11th day of the 7th month 580th year of the 8th era The next morning, bird calls from outside woke Akuchi. He climbed out of bed and numbly stepped out of the hovel’s door. He sat on a log outside and began to pile kindling onto the fire under the pot. Once the fire was going he lifted the pot and stirred it with the wooden spoon. I need to clear a new field and begin to till it; I should get that done before the first crop is ready. Once the harvest comes I won’t have any time for new fields. The wooden door opened and out came Aife. Akuchi stared. Gone were the scars and warts on her back and face. Her skin was no longer gaunt. Before him stood a true beauty. Her short-cropped raven black hair framed her face. Her eyes sparkled a bright aquamarine. Her nose was squat and rounded, lips even and flushed with a natural red. Her chin was sharp and captured her face with ears that were pointed and without lobes. Her skin was smooth and light brown in colour. The brown skin looked well-fitted to her body; her skin, no longer drawn over the ribs, was filled out, giving her a soft gentle look. It can’t be that easy … can it? Aife looked at Akuchi staring at her. “What?” she asked. “You look beautiful,” he gushed. “Please don’t tease me,” she grimaced. “Look at yourself.” She looked down at herself. He stepped forward and kissed her. At first, she stood still, then she wrapped her arms around his waist, taking him in closer. As their bodies met, they fit into each other snugly. He pressed against the warmth of her sex. His hands ran up and down her back, taking in the scar- and wart-free expanse of her back. She broke the kiss and shivered in his arms. “Wow,” she gasped. “I thought last night was great … but that was amazing. Can we do more?” “Sure,” he said and leaned in for another kiss. Gasping for breath, she broke again; her knees gave in and she collapsed into his arms. “Do you need to lie down?” he asked. She shook her head. “Can we make love again?” she asked, biting her lower lip. With an arm around her waist, he held her and with the other, lifted her chin up. He looked deeply into her eyes. “Anytime you want.” “Now?” she asked. Looking up at him her hands resting on his bronzed chest. Akuchi chuckled. “How about we have breakfast first?” “I know you want to,” she teased, running her hand around to his back. Akuchi laughed again and held her tight. The smell of cooking rabbit stew wafted up to their noses and both of their stomachs growled. They laughed, separated, and sat on the smooth logs. Akuchi stirred the stew and then served it to Aife and took the last of it for himself. They ate it eagerly. Aife took Akuchi’s plate and set it down next to the logs away from the fire. She leaned on Akuchi who fell off the log and landed in the dirt. Aife landed lying on top of him. He wrapped his arms around her and held her against him. Her bosom rested against his chest. He could feel her pulse rise. Her pupils dilated. Akuchi caressed her back with one hand and the other traveled down to her buttocks which he gripped firmly. She gasped and looked at him. He laughed at her, then lifted his head out of the dirt and kissed her lips. Her hand went up and wrapped around his head. She lifted one foot away from the ground. She broke the kiss, moved her legs forward, and sat astride him. He placed his hands on her hips and looked up at the beautiful woman that was his wife. A swelling in his chest caused him to smile. I want to make her happy. She ran her hands down over his chest and firmly sculpted body, while she returned his gaze. *** Akuchi grabbed a rope and a shovel; slinging the rope over his shoulder he led Aife out to the forest edge. He walked to a small depression slightly filled with loose dirt where a tree stump used to be “I need a well,” he said, handing her the rope from his shoulder. “I believe that there’s water here.” “We are far enough away from the sea,” she said, “I think we should be able to find some freshwater here.” Akuchi took the shovel and started digging. She seems to be very helpful. My wife seems to be a good wife. She can cook, understands the need for work, and to top it all off she is now beautiful. Akuchi dug down into the dirt and shoveled the dirt into a small mound outside of the new well site. She said that she wouldn’t expect me to remain faithful to her, but that was while she was ugly … what does she think now that she is beautiful? Do I want to take another woman to bed with me? Akuchi cleared away the dirt and came upon the sand. “Sand,” he said. “Keep going,” Aife said, placing a hand on his shoulder. I think she likes me. “You think that there is water under the sand?” he asked. “I do believe so.” Akuchi took up his shovel and resumed digging, moving the sand onto a different pile. The well hole was now knee-deep. Is it like enough to build a relationship? Now that she is beautiful will she want to take another man to her bed? Could I live with it? Could I live with myself if she took another man? Could I live with myself if I took another woman? Akuchi shoveled up some sand and the sand gave way to wet clay. “Clay,” said Akuchi. “Wet clay, too,” added Aife looking down the waist-deep hole. “Do you think I should keep going?” “Yes,” she agreed, “past the clay should be water. We can use the clay to shore up the sides of the hole and prevent the sand from getting in.” “That is a good idea.” He struck the shovel down, lifted a large chunk of clay, and passed it to Aife. “Can you start shoring up the walls?” he asked. “Sure,” she agreed and packed the clay down on the sides of the hole. Akuchi bent down, shoveled up another piece, and lifted it to the surface. Aife, took it and began to smooth it over the side of the well walls. The well deepened until the hole was as deep as Akuchi was tall; he was standing knee-deep in water. Aife had shored up the walls with clay preventing any sand from entering the water. “Well, we have water,” he said, “but I am not sure how good it will be.” “Let it sit and we can check it tomorrow,” Aife advised. “Can you pull me up?” he asked. Aife knelt and extended her hand to him. Akuchi grabbed her hand climbed out. Once out, they both were covered in mud and sand. He gathered her in a big hug. She welcomed the hug and nuzzled it into his chest. *** Mayu sat on her bunk in the sergeant’s quarters. Her stomach rolled and heaved. The feeling rose into her throat. She ran to the door, heaved, and she vomited. Her stomach contracted again, and she vomited again. She gripped her stomach as it contracted again, she retched, and nothing came. She slumped down against the wall and cried into her hands. What is happening to me? “Mayu!” shouted Oghenekaro. “What are you doing?” Mayu pulled her head up from her hands and looked at Oghenekaro. He stood at the corner of her building, looking down the side of it right at her. She stood. “Nothing, sir,” she replied. “Come on in, we have a patrol to organize.” “Yes, sir,” she stammered. Oghenekaro turned and walked back to his office. Mayu wiped the vomit off her mouth and gave her hand a quick flick, then she went back inside and donned her sword belt. She washed her face in a small basin the opposite of the room. Her knees felt weak. Why am I sick? The sergeant’s dorm had only five bunks and trunks arranged around the outside. The smell here was a little better with only five people in the room; the smell of dirty men wasn’t so bad. She turned and walked towards the door, passing a sergeant’s bunk and the smell of rotten meat assaulted her. Her stomach roiled again, and she put a hand to her mouth. She ran through the door and around the side where she vomited again at the corner of the building. What is wrong with me? Why was that smell so bad? I should have a talk with him tonight. She wiped her hand over her mouth again and left the dorm. She walked down the path and straight past the mustering area. The morning sunlight was coming over the walls. She headed into Oghenekaro’s tent. Oghenekaro sat behind the desk and looked up as she came in. His desk was covered in papers and books. One lone candle stood on the left side of his desk. “Ah good, you made it.” Oghenekaro smiled. “Thank you, sir,” replied Mayu. “Are you feeling okay?” asked Oghenekaro, “you look a little sick.” “I am fine,” she lied. Oghenekaro looked her firmly in the eyes and then looked back down at his paper-covered desk. “With Taya going, we need to promote someone to the stores,” began Oghenekaro, “any ideas?” “No, sir,” replied Mayu. “Hmm,” he said, moving a piece of paper off the pile and placing it to another pile. “You said you had a patrol for me to plan?” reminded Mayu. “Yes, I do. I want you to pick a patrol leader and select several soldiers to go on a patrol to the north, along the coast.” “I shall lead the patrol.” “No,” ordered Oghenekaro. “I don’t want you to go. Pick someone else to go.” “Why Sir?” Oghenekaro looked up at her and blinked. “You haven’t worked it out?” “Worked what out?” “I think you may be pregnant,” Oghenekaro said, clasping his hands and resting his head in them. What? How would he know? Is that why I am sick? “Even if you aren’t,” he continued, “I can’t have you risk the patrol while you are sick.” When was I due? The last time was a one … two … three … four … five … six weeks ago. Oh no. Then who would be the father? Someone about three weeks ago. It could be Akuchi during the harvest festival? “I will give you until next week to pack your things,” said Oghenekaro. “The next shipment will arrive then. I expect you to be on it when it leaves.” “Yes, sir,” said Mayu. She turned and left the tent.