Ch. 4~ Needle and Thread
" So, this is the bathroom. All the soap is over there, and there are washrags and towels in this closet. Oh, and be careful when you turn the water on, 'cause it gets really hot really fast." Jeweli stopped when she saw Ardeth still in the doorway. "Uh, I'm gonna go ransack Rick's drawers...see if I can find you some pajamas."
"Why would you destroy your cousin's room?"
"Oh, no, no, it's just a saying. So...yeah." She made for the door, then hesitated. "Y'know, if your clothes need to be washed, I can get them back to you in the morning before we leave."
"I do not trust you westerners' machines," he told her bluntly.
"I figured as much. I t's probably a good thing I know how to wash by hand, then."
Ardeth turned around and raised an eyebrow at her. "Not many high class women know how to wash with a machine, let alone by hand."
Jeweli laughed. "High class, right. You're funny. I'm not high class, I learned how to wash clothes while I was living in the mountains...no electricity." She shook her head and went out. "Just leave yout clothes by the sink and I'll get them when I bring you some p.j.s."
Jeweli
"Where, oh where, does that idiot keep his pants?" Jeweli sang.
"And you're looking for my pants why?" she smacked her head on the top of the dresser when Rick's voice scared her.
"Ow! Jeez, way to let a person know you're there."
"Yeah, I'll remember that the next time someone's digging through my underwear drawer."
She looked down at the drawer she'd just opened and stuck her hand in, only to yank it out and wipe it on her pant leg. "Sorry, I was looking for p.j.s for Ardeth."
Rick gave her a weird look before pointing to the next drawer down. "There should be some old pajamas in the bottom somewhere. Why are you getting them?"
"'Cause he's in the shower and I'm gonna wash his clothes tonight. Plus, one should never sleep in sandy, bloody, torn up clothes...it's bad for them."
"He's letting you run his robes through the wash?"
"No, I'm gonna do them by hand, then hang them up to dry tonight." Her cousin just shook his head at her antics and jumped when she yelled, "Ah-ha, got ya, you little-"
"Alright, you got 'em. Now, go on so I can get ready for bed."
"Kay! Night, cuz." Jeweli kissed his cheek as she passed.
"G'night, Jewels."
Meanwhile, In the bathroom
There were way too many bottles for a decision, so Ardeth just got out the soap he used back home and set it on the edge of the tub. It was made with camel fat, eucalyptus, and palm oil. He had made it himself for when he was away from the convoy for long periods and didn't have time or money to buy some. O'Connell's cousin had been right about the water being hot, so he adjusted it and let the tub fill while he stripped down. Ardeth set his clothes on the counter like the woman had told him to and got in.
The warm water felt food, he thought as he relaxed. It was definantly better than the occational cold spring in the middle of the night. Another difference was that he would have clean clothes and on get sandy as soon as he got out. He hissed when the water touched hte wound on his arm.
"Perhaps I should leter bind it at least," he mumbled to himself as he reached for the soap. Running it over his skin, Ardeth was filled wth the memory of his mother, who used to make the soap when he was a boy. He scrubbed his hair, then took a breath and lowered himself into the water.
Jeweli
She had been knocking for nearly five minutes with no response. Maybe he fell asleep?
"Ardeth? Are you alright in there?" Jeweli knocked again. Still no answer. Steeling herself, she turned the knob and took a step into the bathroom. "Ardeth?" his clothes were on the sink, so he couldn't be out in the hall...unless he was in his underwear. No! Bad brain, bad. No images! Don't think about it! "Ok, well, I'm just gonna leave your p.j.s on the counter. I'll be out-" Suddenly, there was a splashing to her right as someone popped out of the water. Jeweli froze, unable to fully process what exactly was going on.
Ardeth
His hair had been dirtier than he'd thought, and it had taken several dunks to get it clean. Once it was, he went back up for air, but the soapy water got in his eyes. Ardeth dook a moment to wipe his eyes. Then he heard the strangled noise off to the side. Finally clearing his eyes, he opened tem to see te O'Connell girl standing there, as if frozen, clutcing a bundle to her chest. They just stared at each other.
Jeweli
Total. Brain. Malfunction.
Jeweli could not seem to get her body to move. Not in the presence of a very confused, very wet, and very naked Ardeth. Luckily, he was kneeling in the water...covering all the important bits. He seemed just as speechless in the present situation.
"Uh...I, uh, was just...I'll just pu-eeeeh!" she had been moving backwards, and ended up tripping over the sword belt he had carelessly left in the floor. Ardeth moved forward to the rim. "No! No, I'm ok, sorry. I am so sorry. Iwasjustcomingintoputtheclothes...Ididn'tmean...Je sus, I'm just gonna, uh, I'll wait outside."
Ardeth
Well...that was embarassing, Ardeth thought as he sunk back down into the water (which he off-handedly noticed was rather dirty). I hope she's alright. Wait a moment...why should he care? It was not as if he had any connection to her. He didn't even know her name off the top of his head. He did know what O'Connell called her, but what had she said her name was?
Ardeth finally decided to put it out of his mind for the time being and clombed out. After wrapping a towel around his hips, he went to put on the clothes she had left him, only to realize that she had not taken his clothes when she had run out. Shrugging, he got dressed. The pants were a bit loose on him, but the shirt fir. Of course, that wasn't too surprising since they were O'Connell's clothes.
Jeweli
She was leaning against the wall next to the door, arms crossed, and trying to get the image of Ardeth dripping we out of her head. Why would it not get out of her head?! Suddenly, the door opened nad te man walked out, looking very out of place in the plaid sleep pants and white button-down sleep-shirt. In his hand, Ardeth held the black bundle that was his robes.
"Oh, sorry. Hehe, I guess I ran out so quickly, I forgot to..." she was looking everywhere but his face, hoping he wouldn't notice that hers was still red.
"It is alright. I can just shake out the dust and they will be fine." Then he noticed the box in her hands. "What is that?"
Jeweli started and looked at the box, then held it up. "First Aid kit. I told you I'd take care of your cuts...and your clothes. It's fine, I don't mind one bit. Anyting to help out, y'know." She started walking down the hallway, "Your room's down here for tonight."
When they got to the room, Ardeth immediately went to the fireplace. Jeweli watched him search for lighting, but it alluded him. she went to te cone shaped holder and pulled out a long match. Striking it, she held it under the wood and let it light.
"So, why do you need a fire? It's not really all that chilly, and we do have lights."
Ardeth dat down on the rug and looked into the fire, "I am from warmer climates." He looked up to see her with an 'Oh, yeah. Duh' look on her face. "And, besides, your electric lights are very harsh. I am used to sitting by the light of a fire every night."
"It remindes you of home," she said.
"Yes."
"Alright, firelight it is, then." She sat down and started unpacking the kit. "I'm gonna need to be able to get to the wound." Nodding, Ardeth undid the buttons of the shirt and pulled the right side off his shoulder. the slash marks were more irritated now, pinker and more puffy. "Ouch," she made a 'yikes' face as she pured medicine on a cloth. He hissed when she put the rag on the cut. "Sorry, sorry. I'm used to having to patch up Rick. He usually makes me mad while I'm doing it, so I have to make a point."
"It's alright. So how did you come to be in England if you were born in America?"
Jeweli looked up to see him staring intently at her. She sat back, blowing a piece of hair out of her face and put some more medicine on the rag. "It's typical for an unmarried girl to live with the closest family she has, until such a time that a husband is found."
"Yes, this is the same in many places."
"Well, I was living with my mother, until I was about nineteen. Then, Mom got really sick, and a lot of the time, I was taking care of her, the house, and the small farm we lived on. But, we didn't have the money for the medicine she needed. She passed away a few weeks after she first got sick. So, I was on my own, no one in the country who could take me in. I sent a letter to Rick about Mom, and about a month later he wrote me back asking me to come live with him and his family. Best damned decision I ever made."
"How long ago was this?"
"I've been living here for about five years. I cook, clean, take care of Alex and Jon when the other two aren't here...unless they take Alex with them."
"Do you like it here?"
"Very much so. Evie, Jon, and Alex accepted me as part of the family faster than you can say Supercalifragilistic Expialidotious." Ardeth's eyes widened at the silly word. "Sorry, it's from a play canlled 'Mary Poppins'." She finished cleaning the cuts. "It's not too bad, except for this first one. That one's pretty deep, I'm gonna have to stitch it up." The needle she pulled out was thin, as well as the black thread she put through it. They sat in silence while Jeweli did the first few stitches. "So, what about you? Do you have any fammily back home? How'd you become a Madji?"
Ardeth chuckled at her enthusism. "It was my destiny, since the day I was born. My father was the leader of the Madji elites. When he died, that responsibility fell to me, his eldest son. I have a younger brother, named Bassal Anduil. He is also a Madji." Jeweli was suddenly struck with sympathy for the man.
"What about your mom?"
"She died when I was a child, an attack from a bandit group," he looked back at the fire. "You would have liked her, and she you. My mother always admired strong, hard-working young women."
"Wow, good to know I would've been liked by a woman I'll never meet, who is the mother of a man I just met."
"I did not mean-"
"I know, I was just joking. Rick's right, you need to lighten up. So, do you have a wife?"
"Um, no...I am not married."
"Really? Not even a sweethear you've been eyeing?"
He laughed. "No. Being an elite of the Madji, I have never had time for...sweethearts."
"Your dad did."
"This is true, but I really have no desire to do anything other than defend my people. My brother, however, has finally found himself a woman. He had just told the Elders of his intention to wed her before I left."
"Jeweli smiled, "Well, at least you have something good driving you to get hime safely."
"Yes, it shall truely be a wonderful day for our family to begin anew. Ow!" he flinched away.
Jeweli smirked. "Quite moving, unless you want sloppy stitches." She gently tugged his arm back towards her. "Good stitches come from a steady hand and a patient who sits still."
Ardeth sat there for a moment, letting her finish. "Forgive me."
"For what? There, all done," she cut the string, then started wrapping up his arm and shoulder.
"You told me your name earlier, but with all that was going on, I'm afraid I've forgotten it."
Jeweli paused and looked him straight in the eye. Though, more with amusment than dissappointment. "It's ok, I figured as much. Quite honestly, I figured you'd ask one of the others tomarrow, that whay you didn't have to admit it. My name's kind of a pain to remember anyway, so it's no big deal." She tied the bandages off and started packing up the kit. "Everybody just calls me Jeweli."
"I would like to know your name. Please?" She hesitated when she went to get up, then gathered the kit and his clothes. She was at the door before he could comprehend it. "Wait! I would prefer not to be constantly thinking of you as the O'Connell girl."
The door was already cracked open when he said that. Thinking of me? Jeweli turned back to him, looking over the dark-haired man half standing to come after her. "Jeweliandra. My mother named me Jeweliandra Lillian. And if you need anything, I'm right across the hall." And with that, she was gone.
Ardeth
Jeweliandra?A beautiful name. Whoever her mother was, I thank her.
Ardeth pulled a blanket off the bed and laid it on the floor, along with a pillow, then laid down and watched the dancing flames. He had left the sirt off, as he usually slept at night, and wondered what had made him say such things to hish woman he had just met, what had made him tell her about his family.
He smacked himself in the forehead, "Focus on the mission, then go home. Priorities: see your brother married, and lead the Madji."