Inktober Days 20 & 22: Frost & Scratchy

 Chapter 17

Jon and Tabitha looked at one another after Wendell had asked his question. It was Jon who spoke first.

“So, it is true?” He did not seem surprised, but sad. It seemed to Magda like he already knew all about it but did not want to believe it. “What have you seen?” he asked.

So, Wendell and Magda told them all that had befallen them, though they did leave out the part about Magda being the princess from Tìrcuhachd. When they were done their story, Jon sighed and Tabitha looked stricken. She looked toward her husband.

“So,” she said. “So, those...things...are they his?”

“What things?” Wendell asked.

“They come at night and terrorize our sheep of late,” Jon said. “We do not know proper what they are. All we know is we hear strange sounds in the fields once every couple of weeks. Sometimes, we find a sheep or two hurt or dead.” Tabitha nodded at his side as he spoke. “Once, my Tabby saw a dark shape moving fast across the field when she went to get some firewood late at night. She didn’t look back, but came right in. Slept with a knife under me pillow that night.”

“But they’ve never harmed you?” Magda asked. “What are they?”

“We don’t right know,” Tabitha said. “But with what you’ve just told us, I shudder to think.” 

No one spoke for a minute. Then, Wendell began to rise and Magda noticed for the first time, a bandage had been wrapped around his thigh.

“Oh, don’t get up sir,” Tabitha said, rising from her seat and waving her hands fretfully at Wendell. “You’ll be needing time to heal before you can be going.”

“I thank you for your kindness,” Wendell said. “But we cannot tarry long. We must return to our land with as much haste as we can muster.”

“You won’t be mustering much haste in that state,” Jon said firmly. “You’ll stay here. At least tonight. The first frost is setting in, and it doesn’t do to be out of doors.”

“We could not put you out,” Wendell said. “You have shown us kindness above what is expected already.”

“Nonsense,” Tabitha said, waving her hands. “You won’t put us out.”

“You can sleep in the barn, if you rather,” Jon said. As Wendell considered this, Magda tugged on his arm.

“I’m so tired, and you’re hurt.” She put on her most pathetic face. Her father always said he could not say no to his little girl when she looked like that. Her mother was less prone to this particular weakness. She was hoping Wendell was more like her father.

He sighed and smiled weakly at her. “Alright,” he said, and looked back at their hosts. “You have our gratitude.” Tabitha beamed at them, and Jon rose from his chair.

“Well,” Jon said. “We had better get you set up then.”

With that, Wendell and Magda followed Jon and Tabitha out into the yard.

Once they reached the barn, Jon lit a lantern hanging by the door. Magda looked around and decided it was really more like a shed. It consisted of a single stall fit for a horse, a larger penned area, and room outside these enclosures where tools were hung, and hay was piled in the corner.

Magda smiled when she saw the horse they had ridden here in the stall, munching on hay. The saddle they had taken was hung on the wall with the gardening tools. She approached the horse to stroke its mane.

“We’ll bring some blankets out for the two of you,” Tabitha said. “Spread out the hay in whatever way suits you.”

Magda and Wendell set about spreading the hay out so that they could both fit. It was nothing like her bed at home, but it would be a pleasant respite after those nights spent on forest floors.

After a couple of minutes, Jon and Tabitha returned, laden with three blankets, and then left again, leaving Wendell and Magda to settle in for the night.

Wendell directed Magda to sleep against the wall, away from the door, so she climbed over the pile of hay to lie down there. Wendell blew the light out in the lantern before settling down as well.

They lay there for a few moments before Magda said, “What if those things come tonight?”

“They do not seem to have been interested in the humans indoors, rather the sheep in the field.” That did not make Magda feel better. After a moment, Wendell spoke again. “I would protect you, my lady.”

Magda did not mention that his injury made her wonder whether he would be able to protect her.

“What are we going to do now?” she asked. “Where will we go?” She tried to look at Wendell’s face, but it was pitch dark in the little barn. She thought for a moment he might already be asleep, but then he answered.

“Home,” he said. “We have no other choice.” She did not say anything for a while. She was scared, and she gripped the dagger she had been carrying tightly in her hands. She closed her eyes, knowing sleep would do her good, but the hay was scratchy, and it poked her arms and neck so much, she was not sure she would be able to fall asleep. She tucked the dagger under the hay beside her and tried to relax.

Her thoughts returned to her mother and father. Where were they? Did her father succeed in rescuing her mother? If so, why had the toad monster mentioned him as well? Did he already know him? Or was he also captured? Magda could not shake the fear that it was the latter.

If that were the case, should they not pursue them? Should they not try to help them? On the other hand, what could they do? Though Wendell had taken the sentry’s sword, he was unarmored and injured. Wendell seemed to have made up his mind, and Magda could not argue with the rationality of it, but she was torn. How could she return home without her parents? Maybe Wendell would send out a rescue party right away. Or maybe she was already an orphan. 

Magda could feel herself starting to cry. Warm tears trailed down her cheeks and onto her neck, making her neckerchief damp. But she could not care. All her thoughts were with her parents.

Whether Wendell was asleep or he did not know what to say, Magda did not know, but either way she felt very alone in that moment. She tried to recall the words to her mother’s songs, and she sang them very quietly to herself.

And then she felt warmth on her brow.