The Seer (42 page)

Fabian smiled,
‘I think Alyssa would have her work cut out trying to control you Mistral.’

‘I
know!’  Mistral exclaimed and turned in his arms to look up at him. 
‘We’re complete opposites!  Well, we look alike, apart from the obvious
difference in the number of legs, but she and Imperato, they’re so calm and
patient, and, I’m sorry to say this about the most revered race on the Isle,
but they’re so dull!’

Fabian burst
out laughing, ‘Centaurs just have a different perspective on life.’

‘You’re
telling me!  I can see where I get my love of hunting from, but they’re
almost fanatical about it!  Talk about pedantic!  Even I got bored
with listening to them relive past hunts or planning the next one.  And
the endless debates!  On and on and on about which moon was moving into
which house and what it meant, I tell you Fabian, they could talk for hours
about a problem and never come up with a solution!  It’s like they have
all the time in the world, there’s never a sense of urgency about anything they
do!  I was amazed that they even got up in the morning and didn’t just lie
on their beds contemplating the philosophy of waking or something!’

Fabian laughed
again, his warm breath tickling the skin of her neck in a distracting way,
‘Centaurs are rich in the one commodity that money cannot buy, and that is
time.  They have already lived more lifetimes than we will ever see. 
They have so much time that what you say is true, there really is no need for
urgency in their lives.’

Mistral
frowned at him, ‘But how can I be their child Fabian?  I’m everything
they’re not; impatient, reckless, bad-tempered –’

‘Wilful,
stubborn, loyal, beautiful and mine.’  Fabian finished, stroking a finger gently
down her cheek.  

She smiled and
caught his hand, holding it to her lips to kiss the warm skin, ‘You know I’m
always yours.  Even when I’m running away from you it’s only so that I can
come back.’

A shadow
crossed his face, ‘Please don’t remind me of last week.  I was convinced I
would find your dead body in the forests –’

Mistral
abruptly pressed her lips to his; silencing him, ‘Forget last week,’ she
breathed, her eyes gazing deeply into his.  ‘Let’s just enjoy this moment,
here and now.’  Taking his hand in hers, she led him from the balcony back
into their home.

The heavy snow
falls had taken a toll on their house so Fabian permitted her a week to hide
from her brothers’ anger whilst he replaced tiles on the roof and repaired the
fencing around the paddock.  Filled with an unusual sense of contentment,
Mistral was happy to spend her time at home, performing previously scorned
domestic tasks with an enthusiasm that surprised her and astounded
Fabian.  Kitchen cupboards were emptied and scrubbed, floors swept daily
and the stove polished until it gleamed.  Appalled at how thin Fabian had
become during her absence she made it her mission to produce three cooked meals
a day, also providing her with the perfect opportunity to satiate her craving for
roast boar.  By the fourth day Fabian tentatively suggested that he would
cook their next evening meal so she relented and baked a pie instead.

Digging his
fork into the thick crust Fabian inhaled the rich aroma of the meat and sighed,
‘Ah, boar again.  Tell me Mistral, are there actually any left in the
forests now or have we eaten them all this week?’

Mistral pouted
unrepentantly and stuck a forkful in her mouth.

She would
spend some time each evening reading the thoughts of the twins, Malachi and Leo
to keep Fabian updated on events in the Valley.  At first she was worried
that only hearing second-hand the progress of Leo’s campaign would frustrate
him and he would insist that they returned to the Valley at once, but he was
unusually prosaic in his response.

‘Actually,
your absence from the Valley is beneficial to Leo’s efforts.  The Council
Contract you heard in the twins’ thoughts is a made up Contract.  There is
no Committee for the Regulation of Theatrical Enterprises.  Leo obviously
wants them out of the way for a while.  I think you three have become so
unpopular since news leaked out about you fixing the Dragon Cull Contract that
Leo feels it would be prudent to distance himself from you all for a while.’

‘Oh great, so
now I’m the selfish Seer who uses her gift to cheat her brothers then runs away
from her problems am I?’

‘Problems?’ 
Fabian enquired, arching an eyebrow sharply.  ‘Is that how you are going
to refer to our son?  And why the plural?  Are we having twins?’

‘No
we
are not!’  Mistral snapped, clutching her stomach with a horrified
expression on her face.  ‘Serenity said she could hear one extra heart
beating inside me, not two!’  She suddenly groaned and sank down onto the
sofa.  ‘It’s going to be hell having her trying to smother me with helpful
advice.  Can’t I just hide here until the baby is born?’

‘No,’ he said
firmly and sat down beside her, pulling her into his arms.  ‘I want to
show you off, my beautiful, pregnant wife.  Besides, you have work to do.’

Mistral sighed
and leaned against his chest, ‘Bellicose or Malachi?’  She asked
wearily. 

‘Oh, let’s
start close to home.’

‘Malachi then
–‘

‘Care to join
us all for a drink?’  Phantom and his brother paused outside the door to
The Cloak and Dagger and turned to look at Mistral enquiringly.

‘Er, no thanks
– I’ll skip it.  I think I’ll head back to the stables and wait for
Fabian.’

Phantom made a
disappointed face and tried to cajole her, ‘Oh, come on Mistral!  We’ve
only just got back from a pointless round-trip to the Council and it’s the
first time you’ve shown your face in the Valley for ages, just come in for a
bit!’

‘Huh! 
What’s the point?  You won’t even let me have a drink!’  Mistral
grumbled.

‘I’ll tell you
what.’  Phantasm tilted his head and smiled angelically at her.  ‘You
can have a quart, how does that sound?’

‘Wow! 
Can I?’  Mistral muttered sarcastically and looked down at her dog,
rubbing his head moodily. 

‘Oh now don’t
be like that.  Come on, they’re not angry with you anymore, in fact
everyone is dying to congratulate you.’

Mistral
immediately looked uncomfortable, ‘And there’s another good reason not to go
in.’

‘Don’t be such
a killjoy!  Surely even you wouldn’t rob your brothers of the chance to
celebrate such a happy event would you?’  Phantasm demanded, his beautiful
face crumpling into a hurt look.

‘Oh, don’t do
that!’ She scowled at his expression.  ‘And please don’t make me do
this.  You know I can’t stand emotional scenes!’

‘Mistral, I
hardly think they’re going to cry!  They just want to share in some good
news for a change.  You know how rare that is in the Valley!’

Mistral sighed
and looked wistfully across the square towards the village, ‘Maybe when Fabian
gets back.’

‘Where is he
anyway?’  Phantom enquired, meeting his brother’s look and leaving his position
by the door to glide silently over and take hold of her arm.

‘Gone to see
his Agent for some work.  He’s fretting about having a wife and a child to
pay for.’  Mistral replied vaguely while she gazed across the square
again, barely noticing Phantom’s gentle pressure on her arm moving her
forwards.

‘I doubt very
much that Mage De Winter ever does any “fretting” Mistral.’  Phantasm
frowned.  ‘Brooding, maybe, however, he is right to be taking this
seriously.  The responsibility of having a family is not one to be taken
lightly.’

‘And your Mage
has enjoyed possibly the longest bachelorhood ever.’  Phantom remarked
acidly.

‘Are you
calling Fabian old?’  Mistral snapped.

‘Of course
he’s not Mistral.’  Phantasm said smoothly.  ‘He is merely stating
that Mage De Winter lived a certain lifestyle before you two met.’

‘Yes he did,
but that was the past.’  Mistral retorted and then sighed deeply, looking
over her shoulder again.  ‘He said he wouldn’t be long ... his Agent
doesn’t have many clients.’

‘Oh, and which
Agent is he with?’  Phantom enquired conversationally whilst he subtly
propelled her towards the door of the tavern.

‘Fortes and
English.’ 

‘Ah, but of
course he is.’  Phantasm nodded appreciatively and opened the door, stepping
quickly aside to allow his brother and Mistral past.  ‘Only the most
exclusive Contracts are offered by Fortes and English, which is precisely is
why my brother and I shall be signing up with them the very moment our
apprenticeships are repaid.’

‘Most
exclusive maybe, but also the most dangerous!’  ’ Mistral exclaimed.

‘Really?’ 
Phantom prompted in an interested voice while he guided her over the threshold
into tavern’s dim interior. 

‘Oh yes! 
Only last night he was dreaming about some work he’d done in the Northern Range
when giants were first introduced to the Isle.  Some moron from the
Council had them re-homed within the cyclops’ territory and all hell was let
loose –’

Suitably
distracted by recounting one of Fabian’s past Contracts, Mistral didn’t realise
that the twins had successfully walked her into the tavern until a loud cheer
went up.  Startled, she looked up see all of her brothers sat at their
usual table, laden with tankards, bronze coins and a scattered pack of
cards.  Immediately leaping to their feet, Brutus and Xerxes strode
towards her and lifted her between them, carrying her over to their table
amidst gales of laughter from the rest her brothers and earning her a broad
grin from Samson, leaning against the bar with a group of similarly dishevelled
looking warriors.

‘Just what the
hell do you think you’re doing?’  Mistral spluttered once they had placed
her down on a chair.

Xerxes gave
her a concerned look, ‘We’ve got to treat you carefully now Mistral.’

‘Yes,
especially now you’ve got precious cargo on board.’  Brutus added with a
soppy smile.

‘Oh please
no.’ Mistral buried her face in her hands.  ‘This is exactly what I wanted
to avoid.’

‘What? 
Can’t you take a little teasing now you’re pregnant Mistral?’  Cain leaned
across to whisper under the cover of their brothers’ laughter. 

She lowered
her hands to stare at the cluttered table, ‘This is so embarrassing!’

‘What? 
Being laughed at in The Cloak?  That’s a daily event for all of us
Mistral!’ 

Mistral
shifted uncomfortably on her chair, ‘No not that ... oh, you know –’ 

Cain frowned,
‘Not really.’

‘Now everyone
knows about me ... and Fabian –’

Cain threw
back his head and laughed, ‘Come on Mistral!  Aren’t you forgetting that
we were all on your honeymoon with you?  You didn’t come out of that cabin
for days!  Besides, you are actually married, it’s not as though you’re
having Xerxes’ love child or something!’ 

Mistral
sighed, ‘No I suppose not.’

Cain gave her
a crooked smile, ‘They’re just happy to have some good news for a change. 
Let them enjoy it.’

‘Yes, but why
can’t they be happy a bit less loudly,’ she muttered and looked up reluctantly
to meet their grinning faces.

‘I must admit
pregnancy suits you Mistral, you look really good!’  Xerxes ran an
appreciative eye over her new curves.

Mistral gave
him a poisonous look and turned back to Cain, ‘I don’t think I can take that
kind of attention from him as well as Serenity.  She followed me across
the damned village square this morning asking when I was going in for my trimesterly
check or something.’

‘You’re going
to have to accept some medical attention Mistral.’  Cain said
practically.  ‘It’s not about you now.’

Mistral nodded
and fiddled thoughtfully with the frayed sleeve of her shirt, one of Phantom’s;
her own were no longer comfortable in areas she would rather not reveal,
‘Cain?’

‘Hmm?’

‘Your mother
was the tribe’s midwife wasn’t she?’

‘Yes,’ he said
warily.  ‘And I think I know where you’re going with this.’

She looked at
him beseechingly, ‘Please brother!  I can’t stand Serenity’s
mothering!  She irritates me at the best of times, never mind when she’s
talking to me like I’m a brood mare or something!’

Cain narrowed
his eyes at her over the brim of his tankard, taking a long drink while he
considered his response, ‘I will be your healer throughout your pregnancy –’ he
raised his other hand to stem her rush of relieved gratitude ‘– on one
condition.’

‘Name it!’

‘You do what I
tell you to … with regards to your pregnancy that is, anymore would be, quite frankly
unbelievable and outside my remit.  You are thankfully Mage De Winter’s
problem now.’

Mistral’s
expression became guarded, ‘Do what you tell me?  Like what?’

‘Diet,
exercise, alcohol intake, Contracts and, er, a few other things that are
probably best discussed not in a tavern.’

Mistral gave
him a truculent look, ‘Whatever.  Just say I don’t have to suffer Serenity
and you can tell me to take up knitting for all I care.  We both know I’ll
do what I want anyway.’

Cain set his
tankard down and leaned back on his chair, folding his arms firmly across his
chest.  ‘Then the answer is no.’

‘Oh come
on!  I was only joking!’ 

‘No you
weren’t Mistral!  There’s no way I’m wasting time giving you advice you
won’t listen to!’ 

‘Please?’ 
She tried in a wheedling tone.

He shook his
head.

‘I’ll promise
on … on –’she cast around for something profound to swear upon and prove her
sincerity.

‘On Saul’s
memory?’  Cain suggested quietly.

Mistral held
his gaze evenly, ‘I swear on the memory of our brother that I will do as you
say during my p – p … time,’ she finished lamely.

‘Pregnancy.’

‘Yes, that.’

Cain sighed
and rolled his eyes, ‘I must be insane –’

‘Oh, thank you
brother!’ 

‘Just heed my
advice or you and I will fall out,’ he threatened, ruining the effect with a
grin.  ‘Now, since this is our first official consultation, is there
anything you’d like to ask?’

‘Actually,’
Mistral shunted her chair a bit closer so that she could whisper without being
overheard, ‘yes.  I have got one or two questions.’

‘Here we are!’ 
Phantom called out cheerfully as he sauntered up to the table carrying a tray
of tankards.

Phantasm
lifted one of the tankards aloft in a toast, ‘Let’s raise our tankards the
latest addition to the Valley.’

Mistral raised
her eyebrows at the tiny tankard Phantom had placed on the table in front of
her, ‘Are you winding me up?’  She asked, picking up the quart pot with a
look of disgust on her face.

‘Good
health!’  Phantom winked, raising his own brimming tankard.

‘Ah, damn
that’s good.’  Xerxes smacked his lips together appreciatively, slamming
his nearly empty tankard down with a hearty bang.

Mistral shot
him an envious look and took a tentative sip from her own toy-sized
tankard.  The ale tasted good.  Mistral drained her tankard in one
swallow, suddenly grateful that honey had made her sick, not ale.  She
placed her empty tankard down and eyed the dregs in the bottom regretfully,
knowing that the twins wouldn’t allow her to have another. 

‘So what’re we
having then?’  Xerxes demanded, slamming both hands on the table and
fixing her with a questioning look.

‘Another
round?’  She asked hopefully.

Phantasm gave
her a stern look.

‘Baby-wise
Mistral!  What are we having?’  Xerxes asked, looking at her in eager
anticipation, his hand hovering near the top pocket of his jerkin.

Mistral
started at him blankly for a moment before her expression slowly changed to one
of horror, ‘Oh, Xerxes no!  Please tell me you haven’t told the whole
Valley that this is your baby!’

Brutus burst
out laughing and slapped his brother on the back, ‘Even Xerxes wouldn’t be that
foolish Mistral!  He means, what are we having?  A boy or a girl.’

‘We?’ 
Mistral repeated, frowning at them both in puzzlement.

‘Yes, we’re
going to be uncles!’  Xerxes announced with a grin.  ‘I personally
want to borrow the baby on Saturday afternoons when the girl from the saddlery
is off.  Girls just can’t resist cute babies and single men!’

‘It might not
be that cute brother, considering the mother’s charming nature.’  Cain
winked at Mistral.  ‘Now don’t avoid the question Mistral, surely you know
what you’re having!  Being a Seer must have some benefits to finding these
sorts of things out ahead of time, and now I’m your healer I need should really
be told.’

Mistral
scowled at him then dropped her gaze to stare at her empty tankard, running a
finger thoughtfully around the rim. 

‘Well?’ 
Brutus demanded impatiently.

Mistral
sighed, ‘A boy.’

Another loud
cheer went up while Xerxes pulled a battered piece parchment from his top
pocket and counted up how many wagers he’d taken on that outcome.  Mistral
dropped her head into her hands and looked beseechingly at Phantasm through her
splayed fingers, but he merely shrugged and grinned happily back at her. 
She closed her eyes and sighed; he was just as stupidly excited about being an
uncle as the rest of them.

‘Here’s to my
nephew!’  Brutus said loudly and raised his tankard again.  ‘And to
the five silver coins I just won!’

‘I always knew
she’d get something right … eventually.’  Xerxes agreed proudly and
smashed his tankard into his brother’s in a noisy toast.

‘Er, just how
long have they been in here?’  Mistral whispered to Cain, eying their
exuberant grins warily.

‘Most of the
afternoon –’

‘Oh, great.’

‘So what’s
this about you being part-centaur then?’  Xerxes demanded loudly, making
Mistral cringe when several warriors at the bar turned to stare at her.

‘Not part,
full actually.’  Phantasm corrected quietly.  ‘Hence the ability to
bear children.  Although, Mistral was really born to be a Seer and not a
specific breed of any kind, which explains the lack of centaur appearance.’