{"id":1222,"date":"2012-05-11T00:00:02","date_gmt":"2012-05-11T04:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1222"},"modified":"2012-05-09T18:33:23","modified_gmt":"2012-05-09T22:33:23","slug":"autumn-chapter-10-03","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1222","title":{"rendered":"Autumn – Chapter 10 – 03"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. whipped around toward him, blinking rapidly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWait, what?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHe killed the guy?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The big bad?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Marin\u2019s nose wrinkled.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHow does he know?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom shrugged slightly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHe told me that it\u2019s because the chieftain and one of her allies stood there and watched him do it.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. raked his fingers through his dark hair, shaking his head as he sandwiched his temples between his hands.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat the hell kind of batshit crazy\u2014\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cFinn,\u201d Marin said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThe ally of that chieftain.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>That was his name, right?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom\u2019s stomach lurched as he nodded slightly, heart quickening for a moment.<\/span>\u00a0 How does she know?<\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDid Phelan tell you about this before he told me?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Her lips thinned as she shook her head slowly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNo.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I\u2019ll explain later, just\u2026just keep going.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Don\u2019t think I won\u2019t ask you about it later, either.<\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThe fighting had mostly stopped and the chieftain\u2014he kept calling her Breeheed, so I guess that must\u2019ve been her name\u2014\u201c<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Thom stopped as he caught J.T.\u2019s wince out of the corner of his eye.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBrigid,\u201d J.T. said quietly, his voice taking on a slight lilt that was vaguely alien and yet oddly familiar.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Marin shivered as he said the name, though J.T. didn\u2019t seem to notice.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHer name was Brigid.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 How do they know this shit?<\/em><\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cKeep talking, Thom,\u201d Marin whispered, leaning against him again and pulling his arms around her.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>His brow creased.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou two are starting to scare me,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>She smiled weakly, a faint blush stealing across her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around his waist.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cJust keep talking.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He sighed and rested his chin on her head, staring out at the grass that waved slightly in the breeze.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAll right.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>So, those two\u2014Brigid and Finn\u2014got to looking for him, since his warband or whatever was all over the place and mixed up with theirs.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>They heard something from this gully at the far end of the battlefield and they got there in time to see the last little bit of the fight.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan strangled the guy with his bowstring.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>One-handed, even.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>His other arm was broken\u2014almost crushed.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Said she should have lost it and would\u2019ve if not for someone named Seamus and that blind druid.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Thom took a breath, forcing himself to settle down\u2014listening to Phelan this morning had left him queasy with his heart racing.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Telling the story now was having the same effect.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHe passed out after the brute was down\u2014he said he\u2019s still got the scar where the guy got him with a spiked part of the warhammer.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>At least, that\u2019s what they told him he probably got hit with.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He\u2019s not sure, of course.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Over time, he said he\u2019s regained some hazy memories of what must\u2019ve happened, but he\u2019s never been sure if they\u2019re real memories or if he\u2019s imagining it.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSo I guess it was like this time almost exactly, except it sounded like he was unconscious longer the first time.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>His eyes flicked between the other two as the queasy feeling returned.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cOf course,\u201d he said quietly, \u201cthe silver lady took longer to show up that time.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Marin\u2019s fingers dug into his arm.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou didn\u2019t tell him, did you?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNo,\u201d Thom said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHe mentioned her himself\u2014called her an Angel of Death, but the description matched up pretty damn close.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He dreamed of her then and it sounded like he dreamed of her last night, too.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Marin shuddered and J.T. swore under his breath.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBut he doesn\u2019t know we saw her?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom shook his head.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI don\u2019t think so. I didn\u2019t tell him and if he suspects anything, he didn\u2019t call me on it.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. held his gaze.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAre you sure?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI\u2019m positive,\u201d Thom said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHe was pretty damned eager to change the subject anyhow.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He wet his lips.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHow long before you\u2019d feel all right about my losing the crutches, Jay?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. snorted.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNice change of subject.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>You don\u2019t use them half the time now.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Let me have another look at your ankle tonight and we\u2019ll talk.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Why?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom looked down at Marin and sighed before looking back to his best friend.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cPhelan wants to do the ceremony for us as soon as he can stand upright long enough to do it.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat cere\u2014\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Marin shot upright and stared at him.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Her mouth snapped shut as realization struck her, her eyes widening.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHe wants to\u2014\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYes,\u201d Thom said firmly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHe said it\u2019s time and he owes us that much\u2014he can see us handfasted and he can bless the union if it\u2019s what we want.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>A weak smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThe more I think about it, the more the idea\u2019s starting to grow on me a little.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBut\u2026but this soon?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>You only just asked me a few weeks ago,\u201d Marin said, seeming momentarily lost.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom felt a little tendril of guilt worm its way through his guts.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He reached up and brushed some hair out of her face.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYeah, I know,\u201d he murmured.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBut I also meant to ask you almost a year ago and chickened out.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>We\u2019ve been together a long time.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He rested his forehead against hers.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIf you want to back out\u2014\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNo!\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. snickered.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI think I\u2019ll leave you two to have this conversation in private.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I\u2019ll be up by the forge with Matt if you guys need me.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom waved him off, still staring at Marin.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThen what <\/span>do<\/span><\/em> you want?\u201d he asked.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>She hesitated a moment, then smiled weakly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI want to let him do it.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I knew that I wanted to do it before the snow started, but it\u2019s just that it feels\u2014I don\u2019t know.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>It feels sudden, I guess, but it\u2019s really not, is it?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Relief flooded through him as he shook his head slightly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNo.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>No, it\u2019s really not.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Thom kissed her gently and stroked her cheeks with his thumbs.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI love you.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI love you, too.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>But we <\/span>do<\/span><\/em> have a problem.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He raised a brow.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat are we going to <\/span>wear<\/span><\/em>?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom burst out laughing so hard it made his ribs ache and his eyes tear.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He wrapped her up in his arms and squeezed her tightly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe\u2019ll figure it out.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>We\u2019ve got time.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>A little bit, anyway.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Maybe we can talk Jac and J.T. into buying us more.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cJust not <\/span>too<\/span><\/em> much,\u201d she said, grinning widely.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNo,\u201d he agreed.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNot too much.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI love you, Thom.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cRight back at you, Mar.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Right back at you.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 J.T. whipped around toward him, blinking rapidly.\u00a0 \u201cWait, what?\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe killed the guy?\u00a0 The big bad?\u201d\u00a0 Marin\u2019s nose wrinkled.\u00a0 \u201cHow does he know?\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thom shrugged slightly.\u00a0 \u201cHe told me that it\u2019s because the chieftain and one of … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[38,35,48,14,39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1222","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-autumn","category-book-2","category-chapter-10-book-2","category-story","category-year-one"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1EBlN-jI","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1222","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1222"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1222\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1223,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1222\/revisions\/1223"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1222"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1222"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1222"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}