Chapter 10 (Recovery)
"Will she be alright?"
"Robin, your father is not going to be happy, about any of this."
"You think I don't know that!" the first speaker practically snarled.
Blackness enveloped me.
I was drifting around. I heard murmured voices now and then. I tried to lift my limbs, but they felt as if they weighed a ton. In fact, my whole body felt heavy and numb. I just lay there, wondering where I was. My head felt foggy, nothing making sense.
The pain came back very suddenly. I screamed, unable to bear the pain on my own. My body shook. Make it stop, oh, please make it stop.
Then stillness. The pain had disappeared as suddenly as it had came, and I remembered no more.
Robin cowered, waiting for his father's verdict. He had just told him how the monster had caught them unaware in the forest, while they were divided. Coeur De Noir knew how the beast had attacked Beka, who was now lying unconscious in the village healer's home. The rest of the gang was there watching her. Even wounded, she was a prisoner.
"So," Coeur De Noir's voice was menacingly calm, "so, you come back home with the girl half dead. Worse than half dead!" his voice was rising with every word, his eyes gleaming with anger. No matter this wasn't Robin's fault, somehow Coeur De Noir would find a way to blame him.
"But you don't need the girl alive," Robin immediately wished he hadn't spoken.
"NO? Well that's no excuse for you going and killing her off anyway," Robin wouldn't remind him that she wasn't dead yet, hopefully, "I give you specific orders to watch the girl, she was YOUR RESPONSIBILITY!" Coeur De Noir was now shouting, "Bullocks, Robin. Did you at least manage to kill the beast?"
"Yes father, I already sent some men into the forest to go collect the body. It looked like a moon wolf. That would explain why she reacted the way she did when it bit her. The bite of a moon wolf is deadly, poisonous."
"Do you think I'm stupid? I am fully aware the moon wolf bite is poisonous. What I am concerned with is why its here." Robin sighed inwardly, Coeur De Noir was not focusing his anger on Robin now.
"Moon wolves travel alone, so we can be sure there are no more out there, father."
"You," he said, as if only just realizing Robin was there, "get out of here before I decide to..." Robin did not wait to find out what his father had planned for him. He sped off in the direction of the town.
Beka slowly clenched and unclenched her hand. Good, I am starting to regain feeling. For the longest time, she had been unable to move even her smallest finger.
"Hey look, I think she moved," a voice said excitedly.
"Good, its about time," the voice belonged to a middle-aged man, the village healer.
"Will she be alright?" in the normally taunting voice Beka could actually detect concern.
"I believe so, Master Robin, its a good thing you brought her straight to me."
At that, I couldn't help it, I laughed: 'Master Robin' indeed. I immediately regretted laughing, my throat constricted in pain. All around me, everyone jumped.
"What was that?"
"Um, I think she laughed," the voice sounded bewildered.
I forced myself to open my eyes a fraction, and found myself staring into the blue eyes of the middle-aged man I had heard speak earlier.
"Good, your awake," he addressed me, "Now all of you out, and get Mrs. Johns on your way out." There was a clatter of chairs as three people exited the room.
"You comin' Robin?" But the man must have seen something Robin's face, for he said
"All right, Master Robin, you can stay for now. I suppose your father doesn't want her out of sight, but its not like she will be going anywhere in this state." The healer moved along the walls, clearly searching for some kind of herb or infusion.
"Beka, are you alright?" Robin's face came into view. He looked upset, and concerned, but there was still a trance of teasing in his face. At the moment, though, I did not feel like being teased.
"Alright, do I look alright to you?" I was surprised at how soft my voice was, though considerably scratchy from all my screaming, "I was your responsibility. This is your fault," I turned my head away from him, "Just please leave me alone."
"I am really sorry," and indeed, it sounded like he meant it. I looked at him in shock, despite myself.
"What's this?" I taunted, "Is the great Robin De Noir actually expressing concern for the prisoner?" I regretted my words, he looked as if I had smacked him. He sputtered and I couldn't help it, I laughed. The laugh quickly turned into a cough. Robin looked worried again.
"Are you ok, can I get you something?" A glass of water was brought to my lips without me asking. Robin's hand gently held me up slightly, helping me to drink. My back tingled where he touched me. I swallowed gratefully.
"So, how long have I been out?" I asked hoarsely, changing the subject.
"It was yesterday when you were attacked. We haven't left you alone, one of us have always been near you." He regarded me curiously, he voice rather odd. My expression turned sour.
"So, its seems I am still to be under guard." Before Robin could answer, though, a plump middle-aged woman marched in.
"I don't care what you or your father say, Master Robin, this girl needs rest if her body is to fight the poison. Out!" and with that, the plump woman proceeded to shoo Robin out before either of us had a word out of our mouths. I guess this would be Mrs. Johns.
"Come on child, you need to eat something," Mrs. Johns announced not unkindly. I noticed a bowl she had brought in with her.
The rest of the day passed by quickly. Mrs. Johns proceeded to help me clean up, re-bandaging my wounds.
"You'll have some nasty scares on your right side, but the worst of it is your arm. The moon wolf's bite is poisonous, your very lucky. Robin did good brining you straight here. I do not know if you would have survived had he not been so quick.
You'll have a nasty scare on your arm, once it heals. It will take a while for the poison to drain out of your body completely, but after that, you should be fine. I give you my word, my husband and I are good at what we do."
I spent the next day resting and eating. I saw no more of Robin or the gang, but I was sure they were around here somewhere. Today, when Mrs Johns looked over my wounds, she looked happy.
"Your coming along quite nicely."
"Thank you. And thanks for everything, you have save my life."
"Do not worry 'bout it. Its fine," She turned away from me, "Robin," she exclaimed, "well, come inside, she's getting better."
"Thank you," Nothing could be detected from Robin's quiet voice, "How are you, Princess?" He asked once he was in my line of vision. Nothing had changed about him, not his feathers, leather, or bowler hat.
"I am fine," I said flatly.
"You know, my father wants to know when you can be taken back up to the castle." I felt my face go stoney.
"I do not know, you'll have to ask Mrs. Johns." I decided right then I was going to run away tonight. I was not going to be brought back to those god-forsaken dungeons, enduring the taunting of the De Noir men; no, I was going home.