Home is where the Girl is
Chapter 6 – Just Breathe
Early one morning, the two sparring partners were hard at work with real swords. At first it shocked the skilled fighter how quickly the former match girl caught on, but as the Silurian got to know the willing servant better, she realized the maiden was a natural. As blades clashed, the eager assistant saw a weak spot and attacked. Without realizing it, the reptilian instinctually used her bare hand to stop the blade. Jenny shouted, "Oh Gawd!" when she saw her mentor's blood begin to pour from her palm.
Trying to conceal the damage and her pride, Vastra pulled back. "I'm fine." Ripping herself away, she studied the bright red fluid gushing out. With her back turned, she inspected the hand. Pressing the laceration open and closed, she hissed, "Goddess, how could I have been so stupid?" Acting quickly, she ripped off one of her long sleeves and wrapped it around her hand.
The concerned pupil was persistent as she attempted to catch a glimpse of the injury. Pre-carelessly like a child, the warrior woman held up her newly, yet pathetic excuse for a bandage up and showed it to Jenny. "See my dear, I am fine."
Donning an expression she was used to seeing, not performing, the former match girl barked, "That cut is deep ma'am. I can see it bleedin' frough." The blue eyed woman was about to protest when she was sharply interrupted by the worried human. "I've seen my share of wounds miss and that one…" She pointed at the reptilian's hand, "…that's a bad one miss. It needs to be tended to and quick yew 'ear me?" Suddenly realizing how harsh she sounded, the poor girl uttered, "That is, if you don't mind me saying ma'am."
Gripping her already throbbing hand, the ancient warrior conceded and silently gestured for her companion to lead the way back to the cottage. Inside, the lady of the house outstretched her right hand on the kitchen table as instructed, while the maiden gathered up the items needed to administer first aide. Once everything was laid out, Jenny picked up the needle and thread in hand. Feeling that she was more nervous than the ancient warrior, Jenny swallowed hard. "Are yew ready?" Her mistress gritted her teeth knowing what was about to happen and slowly nodded yes.
Pausing yet again, the fair maiden mentioned, "I'm not gonna lie miss, dis is gonna 'urt. Yew wanna take a shot ov whiskey for…" The woman paused remembering who she was taking to. "…courage?"
A gentle smile lifted its gaze up to the thread bearing woman. "No I will be fine. I have done this countless times my dear." Even though the matriarch was telling the truth, her injuries had always been tended to by a professional, in a medically advanced hospital. Watching the tiniest of sharp objects inching its way closer to the palm of her right hand, Vastra said, "Perhaps a swig wouldn't hurt."
The assistant was eager to retrieve a bottle of fine whisky for her mistress. As Jenny moved the thread in and out of the green skin, Vastra drank more and more hoping to dull the pain. But what really took her mind off the affliction was watching her lovely nursemaid. She had the precision of a surgeon thought Madame Vastra. Watching the rise and fall of the match girl's chest made her forget all about the throbbing.
" Er, let me 'ave some ov that." Jenny motioned for the bottle and quickly took a large swig.
Whimsically amused, the wounded warrior asked, "Why do you need liquid courage my dear?"
"Because I 'ave ter do dis."
Vastra leapt from the table screaming and hissing like a mad woman. The alcohol burned her skin feeling comparable to acid. Clinching her jaw at the raw pain, she bore a hole in Jenny's skull. "Why did you do that?"
Taking a few frantic steps backwards, the frightened assistant explained. "It needed ter be disinfected ma'am." The honest answer did not help sooth the agony or anger as the Silurian hissed at her nurse. Cautiously retaking her seat, the dark hair beauty pleaded, "Now da ugliness is over, I need to dress yaaahr wound."
Pulling her hand back quickly, the reptilian woman shot brown eyed girl a deadly look. The maiden had become accustomed to reading Vastra's body language by now, and knew that look meant: touch me and die. Attempting to refocus the deadly fighter's attention, the young maiden gathered up the medical supplies. "Fine but it'll be yaaahr 'and they gotta cut off wiv a butcher knife cuz it got infected. Not mine."
The prestigious Victorian's brow frowned instantly at the true statement. Cradling her hand like a baby, the affluent woman reluctantly sat back down and offered her hand to her assistant.
When the lizard's sapphire eyes were met by the human's doe eyes, she realized that the make-shift operating table experience had been just as difficult for Jenny as it was her. Solidifying the fact was when the dark hair beauty declared, "I promise I won't 'urt you." Practically idolizing the woman who had taken her off the streets, the last thing the unrefined pupil wanted to do was cause the curvaceous reptilian an ounce of pain.
Sitting very close to one another, the willing servant held Vastra's injured palm while she tenderly checked her work. All the stitches were clean and well placed, but the dark hair beauty did not want to let go of the hand that had been softer than she imagined. After careful inspection, she reluctantly released the arm and began making a bandage she saw in one of her books. Like an ever watchful mother, the ancient woman looked on as the eager student created the perfect dressing. Vastra's piercing blue eyes watched every movement the human made with great enjoyment.
Jenny slid in closer and cradled the affluent woman's hand, allowing her to better dress the wound. Only inches from each other, the street smart girl felt her patient distractively breathing heavily against her cheek while she twisted the piece of cloth around the wrist. The match girl tried her best to remain calm and professional as the warm air brushed against her clammy skin from sparring. Feeling as if her heart would jump out of her chest at any second, the willing servant struggled to continue her task. Internally Jenny prayed hoping that her mentor could not see how flush she was, or how badly she wanted to continue touching her.
Having her appendage held so affectionately, caused the prestigious Victorian's breathing to become labored; not to mention the exposed skin from Jenny's open blouse did not help much either. Attempting to apply the maiden's advice from earlier, 'Try to think about something else' Vastra stared at the pale skin that glistened from her upper chest. The sophisticated mentor knew she had to be at least faintly panting at the close approximately of the dark hair beauty. Inwardly she prayed the young maiden would not notice. The ancient warrior thought it best to pull back but she was so intoxicatingly close that if she moved any closer, her petite nose would gaze the young maiden's skin. The thought was incredibly enthralling to the curvaceous reptilian; so much so, that she was unable to move away.
Meeting her approval, the blue eyed woman could tell that the young maiden was delaying the completion of her care. The assistant rotated the hand several times, ensuring the bandage was absolutely perfect. With her chin in her good hand, Madame Vastra mused, "Good thing I am left handed, yes."
The statement caught the human off guard as her pupils shot wide. By her expression, the skilled fighter could tell that Jenny had not noticed this before. Playfully wiggling her other hand, the Silurian teased, "See?"
The blood suddenly rushed from the match girl's face as she unexpectedly excused herself, "I should go."
Before she knew it, the reptilian was left sitting at the table alone and confused. Examining the dressing, she muttered to herself, "Everyone I have ever been with said that was a very good thing."
Two days later, when sword play was off the schedule, the two women stood in the middle of a large grassy field. Beginning to get mildly frustrated, Vastra dropped her bow and quiver, full of arrows, and marched over to Jenny. She knew she had taught her better than this. In the past days, she had already shown her mentor that she mastered the art of hunting using archery. She had already killed three rabbits and a stray fox. But today for some reason, the former match girl was unable to properly release the arrow from the bow.
Annoyed, the skilled hunter marched over and placed one hand on the match girl's hand; which was holding the bow. Feeling her mistress' breath tickle the back of her neck, Vastra wrapped her other arm around the maiden's petite frame. "You are not holding it right Jenny."
The ghastly expression from her instructor nearly horrified the eager student, but she was quick to turn her head and continue the lesson. Fully aware of the Silurian surrounding her, with only subtle movements, the ancient warrior informed the girl what she wanted. Her right arm was stiff, holding the bow, while her left cradled the maiden's back pressing every so gently upon her bosom.
It was all the dark haired beauty could do to keep breathing, and preventing her knees from buckling beneath her, while the reptilian continued to teach her how to properly shoot the bow. Realizing that her usually studious pupil was not cooperating, Vastra huffed, "My dear, you are not even trying." Remaining perfectly still, the pale girl said nothing; did nothing. All she could do was feel the warmth of her mentor's body around her.
Frustrated, the curvaceous Victorian gripped the human within her clutches even harder. Internally, the maiden's heart was breaking, but still she could not move, she could not speak. Peering over her assistant's shoulder, the reptilian starred directly into the woman's eyes as she spat, "Jenny you must make an effort."
Looking away, a small and faint whimper escaped the young girl's throat, "I know."
Still firmly in her grasp, the exasperated reptilian suddenly relaxed her posture as if a slow and daunting thought flooded her mind. Surprised and a bit stunned, the warrior woman released a deep breath that she felt she had been holding in for centuries. Although the heavy sigh was out, the well educated woman maintained her grasp of the maiden. Like waking from her long hibernation, she unexpectedly realized why her star pupil was not participating.
Again, the curvaceous woman's breath tickled the back of the human's neck. From her embrace, Vastra could feel every thump of the maiden's young heart. For the first time, the reptilian closed her mouth and sucked in the sweet smell of her maid as she did when hunting prey. Instinctually human could feel the sudden attention from her mistress and began to shutter. Actualizing she was inches from grazing Jenny's check with her soft lips, the reptilian became pleasurably intoxicated from the scent.
Taken by the satisfying, yet unexpected reaction, Vastra released her hold on her companion and took a few steps back. The Silurian licked her lips as the smell was so strong, she could actually taste the young maid. Stammering on her own words, the woman fired back, walking steadily away from the cottage, "That will be all for today."
A/N: I choose Vastra's blood to be red as most of Earth reptilian's blood is; not the sci-fi kind. She is after all from Earth not space.