Pernicious Family

Chapter 3

Lex POV

Lex looks ahead and sees the sun glint of the red highlights in Xan’s black hair.  She smiles and pulls back on Golem slightly then speeds him up so there is a little slack on the reins tied to Xan’s saddle horn.  She touches the back of Golems head.  Golem turns his head just enough so that Lex can undo his hackamore.  Lex pulls back on Golems mane.  He slows to have the hackamore pull off.  She kicks Golem to a full gallop until she hears Xan follow her.  The she stops Golem turns him around, and when Xan gets into range glares at the reins tied to his saddle horn.

Xan picks up the hackamore and tries to put it back on Golem.  Lex shifts her seat and Golem backs up.  Xan tries again, he receives the same result.

Lex glares at the knot of the reins on Xan’s saddle horn.  “What do you want?”

Lex points at herself.

“You”

Lex nods.  She then places one palm flat then walks the fingers of the other hand across it.

“Walk”

Lex tilts her head then does a pushing away motion with both hands.

“Away”

Lex shakes her head.

“Go”

Lex nods.  She points at Xan,

“Me”

Lex nods.  She then points at the offending knot while shaking her head no.

“No reins”

Lex nods.  Lex points at herself, walks her fingers across her hand, points at Xan, then shakes her head no while pointing at the tried reins.

“So you will go with me if I do not tie your horse to mine.”   Xan unties the reins.  He wraps the reins around his hand so they do not drag on the ground.   He walks over to Lex, and hands her the reins.

Lex reaches behind her and stuffs the hackamore and reins into a carry pouch on the side of her saddle bag.  She pulls off her gloves and puts them in her pocket.  Xan looks at her confused.  She reaches towards him and runs her fingers through his hair, pulls him towards herself, then gives him a kiss.  She revels in the tingling sensation reminiscent of feeling returning to a limb that fell asleep.  Lex pulls back to look into his violet eyes while she cresses his check back and forth with her thumb.

Xan still looks at her confused.

Golem chooses this time to give a reproachful whicker.

Lex untangles her fingers from Xan’s hair and stomps over to Golem.  She reaches up and tries to put her hand just under Golems ear.  He pulls his head away.  Lex grabs Golem’s ear and pulls his head down so she can contact that point.  Look, do you have a problem with me enjoying the touch of the first person that does not burn my skin on contact?  

Golem shakes his head no, while Xan looks on even more confused. 

Good because I am going with him.  I do not know how or why but I know him and trust him.  Also have you noticed since touching him giggles does not cause a fit of bloody coughing?

Lex brakes off contact and Golem nuzzles her.  She kisses him in the middle of the forehead.

Lex walks over to Xan’s horse.  She touches the horse under the hackamore just under its ear.  Look I know you can hear me, but I cannot hear you.  And I know that you are not just some horse.  Please do not pretend I am an idiot, act like yourself not just some dumb horse. Okay....Bella?

Bella nods at Lex.  Then turns and glares at Golem.  Xan looks on beyond perplexed. “What was that about?  ...No do not tell me I do not want to know.  Can we get going?  There is a village close by that makes great stew.  I want to get something in my stomach that we do not have to cook.”

On the way to the village Lex stops and picks some wild vegetables and herbs. 

“What are you doing?”

Lex holds up some rhubarb. 

“That is poisonous.”

Lex points to the leaves and nods.  The she points to the stem and shakes her head.

“The stems are not poisonous?”

Lex nods.

“Oh”

Lex gathers her foragables quickly. 

“Why do you need these?”

Lex mimes handing something over and receiving something back.

“But why do you need to trade.  Why do you not just pay for it?”

Lex inclined her head at him.  The sun hit the single red hair weaved into healing symbols around the edge of her hood.

“Right, black robe healer.  I forgot.  No family either I guess.”

Golem snorts loudly.  Lex turns and glares at Golem.

Lex takes out one of the fishnet bags from her leather satchel full of just Fishnet bags.  She puts her foraging into it.  She ties it to Bella saddle.  After hopping into Golems saddle she spurs him into a full gallop then turns and blows a raspberry at Xan.

Xan gets into Bella’s saddle while laughing.  He races Lex to the next village.