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“I’d like a chance to get up to speed before the harvest season,” he said, increasing the speed of the wagon slightly now that they were moving away from the clusters of shops and retail establishments outside the gate.
They sprawled in an unorganized way for several miles outside the city walls. The walls around the main part of the city had been erected to control trade - and the resulting taxes and licenses - not for defense, so a number of people tried to avoid both by living outside the official city limits. She’d only been outside the walls once before, and it had been a long time ago when her grandfather had still been healthy enough to make the long trip to visit an old friend.
His friend had passed while she was a teenager, but her grandfather had lingered for much longer. Forcing her mind away from the unhappy memories, she watched as even the small houses and farms that dotted the fields gradually disappeared, leaving only open rolling hills as far as she could see. Like the ocean, she thought, taking a breath of air untainted by fumes or smoke or people. Raja seemed equally as enthusiastic, his little nose quivering almost continuously.
“Do you have experience on a farm?” she asked a little while later.
“Why else would I apply to work on one?”
Despite the slightly sardonic response, his big body had tensed.
“Were you brought up on a farm?”
This time there was a perceptible hesitation before he answered and although his voice was still calm and controlled, she had the distinct feeling he was uncomfortable with the subject.
“The land my family owned was not strictly a farm. It included several orchards, as well as pasture land for several herds of drishni.”
“Drishni?”
“They are large animals with four legs, shaggy fur, and big horns. They are generally placid animals - except during mating season.” Those other worldly blue eyes glinted as he looked down at her. “But then most males are aggressive when in pursuit of a female.”
“So what happened?” she asked, feeling oddly breathless all of a sudden. The teasing light vanished and she realized he didn’t want to talk about it. “You don’t have to tell me. I’m just curious about my new… husband.”
“I understand,” he said, giving her a sideways look, the light gleaming on the scales on the side of his head. His ears were much flatter and closer to his head than a human’s. Another hesitation and what might have been a sigh. “I suppose a wife is expected to know something of her husband’s past. To answer your original question, I was not raised on that land but I did spend a lot of time there as a child.”
“And as an adult?”
“That part of my life no longer existed.”
His voice had turned so cold that she shivered, deciding not to ask him any more questions about his past.
“Is there anything you want to know about me?” she asked instead.
“A much more interesting subject.”
Since his body had relaxed again, she smiled up at him as she shook her head.
“Not really. I’ve always lived in Port Cantor. My mother died when I was so young I barely remember her and my grandparents brought me up - both of them at first, and then just my grandfather.”
“And your father?”
“Joined the crew of a spaceship after my mother died. We never heard from him again.”
“Some males should not be allowed to propagate,” he muttered.
Did he include himself in that group, she wondered, but didn’t have the nerve to ask. She gave him a quizzical look instead.
“It’s just as well he did, otherwise I wouldn’t be here.”
“You have a point. That would have been most unfortunate.”
A flush of warmth filled her at his words - it was the closest she’d had to a compliment in a very long time.
“What did you do when you grew older?” he asked.
“I remained at home. My grandfather was ill so I nursed him until… until the end.”
Her throat threatened to close, the memory still raw even after three years. Raja squeaked and nudged her hand as if he had picked up on her distress, and Celenk put a warm arm around her waist. Not an arm, she realized a second later - a tail. It felt a little strange, but also oddly comforting and she cautiously patted the tip where it had curved over her stomach.
