"Maria............Maria?"
A voice called softly to me, bringing me back to the world.
"Hmm?.....whe....where am I?"
Night had fallen on the land and visibility was dim.
"Am I dreaming?"
I tried to sit myself up strait, but a sharp pain in my ankle made me fall back. Before I landed, someone caught me and set me down gently on the grass.
"Don't try to move Maria. Here, let me carry you."
The voice belonged to William, and he softly placed his hand around my back and legs, lifting me. The pain from my ankle throbbed violently, and I floated in and out of consciousness. I wanted to respond and thank him, but the words just would not come. Gathering comfort in his arms, I gripped onto his chemise. Somehow, by doing this, I felt secure, like nothing could hurt me and all my problems could just drift away in the wind. Slowly, my hand loosened and blackness swept over me.
Sunlight hit my face and I awoke with a start, not knowing whether the unclear events still visible in my head were from a dream or reality. Then, I felt my ankle and was sadly reminded of the past events.
"Ahhhhh! Good, she's finally awake! Mornin' little miss. I hope you're not in too much pain." The voice from a rather portly woman with grey hair and deep dimples in each cheek; this, I assumed, had to be the nurse.
"Wake up your highness! Maria has finally come to it seems." The nurse said commandingly as she folded the sheets fresh from the laundress.
I had been so exhausted I hadn't noticed William sleeping in the chair right next to me.
"Bless his heart; he didn't leave your side the whole night. Was worried sick, he was!"
"Hmm?" Said William sleepily, rubbing his eyes. "Oh! Maria!" William said with a start.
"Maria, are you okay? You're not hurt very badly are you??" His voice was full of apprehension and his facial features likewise.
"No...I"
"She'll be fine as long as you keep her off that ankle." The nurse's voice boomed, making me want to cover my ears.
William nodded and the nurse, with a smile and a bow, left the room.
"William..." I began,
"I just want to thank you and...."
"Don't apologize. This wasn't your fault....or at least it wasn't entirely your fault."
Making me remember the fall prompted me to laugh. The truth was, the whole ordeal wasn't funny at all, but seeing the playfulness in his eyes made me happy. Only one other person ever had the power to do this; James.
"I heard a noise, so naturally I went to investigate....."
I ended up telling him the whole story and by the end we couldn't stop laughing.
After we finished laughing and we calmed down William stated,
"I don't know much about you Maria, please, tell me." his voice was probing.
"Where shall I begin?" I half asked William and myself.
He smiled assuring, "From the beginning."
I took a deep breath and reflected deep within myself and began,
"I once lived in a little town by the name of Swiithe. There, I had a best friend named James. James and I did everything together, but the strange thing was, no one ever knew where he came from or who his parents were. He just was."
I trailed off, explaining our friendship, filling in every detail about him. Remembering James made an empty place in my heart that I thought no one could ever fill. Talking about him and seeing his face in my mind suddenly made all the hurt and anguish of my life dissipate like a raindrop upon the vast expansions of a lake.
After a long period of silence followed William softly asked,
"What ever became of James?"
Tears flooded my eyes as I thought back to that day......that time....that moment.
I looked up to the ceiling, wiping my eyes as I answered,
"He....died...."
My eyes shut as the memories coursed through me and a stream of tears trickled down my face. All through out my explanation William remained very silent.
As I opened my eyes to clean away the wetness from my lashes, I noticed William was crying, but softly. He looked up at me from his chair, his cerulean eyes damp, and whispered,
"I'm sorry."
We stared through each other, our eyes understanding what our words could not.
"Maria I....." William finally spoke, his voice trembling.
"Yes?" My voice was shaky as well.
".....Will you excuse me?"
William departed from the room without another word.
