It was late in the day when I finally awakened. We had lost another bosk through the night, I could smell the meats roasting. I could hear the yelps of the Alvis and Lilly at each other, as they must be stealing bits from the spit that would come loose with the turnings. I still felt sore, but I had to stay busy. Tunnuk looked exhausted and I saw why would I passed him on the wagon steps. He had covered the ashes with dirt once they smoldered down. I think the chopping I heard was part of my dream, but he wanted to cover them before I awakened. He was a kind man. No wonder his companion seemed so happy, and she had seven sons she had given him. I told him to rest, me and the three girls that were left, thank Odin, who were all bond's would take the buckets to the stream. I whistled for Alvis and Lilly. They would let us know if anyone was within smelling distance. Tunnuk wanted to fight it and come with us, but I promised we would hurry back, it didn't look so far today, and I needed the walk...to clear my head.
I walked in the wagon as the bond's got the buckets ready. We didn't have slave yokes that would make carrying easier for many buckets on the shoulders of each girl, but we compromised. Honey was a smart girl it was her suggestion. We took long post used as a frame for the wagon entrances, and Tunnuk had cut two deep notches on each side. So we could all carry four buckets each. I was tossing bota's out the wagon, for we would carry as much as we could to get the animal's refreshed. I paused, seeing Big Red had left her white stuffed sleen on top of my hope chest. I felt my heart ache, as I reached over, pressing it against my nose. It smelled like my sister, who liked perfumes and oils of sweet citrus aromas. Honey wanted in and just eased beside me, touching lightly against my elbow. All I could do was look at her, for the longest no words came out, cause I couldn't find them. I couldn't get a straight thought in my head. I suddenly felt so very confused. Finally words would form, but they would finally slip from my tongue thick and slow like wild honey.
"So what now?"
Honey smiled, as she lifted to her feet, and put her hands on her hips. Arrogant little bond she was. For a moment I wished I had a switch.
"Who is the Mistress, and who is the slave?"
I think that caused me to blink a few times. Gotta admire her will power. Cause she got me up to my feet and swinging at her, not hard, but enough to make my point.
"Stop being lazy and making me angry, we have water to get you mouthy wench of a bond. I shall sell you to a dung collector"
She smiled though she ran out as if to fear another lash out. I shall have to thank her later. Maybe. So out I went, with straps of bota's on my back and chest, a stick bowed across my shoulders I held in place not to have the rope handles of the buckets slip from the notches. We started to walk, the four of us. Honey had a leather pouch strapped across her shoulder, I wondered what it was for, but lost the mood to ask as I, and the girls watched around us, and listened for anything from Alvis and Lilly who were having a great time with all the new scents and running through the tall grass.
It was a walk that took us four ahns to reach the stream. I wish I had brought clothing and soap to bath after we filled every bucket and bota. There was still lots of daylight, I told the girls to go bath and swim. For we had a long and heavy walk back. Honey walked up and handed me the pouch she had I saw earlier. Just dropped it at my side, then took off running towards the other girls at the far bank of the long stream. Arrogant wench. Opening the pouch I found a fresh green dress, soap, and a brush, with a rep towel. Yes, she took very good care of me. It made a strange thought come to my mind as I started to undress. If slaves were fueled by sex alone, why was Honey such a good slave to me? Even when I treat her cruel, she was there with devotion. She got nothing from me but demands. It made no sense. I scolded myself for thinking to much, as I took my time bathing in the water warmed by the afternoon heat. By the time I finished, dried and dressed the girls were waiting for me. I felt refreshed, in body and soul. The ache was there, but water seemed to cruel the bulk of my woes. We started back, it took longer as we struggled with the weight of water, which I had dearly under estimated. The girls were a lot swifter then me, and took most of my share of bota's. Tunnuk was waiting for us impatiently, scolding the girls for taking so long, but not one of them said it was I that made them wait. They were at his feet begging to be forgiven, as I shook my head and started to carry buckets of water to the last three bosk, and fill buckets we couldn't carry from the bota's for the verr. I had never tasted water to delicious, as we staked bota's that were left, and it wasn't many, one for each of us. We ate, and then slept. For tomorrow we would walk again, this time to shepherd the bosk and verr to the stream, and try to make some sort of camp there..until Tunnuk could think of the best way for us to return home.
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