It was a long journey home. Not as long as the original trail South or North for that matter... it was just a long few days back from the Love Wars. For me... it was. Yes... ohhh yes it was. After my revelation of "me" to Fonce.. and after the fact I didnt get to finish that conversation... I was left wondering.. still.. who I was. I didnt feel any better... infact.. I felt worse. Left hanging with words still to say that did not get the chance to come rolling forth. Ehhhh... they would wait. I wasnt in a hurry. So this... endless trail back to our Southern grounds was filled with caring and tending those injured in the fights... checking new slaves... broken bones and a few head wounds. Enough to keep me busy for eternity. I was content to do so. Yet... I had a break today. No one needed me. No one except the piles of laundry from all my kids. Tunic's caked with mud... blood... grass... the likes of children that worked and played hard. It was off to the stream not long after a midday snack. Wily helped to cart the baskets down and then had to run off to the Forge to do some work. Sonny, Mia, Vee and Ess were off to fish. Talia and Starr were working on repairing blankets, quilts and jackets for the Winter months. I was left alone with soap and rushing water. I spent several Ahn there at the stream.. alone... talking to my kids through their laundry.. questioning how they managed to get this hole there... this grass stain here... etc and onward. The silence was broken and my attention turned to the lil redheaded slave of Fonce's. she too had duties at the stream in the form of laundry. Hmmm... ok. I didnt mind the intrusion... I didnt mind the girl. Perhaps it was the hair. she is red... like me.. although mine of course is much more beautiful. Boast... primp... pridefull grin. red asked me how my day was. I said fine.. I had succeeded in hiding from it. she told me.. sometimes it was better to say.. Hey day.. Im here...screw you... deal with it. I told her... it wasnt so much of hiding as it was.. I loved a good fight when it found me. Yeah... it was just that simple to explain. Anyway.. after we started to wash again.. the girl simply floored me and asked me a question that.. well.. Im still mulling over in shock. red asked.. What I had done to her Master that had made Him so angry with me. Huh? So.. I asked her.. when? And she told me.. the last time we had seen each other. Ahhhh. Spark of rememberance. First off.. I didnt feel comfortable telling her all my secrets. Second.. I wasnt exactly sure what she was referring to. I went for the generic answer... that I always seemed to anger.. fustrate.. piss off to the point of irratation and baffle her Owner. Something that was starting to tarnish the lack-luster appeal of it all... but.. didnt matter now. I told her I tried to understand... but one sided input rarely gave way to anything but annoyance. she said she hoped to also understand Him... someday too. I wished her luck... and behold.. she thanked me. Eventually.. she wound up wishing me luck. I told her to keep it. It wasnt luck I needed. red said she would keep my luck.. she would hold onto it.. until I needed it. I thanked her. So.. there I was.. chatting with a slave... shockkkkkkkker. And it passed the time nicely. That is.. until the girl would get up and move around the chim-chimeny chime of bells. The tinkling of the bells around her ankle began to grate my nerves. red then said.. she wondered when Fonce would remove them. I asked her if she knew why He belled her in the first place. she said.. because she couldnt be trusted. Oh. Head nod. Well... I wouldnt butt into that part or voice my opinion on the matter... it wasnt my place. But... I would silence those bells... at least while it was just the two of us... and I knew where she was and wasnt about to be concerned the slave would produce a dagger and.. lets say.. slice open my throat. I called red over to me.. reached down to the edge of the stream.. took up a palm full of mud and packed those bells to silence. Ahhhhh yes. Once more the rippling of the water and it's peacefull song could be heard. red... was thrilled... even stood up and did a small jig in place... in silence. I did.. however.. remind her that she would need to stick her foot in the stream before she left.. and return those little annoying tinkler's back to earshot. she agreed.. smiling. So there you have it... two lil redhead's sitting by the stream.. doing laundry and partaking in conversation. The day.. actually had gotten better... brighter. Talia and Starr showed up.. reminding me that dinner needed to be prepared. I agreed.. and sent them to find their younger siblings. I bid red a farewell.. gave her some candies with instruction to ask her Owner's permission to have them. As I rose to leave.. it was funny how we both agreed that luck and the promise of company would bring us together again. Me hoping for the Company of a slave? .... me? Good Skies.... it must be snowing in the desert.
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