In the Moon’s Shadow

Chapter Four: Gold Harvest

1163 A.D.

27 miles from London, England

Outskirts of the village Rhisha

Relena wiped the sweat from her forehead and turned her attention back to the stubborn weed she had been trying to dislodge. The small garden near the house was well tended but weeds seemed to sprout up over night and as Rebekah’s pregnancy progressed it became harder and harder for her to bend over, so Relena had offered to help her in her work that day. Not that the princess minded, the work required little thought and she soon lost herself in the endless motions of pulling weeds from around vegetables. As she went along, she picked a few ripe tomatoes and pulled up some carrots for a soup that night. Rebekah sat in a chair nearby under the shade of an oak tree, sewing a blanket for her baby. Relena glanced at her from time to time, wondering what it was like to be an expectant mother. After all, the two women were about the same age and yet their lives were completely different. Rebekah was married with a farm to run and her first baby on the way while Relena was still on her own, up to her neck in politics with no end in sight. Which life was better, she couldn’t say. Perhaps neither, as she was content where she was and so was Rebekah.

Heero had gone off early with Caleb as today marked the first day of the harvest. All the men in that area would set out with scythes and cut down the gold wheat with sure strokes, then the seed pods would be cut, and the rest stacked in neat haystacks in the field. It was odd, but Heero seemed to genuinely like Caleb and Relena was glad of it. They both needed friends until they could figure out a way to get home.

Home.

Relena paused, her light blue eyes growing distant. What were the others doing? Quatre, Duo, Trowa, even Wufei. She missed them all, especially her own good friends Hilde, Catherine, Sally, and Dorothy. And what about her brother and Ms. Noin? Milliardo was probably tearing the world apart trying to find her.

Relena sighed and went back to work. Thinking of home just made her heartsick. She had to believe that whatever force brought them here would eventually take them back and until then, she had Heero. She only hoped that the world wouldn’t be at war when she finally returned.

“Oh!” Rebekah exclaimed, her hands immediately going to her stomach, a sweet smile on her face. Relena looked at her quickly. “The baby’s feeling strong today.”

Relena’s answering smile was bright with relief. The one thing she did not need was to have to deliver a baby. “A strong baby boy?”

“Or a girl born to dance.”

Both women laughed and Relena sat back on her heels, taking a quick break from weeding. “What will you name it if it is a boy?”

“Caleb likes the name Thomas.” Rebekah said thoughtfully,” But I’m still going to hope for a girl.” The dark haired woman paused, suddenly hesitant. “Relena, can I ask you a question? It’s a bit personal.”

“Yes,” Relena replied, suddenly warily. She hated to lie to her newfound friends though she knew it was necessary.

“Why is it that you and your husband have never had children? Forgive me if you would rather not answer, it’s just that...” Rebekah made a helpless gesture, “well, most women have had two by the time they are our age. And as you can see, I’m already behind!” She gave a small laugh, trying to lighten the moment. Relena gave her a wane smile in return.

“Well, I guess the time has never been right,” Relena began, slowly, though her thoughts were racing. “My husband and I travel a lot and I wouldn’t want to subject a baby to a life on the road. I’ve always wanted to have a quiet life, like you have, and I guess I’m just waiting for a time when I can have that. Maybe then I’ll have five or six little ones running around!”

“Then let us pray you get your wish,” the other woman said, a shy look crossing her face. “I would like it very much for your little ones to play with mine.”

Relena blinked back the sudden tears that sprung to her eyes. “I would like that, too, Rebekah.”

The sudden sound of horses on the road broke the happy moment and both women turned to see a dozen knights on horseback racing by, kicking up clouds of dust and nearly trampling the chickens. On reflex, Relena tightened her grip on a nearby by hoe but the knights did not stop. Instead, they continued on, probably towards London where the tourney was to be held. Relena released her makeshift weapon.

“London,” Rebekah said, with an odd note in her voice. “I’ve never been there, but they say it is a place full of all sorts of people. There is even a witch, I hear.” She shuddered. “A place like that seems so far away from here.”

“A witch?” Relena asked, a sudden idea popping into her head. Rebekah nodded.

“Yes. They say she can make the stars come down and dance in her hand and that she can cover the moon in darkness with a word. I hear many tales of her when I go to the village.”

“The moon...” Relena whispered. She stood suddenly, determination glowing in her eyes. “Rebekah, do you think it would be alright for me to take some water to the men? They’re probably extremely thirsty from working in all this heat.”

“Sure, take the bucket by the well.”

Relena filled the bucket and gave a cheerful wave. “I’ll be back a few minutes, Rebekah. Stay in the shade.”

“I will.”

The men were harvesting Northfield that day, the one that belonged to the over lord, as it was law that they work that one first. It wasn’t that far from Caleb and Rebekah’s cottage so she arrived only a few minutes later, bright eyed from her walk through the golden wheat. She didn’t see Caleb or Heero at first so she offered the first farmer she saw a drink from her bucket. He thanked her gratefully and went back to slinging his scythe. She laughed to imagine Duo doing the same thing.

Working her way down the line, she finally came across Caleb and Heero who stopped what they were doing when they saw her. She filled the ladle and gave it to Caleb as her eyes wandered to Heero, who was nonchalantly leaning against the handle of his scythe. He looked different somehow, even sweaty and tired as he was. His body glowed with natural health and his Prussian blue eyes seemed to be alight with some other emotion. He looked as if he was actually ENJOYING the work he was doing, as if the physical labor was an outlet for everything he always kept in. She smiled brilliantly at him.

“Thank you, Relena.” Caleb said, handing the ladle back to her. He winked at Heero. “Not everyday we get a pretty woman serving us in the fields.”

She grinned. “Don’t let your wife hear you say that. She’ll give birth to twin girls just to spite you!”

Caleb laughed. “Aye, she would at that.” He face abruptly turned halfway serious. “Is she doing all right? I worry about her going into labor when I’m not there.”

“She’s fine,” Relena assured him, “I’m making her rest and stay in the shade. I’ll do her work for her while we’re here. It’s the least I can do.”

Caleb smiled gratefully. “Thank God for sending you to us. I feel better knowing Rebekah isn’t alone during the day.” His smile turned into that playful grin again. “And your husband isn’t too bad with a scythe, either. He has the strength of three men when it comes to wielding that thing!”

“It’s good to know he’s useful for something,” she said laughingly, as Heero smirked at her. She went to him and handed him a full ladle, still smilingly. “New mission, Heero Yuy. Target: wheat.”

He drank and handed the serving spoon back to her, dark eyes sparkling at her. “Mission: Accepted.” He paused, studying her. “Are you doing alright, Relena?”

She nodded, knowing her was referring to her breakdown the night before. “Yes, and that reminds me. Rebekah told me that their are rumors of a woman practicing witchcraft in London. Apparently, she has some sort of power of the stars and moon.”

Heero arched an eyebrow. “And you think we should go see her?”

“I don’t know.” She answered, truthfully. “But you have to admit, the circumstances that brought us here were pretty strange, with the eclipse and everything. Maybe this woman had something to do with it.” She shrugged. “Like I said, I’m not sure about anything. I just thought you should know.”

He nodded. “You did the right thing, and we’ll talk about it tonight. For right now..,” he glanced at the still standing wheat, “I have a mission to accomplish.”

She laughed light heartedly. “Then I will leave you to your work.” And then she did something completely on reflex that made Heero’s heart beat a little faster. She stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek before starting on down the line again, gold hair swinging as she walked. Heero watched her go feeling somewhat odd and Caleb laughed at seeing his expression.

Heero arched a cool brow in his direction.

“Don’t look at me like that, my friend.” Caleb said, still grinning. “I wasn’t the one staring after Relena with calf eyes.”

“I had better never catch you staring after Relena with calf eyes.”

“Don’t worry, I like my head just where it is.”

“Good,” Heero replied, shortly, staring back to work.

“But you must admit, she does have a--”

Caleb received the patented Death Glare which only caused him to laugh even harder.

Heero sighed.

* * * *

That night, Heero and Caleb returned home bone tired. They barely had enough strength to eat the soup Relena had made, raising their spoons with a slow strength that spoke of a whole day spent in the fields. Needless to say, Relena took pity on Heero and decided they could talk about their plans tomorrow. Silently grateful, Heero crawled into bed beside Relena and would have fallen immediately asleep if it hadn’t been for a startled cry from the bed next to theirs.

Heero and Relena jumped out of bed again to find Caleb leaning over his wife anxiously, his hand on her stomach. Rebekah turned wild eyes to Relena, who went to her friend’s side quickly.

“What is it, Rebekah? Are you all right?” Relena asked, worriedly. The dark-haired woman shook her head.

“I think I’m in labor.”

tbc...

* * * *