Flirting With the Wind

I immediately looked up my breath catching up in my throat to see my cousins Darcy and Bridget. My body shook involuntarily from the experience. What ever that man was planning wasn’t anything good for me. This was far too much to process or accept.

“That good of a kisser ay?” Darcy teases.
“Or that bad, she looks like she just received the death sentence, are you okay?” Bridget adds looking at me.
“Yeah, I’m fine, just dandy, super actually, I have to um go get something from my room,” I ramble as I bolted towards the house. My skin crawled with disgust and I rushed upstairs to the bathroom when I washed my whole face and arms with soap; pretty much the exposed areas Major Hellstrom had touched my skin. Then I proceeded to brush my teeth vigorously like I had somehow ate something so foul that I felt the need to be fumigated or something. Once I felt clean enough I patted my face and arms dry then headed to back downstairs to get something to drink after spending my time trying to recover from the encounter that occurred now only two hours ago. Even after the time that had past since his leave my body shook in revulsion even thinking of him.

“Mirabel I’d like a word with you in my study,” my uncle says from his desk in his study as I passed by. I stopped in my tracks and went into the room where my uncle was looking at some papers.
“Yes Uncle Frederick,” I say with a forced smile.
“I hear Major Hellstrom has shown great interest in you, and even went as far as to come see you today,” he says casually.
“Yes,” I respond monotone.
“I think it might be suitable if we ask him to come for dinner one night,” Uncle Frederick states.
“No-” I slip out quickly but tried to recover.
“No? Your aunt seemed to think you quite enjoyed his company and even she saw you two kissing in the gardens,” he replies looking up from his work to study my face but I looked off as a shudder encased my body involuntarily.
“You shouldn’t tease men in such a manner if you have no intention of being with them,” my uncle utters.
“I didn’t do anything, I never said I was interested in him and I sure as hell did not initiate any of what Aunt Catherine saw,” I retort somewhat upset he was calling me a tease. My uncle looked at me assessing my reaction to his statement and soon realized something was indeed wrong.

“You seem rather shaken since his leave did he say anything inappropriate to you Mira?” he inquires suddenly taking the protective uncle role.
“Something is not right with him and it unsettles me Uncle,” I admit quietly.
“Did he threaten you?!” Uncle Frederick demands as his voice Mira.
“No Uncle nothing of the sort, it is merely the demeanor and those flashes of emotion I could see in his eyes. I want nothing to do with him,” I answer quickly.
“He won’t be coming here anymore, I can assure you, there is no need to be frightened,” he says reassuringly as he gave me a weak smile.
“Perhaps its best I do go to the convent Uncle, I worry that I am only causing trouble by being here,” I respond.
“Oh you are no trouble Mira, I promised your father I’d watch over you and I will do just that, not only because I promised him but also because I love you like one of my own,” Uncle Frederick replies sincerely.
“Danke Uncle, I love you all so very much,” I say honestly.
“Well I have some work to do, darling, I will see you at dinner ya?” he says with a smile.
“Ya,” I smile back. My uncle went back to work and I let myself out of the room quietly. Dinner rolled on by and everyone ate together whilst I sort of jabbed my fork into the steak on my plate in a somewhat angry fashion. To be honest I was angry with myself for letting a man get under my skin and that I hadn’t stuck up for myself as he violated my personal space. How could I have been so damn complacent as he pressed his wretched mouth onto mine? The very thought made me lose my appetite.

“You know it is already dead,” Hugo says to the right of me in a quiet tone as my aunt and uncle were having an animated discussion with one another. I hadn’t even noticed he was sitting next to me until now.
“I know, I am merely tenderizing it,” I reply stabbing the steak.
“In that case you are doing a wonderful job,” he chuckles lightly. I turned my head slightly to him unable to repress a smile from creeping on my lips as soon as I saw his smile.
“Thank you,” I respond quietly as I turned my attention back to my plate. Dinner went on and everyone went their separate ways. I had snuck some loaves of bread upstairs without anyone noticing and wrapped them in a cloth so that they would be ready for tonight when I took them to the hungry people. Even the steak I hadn’t eaten I wrapped up in a separate cloth. Waiting until most everyone was getting to bed I pretended to do the very same except I did what I always did; set up a fake body in my bed so that I could deliver the food to those who needed it more.

I no longer had a proper jacket so I just layered on a sweater on top of my shirt then slipped on my sneakers. I wrapped the food in an old blanket that could perhaps be used by them as well then began my descent out the window gracefully. Trekking through the woods at night was a bit difficult but I had a small light and remembered my journey from early this afternoon because it was one I had taken many a times before. Once I had reached the rendezvous point I placed the food wrapped up in the blanket in the allotted tree. My task finally finished I began my retreat back to the house. I was about a mile away from the house when I was startled by the flashlight pointing at my face and tripped in my moment of surprise falling on the forest ground. Instinctively I raised my hand up to my face to shield from the light.

“Mira what are you doing out here?” Hugo’s voice demands.
“Sleep walking,” I murmur feebly.
“Are you hurt?” he asks concerned as he came into view trying to help me up.
“I’m okay no need to fret,” I answer with a reassuring smile.
“You can’t be going out in the woods alone Mira,” Hugo sighs.
“If I were a schizophrenic I would not be alone,” I comment trying to make light of the situation.
“If you were a schizophrenic being alone would be the least of your problems,” he counters.
“You do pose a very valid point,” I state with a light chuckle.
“Come on you cut your leg, I’ll clean it up at the soldier’s quarters so that no one gets upset with you,” Hugo says.
“I am only agreeing because you didn’t shoot me,” I reply.
“I could never shoot you,” he states.
“That is music to my ears,” I respond sardonically.
“You are a ridiculous woman you know that right?” Hugo replies.
“I do know that,” I say. Hugo chuckled and we walked back towards the house. Once we reached the soldier’s quarters the other men were asleep and we quietly made our way in the place. Hugo led me to his bedroom and told me to wait while he got the first aid kit. When he came back he gestured for me to sit and I obliged by sitting awkwardly on his bed. He pulled up a chair and sat in front of me. It was a bit strange this feeling that built up in me as he carefully cleaned my very small cut on my leg.
“Not as bad as you thought now huh?” I comment filling the thick silence.
“No but still is my fault you fell so I might as well be the one to clean you up,” Hugo responds.
“You are so very right about being the reason I fell,” I say with a teasing smile.
“What were you doing out there anyways Mira?” he asks seriously.
“Just a whim no reason really,” I state casually.
“How come I get the feeling that you are lying to me?” Hugo counters looking at me.
“Its not worth getting into Hugo, I just like doing these things every once in the while, nothing important,” I respond.
“Mira if it was nothing important I’d think you’d be able to tell me,” he states.
“It doesn’t affect you, you don’t need to worry, thank you for cleaning my leg up though,” I say calmly as I brought my leg down from his lap, “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight,” Hugo says sounding defeated as I left his bedroom. I went back to my room at the house as quiet as a mouse as I scurried up the tree and into my open window. The next couple of days went by and my uncle announced that he and my aunt were going away for a few days. In those days I along with my cousins would be left with Hugo and the other soldiers. It really made no difference to me as they left bidding their farewells; I wished them well and went to the gardens to read my stories. As I read I wondered if those people ever took the food I had left them, curiosity getting the best of me I found myself heading in the direction of the woods.

After an hour of walking I came upon the tree and looked inside to see it was empty except for a piece of paper. On the paper was written words of thanks. I smiled clutching onto the paper feeling as though I made some difference in another one’s life. Cultural background meant nothing to me and I knew what it was like to be discriminated against by others but perhaps not to this dangerous degree. As I walked back towards the house I reread the words making my spirits feel a bit better. Before reaching the house I hid the letter in my pocket and decided to see what Wilhelm was up to.

I looked all over for Will but he was nowhere in sight, nor were the twins. Sighing I headed over to the soldier’s quarters in hopes of finding someone who knew where everyone had gone. Entering the place I immediately regretted it, seeing Bridget with both her hands on either side of Hugo’s face; being incredibly close to him as if telling a secret. Darcy was sitting with Hermann and Martin whom watched the pair. Everyone turned their attention to me and I felt hurt seeing Hugo with Bridget for some unsettling reason.

“Sorry I was looking for Will,” I say as I turned quickly and left back out the door. I didn’t understand why I was feeling this way and I hurried in no particular direction away from the quarters. My breathing hitched as I headed towards the woods again but then a hand grasp my small delicate one turning me quickly around.