow bushes growing about it. I just dug in with Warren, I was not fast like Speed, but sore to myself I was absorbing his power once home.
Few women leave and I watch them go, Willo and baby Ambala already gone. "Time to cook," was all that was said to my confused face. I could cook, as I gave Warren a look. "Bye, I am going to go cook too," Gino waved his face covered in soil as he ripped up a few carrots, Snotty, "Can you?"
"Better than you, I'm alone most of the time so I learned," I wanted to make something new, I mean they had everything needed. But it was going to take time and at least I had two hours before they would be done cooking. I have chicken eggs and fresh ground wheat flour; I add pink salt and poof dough. Now I use the mortar and pestle grinding the single cinnamon stick into a very fine powder everything was good and baking, but here I sit staring since I had no idea how long this would take, this was not an oven.
I was letting the six pies to cool, an apple and cinnamon, fig and pear, the crust drizzled with honey, a Strawberry, raspberry, and red currants. Lemon and strawberry, and date pie. I pushed myself daily and hope they saw me as worthy. I motioned to baby Ambala who was fussing in her cradle, "Yes," she smiled as I picked the baby up. I had written these recipes down for her, Warren maybe should rewrite them as it's in English.
I coddled her as Wiklow played outside, the smell of good food filled the air. I sit on the floor holding her, seeing such a bright future for her. Willo watched me as she set the chickens on the wooden platter. "You make good mother,"
"Maybe one day, but I am much too young,"
"Nye, old enough," she smiled, but here the times are very different, I heard Daro and Willo's husband, their clan leader asking Warren why he was not married at his age. I smiled hearing him trying to explain how things are in the future at the end they wanted no part of it. Gino and Mina are engaged or their version of it, but I worried they are being married soon and the dates do not match, I figured it was another celebration coming. I just take Ambala and the pies to the hall, one by one seeing Warren and the rest all trying to get clean. Warren his body glistened with sweat and his smile was so easy to love.
I enter with the rest as the hall fills with laughter and the feeling of ease after a long hard day. She was cooing away as Willo took this moment to eat and help Wiklow. "Here hand me the baby, you need to eat you look sick," I felt it too, but say nothing, I haven't had my medication or transfusions in a year.
But my face, something he saw made him frown. "Are you okay?" I wasn't going to lie, something was happening between us and it would hurt us both if I lied. "Warren, I was scared to come for another reason. I haven't taken my medication for some time, no blood transfusions or checkups. I doubt they think we have been gone this long. I might not be going home with you," daily I worried and now it was me passing this pain to another, but he had to understand that it was a very good chance I might leave sooner than him. I just ate what I could, Ambala started to fuss soon after but her mother took her to feed, it was like no one cared as multiple women had their boobie's out to feed, much respect was found here.
He looked pale and was silent as I was hugged and alerted the fruit pies are a welcomed edition. I washed up as best as I could before heading to our home, Warren was there his eyes turned to me but he didn't smile. Falling in love with him was like entering a house and finally realizing I'm home. When he smiled at me I feel invisible hands wrapping around me making me feel safe. When his eyes are locked on mine, it's like I can see galaxies instead of just pupils. Having Warren in my life makes me feel like everything's possible in this world like I can conquer anything. I don't regret meeting him. Falling in love with his ass was the easy part; it's admitting to myself that it happened that's hard. You see I've had these very efficient defenses for so long and you didn't even notice them.
"Are you going to be moody?" my tone as if this was nothing, and it was, I was here for the battle that much we know. His face was cold, "When were you planning on telling me how ill you were?"
I was honest, "Warren, I don't know how long. But you know, it changes nothing that is going to happen we have weeks until the battle. After that, we will return home and I will be hospital-bound, and poor Vic will feel he has to help me when he never has had too. My mother is always trying to find a healer or cure, but if I die a young death, so be, I have lived so much more than most. Look at where we're and what we have done and seen, each day is a blessing and I treat it as such," his hug is stronger than anything I've ever known, as if holding me wasn't quite enough, you have to feel every ounce that I am press into every ounce that is you. In that moment of feeling you so close, I am awake somehow, more alive than I have been in so very long.
He just pulls me into bed and we stay wrapped in the other, In the darkness, our cuddles are felt like a little touch of heaven, warm, together, cozy. "You made a good pie, never knew you could bake. I over this last year have learned so much about you. Kinda scary but you're stronger than you know, no coffee, no smokes, and no candies. I am sure Wiklow is very sorry he ate them all," I doubted that he was in trouble something awful for sneaking into his bag and stealing as Wirich said brought shame onto their house. "I know the feeling,"
After some time, we both changed into our sleep clothes, I would have washing to do tomorrow, and not fond of washing this way the clothes just felt different after. The flames grew hot and filled the fireplace with their wrath and fury. They refused to be contained, condemned to die into ashes, a tame fire. Never. The fire sparked while I watched from the bed, Warren left some time ago and I was not walking after him.
Willo brought tea, "Ill," he ratted me out because he walked in behind her. "I am fine," but sipping the warm tea. It's the look that he gives me. Those bright brown eyes, probing into my soul, desperately wanting to see what's going on in there. He sits by my side, I can feel it, his hidden emotions. I give in looking into his face, "being an empath is one of the hardest tasks you could choose. You see the real person, not the mask they want to present. Stole the power from some random senior my first few days, but as your emotions have grown the more I couldn't ignore them as I had before," each word was whispered but I felt his body jump from the bed, my eyes follow but it is shock that I feel.
"Before?"
Retorting, "Before we traveled, your emotions were not exactly what I wanted to know. I feel power bubbling up, the Empathy has been bubbling up for a few months. I'm sorry that my illness makes you scared, it makes me scared. Scared because I am not ready to leave you here alone, but deep down I'm here for the battle, it was written. But let us go to bed, just know Warren, those feeling you don't want me to know, I know and I love you too," Warren turns, but too slowly to be normal. When he speaks his voice trails slowly like his words are unwilling to take flight. There are emotions in his eyes, the brown too glossy.
He spoke low, "You love me too,"
"Yes. At some point, every part of me has fallen for you. The you that hides, the man you try and bury, you are not good you have done very bad things. But you try and redeem, you love with everything you're and will protect those you love," His kiss is not at all the same as those movie stars, but one steeped in a passion that ignites. It is the promise of realness, of the primal desire that lives in us all.
His lips brush mine. Not innocently, like a tease but hot, fiery, passionate and demanding. I want to pull away before I lose myself but I can't seem to…In this fruity moment, my senses have been seduced and I can no longer think straight. "Bexley" he whispers slowly, prolonging each letter as if to savor them. I smile, my heart fluttering at his voice as I clasp my hands on either side of his face. Never before has my name ever felt so wonderful a one, I think, as I lean in for another…