Despite the Angels - By Madeline A Stringer Page 0,11

when they got together. I wonder are Danthys and Alessia as significant as that?” Jotin passed his hands above the two heads that were bending together over the gold cup.

“I always put bulls, or flowers,” said Alessia, “flowers mostly, they are easier. I put the new moon on the last jars I made.”

“You mean on your pottery? Like the flower you wear?” Danthys indicated the pottery flower between Alessia’s breasts. “Clever you, to draw attention so well to one, I mean two, of your most beautiful assets!” He dropped his head, to put a kiss just below the flower.

“I’m glad it had that effect,” murmured Alessia, stroking his head, “even though I never intended it to.”

“Haha. I’m sure! How can you not have noticed?”

“I’m behind it, looking out. I noticed you!”

“Yes, you did and everyone noticed you noticing me!”

“So?”

“So nothing! Let them! You’re my woman now, aren’t you?”

“Shouldn’t we put away the cup before you do that again?” Alessia took his hand from her bottom and held it towards the cup. Then, she found her hands tracing a shape, Danthys was tracing it with her, and she thought she could see the cup grow new handles, curled and beautiful. But she said nothing, as an idea came into her mind that she thought she would keep for Rasifi. She reached for the cloth and started to roll the cup into it. Danthys grabbed her hands and brought one to his lips, looking down at her with a smile in his eyes.

“You have just given me the most wonderful idea, Alessia! My father’s cup will be spectacular.”

“And you have given me one too. I hope Rasifi and Mikolos will like it.”

“My woman could only have wonderful ideas. And so do I,” he quickly put the cup away and turned again to Alessia, tracing his finger down over her skin to where the flower nestled. Alessia moved closer, her hands running down his back as she lifted her face to his. They moved together, barely able to keep still and their delighted laughter filled the dim room.

Chapter 5

Alessia looked up at the moon and tried to remember. Just how full had it been on the night of the grape harvest festival? She was almost sure she knew, but was confused because her body was not telling her. The days since had passed in a happy haze, seeing Danthys every day, sometimes taking their food out of the palace to eat together at midday. He had grown familiar to her, but not less exciting. In the evenings they met, often by the beach, to walk together in the moonlight. Several times they had found a sheltered place and had been able to lie down and enjoy each other all over again. The moon had shone down on them, but she had not noticed it properly. Just how full had it been? Was she right that it was the same now? For the first time in four years, she had no certainty. Just a growing suspicion that the Mother had blessed her. She put a hand on her belly and asked it “is anyone there? I’ll look after you, always!”

In the morning she was more certain of the blessing, when she found she could not eat. Rasifi looked at her and grinned. Nothing much got past Rasifi.

“You’ve been seeing a lot of Danthys these last weeks. Looks like you’ll be seeing even more of him?”

Alessia looked up and blushed. “Yes, I think so. I will need his support when I can’t work.” A thought stopped her. “Will you allow me to keep working with the gold if I am with child?”

“Of course we will. Gold needs a female spirit to work it, to soften it. What is more female than a pregnant woman?”

“Will I be able to continue after the baby is born?”

Rasifi reached across the table and took Alessia’s hand. “Not for a few months. You must rest and care for the baby. But when your strength is back, there’s no reason why you can’t start again.”

“I must tell Danthys,” said Alessia, “I hope he is as pleased as I am.”

Rasifi stood up and started to clear the table. “He has to be. If the Mother blesses you and uses him, he is blessed too. He cannot reject a blessing, it would be bad luck. Not to say he won’t be surprised. Amazing the number of young men who are surprised. You’d wonder what they thought they were doing when the night was