Disclaimer: well here it be and long in t he making a new chappie for ye hessian fans. I hopes ye enjoy and that ye dinna sue me for I own nothing. arrrrrr
The Hopes of a Hessian
Chapter 10
I walked briskly back to the tree, it granted me entrance as soon as I asked. I walked within the tree and dumped the bucket of water into a cauldron in my cooking area of the tree, I then went to check on the girl. She was deathly cold now and clammy to the touch. I immediately pulled the blankets up over her. The child might not survive this night but at least she would pass in comfort, most did not receive even that luxury.
This child was either very brave or very stupid, I went back to the cooking pot and checked the temperature of the water; a little longer and it would be ready. I looked back to the girl; she did not deserve to die, not like this. Although she did wander into dangerous woods all by herself, she had literally taken fate into her own hands. It was obvious that she had no idea whatsoever of the outdoors. She probably had not even heard the wolves until it was too late. Absently I concentrated my thought and grabbed out into thin air, heaviness appeared in my hand that had not been present before. I opened my hand and simply smiled at the bar of soap. I was blessed that the tree helped me to see to any need that I had. I reached out with the other hand and grabbed a cloth out of thin air. I checked the water again and found it to be to my liking. I removed my gloves and soaked the cloth in the hot water; I carefully worked the soap into the cloth. I then walked over to the bed as I felt my armour fading into the magic of the tree. I was now dressed in my leather breeches and a loose black shirt. I pulled back the covers and began to wash away the excess blood and dirt. Some of the wounds were looking better as they were being cleansed but I couldn't be entirely sure until I washed away the soap. I went back to the cooking pot and rinsed my cloth, leaving it quite moist this time, hoping to wash away the soap. I noticed as I cleansed her that her wounds, for the most part, had looked far worse than they actually were, her dress and petticoats had done well in creating a barrier between her and certain death. At least the trappings of being a lady were good for something. Her wounds had begun to clot and the bleeding to staunch. I moved from her body to her face and bathed it with infinite care; she had done well protecting her face, aside from being very dirty it was unmarked. I judged the child to be thirteen, fourteen at best. What was she doing out in the woods, in the middle of the night and unaccompanied at that. I finished up and pulled the blankets back over her prone form. I called to the tree asking for a place to sleep since mine was occupied; a makeshift cot appeared next to the bed. I crawled in and covered up. My thoughts were on sleep but I just couldn't. My thoughts kept on returning to the child beside me, wondering if she would survive this night. Vaguely I wondered why I cared so much, and then of course the last person I had seen was the Archer Whore. I watched the soft rise and fall of the blanket, and as I listened to the shallow sound of her breathing I fell into a light dreamless sleep.
When I next awoke, she was shivering either from fright or the cold. It could get deathly cold in here at night. She stirred slightly and I knew she would soon wake up. She suddenly and violently rolled over to face toward me; I was out of the cot and kneeling by the bed in seconds. She looked much better, her cheeks were pink and she was breathing normally again. She was a fighter; she had survived this night which was a very good sign. She'd have made one hell of a mercenary had she been a man. Some I had known would have died of fright from the sight she had faced just the night before. A wicked thought crossed my mind before I could banish it. Perhaps I could keep her down here with me, she would be good company. Certainly I could use it, I chanced another look at her and saw that she was awake and watching me intently; her expression gave nothing away.