05-17-2023, 10:36 PM
"Keep pressure on it until the bleeding stops. It doesn't look serious but once we get back we'll have a doctor make sure." His reassurance over the matter gave her room to breathe and pause. She still didn't allow her gaze to slip to the injury least her mind over fabricate. She would merely push the stray strands of hair from the clotting as it sought to engulf them and tangle them further. She would readjust the makeshift bandage within her fingers before once again pressing it to the slice.
However, her later question would go without answer for a long period. She did nothing to alleviate the pressure of it, merely settling upon the ground with the knife to cut away another strip of her dress, cleaner and drier than what she currently used. Her gaze would only swivel to him on occasion as she continued to to hack away at the lengthy train, enough to properly bind the wound for the time being. She didn't want to be caught unawares should another hired blade seek to end their lives. Despite her never having wielded a pistol before, the basic instruction was enough she supposed. They were deadly as well, a single blast enough to diffuse the intent of the first to threaten their wellbeing. If her good hand was free, she could use it.
"She's there at the estate..." he finally spoke and she would allow a cursory glance to turn in his direction as she began to briefly scan the area. She listened intently as she found what it was she sought, the soft nettles with their tiny purple flowers almost impossible to see in the dim light of the moon alone. It was the glissade of her fingertips which had properly identified them. The blade would cull them, gathering them into her good hand where she would roll them against her fingertips until the precious oils would begin to bead upon their bruised and wilting stems. "Trapped in her bed all alone. I couldn't say hello to her. I couldn't... I couldn't even go into her room for fear of worsening her condition." she would watch him slide down the face of the carriage, his mismatched eyes anywhere but upon her. Did he know she was quietly judging him, his sincerity? After all, she assumed he would understand. The last year of her life being a fabrication, or weighing against his words now. She knew he spoke the truth, and yet she wanted any reason now to believe he didn't.
That these horrible happenings didn't truly belong to her.
"Mother said the money from the marriage will go to her cure. If anyone found out you weren't her... that's why I didn't tell you more until we were alone and far away from the estate. I couldn't risk Arabella... dying." For some reason, that stung just as well. "So that's why you w-were so cold and cruel a-and just mean." There was a part of her that wanted to return that now, to give him the same malicious treatment she had initially received from him. But alas, she couldn't. "I'm sorry."
He still didn't look at her, and she didn't care. In fact, she managed a small, bitter laugh. "D-d-d.." Frustration tore at her. "Don't. Be sorry now." Actually, she was grateful he didn't as tears threatened her stare once again. Because no matter how much her mind screamed to repay kind with kind, she couldn't bring her heart to warp so. Because as her fingers secured the last knot, she would swallow the one in her throat. She would force her voice to stay as calm as possible. Her words would become sharply punctuated, slow as she spoke. After all, she knew how badly he loathed to hear her stammer. "Then no one will find out." She said simply, finally turning the ice of her stare to his as he merely looked to the sky. "I'll marry the damn goat." The admittance of her brief meeting with the man spoken through equally grit teeth as she forced the timbres of rage into her vocals so that the tears wouldn't overwhelm her.
Because she'd rather be angry.
Because it was easier to be angry.
"So your miserable, greedy family can have their fucking money. She would dust the small debris from the severed plants she'd used as a substitute for proper antiseptic from her wounded shoulder. "Because I already told you. The wolf queen is dead." Because she didn't want that sickly frail girl to die too.
However, her later question would go without answer for a long period. She did nothing to alleviate the pressure of it, merely settling upon the ground with the knife to cut away another strip of her dress, cleaner and drier than what she currently used. Her gaze would only swivel to him on occasion as she continued to to hack away at the lengthy train, enough to properly bind the wound for the time being. She didn't want to be caught unawares should another hired blade seek to end their lives. Despite her never having wielded a pistol before, the basic instruction was enough she supposed. They were deadly as well, a single blast enough to diffuse the intent of the first to threaten their wellbeing. If her good hand was free, she could use it.
"She's there at the estate..." he finally spoke and she would allow a cursory glance to turn in his direction as she began to briefly scan the area. She listened intently as she found what it was she sought, the soft nettles with their tiny purple flowers almost impossible to see in the dim light of the moon alone. It was the glissade of her fingertips which had properly identified them. The blade would cull them, gathering them into her good hand where she would roll them against her fingertips until the precious oils would begin to bead upon their bruised and wilting stems. "Trapped in her bed all alone. I couldn't say hello to her. I couldn't... I couldn't even go into her room for fear of worsening her condition." she would watch him slide down the face of the carriage, his mismatched eyes anywhere but upon her. Did he know she was quietly judging him, his sincerity? After all, she assumed he would understand. The last year of her life being a fabrication, or weighing against his words now. She knew he spoke the truth, and yet she wanted any reason now to believe he didn't.
That these horrible happenings didn't truly belong to her.
"Mother said the money from the marriage will go to her cure. If anyone found out you weren't her... that's why I didn't tell you more until we were alone and far away from the estate. I couldn't risk Arabella... dying." For some reason, that stung just as well. "So that's why you w-were so cold and cruel a-and just mean." There was a part of her that wanted to return that now, to give him the same malicious treatment she had initially received from him. But alas, she couldn't. "I'm sorry."
He still didn't look at her, and she didn't care. In fact, she managed a small, bitter laugh. "D-d-d.." Frustration tore at her. "Don't. Be sorry now." Actually, she was grateful he didn't as tears threatened her stare once again. Because no matter how much her mind screamed to repay kind with kind, she couldn't bring her heart to warp so. Because as her fingers secured the last knot, she would swallow the one in her throat. She would force her voice to stay as calm as possible. Her words would become sharply punctuated, slow as she spoke. After all, she knew how badly he loathed to hear her stammer. "Then no one will find out." She said simply, finally turning the ice of her stare to his as he merely looked to the sky. "I'll marry the damn goat." The admittance of her brief meeting with the man spoken through equally grit teeth as she forced the timbres of rage into her vocals so that the tears wouldn't overwhelm her.
Because she'd rather be angry.
Because it was easier to be angry.
"So your miserable, greedy family can have their fucking money. She would dust the small debris from the severed plants she'd used as a substitute for proper antiseptic from her wounded shoulder. "Because I already told you. The wolf queen is dead." Because she didn't want that sickly frail girl to die too.
