Running To You

A Safe Place

"Poor girl, treated so badly. Better get her fixed up." Marcella heard kind voices speaking. Opening her eyes, she saw her Mama and Papa. Papa reached down to pick her up and he carried her the way he used to when she was a little girl. She relaxed in his arms, letting herself be gently placed on a soft bed. Mama spoke, "I'll go heat some milk. When she wakes up, she might be hungry." Marcella smiled. Home again and her family wasn't angry! She could scarce believe her luck, but lay still, her body aching. She wondered where Felix and Merseio were. Softly, she asked for them. Papa called for someone and she heard Mama's voice. " She said someone's name," Papa explained. Marcella sat up. Didn't they recognize their own children's names? "Felix and Merseio," she told them again. She felt dizzy. She heard them talking, but couldn't see their faces. "Do you think they might be family? We can ask Chadron to ask around tomorrow," Mama said. Who was Chadron? Where were her siblings? She heard them talking again. Marcella smelled the milk and felt the cup on her bottom lip.

Startlingly green eyes looked into her own. Marcella jerked back, her Mama had round, brown eyes. The stranger's eyes were almond-shaped, framed by a pale face. The woman smiled kindly, saying, "You've come around! No need to be startled, now, darling." Marcella was too disappointed at not being at home to say anything. She looked from the woman to the man and back again. " I see you're a bit flustered. We found you in an alley. You seemed pretty bad after that fight at the inn," the lady explained. Realization washed over Marcella, who gulped nervously. "Am I in trouble?" she asked, looking towards the man. He looked vaguely similar to one of the men who interrupted the fight.

"Not you, little lady," he rumbled. "Rather the scum who took a chance on you are." Marcella's lip nearly curled, but she controlled her face. The woman laughed and instructed the man to tell the whole story, while Marcella drank the milk.

"Me boy and I were just at the inn to trade our pears for some of the coneys that a lad had caught," he began, "when all suddenly we hear the scream of a murdered man. All inside was shocked, reckoning the fight that started outside had gone to far. I was first out the door, but I wasn't expecting to see a girl holding a knife to a pack of the hired workers. They aren't from around here, see. They come during harvest or planting time.

"Now I saw you take off and realized they were up to something. Chadron and I managed to wrestle them into talking. Such men talk much, when in a chokehold." he grinned briefly, before rumbling on. "That's how we figured out that you were innocent, so the Missus told me to find you, before anyone else did." He glanced at the woman and Marcella understood. They were a married couple. She saw that they loved one another and a sliver of sadness struck her heart. "When you feel better, we will take you to the inn, where the healer can attend you tomorrow," the woman informed her. " for now, rest."

Marcella surfaced only when she heard a door creak. She opened her eyes to see a young man come in. In his hand, he held her bag, which looked rather dusty. He looked around the room and his eyes fell on Marcella. He nodded at her, but made no comment. By the time he had wrestled his boots off and hung up his coat, the strange woman and man had come into the room. The woman spoke, "Please meet our son, Chadron. I am Reha and my husband is Parthal."

Marcella stood up to greet them properly. "Pleasure to meet you, my name is Marcella..." she hesitated, "Dubhaill." She did not think her last name could expose her so far out in the country. These people were kind and hopefully, clueless. She noticed Chadron squint at her, but only for a moment.

They proceeded to make arrangements for her to stay at the inn. The healer would be called the next day to check on everyone involved. Chadron had retrieved Marcella's bag from one of her attackers. He was the one who had reported the incident to the "mayor" that evening. The mayor was not impressed to be woken up dealt with them swiftly. The hired workers were sleeping in the town outhouse, that doubled as a jail. Seeing as Marcella had no money to pay for her stay, the landlady would require Marcella to work as long as she stayed on. Marcella could look for employment as a nursemaid among the surrounding farms when she was not working at the inn. Reha gave her another cup of warm milk and then told Chadron to lead Marcella back to the inn.

Chadron slung Marcella's bag over his shoulder and took her arm over his shoulders, supporting her. Marcella was relieved, as her ankle still screamed with pain. She thanked Reha and Parthal for their kindness and then she and Chadron were off. It was surprising to be on a country road again. She had expected to still be in town. When she mentioned this to Chadron, he just nodded. Only the call of a grey-go-away bird that startled Marcella evoked a chuckle from Chadron. They were just around a bend in the road when Chadron scooped Marcella up in his arms. "What on earth?" Marcella asked. She was not entirely comfortable with this person she had just met.

"It will take too long, limping along," Chadron answered.

"It is not my fault!" Marcella was offended.

"Never said so."

Marcella huffed irritability, but was resisting the heat she felt in her cheeks. She was about to insist that he put her down, when Chadron plunged into the plants. Marcella squeaked in surprise, clinging to him. "What on earth?" she demanded. Chadron looked down at her and Marcella swore he was smirking. "That's all you can say?" he teased.

"I can say a lot more and do a lot more if my head would stop throbbing and my ears would stop ringing long enough for me to think!" she exclaimed. Feeling foolish for her own outburst, she apologized, "I'm sorry that wasn't ladylike."

"Neither was stabbing a few men, " Chadron replied. Marcella looked up, brows drawn, but saw that Chadron was smiling at her. For only a heartbeat, everything felt right. The ripe plants curved around them, crickets chirping softly. The wind made the field sway and whisper, like they knew some secret. Chadron was warm and smelled like the rich soil around them. Maybe it was okay to not always be ladylike. Maybe some people wouldn't mind that she was actually smart and strong.

Marcella's caravan of thoughts was lost whe they emerged from the field. The little village was quiet, with a block of light stamped on the ground outside the inn door. Chadron gently put Marcella down and they continued as they had begun. Marcella was almost sad to arrive at the inn. He handed her the canvas satchel and began to leave.

"Wait," she called. "I have something for you." Chadron retraced his steps to where Marcella stood. She carefully extracted three of the pastries that were not crushed. She wrapped them in a clean handkerchief and handed them to him. Chadron peeked at the pastries and asked, "Were these for a special occasion?"

"They were for an occasion that didn't happen," she mumbled. "They're to say thank you, now."

Chadron smiled and walked back to the fields. Marcella picked up her bag and hobbled to the door. She did not know that a ceartain farm boy watched her enter safely, before making his way home.

The painting above is called "The Path Home" by Phillys London. I love the style and it's kind of what the path looks like that Marcella and Chadron walked on. The gate is Parthalon and Reha's gate. This chapter was much slower than my others because I'm trying to add details and not rush the story too much. Thanks so much for reading!

Lots of love 

tenrectushie ❤️