A Coursing Passage (A Life of Magic Book 3) (23 page)

I looked at Raven and grinned, "Husband and wife."

She grinned and chuckled gently, "Finally alone." She leaned against me and laid her head on my chest. "That was noisy."

I nodded and stroked her hair, it was soft and fine. An alluring scent drifted up from her hair, like flowers and leather. A combination I would always associate with Raven.

"I think we need to load the wagon." She stated this as she stepped back. She smiled gently and ran her fingers through her hair, straightening it where I had stroked it.

I nodded and grabbed the first of many packages. "I hope it all fits."

She laughed and led the way into the wagon.

***

The next morning I awoke to the sound of Raven moving around the wagon. We had finally finished packing away all the new gifts that needed to go into the wagon. Some gifts were simply not useful or redundant, so these were sent off to be traded for food. Then that needed to be packed. By the time we were done with that last bit of packing it was almost dark. The campsite was almost packed away, only enough stuff for a meal was kept out. We spent a quiet evening sitting around the fire and enjoying talking with one another. Stain and Tulip shared stories from their earlier lives. Raven and I listened and leaned against one another. Finally we all settled down and went off to our beds. Raven and I climbed into our wagon and went to bed.

"Awake are you?" Raven chuckled from across the wagon.

I looked over at her and smiled. Her hair was mussed up and she was still putting her leather outfit on, she looked so disorganized. She blushed at me watching her.

"Time to get out of that bed, sleepy." She grabbed a pin and tamed her hair in one motion. She stood up and handed me a bowl. "Some food, my husband." She grinned widely.

"Why thank you my wife." I sat up and took the bowl. I grinned and grabbed her hand.

She pulled her hand back gently, "We need to get ready to travel."

I pulled her hand gently, "I think I need a kiss." She tumbled into my lap, giggling. We took a few minutes to enjoy kissing.

"Now, I do have things to do." Raven stated this gently as she put her hair back up. She stood up and headed to the door of the wagon. "I have heard the rest rumbling around for a while already. I am sure they are ready to be going." She stepped out of the wagon, gently closing the door behind herself.

I smiled and stood up. I quickly ate the fruit and nuts she had prepared for a breakfast. Getting dressed I grinned, we were married. I looked out the door and smiled even wider. The camp had been packed up completely and everyone was sitting around where the campfire had been the night before. Cheers met my appearance.

"It is about time you stirred. We threatened to invade your wagon, but your wife refused us entry." Tulip quipped.

Stain stood up and stretched. "Now that you have ventured forth we need to leave." He hugged me and then headed towards Tag where his pack waited.

Tulip stood up, "I believe the rest of our party is waiting for us to arrive. They already have everyone hooked up and ready to go." She headed towards her wagon, where her animals waited in harness. She climbed the wagon and slowly it pulled out of the campsite. Tag slowly followed her as Stain led the way.

"They already hooked up the goats. We just need to secure a few things and we can follow." Raven commented as she picked up a few things and hung them on the wagon. I grabbed the last few things in the campsite and packed them away. We stood there a moment, taking it all in.

"Things have changed so much while we have been here." Raven said softly.

I hugged her close, "That they have. But so much for the better!"

She hugged me close, "Time to get this wagon moving." She climbed up to the driver's bench and grabbed the reigns. I climbed up beside her and we headed down the path after the rest. The wagon rolled well and we occasionally heard things inside settling into place. Once or twice something larger banged, yet nothing seemed to break. We jumped anyway.

"Well, it is about time you two caught up." Ruth commented from her wagon beside the gathering point. This was a large circle that was formed beside the main road. It had a a large group of various wagons, teams, and people filling it. "Do not worry too much. Others are still missing and we are not quite ready to move out onto the road." She stepped down from her wagon. "You will be behind Tulip and in front of me. Stain is traveling with Tulip, so Tag and Evins will be before you. We will most likely keep this order most of the trip."

Raven tied the reins to the brake and climbed down from the wagon. "What about Robert and Amelia?"

"We will be behind Ruth." Robert came from behind Ruth's wagon, evidently they were already parked there. "We like to keep close."

Amelia came around the wagon behind Robert, "Good morning!" She was obviously in high spirits.

Raven ran over to Amelia and hugged her around the neck. They stayed that way for a bit, while we could hear them whispering. With a loud laugh they separated and linked arms. "We are going to go around and meet everyone. You boys behave while we are gone." Amelia towed Raven into the crowd of people.

"Care if I join you?" Robert stood beside our wagon.

"Sure, climb on up." I stated this with a slight questioning tone.

He climbed up and sat down, "It is considered rude to climb onto or into someone else's wagon without permission. The exceptions are immediate family. A parent, child, maybe a friend that is closer than family. " He looked around. "Your wagon turned out rather well."

I nodded, "I think we are going to enjoy it quite a bit. Although we heard some things moving around on the way over."

Robert looked worried, "We need to check that and see if we can secure things. If even something small bounces around just right it can tear up more than you could imagine." He climbed down and headed around the wagon. I joined him at the rear of the wagon and we looked in. Obviously we had forgotten to secure some catches, there was a good amount of clothes and objects scattered around the inside of the wagon. "Either you two are really messy or things have shifted."

I smiled and started putting away clothes. "I think we forgot to close a cabinet." I proceeded to secure the offending door and then worked to pick up the other items.

Robert helped and then pointed out something, "Most of this looks like it simply tumbled to the floor. Perhaps it just was not secured?"

"I guess. We tried to get everything put away or tied down." I picked up a book. "I think we have a lot to learn."

Robert nodded, "It will take time, but Tulip and the rest of us will help." He showed me how some things had not been packed away just right. After a while we heard a call going up through the gathering place. Sticking his head out of the window Robert called out, "Is that the head out?"

I could hear Tulip reply, "Yes. Get back to your wagon. You have just a few moments before we start rolling."

Robert stood up, "Well we will be getting underway in a few moments." He headed out of the wagon. "Be sure to secure the last of those things before they destroy something valuable." He climbed down the back stairs and moved around Ruth's wagon towards his own. I heard him call out to someone and then Raven appeared around Ruth's wagon.

"Ott!" She called out. "Darling husband! Where are you?" Her voice rattled with laughter.

I stuck my head out the door, "Just securing a few things my dear." I smiled at her.

She nodded, "I wondered what made all the racket." She climbed the steps and pecked me on the cheek. Leaning past me to look into the wagon she nodded, "It seems as if you have it handled. Thank you ever so much." She climbed down and headed around the wagon. "Amelia said we would be heading out soon."

I followed her, "Tulip said so also. I guess we need to be ready." We climbed up onto the driver's bench. No sooner had we settled ourselves than a call came out. The creaking of many wagons and the sound of many animals starting to move rumbled as the entire group of wagons slowly churned towards the road. A line formed out of seemingly chaos. Tulip pulled out and Tag followed close behind her.

"Forward!" Raven called out.

The goats stomped their hooves and pulled, the wagon slowly moving towards the road and following in Tag's shadow. I could hear Ruth call out and more wagons rumbled after us. All in all it seemed as if there were twenty wagons plus small carts, people carrying packs, and a few pack animals like Tag. The entire caravan was now underway. The sounds settled into a gently, steady rumble of noise. Wheels rolling, animals calling out, people talking. It was very interesting.

"This is nice." Raven leaned back against my shoulder. "I would much rather ride the whole way with you than walk."

I hugged her close, "Me also. I always enjoyed walking, but the company is better up here."

"I bet it is." Stain called out. I looked over and saw him walking alongside our wagon. "I realize you are newly wed but perhaps we could work on some of your herbal skills, since you are still my apprentice." His grin took the sting from his words.

I kissed Raven and climbed down from the wagon. Getting off a moving wagon is harder than it sounds. I nearly fell over.

"What shall we be learning today?" I asked Stain once I regained my balance.

Stain grinned, "Why you are going to be harvesting herbs along the road while I work with Raven on learning some herbal techniques." He hopped onto the ladder, leaning back he handed me a parchment. "Here is a list of plants I want you to gather, I have been told they grow along this stretch of road. Get as much as you can and when we camp you and Raven will work to produce some healing salves." Climbing the ladder I heard him say, "Well my dear, shall we see how well you can listen and drive this wagon?"

I smiled and looked at the parchment. The list was extensive and had illustrations to help identify the plants. Each also listed the qualities that made the herb desirable. I sighed and started heading out into the woods.

"Wait for me!" Mophar leaped from the wagon and into the trees. "I am your shadow today." He called down. "You do not go anywhere without one of us with you."

I looked up and grinned, "That is good to know. Help me find these plants?"

He swung down and looked closely at the parchment, "There is a patch of those yellow ones off to the south." He pointed.

"Then south we go." I turned and headed the direction he had indicated. Mophar headed higher up into the trees, keeping up easily. Occasionally he would call down directions to help me reach my goals. As the sun climbed higher into the sky we worked hard to gather the various plants. Soon I had bundles of plants hanging from my harvester's basket, my belt, even my shoulder strap. "I think I have reached the limit of what I can carry."

Mophar swung down and looked at me. "You know, for someone so smart you forget things. What about your magical bag?"

I smiled, "It is back at the wagon."

Mophar rolled his eyes, "Do you remember how the spell works?"

I thought a moment, "I do."

"Then perhaps make another magical bag?" He tossed a nut to me as he climbed back into the trees.

I paused a moment and thought. He had a point. I would be able to carry much more if I had a magical bag with me. I dug around and finally located a bag that would be big enough to fit items through it's opening. I focused and remembered the spell, casting it carefully I focused and made sure that I was paying attention. The spell went out and wrapped around the bag. I could feel that magic working, forming a pocket of space to hold a large amount of items. I took a wad of leaves and tossed them into the bag. They sank into the inky darkness and were gone. I waited a moment and then reached in after them. It took a moment but I finally felt them and pulled them out.

"Well, it looks as if you were successful. Can we keep going?" Mophar hung just above my head.

I smiled and tossed him a nut, "Yes, let's keep going."

I looked at my list and realized that I had gathered over half of the items Stain had assigned. "Which way to the road?" I called out to Mophar.

He looked around and pointed, "That way, a fair walk. I can still see a few wagons but that is it."

I nodded, "Keep us even with the road and I will see if we can find the rest of these plants."

"Fine by me." He jumped from one tree to a large branch. "Just let me know what we are looking for next."

I looked at the list, "A purple bush with blue flowers. We need a few pieces of it's roots."

He looked around, "No purple in sight. What else?"

Looking down the list, "Anything red?"

He pointed forward, "Ahead along our path, a large boulder covered in red moss."

"That would be it." I headed down the path.

We finally gained all but one plant on Stain's list. Mophar was swinging from a limb. "I am tired." He stated this quite simply. "What is the last one?"

"That purple bush." I looked at the list once more. The purple bush was called King's Foil. It grows along streams and in deep shade. "Any streams nearby?"

Mophar thought a moment, "Perhaps one farther ahead. The plants seem larger there."