Right Where We Belong
Thea
I woke up feeling sick to my stomach. I rolled over and heaved on the floor, unable to resist the urge as liquid and bile spilled from my lips. Rolling onto my back I groaned and tried to ignore the smell no permeating the room and focusing on the ache that I had caused to radiate through my shoulder. No one was there, this time, to replace the clothe that had slipped from my forehead. Looking around the room, I was beginning to doubt my first theory.
There was no way this was a hospital.
The sound of men running quickly on the other side of the door jerked me from that realization. I swallowed heavily and tried to push myself up with my good arm. The work was slow and hard causing sweat to break out along my forehead. Something wasn't right here. I needed to know what it was. I had to know where I was. More importantly, were my sisters nearby? Jamie would be terrified even if Annie was with her. She would need me. I had to get to her.
There was a yell outside of OPEN THE GATES. A part of me wanted to know what was happening. Another part didn't care. I could use this time while they were focused on whatever was going on outside to get out and start to search for my sisters. I might have been weak, but that wouldn't stop me if they needed me which I was afraid they did.
My legs felt weak as I shoved the thick furry blanket from them and looked down at them. They didn't look weak. I hadn't been asleep that long had I? The thought sent a tingle down my spine. I could only hope that I hadn't. Jamie needed me. I reminded myself of that as I forced my legs over the side of the bed and pushed myself up. I had forgotten one very important factor. As my feet hit the ground, my hand using the chair back next to the bed to push me forward, I stepped into the slick puddle of stomach remains I had delivered to the floor and found myself falling.
Clenching my eyes and body I fell hard on my good shoulder, letting out a whimper behind a bitten lip as I lay there, not wanting to move. I looked up and watched the door longingly. I could try and get up, but I was afraid now. What would happen if I tried to stand again? Did I have the strength. "I'm sorry Jamie," I whispered hoping that maybe she could feel at least a touch of the regret that I was sending to her with my heart. My eyes stayed on the door instead and I waited, wondering if anyone would remember I existed.
I listened as men passed the room. Some were running, some walking at a leisurely pace. Men shouted and spoke in whispers. Never once did I hear a woman's voice. I wasn't sure whether to be more afraid because of that or just accept it as a fact. Could this place have anything to do with the dream that I had had, watching my sisters disappear. I shook my head. That couldn't have been reality. Monsters didn't exist.
Neither do wooden barricades with men who sit at your side to care for you, my mind reminded me.
The door opened. "You should not have left her alone cousin," a woman snapped. My eyes flew open and I looked up to see three figures standing in the doorway. The woman had long blonde hair and wore a brown dress with a silver belt and split skirts. A look of shock had stolen over her face along with the two men who stood behind her, tall, broad, and blonde. She recovered first, however and moved over to me quickly. An arm reached around my shoulder and pulled me up so that my head and shoulders were lying in her lap. She reached out and placed a firm, but gentle hand on my forehead. "It seems as if the fever you told us about has broken completely. Any thanks to you?" The words were snide and almost bitter as they were directed at one of the two men, both of whom were recovering.
"Hold your tongue sister," the bearded of the two admonished the woman gently, his cheeks flushing slightly as he looked away from me. I looked down and saw the the skirt I was wearing had hiked up to my knees. What was wrong with that? "Theodred may be our cousin but he is still the king's heir. You will show him the proper respect."
The third man spoke up next waving his hand dismissively. His eyes were averted as well. "Éowyn is the healer amongst us Éomer. You know it as well as I. I take no offense to her questions. She has a right to them. Besides, I should not have left," I knew his voice. I recognized them from the few times I had awoken in pain unable to open my eyes and see. Now I knew his name and could see his face clearly. Theodred...
"Please forgive me for my fault lady. I hope that you were not hurt falling from abed."
I opened my mouth to speak, but found no words would come out. No sound even. Instead, I managed to shake my head, the thought not occurring to me that he wouldn't hear me until a few moments later.
"She slipped," the woman, Éowyn, explained looking at the mess of puke that covered my legs and the floor. "She'll need a new room and a bath. Water as well. She's parched." Her orders were terse and the bearded male gave her a hard look before sighing and nodding.
"Alright, alright," he relented. Moving into the room and around the other side of the bed, I lost sight of him. "Éowyn," he said coming back around the bed and holding a jug out to her. She took it without question and waited a moment for the wooden bowl that went with it to be given to her as well. Pouring a little water into it, she worked slowly to tip the bowl against my lips so that the water could slip between my lips and slide down my throat taking with it the taste of bile.
"Can you speak now?" Éowyn asked pulling the bowl away and holding it out for one of the two males to take.
"Yes," I croaked the word out, but it was understandable. I took that as a small victory even as I looked between the three people. "Where am I?" I forced out even as the woman's look turned to a dark scowl. "Who are you? Where are my sisters?"
The three blondes exchanged a look before Theodred finally spoke up. "You were found alone my lady. If your sisters were near, they hid or felt. I am most sorry." I didn't believe it. I refused to believe it. Annie and Jamie wouldn't leave me. They would never leave me. It didn't stop the tears from biting at my eyes though. And it didn't stop those same tears from rolling down my cheeks in pain and misery.
There was no way this was a hospital.
The sound of men running quickly on the other side of the door jerked me from that realization. I swallowed heavily and tried to push myself up with my good arm. The work was slow and hard causing sweat to break out along my forehead. Something wasn't right here. I needed to know what it was. I had to know where I was. More importantly, were my sisters nearby? Jamie would be terrified even if Annie was with her. She would need me. I had to get to her.
There was a yell outside of OPEN THE GATES. A part of me wanted to know what was happening. Another part didn't care. I could use this time while they were focused on whatever was going on outside to get out and start to search for my sisters. I might have been weak, but that wouldn't stop me if they needed me which I was afraid they did.
My legs felt weak as I shoved the thick furry blanket from them and looked down at them. They didn't look weak. I hadn't been asleep that long had I? The thought sent a tingle down my spine. I could only hope that I hadn't. Jamie needed me. I reminded myself of that as I forced my legs over the side of the bed and pushed myself up. I had forgotten one very important factor. As my feet hit the ground, my hand using the chair back next to the bed to push me forward, I stepped into the slick puddle of stomach remains I had delivered to the floor and found myself falling.
Clenching my eyes and body I fell hard on my good shoulder, letting out a whimper behind a bitten lip as I lay there, not wanting to move. I looked up and watched the door longingly. I could try and get up, but I was afraid now. What would happen if I tried to stand again? Did I have the strength. "I'm sorry Jamie," I whispered hoping that maybe she could feel at least a touch of the regret that I was sending to her with my heart. My eyes stayed on the door instead and I waited, wondering if anyone would remember I existed.
I listened as men passed the room. Some were running, some walking at a leisurely pace. Men shouted and spoke in whispers. Never once did I hear a woman's voice. I wasn't sure whether to be more afraid because of that or just accept it as a fact. Could this place have anything to do with the dream that I had had, watching my sisters disappear. I shook my head. That couldn't have been reality. Monsters didn't exist.
Neither do wooden barricades with men who sit at your side to care for you, my mind reminded me.
The door opened. "You should not have left her alone cousin," a woman snapped. My eyes flew open and I looked up to see three figures standing in the doorway. The woman had long blonde hair and wore a brown dress with a silver belt and split skirts. A look of shock had stolen over her face along with the two men who stood behind her, tall, broad, and blonde. She recovered first, however and moved over to me quickly. An arm reached around my shoulder and pulled me up so that my head and shoulders were lying in her lap. She reached out and placed a firm, but gentle hand on my forehead. "It seems as if the fever you told us about has broken completely. Any thanks to you?" The words were snide and almost bitter as they were directed at one of the two men, both of whom were recovering.
"Hold your tongue sister," the bearded of the two admonished the woman gently, his cheeks flushing slightly as he looked away from me. I looked down and saw the the skirt I was wearing had hiked up to my knees. What was wrong with that? "Theodred may be our cousin but he is still the king's heir. You will show him the proper respect."
The third man spoke up next waving his hand dismissively. His eyes were averted as well. "Éowyn is the healer amongst us Éomer. You know it as well as I. I take no offense to her questions. She has a right to them. Besides, I should not have left," I knew his voice. I recognized them from the few times I had awoken in pain unable to open my eyes and see. Now I knew his name and could see his face clearly. Theodred...
"Please forgive me for my fault lady. I hope that you were not hurt falling from abed."
I opened my mouth to speak, but found no words would come out. No sound even. Instead, I managed to shake my head, the thought not occurring to me that he wouldn't hear me until a few moments later.
"She slipped," the woman, Éowyn, explained looking at the mess of puke that covered my legs and the floor. "She'll need a new room and a bath. Water as well. She's parched." Her orders were terse and the bearded male gave her a hard look before sighing and nodding.
"Alright, alright," he relented. Moving into the room and around the other side of the bed, I lost sight of him. "Éowyn," he said coming back around the bed and holding a jug out to her. She took it without question and waited a moment for the wooden bowl that went with it to be given to her as well. Pouring a little water into it, she worked slowly to tip the bowl against my lips so that the water could slip between my lips and slide down my throat taking with it the taste of bile.
"Can you speak now?" Éowyn asked pulling the bowl away and holding it out for one of the two males to take.
"Yes," I croaked the word out, but it was understandable. I took that as a small victory even as I looked between the three people. "Where am I?" I forced out even as the woman's look turned to a dark scowl. "Who are you? Where are my sisters?"
The three blondes exchanged a look before Theodred finally spoke up. "You were found alone my lady. If your sisters were near, they hid or felt. I am most sorry." I didn't believe it. I refused to believe it. Annie and Jamie wouldn't leave me. They would never leave me. It didn't stop the tears from biting at my eyes though. And it didn't stop those same tears from rolling down my cheeks in pain and misery.