Chapter 548
Just as Damien promised, three days later we prepared for a trip. I was dressed in one of the long blue dresses like I wore in the mountains. Two brown outer layers ensured I’d be comfortable on the way out. Bags were packed and loaded before we picked up our charges.
It was just after sunrise when we flew off on a transport being followed by the young family. Bane chose to ride with Tyle’s family. He knew they had never been this far from the compound before. There would be loads of new things to see and he wanted to be there to explain.
We’d packed a fair amount of stuff that went with us. The men had quietly brought the swords they had Learned with. The weapons were smaller than what they had now and more worn. They planned to give Tyle’s family a chance to use a blade for the first time.
“We’ll teach them to use these well,” Damien promised Bane. “Hannah will take them if they can take care of themselves.”
I rode with the men and smiled at their excitement. I tried not to think negatively, but I hoped Hannah would agree to this. She had been very resistant to taking me, because of my weakness. I hoped these children would not be judged too young.
When we got a good distance from the compound my brown hood was removed. The men liked to see me talk to them and I preferred not to be cloistered away. We talked and laughed the entire trip.
Angela’s Library
Halfway to our destination we stopped for a snack. Bane showed Aryn everything around us. The boys had Learned about plants from the Child Keepers, but some of these things they’d never seen in real life before. Everything was new and different.
Bane talked about the plants on the ground and the tracks in the dirt. He also told the boys about some of the strange plants Hannah had told us about that existed beyond the mountains. The boys were enthralled by all of it.
“He’s a good father,” I said watching Bane patiently teach the five young ones.
“It is a shame he was kept from it.”
“Is he not Daddy,” Damien asked passing me a cup.
I smiled at Damien’s use of the word. While we sat I taught them the different names for a male- breeder in English and how I would have used them. There was no equivalent in their Language, so they used my words. It would have served no purpose to have such variety of phrasing here, males were just sperm donors. Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.
We made it to the cabin in the late afternoon. The small squat building was old and well used. This building had no windows, which I was sure would make it feel cramped on the inside. I hoped the inside was roomier than the outside looked. With eleven of us here it seemed it might feel full very quickly.
Bane and Damien took the boys inside and taught them how to check the rooms for pests. You had to find any cracks that a Scar could crawl into. The dwelling had to be safe enough for your Brothers to sleep in, so you always checked it well.
The kids had never stayed outside the compound and they were giddy with excitement. I watched them follow at the big mens‘ heels, doing just as they did. The young ones checked every bit of the cabin, just as instructed.
Once given the all clear, I walked into the main door with Christof. The youngsters were still checking everything out. They looked in the empty cabinets and explored the fire place. Evan helped them start
the fire, while Kein brought the first of our bags in. Damien encouraged the boys to be useful and they hauled everything inside for us.
Christof and I unpacked the kitchen area and Bane had them help unpack the other rooms. Evan explained it was easier to be organized if everything was put away as soon as we arrived.
“Going through your pack every time you need something is wasteful,” Damien explained.
“This is a comfortable place and you should make good use of your surroundings. We will be here several day cycles. There is no reason to keep your things tightly packed. Everything should be neatly put away.”
“Now when you stay outside, things are different,” Kein said as he took towels to the bathing room.
“Your family will have a pack and everything must be replaced in it after you have used it.”
Damien asked and the boys rattled off what a pack for traveling toward the mountains should contain. They had obviously rote memorized what they would need although they’d never used it.