Part 22 (2/2)

The lady needs a little kiss to make it better.

It's as simple as that.

”Please,” Peg says, ”Just let us go.”

The Woman holds out her finger again, this time to the sister.

”For the child, mother,” she says. ”For the child.”

”Do ha leanbh, matheir,” is what Peg hears. ”Do na leanbh,” The woman's voice is rough but not threatening. She understands, if not what she says, what she's being asked to do. She's being asked to partake of blood.

She'll do no such thing.

The Woman's frustrated. Among her people this would be a gift, an honor. It would never be refused.

But her people are all gone.

Still, she thinks she knows what to do.

She approaches and the girl doesn't flinch at her approach. Her stance is rigid though. She's preparing to fight if necessary. The Woman could almost laugh at that but this isn't a time for laughter. A thought has occurred to her which she likes very much.

She reaches out just as she did in the cellar but slowly this time so as not to startle the girl as she would a wounded animal and rests her hand on her belly.

”Bahbai,” she says.

And there it is again.

That inexplicable sense of safety safety which is also a sense of being known, of being recognized, of simple acceptance that seems to emanate from this wild woman who kills and undoubtedly will kill again. And despite that fact she's comforted, she feels a burden lifted away unmixed with shame or guilt, a terrible huge relief. which is also a sense of being known, of being recognized, of simple acceptance that seems to emanate from this wild woman who kills and undoubtedly will kill again. And despite that fact she's comforted, she feels a burden lifted away unmixed with shame or guilt, a terrible huge relief.

She feels calmed. She feels free.

The woman seems to take her measure for a moment. Then she turns and walks off the path a few feet into the woods, bends down and begins hacking away at the limb of a birch tree. A few strokes is all it takes. She's amazed at this woman's power. The long hard muscles moving along her back. She forgets the blood and sees the power. She feels a strange kind of seduction going on here - as though the woman were dancing for her and her alone.

Is this what she could be one day? This strong?

Perhaps it is. Is she wis.h.i.+ng for this? Is she wis.h.i.+ng for this? A part of her is, perhaps. A part of her is almost sure she is. A part of her is, perhaps. A part of her is almost sure she is.

The woman returns to the path and hands her the limb. It will make a perfect staff to ease her wounded ankle.

She takes Darlin' by the hand and begins to walk away, leaving Peg alone there, her blind sister capering at the woman's heels. The woman's hips move side to side in a rhythm wholly unknown to her.

A few moments later, she follows.

The Woman has twice lost everything. Her parents' family and then her own. Her goods, her weapons. She has been scarred by knives and guns. She is naked but she will find clothing to her own liking as she always has. She will find other goods and weapons. The earth is a dangerous place for her, but it is also open to her. She can live in sunlight or in darkness as she chooses. She can eat of the creatures of the sea or of the land. The earth has a fist but it also has an open hand.

This night sky now - it belongs to her. Its dark will mask her. Its stars will guide her to the sh.o.r.e. She will find a cave and perhaps build a fire. She can hear the dogs behind her barking not very far away. The dogs will like a fire.

She has twice lost everything but the earth is rich with food and family.

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