Dreamwalker's Bride - Chapter 389

Chapter 389: Departure
Ford glanced down at Mia, sleeping gently. He sat next to her, holding her hand. He’d cleared it with Seth; the two had had a refreshingly frank discussion about taking care of Mia and also respecting boundaries of physical affection.

They hadn’t even needed Grandpa to mediate between them. It was true progress, and Ford’s heart was full.

Martin’s cave was a clever creation, with a nearly-hidden doorway that was sure to keep Daniel and Seth safe while the others went onward, shaped to draw smoke from a fire away instead of keeping it trapped inside.

Ford was only keeping watch tonight because of nerves, and because Seth had suggested that he disapproved of Mia and Ford habitually sleeping next to each other.

Ford had nodded and closed his mouth. He was working on being open with the man, but he still couldn’t bring himself to mention the night that Mia had spent in his arms. It wasn’t meant to be romantic at the time, anyway, but a matter of survival.

Eventually he grew tired, and reluctantly released Mia’s hand to move to his own bedroll by the men, but she stirred and reached for him.

“Hmm?” She mumbled sleepily, her arm stretching across the floor of the cave as he began to withdraw.

“I’m tired,” He whispered. “I need to go to bed.”

Mia whimpered softly in a way that hurt his heart, but she pulled her hand back into the warmth of her bedroll.

“Goodnight,” He told her softly, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear before backing away. A crease formed between her eyebrows, and he looked forward to the day when he would be able to dispel it permanently.

He sighed as he lowered himself into his blankets, wondering how far away that day might be.

No dreams plagued him that night, and by the time he woke in the morning, the others were already nearly ready to depart.

Ford rushed through his morning routine, shouldering his bag and joining Anaisa and Martin by the cave entrance. The old miner fixed the party with a flat gaze, adopting a demeanor that Ford assumed most people would find off putting.

Though Martin was the slightest bit eccentric, he had gone far out of his way to save Ford’s life, so there was not too much the man could do to make Ford dislike him now. In fact, it was hard for him to dislike anyone he thought of.

The old miners he used to work with, he now pitied for their lot in life, and inability or unwillingness to get out and make a better life. It had once seemed to him like there was no way to leave.

Even Deholm, who had lied to and threatened both Mia and himself, Ford now felt a sort of tepid apathy for the insane man. His injuries from their clash had long healed, and he couldn’t find a lot of bitterness towards the man inside himself.

Ford attributed his growing goodwill towards all others to being in love with so sweet a woman that his heart was slowly expelling negative emotions. At the moment, there was only one exception to his warming feelings for mankind: his father.

Whose name he still didn’t know for certain.

The descriptions he had of both Barnabas, who was Denholm’s father, and Hector, Anaisa’s father, were shocking.

For a moment he held Denholm’s face in his memory, trying to compare it to his own. Were they brothers? He might never know.

Denholm either knew or suspected, based on his extremely amused reaction to the ring Ford’s mother had treasured.

But no matter. Ford stretched and covered a yawn, ready to leave.

“Let’s get on the road, I’m ready to be done,” Martin complained as Mia and Grandpa joined them.

“We all are,” The patriarch smiled blandly. “Lead the way.”

Grandpa cut his eyes at Mia, Ford suspected the pair had discussed whether to have Mia or Martin lead the way, and apparently it was the latter’s turn, for now.

Last hugs were exchanged amongst the family, and Ford watched Mia squeeze her father in an extra tight hug.

Seth turned to Ford and held out his hand. Ford took it, shaking it firmly.

“Take care,” The older man said simply. “Protect them.”

“I will,” Ford gulped at the gravity of the promise, but it was a task he’d already taken upon himself. He also heard the undertone of the special protection that was due to Mia. Martin and Grandpa could take care of themselves, and Anaisa was a strong-minded woman looking for her husband. But Mia…

Well, Ford would make sure she stayed safe, no matter what. Seth clapped his other hand on Ford’s shoulder before releasing him to say his goodbyes to Grandpa.

Daniel also offered his hand for a manly handshake, which made Ford’s mouth tip into a smile.

“Good Luck,” The boy told him with an overly serious expression.

“You as well,” Ford nodded, and narrowed his eyes. “Keep the horses safe. We’re counting on you.”

Daniel’s chest puffed out slightly with pride, but Ford refused to ruin the moment by making too light of the boy’s enthusiasm.

“Everyone done with teary goodbyes? Best case scenario, we’re only gone a few days,” Martin groused.

The departing people stepped out of the sheltered cave and around the bend for a short distance before Martin opened up a tunnel in the rocks, which presumably connected to his existing route.

“Why didn’t we go straight from the cave you made, to here?” Anaisa tilted her head in question.

“If we find anything in the tunnels, you want it to have a direct route to your boy?” Martin didn’t even turn around to ask the rhetorical question. From his bag, he pulled a torch, which he hadn’t made use of yesterday, and lit it.

Ford brought out one of the lamps he’d taken from Denholm’s camp, so long ago, and made use of its light as well.

“Time’s wasting,” Grandpa gestured for Martin to lead onward.

And with that, the little group made their way into the tunnel’s ominous darkness.