The Tattooed Woman Pt. 07

The sister pulled the Captain close and began fussing over her bruised face, applying some odious foul-smelling ointment. Ashunara squirmed, "What is that ghastly stuff?"

Hildegard gripped the woman by one of her pointed ears, "Hold still damn you!"

Ashunara chuckled as the nun blushed as red as a beetroot as she realised what she'd said, "Oh, Gods Captain, I'm sorry, t'is just tiredness making me forget my place, I beg your indulgence."

"Never mind, I'll flog you later for it."

Hildegard recoiled, "What?!"

"I'm jesting. I need only look to see you're doing all you can to help. But my question remains, what is that disgusting stuff?"

"T'is a poultice made from crushed daisies and a little butter. It's good for bruising, and the wizard tried to put a healing word upon it, though neither he nor I can say if his spell was effective or no."

"Tell me, Sister, having seen our wounded do you think us able to move tomorrow, even if only a short distance?"

"Maybe, I'll be able to tell you in a moment. Take off your breeches please."

"What?"

Hildegard pointed, "Captain, your leg appears half cooked, take off your breeches and let me look at it."

Ashunara shook her head with a laugh, "You'll need to buy me dinner first wench."

"Oh?"

The novice sister glanced about and then gestured an Orc sentry to her. The creature approached curiously, and Hildegard hooked a thumb towards the Dark Elf, "The Captain is injured, and it will reduce her ability to fight unless I treat her. It might cost us a whipping, but if I ask it would you hold her down awhile for me so I can tend to her wound?"

The Orc looked at the Captain and didn't even hesitate as it nodded with what could only be described as a mischievous grin.

The nun looked at Ashunara and smiled, "Your move Captain."

"You are playing with fire Sister."

Hildegard shrugged, "I've been burned before and whipped often enough, I'm not afraid."

The Captain began tugging at the fastenings of her armour and grinned, "You win this round Hildegard, but rest assured lady, this isn't over."

The novice laughed, "Lady is it? I'm just a used-up ex-whore who got drafted into a nunnery! I'm no lady."

"We'll see."

...

Tallis woke with a groan. The crossbow bolts were still protruding from her shoulder and leg, and it hurt abominably. Something stirred alongside her, and she thought for a moment she could smell flowers and freshly fallen leaves as something bright and golden moved across her vision.

She remembered the frantic chase through the woods as she tried to lead the slaves and children through the trees and away from the clamour of battle, all the while cursing at having to abandon her companions.

She had halted as a half-dozen men emerged from the trees ahead of her. They were a rough-looking lot, wearing leather armour, and clutching wicked-looking falchions or cudgels, and some with crossbows. They grinned as they saw her and their voices were harsh, "A Darkling witch! Grab her afore she casts a spell, she's worth good coin, that one!"

Realising they were after her and might thus ignore the slaves, Tallis bolted away through the trees dodging a flurry of crossbow bolts as she ran.

A bolt took her in the shoulder, it failed to penetrate her mail, but the impact knocked her flat. She grunted in pain and staggered to her feet, just as a man crashed into her, sending them both sprawling. A second man swung at her with a club and hit her across the back, but again her mail absorbed much of the impact.

She rolled to her feet but the men pursuing her were closing and she drew her sword.

The men made to spread out around her expecting her to try and flee, but instead, she threw herself at the nearest man, who was still clutching a loaded crossbow. The weapon was less than useless at such close quarters, she shoved it aside and deftly drove her blade deep into his ribs. He grunted and went down, and she spun to meet a second human, who charged her with glittering falchion upraised.

Tallis ducked under the weapon and slashed the man across the face. He recoiled and she followed, stabbing him neatly in the gut. He collapsed and she grinned, just as a crossbow bolt from close range took her in the shoulder. It punched through her armour, and she grunted in pain as the impact drove her back a pace. A blow from a wildly swung cudgel knocked her sword from her grasp and another human grappled her from behind, wrapping his arms about her. She slammed her head back, smashing his nose and drew her dagger. The man staggered and she drove the blade into his thigh and twisted viciously. He screamed and let go, collapsing to the ground with shriek of pain as he clutched at the bloody wound.

A second bolt took the Dark Elf in the leg, knocking it out from under her and she fell heavily. Panting for breath she tried to rise but her leg wouldn't support her, and she watched as three men closed.

Spitting blood, she readied her dagger and smiled, "Who's first you bastards?"

A fourth man emerged from the woods with a loaded crossbow. He gave her an evil grin, "That would be you, bitch."

"Actually, it would be you."

The voice came from behind him, and the man never even saw the woman as she reached around him and neatly cut his throat.

He crumpled with a sodden gurgle and the other three men whirled around. There was a flicker of steel, and a blade suddenly sprouted from one man's eye, while another spun from the bushes and thudded into the throat of a second swordsman. Both men tumbled to the ground.

The third man was a great lout of a fellow, with a wild mane of dark hair, swarthy complexion and forked beard. He had only glimpsed a fleeting blur as the she-elf melted into the trees like a ghost, and he spun about, looking all around, wild-eyed and spitting with anger as he gripped the falchion in his hands and searched for her.

Suddenly he cried out in pain as Tallis stabbed him in the back of the leg. Snarling a curse he kicked her viciously in the face, knocking her sprawling back. He raised his sword with a snarl, "You fucking knife-eared whore!"

The golden-haired thing leapt onto his back with a scream, one hand wrapping in his hair as she repeatedly plunged her blade into his back with a shrill, blood-curdling shriek of rage. The man flailed about desperately as she clung on, stabbing again and again until he finally collapsed in a twitching, bloody heap.

Lily rose from the body, panting furiously, teeth bared in a snarl, and still clutching a blood-stained dagger.

Tallis looked up and grinned weakly, "I think the Captain was right. You really do have a temper..."

With a soft thump, the Dark Elf slumped face-first into the dirt.

A moment later four men burst from the trees, attracted by the screams and cries of combat. They looked with amazement and horror at the bodies strewn about the clearing.

"Dear Gods Orsin! Look at this slaughter man, there must be a horde of the dark-skinned fiends stalking about the place. We should be away before we get our throats cut. Let's be off back to the main body."

"What about them?"

The man spat, "Fuck them! I'm not loitering about here trying to bury them without shovels, nor am I carrying the heavy bastards back with us, for they would slow us down and we'd like as not end up just like them. Leave them I say!"

"Aye, you're probably right. Cael, Agron, let's go!"

The four men plunged off back into the woods and Lily stopped her whispered chant with an exhausted gasp of effort. When she had heard their approach the Sunkissed had desperately thrown herself across the body of the Dark Elf as she cast her spell, and now they both seemed to simply reappear from the undergrowth, not three feet from where one of the men had been standing.

The golden-haired girl slowly rolled onto her back with a tired groan and patted the unconscious Tallis on the side, "And now you know how I sneaked up on you," she chuckled, "or you would if you were awake."

...

Ashunara sighed in relief as the cooling balm was spread on the burns on her leg, "Ohh... That's better, you know Sister, I may let you off that flogging after all.

Hildegard grinned impishly as she began to bind a honey poultice to the burn, "Well, my arse thanks you for your kindness Captain. For what it's worth the burn looks worse than it is, painful I'm sure, but I think it will heal without scarring, and for my part, I'm glad as it's as pretty a thigh as I've seen, and it would be a shame for it to be marred with blackened skin."

The Captain chuckled, "Oho! Are you flirting with me girl? If so, you should have a care. Remember, as my slave, I can make use of you as is my pleasure, and I might not turn away a pretty girl from my bed if the opportunity, and time, avails."

Hildegard blushed but found herself smiling at the banter, "Do not flatter yourself 'Mistress', for I'm nought but gratified that my meagre skills are of some use. Besides, did you not, just a moment ago, threaten to tan my backside for insolence?"

"And I may yet you impudent wench! Though to be fair I did say that when you poked at my burn like it was some side of cooked pork. But tell me then Sister, if you are above such earthly and indecent things, why then do you still touch my leg so? One might think you had some lascivious thoughts in that pretty head of yours if I did not know better, of course."

The novice snatched back her hand as if the smooth dark skin she had absentmindedly been stroking were suddenly scalding hot, "Tis nothing! I was but... er... looking for lesions! Yes! Erm, lesions and nothing more."

Ashunara grinned, "And tell me, Hildegard, in your intimate searching of my leg, did you find any... lesions?"

"Ah, no Captain."

"Hmm, seems almost a pity... Well, I'm grateful for your kindly ministering but pleasant as this is I must be off, for duty is a far stricter mistress than any mere Captain, and my duty awaits me.

"I think, under the circumstances, I'll forgive your impertinence this time and forgo any punishment, though I do confess little Sister that the image of your shapely posterior dancing and turning a pretty shade of pink under my hand is an intriguing one. But let's save that for another day, shall we? For now, you have my thanks. So be a good lass and help me on with my mail if you please."

Hildegard watched as the Captain eventually walked away and she shook her head, cursing herself for a twit even as she watched the sway of the woman's hips, noticeable even under the mail. Hearing a snort, she turned to regard the grinning Orc standing at her side, "And you can just shut up!"

The yellow-eyed creature gave her a vulpine smirk as it sauntered off.

Ashunara stood with Varoona at her side as the Orcs gathered and set a torch to the bonfire where they had placed their fallen. The human dead were still scattered about the field lying where they had been hewn, for Orcs wasted no time or effort on dead enemies. They had been thoroughly looted, however, and any useful weapons or gear had been taken. Many of the Orcs now sported a new axe, sword, or bow, and a few wore useable bits and pieces of mail or scale armour they had scavenged. All the other gear had been piled in the bonfire to burn, for Orcs were a pragmatic and canny people and they did not leave useful supplies that might profit an enemy simply lying about.

After the fire had died a little Ashunara went and took a handful of the still smoking ash and held it tightly, ignoring the pain, as she moved to stand before the oldest of the surviving Orcs, a muscular wolf-like warrior, whose intricate scars marked him as a veteran of dozens of battles. She nodded respectfully, "Fifty of theirs for three of ours, and I still think it too many, for you are worth more to me than they. Your warriors fought bravely, and I will fight anyone who says otherwise!"

The creature nodded its thanks at her words but did not look away from the embers, and Ashunara risked her life by touching the thing on the chest as a sworn companion would for she knew one of the Orc's sons had burned in the fire behind her, "He fought well, and died hard. A good death, a warrior's death, and I never once expected otherwise."

Turning, she walked slowly away, leaving the creature to its thoughts.

...

Cassie sat by the fire nursing her wounded arm and grumbling as the tattooed woman spooned soup into her mouth, "I tell you I can feed myself, I'm not a babe!"

"Maith a dhéanann tú gearán mar aon ní amháin."

What?

"Dúirt mé, má leanann tú ag iompar mar leanbh déileálfaidh mé leat mar aon ní amháin agus cuirfidh mé thar mo ghlúin thú. Anois hush agus ith do anraith."

"Something about soup?"

The larger woman smiled, "Not bad Cassie, you're learning. I was suggesting that you should maybe think on this as my thanks for how you fed me when I was... dreaming."

Cassie looked happier, "Truly?"

The woman's eyes twinkled, "Oh, aye, indeed."

The little slave looked suspicious, but ate her soup, "I'm not sure I believe you."

"I'm wounded to the quick."

"You don't sound it."

They were interrupted as an Orc approached. The creature muttered a few words and the tall woman nodded sadly. The greenskin turned to Cassie and held out a small pouch, tied with a leather thong.

"He tells me the Orc you spoke to, the one you gave the chocolate to, was slain in the fighting. It had recounted the tale to his kin, and it seems he was quite taken by your gesture. He both admired and was amused by your bravery in speaking to him. This is his brother, and strangely he and his father wish you to have this."

She nodded to the small bag, "These are ashes from the pyre where his body was burned. It's a sad honour Cassie, but it is an honour."

"But why?"

The woman smiled, "He thought you were brave. Not one of the other slaves had spoken to any of them, and they cowered if the Orcs drew close. You didn't, and I think it tickled him that one so small displayed such courage when others among us were so fearful."

Cassie stared at the small token in the Orc's hand and felt a tear trickling down her cheek, "D-did it like the chocolate?"

The older woman spoke a few words and the massive Orc crouched in front of the girl and nodded as it pressed the small leather bag into her hand and uttered a reply.

"He says his brother enjoyed it very much for he had never tasted such a thing before."

The Tattooed woman reached and placed a hand over Cassie's chest as she spoke a few more words and the Orc rose, nodded and walked off without a second glance. The young slave looked at the taller woman enquiringly.

"I said you would wear the bag over your heart and think of the Orc if you ever needed courage."

Cassie stared at the small pouch in her hand for a long time before looking up at the woman by her side, "Can you help me tie it please?"

The woman smiled, "I'd be honoured."

...

Lily wept with relief when Tallis finally woke. The crossbow bolts had been fired from close range and had punched through even the adamantine reinforced links of her Dark Elven mail and sunk deep. The woman had leaked blood like a sieve, it seeped through her hauberk and soaked her leggings, and the rogue's skill as an apothecary was so meagre that she had been unable to do anything save try and plug the wounds with handfuls of moss and bits of cloth torn from her chemise and wadded into crude bandages. She knew that if she pulled out the crossbow bolts, she would like as not kill the girl, and trying to drag her away to the camp, assuming she could find it, would almost certainly do the same.

The Sunkissed Elf fretted as she considered going to search for some kind of help, but the thought of leaving Tallis lying helpless in the woods, given there could still be foes about dissuaded her. For that same reason, she dared not light a fire.

She had doffed what little gear she was carrying when she took off after the Dark Elf and so had no blanket to cover her, nor rations to feed her, assuming she woke that is, though she still had a waterskin that hung from her shoulders on a leather strap.

Finding something to eat would present little problem to the Elf, for if need be she could climb trees to hunt for eggs, or dig up edible roots, and her knives would suffice for any small game she came across. Looking about she saw Tallis' sabre lying among the leaves and picked it up, grimacing at the blood that was spattered on the blade. She swept it about a little before grimacing, "Too long, too heavy, too extravagant, soo typically Dark Elven. Not bad balance though." She wiped the engraved blade clean and put it next to the wounded girl.

As it grew dark it also grew cold, and Tallis began to shiver so Lily had lain alongside the wounded girl, wrapping her arms around her for warmth and listening to her soft breathing, terrified she would pass away in her sleep. The thought of losing Tallis frightened her more than she had ever thought possible, and she found herself begging the girl to stir as warm tears trickled down her cheeks, but the Dark Elf just lay there as still and pale as a corpse.

Eventually, she grew angry as the tears continued to flow, "You better not leave me here alone! Not after dragging me all the way here in chains and... and making me feel this way about you! If you do, I'll.... I'll be really angry with you, I'm warning you! Please, Tallis! Please don't go and leave me here. I've never met anyone like you, and... a-and, I think... maybe, I might be falling in love with you, so, please, come back to me."

Lily lay there throughout the night, clinging to the Dark Elf, listening to her quiet breathing, and the howling of wolves in the distance. Sometimes she wept over the girl, and sometimes she cursed her, but eventually, she succumbed to bone-deep fatigue, and she slept fitfully, lying in the small clearing with only Tallis and the dead for company.

The sun slithered over the mountains, and light trickled across the Great Forest. Wolves and other creatures of the dark slinked back to their dens while the daytime fauna crept from their bowers. The morning was cold, with a light frost decorating the moss. A chill wind sighed through the trees causing branches and leaves to creak and rustle ominously. Given the angry dark clouds, she could see gathering it looked to the girl that a storm was brewing up in the mountains, which means rain or snow would fall in the woods below. Exposure to such weather would surely be the death of Tallis given her condition.

In desperation, Lily decided to fashion a travois and risk moving the wounded Dark Elf. She spent a few minutes gathering the necessary bits of wood before slipping off her leggings and using her knife to slice them into strips to tie the contraption together, all the while muttering and swearing angrily to herself.

"I don't know why I bother! Here I am, in this wet, shitty, freezing, bloody forest, hiding from angry humans, half-naked, wearing almost nothing but my damned knickers and half a shirt, trying to save the life of a Dark Elf, who wanted to enslave me in the first place! I must be as mad as a bag of frogs! I blame that bastard swordsman! It was his idea to go to that stupid inn. "It'll be fine," he said, "we'll just have a pint of ale," he said. What an absolute fucking buffoon!"

She continued like that for a while, cursing herself, the weather, Tallis, the swordsman, humans in general, and the dead ones lying about specifically...

Tallis's eyes flickered open, and she took in the shapely posterior of the Sunkissed Elf as she bent over the travois she was devising, "Nice view."

Lily gasped when she heard the girl's pained whisper and she almost threw herself at Tallis, only barely stopping herself from dragging her into a tight embrace when she remembered the bolts that impaled her. She settled for kissing the woman passionately instead.