Print

The rustling of the underbrush caught his attention. He looked up hurriedly, his fingers itching towards the axe that lay nearby on the earth. “Who is there?”

Ladimira tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear as she stepped timidly into view. “I, uh…I heard splashing.”

Halan relaxed. “Ah. Well, I am sorry I woke you.” He turned back to his washing without saying anything else.

“Um…well, goodnight, then.” Ladimira waved awkwardly, turned, and began walking back to the camp.

“Goodnight.” Halan did not turn to look at her for a few moments. But when he did, he found her looking back as well. Their eyes met. Ladimira smiled, blushing, and hurried away.

● ● ●

“You think too loudly, brother.” Kassandra laughed, taking a seat across from him around the morning fire.

He raised an eyebrow in response. “Pardon?”

“If you like her—”

“Kassandra!” Halan glanced around nervously to find Ladimira asleep and Naiosa in the distance, staring at that knife again.

“—then just tell her.” She sized him up in one look and nodded. “Yes. You are neither old, fat, conceited, nor miserable, as far as I can tell.” Kassandra contained her laughter with effort and smiled. “Just tell her, Halan.”

He sighed. “I cannot do that, Kassandra. What would I say to her?”

Kassandra shrugged and rose to her feet, brushing off the legs of her pants. “Whatever it was that you thought last night.” She cast him a smile and then went to wake her friend.

“Ladimira,” Kassandra said as she knelt and poked her friend in the arm. “Wake up. Doctor’s orders.”

The woman groaned. “Must I?” Nevertheless, Ladimira rolled over and sat up groggily.

Kassandra pulled her to her feet and led her to Halan, who was rummaging through his pack. “Here is your patient.” She smiled and walked away, feeling rather chipper—more than she usually did.

“G’morning,” Ladimira muttered, wringing her hands together nervously as she took a seat beside Halan.

Having retrieved clean bandages and the bottle of ointment from his bag, Halan looked up and caught her eye. “Morning.” He shifted so that he sat behind her and carefully began peeling the bloodied bandage away. “This will likely hurt,” he warned. She nodded, and he tore the bandage away swiftly.

Ladimira held her breath as the bandage came free, but the pain was minimal. “Did you, um…did you sleep well?” she ventured.

“Honestly?” he spread the salve onto her skin as gently as the roughness of his hands would allow. “I hardly slept at all.”

“Why is that?” Ladimira asked, clenching her fists tightly as the fiery pain spread across her skin, trying to keep the conversation alive.

“Sorry.” Halan shrugged. “I just needed time to think, I suppose. My mind was not on sleep last night.”

Ladimira relaxed as he began bandaging the wound up again. “Where was it?”

Halan paused, wondering if he should say. Somewhere in the distance, Kassandra began coughing.