In the morning Rafa and Roger talked about where to keep Mirka. Roger had his own longhouse but it did not have much in it. Then they agreed that she could stay with Isabella and Rafa. Roger took the chains into his longhouse so that he could do something with them later, but they wouldn't remind the woman of her past. Roger was going to be away for a few weeks taking care of some of his own business, but first he wanted to take the centaurs to where he had frightened the horses. He respected how the centaurs felt about their cousins, the horse. They often times found horses that had been turned out by men and taken care of them as once they had been domesticated it was often hard for them to find food in the wild.
Rafa and Roger left the long house. Rafa went to tell his king Juan Carlos about Rogers mate and to where the elves had moved. Roger went to the smith shop and made the list with Blake. He would buy Blake a new set of bellows and a variety of tools that had been damage due to the prolonged use. Blake knew that the dragon was being very generous but was also asking him to help Rafa watch over the woman as many of the singe centaur males would want to try and take her as their mates while Roger was gone.
True to Rafa's words, Isabella healed the last of the woman's wounds when she had woken the next morning. Roger was thankful, but also saddened that it had taken so much of her energy, now that he could see that she was heavy with child. He had been so worried about the woman he had forgotten that she was about eight months pregnant. She just smiled weakly as Roger tried to apologize.
Rafa walked in and said in an uneasy voice, "Come on Isabella, Juan Carlos wants to see all of us."
When Isabella's footsteps were slow and unsteady Rafa kneeled down and let her mount on him. Very few centaurs let their mates ride on their back. Most of them would find it degrading but they would all allow it when necessary. Rafa didn't care if Isabella was on his back. In fact, he liked the feel of her on his withers as she very rarely wore undergarments so he could feel her wet cunt sliding over him as he walked. The three of them walked over to the chief's long house.
"Hello again Roger," Juan Carlos said as they entered his longhouse, "and a good morning Rafa and Isabella. I see you have done some healing again." She smiled over Rafa's shoulder as she wrapped her arms around his upper body. "The tribe of Folk is sending over a few young warriors for us to train. So you may want to stay way Roger as I can't guarantee that they won't try to shoot you if they see you in any of your forms. And I want Isabella to try and keep her healing powers quiet. We don't want them to be tempted to steal you. I know we all want to help other tribes in the area but we haven't had the time to explain how we got to be friends with a dragon or acquired a magical healer."
All three knew what the king meant. Some centaur tribes believe all dragons needed to be killed and if they saw him in his human form they might also kill him to keep their existence a secret. They also might believe that anyone who used magic was a witch and also needed to be killed. Or they might want her for themselves and try to steal her.
"I was planning on taking a trip anyway. I need to buy a few new things for your smith shop. I was leaving today but I would like reassurance that I have your permission to leave the woman I brought here to keep her safe. She was in slaver's hands. I have scared them away and they will not come to find her because they think I ate her."
"Of course we will keep her for you." Juan Carlos said anxiously. "We are expecting our guest anytime soon. Please leave as quickly as possible. We will be giving you the horse you helped rescued the last time you were here to ride until you are a safe distance to change. I think it might be better to see a man riding way then a dragon flying." They left the longhouse and Roger gave a hug to both Rafa and Isabella, then he mounted the horse and road off with the centaur Feli who would bring back the horse. He left just in time. Just as Roger was lost to view, a pack of three young centaurs came from the other way. They had tattoos that swirled like the wind over their human halves. "We are from the Folks Tribe and we come to learn from you. We mean you no harm. My name is Markus." He was standing in front of the other two.
"Then welcome. Our chief is inside and he is awaiting you." Rafa said as he bowed his head in greeting.
"I now doubt that we can learn anything from you if you allow yourselves to be treated like common mules."
Rafa bristled at the insult. "If you are referring to the woman on my back, this is my mate Isabella. She is heavy with foal and has been getting weak. But we are part of the chief's family and he wanted to see her. But he also wanted to make sure to be in the meeting house when you came, so I have to carry her. Insult her again and I will kill you myself." Rafa walked off to Nat's longhouse to relay Juan Carlos's message.
"Hey Nat, I have to talk to you." Rafa said as he entered with out knocking. Nat stepped out of the back she was just getting dressed. She came out tying up the back of her dress. "We have visitors. They think Isabella is weak because of the foal and that is how the king wants it."
"I know he visited me quick this morning and the word has been spread. We waited as long as we could to tell you guys because Blake had told us of what happened last night. We figured it would be best if he told the three of you together. I also see Roger got out fine."
"Yes he got out fine. Now I will head back to our longhouse as we are taking care of Roger's soon to be mate. I don't want her trying to run on us so I want to be there when she wake up." With that Rafa left Nat's home and returned to theirs.
Rafa could see that he was already too late. Mirka had woken up and was trying to leave. "Hold on Isabella," was all Rafa could say before he lunged in to a full gallop. He quickly caught the woman and carried her back into the longhouse. As softly as he could he placed her on the furs. Mirka jumped up and quickly grabbed a small knife that had been left on the table. She was pointing it at Rafa. Isabella quickly slid off his back so if he needed to run again he could. She was nauseous from his movements. "We mean you no harm. Look for yourself we healed you. Even your feet are no longer burned."
The woman looked at her feet and then back at Rafa suspiciously. "I guess you did, my name is Mirka. What is yours?" She lowered the knife slightly.
"I am Rafa, and her name is Isabella but she can not speak because she was born mute. You are going to stay with us for awhile. You are free to move around the village but we have some visitors form another tribe with us so you should try to avoid them."
"Then I will make it easy for you just let me go?" she half yelled at Rafa.
"I am sorry I can't let you do that." Rafa smiled. "Roger asked me to keep you safe for him and I would just have to catch you gain. Do you think you can out run me?"
"No." she said half heartily, "but I could find a way to escape."
"Then we would just have to put those chains back on you." Rafa said ominously. "So do you promise not to run again?" "Yes," she said admitting defeat.
Rafa continued, "I also want you to take Isabella with you always she will help you understand everything we do. If any one asks you belong to Roger. He is away doing some business for the tribe. This is for your protection. Do you understand?"
"No why do I need more protection?"
"Like I said we have visitors from a different tribe. They might take you as their mate. Then there is also the fact that once there was a woman who didn't have a mate. She was used by many of the single males of the tribe before any of the paired males could pull them off. She unfortunately died. I would hate to see you go the same way. I am also afraid of what Roger would do to me if I let you get hurt. So do you understand now?"
"I think I do but you make me one promise." She said, and she prepared herself for a fight.
"Depends on what the promise is."
"You do not hand me over to the slavers I ran from."
Rafa laughed. "If I tried to hand you over, Isabella is likely to hit me with a frying pan. She hates to see all her good healing go to waste. Besides Roger would kill me if I gave up his mate."