The Maiden's Moon

19

But how?

Rusalka stared up at him in shock and disbelief. Her body felt like mush, weak and jiggly. She wanted to laugh and cry. He had come for her. He wasn't dead. He was human. She leapt up from the ground and captured him to her chest, a new round of tears pouring from her eyes.

"But how? And..." She couldn't find the words. She only sobbed against his bare shoulder; the bristle of his stubble tickled her neck. He held her tightly against his chest, and she felt his hot breath on her cold skin.

"Later... I will explain later. Let's get out of the cold now. Please?" Sterling stood, lifting her off her knees. Her legs were too weak to walk, and she collapsed back at his feet.

"I can't..." she mumbled, feeling foolish.

Sterling leaned over and scooped her up, one arm around her back, the other under her knees. He started back down the hill, weaving in and out of the pine trees. Twice he had to sit down on the muddy earth, and they slid down the hillsides until the ground was more stable for walking. Rusalka shuddered when she thought of what had happened. For so long she had waited for Sterling to come to her again, and here he was. So many questions pounded away in her head, but she remained silent as he carried her.

The soft glow of light shining from the cabin's windows beckoned them forward. Rusalka's body tensed, and she buried her face against Sterling's neck. The last thing she wanted to do was to return to the cabin where she had been held captive. Her arms tightened around Sterling's neck and she let out a muffled cry.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Please, can we just go home?"

"We are a half-day ride from home, Rus. We have no horse. There are more storms coming. We have to stay here. I've been all over this section of the pine. There are no other homesteads, no cabins, nowhere to find shelter. This is our only option. I need to get you to a warm fire and wash you up." Sterling's voice was calm and comforting

Rusalka nodded into his shoulder and let her tears flow. In his arms she was safe, right where she had longed to be for so many moons. She let him carry her through the doorway into the tiny room where Heinrich had locked her up. The fire still burned, though it needed wood desperately, and the remnants of her argument with Heinrich were still everywhere. The pan on the ground beside the wash basin had been her salvation.

Sterling set her down in a chair next to the table and headed for the fireplace. She watched him stoke the fire there, and light a new fire beneath the wash basin. She shivered as he took bucket after bucket of filthy water out of the basin and poured them out the door. He emptied the basin and then painstakingly refilled it. She wasn't sure how much time had passed, or where he drew the water from, but she was grateful for the roaring flames he fanned to life beneath the wash tub. He worked tirelessly in silence, her eyes locked on his every move. When the basin was full, he stirred it with his arm, his tunic having been left in the pine somewhere. The room finally growing warm, Rusalka's shivers stopped.

"How?" she asked again, her pounding heart needing answers.

Sterling padded over to her and offered her a hand. She took it and stood, watching his face as he studied her. He bent down and grabbed the hem of her soggy, soiled nightgown and lifted it up over her head and off. It felt good to remove the wet gown, though she felt slightly uncomfortable being naked with him. His eyes roamed over her body, and she blushed. He gestured to the basin and put his hand in the small of her back, leading her toward it. She followed his lead and let him push her forward, taking his hand for support as she climbed in the warm water.