Chapter 6
When I woke it wasn't with a start, it was slowly and painfully. I opened my eyes with a gasp, I remembered what happened. The drunk men and the stranger, I never even looked to see who he was, and now I was in a strange tent. Great. I looked around and got the shock of my life, sleeping slumped against the bed I was in, was a boy around my age, with dark wavy hair, a strong wide nose and a square set face, his lips were slightly parted and his eye lids fluttered a little as if in a light sleep. Oh, and he was David. In his hand was a damp cloth. The cocky looks and scowls were gone, but his face still did not look peaceful. I sighed and closed my eyes. So David was the stranger, that would explain the swordsmanship, but how had he found me? I though about when I yelled his name, but that couldn't have made him come, it was only in my head.
'So you're the girl with orange hair..' I jumped, this was not David speaking, it was an old woman with long grey hair and a slightly humped back. She had a small bowl in her hand. I looked down at David. He was still asleep. 'He is most difficult to wake up. Very annoying at times.' she almost seemed to say it to herself but was looking at me with beady eyes.
'I have herbs for your wounds but there is not much I can do for your hip, only time can heal that.'
I blinked at her, 'Thank you. I think I will be able to fix my hip myself.. But im not sure.' the woman nodded as if we shared a big secret.
'I would give this to you now but as usual the boy is in the way.' she said with a slight smile. 'You can try wake him yourself if you'd like, but I must go, I will leave this here,' she placed the bole on the floor near the bed, 'he will now what to do with it.' with a nod she turned and left. strange.. I looked down at David again, "try to wake him yourself". I leaned forward and placed one hand on his shoulder, and shook it gently. Nothing happened, I shook it again harder this time, still nothing. I reached for the cloth and dripped water on his face, nothing. I sat there thinking awhile, after a few minutes I reached down to his head and placed my palm flat on his hair, I concentrated on my impatience and let it grow, with a small shudder I extended my mind out, it was a very strange feeling, something I had never done before, I didn't even know that it could be done. I extended a little further and suddenly found myself in a village. But this was not just any village, it was on fire and people were running, screaming trying to escape the cloud of red that was swallowing the village killing all that were in their path. I could see a young boy fighting two soldiers trying to get to two dying people, his mother and father, I looked around and sure enough just beside a large hole in the wall stood David. He was breathing hard and tears were flowing down his face. I walked over to him slowly and put my hand on his shoulder. He turned around in shock. 'What are you doing here?!'
'I came to wake you up.' I turned to the scene in front of us just in time to see the boy get slashed, from collarbone to bellybutton. 'Im so sorry.' it was all I could say. Tightening my grip on his shoulder I pulled by mind back, away from the burning village and back into my body. With a gasp David sat up.
'How did you do that? You were in my dream!' he looked taken aback and a little hurt.
I nodded. 'I don't know, I just did.' he looked at the bowl on the floor and then around for the cloth, I handed it to him. He shook his head. 'Last night,' I stopped and thought about what I wanted to know, 'After you.. Came to help me, what happened?'
'You fainted and I took you back to my- well to here, and Lavel helped me clean out your cuts. You got a bit of a fever and I must have fallen asleep after it stopped.' I shook my head, 'I have to stop getting into trouble.'
He smiled. 'Well you didn't do too bad of a job last night. What happened with those men?' I told him about being at Isabella's tent and walking back when the men saw me, how they were drunk and started a fight, and then he appeared. 'How did you know where to find me? Or were you just jumping in for the fun of it?' he frowned but smiled. I was asleep when I heard you scream my name, it was in my head. I knew I had to help you, even though I didn't know what from. And I just seemed to find ye.' he finished hesitantly.
'Hmm,' I said slowly, 'I really need to learn how to fight.'
He grimaced at me, 'You wont be well for a good while, even with Lavel's help.' With a cocky smile I pulled down the light wool blanked to show the top of my hip where the sword pierced me. I searched for a feeling in me and found appreciation. I never knew it counted as a feeling, but I concentrated on it anyway, letting it swell inside of me just about to burn my skin but before the power could cover my skin with flames I concentrated on me sore hip. For a second I didn't think it worked but then I felt my hip itch. The itching feeling was so intense I almost gasped. I could feel a small portion of my energy go, but not as much as the last time. The next time I looked at my hip it was healed. David gasped at stared at my hip in astonishment. 'How?'
'Magic!' I said with a grin. 'Really.'
After I convinced David that I was fine he agreed to go train. We made our way down the path this time not bothering to hide between tents. It was almost enjoyable watching peoples faces as they saw me, some had looks of shock, some fear. But all greeted us. When we reached the field I saw Huston outside his tent talking to a man. I stopped deep in thought, 'David, can you read and write?' he stopped too a few steps ahead of me. 'Yes, why can you not?'
I hesitated, 'No I cannot. Would you teach me? If you do not wish to than that is fine, but, well its not something im proud of and don't want it spread around.'
'I understand, yes I will teach you.' with a smile we walked to large circular boards, with different coloured rings painted on them. They were for practising aim with bows. After about two hours we collected our arrows from the boards and headed to out to the field to use our swords. After five hours we returned to David's tent to get parchment, a quill and ink. We went to the food court and sat in an inconspicuous table behind a giant pillar. We spent the next hour learning the alphabet, I was eager to learn so it took very little time.
The sun was going down when Isabella found us. 'There you are! I have been so worried! We heard you got attacked last night, what happened?'
'Oh yes a group of drunk men tried to have a little fun.' said David bitterly. 'What were you doing letting her walk back alone she could have died!' Isabella's face fell in shame, 'Im so sorry.'
'Its ok, David saved me.' I said looking alarmed at David. Isabella still didn't cheer up, until I mentioned the dance, 'you are still going are you not?' her face brightened and David's eyebrows reached for the sky 'I wouldn't have thought you a dancing girl.' he said teasingly. I went red. 'No im not, I cant dance either..' Isabella was so excited she didn't even notice the parchment she was leaning on. 'You will come though wont you? It would be so much fun, and there will be lots of boys!' both David and myself stiffened and made a face. oh ya that's all I need, more guys! I could see the same look flash across David's face, with an extra look that I couldn't understand. Isabella was practically bouncing on the seat in anticipation. 'Oh all right!' I said in defeat. She squealed with pleasure, 'Yay! Oh and don't forget, you have to wear a dress!' with that she danced away twirling in little circles. 'she's away with the fairies.' said David in a disapproving tone.
'Will you be coming to the dance.' I asked deciding to ignore his remark. 'No, I doubt it. Its not really my thing.'
'Oh.'
