Maybe it was the absence of Luthias's rough hand shaking me awake. Maybe it was the sudden chilly draft that blew through the tent. Maybe I had been on the verge of a nightmare and I had jolted awake before the image could be seared into my scarred mind. I jolted awake, my heart pounding and the bullet wound screaming in pain from the sudden movement. My belly was also flaming.
I also realized I had another dilemma. There was a chamber pot nearby, but it was far enough away that it would take some effort to get to. Sighing, I struggled to close the three-foot gap. Standing made me feel sick and dizzy, but I managed to stay upright just long enough. With some difficulty due to my sore shoulder, I managed to get my trousers down and prayed that no one would walk in here. I had just gotten back in bed when Heinrich appeared.
"What were you doing up?" he scolded.
"Why was the chamber pot where I couldn't get to it?" I retorted.
He shrugged.
"I didn't put it way over there…you are finished with it, right?"
I tried not to laugh mainly because it hurt too much. Heinrich was painfully bashful—but at least he was being respectful of me. Red-faced and relieved to be off that subject, he pulled something out of his cloth bag.
"I found your Bible," he said, placing it in my hands. While he was digging around in the bag, I examined it. It had a plain leather cover, but it was clearly brand new. The imprint of a cross had been pressed into the spine. The crisp white pages with their black print almost seemed to glow in the dim light of the tent.
"We also brought back a few other treats. Even old Higgins says we'd have never survived this mess without you."
Heinrich placed a box of chocolates in my lap.
"Please forgive me, but there are two or three missing," he said sheepishly, "it's been months since I've eaten anything sweet."
"You're forgiven," I teased, patting him on the head like a dog, "here, have another. I don't mind."
He didn't need a second invitation. His eyes closed after cramming another one into his thin little mouth and he almost seemed to shiver in pleasure. It was the funniest thing I had ever seen.
"I want a girl who reminds me of this chocolate," he said when he'd swallowed, "then I'd never let her go."
"Good luck," I laughed, "last I heard, all the ones around here are tart-flavored!"
Heinrich's fit of laughter seemed to echo.
"Well, now, you're in an awfully humorous mood for having been shot and stabbed in the same day," he said when he could finally breathe again.
"I'd much rather be easily amused than never amused at all," I answered.
"Here. Luthias got you another uniform with no bullet-holes. He thinks this one should fit you a little better."
I examined it. It seemed fairly new and there were indeed no bullet holes.
"How am I supposed to change?" I asked.
"Well…it's not necessary right now is it?"
I shook my head. Heinrich was never going to cut it in a marriage. He tried to act very tough and macho and demeaning to women around others, but it was a very weak act to me. I didn't doubt that Luthias could see through it as well.
"Also, Luthias told me to tell you he would be back soon. He's having a word with Higgins about his weak defenses. It might take a while," Heinrich joked.
