Through the Looking Glass (28 page)

By the time they both came back down to Earth they were both dripping with sweat. They needed a bath then some sleep. His cock slid out of her when he carefully lifted her of him. He got out of bed, scooped her up in his arms, and strode to the washroom.

He would give his wife a nice warm, leisurely bath.

Chapter 27

A week later Jakar announce
d that they would be returning home at the end of the week. Preparations were made for the journey and for others who still would not be able to ride. He bought several carts from the stableman, paying him generously.

Isobel didn’t really have anything to pack. Everything she had be
en wearing was borrowed from several of the women in the village. All she really had to get together was the stitching she and Sasha had been doing. They had been sitting quietly stitching when Sasha burst out in tears.

“Sasha, what’s wrong? Tell me
what the matter is,” she said and gathered the teen in her arms.

In between the girl’s sobs, Sasha got out how unhappy she was going to be once she and Jakar left to go home the next day. Isobel’s heart broke for the girl she had become close to over the past month
. How could she leave her behind? It was a simple answer, she couldn’t and wouldn’t.

“Go pack your bags,” Isobel said gently in the girl’s ear.

Sasha sniffed and pulled back from Isobel’s embrace. Her eyes wide with confusion and hope. “What?”

“I said, go pack your bags. We leave in the morning.”

Sasha’s eyes lit up with joy as she squealed out her happiness. “I can come with you? Seriously?”

“Yes! I will tell my husband that I refuse to leave you here. He won’t have a problem with that. Now go. It’s getting late and you won’t have much time.”

Sasha kissed her on the cheek then ran out of the room. Isobel nearly double over with laughter as she watched her friend make herself scarce. She already knew that several other people would be accompanying them back to the north. Jakar and Brock had informed her yesterday about the move. Others who choose to remain would work with Lore and his men to unite all of Aslog. Their country would no longer be divided. A sense of peace drifted through the air as the thought of the long war with Tuloch had finally come to an end. Decades of fighting had taken its toll on both the north and the south, but the time had come for the two halves to reunite and become strong once again.

******

The caravan of soldiers, peasants, Jakar, and Isobel pulled out early the next morning. Goodbyes were called out as it made its way through the village as the people line the street to see them off. All in all one hundred and twenty- two peasants took up Jakar’s offer to travel with them to the north and start a new life. There were a few families who had been so destitute that any kind of change would be an improvement. The rest were those with no families or ties to the south and were eager to make a new life in a different part of Aslog. Some even announced that they would like to travel on with Brock and make their home within the most northern area of Aslog.

Jakar was happy with the outcome of what had started out as a tragic event. Not only was his wife safe and almost healed, he also gained many new soldiers and people to work his land. And just as Isobel had suspected, Jakar didn’t have any problem with Sasha coming along. He knew that the older teen would make a good companion for his Isobel and was pleased when it was made known to him that she wanted to go with them.

The journey home was long, but accomplished with no major mishaps. A cart or two lost a wheel and had to been repaired along the way and all those who had started out with them made it to Jakar’s lands with no ill effects. A rider had been sent ahead to inform the castle that they were on their way and were returning with more people than what they left with.

Isobel rode in one of the carts for most of the way. Jakar did relent and allowed her to ride with him for a short time each day. She was happy when her time to ride with him came and just as happy when it was time to return to the cart. She had to admit Jakar was right about her not being able to ride for long on the journey home.

The caravan pulled into the castle bailey in the afternoon a week after they had departed from the south. They were greeted in much the same manner as when they had left the former castle. Nana and Nyla were both anxiously waiting for them as the cart carrying Isobel and Sasha came to a stop near the main door of the castle. All business in the market had ceased for the day to welcome the lord of the castle home and to see the new arrivals.

“You are home!” Nana wailed with her arms held up in the air. She moved her old body as fast as she could to hug Isobel as she was helped out of the cart. Nana embraced Isobel in a hug so tight that she had to tell Nana that she couldn’t breathe.

“I am so happy to see you! We have been so worried about you,” Nana said then pulled Isobel to her chest again.

Nyla buzzed around their heads chiming in with her own excitement. She whipped in and pecked Isobel on the cheek before she was squished between the two women.

“I am happy to be home. I’ve missed you two.” Isobel’s eyes brimmed with unshed tears.

Nyla was the first to notice
Sasha still sitting nervously on the tailgate of the cart. “Who is this, Issy?”

Isobel turned to see who Nyla was talking about. “Issy is it?”

“Yes, I am going to call you Issy from now on. But, who is this?” Nyla flew around Sasha’s head then landed next to the new girl and looked up at her with curiosity.

“This is Sasha.” Isobel went over to the teen and helped her down. “She has come to stay with us and make a new life here. Sasha, this is Nana and Nyla.”

The teen blushed then said in a tiny voice, “Hello.”

“Hi Sasha!” Nyla shouted.

Nana held out her arms to the girl. “Come child. Let’s have a look at you.”

Sasha obeyed the motherly command and was soon wrapped in a bear hug.

“We are pleased to have you. You are going to love it here!” Nana placed a kiss on Sasha’s forehead.

“I see you have met Sasha,” Jakar said as he walked up to the group of women. “It is good to see you, Nana.” He hugged his longtime friend and gave her a kiss.

“It’s good to have you home, my boy! Come, we have been waiting you. I held off the evening meal until you arrived.” She let go of Jakar and moved to go inside.

Isobel had her back to the main door when she heard her name called out in a very familiar voice.

“Isobel?”

Isobel stiffened. It couldn’t be? She had to be hearing things. She must be mistaking another girl for Lizzy. Everyone around her had grown quiet and all eyes were on her as she turned around to find the face that went with the voice.

She had to squeeze her eyes shut to make sure she wasn’t dreaming or having a hallucination. There in the door way stood her childhood friend, Lizzy. Her heart raced and tears trailed down her face as she stood there staring.

“Lizzy? But, how?” she said in low, shaky voice.

Lizzy raced to her and threw her arms around her neck. Both began to sob as they held each other and laughed at the same time.

“How did you get here?” Isobel was the first to pull back to look at her friend up close.

“It’s a long story, but I had gone looking for you at Ackergill.” Lizzy answered.

“
Ackergill? But, why were you there?”

“I got worried when I hadn’t heard from you. I booked a flight and headed out there to see if you were alright, but when I arrived no one knew where you had gone. I was frantic. I searched everywhere in the area and came up empty handed. Then I decided to break into the room they said you were staying in.” Lizzy relayed her story in a rush of words.

“But how did you go through the mirror?”

“
I didn’t go through the mirror. Daniel happened to show up in there as well. We started to fight and somehow I ripped his shirt where he was hiding his way home. The vial broke and created this mist that made me feel as if I were falling and now, here I am.”

Isobel hugged her friend again. “Well, I have to say I am very happy to see you.” She paused before she asked the question that popped into her mind. “You…you do know we can’t go back.”

Lizzy gave her a lopsided smile. “I know. Brock told me. I can’t say I’m too sad about that. I kind of like it here.” Her eyes looked over Isobel’s shoulder.

Isobel turned to see who she was looking at then smiled. “Really? Brock?”

Lizzy nodded in quick succession.

“I am happy for you and I am so happy you are here! I just can’t say that enough!”

Jakar stepped closer to her and took hold of her hand. Brock did the same with Lizzy but added a kiss to her lips.

“How long are you planning on staying before you leave?” Isobel asked Brock.

Brock put his arm around Lizzy’s waist and pulled her close to him. “I would like to stay until the end of the month. If that’s alright with you, brother.”

“Of course it’s alright.”

“Good. That will give the women plenty of time to reunite and plan a wedding.” Brock looked down at Lizzy. “That is if Lizzy will have me.”

Isobel’s heart soared with happiness for her friend.
“We can have the wedding before you leave!”

“Hold on, little one. Lizzy hasn’t even agreed yet. She may not want to be married to such a devilish man!” Jakar
’s joking manner spread through the small crowd.

“Hey! I’m not that bad,
” Brock said. “Well, maybe a little!”

Lizzy answered everyone’s question with a screamed “Yes”.

Isobel took hold of Sasha’s and Lizzy’s hands and called out over her shoulder as she tugged the pair away. “You too Nyla! We got a wedding to plan.”

******

Late that night after making love three ti
mes, Isobel lay with her head on Jakar’s chest. She was tired to the bone and was ready to fall asleep in her husband’s arms, but there was something that continued to haunt her and she had to find out.

“Jakar?”

“Hmmm?” he said as he ran his fingers up and down her spine, care of the almost healed wounds.

“What about Daniel?” She circled one of Jakar’s nipples and bit her lower lip as
she waited for an answer.

“What about him?”

“Did any of your men ever find him?”

“No, but I will not stop until he is found.”

She raised up on an elbow and looked into his eyes. “But what if he comes back?”

“He won’t,
” Jakar said simply.

“But how do you know that?” She never wanted to see the vile man again and was worried that he would try and get revenge on her again.

“My sweet, don’t worry about him. I have men out scouring the countryside and every village. He will eventually be found and when he is he will hang for his crimes.”

“Are you sure?”

Jakar placed a kiss on her lips that were swollen from his demanding kisses during their love making. “I swear on my life that you will never be in danger again. I should have listened to you when you tried to tell me where you were from. Till the day that I die, I will regret not believing in you. You are my life and nothing will ever change that. I wasted too much time ignoring the feelings that I fought to ignore and not trust. We will have
a good, long life together.” He deepened the kiss this time. When it ended he pulled back and whispered in her ear, “I love you.”