Capítulo 11: Memory

No. Not a dream, she realized in the darkness. A Memory. A memory of the strange rider with the little girl. Had it been two weeks ago? A month? How had she not recognized him immediately?

Mentally, she lined up the images of the kind doctor's apprentice with the easy smile next to the scowling, worried man shouting at Riley that she'd glimpsed from her place inside the cart. No wonder she didn't make the connection immediately, but now that it was there, it was unmistakable. The sun-streaked hair, blue eyes, dark cloak. There weren't that many people in this area of the wilderness to begin with.

Her brow furrowed in the darkness. Who was the little girl? He hadn't had anyone with him that day when he showed up on her doorstep. Had he? No, definitely not. So where did she come from? Was she his child? Despite his mention of his master's wife, he had not mentioned a family of his own. She chided herself for the immediate attraction she'd had to the man. No matter that his kindness and gentle attention, not to mention bowing over her hand, were so thoroughly gallant. She should be wiser than to feel anything but neighborly kindness for a stranger.

Huffing in frustration, she rolled to her side, embarrassed for herself. She pushed that feeling away, and in its wake came another wave of worry for the child. No matter who Roland really was or his relation to the little girl, the child was clearly unwell. That merited Finn's compassion.

She rolled to the other side, restless now in the heights of her emotional turmoil. The boards of the cart underneath her creaked slightly. She froze. What good were her racing thoughts doing? None at all, and they might wake Riley and Mayra if she couldn't get under control. Taking a deep breath in and out, she focused on counting. She couldn't see anything in the darkness, so she imagined stars above her and counted them. When that became tiresome, she moved on to counting things she was thankful for. Her home, her father, her brother, the years she'd had with her mother... her eyes welled up and she changed tactics. Oh! The shopping list for Gabe. That was a good topic to occupy her thoughts until she could drift back to sleep… so she could have more dreams of blue eyes and sun-streaked hair. No! That's... No, she wouldn't have any more dreams about him. Her mind had just wanted to refresh her memory, that's all. She held no sentimental feelings that might warrant further dreams involving his smile, or the way his hand felt when it held hers. None at all.

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Finn woke again at dawn as Mayra began yawning and stretching. Blue eyes had indeed invaded her dreams a second time, and Finn blushed in spite of herself.

Mayra noticed almost immediately and put her hand to Finn's forehead. "Are you feeling ok? Are you feverish? RILEY WAKE UP I THINK FINN'S FEVERISH!"

A thump on the bottom of the wagon followed by a groan made Finn grimace. Riley's face appeared at the back of the cart. "Are you sure? How bad a fever? I'll get Peach harnessed while you check the wound for infection!" His concerned face would have been comical if it weren't so serious. It disappeared as suddenly as it had come.

"No! I'm fine! Nobody panic!" Finn had to grab at Mayra's hands to keep them from frantically removing the bandage around her leg. She took a deep breath to convey calm confidence. "Really. Everything is fine. No fever. I just—" Finn struggled to find an explanation that wouldn't embarrass herself. "Could I have some water please?" When there was no truthful reason she could bring herself to give, a change of subject seemed like the best option.

"Of course," Mayra said, watching Finn's color slowly return to normal. "You'll still let me look at the wound after I get you some, though."

"All right, as long as you stay calm," Finn agreed.

"Who can be calm at a time like this??" Cried Riley, having heard part, but not all of the conversation in his quest to quickly pack his bedroll and retrieve Peach. He rubbed the top of his head gently with his fingertips, grimacing in pain when he felt the bump he'd caused hitting his skull on the bottom of the cart.

"Finn says it's fine, Riley," Mayra said as she leaned to grab the water skin from where it hung on the side of the cart. "Look, her color's much better already. She must have just had a bad dream or something."

Riley relaxed somewhat, although Finn's face seemed to heat again as Mayra spoke. He wondered if temperature fluctuations were an early sign of disease. Finn looked away, taking the water Mayra offered and having a quick drink.

"Well, I suppose since we're all awake, we can hit the road as soon as you're ready. I'll be back in a few minutes. Stay close if you also need to, well, take a few minutes." Riley took up his customary whistling as he walked a short distance into the trees.

"Now that he's gone, let me redress your leg," Mayra insisted. Finn obediently lifted her skirt and allowed the girl to peel away the bandage. The wound looked angrier today, with reddened edges around each of the punctures. The deepest one was oozing slightly. Mayra looked concerned, but dutifully cleaned the area and applied new herbs and bandages.

"Hey Mayra," Finn began, "that man yesterday, with the little girl. Did he seem at all familiar to you?"

"I didn't get a good look at him," Mayra admitted. "Why do you ask?"

"I don't know," Finn truly didn't know why she was asking Mayra about it. She'd only end up embarrassing herself somehow. Mayra was unlikely to let it go now that Finn had asked. "Lovely sunrise, isn't it? I hope it'll be another pretty day."

Mayra looked East out the front of the cart and nodded. The sun had brightened the sky into some beautiful colors. Before Mayra could turn back and press the previous topic any more, Finn began rolling and folding their bedding to stow it for the day's journey. Mayra took the hint and prepared a breakfast for them to eat on the road. That completed, they took their turn in the forest while Riley watered Peach and harnessed her back to the cart.

How many miles had they traveled yesterday? He wondered as he worked. Having not taken a journey like this before, he wasn't exceptionally confident in his judgment of such matters. Peach had kept a good, steady pace for much of the day; he'd picked her for her endurance if not her speed. Tugging at the straps to make sure all was secure, Riley called over his shoulder, "What's taking so long?"

"Nothing, I'm back." Mayra said close to his ear, causing him to jump.

"Don't DO that. Geez. How can you be so quiet with a woman using crutch--" He paused, "Wait, where IS Finn?"

"She told me she wanted a moment alone. Apparently she's used to that sometimes, what with only the one brother who always goes to play or work with their father." Mayra gave a wry smile.

"Weird." Said Riley, wrinkling his nose. He couldn't remember more than a handful of moments he'd been alone in the whole of his life. Being one of seven siblings, most of them brothers, lent itself to a life of always having company. It didn't phase him at all to constantly be around others.

"Her injury looks worse today," Mayra's face darkened a bit as she lowered her voice.

"How bad?" Riley's full attention was now fixed on Mayra.

"Not too bad, yet. But I'm worried. We're still days from getting help and Mama said the injury would either get better or worse, and I think it's getting worse."

"Bruises usually look worse before they're better," Riley offered. He'd gotten enough kicks from the farm animals through the years to be a borderline expert on the topic of bruising.

Mayra shrugged, "I hope you're right, but let's hurry anyway." Riley grimly nodded.

"Hey, Hero-ness!" He called loudly. "Time to go!"

Finn came hobbling out of the tree line, wincing in pain with each step. The night of tossing and turning with her dreams hadn't done her any favors.

"I'm here. What's the seating arrangement for today? I hate to relegate you to the back again, Mayra. The bumps are a lot, I know." Finn smiled half-heartedly.

"You still look tired, honestly," Responded Mayra, looking at Finn's eyes. "If I set you up comfy with all the blankets, do you think you'd be able to sleep in the back, at least for a time?"

The exertion of the short trek into the trees had left Finn a little out of breath, more than it should have. She nodded, and Mayra scrambled up into the cart to get everything ready. Finn was thankful she wouldn't have to try to arrange it all herself while moving like yesterday.

"That's my cue." said Riley, holding out his arms to Finn. She sighed as he once again lifted her to put her in the cart.

"I'm getting pretty tired of needing your help. They'd better have good doctors in Klain." Finn lamented.

"My help is the best around! Can't find any better within miles!" Riley proudly retorted.

"What am I, chopped liver?" Mayra interjected.

"I don't see you lifting her Hero-ness with the effortless strength of a mighty warrior." Riley set Finn gently in the cart and struck a pose reminiscent of a soldier in battle.

"Stronger doesn't always mean better," Finn joined in with a smile.

Riley put his hand to his chest, "You've wounded me to my very soul. I'll retire to my duties as driver in sorrow." He dramatically moped to the front of the cart, climbing to his place on the bench as Mayra joined him, then handed out the breakfast parcels she'd made.

Finn munched in silence for a time as Riley steered Peach back towards the road and continued their journey. Each bump felt harder today. She finished her meal and settled into the cushioned area Mayra had arranged from the bedrolls. Though she felt kind of sore all over, and sharper pain in her leg, eventually the road found a rhythm that was almost soothing. Almost.

She drifted into a restless half-sleep as she wondered what today would hold.