Part Eleven: Taken
My husband found me, burning with fever and unresponsive in the little cave I had used for shelter during the night. I had been out trying to find the bark of a willow tree to ease the pain of a fever and illness. I learned of the practice of boiling the bark of the willow through a dear friend of mine who had traveled extensively and taught me the art of extracting the medicinal qualities of certain plant materials.
In the process of running from my fears and doubts, I had put our child in danger…and for that, I will never forgive myself. I had been climbing over rocks near the cliff's edge, in the outer most edge of my husband's property. While on the rocks (I was looking for something…anything…to eat), I managed to cut my leg rather deeply. Although I managed to wash it thoroughly in a cold creek nearby, a little soil must have remained, for it soon became infected, swollen, and red.
Fever came soon after, and with my last coherent thoughts I recalled what my friend had told me about the healing power of the Willow's bark. I set out at once to obtain this precious material…but alas, I could not find it. Fever worsening, stumbling as my eyesight grew dim despite the brightness of the day, and growing increasingly incoherent in my thoughts…I finally collapsed in a little clearing not ten feet from my little cave.
Rain falling softly on my face woke me. I painfully pulled myself up, crying out in agony when I put weight on the infected limb, the pain so great that I leaned over and vomited what little was left in my stomach onto the grass. Lying back down, I slid myself slowly…inch by painful inch…back toward my home in the cave.
He searched…for hours, for days. Desperation grew with each hour that passed and by the time he reached the small clearing that held the crop of large boulders that formed the tiny cave, he was nearly beside himself with anguish. The outcropping of rock was such that he nearly missed the petite opening in the fissure of rough stone. When he looked inside he caught a glimpse of bright aqua cloth that had his heart stop completely before starting up again with painful thuds.
He called her name frantically, with no answer, and he felt fear as he had never known. Turning, Vladislav called to his servant, and with his assistance managed to make his way into the tiny cavern, and over to her. She lay face down, as though she'd fallen there, and…as he reached out to move her over…he felt the intense heat of fever rolling off her in waves. Cursing inventively in his native language, he prayed hard…fast…and long that she would be spared and that if punishment must be dealt…
He would take it for her.
I spent days trapped within the netherworld of fever. Nightmarish creatures haunted my rest; snarling, snapping things with great long fangs that dripped with the blood of countless victims of their torment. Through it all, my dear husband sat at my side, bathing my fevered brow…begging, nay, demanding my return to his side…his loving attentions finally breaking through one bright autumn morning. His was the first face I saw when my eyes opened…mind clear at last. His tears fell freely as he gently gathered me up in his arms, murmuring his thanks to the gods.
I was given medications from the doctor, and told to rest frequently…which was easy to do, as the after effects of the fever and the difficulties of the pregnancy kept me exhausted and queasy most days. When the first months had passed by, we knew that my foolish behavior in running away had no effect on our child. I grew in strength from good food, and the attentions of my adoring spouse. As I grew heavier with child, Vlad seemed more and more loving and generous in the giving of his body. We connected more deeply in ways I had never imagined possible. He had, however, not mentioned the one thing that had driven me from the house to begin with. I began to think on it…ponder all that he had told me about my family, my bloodline. Much of what he said made a kind of…strange sense, to me. I had oft pondered the very notion that I belonged here, in some deep, intrinsic way that far exceeded mere marital vows. Had I known what was indeed coming to pass…perhaps I would not have been so eager to awaken to my true destiny…
On that fateful morning, I was out for a walk in the garden admiring the colors one last time, and getting fresh air, when I heard a strange growl or whine from behind the great hedges of the maze. I turned and stopped to listen, when something hurtled out at me…too fast for me to do anything but gasp. I was being abducted…held aloft by the eldest son of the Lixandroiu Family. I struggled against him, scratching, hitting, kicking…and finally bit him…all to leave something behind as a clue. Frantically, I sent my thoughts winging to Vladislav, although I had never used this form of communication voluntarily with him before.
"My darling, I am taken! Please, help me… te iubesc, I love you…"