My Princess

Chapter 34

The snow pelted the mountainside that night, very nearly blowing out our fire as the wind whipped in every direction. I found myself unable to succumb to sleep as Mother Nature had her way with us, rather keeping a careful eye on Narcissa as she slept through the sickness.

By morning there was a short wall of snow barricading the entryway of the cave, not enough to completely block us in but enough that I'd have to scale the icy wall or tunnel through it if I needed to get out. Nevertheless, it did bring us a bit of insulation, the wind no longer able to rip through the shallow cave and the heat from the fire as well as our bodies now unable to escape.
However, while we were relatively safe here we would soon need food, the assortment of canned beans running low.

I slowly inched my way out from underneath the other girl, laying her gently on the dirt floor and throwing the wolf pelt over her to keep her warm in my absence. After poking the remaining embers of the fire I threw a few sticks and bits of fluff lying around the cave that I assumed to be from some bird's nest onto the dying flames, encouraging it to grow again.

The embers were still hot and easy to convince, a small flame curling up towards the top of the cave as it grew in strength. Once I was satisfied it would remain alight, I grabbed my trusty hunting knife and stuck it down into my boot before awkwardly pulling myself up the snowy bank and out into the cold sunshine.

There wasn't much around save for a few dead trees scattered here and there that now looked more like leafless bushes so much of their trunks lay beneath the snow. However, now that the storm had cleared a few animals were out and about digging for food underneath the blanket of ice.

Two rabbits bounded around playing, unaware of any potential danger they may be in. I let out a sigh as I watched them have the time of their lives in their snowy home, simply enjoying the warm sun after a night stuck huddling in burrows underground.

I had never enjoyed ending an animal's life, especially something as innocently sweet as a bunny rabbit. Yet, when it was a choice of my survival or theirs, I knew what had to be done.

Squatting down and taking out the hunting knife I took aim, waiting until one of the little creatures had sat up on its back legs to sniff at the air, undoubtedly catching a whiff of a predator with a knife in hand, before expertly launching it and pinning the animal to the ground as it emitted a heart wrenching squeak of fear and pain. The other rabbit fled without so much as a pity glance back to his companion, he too understanding the vicious rules of nature.

I ended the little creature's suffering quickly, taking the body back to the cave after covering the remaining splotches of blood with the snow in order to avoid drawing in any larger predators. I slipped down the snowy bank back into our shelter, finding Narcissa now awake and shivering beneath the wolf pelt as she tried to warm up.

"How are you feeling this morning?" I asked kindly, dropping the rabbit by the fire. Narcissa scrunched up her nose in disgust as the lifeless body hit the ground with a 'thud', blood still seeping from the wound the knife had caused.

"Just cold." She sniffed, cuddling deeper into the pelt. I rolled up my sleeve and pressed the inside of my wrist to her forehead, still feeling a bit too much heat but not as bad as yesterday.

"Your fever is going down. That's good. Just gotta give it time to let the potions and your body fight it off. You should try and eat some of the meat, it'll be good for you after 4 days of living off beans and berries."

I took care in cleaning the creature, muttering as I did so in order to give thanks to the animal for its sacrifice. After I had the meat skewered over the fire and cooking, I used the hide to create bits of leathery string which I then used to attach my hunting knife to a stick and make a better weapon out of. Now I had a spear and a much better chance against bigger animals and the Neanderthals Narcissa was worried about.

The rabbit meat was the best thing I had tasted in a week, tender, juicy, and not beans. Even Narcissa managed to eat the majority of her half, no longer disgusted by the thought of the cute little creature being slaughtered.

"So long as the weather holds we'll probably stay here for just a couple more nights before moving on, if you're feeling up to moving on that is." I started, beginning our new plan.

"Yes that's fine. What are we gonna do until then?"

"Rest, recuperate, eat. There isn't really much else to do I guess. Kind of strange going back to this life after having real jobs isn't it?" I kind of laughed, the other girl doing the same.

"Yes it is. I went from being waited on hand and foot in a castle, never having to do a thing for myself, to living in the woods and depending on you for survival, to earning my own money, and back to depending on someone else. Perhaps that's what I'll always be, someone's dependent little house wife. That's what I was expected and instructed to be after all."

"Narcissa you are destined to be so much more than some useless little housewife. You stood up to the king, your own father, for your happiness, you saved my life from the Hellbeast getting those potions to me and caring for me before and after, you took right to the working life after having never stepped foot in a place like that. As for right now, you took care of me when I was sick and now I'm simply repaying the favor. Plus, you're too hot headed and feisty to be pinned down by a man." That got a real laugh out of the other girl that ultimately turned into a coughing fit.

"You got me there." Narcissa fell into my side, cuddling herself into me with a contented sigh. I chuckled as I wrapped an arm around her, running my fingers over the fuzzy wolf pelt as I rubbed her back. "Besides, I have no intentions of marrying a man."

The corners of my lips turned up in a knowing smile, saying nothing but pulling her just a little bit closer as the younger girl yawned widely. I pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head and tried to make myself as comfortable as possible with my back against the harsh stone wall of the cave.

"Sleep now love. It'll help you heal faster." Narcissa mumbled something unintelligible, already slipping into slumber as her fingers clutched at my clothing, unconsciously willing me to stay.

I hadn't slept last night and soon found myself drifting off as well, vision blurring as my eyelids grew heavier and heavier. I rested my cheek on top of the other girl's head, giving in to the call of slumber alongside her.