The pleasant conversationsted and I was caught in my internal musing. Would Jonathan always feel me? If we were in the samepound, would he seek me out?


    ” I wan ‘wim, Daddy,” Jonathan demanded suddenly standing on Evan’sp.


    Aiden had been getting near to sleeping, but his Brother’s energy flowed into him. He sat up on myp and looked at Evan, too.


    “Wha ‘wim?” he asked.


    Jonathan turned and saw the question in his Brother’s eyes. He started to exin in simple, childlike terms swimming. Aiden got more and more excited as he talked. The looks between them got more animated as Aiden silently watched a now quiet Jonathan. I got the feeling Jonathan was “showing” Aiden swimming through their bond. Now we had two of them demanding to swim.


    When we got to the pool Basin’s family and Stayne’s family were already there soaking. All the men tried to talk casually as we introduced Aiden to swimming. It was obvious he’d never done this before. The men watched carefully as Aiden tried to do what came so naturally to Jonathan.


    “Watch him,” one of them would warn when Aiden floundered in the water.


    Someone’s hands always were there in a moment to keep him afloat. No one in the pool was interested in anything other than the two young ones. For having never been fathers I found the mens’ reactions to children telling. They were markedly protective of the young.


    Aiden stayed with us for a full lunar cycle. He asked for Halil and Rynal almost every day. I assumed Rynal was his male breeder and I had no answer to that. I started to tell him what Tosu had said about Halil. The Great Harmonious Spirit had her and he was here with his Brother. I could only assume The Great Harmonious Spirit was God, but it wasn’t a religion my men knew anything about.


    The only time Aiden had issues was at night. I did not know how the Paterian women slept, but it must have been with their young male offspring at their side. At least, considering how we slept, I assumed that’s what Halil had done.


    Aiden discovered my hair on the first night. Even with Jonathan he was restless and anxious, wiggling all over the bed. As Iy on my side, he maneuvered up by my head and his hands sunk into my hair. I was woken from a near sleep as he pulled my hair tight against my scalp. Aiden wound the long strands around his little fists and burrowed into it. I heard him sigh and finally settle down.


    For the first time all night, Aiden wasfortable. Jonathany at my back against his Brother’s legs and they finally fell asleep. It felt strange to have my head used as a security nket, but I was exhausted and drifted off myself after a few moments.


    It became a pattern and we tried to break Aiden of his habit. He foundfort with his hands wound in my hair at night. I assumed he’d clung to his mother’s fur in the darkness and this sensation was familiar. He just couldn’t sleep unless he was wrapped around my head.


    After a few days we gave up trying to change him. For being an orphan Aiden was adapting very well. If he needed to sleep that way at night, I would not begrudge him. Evan just used a brush and detangled my hair every morning as I nursed the boys. The solution was simple enough.


    It took a moon for the boys teeth toe in. For that one moon they were mine to care for full time. My entire world revolved around their needs and they were absolutely consuming. I was Mama and they were mine. The time seemed to blur for me and went by much too quickly.


    At the next gathering I felt myself tearing apart inside when my boys found their three Brothers the first day. It took all my strength and fortitude not to break down screaming. Jonathan and Aiden seemed thrilled to be ying with these other children. If I acted upset I was sure it would be disconcerting to my young ones and they meant everything to me. I stood stoically and buried my nails into my palms to distract from the mental anguish.


    The women watched them during the gathering. They were fierce boys who liked rough y and movement. Nu-reehmented they would never be content in a shop all day. Despite my weakness, my little boy was a Warrior like his father. That’s how he would be raised.


    The design for the tattoo was created by a group of women. There was far more information in those marks than even Runen and his brothers understood. A woman finding a lost man would know exactly who he was when she saw his mark.


    I watched solemnly as the boys were tattooed. The women took them into a room and distracted them as they marked the children’s skin. One Brother at a time received the distinctive tattoo. The pain was spread out, so the little ones barely noticed.


    The next step was for the family to choose their colors. This was important, it was a point of pride to decorate their lodgings distinctly. The women knew the men liked this and let it be the boys’ choice.


    The women had pages and pages of colors. The mothers each picked several colors they liked and pasted the colors to different balls. They sat the balls down and watched the boys.


    Jonathan’s lead Brother liked a deep red color, but something about the light blue appealed to my son. The other boys had no real opinion. I saw them deciding which ball to y with.


    I almost cried when I saw them choose the blue. Our son had chosen something like his father’s colors. He’d been raised in a room full of blue, no wonder that shade called to him. No matter what happened I was happy he would always be reminded, in a small way, of Evan and his home with us.


    After all that was done we all walked into a smaller room. I was to be permitted to be present for this as long as I made no trouble. My tears dripped silently down my face, but I made no sound. Nu-reeh had been clear that she would not tolerate outbursts from me. It was an honor to see my son sold and I should appreciate it.


    The sales floor was a ce the women gathered and discussed the boys. Nu-reeh and her cousins sold my son and his family as Warriors. They would be raised to be fighters.


    Their new owner’s name was Trenal and she looked powerful. Tosu informed me quietly she lived in mountains not that far from here. Jonathan’spound would be the one we associated with the red mountains. Not that it mattered, I felt like I would never see my son again.


    We left the sales floor and walked out to arge opening in the mountain. The boys were all wrapped warmly in coats and matching mittens. I noted that Jonathan’s was made of that strange fabric my coat was made of. He would be safe and warm for the trip.


    Transports were lined up waiting to take the children. The men driving were all armed and obviously Warriors. Tosu exined the transports took the children most of the way. Trenal would “leave them” with the Child Keepers, once they were close. That is how it was always done.


    Looking at the children as they were herded I realized there were so many of them, but still so few.


    In my jumbled state even I knew this was not enough children to popte an entire. Something was very wrong. Themunity hospital at home had delivered more children than this in a week.


    Jonathan didn’t really notice as we parted ways for thest time. He was fascinated with his Brothers. I watched his shiny, blonde head leaving as Trenal walked the boys toward a transport. She carried the lead Brother and the rest just followed obediently.


    I wrapped my warm coat around me as I shivered in mental anguish. I wanted to scream and cry, but I could only imagine what that would do to my little boys. Ourst meeting should not leave them confused or upset. The image of Jonathan burned into my brain and I swore never to forget him. Sweet, difficult child that he was, I would miss him unbearably.


    Only once did Jonathan note he was leaving me. I saw him turn and look toward me with the question on his face.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    “Good-bye, my love,” I called to him waving with a false smile and fighting for a steady voice, “enjoy being with your Brothers.”


    He answered me in a jumbled English and Paterian. He did not understand this was good-bye forever and told me he wanted to swim tonight. Jonathan asked if Daddy would take him and his Brothers to swim.


    “Perhaps,” I called, my voice finally breaking, as they loaded him on the transport, “it will be a busy night. You have much to do and a long way to travel.”


    The pull of the new family was too strong. He couldn’t stay interested in something they weren’t worried about. His attention quickly went back to his lead Brother, who was ced beside him.


    The transport was driven by a man and he herded the children to the center. It raised up and began to move forward. Seeing Jonathan leaving me tore my heart, but I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. He had never been on a transport and squealed with delight as it moved. My boy took joy in every new experience.


    “She is a good woman,” Nu-reeh said, “powerful. She and her Sisters own many Administrators. They run theirpounds well.”


    “Thank you, Mistress,” I whispered hoarsely as the transport got smaller and smaller in the distance.


    I prayed as I watched him. He would be happy and safe now, I hoped. It was all I could do.