Moving over to the forest edge of the clearing she was in she had her compound bow out and loaded in case it was something that would try to make a meal of her. As she looked around she saw nothing until a soft, almost inaudible groan of pain made her look up into the branches of the low trees and she saw the red and black that stood out against the green and brown. Looking around carefully to ensure that there was nothing in the nearby trees that was waiting to make a meal of the person up there she put her arrow back in her quiver and clipping her bow to the quick release holster she kept with her for hunting she started to climb.
Vincent felt pain, he had been on what was supposed to be a quick in and out reconnaissance mission to get some information about a group that was supposedly going to try and overthrow the WRO. What he had walked into was a trap and having barely survived the explosion he had taken all the information he could about the place with him and retreated as fast as his wounds would let him. He was about a day's march from Midgar now and nearly out of stamina to continue on when he heard the sharp snap thunk of a bow string being released and an arrow finding its target. Barely turning his head from his position in the tree his still sharp vision caught the sight of a woman who was in the process of starting to skin what looked to be one of the lesser denizens of the forest for its scaly hide. Continuing to watch, and hoping that he would remain undisturbed until he had time to heal he shifted again and swore to himself when it caused smaller twigs to break off and fall to the ground, gaining the woman's attention.
Watching her he noticed that she took no chances. It seemed that she understood that despite regular patrols in this area, there were still dangers that could and would eat a person that was caught unawares. As she carefully approached the edge of the forest he was resting in, he also noticed that she was not tall, and that her dark auburn hair was pulled back in a simple braid that fell to her belt. Most of her clothes were made of soft leathers that made little to no sound as she moved or of well worn yet sturdy cloths also made to fit close to her body to stay out of her way as she shot and to minimize any noise she made as she moved.
There was no more time for observation as he pulled one of his still burned patches of skin against the rough bark of the tree. He had tried to stifle the sound he made but it still made its way past his lips. Whomever had set that trap knew what it would take to put him down for a while. He hated it but Cloud was going to give him an "I told you so" when he got back for not taking a Cure materia with him. It was however also too late to do anything about not being found as the woman below him had seen his cloak and was now steadily making her way up the tree to his position.
When Maiya reached the position of the man in the tree she took one look at him and her eyes widened in horror. He was torn up something awful and he had to be in a great deal of pain. "How in the world did you get up here with those injuries?" Was the first question out of her mouth, her horror speaking before her brain.
The question and the look on her face actually made the man smile slightly. However he hurt too much to answer her as he knew if he started to try and speak, his pain would speak for him. Shaking his head slightly to ward off her questions, and hopefully her self he looked off in another direction willing his body's natural healing to work faster.
The thoughts flew through her mind and grabbing the small pack off her back that hung just below the clip for her bow she pulled out some water and some first aid supplies. Seeing that she had this man's attention again she explained. "You're hurt, and in the wilds still. Even if you don't want my help, I can't let you stay here without it." Taking one of the thicker cloths she poured some water on it before disassembling the straps on his cloak.
Vincent had seen the look in the woman's blue gray eyes before in the other women he'd met. There was going to be no stopping her, and she honestly wanted to help him. Instead of fighting her, he relaxed as much as was possible and didn't fight the fact that he was being undressed by a strange woman out in the middle of nowhere.
Moving carefully Maiya balanced herself on the branch and once she got the mantle off of the man stared at the face that had been hidden by it. He was beautiful. Damaged by combat and whatever else of course at the moment, but what had been protected by the mantle of his cloak was revealed to be without flaw. Shaking her head and mentally slapping herself she picked up the wet cloth and started to cleanse the burned skin that hadn't been protected by the mantle. Instead of rubbing she merely patted the skin, making sure as she did that nothing broke away, or damaged as she did and also making sure that the dirt and grime that had been imbedded into the burned skin had started to come out and stuck to the cloth instead. "I'm sorry."
Deep red eyes blinked in surprise as they processed the apology. "For what?" His voice, slightly smokey with disuse the the last day or so and dehydrated was deeper than he could recall, even after he had come out of his 30-some-odd year sleep.
"This will hurt to clean, and if any of your clothing is stuck to your wounds, it will really hurt to separate it." Her eyes mirrored her apology, as she paused in her cleaning to offer him a sip of her canteen to help him clear his voice.
"I will be fine." And he would be. But he also realized that this woman was helping him because she wanted to, not because she had to. There was nothing more he could really do to help her understand who or what he really was.
Maiya looked deep into his eyes, looking for something that would help her to see that he really would be fine before she nodded and continued both speaking and cleaning. It was while she was talking that he realized that she was keeping her voice quiet, and it had a slightly smokey quality of its own that he knew cleared out when she was speaking normally. She didn't want the forest denizens to find them or hunt them. Not when she or he were this vulnerable.
"My name is Maiya, I was out here hunting for specific hides and leathers for my shop back in Midgar when you broke cover." Both voice and touch were gentle, as she did her level best to separate his clothing from his burned skin without causing him undue pain. "I'm a seamstress and leather-worker by trade and while I can normally get what I need from the hunters and traders that come through town on a regular basis, sometimes I get special orders, or get ideas of things to make that require components or materials that I don't have and can't readily get without going out myself."
While she was working on his clothing she had managed to get his cloak completely separated from him and it was now hanging behind her with its mantle off the branch. She was now working on his shirt and Vincent noticed that even though she was taking care not to do damage to him while she was working on his burns, she was also noting how his clothing was put together, the stitching and its design and material. That it had taken this long for him to notice her own inspection raised his impression of her professional skill several notches.
By the time she was done, he was in nothing but his underwear and deeply impressed with her level of professionalism. Unlike just about every other woman he had come across, she had done exactly as she had told him and no more. And she had plenty of opportunities to feel him up in the process. He also found that with his wounds completely exposed to open air they were starting to heal faster despite the chilly winds that were now starting to blow through the twilight of the day.
Looking at the man she was nursing for the better part of a couple of hours she gave an apologetic smile. "I don't have enough bandages to completely cover your wounds, but I do have enough to help prevent infection in the worst of them until you get to a Cure materia."
Her light, unassuming chatter had prevented Vincent from thinking of most of the pain that he had been in when she had to move him around to help undress him, and it gave him much more information about the woman than he had originally thought he'd get. He now knew where he shop was, small anecdotes about her family, her life before and after Sephiroth's rebirth, how she came to her trade and her ranks in it. Small things that added up to so much, yet she never inquired of him nor did she demand to know anything more than if one position hurt him more than another. "You've been kind to me. I thank you." His voice less smokey, but still quiet and calm.
From there he was bandaged and she again helped him to dress, her face easily showing her opinion for the state of his clothing. "These need to be fixed or better yet, replaced completely. I hope you have talent with a needle." Was her blunt critique as she helped him to recover himself. Between the salves that were covering the burns and cuts, the bandages covering the worst of them, as well as his clothing he found himself feeling much better. Maiya had even let him finish off the last of her canteen telling him that she knew this area well and would be able to refill it soon. "You seem to be someone that can take care of himself in this forest. Go to Midgar, get healed up, there's got to be someone waiting up for you and I'll bet they won't take it all too well if you get back in all banged up like you are."
It was the only comment she had made about his potential social life and it had taken him by surprise. Instead, he nodded his thanks, and took off, his speed hindered by his wounds but not enough that he wouldn't make it back to Midgar yet tonight.
Two days later healed completely, debriefed, and dressed in his spare outfit, Vincent found himself in the millinery area of town, looking over the store front glass that advertised 'Maiya's Sewing and Leather-Working' in basic block print. It wasn't the most elegant text style, but it served its purpose and with a slight smile he entered.