Loving the enemy

8. Lord Ashers intentions

Lord Asher enters the tent again and to my surprise he brings a bowl of food. At least that's what it should be judging by the smell. My stomach is still churning and my excitement grew as he walks towards me with it.

He bends down before me and hands me the bowl. "Eat." Is all he says and I gladly oblige.

I wasn't his dog or his slave but I was very hungry and a bowl of cooked vegetables was too tempting to ignore.

A free gobbling down half of my meal I started savoring the flavors. It felt so good to eat but my stomach wasn't coping well, as nausea overcame me.

I peak down at my chain when lord Asher isn't looking. I'm glad I'd found a possible way of getting out of here soon.

It must've been late as Lord Asher had soon gone to sleep.

I stayed up thinking of how I'd find my village as soon as I'd escape. First I'll have to put space between me and the camp. If Lord Asher notices me gone he'd probably head straight to Caper, so I'd have to beat him to it.

Soon I lay myself on the soil floor and fall asleep.

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*Lord Ashers POV*

I'd been out and about the camp telling a few lazy bums to get their work done. Waiting for the attack command from Walzenor had taken longer then I thought. And judging by the letters I'd received from a bird we'd have to wait a while longer.

I could feel that my men urged to get to fighting. They were fighters not farmers. They had families they wanted to return to and I understood that they simply wanted to fight and get it over with.

As I wander through the camp I think about the men that had asked me how my nights had been, seeing how I had a little captive woman, but I simply ignored them.

I wasn't planning on touching her, even if they thought that that's what I was doing.

I cringed at the thought of her pleads from yesterday. Even I was a fighter and not a captor. I couldn't help but feel bad for her, but it was her or us.

Our food storages we're going to last another month but after that we'd have to figure something out.

For now I had a different plan and it involved the girl.

I make my way back to the only tent inside this camp, when I catch Jonathan giving me the look.

He's unfavorable about keeping the girl alive and that look was a question. Why was she still alive?

I ignore him and enter my tent. To my surprise the girl is still sleeping on the floor just as she had when I'd left the tent this morning.

"Wakey wakey," I say, waiting for her to respond, but she doesn't.

Her small figure is slowly rising and sinking as I walk over to her to wake her. Who in the world could sleep this long? It was noon?

I bend down and reach for her shoulder, but something stops me.

She's sleeping on her side, making her dirty blond hair stroke her face as she slept. Curled up into a ball I couldn't help but think of how she reminded me of a child. Seeing her sleeping made her look so peaceful. She didn't glare at me for once and her face was relaxed.

My gaze wanders down to her arms that are placed gently on the floor next to her.

Her ripped skin from the ties looked better than yesterday. I hadn't even noticed how tight I'd bound her until she'd asked me to undo them.

I sigh and the girls eyes start fluttering open. She realizes my presence and quickly sits up and scoots away wide eyed.

How the heck did sighing wake her and talking didn't???

"Good Morning." I smile at her cheekily.

As per usual she sticks up her nose and averts my gaze.

"What do you want?" She asks.

"We've for work to do, princess."

"Work?" She looks confused.

"I've thought about how you could be of use to me." I stand up straight as I speak.

She doesn't answer but looks quizzed so I explain, "Your information about herbal medicine could be of use to me after all."

When I asked her to use the Yarrow plant, I was testing her. My mother had used it whenever I'd fallen or gotten hurt. Herbs and their use had interested me ever since. Others were interested in grains or sewing techniques but I was interested in herbs.

Being a Lord gave me time and money and if I could gather a list of herbs I'd have them planted into my gardens back home.

Since she knew how to apply the Yarrow I assume she'd know more about other plants.

"We're going to write a list." I explain.

Clearly confused I go on, "it doesn't matter why, but I would like to write down your knowledge on healing herbs."

Her eyes don't leave me as she seems to be thinking.

"I can't write."

I chuckle at her worry.

"No shit. That's why I'm going to write."

She contemplates and subsequently nods.

"Alright let's get to work then." I walk over to the little Yarrow plant and rip of a leave with a flower.

"We're going to be adding these to the pages, so that I can recognize them."

Although the girl was looking at me, and hearing me she didn't answer.
Speaking of the girl.

"What's your name?" I ask.

"Why do you care?"

"I could keep calling you 'girl', or I could call you by your name. And you know my name, it's only fair that I know yours."

"Bella," she says while rolling her eyes.

That's it.

"Listen here, Bella. I alone choose if and how long you get to live so you better start behaving better."

She stares daggers at me but quickly looks away after. I'll take that as consent.

I walk over to the desk and take out an empty freshly bound book I'd bought before leaving Walzenor. I was originally going to use it to document my days during the war but this seemed not interesting to me.

If I could figure out which herbs help with wheat I could find a way to help my mother.