A/N: I promise eventually there will be dialogue. Just hang in there a few more chapters.
As if brought out of a trance a few of the men gathered around her and encouraged her to follow them to their village.
Willingly she obliged allowing herself to be led away from what was left of her life. They brought her and the child to one of their huts, Lady Mayumi held tightly onto the girl as she clung to her similarly.
The woman of the home brought in more women who gushed and exclaimed over her poor state. They gave her pity and sympathy. Asked her who the child was, who she was, what had happened, who did this to her.
She couldn't speak, it still felt as if there were hands on her throat crushing the air from her. Sadly she shook her head. They seemed to know from the state of her undress what had happened. They were able to pry the child off of her and sit her in a corner of the hut.
Lady Mayumi stared at the child as she seemed to stare back at her unseeing her, staring right through her. They led the Lady to the stream fed into a small lake. They removed her clothes tossing them aside advising her to burn them to ward away any bad luck.
She plunged into the water and allowed one of the women to assist her with washing, she was used to having someone help her wash but even still she stiffened and trembled involuntarily.
Her face ached when the woman ran a cloth over her to clean the blood and dirt from her. Her head throbbed as she pounded soap root into a lather and washed her hair that was matted and sticky in spots.
She rinsed in the cool water still feeling filthy when she emerged and accepted help to dry off and into a simple cloth kimono. They offered her her sandals but she merely grasped them in her hand loosely while she was led to another hut.
She could smell something boiling over the hearth when she entered. She kneeled down in front of an older woman wincing as she did so as a cup was shoved into her hands. She was instructed to drink the tea in order to prevent pregnancy.
It was hard to swallow due to the swelling in her throat but she managed to do so. She did inhale some and choked on it giving off an awful barking cough, she sounded like an animal.
The child was brought back to her and they were led to a small hut away from the rest of the village. It was old and in disrepair. One of the women showed her in and told her that they were allowed to stay but were not going to be given a handout.
They would have to make their own way in the village just as everyone else did. Lady Mayumi stood in the doorway with the little girls hand in hers. It was just the two of them. They were alone.