The return

Two days later, Mary’s father had a letter with him when he arrived home.

“Tenac sent a letter to you. It arrived with the reports today,” Kopa told her and handed her the letter.

“That’s nice,” Bettina said.

“It is,” Mary agreed. “Is there a possibility of sending a letter back to him?” she asked her father.

“Yes, we will send a response to the reports and other letters in two days,” he nodded.

“Thanks,” Mary smiled.

“Do you want to go up and read it straight away?” her mother asked.

“No, let’s eat dinner,” Mary said.

As her parents sat down in the living room after dinner, Mary went upstairs to her room and settled down to read Tenac’s letter.

‘Hello Mary,

We have arrived safely in the capital of Ne’xsiss. It’s just as Hinat described it. The heat is like nothing I have experienced before. I didn’t think I would say this, but I think I prefer extreme cold to extreme heat.

I haven’t lost your necklace. I know you would probably have my head if I did.

The tea against seasickness was very useful. Not for me, I seem to not have an issue with it. But many of my fellow riders are not so fortunate. Could you provide the recipe for it? The negotiations will take place onboard ships and it would be good if half of our men didn’t spend the time heaving over the rail.

I hope everything is good back home. Did you and Procecsa plan your field work?

I hope you don’t spend all your time reading now that I’m not there to drag you around to places.

I have to end the letter here. I’m about to take my shift patrolling and I need to get this with the shipment home.

With RespectTenac’

Mary smiled as she read it. The letter was just like Tenac, straight to the point. No unnecessary details. It almost felt like she was talking to him. She sat down at her desk and took out pen and paper to reply.

‘Hi Tenac,

I’m glad everything went okay on the journey over. I’m not envious of the heat. Hinat is always complaining that the summers here are too cold. But I think they are barely survivable, so I can’t imagine how it must be like over there.

Please be careful in the sun, it’s easy to get sunburn.

Thank you for not losing my necklace, but I was never worried that you would. I still am not. I know you will return it to me when you get back.

I’m happy the tea was useful. It is made of 2-parts dried ginger to 1-part dried peppermint. Crush in a mortar until it’s well mixed, but not too fine. I hope that will help you survive in the next months.

If you get a sunburn, mix 2-parts black tea, 1-part rose petals and 1-part chamomile flowers. Pour hot water over the mix and let sit until it’s cooled. Soak rags in the water and put on the burn. It will alleviate the burning and help it heal.

Procecsa and I have been away on a weeklong trip to the west. Thank you for making sure Sinhera and Jontak came along. I don’t think I could have survived the two riders my father sent along if it weren’t for them.

Yes, my father went all overprotective and sent two of his riders along. They were just as overprotective as you can imagine. But Sinhera helped me calm them down.

The trip was amazing. I will tell you all about it when you get home. I met so many new people and saw so many interesting things. I even saw a boar and her piglets. The piglets were really cute, the sow, not so much.

I’m halfway through my mandatory week off and I can proudly say that I haven’t spent it all reading. I have been helping mother and Sinhera and I was at the marketplace yesterday.

I have been checking in on Addon, like you asked. He is doing well but is a bit grumpy. And has scared most of the prospects, so the stable master is letting some experienced riders care for him now. He isn’t less grumpy, but at least they aren’t as scared of him.

I hope that your mission is going well, and that you get some cooler weather.

Yours sincerely Mary’

She sealed the letter and gave it to her father to take with him.

Mary’s week off passed by quickly. It had become Saturday and Mary would go back to the sanctum the next day. But today she was meeting up with Firlea at the marketplace to shop for a birthday gift for Hinat.

They had made sure that the trader that Hinat had started seeing wasn’t in the marketplace that day. They knew that Hinat would have been there on her day off if he was. Instead, Hinat was spending her day off with her family.

Mary was almost at the entrance when she heard her name being called. She turned around and saw Kornen come walking with one of his friends.

“Hi Mary, heading to the market?” Kornen asked.

“Hi Kornen. Yes, I’m meeting Firlea,” she said.

“Mind if we tag along? The more the merrier,” he smiled.

“Sorry, but I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Mary said.

“Why not?” he asked.

“I think it would give you the wrong impression. I don’t want you to get the wrong idea,” she told him.

“Come on, Mary, why won’t you give me a chance?” he asked.

“Because I’m not interested,” she said and turned around to walk away.

She felt a hand close around her wrists and looked down at it and then up at Kornen that had stopped her from walking away.

“What do you think you are doing?” Mary asked.

“I just want to talk to you,” he said.

“I don’t want to talk to you. Now let go of me,” she said in a firm voice.

“Come on, Mary, don’t be unreasonable,” he tried. Mary could see that his friend was uncomfortable, but he didn’t step in to help her.

“Do you see the grey riders by the coffee shop over there and the ones bye the entrance to the marketplace?” Mary asked.

“Yes, I don’t see what it has to do with anything,” he said.

“The ones by the coffee shop are from my father’s company. Do you know what will happen if I raise my voice and call for their attention, letting them know you are touching me without my consent?” Mary asked, looking him in the eyes.

She had the satisfaction of seeing him flinch. He let go of her and tried to hide his uneasiness with a smile.

“Is everything okay?”

Mary heard Jontak ask as he and Firlea came walking. He was shooting deadly stares at Kornen.

“It’s fine,” Mary said, turning around and walked up to her friends.

“Mary, what’s wrong?” Firlea asked.

“Nothing, he just didn’t want to accept a no,” Mary said. All three of them watched as Kornen walked away with his friend. Mary absentmindedly rubbed her wrist.

“Did he do that to you?” Jontak asked and looked at her wrist. It was read where his hand had gripped her.

“You need to tell Furnlow,” Firlea said.

“You need to tell your father,” Jontak said.

“I’m going to let it be for now. My father will kill him, and I don’t want that on my conscience. I’ll tell Furnlow if it continues. But I think I scared him off,” Mary told them.

“If you want, me and Sinhera can have a talk with him,” Jontak offered.

“That is sweet of you, but I think we will let it be for now. Let’s focus on finding the best birthday gifts for Hinat instead,” Mary smiled.

Three months seemed like a long time. But Mary found they went by fast. Tenac had kept writing to her after the first letter. She had been surprised, as she had only asked him for one. But she enjoyed his letters and always replied to them.

It was a damp fall afternoon when she again stood at the docks as the ship was getting ready to let its passengers off. As last time when she had stood there, she was surrounded by other people, coming to welcome the travellers back.

As the mass of riders got off, Mary spotted Tenac. He had gotten a deep tan from the days spent in the sun. But otherwise, he looked the same. She smiled and waved at him. He spotted her and smiled back, walking up to her.

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

“Welcome home. I’m here to make sure someone was welcoming you home. You know you picked the worst day to get back. Your mother is visiting the clan meeting. Jontak is on guard duty. Sinhera is with Firlea on her first field trip and Hinat is seeing her suitor off on his merchant run,” she told him.

“I didn’t expect anyone to come,” Tenac shrugged.

“Well, that wouldn’t happen, ever,” Mary smiled.

“Did the journey back go alright?” she asked.

“Yes, most of us were more used to being on ships on the way back. It made it easier,” he nodded.

“Glad to hear it. Do you have the urge to join the merchant guard now?” she laughed.

“No. I may not have any issues with being on a ship. But I prefer a horse any day,” he smiled.

“Good to know,” she said.

“I think this belongs to you,” he said, pulling her rose necklace from around his neck and giving it to her.

“You have been wearing it?” she asked.

“It was the only way I could be certain I wouldn’t lose it,” he shrugged.

“Thank you,” she smiled and pulled it over her head and adjusted the leather string.

“I’m going to let you get going so you can go home and rest. It’s really nice to have you home. I have missed you,” Mary said.

“You have?” he asked, sounding surprised.

“Of course I have,” she said.

“I have missed you too,” he smiled.

“You go home and rest, and let me know when you feel up to getting back to our old routine,” Mary told him.

“How about tomorrow? It’s Saturday,” he asked.

“You need to rest, Tenac,” Mary shook her head.

“I’m going to go riding tomorrow, whether or not you join me. I haven’t been on a horse since we left three months ago,” he told her.

“Fine, I’ll join you,” she nodded.

They said goodbye and Mary headed back to the sanctum. She was happy that Tenac was back and that he looked well.