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On the battlefield, she was a savior; in the medical tent, a comforter. But to the people of Lamae, she’d never be more than her social status, which said in red letters: common. She’d blown any chance of being aristocratic when she was ten and lit a match to the curtains of Wellington House, just to see if they’d burn.
Not that she wanted to be a lady. She had achieved her dream: to be appreciated, and do something for others that they’d never forget. But that didn’t apply in Lamae, and the outcome of her return was as predictable as wildfire.
She gripped the reins of her horse and mounted, determined to face her judgment as a woman with dirty hands and soiled clothing, but still not afraid to hold her head high.
The letter from her superior had gone as follows:
Odessa, it is required that you go to Lamae at once. There’s been an attack, with damage to both city and residents. Take care along your way. Troops will follow. Teresa Colby.
The older woman had conveyed the message that the city needed help, but she neglected to mention that it had been burned to the ground. When Odessa reached the fallen walls, she was sure she’d lost her direction. Only two buildings still stood, and they were in no better condition than the fortress.
Odessa made her way down a ruined street, trying to ignore the rubble around her. In the middle of this deserted place she spotted two young children playing on the fallen beams of the city hall. Their faces were black with dirt and their clothes were badly torn. Odessa suddenly felt bad for worrying about her appearance.
“Excuse me,” she said, and they jumped. “I’m sorry,” Odessa laughed. “I didn’t mean to startle you. What are your names?”
“Timmy,” one replied shyly.
“I’m Brock,” the other said. “Who are you?”
“Odessa Kelly, but you can call me Dess if you like.” She knelt down in front of them. “What happened here?”
Brock was the one to answer. “We were attacked, and they burned our houses like kindling.”
“Is there anyone else around?”
“My uncle’s here with some others, but most are in the forest.”
Odessa eyed the weary trees and tried to imagine what it would have been like if she’d stayed behind to see her home destroyed.
“Where are the wounded?”
“In the forest, too, but there aren’t many left.”
Odessa cringed. She knew these people. Her entire family had been in Lamae when she left. She searched her mind for a distraction. “And where’s your uncle?”
“At his place by the river, looking for anything that’s not burned.”
Odessa went towards the sound of running water, using it as a guide that she didn’t really need. Once upon a time, she’d known someone who lived by the river, but she couldn’t think of that through the foggy sorrow of her spirit.
She dismounted to wash her face in the cool water. As she covered her eyes, she could almost believe she was back in time.
“Dess?”
At first, she was sure she dreamed it, but it came again. She knew the familiar voice.
A strong hand grasped her shoulder, and though the skin was rough, its touch was still tender. Odessa reached up and the hand moved to grasp hers.
“Daniel,” she whispered. “Is that you?”
“It’s me,” he answered quietly. “Are you afraid to see for yourself?”
He turned her to face him, and their eyes met. The feelings were still there – radiating from one pool to the other, always moving. Daniel smiled, and he pulled her into a tight embrace, leaving no room for questions.
“Oh, I’ve missed you,” he said. “Why did you go away without saying goodbye?”
Odessa thought back to that night, when she’d known it was time to join the healers. She left without a word to anyone – quiet and swift, without a trace. Her family located her two years later, but by then she was too far away to retrieve.
“I wanted it to be clean and easy,” she said. “Perhaps I was wrong.”
Daniel held her close, resting his hand on the back of her neck. “Very wrong, Dess,” he said. “I didn’t know what to think. None of us did.”
Odessa breathed deeply. “I’m sorry.”
“So am I, but I’m willing to put it behind me.” He touched her cheek. “Are you staying?”
“I don’t know. There’s so much to do, and so many things to heal.”
“Like a broken heart?”
Yep - it's flash fiction :-) And very appropriate for Valentine's Day. I see you're signed up for the A to Z Challenge as well - looking forward to it.
ReplyDeleteYeah, that kind of writing isn't what I'm best at, but it turned out okay! Haha Thanks. :) And yes, I am. Should be interesting to see what everyone comes up with. :)
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