The Sapphire Broach

Chapter 23 (rough draft)

Instinctively, Ivy reached for her broach in the secret pocket of her dress. She felt it securely there, then turned her attention to Kenric. With Doctor Glenis's help, they got him to the barn where Tommy had readied Sweetie. In just that distance his face paled and his cough acted up. Ivy worried for him. He wasn't ready to travel. He need another week to recover.

He must have read the look on her face because he flashed her a grimace-smile. "I will be fine. Now, let's go."

Sweetie nuzzled him when they reached her and he rubbed her head. Ivy patted the mare too, and watched Kenric mount. He groaned and leaned heavily against Sweetie's neck.

Ivy turned to Bonnie who had followed them to the barn. She threw her arms around the woman who had taken them in and nursed Kenric back to health. "Oh, Bonnie! I will miss you! Thank you for all you have done for us. Remember, you know nothing of us, you only took us in to help."

"We will be well, child." Bonnie hugged her back and leaned into her ear. "Take care of yourself, Princess," she whispered.

Ivy bit her lip. It had been so long since someone had called her that. She hardly remembered such a title.

"I will free Carl. I promise," she whispered back.

"Ivy," Kenric called, his voice tense. "We have to go. Now. They are coming."

Ivy turned to where the sound of horses crept over the hill.

Bonnie released her. "Go!"

Ivy took Kenric's outstretched hand and pulled herself up behind him. He clicked and Sweetie started off. They headed back into the forest and were safely concealed before the soldiers reached Bonnie's home.

Sweetie slowed in the thick growth of the forest. Ivy hopped from her back and took the reins from Kenric. She led the mare through the clearest paths in the direction of the road, but stayed far from it.

They traveled that way for several hours. Kenric coughed on occasion, but remained silent otherwise, probably to conserve his energy. Ivy watched him carefully and stopped when he began to wince with nearly every step of the horse.

"I think we will rest here for the night." She tied the reins to a tree branch.

Kenric said nothing when she helped him down, a silent testimony to his weakness. She walked him to a fallen tree where he sat while she set up their bedrolls. A fit of coughing bent him over and she ran to him.

"Kenric!"

"Leave me be. I am fine." He coughed some more and held his stomach.

"Drink some water." She brought it to his lips but he pushed it away. His cough continued to shake him.

"Kenric!"

"Stop fussing over me!" He fell to his knees, then put his head in his hands on the ground and let the cough run its course. Finally it slowed and stilled. "Can I have that water now?" he croaked.

She handed it to him and he drank, then kneeled back up and looked at her with exhausted eyes.

"I will bring your bedroll right here." She got up and spread out his bedding.

"Thank you." He curled up and was instantly asleep.

She sighed and tucked his blanked around him.

***

Kenric awoke when his cough again racked his body.

"Kenric!" Ivy rolled over in her bedding, sat up and held his shoulder while he coughed.

He felt like screaming at her, but he knew his irritation was at his own weakness, not at her concern. He felt like a sluggard not being able to even walk on his own. And that cursed cough that doubled him over with pain!

"Ivy, I am fine. Please, go back to sleep."

She rolled back over and the sound of her deep breathing soon reached his ears. He tried to fall back asleep, but his stomach ached from all the coughing. Then it came again.

Ivy again touched him, but he pushed her away. "Stop worrying!"

"Sorry," she mumbled, then drifted off again.

He rolled his eyes and took a deep breath that started him coughing again.

Ivy turned to him once more and he blocked her worried reaching. In sleep her arm dropped on top of his and her hand landed in his palm.

His heart did a strange little flip-flop when he felt the warmth of her hand in his, and he was suddenly wide awake. For a moment he didn't move and probably didn't breathe. Then he rubbed his thumb along the side of her palm. He looked at her and the moonlight danced across her pale face and sparkled off her copper-blond hair. Her skin looked so smooth that he yearned to touch her cheek, but he didn't.

He rolled onto his back and gazed up at the stars. He enjoyed the gentle weight of her hand in his and let his mind review every moment he had spent with her in the week and a half since they met.

They had been through so much and yet he had never heard her complain. She hadn't grumbled when she was freezing or exhausted, lost or hungry, or working and caring for him. In truth, she had smiled through it all. She had argued with him, yes, and stubbornly insisted on doing things her way, but that is what made her Ivy—and if he was honest with himself, it was one of the things he liked most about her.

His cough calmed and let him sleep the rest of the night. He awoke early the next morning and found Ivy's hand still in his. He watched her sleep until she moaned, rolled away from him, and pushed up onto her elbows.

"Kenric!" She turned to check on him.

He grinned back at her and enjoyed the soft creases that her concern made on her forehead. "I am fine. Truly I feel rejuvenated this morning. Perhaps I could even gather up our bedding while you prepare breakfast."

She looked at him and he held her gaze. Then she blinked, stood, and walked to where Sweetie held their packs.

After they had eaten and cleaned up, Kenric took Ivy by the elbow. "I would like to walk for a bit."

"Are you sure? You mustn't overdue it."

"I will be fine. I will only walk for a bit, then Sweetie can do the rest."

So they started off side by side in the pine, aspen, and maple trees along the side of the road. A cool autumn wind blew the last remaining leaves from the trees and reminded Kenric of how long he had been away from his family.

He coughed again and cursed his weak body. Exhaustion swept over him and he knew he shouldn't walk any more. Ivy must have sensed it, too, because she stepped in front of him and placed her hand on his chest.

"You are not walking any farther this morning."

"Oh, I'm not?"

She moved her hands to her hips. "No. You are going to climb up on Sweetie right now and rest."

"All right."

She deflated as though she had expected him to argue with her and didn't quite know how to handle his agreeance.

He laughed, which was a mistake because it set off his cough again. When it stopped, he climbed up on his horse and continued forward.