The Worlds of the Sheaf

The Battle of Castle Gamuk - Part 1

"I assumed I'd be sharing yours," she replied with a smile. "We are lovers, after all."

To Essca's astonishment, Tak actually blushed. A wizard blushed! "I don't have a tent," he told her. "We never thought I'd be sleeping in camp, with the men. We'll be sleeping out in the open, with magic spells to protect us from the elements, but sanitary issues are going to be a problem. The best I can suggest is that you use one of the tents to do what you need to do, before the men settle in for the night. There's a bucket you can use. One of the men will dig a hole for you to empty it into. Same again in the morning, after the men are up. Do you think you can live with that?"

I'm sure I can, but lack of privacy doesn't bother me. In Sholl both sexes share the same facilities. I'm perfectly used to washing and squatting in front of men. It doesn't bother me."

One of the soldiers sitting nearby looked up with interest. Tak glared at him and he hurriedly looked away. It was a trivial exchange, over in a moment and immediately forgotten by both men, but Essca's eyes widened in astonishment. "In Sholl, that man would now be being stripped for a whipping for his lack of respect."

"For overhearing a conversation?" asked Tak, equally surprised.

"In Sholl he would never have been sitting close enough to overhear the conversation to begin with."

"If I was saying anything I didn't want him to hear I would have used a Cone of Silence. Anyway, use the tents whenever you have to, but remember the men won't appreciate having their sleep disturbed in the middle of the night. If you have to go after dark, you'll have to trust to the darkness to protect your modesty."

"Modesty? Oh yes, I know what modesty means. Another of your quaint customs."

A strangling sound came from the soldier, as if he was struggling to hold in laughter, and Tak glared at him again before taking Essca's elbow and guiding her away.

"It'll only be for a day or two," he assured her. "Then you'll live the rest of your life in a palace, with servants to see to your every need."

He squeezed her arm fondly, then turned away, hiding a yawn with a long fingered hand. They'd been up and about for most of the night and were both pretty tired. He meant to get a few hours of sleep before the yellow sun rose too high, refresh his mind so he could check his spells. See if they'd changed since the last time he'd read his spellbook.

He turned to look at Essca, and was astonished to see a look of utter adoration on her face, which she hid by hurriedly looking away, blushing with embarrassment. It made Tak's heart dance with hopeful excitement. Was it possible she loved him already? Or was it still just an act?

It didn't matter, he decided. Even if she was trying to con him, true love would come sooner or later. One day, she will come to love me as much as I love her, he said to himself as he spread his sleeping blankets at the edge of the camp. I don't care if it takes twenty years. I'll wait, I'll give her as much time as she needs.

☆☆☆

The next day was bright and warm and Tak awoke at around midday to find Essca sitting nearby, watching him with her luminous blue eyes. "Good morning," she sang, beaming happily. "Did you sleep well?"

"Well enough," Tak replied as he stretched the sleep out of his arms. "Would you mind seeing the Captain about getting us some breakfast?" He looked up at the yellow sun. "I mean lunch. I haven't eaten since that banquet yesterday and I didn't eat much of that."

"It wasn't how much you ate but what you ate that interested me," said Essca, her eyes glowing.

Tak flinched at the memory. "Yes, well, we won't go into that again. Go get some food. In the meantime I have to study my spellbook. And then we'll talk. I want to know all about you, who you really are, and I expect you'll want to know more about me as well. We'll tell each other the truth about ourselves.