Page 69 of Vexing Valmir
EPILOGUE
VALMIR
A FEW MONTHS LATER
The hutI've made for April is a thing of beauty, if you ask me.
No one did...but I'll tell them anyhow.
"It looks keffing amazing," I tell the gathered people nearby. "If I do say so myself."
"You have. Repeatedly." Corvak hands me a leather tie that will anchor the last bit of the waterproofed arching leather framework atop the hut.
"Because it bears repeating," I say. I'm not bothered by the teasing, because I know that's just what it is. They might say sour things, but actions speak louder than words, and the truth is that we might ruffle each other's fur from time to time, but that doesn't mean we aren't friends. If I woke up tomorrow with a broken leg, Corvak would be the first one to carry me to the healer. He would gripe all the way, but he'd do it.
Actually, scratch that. He'd have to fight my April for the right to carry me. She'd do it herself, laughing all the way and calling me pussycat.
I fasten the last tie and give it a tug. It holds solid, and Igrunt with satisfaction. Jason had ideas for how to improve the brickwork of the hut and how to notch the bones so they form unbreakable poles. This is a sturdier hut than April's last one, and this particular hut is big enough for the family we'll be growing. As April says, we want manykeiki,many kits, running around our home. "Don't tell Jason, but these poles are excellent."
"Don't tell Jason what?" calls Jason from the far side of the hut.
"Don't tell him that his ideas are good," counters Corvak, smirking. "Or he'll get a swelled head."
Jason just laughs. For all the teasing he gets, the human has a good sense of humor. It makes me almost like him. Almost.
I take a step back from the hut and eye it, hands on my hips. There's nothing more to be done. The platform for the hut has been built, with several massive rocks buried in the sand below and acting as stilts. This way, if the snail's eggs hatch in the sands underneath, they will not carry our home off with them. And the next time the snail-vasion occurs, rather than digging trenches, Ashtar can pick up the platform and carry our hut away to safety. It's a good home. The treated hides that make up the roof of the hut have been stitched tightly and layered twice so no rain will get through, and there is a smoke hole at the top for our fire. I'm proud of it.
Corvak slaps my shoulder. "Good job."
I nod. "It was a good job. Tomorrow, we start the next one." I'm looking forward to working on the huts for the others. The tribe is growing, and I've found that I'm good at building things. I enjoy working with my hands as much as I enjoy hunting. More so, even. I like seeing what can be accomplished and leaving something permanent on the shore. I rub my hands together. "Let me go find my mate and show her."
I find April by the fire. She's seated with Gail andAngie, talking excitedly. The other two women are mending clothing, but April has vines in her hands. She wants to make what she calls "leis" for us to wear as we bless our home. They're necklaces made from plant life, and part of a ceremony of her people, she's told me. Her gaze lands on me as I approach, and I wave her forward. "I think we're ready."
"Perfect." She nods at U'dron, who picks up his drum. April gathers the armfuls of vines and then pauses. "Come take Makana for me, Valmir?"
"Always." I jog over to her and help ease the wrap off her shoulders and on to mine. Next, the fat two-fang is deposited into the sling it creates. Makana is apparently a "she" and is quite pregnant. April wonders if that is why the creature likes being babied and carried about so much. Me, I think she's just spoiled. Why live a hard life when you can have my sweet mate handing you everything you need?
I tuck the pet against my chest and Makana grunts with annoyance before settling in. Once she's established, I offer a hand to April to help her up. She stands, a little ungainly on her feet. We've been assured that most of the pregnancies take longer than a normal human gestation, but April is starting to show her belly early. I'm fascinated by the roundness of it and can't wait for her to grow even bigger. We've already discussed names — our child is going to have a Hawaiian name, April has decided. Her family had an ancestral name they have used for generations, and she wants to pass it down to our child.
April loops the leis on one arm, and with her other hand, she seeks my grip. "I'm nervous."
"Why?" I walk slower, so she doesn't feel rushed. Part of me wants to bound over to the hut like a child to show it off, but I can be patient. Mostly. "What's making you nervous?"
She frets, her palm clammy against mine. "I don't know if I'm the right person to bless our house. It should be an elder intouch with the land. I asked Gail to do it for us, but she said that I should be the one because it's my people's belief and I would do it best. But what if I do it wrong and end up making it an insulting blessing? I need to do it right."
I squeeze her hand. "Just share what's in your heart, April. I don't think anyone would have a problem with that."
"You're right. I just want it to be perfect." She gives me an anxious smile. "It's our home, after all."
"Which is why you're the right one to give it the blessing."
She takes a deep breath and nods, her hand holding tight to mine for reassurance.
The others are standing around the newly finished hut, waiting for April's approval. U'dron joins the others, holding his drum. I pay no attention to him — my entire being is focused on my mate. Her face lights up at the sight of it, now with the roof on it and completed. Her eyes get misty and her smile grows wider. "Look at how beautiful it is.Pu'uhonua.It means 'sanctuary' or 'refuge.'"
"'Refuge' might be a bit of a strong word if you're living with Valmir," Jason says.
I could murder him, I think, and no one would mind much.
