Dreamwalker's Bride - Chapter 343

Chapter 343: Invisible hugs
Ford watched Mia’s face. She’d come to comfort someone she thought was hurting. Had he taken advantage of her tender heart by holding her too closely? She didn’t seem upset with him.

“We’d best get ready to go,” Mia whispered, and he nodded with a deep breath.

“I’m sorry I delayed our departure,” He turned to walk back towards the campsite where the others were packing their things onto the horses.

“It’s been an enlightening morning,” She offered in return as she took up a place walking beside him, and he glanced at her. She didn’t look upset by the developments. More concerned about him. He smiled slightly.

“Yes, it has.” He noticed Anaisa looking at him, and felt bad that he’d run from her. The news had been rather overwhelming, and he needed more time to process it.

Seth was saddling Mia’s horse for her as she approached, and she laid a hand on his arm.

“Thank you, Papa. You didn’t have to do that for me.”

Her voice was more tender towards her father than Ford had heard in a while. He watched as her gaze flickered between the two men, and then she continued.

“I gave Ford a hug. He seemed to need one.”

Ford’s hands slipped on the saddlebag buckle he’d begun fastening. He braced for Seth’s reaction, but to his surprise, the man’s shoulders seemed to relax.

“That’s all?” He asked tentatively.

“Yes, Papa,” Mia nodded, and the man sighed.

“That’s understandable. Thank you for telling me.”

The girl nodded again and proceeded with her work. No explosion, no glaring, just a contemplative glance from Seth.

“I clearly missed a lot with whatever conversation you and your father had,” Ford muttered as Mia’s father walked away.

“Clearly,” She agreed, but didn’t elaborate. It frustrated him slightly, but he already had too much on his mind to linger there.

The group finished preparing and mounted for the continuing ascent up the cliffs.

Chilly air made the women bundle up more tightly. Perhaps they would reach the summit by tonight and find some wood to build a fire.

It was slow going, but the horses seemed more used to the terrain than they had been the day before. They showed less hesitance about jumping up the steps, and no fear as they waded through the shallow waters of the pools.

Mia rode next to Ford, and he held out his hand for hers. Storm was all too eager to walk closely beside Harper whenever the terrain allowed.

Some of the shelves were quite narrow, causing the group to ride single file. Others were quite wide and rounded.

Ford tried to pay attention, but his thoughts were bogged down in the resolved mystery of his parentage.

Well, almost resolved. Narrowed down to two evil men. He was both desperate to know more and terrified by what he might learn.

Although… if Anaisa was ready and willing to claim him as kin, things couldn’t be so bad, could they?

Other questions swirled in his mind. If this were a habit of theirs–if there had been many more such wooden rings as this–he might have other siblings, potentially many more, throughout Foundrel.

The elevation was getting high enough for the group to take a formal stop for a midday rest and meal to catch their breath. Ford wandered away from the others for a bit, towards the edge. He held the wooden ring in one hand, stroking it with his thumb.

“I hope I didn’t upset you too much earlier,” Anaisa spoke quietly from nearby, as if afraid to fully approach him. He gave her a brief smile, and her shoulders sagged a little. “I… didn’t expect it. Perhaps I should have found a better way to relay the news.”

“As you said, you didn’t expect it,” Ford shrugged.

“I’m truly sorry about it… since you still have the ring, your mother must have treasured it.”

“She was convinced he would come back someday. My uncle was convinced he was a scoundrel. Turns out he was right.” Ford’s mouth twisted with the irony. “I’m sure he wouldn’t be happy if he knew that.”

“No, I’m sure he wouldn’t.” Anaisa agreed. “But I hope he would be glad that you found me. Us. Katia, my elder sister, will be interested to meet you, I think.”

“This doesn’t make me a Count or anything, right?” Ford blinked at Anaisa in mock horror, and she chuckled at the joke.

“No, I gave up the formal position so that Princess Sapphira’s husband could have a place on the Advisory of Counts. Although, the title remains for life, in a ceremonial sense.”

Ford nodded, taking in the information about his newfound relatives. “Can you tell me more about… them?”

“My father and Barnabas?” Anaisa paused. “I hesitate to say that you’re better off never having known them, but it’s probably true. Cruel men, both of them. Murderers, traitors. If my father knew about you and accepted you as his, you would have been raised to be like Denholm. Or murdered by Barnabas for standing in the way of his schemes.

“As unpleasant as your life was… you have come out of it as someone I’m more and more glad to know. I don’t know if that would be the case with either of them as an example of manhood.”

Anaisa paused for several moments, and Ford watched her weigh her words carefully. “I will understand if you don’t want to be associated with me. With us. My heritage through my father is a shameful one. I’ll let you think about it.”

“Are there many others, like me?” Ford spat out the question, and Anaisa’s brow furrowed in concentration.

“They spoke… other times… of methods to make sure they did not father unwanted children. I suspect you are an anomaly.”

“That’s comforting… I think.” Ford looked away.

“Regardless of that, you are one of a kind,” Anaisa told him softly. “And I’m glad to know you.”