Chapter 38

By the time they are halfway through Finton it is nearly June and the temperature is warming nicely. The Dakota Woodlands are beautiful and wild this deep in Finton.

They are heading east-southeast until they run into the Finton Prairie. From there they will stay on the border of the Finton Prairie and Dakota Woodlands and follow that northeast until they reach Laraland.

Even though they are still in Finton when they reach the prairie, Sorbo and Dakota take a moment to remember their most beloved Cathy.

“I wonder if we can find the Crevice of Souls again?”

“I don’t know, Dakota, but I am glad Cathy got a chance to rest in the supreme peace there before moving on to the next level of creation.”

“Me, too, husband, me, too.”

Their pace is that of a leisurely crawl as there large two horse drawn wagon lumbers through the woodlands. The bumping, rocking and creaking cannot wipe the smile off of Sarah’s face. At last she is being seen for the wonderful warrior woman she feels she was always destined for.

Every time they stop, Dakota, Sorbo and Bolo take their turn in teaching the very talented five-foot-six, one hundred and twenty stoneling, nineteen-year-old brunette with brown eyes something new. She has always practiced at being a warrior, but she lacks that edge that you get when you take another’s life. There is no better training than that which you learn in actual combat.

Fortunately or unfortunately, however you want to look at it, riding with this band Sarah will eventually get her hands on real-life training. Lender has long since returned from taking Braylard home. No attacks have come of late. Maybe because Loki is beginning to understand that he has been deceived also into thinking that this White Sorceress was here to do more than just save the world, or in this case his very own moon, but unfortunately Loki has set into motion deep seeded beliefs that you just can’t take back.

He has taken peoples natural beautiful caring and sharing hearts and distorted them into being un-accepting of anything that they don’t want to be true. For the most part the average person, no matter what god or belief they follow, doesn’t wish harm to another or wish to lower one to raise another, they just want to raise their family in a place that cradles love, temperance and understanding. Under those glorious banners warriors and sweethearts alike flourish.

But long ago from a dark history of growth did certain groups of people get tired of not just being able to enslave the body; they wanted to enslave the mind and spirit as well. While people are arguing amongst themselves about which way is right, the deceivers are sitting back and laughing their asses off. They are anarchists. While chaos and conflict reigns they lurk in the shadows spewing ever more discord. If you have a good, caring and sharing heart then you are right no matter what beliefs you hold. I don’t need a god to tell me how to be a good person.

Unfortunately recent events of Andromeda and Loki are not going to help matters, and as these beings of light and energy play their little petty games with the world, so they can upstage their sibling, others see that and will turn to anything if they think it offers them stability and truth. It is from within that pure and true desire to be happy and safe that the lies and distortions have been laid. If done with precision it seems as if those naturally wonderful people came up with it on their own, or some unknown divine hand sent it down to deserving people through prophets. They are becoming confused and lost from the contradictory signals that the true deities of Kara are sending. That’s why it is majestic to honor those beings of light and energy, but follow your own unselfish beautiful heart.

“It’s beautiful.” Gasps Sarah.

“Yes. Yes it is, Sarah.” As the Finton Prairie opens up and rolls on, the green grass, half turned golden already, sways majestically in the mild wind.

Sarah has never been out of the Nalla Mountains before and just as her sword arm is growing, so is her heart and mind. Close your eyes and ears to all that is being said or shown from other sentient beings, and take in the natural wonder of the world around you and it will show you the truth. Respect and love mother Kara and all that you need to live will be given unto thee.

“Look! Look!” says Sarah, standing up in her wagon pointing to a huge herd of bison that are now just becoming visible on the horizon. First comes the dust clouds, then comes the rumble as Kara begins to shake, and at last a sea of brown majestic mighty creatures come turning this way and that.

More than one fool has been crushed under a herd this size by getting lost in watching the wonder before them instead of realizing the danger you could be in if they decide to panic in your direction.

“Stick close to the trees until we see their intent.”

Just then Lender swoops out of the sky, grabs a big bull in his mouth, and brings it towards Dakota and her troop. Lender gives it a mighty shake to break its neck so it won’t suffer anymore than it has to. Lender drops it off and goes back to the herd to get a couple for himself.

“Well, it looks as if dinner has fallen out of the sky. See what I mean the mother Kara will provide!”

Katarina, who is sitting next to Sarah, says, “Uh huh! I think Lender provided our next several meals.”

“Ah, you are splitting hairs, Precious One.” Katarina still blushes when Sorbo calls her Precious One, but they laugh just the same.

They have truly become a family. Maybe they are a family of misfits, but still a family. Once Sarah realized how easily Katarina could make clothes she was quickly wearing a gold dress with black leggings, not unlike which Dakota is wearing. In fact, it was Dakota who suggested they all wear something with gold in it.

The king and queen of Nalla offered them a huge tent to take with them, but Sorbo declined for all and instead took little tents that are barely big enough for one person. Sorbo and Dakota enjoy their cuddling moments at night. That is when one of them doesn’t have guard duty. It is true the senses of Lender make them safe, but to be a Knight of Odin you must pull your own weight.

No matter what the day had brought or what the night was promising, Dakota always went out of her way to put on her royal blue nightshirt. For Sorbo and Dakota the year is progressing much too slowly, but they know very shortly that things are going to get very interesting. They are returning to Pralene to take over rule as King and Queen.

“Husband?”

“Yes, wife.”

“I feel that I have been used by Andromeda. Yes she saved my life and brought me to you, but through out this whole adventure she has been giving us half-truths to further her own goals. Odin says his daughter willfully fails to see the truth that the dark moon being destroyed, which would hurt Kara and her natural cycle and balance, will not only effect Loki, but will effect her too.”

“Yeah, babe, I don’t fully understand it myself. You would think the daughter of the Overseer, he whom we now serve, would be able to understand that all things are connected and necessary. I don’t know, maybe Loki picked on her when she was little.”

“Do you think they were actually little once?”

“Who knows?”

“Sorbo?”

“Yes.” He answers sleepily as he is holding his lovely wife securely in his arms. His left arm is wrapped around her back and his right hand is either stroking her long straight dirty blonde hair or resting on her left arm that is lying across him.