Despite the Angels - By Madeline A Stringer Page 0,12
warm and the woman was beautiful. The wine clouds their minds, I think.” She bustled out, her hands full of dishes.
Alessia looked around the familiar room. She had been here only a few months now, but it seemed so comforting, so ordinary, so home. But now, with her baby on the way, could she call it home? Rasifi was kind and generous, but she might not want to support a woman who could not work, not to mention her child. What would happen if Danthys was not happy? She would have to go home and although she would be welcomed there, she would not be able to work with the gold anymore. Never to learn all the wonderful techniques that she had watched but not yet been allowed to try. A tear slid slowly down her face and she brushed it quickly away as Rasifi came back into the room.
“Why the tears?” Rasifi really did see everything. When Alessia explained Rasifi laughed.
“Even if you can’t work the gold for a while, you can help us by being here and doing the gentle work around the place. You are going to be a great goldsmith. I won’t let you give up so easily. But I don’t think you’ll be here, I think Danthys will want his woman by his side. So don’t worry until you see how things turn out. Now come on, the others have gone ahead, they’ll be wondering where we are.”
“I don’t think Kadmos will wonder for long. He’s like you, Rasifi, he notices everything!”
At the midday break time it was still warm enough to take their food out into the yard outside the workshops. Danthys and his parents were there too. Danthys smiled broadly at Alessia and moved over to sit beside her. Everyone was used to this now and not even Kadmos made any comment. Alessia whispered to Danthys, “Can we go outside, down to the beach?” Danthys looked at her pretending to be shocked.
“You can’t want to do that in broad daylight? I know they all know, but still…”
“I just want to talk to you without having everyone pretending not to listen and hearing everything. Just for a few minutes.” Danthys agreed, so they quickly finished eating and went out past the guards and turned down the path towards the beach. There was a wind off the sea and the noise of the surf pounded in their ears. They walked along the sand, enjoying the feeling of it between their toes. Alessia wondered how best to tell her news. She was so happy and excited, Danthys should be too. She looked up at him and took his hands.
“Something wonderful has happened. Something that makes us special to each other. We are truly blessed by the Mother!” and she stood, smiling up at him.
Danthys looked at her, puzzled. Certainly he felt blessed, to have found such a beautiful woman who seemed to love him as much as he loved her. Certainly, they were special to each other. He’d known that the first time they met outside the workshops and she had smiled back at him, such an open smile that the whole world had lit up. He put out his arms and drew her to him and kissed her, caressing her in the way that usually made her soften against him. But although she returned his kiss there was no softening and in a moment she pulled back from him and spoke.
“So you don’t mind then? You’re pleased?”
“Pleased about what? Certainly I’m pleased that I know you; that we have found each other. What could please me more?”
“Oh, for goodness sake, you dunderhead!” Jotin was standing beside Alessia in front of Danthys. “It is no wonder I can’t get through to you when a solid flesh and blood girl standing here hinting her heart out means nothing to you.” He started speaking slowly and clearly as though to the feebleminded. “Think, boy! Concentrate. And listen, to me too, but at least to Alessia.” He sighed and stepped back.
“Our baby”
“Our…..so soon?” Danthys’ hand shot up to his wide-open mouth. “The Mother blessed us, so soon? Oh, Alessia!” He was off, running, jumping, spinning on the spot and laughing. Alessia laughed too and joined him in his impromptu dance to the spirits: one that had never been choreographed but came straight from the soul and flew into the waiting arms, she hoped, of whatever spirits were looking out for her and her baby. After a while, they ran