Traumatised Tim

Chapter Four

“I never did ask you your name. Forgive me, I ask now.” Hastily changing the subject he turned back to her, she was puzzled at the abrupt change but said nothing. “Eveliina.”

“What a beautiful name. Eveliina.” It practically rolled off his tongue.

“Thanks.”

“Well, I think it’s time you got back in bed, you need to sleep. First though, where are you hurt?”

“I’m not hurt.”

“I smell blood.”

“It’s only my arm.” She blushed a little. She had fallen on day three and as she had fallen she had scraped it along the floor, unfortunately the floor had been covered with lots of tony stones that grazed her skin. It stung but there was only dotted blood and no deep cuts. She was embarrassed that he was probably thinking she was real damsel, wounded and needing to be repaired by her man.

                Shoving up her shirt roughly she showed him her grazes expecting him to nod and forget about such a trivial thing. It shocked her though because he took her arm gently in his hand and assessed it for a minute before finding a cloth and dipping it into a bowl of boiled and cooled water. Very carefully he wiped it over her arm removing the traces of dried blood and dirt that she had tried to cover by pulling her sleeve down. He tried not to hurt her further but the dried blood didn’t just wipe off. He took his time rubbing at the blood softly so it wouldn’t tug at her tender skin, finding that he didn’t like to see her in even the tiniest amount of pain. Pulling out some of his homemade cream that he often used on own wounds he smoothed the paste –like substance over the cuts. Finally he took some gauze from his little emergency medical kit and bandaged her arm up. It would be fine in the morning but he wanted her to heal a little more with no pain. It was with barely any pressure he placed his hand over her bandaged arm to signal he was done and then he pulled back down her sleeve to hide her injury again.

“Sleep well Eveliina.”

                Eveliina went to sleep that late afternoon with his tiny bowed head in her mind. She had thought he would be expecting a terrible gash or something yet what made it so special was that it was nothing of the sort but he still gave to her the attention and patience that should only have been due a serious injury. She felt cherished and protected, it was like she actually mattered in the world and after living as a servant for years it was a feeling that had long ago been taken away from her. She never though she would feel wanted or needed again and here was Tim rekindling in her a hope and determination for life.

*

“I think you should see this.”

“Lead the way.”

                Ray followed the warrior infront of him through the forest towards one of the more dense locations around. He smelt it before he saw it. Blood. Two wolves’ blood. On the floor spread out and dead however was a single wolf - a werewolf whom Ray did not recognise. He sighed walking closer up to it and crouching down to see it properly.

“Not one of ours.” He told the little gathering of wolves from nearby. Ray was taking in every mark on the wolf and the skin under its claws. It had fiercely been trying to kill someone. “No one reported seeing anything or being attacked?” Ray confirmed. The shaking of heads and murmurs of ‘no’ only made him sigh. It was the same way of killing as what he had seen by the lake elven years ago. The wolves were still coming for his pack. He had to inform the other Alpha’s. And Tendra, he never left Tendra out of anything, especially as Christopher was turning eighteen soon. The lad wanted to be a warrior and he was good enough to be one. While Ray felt like every father; the terrible anxiety, he was proud that his only son was following in his footsteps. Tendra had also had the mixed feelings so they made a deal. She supported her son through whatever he wanted but she was to be informed every single step of the way at just what he was getting into. The new killing counted as a threat which meant Tendra should know about it. As did the mysterious killer who had protected them, on two occasions now. Two out of many Ray was thinking.