Chapter eleven
"Tobias?" Rachel whispered. It was dark, but still light enough to see. Rachel spun around as the bushes rustled behind her, breathing heavily. She clasped the log underneath her in fear, her knuckles turning ghostly pale.
To Rachel's relief, Tobias appeared out of the thorny brush, not the horrid pictures of monsters her head had created. Her heart leaping with joy, she jumped up and smiled, extending her hand.
Grinning, Tobias took it gratefully, pulling himself from the brambles. Rachel smiled at him and pulled a thorn from his unruly hair.
"I couldn't wait to see you…" Rachel began, her face shining. Tobias smiled and nodded, cringing slightly.
"Me too." He said, "I missed you."
Rachel beamed again and pulled Tobias into a tight embrace. Tobias was startled at first, but relaxed into her arms. Rachel smiled and hugged him even tighter. As her hands brushed his back beneath his neck, she pulled back, distressed, as she felt something wet on the back of his shirt. Tobias winced in pain as Rachel looked at her hand. It was covered in blood. She put her other hand to her mouth in a silent gasp.
"Oh my Lord," Rachel gasped, staring in horror at her hand. She looked up at Tobias and he turned his face away. She grabbed his shoulders and turned his head around with her blood-free hand; "Tobias? What happened to you?"
Tobias didn't say a word. Rachel shook him gently, "Tobias, please tell me." A tear slid down her cheek and dropped to the ground, shattering into tinier little droplets. Tobias stared at Rachel's bloody hand.
"He, Master…" Tobias started, gasping because of the pain, "he whipped me. Listen Rachel, I'll be fine. I just need to wait for the scabs to replace the cuts."
Rachel looked passed him at the trees and bit her lip, "you are no slave."
Tobias bowed his head, "I am aware of that."
"Yet," Rachel whispered, "You are treated like one. I am also treated like a slave, in a sense – I am not willing to marry, but I am forced to. A very good friend of mine is a slave because of her skin color. When is this madness going to end?"
Sighing, Rachel carefully took Tobias's arm and directed him to sit on an old, mossy log. She kneeled down in front of him and clutched his hand tightly.
"Tobias, lift up you arms." She demanded, letting go off his hand.
Tobias's skin tingled as Rachel pulled up his shirt, making sure it didn't upset his cuts too much. He shuddered as her cold hands brushed his bare skin. Closing his eyes, Tobias heard a small gasp from behind him.
"Tobias," Rachel started, staring at the bloody streaks and bruises on his back, "I'm so sorry…" Tobias turned around and smiled at her, swallowing the pain he felt.
"Rachel, just seeing you is all I needed," he wiped away a tear from her face and stared into her shimmering eyes. Rachel smiled and blushed, tears drying on her face.
"You don't mean that," she said, whispering in his ear. Tobias grinned and put a hand on her flushed cheeks.
"Do I?" He asked. Rachel laughed playfully and stood up, putting her hands on her hips.
"Tobias, I do believe you are the only one who can answer that question."
"Really?" Tobias asked again, laughing at Rachel's bemused expression.
"Stop teasing me! It's not proper to tease a lady." She said, staring at him sharply. Tobias returned the stare, sliding closer to her.
"A lady, huh?" He said, smiling with his eyes.
"Yes," Rachel breathed softly, lost in his sparkling blue eyes. She moved closer to him. Suddenly, realizing where this was going, Rachel looked down and pulled the shawl from around her shoulders. Keeping her head bowed to keep from looking at Tobias's handsome face, she held her shawl out to him.
"Here," she whispered, "put this on. It'll keep you warm."
She blinked the tears out of her eyes. Why was she so quick to trust him? It was like… like they were meant to be…
Did she want to kiss him?
Yes, she realized, she did. It was just, if she got too close to him…
She was getting married. She couldn't change that.
Rachel looked up at Tobias's face and smiled sadly, taking one of his hands. Holding it between her own, she placed his hand on her heart. Tobias, surprised by this unexpected gesture, looked at Rachel in confusion.
"Friends?" She asked, squeezing his hand tighter. Tobias could only smile, watching her pretty face. He could feel her heartbeat beneath his fingertips.
"Only the best ---," Tobias replied, bowing politely. He looked up again, "Miss."
Rachel smiled and removed their intertwined hands from her chest; "good."
"We'll see each other again, I suppose," Tobias said, picking up his bloodstained shirt and throwing it over his head. Rachel nodded, and tentatively kissed his cheek, "of course."
"Well, then everything's great then," Tobias said awkwardly, blushing furiously. They met each other's eyes and smiled. Tobias held out her woolen shawl.
"Yes, I believe it is." Rachel said, taking the shawl from Tobias and wrapping it around her shoulders.
"I'll see you tomorrow?" Asked Tobias enthusiastically. Rachel tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Of course, Tobias. I wouldn't miss it for the world." They smiled at each other again. Rachel took his hand and held it tightly. She breathed in deeply and sighed. Reluctantly, Rachel let go of his hand and walked out of the small blackberry glade, blinking tears out of her eyes.
Tomorrow couldn't come too soon.
There! Here ya go! Next chap up soon!
Don't hurt me! I love writing; I'll be done soon. It actually pains me to see my stories unfinished *shudders*
Love your reviews! *winks pointedly*
Tic-Tac ^_~
