For the next four hours Hawke showed her how to use her hands and knees to guide her horse without a saddle, he also told her this would be good with a saddle. Horses, just like people, don't like to be kicked in the ribs. With a little nudge and using what hand to use to turn with a pat. One nudge for a walk, two for a trot or a jog, three for a run. By the time they were done, Elayne and her horse where riding at a jog without a saddle.
During dinner Eleanor and Elayne talked, one of the subjects was how Elayne liked working with the animals, milking the cows and feeding. "I find it to be satisfyingly worthwhile, it gives me a new perspective on what farmers and farming is really like."
Hawke paused eating and looked at her, "what you're seeing right now, this is the easy part. The hard part is when crop season comes along. Sleep is a blessing when your out hours at a time tending to the crops. Between preparing the fields, planting and weeding there's not enough time in the day. Not with all this land here," he spread his arms out at the large fields around. "Not only do we plant vegetables and fruits in large quantities, but we also plant hay and wheat for our personal use. You're only seeing and experiencing a small part of what goes on here. And I've got more plans for this farm, like producing our own flour instead of buying it in town."
Elayne was sitting there intrigued, "how do you do all this when it's just you guys?"
"We have people that come in and stay during the season. A lot of them have families that their supporting, some will actually bring their families here, hence why we have extra bunk houses and some you can't see. They get paid better than most farms plus their allowed to grab whatever they need for food for themselves. But we just started expanding. We've actually been very blessed with what we have here, the land is very fertile and the crops thrive. What started out as a couple of small fields and some run down buildings to get us by, has now expanded to what you see here and to what's over that hill over there that you can't see. That's where the wheat and hay are planted. If you'd like, I'll show you what all we have here tomorrow." She nodded her head excitedly, he was pleased to see her show an interest, this was after all her home too.
Elayne sat there listening to Hawke as he talked about his farm. He was proud of what they'd accomplished, and he had a right to be. What they had here was amazing and to think it started out as a rundown farm and to see it turned into what it was today and what he had plans on doing to it in the future. She was impressed and proud of the man that was her husband.
They sat there eating and making small talk until they were done, sitting back full and relaxed. Hawke grabbed up the dishes and when Elayne and Bethany got up to help he told them to sit and relax, he could handle the cleanup by himself. When he was done and had the kitchen organized he walked outside and spotted Elayne sparing with the soldiers. He had learned not to be around her when she was with them, he distracted her, and she ended up more bruised than usual. She was going to have to figure out how to fight around distractions but as she said she had a teacher. He went over to the other women and sat there talking until Elayne was done. Bethany asked to go for a swim when Elayne was done and he agreed and told them to come when they were ready as he walked home.
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For some reason he was feeling restless, not sure why, he thought a walk would do him some good. When he got to his house the feeling was still there, but he couldn't put a finger on what the unease was. He waited for the girls and when he saw them riding Snowball towards them, he grinned.
He walked over to them and helped them down. Elayne talked to her horse, told her to stay there until she got back, and went into his house to grab some clean clothes. She had Bethany come with her because she wanted to show her what Hawke had gotten her. They were in the house a few minutes and when they came out Bethany commented on how beautiful it was and that he actually did have good taste while teasing him for buying something like that.
Elayne and Bethany could see he was distracted when he made no comments, so they let him be and told him they were ready. He nodded and closed his eyes setting the ward. After a while they came back, and they sat for a while talking before going back to the main house.
"Hawke why are you wearing your swords," Elayne asked curiously. When she looked over at Bethany, she shrugged, but Elayne noticed a worried look on her face.
"Maybe it's just my imagination, but something just doesn't feel right," he said absently. "Elayne, pack a bag with some extra clothes, we're staying at the guesthouse tonight."
"Not until you tell me what's," she started to say but he interrupted her.
"Enough," he growled, and she flinched at the tone in his voice. His voice softened when he saw her back up a little, "just do as I ask, please."
His unease was getting stronger, and he thought it was a good idea to keep everyone close together. When they went back to the house he told the girls to go sit with their moms, he'd be back in a bit. This time Elayne kept quiet and did as he asked, hopefully he would let them know what was going on.
He rode over to the guard house and talked to the Captain about keeping an extra eye out and staying vigilant. Unsure of wanting to say too much in case he was wrong, but something didn't feel right. The Captain eyed him questioningly then noticed the swords on his back and nodded. Hawke turned Midnight back to the women watching them. Then took a deep breath, closed his eyes and reached out and touched his surroundings with his mind. He sat there for a while, he didn't sense anything but that didn't mean there wasn't anything there especially with the feeling he was having. He debated going out and doing a perimeter check, but he didn't want to leave the women alone. Whatever it was that he was feeling, it seemed to be getting stronger. He felt Elayne reaching out to him with her mind, he slammed his mind down but not before sending comforting thoughts. This wasn't the time. He needed to be alert.
He got off Midnight but made sure to tell him to stay close, and he went to the women and sat down. "Ladies, please don't ask me what because I don't know, something just feels off tonight, so please be careful. If I tell you to get in the house please do it without arguing with me. Elayne and I will be staying in the guest house for tonight. Promise me please, no matter what, you get in that house and stay there until I tell you its safe, do not come out until then." He waited for them to nod, feeling relieved that they wouldn't be in danger. They sat there for a while talking, not really discussing anything important, they could sense his discomfort.
After a while, with the sun just going down then he felt it, an itch between his shoulders and he did a quick scan of his immediate surroundings. Seven people were coming up the path and at least six others where coming in at both sides of the main house. They were well armed but weren't soldiers or of the Circle. He had no idea of who they were, but he knew his unease was coming from them.
He looked at the women not daring to say a word and gave a slight nod to Bethany and Elayne who took their mothers and headed to the house. Once they were inside he put his hand on the door and put a tight shield around the house. He looked over to the bunk house and saw all the soldiers sitting around looking casual, Hawke went over to the Captain, and explained what was going on and told them to protect the house. Hopefully he was good since Bryce used them for protection for the women.
When the seven men came out of the woods they were acting casual. "Can I help you gentlemen," he asked in a loud voice.
They stopped for a minute looking at him, as if sizing him up, before the leader, Hawke assumed, spoke, "we just wanted a place to stay for the night, that's all. We mean you no harm, we're just passing through."
Hawke didn't buy it. "You expect me to believe you came an hour from the main road just for a place to sleep. There are plenty of places to bed down for the night along the road and Lothering is two hours behind you. Now kindly get off my property, your not welcome."
"Oh come on, we just want a place to rest for the night, were on our way to the Capital. We'll be staying there until the competition. How about it bud."
"How about not! You're not welcome here, get off of my property and take your buddies hiding with you," Hawke said as he spotted the other goons just coming out of hiding, "or I swear not one of you will live to see another day." Hawke gestured to the soldiers behind him and put a hand on his sword and another on his belt knife.
The leader guffawed, "seems the odds are against you, there's seven of us and one of you, your outnumbered boy," his men behind him smirked at Hawke.
"I like those odds," Hawke taunted with a smirk of his own. "Last chance to turn around." The leader just grinned wider at him and Hawke shrugged his shoulders, "so be it," he growled.
It was a short fight.
The men charged him all at once, swords raised, murder in their eyes. Hawke threw his knife at one, incapacitating him while he unsheathed both his swords. He spun and lunged at the nearest opponent, his swords swinging in a deadly arc from either side of him. Two felt the bite of his blades as they slashed their chests. He moved over their bodies, turning as he did to bring the remaining four into his view. Hawke pivoted and cut two through their stomachs as they came at him, with their entrails falling to the ground, he saw one grabbing his stomach to hold everything inside while falling. Then only two remained, the leader and another crony. The leader stood his ground while his companion adjusted his sword grip and ran at Hawke, swinging wildly. He evaded the clumsy attack, then parried the next with his left before he thrust his right blade into the man's belly, twisting it as he pulled it out as a spray of blood spouted out of the wound following behind the blade.
