The Angelus Brothers Chronicles - The Golden Hind

CHAPTER SIX

Her tongue felt like dried leather in her mouth as she tried to swallow, but she was now so dehydrated that she couldn't even form spit. She watched as Heracles dipped his waterskin in the stream he'd placed her near and began to drink. Four days, they had been on the road, and he hadn't once offered her so much as a drop of water or a bite of food. It was like he didn't see her as anything but an object to be delivered. Had he forgotten she was a living breathing creature? Watching the cool clear water flow past bubbling and gurgling on its way was torture, she couldn't take it anymore and used what little energy she still had to thrash her legs and try to reach the water.
He hadn't heard the animal make so much as a peep since he'd captured her, and her sudden outburst startled the hot and irritated demigod.  He could be in the arms of a beautiful woman, drinking ale and eating good food. But he was stuck in this unbearable heat with the smelly, heavy creature and the insects that kept insisting on biting him.

"Shut up!" He bellowed and threw the contents of his waterskin at the beast. She froze and swallowed the small amount of water that had gone in her mouth, then licked desperately at any wetness she could reach. It wasn't enough; she needed water, and he didn't have a mind to give her more as he'd turned back to the water to help himself to more. Finally, she shifted into her human form and, in a croaky, parched voice, called quietly to him.

"Please? Water, more water." Leaping to his feet and reaching for the sword, he wore at his waist, Heracles stared wide-eyed at the pretty naked girl who lay bound on the floor where his hind had been.

"By the gods. What magic is this?"

"Please, water." repeated the desperate hind. He looked from the bound girl to the river and back to the girl, then grabbed up his dropped waterskin, refilled it from the waterway, and took it to the girl, holding it to her lips. Kaia drank and drank until the skin was empty. The cool liquid felt so good as it travelled down her throat.

Finally, Heracles stood back and eyed the girl distrustingly.

"If you're human, why didn't you say anything before?"

"I'm not human."

"Don't try anything." Watching her carefully, he undid her bindings, then re-tied just her wrists and let her sit up. Ignoring him, she stretched her stiff muscles and sat back against a tree just behind her. He watched her as she stared out over the stream and surrounding countryside, realising she wasn't going to acknowledge him; he cleared his throat.

"Why didn't you let me know you were a girl?" Without looking at him, she answered in a curt tone.

"I'm a hind."

"So why didn't you say anything?" Realising again, that she wasn't going to answer; he yanked on her bound wrists and tied the rope that held her to a branch above her head. "I'm going to find some dinner. Stay put."

When he'd moved out of sight, Kaia began to struggle against her bonds, but it was no use; she tugged and pulled till his gruff voice made her jump.

"I said don't move. You'll hurt yourself before you get out." She narrowed her eyes at him as he slung two rabbits on the ground, followed by a few apples. He undid the end of the rope, holding her to the tree and lowering her arms, picked up one of the apples to offer it to her. Hesitantly, she took it and started eating it as fast as she could chew and swallow.

"If you were so hungry and thirsty, why didn't you say?" She glared at him.

"Why wouldn't you give food and water to an animal you tied up?" He shrugged.

"I never thought." He stacked twigs and started to build a fire as she began to devour the second apple. Giving her another look, he grabbed his blanket from his pack and tossed it to her to cover her naked body. She draped it about her as best she could with her bound hands and narrowed her eyes at him.