The Long Road Back (Part Three)

Writers: Yvonne, Miriah
Date Posted: 14th December 2020
Series: The Assassin's Husband

Characters: Lusilk, Olov
Description: Warm nights turn to warm mornings
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 8, day 1 of Turn 10
Notes: Mentioned: Lorican

Lusilk

It was so very warm, warmer than she'd been in what felt like turns.
And the body next to hers was a solid mass of heat. Only half awake,
Lusilk pressed closer and sighed, enjoying the heavy weight of a thick
arm thrown over her abdomen. She felt secure, and the slack hand
cupping her breast felt almost comforting. But the log pressing
against her hip was a bit distracting. Her eyes fluttered as she
became more aware. Hand. Breast. Log. Her eyes slowly opened and the
sleepy fog began to slowly fade. That wasn't a log.

The change in her breathing woke Olov. He opened his eyes to the grey
pre-dawn light and a view of the top of Silk's messy head. They were
warm beneath their blankets and the morning air seemed particularly
chilly, and he didn't really want to move. He did anyway, rolling away
from her an inch and removing his arm from her middle before she
stabbed him.

She held still for a moment more, still half asleep and immediately
missed the direct heat that his body offered; his movement away had
sent a shiver of cold air under the blankets that made her tug them
closer. There was a muttered grumble from under the blankets; she'd
slept well and there was nothing more she wanted to do then simply go
back to sleep. The prospect of leaving the cozy warmth of the blankets
to greet a chilly winter morning wasn't a welcome one. Slowly, very
slowly, the blanket was pulled down to reveal a pair of sleepy eyes,
then a low chuckle. "Enjoy the grope?"

"Yup. I'd recommend it," Olov said blandly. It had produced a rather
uncomfortable morning result, but he didn't have to get up yet.

Yawning, she didn't try to move out from under the blanket. "Next time
try lower. I might actually enjoy it if I'm sleepy enough." She knew
how men slept; Lorican had often clasped her the same way with the
same results and Varlin certainly had. It was the only reason that
Olov still had a hand. Besides, it hadn't been unpleasant. She
grumbled again, lifting her head to sniff the air and listen. It was
the pre-dawn quiet and very little stirred. The air stung her nose
before she quickly covered it again.

"I'll extend the same offer to you," Olov replied. He should get up
and stir up the fire. Tend to the runners. They should be leaving
soon, in case the cot he'd raided the night before gathered up their
neighbours to ride after them.

Her eyes cut to the side, narrowing slightly, not in anger, but in
real consideration. She didn't dislike the man; he'd been a remarkably
comfortable travel companion. Her marriage, such as it was, had only
taken place because Silgan needed protection and Lorican likely
thought her dead. He'd promised to seek out the woman he loved and he
was honorable enough to abide by his promises. She tried not to think
of her son or the thought of not seeing him again, which was possible
if word had spread. There was much she'd have to consider once she
arrived at Sunstone.

But she wasn't there yet; she was here. There was at least another
sevenday before they arrived. Olov was here, he was warm, and
apparently not uninterested. "It wouldn't mean anything. You know that."

He turned his head to look at her, surprised. He thought for a moment,
then smiled. "I never get attached." Which was true. Olov had often
wondered if he was even capable of the bonds that other people had,
but in situations like this it was a handy trait.

So he _could_ smile. It wasn't a comforting smile, though, and it seemed like
he didn't do it often. He wasn't completely unattractive and
from what she'd felt, he did have something to offer. There was a part
of her that wanted to celebrate being _alive_ and forget about
problems that would come
once she arrived at Sunstone. Perhaps a few moments of pleasure could
distract her from it and keep her warm for a while longer. "Then be
careful and don't move me around too much."

"You might be happier on top." Olov was a big man, and Silk was
slender. He knew how easily he could hurt someone.

He was going to allow her some control? Now that was interesting,
considerate, and very attractive in itself. Interest further piqued,
she turned her head to fully face him. "Probably, if we can keep the
blankets close. But unlike you, I need some encouragement before I hop
up there and make our morning a bit more pleasant. Been a while, has it?"

"Not so long that I've forgotten what to do." He rolled to face her,
then ran a hand down her body from her neck to the top of her thighs,
then back again. It was probably a bad idea. They should get up and
get moving. But the morning was cold and Silk was warm, and sometimes
that was worth the risk.

A few candlemarks later, Lusilk rode on the back of her runner, arm up
in the sling that kept the weight off of her collarbone. "It looks
like the hunting is going to be poor. I haven't seen any wild
herdbeast tracks or feline tracks. Not even wherry scat. Cotholds are
going to be getting closer together the closer we get to the Hold.
I'll handle the next one." She paused, considering. "They'll have more
guards and your method might not work."

Olov shrugged. "I can be more subtle. Last time was just for fun. I'm
not sure how fast you can run with that arm, anyway."

"I'm smaller," she countered easily. "and less easily seen in the
dark. It doesn't take as much room to hide me as it does you." Her arm
wasn't the problem; it was her ribs that would make things difficult
if she had to flee. It was harder to take deep breaths and the
pounding of her feet would cause enough pain to stymie anything more
than a short sprint. "An outlying storage building might be the best."
Lusilk frowned in thought. "We can decide once we reach one who needs
to go while the other keeps watch. Our supplies are getting low, even
with what's left of that ham."

Olov considered for a moment, then nodded. If she had something to
prove, so be it. He was confident in his ability to get Silk out of
whatever trouble she might find herself in. If she wanted to carry
grain and food with a fractured collarbone and sore ribs, he wouldn't
stop her. "If it's far enough out, we should consider staying the
night. I have a doubt this clear weather will hold."

Nodding, Lusilk looked up at the sky and wrinkled her nose, smelling
the air. It smelled crisp, and there were heavy clouds on the horizon
in the direction that they were traveling. "Snow on the air. Maybe ice, if we're

unlucky." She sighed. "We may have to. Let's get as far as we can
today, even if we have to step up the pace. I can take that far better
than sleet if it comes. "

Olov grunted in response, giving his runner a nudge with his knees to encourage it to walk a bit faster. The beast was looking thin these days, but nothing but dried grasses and the occasional handful of grain would do that. He kept his eyes up and ears open. With any luck, they'd come across somewhere good to raid before nightfall.

Lusilk kept pace, budging her smaller runner to keep pace with his. With luck and if the weather held, they'd be at the main Hold in a sevenday. At least, she thought, she could count on her nights being warm.

Last updated on the January 14th 2021

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The Long Road Back (Part Three)