A/N: Anyone ever watch a new TV show and think, "Yeah. That's weird."?
TheRanger'sDaughter: Russ/Matthew is definitely reminiscent of Halt/Will.
Aubrey: Glad you're back! Lily is adorable. Makes her likeable.
Disclaimer: I'm not John Flanagan. Neither is Raider.
Wa-ter, Wa-ter, Wa-ter.
The cadence of the horse's hooves echoed through Maggie's mind. She sat in front of him on the horse, one of his hands resting menacingly on her shoulder. His stench overpowered all of Maggie's other senses. Her own odor was far more foul than she was used to. She'd need a long, steaming bath to feel clean again. First, however, she needed a drink.
She had gone so long without taking anything from him—not even food or water. Even now he made a show of snacking on nuts as they rode. She licked her cracked lips. She tried swallowing to ease her thirst, but there was nothing to get down. Instead, she erupted into a fit of raspy coughs., earning her a hard pinch from her kidnapper. Her head throbbed. Quiet, salty tears crept down her cheeks, making her thirst only worse.
"Can I please have a drink?" she whispered..
His chuckle made Maggie shake in the saddle. "Of course, Princess Mara. Anything you wish." He pat her shoulder, sending chills down her spine.
Like before, the kidnapper guided the horse off the path deep into the woods before dismounting. He dragged her off the horse and shoved her to the ground.
"Now, remember what happens when you try to run," he said.
Maggie whimpered and rubbed the back of her head with a frightened nod. She remembered. Maggie attempted to bolt the first time they stopped. He quickly caught up, grabbed her by the arm, and clobbered her.
Now Maggie stood silently hugging herself while he reached into his saddlebag a skin of water and meat pies.
He put the skin of water aside and handed a pie to her. He gave her a mocking bow, complete with a smirk and flicking of his wrists. Maggie was too thirsty for this pomp.
"Can I please have some water?" she whispered again.
The man grinned a yellow smile. "Of course, Your Highness, but please allow me to pour it for you."
He took a smaller skin of water from his horse, grinning, and held it out to her. "Here you are, Princess. Just for you."
She took the skin warily giving it a shake. Don't take what a stranger gives you. She remembered her father's voice.
I'm too thirsty, Dad Maggie thought before taking a long gulp. And another. The taste was off, but she didn't really care. She knew her Grandpa Will's water ended up tasting a bit like leathery coffee if it was in the skin of water for a long time. Maybe it was something like that.
The water helped and the man let her drink as much as she wanted. The water felt good in her throat though her stomach threatened to reject it. A few bites of a meat pie helped it settle. Once she finished she only wanted to sleep.
He must've noticed her tiredness. "Please, feel free to rest princess. The trip has been long and I know the water has made you tired."
He was right, Maggie realized. She suddenly felt extremely tired. The man and the trees before her swam together and her eyes seemed to shut by themselves.
Maggie had never experienced a sleep so deep. Her dreams all consisted of traveling. She didn't mind too much. She traveled all the time with Grandpa Will and Grandma Alyss, but then a woman joined her dreams and she felt afraid for her. She seemed hurt, an even though Maggie wanted to help her, she couldn't. Her arms were too heavy and her feet moved too slowly. Still, the dreams about the new woman weren't bland or formless as the traveling ones were.
When Maggie finally woke she found herself by a fire with a coat she didn't recognize draped around her shoulders. She stared at the woman sitting across from her trying to figure out how she knew her.
"Maggie!" The woman exclaimed. "Do you recognize me?"
"Tammy?" Maggie squeaked with vague recognition.
"You have to get away," Tammy whispered as she crawled around the fire to sit closer to Maggie.
"Where are we?" Maggie asked. She gaped at Tammy's bruised face. "What happened to you?"
"Near Claymound, but off the main road. You need to get away Everyone is looking for you and that man is trying to hurt you."
Her memories came rushing back. The man and his sour smell and the strange tasting water. He had hurt a lot of people.
"But he…" Maggie started, finding she couldn't finish.
"I know. Don't drink the water he gives you. I'll get you clean water," Tammy whispered to her in a desperate plea.
"I don't understand," Maggie said. She was close to tears and her stomach ached. She didn't know if the pangs were terror or hunger. "Why?"
Tammy gave her a sad smile. She cupped Maggie's cheeks and used a tone only mothers had. "Because he is trying to feed you something children should not eat."
Maggie didn't understand what Tammy was saying, but she didn't care. Not right now, anyway, "My stomach hurts. My head too."
Tammy scooted closer and wrapped her arms around Maggie's shaking frame. "I know, dear."
Tammy smoothed Maggie's hair and whispered in a calming manner. "When we get to the village you need to run. I'll distract him. Until then, you need to act as if you are barely awake. Remember, don't drink the water-."
Tammy broke off at the sound of crunching footsteps. Maggie's mind spun as she stared listlessly into space. It wasn't an act. She felt herself fall back into her dreams as seamlessly as she'd come out of them.