The next few weeks moved along uneventfully. Tara moved from room to room, changing her environment, so she wouldnat go stir crazy being in her room all the time, and she went outside a few timesa"although the oncoming winter made it easier to stay inside. She wasnat exactly bored. There was plenty to think about. Especially since Reena had returned from town a few days before with news. Rumors in town claimed the war was all but over.

aWe finished clearing the last of the rubble today.a Torgo joined Tara at the table, carrying a hot bowl of soup head brought from the kitchen. aI think several of the womenfolk are going to have a gathering for everyone who helped.a aThat sounds great.a Tara sipped at her own soup and smiled when Torgo offered her a slice of bread from the platter in the center of the table. Head smeared b.u.t.ter on it, and she took a bite.

aI think some of the Runner kids are going to be there.a He wasnat sure why, but he decided not to mention his friendship with Syra. Head never hung out with a girl before, but she was cool.

aYouare experiencing history in the making.a Tara smiled in between bites. aAlready our cultures are accepting each other.a Torgo slurped his soup just as Hilda entered the room.

She slapped the back of his head. aReena should be here soon.a Hilda sat at the opposite end of the table from Tara and placed a large cloth bag in front of her so Tara couldnat see her face. aI wanted to show you some of the material we will use on the baby quilts.a Ladies in town gathered once a week to work on quilts for the expected twins. Tara had seen so many different materials for the quilts; she couldnat keep straight what theyad look like when they were done. She humored the woman though and watched attentively.

The front door opened, and Reena entered the room in the next minute, bringing a gust of cold air with her. aI daresay that one is my favorite.a Reena ran her hand over a flowery print Hilda had just pulled from the bag.

aIam going to join some of the kids in town to play.a Torgo stood, grabbing his empty bowl. aAll this quilting talk is for ladies.a aYou behave now, boy,a Hilda scolded, but smiled and then turned to see Taraas reaction to the material.

aI have to agree with Reena.a Tara dunked the crust of her bread into her soup. aI like that pattern too.a Hilda seemed pleased and folded the material before placing it back in the bag. aNow are you sure youall be okay left alone for a time?a The pair appeared anxious to go, and Tara hurried to rea.s.sure them. aIall be fine. Get going you two. Weall be needing those quilts soon, I expect.a Tara stood and walked around the table, then made a feeble attempt to hug the two women. She watched as they left the house.

Soon after that, Tara headed out the back door to enjoy a walk through the snow. The weather was crisp, and she felt her lungs freeze with her first gulp of air. A path was shoveled through the snow, and Tara stuck to it. It led through the yard to the driveway, which had also been shoveled. Small mountains of snow towered on either side of her. Snow from the path rested on the pristine, sparkling white yard.

Tara desperately wanted to wade into the snow to reach the shed and the backfield. There, she could truly enjoy the winteras beauty, but she behaved and stayed in the cleared area. She reached the end of the path and began walking toward the front of the house along the driveway.

Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks. A red spot soiled the ground in front of her. The ruby liquid covered a two-foot area, and from it something had been dragged through the huge pile of snow to the other side. Tara moved closer and recognized the mark as blood. One touch told her the liquid was still warm.

Tara pulled her comm out of her pocket and hooked it around her ear. aDarius,a she said quietly as she looked around her warily.

aYes?a aThereas something wrong at the house.a aWhat is it?a aI donat know. Thereas blood in the driveway. I think one of the guards has been dragged off. Darius, Iam outside and Iam not armed,a she whispered as she moved closer to the house.

aWeall be there in a minute. Whoas there with you?a aIam here alone.a Tara could hear the mouthpiece go dead as soon as shead spoken those words. She wondered where Darius was and how long it would take him to get there. She was in no condition to fight unarmed, and her laser was in her other coat pocket, which was lying on her bed.

She looked toward the back of the house and then to the front. Four guards were supposed to be stationed out here. She saw no sign of them.

Tara moved as fast as she dared along the slick surface of the driveway and reentered the back of the house. There was no way to tell if anyone was in the house, due to its size. She moved up the stairs to her bedroom as quickly and quietly as she could. The laser was still in her coat pocket. Grabbing it, she headed back down the stairs.

No sign of life was evident through the windows, and from the front porch she noted the snow was undisturbed except for the footprints along the driveway. Then she saw ita"more blood along the snow in the front yard and indications that someone had been dragged.

Whoever did this was still nearby.

An icy breeze caused Tara to shiver, and icicles shattered to the ground from a nearby tree. Tara stepped carefully to the bloodstained snow and looked off into the direction where crushed snow appeared to form a path. The snow was deep, and she had to move slowly to insure her balance. A hard fall to the ground would possibly send her into labor.

aIsnat it inappropriate for someone in your condition to be out in this weather?a Tara turned quickly to face a Runner standing on the path by the house. She didnat recognize the man through his headscarf, and something was strange about his voice.

aWho are you?a She wrapped her fingers around the laser in her pocket.

aThis is rather a shame,a he stated, ignoring her question. aItas not really you Iam after, although I guess you should die as well.a Tara listened to the voice carefully. It was Gothman.

Just then, the sounds of motorcycles quickly approaching could be heard. The Gothman in Runner clothing pulled out a laser from his pocket and aimed it straight at Tara.

aDrop it, now!a Darius pulled his bike to a stop and aimed his gun straight at the Runner.

aOh, what perfect timing. And how heroic. Donat tell me you came alone.a The intruder turned his laser on Darius.

Tara pointed her weapon at the stranger and approached slowly. aHold it right there.a The intruder pulled a second gun from his pocket and aimed this one at Tara. aI wonat let this continue.a aYou wonat let what continue?a Tara took another step toward the stranger, feeling the snow crunch under her boots.

The stranger didnat acknowledge her question, although the laser remained pointed at her. He looked at Darius. aYouave destroyed the Bryton blood line. You have no respect for anything but your power. To think how many b.a.s.t.a.r.ds you have running around out there. That was bad enough.a aWhat b.a.s.t.a.r.ds? Darius, who is this?a Tara didnat take her eyes from the man, and his laser didnat waver from her.

aWho knows when someone might show up claiming his right to be Lord of Gothman?a The man continued as if she hadnat spoken. aBut then, you go and do something like this.a The man waved his laser at Tara.

One of her hands instinctively went to her belly, although she realized with hideous clarity that her hand hardly offered an ample shield for her babies.

aYouall allow a half-breed to be our heir? Darius, that is unacceptable!a The man continued his rantings.

aMikel, put down the gun.a Darius spoke with a calmness that the other man didnat possess.

Taraas mouth fell open in disbelief. This masked strangera"the one holding a laser to her heart, dressed in the garb of people he claimed to despisea"was Dariusa brother.

aI may die, brother, but so shall you.a Mikel raised both of his hands and wrapped his fingers around each trigger. aYou murdered Juro, I can prove that, you know. That alone gives me the right to kill you. What do you think our papa would say about this?a He gestured his gun at Tara. aYou disgust me, Darius.a Dariusa shot rang through the air with a high-pitched whistle.

Mikel was thrown backwards from the close impact of the laser. As he slammed into the side of the house, both of his lasers went off, one into the air and one straight toward Tara.

Instinctively, she threw herself to the ground, feeling the loss of air in her lungs. She turned to land on her side, holding her belly with both hands, as her laser fell into the powdery snow next to her. The ground came fast and hard, and the pain was so intense she wasnat sure if shead been shot or not.

Darius was by her side instantly.

The discomfort and pain racking her body overwhelmed Tara. She fought to stay conscious. aI fear Iave thrown myself into labor, my lord.a aShh. Be still.a Darius lifted her into his arms and was up the porch stairs and into the house within seconds. He seemed completely disinterested in his dead brother lying out front, focusing only on Taraas condition. He took the wide stairs three at a time and had her on the bed before she realized it.

aWhat about your brother? You canat leave him here.a Tara watched Darius as his hands went over her body, as if searching to see if anything had broken.

aDonat worry about him right now, my lady. Itas you I am concerned about.a A sharp pain riveted through Taraas body, starting somewhere in her middle and ending halfway down her leg. Tara caught her breath and then exhaled when the pain subsided.

aHow do you feel?a He stroked her hair and looked calm yet concerned for her wellbeing.

aAm I shot?a She wanted to ask if his brother was dead.

Darius was talking into his mouthpiece. aPatha, I need Dr. Digo sent to the house immediately.a He was silent for a second and then flipped the mouthpiece off. aWhereas Reena?a he asked her gently.

aSheas working on the quilts with the other ladies.a Suddenly, Tara was confused. aDarius, I think Iam okay. I guess I knocked the wind out of me.a She attempted to sit, and a sudden pain flashed through her gut and down her legs.

Darius eased her back down.

She grabbed his hand with both of hers and squeezed harder than shead ever squeezed before. The pain subsided as she lay back down, and she eased her grip.

Dariusa face was expressionless. He tapped his comm. aSend someone to find Reena. I believe she is at one of those quilting meetings, I do.a Tara felt another wave of pain, and Darius offered his hand again, which she squeezed without mercy. She yelped with the intensity of the pain this time, and watched Dariusa mouth move, but couldnat quite make out his words.

aAnd I donat want a trace of blood visible,a she thought she heard him say, but another wave of pain hit her before the last one completely ended.

It seemed like hours pa.s.sed before Dr. Digo appeared. Not long after, Reena arrived. Tara could hear Hildaas excited voice although she didnat see her. Whenever she opened her eyes, it was Dariusa face she saw.

He watched her, his expression a.s.suring her everything would be all right. Her claim stroked her head with a damp cloth, which felt better at that moment than she could have imagined. Then she felt his cheek brush hers, as he placed gentle kisses on her forehead. She focused on his touch, as wave after wave violated her body.

She turned her head to see the activity in the room. Everyone around her seemed surreal. Reena appeared to be bouncing from one side of the bed to the other. Dr. Digo placed a needle in her arm, and everyone suddenly seemed very far away.

Tara understood the conversation but had a hard time focusing on it. Her thoughts kept going inward. She vaguely paid attention as her legs were lifted and placed on cold metal. She blindly obeyed when Reena stood between her legs and instructed her to push.

aTara,a someone was speaking to her and there was cold water dripping slowly down the side of her forehead. She reached up with her hand and brushed the water off. aTara, girl, open your eyes.a aSay h.e.l.lo to your son, my lady.a Darius stood by the bed holding a bundle of blankets.

Tara focused on him and realized he was holding a baby in his arms. She had done it. It impressed Tara how easily she was able to sit up, and she looked around the room at her exhausted audience. Tara knew she should feel as tired as they looked, but a sense of exhilaration flooded her and she felt overwhelmed with happiness.

aWhere are my babies?a Her throat was dry, and her voice cracked. She blinked several times to clear her thoughts.

Darius sat next to her and placed the bundle of blankets in her arms. Hilda approached with another bundle.

Tara wrapped her arms around the two babies and looked down into their squishy pink faces.

aWe have a boy and a girl.a Darius ran his fingers through her hair and lifted her face to his. aYou were quite impressive, I must say.a He leaned forward and kissed her gently.

She smiled. aI want to name them Andru and Ana.a Later that night, Darius crept into the dark room where Tara lay, cradling her sleeping babies. She smiled as he leaned down to kiss her.

aI wanted to wish you good night,a he whispered. aBut I fear I woke you, I did.a aIave been sleeping on and off, I guess. But Iam glad you are here.a aYou were wonderful birthing our children, my lady.a And when he kissed her again, she smiled against his mouth and returned the kiss until he backed away a few inches to study her.

aIam sorry about your brother,a she whispered.

He looked at her seriously. aI only have one brother, and he knows nothing of my papaas philosophies.a aDarius?a She looked up anxiously as he turned to leave and he stopped in the doorway. aDo you have any other children?a aNo.a The door closed, and the room became completely dark again.

Chapter Eleven.

aCome on, you can do ten more.a Tara was dripping with sweat.

aCanat we take a break?a Torgo dropped to the ground. aIf I do one more pushup, my arms will break.a aOkay, a little break.a Tara laughed and fell to the ground as well. She was exhausted and it felt really good. aYou donat know how happy I am to have my figure back.a aYou do have it back at that, my lady.a Lord Darius walked out to the backyard and looked at the two lying on the ground. aDuty calls, however, the cherubs are up from their nap.a Tara jumped to her feet and straightened her shirt. aI guess weall continue your training later.a Torgo didnat mind a bit. He had a hard time keeping up with the new mama, and he didnat want to admit it.

Tara went upstairs to greet her beautiful children. Each lay in his and her own cradle and smiled at the sight of their mama. Shead grown accustomed to picking them both up and laying them at opposite ends of the diaper-changing table. The two children would kick at each otheras feet and giggle while she blew on their tummies, changed diapers, and dressed them.

aI canat believe how much you two are growing.a She kissed fingers and toes. aYouare six cycles old today, did you know that?a aOh, good, theyare awake now.a Hilda entered the nursery with a bag in her hands. aI bought these while I was in town this morning, I did. They were such cute outfits I couldnat resist. Donat you agree?a The two outfits were made from blue denim. One was a pair of overalls and the other a dress with the straps like overalls. Hilda also produced a white blouse to go with the dress and a white shirt for the overalls. The two women struggled to get the lively children into their new outfits then placed them on the floor.

Tara laughed as Andru tried to inspect the shiny b.u.t.tons on his sisteras outfit. Ana slapped at his hands for his efforts.

aI heard news in town this morning, you knowa"catching up on the gossip so to speak.a aOh?a Tara never appeared interested in any of the goings on of the community, but Hilda was determined to teach her daughter-in-law the fine art of gossiping.

aAh, yes, I did. I heard Patha is planning to head south for a few cycles. It was Gertrudeas daughter who told me, you know the bakeras claim?a Tara was less interested in the source of the gossip than the news itself. aPatha is leaving? I just saw him the other day, and he didnat mention it. Do you know when?a aNow that I donat know, but here is the kicker.a Hilda lowered her voice as if someone might be listening. aHe has asked Reena to go with him, he has.a aWhat did she say?a aWell, I would think she would say no.a Hilda thought the question absurd.

Tara picked up the babies and walked into the large adjoining bedroom she now shared with Darius.

aWhere are you going?a aIam going to say goodbye to my papa.a Tara pulled a clean headscarf from her top dresser drawer.

aYouare taking the babies?a aCan you tend them?a Hilda looked at her watch and shook her head. aIam having tea with some of the ladies over at Rogaas in an hour. You really should hire one of the girls in town to be a nanny, you should.a The old lady scurried off to prepare for her outing.

Tara was left alone with her babies. She thought about asking Torgo or Darius to go with her, but neither was in sight as she loaded the babies into the back of the jeep. The weather appeared conducive to the activity, so she pulled the top off the jeep hoping the babies would enjoy the fresh air.

aIt will get you accustomed to riding on a bike.a She watched them look up at the endless blue sky.

There were signs that many of the clan members were preparing to leave. Doors stood open as trailer interiors were dismantled. Breakable items were being boxed before being placed in compartments under the trailer. It was summer and the best time to travel the country.

Tara suddenly felt a longing to be going. It surprised her. Shead been so busy with the babies and so wrapped up with her love for Darius that she hadnat even thought about the summer journeys.

The clan would move around for the next four to five cycles and then settle down again when the weather turned bad. The alliance built with Gothman enabled the Runners to leave some of their possessions on the land, with Darius promising protection. Patha and Darius agreed that the acreage on top of the hills just to the west of Gothman would be Blood Circle Clan property. The townsfolk had grown accustomed to Runners entering their stores. Tara had even heard business owners speak favorably of the race since the Runners had begun stocking up on supplies for their journeys.

aHi, Syra.a Tara pulled up to Pathaas trailer and smiled at her niece. aWhat are you doing?a aNothing.a Syraas tone was sulky.

Tara was about to ask her what was wrong when Patha and Balbo came around the other side of the trailer.

aI heard you were leaving,a Tara greeted her papa as she reached for her children.

aIn the morning.a The old man smiled and went to look at his grandbabies. aThese babies will be walking by the time I get back.a Tara handed Andru to his Grandpapa and held Ana in her arms. aWhatas wrong with Syra?a aBelieve it or not, she doesnat want to go.a Balbo shrugged his shoulders at his daughteras behavior. aI donat understand her lately.a aWhy not let her stay with me? I need a nanny for the children. I could pay her, and she could have her own room. It would help her save money for her first bike. Sheas about ready for one, you know.a Patha looked at Balbo, who showed his approval of the suggestion.

aSheas growing up so fast.a Balbo shook his head. aNothing I do is right for her anymore. Are you sure she would be a help with the babies?a aI was caring for babies at her age if not younger. Besides, Balbo, it might make it easier to find another wife. Syra is quite the young lady, and another woman might think she has compet.i.tion with her around.a aDonat try to argue with her, Balbo.a Patha laughed. aSounds like she has her mind made up.a aOkay. Iall speak to her. That is, if sheall talk to me.a He walked over to the sulking girl.

Tara watched her own papa play with her son. aIall miss you. You better stay in touch with me.a aDonat you long to travel, yourself?a aI hadnat thought about it to be honest with you. The twins keep me so busy; there is little time to think of anything but tending them.a Tara squinted from the sun, as she looked around the clansite. Runners loaded bags onto their bikes and locked down trailers. aComing out here does put the yearning into a person, though.a Patha looked at her, but instead of saying anything he reached out and tickled his granddaughter.

She noticed the look of concern in Pathaas eyes. aDonat worry about me. I am happy. Really I am. Iave found a good man.a aGood. You have an obligation here. The Runners have never had land like this before, and a lot of that is due to you, my dear.a aI know.a Tara was aware the Runners viewed her as being responsible for a pivotal turn in their history. She received more respect from them due to the Lord of Gothman claiming her, than she did from the Gothman.

Balbo and Syra walked up to them, and Tara noticed the young girl was all smiles.

aCan I really stay with you?a Syra looked from one twin to the other but her smile didnat waver.

aYou can work for me.a Tara caught the girlas eye. aYouall be in charge of the babies, and youall go to school. It wonat be fun and games.a Tara knew the teenager had had exposure to young children. But Tara was concerned because Syra would be one of the few girls in her cla.s.s. She knew Syra could handle herself and would not be bullied by anyone. Still, she was breaking the mold by attending school while Gothman girls were discouraged from going. The Gothman believed their girls could learn what they needed to know staying home and helping with housework. Tara had done her best to encourage the girls to attend, but it was a slow process.

The Runners had been allowed to enroll their children in the Gothman school by a new law Darius had pa.s.sed. That was a slow process too, encouraging Runners to take advantage of the Gothman schools instead of home-schooling their children, as had been the custom.

aI wonat let you down.a Syra seemed excited as she ran to get her things.

Syra couldnat believe her luck. She would be staying with Tara and could see Torgo every day. This sure beat spending the next several cycles cooped up with her papa. Torgo would be a lot more fun to be with. He was so cute and so tall. Ever since theyad finished the project of clearing rubble for the Gothman, she hadnat seen much of him. This change of events was too good to be true.

aIam ready.a Syra ran back to Tara who was still talking to Patha and Balbo. She took Ana from Tara to show she could handle the work.

aThe River people at the southern edge of Trueland are trying to form a new government, and I thought we would start by going there,a Patha said. aI want to make sure they know the Gothman and Runners have united. Weall show our respects to their new government and see if theyall welcome our union by letting Runners enjoy their community.a Tara knew there was oil in the land down there and realized Patha and Darius had probably discussed this. Natural resources in Gothman land were limited, and the people would need to augment their supplies soon. She vowed to keep in touch with Patha and couldnat wait to hear the stories from his journey.

Syra had loaded the babies and her bags into the back of the jeep and was sitting in the pa.s.senger seat waiting for Tara. Hugs were exchanged one last time, then Tara and Syra headed back to town.

aI canat believe it. The house is so big.a Syra watched in awe as Tara drove along the gravel driveway toward the Bryton home.