The Gathering (7 page)

"He likes your boobs."

Alisha laughed and shook her head.

"Do you want to fall in love right now?"

Rebecca shook her head.

"No, I just want someone I like to ask me to dance and maybe flirt and stuff.
 
You know, maybe get kissed or something."

Brain Stark walked into the kitchen and grimaced.

"Oh gross!!
 
Kissing?!
 
Yuck!!"

"Shut up, Brian!!"

"Whatever, it's gross!"

He grabbed an apple and ran out of the kitchen.
 
Alisha continued.

"Look, just be yourself, Beck.
 
Be smart and funny.
 
Follow your own path and do your own thing.
 
The right boy will see you and like what he sees."

Rebecca smiled and leaned over, giving Alisha a kiss on the cheek.

"What's that for?"

"Cause you always make me feel better."

Alisha smiled and squeezed her sister's hand.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready?"

Rebecca looked up and grabbed the book.

"Thanks."

Alisha leaned back on the bench and bit into her apple, smiling to herself.
 
The days of young crushes and heartbreak were only memories now, but she remembered what it was like.
 

"Hey, beautiful, got a minute?"

Alisha turned around and grinned at Vance Worley, who was leaning in though the open kitchen door.
 
Alisha patted the seat next to her and Vance walked over and sat down.

He grabbed her hand and bit into her apple, also grinning.

"What was all that about?"

"Nothing, just being a fifteen year-old girl.
 
You heard?"

He shrugged.

"Some."

"And?"

"She's right, it's your boobs."

Alisha laughed as Vance leaned in and kissed her softly.

"I just wanted to see you before I had to get to work."

"Awww, you love me."

Vance made a mock face of disgust that made Alisha laugh harder.
 
Then he smiled, shrugged and nodded.

"I better get to it and you'd better get dressed.
 
The first arrivals will be here soon."

Alisha nodded and got up with Vance who took her hand and pulled her towards him.
 
No matter how many times he held her, Alisha felt her knees go weak.
 
He kissed her again.

"Ok, so the meeting is today, right?"

"Yeah, six."

"Ok, I won't forget."

"Yeah, we'll see."

Vance smiled and turned to leave, but stopped and turned back around when he got to the door.
 
His lean frame silhouetted against the morning sun and the light dancing off his long black hair made Alisha think of the night before and she wished they were alone.

"Oh, one more thing.
 
Has anyone told that Nyland kid you're off the market?"

Alisha shrugged.

"I don’t know, but he'll know soon enough."

Vance laughed.

"I can't wait to see his face.
 
Later, love you," he said.

He moved out the door and Alisha took another bite of her apple and smiled to herself.
 
She was getting married.

8

The morning sun bore down on the busy revelries of Lia Fail.
 
Molly Creegan stood at her post trying to ignore the heady scents of cinnamon and sugar cakes.
 
She could hear the oils from the deer being roasted on a spit with the biggest of Gordon Hutton's hogs on another spit right next to it.
 
She could smell the chicken being roasted on the giant rotisserie.

She had been on that parapet for almost fourteen hours and she was hungry and tired, but it would all be worth it.
 
She had pulled a double shift so she could have the opening night of the Gathering off.
 
She had only ten minutes to go before the next shift was on duty.
 
She would have cakes and bacon for breakfast and lots of milk.
 
Her eyes felt heavy under the sun, but she shook her head and looked to the distance.
 
Riders approached.
 
She pulled her eyeglass from her belt and peered through it to the south.
 
The banner waved happily in the rays of the sun.
 
The fish was swimming joyously through the blue of the material.
 
Molly put her eyeglass back on her belt, took a deep breath and exhaled.
 
She walked to the edge of the railing and leaned over.
 
Looking down she saw Todd and Quinn playing cards next to the main gate.

"Hey, Dork twins!"

They looked up in unison and she smiled at the sight.

"We've got Crystals on the horizon.
 
One of you better get the captain and the other better get the gates open.
 
They'll be here in thirty."

Todd and Quinn looked at each other and back at the gate in perfect time.
 
Then they dropped their cards and Todd took off towards the barracks while Quinn jumped up and started barking orders to open the gates.

Todd ran as fast as his bulky legs could carry him through the bustling courtyard to the barracks.
 
He burst in the door and looked around, trying to catch his breath.
 
The soldiers in the room looked at him.

"Cap…cap…captain?"

A new recruit smiled and raised his hand and pointed to the showers.
 
Todd nodded and took off.
 
He jumped from the steps of the barracks and almost knocked over Vivian Shorely as she arranged cakes on a table.

"Corporal Tucker!
 
Do watch where you are going!"

Todd stopped and stood at attention.

"Sorry, Ma'am, just received word that the first guests are arriving.
 
Trying to find Captain Lantry."

She stood and narrowed her eyes as she folded her thin arms in front of her.

"Well" she said.
 
"Who is it?"

"Crystals, Ma'am."

He closed his eyes and cringed slightly just as she shrieked and ran to the center of the food booths.

"Listen to me everyone, this is not a drill.
 
The Crystals are here. I repeat... the Crystals are here!
 
Come on everyone, let's go!"

People began to bustle as Vivian continued to bark orders.
 
Todd turned, about to run to the showers, when he found himself nose to nose with Captain Lantry.
 
He stood before Todd with a towel wrapped around his waist.
 
His long wavy hair was dripping and he looked more than upset.

"Did you have to tell her that the Crystals were here?
 
I thought we were under attack with all that shrieking!"

Todd shrugged.

"Alright, go get those replacements out on the bridge and the ledges.
 
They should have been out there ten minutes ago.
 
Creegan and several others have been up there for fourteen hours or more and they need sleep."

Vivian turned and shrieked.

"Captain Lantry!"

Sean turned and looked at her.

"Yes?"

"You're indecent!"

Sean smiled and stepped forward.

"Not yet, Sweetheart, but maybe later."

Vivian frowned and lifted her hand, but Sean, now laughing, had moved towards the barracks.
 
Vivian let her frown waver a little until she saw several bakers trying to lift the grand cake onto a table that was ready to tip over, forgetting Sean as she dashed over to help them.

Todd ran back towards the barracks and emerged with about fifteen young men and women, gathering themselves together and running towards several areas of the settlement.
 

Sean stepped into the barracks and turned left, moving up the stairs.
 
He walked down a bricked hallway to the end and entered the last door on the right.
 
He closed the door behind him and took the towel from around his waist.
 
He placed it over his head and dried his hair.
 
The water glistened against his tan skin.
 
Moving in rivulets as his muscles flexed against the movement, every so often being detoured due to a scar.
 
He knew he needed a release, but wasn't sure if he had the time.
 
He didn't think about it very long as he felt himself harden at the thought of her.
 
He reached down and rubbed himself as he thought of her hair catching the light.
 
That tiny curl that always fell next to her left eye.
 
The sound of her voice, the touch of her hand.
 
The towel fell from his hand as he braced himself against the wall.
 
He imagined what sounds she might make or the taste of her or how she might move against him with her body, her soft skin against his.
 
The thought of being inside her and…it was done.
 

He felt the weakness in his knees as he fought off the feeling of shame mixed with relief and ecstasy.
 
He reached for the towel and cleaned himself off.
 

He heard his name from the window.
 
He walked over and opened it.
 
Below was Molly.

"Captain?"

"Yes, Creegan?"

"Just thought you'd like to know that the Crystals are about twenty minutes out.
 
I sent Chambers to tell the queen, Sir."

“Thank you, Creegan.
 
Go get some rest and get something to eat.
 
Tell Hutton I said to feed you and the others.
 
You’re going to need your sleep if you plan on staying up tonight."

Arthur Jones stepped up yawning as Molly smiled and nodded.
 
The two soldiers turned and walked towards the food booths and caught Vivian Shorely trying to convince Gordon to move the cakes next to the meats.
 
Gordon was happy to feed the solders, if only to get away from Vivian, who found no one there when she turned around.
 
She was about to yell after them when a trumpet sounded through the colony.
 
She shrieked again and ran off.