“It’s absolutely safe. I wish I could go with you, but I have to stay in the house.” Frid sighed.
“I can help you with –”
“No!” Frid lifted up her hand, silencing me.
By the way she pressed her lips together I knew that she would never yield. I nodded and returned to the last of the dishes.
When I took out a shawl from the bedroom closet, and was about to open the front door, Sol unexpectedly joined me.
As soon as I stepped on the slightly damp grass and inhaled the scent of fresh herbs and delicate wildflowers, my breathing slowed. It felt like the thick air, full of traces of unbearably sweet purple coneflowers, clover, and orange poppy, spoke directly to me, as if this was the answer to all I have ever searched for. The almost unbearable beauty wanted to tell me something I was not ready to hear. As I walked I looked to the spot where the sun was slowly moving up, announcing that it was nearly midday.
“Aren’t you tired?” I asked after a long stretch of time passed in complete silence.
“Why?”
“You played cards half the night.” I glanced at Sol.
“I’ll sleep later.”
My eyes shifted to the mountains ahead and the next thought left my head because all I could see were the changing colors of the rocks contrasting with the intense green surrounding them.
We walked further without saying anything to each other. I appreciated Sol’s company, his quiet presence. I liked Frid, and I got used to Victor’s snarky remarks, but sometimes I needed peace and quiet.
My leather boots stepped on the soft, spongy soil making my progress up the hill extremely slow, but Sol pretendednot to notice. He waited for me, and tried his best to match my steps.
I wanted to ask him about their childhood in Darragh, but I did not know how my prying would be received. I bit my lip, thinking hard about the best way to bring it up, until the words just spilled out of me, nearly on their own.
“Were you ... abused when you were children?”
Sol looked at me for a long moment and I thought he was not going to answer.
“I did not think about it when I was young. But now . . . I think . . . yes . . . we were,” he said slowly.
“Who was your clan leader?” I asked.
“Lady Darragh.”
“A woman?”
“Yes. Tynan’s dad was nominally the leader, but his wife actually ruled the clan,” Sol continued.
“Tynan’s mother?” I stared at him.
Sol nodded, I looked down to my feet. That bit of information did not explain much, and yet I felt that pieces of the puzzle were coming together to form a larger picture.
“This is Mehra, the main city of the black clan.” Sol nodded toward the settlement ahead.
My eyes traveled to the endless outlines of small cottages situated on top of the hills that scattered all over the valley. I could see the beauty and danger of the peaks in the background. The view could have taken my breath away, but all I could think about was Tynan.
“This is nice,” I said almost absentmindedly.
Sol started to descend toward the valley and I followed him.
As we got closer, I saw more women wearing dresses similar to mine with corsets in contrasting colors and long cotton skirts. Mature women had their hair braided and secured on top of their heads, often concealed by a scarf, while younger girls wore loose braids. I shivered thinking that I got it all wrong when I pinned my hair up.
My eyes returned to the citizens who were busy working. Farmers delivered milk and eggs as they went from house to house with straw baskets. Women did laundry in their backyards while kids played nearby.
New and unsettling feelings invaded my mind and tinted every thought. I was in love with this land, before knowing these people, before understanding their way of living. The revelation coated my insides with warmth. It got me thinking about Tynan, his dangerous, untamed beauty that was as captivating as the wild and alluring peaks. This place made me understand him even better, if that was even possible. Once again, I had a sense of the inevitable, unavoidable pull that pushed me toward the one man I truly wanted. As if the choice was already made, as if I never had any.
