Chapter 11 – I swear, I'm not Xena
NO POV
"Mother, mother help"
a kid with longish black hair ran into a cave calling frantically. He had a deep gash on his left arm but when an older woman rushed to his side checking the gash, he motioned her outside.
"You have to help her"
The woman looked around and her eyes met those of a man. He seemed to be in his mid-to-late forties and ordering a bunch of younger people to remain inside he and the woman ran out. In the slight drizzle that wet the ground stood a younger guy with blond locks coming down to his shoulders holding a barely dressed girl.
"What happened?"
The older man barked out his eyes going over the girl. Three deep gashes marred the girl's torso and stomach with blood seeping out. The woman reached for the girl but the guy holding her refused to give her up.
"I wanted to see the wolves and Niklaus came with me. We stood too close and one of them would have hurt me if it wasn't for her mother. She came out of nowhere and saved my life"
the boy said quietly, tears of silent gratitude flowing down his dirty cheeks. with one glance, man and woman, motioned everyone inside as wolf howling was heard in the distance.
the girl groaned as she was placed on a large rock and the woman went straight into work barking orders.
"Elijah, Finn, bring me water and cloths. Rebekah clean Henrik up"
Quickly the three siblings went to work. a long haired brunette man in his early twenties along with a short haired man in his mid twenties left the cave only to return soon each holding a large bucket filled with cool water and an armful of cloths in various sizes and set them down on the ground next to their mother who began wetting clothes and using them to clean the wounds.
a teenage girl with long blond hair grabbed another bucket and began cleaning the boy's arm wound casting fearful glances to her father.
"what were you thinking Niklaus?"
The man bellowed holding a long sword straight to the younger man's throat. he looked murderous but the younger man refused to back down his equally heated glare.
"Daddy"
The girl moaned as the woman pressed down on one of the wounds that looked different than the others. While most of the wounds were long gashes made by lethal nails. this one was like someone tried to stab her. The man froze and the whole family turned to look at the girl. the girl whimpered under the woman's ministrations.
"Who is she?"
Said one of the young men who had remained quiet all this time. He was a big flirt and knew all the girls in the village.
"What is she wearing?"
Muttered the blond girl to herself silently wondering if she should cover Henrik's eyes
"That is a good question"
The older of the siblings replied taking a leader stance in front of them. the wounded girl's eyes fluttered open and after adjusting to the near dark cave, the dark chocolate brown orbs traveled from person to person before landing on the woman standing on top of her sweating profusely as she cleaned and covered the last wound.
"Where am I?"
She rasped
"shh, you're safe now"
the woman said in a motherly tone. Raising a brow to the tone and the general scenery the girl remained quiet trying to see what she remembered, and why on earth she was bleeding. Feeling exhaustion sweep over her, the wounded girl fell back asleep.
"That was enlightening"
The oldest man barked
"Shush Mikael"
his wife said shocking everyone. Esther had always been a pushover and never raised her voice to her husband. However this time something deep inside her told her that something had changed and that change came in the form of a leather clad girl.
As the howling of the wolves at the crack of dawn that signaled the end of their transform broke the morning silence the girl's eyes opened again. This time everyone was sleeping except the young boy who favored her with a bright smile.
"Hello Miss"
"Hello"
She said quietly as to not wake anyone up.
"What?"
She asked the boy who was watching her as if he had never seen a girl before. The boy shook his head and rushed to her hugging her tightly ignoring her near nakedness
"Thank you so much miss"
"For what?"
"You saved my life"
The boy said. She stared at the kid
"Me? When? And what's your name for that matter? I can't keep calling you kid"
"I'm Henrik"
the boy said proudly unwrapping one arm from her waist and extending it formally. she smiled at the infectious boy and shook his hand
"I'm Bella. When did I save your life Henrik?"
"Nice to meet you. Last night, you don't remember?"
"actually I don't, but you are very welcome"
Bella smiled again sitting up, gasping at the sudden pain and leaning to the side letting the boy help her remain upright. Looking around her she realized the faces of the sleeping people were familiar.
"Where am I Henrik?"
"at the caves"
the boy replied smartly. Bella pursed her lips, resisting the urge to roll her eyes at him
"I mean what town"
The boy just looked at her
"City"
Henrik blinked
"State?"
Henrik tilted his head to the side, his dark hair covering one eye
"Continent?"
Henrik stared at her uncomprehending. Bella let a breath she hadn't realized she was holding
"never mind"
Raising one hand to touch the cloths on her chest she remembered she had put her cell phone in her briolette before the show last night. Blushing at what she was doing she felt up her chest and, with a happy sigh; she produced the silver flip phone. Henrik gasped and took refuge behind her when she expertly raised the flap to check for signal.
Bella shook her head at the kid and felt all hope die inside her as she read 'no signal available' on the small screen. Almost at once everyone woke up and turned to look at her and the strange contraption in her hand.
"goodmorning"
