Sinful Promises
Disclaimer: I own none of the stuff that Merecedes Lackey owns. But I do own Maire and Madame Louisa and the girls and the tavern... and other things that are to come later but would spoil the plotline!
Chapter 6
Maire slept restlessly, she knew that. She woke up at least two different times that she knew of. Once because something made a noise outside and it woke her up. She had looked over and seen that Talia's back was to her, but Dirk had thrown his arm over her waist and was hugging her to him. Then she'd woken up again because of early dawn birds singing outside the window. Talia had somehow wrested her away from Dirk and held her like a small child, resting her cheek on the top of her head. She smiled to herself, and wondered if they were going to remember using her as a sleeping toy in the morning when they woke up.
She finally woke up the final time to the door opening, and she saw Dirk leave the room. Talia was standing at the desk, getting dressed.
" Huh?" Maire mumbled, not exactly the most articulate person in the mornings.
" He's going for a bath, hon." Talia explained softly, and Maire nodded.
" Bath sounds good." She tried to clear her throat of whatever morning gunk was in it, but she couldn't.
Talia handed her a robe and showed her where the bathing rooms were, following her. Maire filled the tub as full and hot as it would go, submerging herself in it up to her chin, looking lazily out over the water's surface.
" Did we disturb you last night?" Talia asked, soaping up her hair.
Maire shook her head. " Not at all. It was nice, actually. Been a long time since I've had anyone spend a night with me that was so pleasant."
" I'm glad you enjoyed it." Talia smiled. " Dirk was a little perturbed. For all his joking and jibes, he's really a softy down in his heart, and it scared him a little, I think, when I told him how old you really are."
' Almost freshly turned seventeen summers, aye.' Maire thought to herself.
" People don't like to be reminded of how old I am, especially after they find out what I do. They see their sisters, daughters, wives. It sets them on edge."
Talia nodded. " Wash up quickly, muzzy head. Breakfast is in an hour."
Maire grumbled something that even she didn't understand, and slipped her head under the water.
" Maire?" Talia asked, after breakfast.
" Aye?"
" I have to go to the Companions Feild for a moment, to check on one of my charges. Would you mind coming with me?"
" Sure, I'm not minding that, I love Companions." Maire felt excited now. The only Companion she'd been anywhere close to had been Raya. Now she was going to get to see all of them, just about.
" So what's wrong?" Maire asked as they headed out to the Feild.
" Remy, one of the older mares." Talia let them into the Feild. " She got sick all of a sudden, a six month ago. She's been weak, listless, almost as if she had a kind of human depression. Roland told Dirk's Ahrodie that she was supposed to go out and find her Chosen around when she got sick, so that's accounting for some of her troubles, but there's something wrong with her that I just can't figure out."