Page 49 of Rhaz's Redemption
“It was my pleasure.” I assured her but that apparently wasn’t the right thing to say.
Her gaze snapped up at me and her face was fixed with a scowl.
“I think I’ll go to sleep now,” she informed me then grabbed two sticks from outside and rolled the rocks from the fire onto a fur. She then bundled the blanket up and placed it on the bottom of her bed of furs. I wasn’t sure where she learned this trick, but it became even more clear to me that Beatrice did not need me out here. If we did ever manage to form a relationship it would be because she wanted me and not because she needed me.
That thought was both exciting and daunting. I would make myself worthy of Beatrice, the beautiful female with the big brown eyes, warm brown skin, lush black curls, and a head full of knowledge. It might take me a lifetime, but I would be glad for every moment. For there was no more worthy a task than to make myself worthy of her.
I piled up a few furs on the floor for my own bed, and set the leaf star Beatrice had given me on the table. Then I bedded down for the night and hoped I’d find more success in wooing my mate tomorrow than I did today.
Chapter 21
Beatrice
I woke up feeling groggy but warm. The rocks I’d placed in my bed did a good job heating my bed throughout the night. But sleep itself illuded me for quiet some time.
Rhaz was such a hard person to read. I played the moment we’d first seen each other when Dameron attacked out home, over and over again in my mine.You are everything. Is what he told me, but did he mean that? We only had a few moments together and neither of us knew what Dameron was up to.
Were those words just the musings of a desperate man who thought he was about to die? I almost believed him until his father commanded us to make a baby and Rhaz was so quick to assure me, we’d never have to mate. That shouldn’t irk me as much as it did, but I couldn’t help but dwell on it.
Then last night he brought me some dried raka leaves which was a sweet gesture but only added to my confusion.
I sat outside in the morning sun with my writing stone hovering above my makeshift paper, but I have no idea what to write. I’ve been chronicling my time here on Valo Prime formonths now. Many of the couples are having babies and I’m hoping we can teach them how to read and write. Then many generations from now, they will have an accounting of how we came to be here and what our lives were like. I want to pass on the importance of historical record keeping, and I couldn’t do that unless I showed them how to keep a record. But what the hell am I supposed to write about this?
Crazy leader demands we mate to give him grandchild, and despite the fact that we are luminescence mates, Rhaz continues to maintain he will never lay with me in the furs…
I rested my head in my hands and let out a deep sigh.
“Are you well?” Rhaz asked. “I can try to find some tea leaves,” he offered. “There aren’t many plants suitable for tea that grow in the winter, but I can look for some.”
“I…” The look in his eyes was so earnest. He genuinely wanted to please me, but I couldn’t imagine why.
“Do you have any cups?” I asked, not knowing what else to say.
“Right,” he looked down at the ground as if he were embarrassed that he hadn’t thought of that himself. “I’ll look in the cabin to see if we have any.”
“Okay,” I gave him a weak smile. I wasn’t sure how to feel about this tentative friendship of ours but I would be happy for some warm tea.
Rhaz gave me a resolute nod as if finding me a tea cup was a mission critical task. The seriousness with which he strode into the cabin made me smile. He was such an intense person even when looking for a tea cup.
Eventually he did come back outside with a carved wooden cup in his hands.
“Found one! I’ll look around the ravine for some tea plants.” He set the cup in my lap and then he was off again looking for tea plants as if his life depended on it. I hid my smilebehind my hand and found myself gazing at his firm behind a bit longer than I should. When I realized what I was doing, I quickly averted my gaze back to my lap and my blank piece of leaf paper.
Day 2 in the ravine. I began my journal entry.
Rhaz is going to find me some tea.
I had to start somewhere. It might as well be here.
A few minutes later Rhaz came back with tea leaves in hand and a large bone bowl for boiling some water. He headed into the cabin and when he came out again, he held a mug of steaming water with some leaves swirling inside.
I happily welcomed the warm cup into my hands and took a sip.
“Mmm,” I sighed. “It tastes like jasmine.”
“And that’s good?” He asked, trying a failing to not look too eager while he awaited my response.
“Yes, it’s very good,” I nodded. “Jasmine tea was one of my favorites.”
