Scavenger Girl: Season of Toridia

by Jennifer Arntson

“I am only if I’m on the wagon.”

  He sighed. Confused, he followed my warning nonetheless. “Fine, we’ll ride together.”

  “I’d like that.”

  Calish helped me up onto the wagon, careful to avoid the wounds still smoldering on my left arm. He sat next to me as Graken put the plank across the back to prevent anyone from falling out along the way.

  “Where are we going, Mother Una?” a small voice asked.

  “Mother Una?” Calish repeated.

  “My home,” I answered, leaning into Calish. “I don’t care about its condition. I can’t wait to get back to our property.”

  “We’re going back to the neighborhood tonight,” he declared.

  I pushed myself up. “What? No.”

  “There’s nothing at our old house, nowhere to sleep and certainly nowhere to put a dozen children for the night,” he argued. “We’re going to the neighborhood and have you checked out at the very least. If the nurses clear you, then we’ll make a plan to go, not a moment before.”

  “Who’s at the house?” Marsh mumbled. The ability to move his face had not yet returned.

  Calish winced at the sight of his brother. “Right now, only Jeorge. Trisk, Sterle, Qarla, and a few others are up at our parents’ place, sorting things out. We were not expecting you two until morning, remember?”

  I wasn’t sure if what Calish said or the sudden jerk of the wagon made Marsh moan, but both were equally appropriate reasons for his painful response.

  I didn’t like the idea of going back to the house with Jeorge there. Knowing he spied on us, I feared everything said in that house would be whispered in Noran’s ear after. I’d have to hide my wounds from both of them. It would be best to hide the children, too, if at all possible.

  “When we get there, I don’t want anyone to know about my arm.”

  “You need medical attention,” Calish argued. “In fact, you need a Healer.”

  “No.” I shook my head. “These need to heal on their own.”

  “You’ll see a nurse.”

  “Have one tend to the children. Whatever she recommends for them, I’ll do the same for myself. I don’t want anyone to know about these burns.”

  “Una, what’s going on?”

  The neighborhood came into view. “I don’t want Noran or Reinick to know anything about them until we’ve left the house.”

  “Why?” he said suspiciously.

  “I promise I’ll tell you later,” I said as I turned to address the children. “Can everyone hear me? We are going to a safe place for the night. Do not talk to anyone other than Marsh, Calish, or me. Do you understand?”

  The children nodded again.

  “A nurse will tend to your wounds. Don’t share anything with her about anyone other than yourself. You don’t share anything about each other, and you don’t mention mine, either, all right?”

  “What about his?” A little boy pointed to Marsh propped up against the outside wall of the wagon.

  “Marsh will speak for himself, too.”

  Graken gave the signal to open the gate, and we were allowed into the dark and quiet community. The only ones out at that time of night were the men patrolling the grounds. As much as I hated it there, I felt relieved when Graken stopped outside our house.

  Calish helped me down. “Go inside. We’ll get the children.”

  “Can I have your handkerchief? I need something to cover my arm,” I said, twisting my body so the guards coming to undress the horse wouldn’t see the burns.

  Graken handed me his. “Why?”

  “For some reason, Una doesn’t want anyone to know about her injuries.”

  Graken cocked an eyebrow. “You know, I’m your husband’s Chief of Security. If something happened to put him or any member of his family in danger, it’s my responsibility to take care of it.”

  “And you do a fine job.” I hobbled for the door.

  “I’m not your enemy, my Lady.”

  “Then you’ll keep your knowledge of my injuries to yourself,” I hissed. I had as much interest in his demands as I did in his opinion. We were not in prison anymore.

  Not exactly.

  Calish took control of the conversation. “Una, go inside, and tell Jeorge to get the house ready for the evening. Graken, I’ll need you to round up a nurse and tell her to bring everything she’s got.”

  “Yes, sir.” Graken bowed. He glanced quickly at me before parting ways to follow Calish’s instructions.

  Marsh collapsed on the couch in the front room, and the children slowly filtered into the house. They each felt so uncomfortable crossing the threshold I had to almost pull them into the foyer. Their shoeless feet left prints in the light-colored carpet, and as such, they huddled together on the entry marble. After pleading with them, they finally padded over the soft flooring, with the youngest ones squishing their toes to test the depths of the woven fibers.

  Jeorge hustled to make an elaborate display of food on the dining room table while I went upstairs to cut my shirt off and put on the lady’s robe. With its light and flowing sleeves, it was the only thing I imagined would cover my wounds without aggravating them. I was wrong, but I had no other options.

  Back downstairs, Jeorge expressed his frustration with the children. “They won’t eat!”

  Even with my encouragement, they hesitated. I was sure, based on their recent experiences, they had good reason to. Since they wouldn’t move deeper into the residence, I made and served each child a plate of food. I did my best to ignore the thin silk of the robe scratching across my inflamed arm as I handed them their plates, but I was sure my forced smile didn’t look as friendly as I meant it to be while doing it. They needed to be prodded to put it in their mouths. I ate a few pieces to prove it edible and offered to take a bite of anything on their plates if still suspicious. They accepted my offer so many times, I didn’t have to make my own plate. I filled my belly with nibbles of samples from theirs.

  Calish, still not sure why all the children were sitting in the parlor, made sure to introduce himself to them. I was sure he learned all their names, something I would do when my mind wasn’t distracted with all the pain I hid from him. He sat on the floor with the boys and girls until the nurse arrived with Graken. Like a respectable gentleman, he stood and greeted her, making sure to apologize for calling on her services so late in the evening.

  Her eyes floated from child to child as her words slowly escaped her lips. “My pleasure, sir.”

  Under any other circumstances, I would have been wary about bringing a stranger into our situation, but she had skills we didn’t. I was sure seeing fourteen battered children in dirty, tattered clothes and a beaten man nearly passed out on the couch was not exactly what she had planned for the evening.

  “Are these…your children?” she chirped with a fake smile plastered across her frozen face.

  “My wife met them today and would like their needs tended to. I’d appreciate it if you’d assist them.”

  “Of course, my Lord,” she said as she cleared her throat. “It would be good to get them clean and in clothes not as, um, as soiled. I’m afraid anything I do will be impaired if they remain so filthy.”

  “Good idea.” Calish snapped his fingers to get his servant’s attention across the parlor. “We have three bathtubs. Run each of them full, Jeorge.”

  “Yes, sir.” The servant weaved around the seated guests.

  “After the baths are drawn for the children, round up tunics for them to sleep in.”

  “Fine idea, sir. I think there are some in the guest room.” He bowed and hustled upstairs.

  I knelt in front of the little girl I chose to receive Kash’s mark first. “All right, sweetheart, come with me.” I gave her my hand and helped her up. Together, she, the nurse, and I went into the study so she could be evaluated.

  “This nurse is here to help us. Can you tell us your name?”

  The girl stared at her feet.

  “Can you hear me?” I
asked, bending so our eyes met. “Other than your burn, are you hurt?”

  The girl shook her head.

  “May I see your arms?” the nurse asked, reaching for the girl, but she pulled away and ran behind me, clutching the hem of my robe in her hands.

  I turned to the girl, trying to ignore the pain the shift of the fabric caused my arm. “Nothing bad is going to happen. She’s here to help, remember?” I loosened her grip. Doing so tugged the finished collar off the curve of my shoulder, raking the delicate stitching across Kash’s burn. The sensation made my knees buckle. The little girl flinched as if she expected me to fall on her, but I caught myself. Pulling the robe to its proper place made my eyes water, and the child noticed. If I were paying any attention to her at that moment, I might have offered her immediate forgiveness. Instead, I tried to hide my injuries from the nurse kneeling at my other side.

  The woman inched closer to us on her knees, offering a welcoming smile to our frightened guest. “I’ll wait for you.” She sat back on her heels. “I’ll tell you what, I’ll show you my arms first. I have a little bruise needing a bandage. If you find it, you can dress it for me.”

  The girl looked at the nurse’s outstretched arms and pointed to the fading purple hue.

  “You found it!” she declared. “Smart girl. Now, can you dress it for me? Maybe Lady Una can help you. Do you want to hold the bandage or secure the dressing?” She held both pieces up.

  The girl shook her head, pressing her skirt against the sides of her legs nervously.

  “Don’t you want to help?”

  The girl didn’t answer.

  “You are a smart little girl, aren’t you?” the nurse played. “Bruises don’t need bandages, do they?”

  The child shook her head again.

  “Is there any place on your body needing a bandage?”

  The little girl nodded.

  “Can you show me?”

  The little girl turned and lowered the straps on her dress, exposing two crusted slashes across her ribs.

  The nurse gasped but quickly concealed her surprise behind a gentle though fake facade. “What are these from?”

  Slouching into herself, the girl hid her shame behind her tangled hair.

  “They’re several days old from the looks of it. Go ahead and cover yourself, dear.”

  The girl pulled her shoulder straps into place.

  The nurse stood, giving me a serious look. “I’ll be right back. You two wait here.” She left the study.

  As soon as the door latched shut, I knelt in front of the little girl. Moving her hair from her face, I asked, “Did the Woodsmen do that to you?”

  She didn’t answer.

  I sat on the carpet and studied her eyes. Why won’t she speak? While I wanted answers, I didn’t want to force her. I could have searched her memories, yet I didn’t feel right about that either; she would tell me when she felt ready. With all the pain stealing my energy, I doubted my ability would work anyway.

  Maybe tomorrow.

  When the nurse returned, she brought with her a pail of water and two small towels. “I’m going to clean your back then clean and dress your arm. When we’re done, you can go upstairs to take a bath, but you’ll need to be careful. I don’t want you to get this wet after we’re done.”

  The little girl nodded.

  “She can use the bathtub in the first washroom at the top of the stairs. I kept the water low, so it wouldn’t soften the scabs on her back,” she said, wringing out the water from one of the towels. Just as she warned, the nurse cleaned the girl’s back, avoiding the healing wounds before tending to her arm. “Do you think you can clean yourself with one hand only?”

  The little girl nodded.

  “Good. Now let’s put a salve on your burn.” The nurse applied the ointment as gently as possible before covering it with a bandage and wrapping it up with a longer strip of fabric.

  “I’ll take her to the washroom if you want to examine another boy or girl,” I said, feeling a tiny hand slip into mine. With a gentle squeeze, I led the child from the study, up the stairs, and into the proper room.

  Across the hall, Jeorge had laid out several tunics on the bed in the guest room and invited me to pick one out for her.

  “I need a small one,” I said. He picked one from the assortment and handed me the tan top. “That’s the smallest we have?”

  “Yes, my Lady,” he said, dropping his eyes to the girl standing in the doorway. “I’ll find a more appropriate size in one of the other houses in the morning.”

  “Please don’t,” I blurted. I didn’t want him talking to any of the other neighbors. “We’ll need you to stay with us this evening to help with all there is to do. Can we wash her dress and ready it for the morning?”

  “As you wish, my Lady.”

  “That is what I wish,” I said, leaving quickly to assist the girl with her bath.

  Jeorge made me so uncomfortable. I didn’t want to be around him any longer than necessary; however, having him stay with us would reduce the chance of him speaking with anyone else. At least, I hoped it would be the result.

  I set the tunic down on the counter in the washroom and tested the water the nurse prepared for the girl. “This is nice.” I smiled. “You go ahead and take a bath, remember not to get your bandages wet, and I’ll come up in a bit to check on you.” I backed out of the room and closed the door.

  Back in the study, the nurse had already assessed the next girl’s wounds because when I entered, her attention was focused on washing the girl’s arm. She dabbed the tender flesh carefully.

  I watched her technique from behind. The nurse’s hands slowed to a stop. She held the girl’s hand and leaned a bit closer to the child. “Will you excuse me a moment?” The nurse stood before the girl answered. She dropped her rag into the pail of water and turned to me. “Can I speak with you, my Lady?”

  “Of course.” I shuffled back, curious if I’d crowded her efforts.

  “In private?” she urged.

  I drew the curtains and opened the sliding glass door leading outside. She pulled it closed behind us but not so far it latched. She surveyed the empty yard before she continued in a whisper.

  “That girl, Fyn, she’s been attacked.”

  “All of these children have been, in one way or another,” I confessed.

  “I mean, she’s been assaulted. By a man. She’s only eleven.” She checked the dark yard again. “If I may be so bold, my Lady, this is a problem requiring more attention than mine. The last one had lacerations on her back, this one has bruises along her inner thighs.”

  I kept my composure a little too well. She growled, notably frustrated by my lack of response.

  “As I said, they all have injuries.”

  The nurse scoffed and shook her head. “Who did this to them?”

  I chose my words carefully. “While I appreciate your concern, you’ve been summoned to tend to them this evening. Right now, I need you to treat what you can.”

  A gust of wind, rare for Toridia, blew in our direction. The sleeve of my robe caught air, billowing the delicate fabric enough to expose the lower part of my left arm. I slapped it down but not before the nurse saw my wounds and heard the whimper that escaped my throat when I attempted to stifle my cry.

  Her eyes shifted from my arm, to the empty room, back to my arm, then narrowed into mine. “Show me your arm.”

  My voice wavered. “There is nothing wrong with me, nurse. I suggest we get back to the task at hand.”

  “Tell me what happened.”

  I reached for the door, but she stepped in front of me.

  “Why do you all have burns on your arms?”

  I didn’t know how to answer her, so I said nothing. It was easier than saying too much.

  She tried to manage her frustration. “I’m not one of the Authority, my Lady. I don’t care what you’ve done, not because you’re married to one of the Lords, but because of what I saw you do for the boy you brought here
several days ago. I’m assuming these children are from the same place?” She paused, looking for some sort of confirmation.

  “His name was Alux.”

  She sighed and shook her head. “If you’re not going to tell me, well, you must have your reasons. Just know I’m here to help you in any way I can. We’ll get them settled, then I am going to examine your arm.”

  She watched Alux take his last breath.

  My stomach twisted at the memory.

  How can I care for this many children if I couldn’t protect one?

  I pushed the thought into a far corner of my mind. “We have a lot of work to do,” I said, pushing my way past her and into the house.

  * * *

  She and I tended to the wounds of each of the children. Many of them gave me hugs, and others thanked me for the food. All of them bowed and thanked the nurse, everyone but the little girl who didn’t talk. The nurse’s examinations revealed far more about the Woodsmen’s “judgment” than what I expected. They were not merely confined to the entrance of the territory for their wrongdoings. They were beaten, tortured, and molested before they were bound to the border to stand as an example and warning.

  I would make no apology for what I did. Granted, my attempts at freeing them caused new trauma, but it paled in comparison to what they’d already survived. These children, either orphaned or abandoned, had seen and experienced far worse than I would ever imagine. They were not only strong enough to survive the assaults of the Woodsmen, they were brave enough to withstand their last attempt to break them.

  During her treatments, the nurse dispensed drops of a healing oil on several of the children’s tongues. She did this to help rid them of infections they’d received under the watchful eyes of Kash and his men.

  “I’ll have to get you some more. You keep this bottle for now. When I can, I’ll bring you a new one to exchange it for the empty one.” She gave me instructions on how to use it and what to look for to see its progress.

  Having a Healer in the family meant we never had need for medicinal oils. The concept was so new to me, I listened intently and made sure to ask questions about the things I didn’t fully understand.

  “Thank you so much.” I smiled, walking to the study door.