Peacemaker

Chapter 21- Fira

The snow settled over everything on that little homestead nearly overnight. I had hoped Micheal would come home before the weather had turned, but instead I had some little sixteen year old boy deliver it to me from horseback. Scruffy, and wrapped in wool and furs like some scrawny mountain man with no beard. I invited him in for some coffee and maybe a bit to eat to warm the poor thing up. But, he was ever so dutiful. "Sorry, ma'am. I have a slew of deliveries to make. The storm might not wait, so the Postal Service can't either." he gave a grin, showing crooked teeth before spurring on his little buckskin off into the snowdrifts. It made me grin. The spunk of that young man. "Must everyone from this part of the territory be like that? Workers with courtesy?" I muttered as I turned around and walked back inside of the house.

As I sat down in the armchair across from the fireplace, I tore the envelope open. Immediately, I could smell Micheal. The scent of gun smoke, cigarettes, and leather. It made something in my chest ache fiercely. I read the letter, my heart yearning to hear it all from him.

My dearest Fira,

I know this is all short notice, and if I knew I was going out east on another trial,

I would've told you. But, they just dropped it on me during the meeting.

I know you're doing your best to wait for me, and I will not let you wait long.

I pray I can finish my business in New York City and be back in your arms soon.

Stock the house for the coming winter, and ensure the larders are full. The Rockies are cruel during the winter. I pray to see you soon.

Lovingly, Micheal.

I felt tears well in my eyes, knowing full well he was almost certainly going to be gone for a while. Heaven knew what sort of mischief he would be dredging up in the City of Immigrants. But, If he was there working, then it could be good. I thought of him as I folded the letter and inhaled his scent one last time before returning it to the room and placing it down on the nightstand. I wanted to break down and cry, having him gone hurt so much that I felt isolated in the small two bedroom house. But another side of me said to hold strong for him. He was the best chance for my eternal freedom. A salvation that would be reserved for just human women and men. Not to mention, I couldn't risk going back. Not after what I had done down there.

In the early years after I escaped, I had set a few hundred damned souls free. Souls that had belonged to some very powerful demons. But, I couldn't have known how many of those souls were so inherently wicked. It let loose a small apocalypse in the deserts of Persia. That led to one of the crusades. Granted, I was free then. It wouldn't bother me to have caused a few human deaths. I was groomed to do the same, but only stripping away their souls first. Using lust as my weapon. Sadly, it was the only weapon I had. Many men had gone mad and did terrible things in search of me after I had so selfishly used them to explore this new world. That was, until I met a young smith's son in France. He was strong, Wide at the chest, and narrow at his hip. Arms as wide as oak branches from swinging the hammer to the anvil thousands of times. His face was rough from the constant heat from the forges and small pockmarks dotted his face from the countless times sparks had kissed him. And he was Kind, so very kind it put me off at first. All too used to the demanding tones and expecting expressions from other men I had met, It agitated me. Then, I found he was wed. His wife was much alike to him in personality, but much smaller and fairer in features than him. That made me angry at first. The kindness from the two of them, but mainly the denials that that smith gave me infuriated me. One day as we sat at his little house next to his forge, I asked him why he was so staunch in his devotion. Other men would've killed their wives to take me at the time, but he explained all he could ever want came from his wife. She was the half of him that could help him move mountains and redirect rivers. But also pick flowers without destroying their petals and raise children. Together, they could cover each other's weaknesses and bolster their strengths.