Hey everyone,
This is chapter 2, the rest of the story is basically finished, I know how it ends, it just needs a bit of work, there should be 5 chapters total, maybe 6, depending on how long the end is, they'll be coming out every day/every other day now, so don't worry, it will be finished!
Thank you for all comments and votes on the last chapter, it really made my day!
Cheers x
*
Two days after Matilda arrived at the camp, the crushers arrived and with them all semblance of peace vanished. Leo left to go to the front of the battle. Matilda waited nervously. She could see the smoke in the distance and hear the cry of the injured brought back to camp. The camp had a desperate busyness about it. Matilda had felt useless until the injured had started to arrive. Then she was frantically busy, running to and fro, doing what she could to help the surgeons.
Please be safe Leo, please be safe was like a running mantra through her head. She hardly knew him, yet it continued throughout the night and the next day as she nursed dying men feeling cold and empty. I didn't think I could feel any worse, any more desperate she thought.
News that the battle was over, that they had won, arrived on the third day, they had driven the crushers off, at least for a time. They'd be back though, they always came back Matilda thought.
The doctor finally insisted that she go rest, she stood numbly in Leo's tent, she shouldn't be here she thought. He won't want me here. She hadn't had a chance to seek new accommodation; she had been awake helping without rest for almost three days now.
"Please be safe Leo" she whispered.
She sensed him then and she turned to see him staring at her at the entrance to the tent. He strode across the room and seized her in a bear hug "thank god you're safe." He lowered his head to her neck and breathed in. "You smell terrible" He laughed.
She half choked, half laughed, feeling suddenly shy, "I've been trying to help"
He held her away from him and looked at her "When was the last time you slept? The last time you ate?" He cursed at her blank look and then pulled her to the bed and laid her down. He pushed his head out of the tent and barked some orders at someone.
They lay on their sides staring at each other, his hand absently stroking her hip.
"Are you okay Leo?"
He smiled grimly "Yes, I'm just tired of all this shit. I feel like I've spent my life fighting. Like all the goodness has been leeched out of me, out of the world, and all that's left is blood and death. I thought everything good and pure had gone until I met you. Tell me something good Mattie." He used the shortened form of her name without even thinking.
She nodded "There's still goodness in you Leo, I can see it, and there's so many wonderful things in the world, so many good things, you're helping to protect it." She stroked his brow and told him stories of her childhood that made him laugh. She told him about getting stuck up a tree trying to save a cat, she told him about laughing so hard she'd fallen over, about summer days by the river.
When the food and bath arrived she let him sleep, hesitating she leant over and kissed his forehead. She slipped into the hot water, washing off all the grime felt heavenly. She put on the simple cotton dress they left her and then lay next to Leo and slept.
The next day she watched the men training. They held their swords practising the movements, as Leo paced around them, watching them, occasionally commenting or correcting mistakes. He seemed so cold now, distant and grim, his face an unbreakable mask. She continued to watch the men, she needed to learn to fight she thought, and then she could help Leo, help finally rid the world of the hated crushers. She'd be able to protect herself against men like those who had attacked her and killed her father. She wanted to feel strong again.
She thought about Leo, he had been so good to her, so kind. She couldn't grow close to him. She hated the idea of him growing tired of her and wishing she was gone. It would break her heart, but it would only get harder the longer she left it, she had to leave him. She couldn't afford to fall in love with him. She couldn't lose another person she loved.
That night she tried to talk to him in the tent. "Leo, I wanted to thank you for all you've done for me, you saved my life, saved me from those men. I owe you so much and I will always be grateful to you. I was thinking that you'd probably want your tent back; I shall move to sleep in the servant's quarters. I've spoken to....."
Leo was scowling at her "You won't sleep in the servants quarters. You will stay with me. If you're worried about..... I can keep my damn hands to myself."
"Yes Leo" She said in a small uncertain voice. She didn't know what to say. Uncomfortable she tried to change the subject.
"Leo, I was thinking I should learn to fight to be able to protect myself and to help"
Still angry that she wanted to leave him he frowned "No! Women do not fight, I can protect you!"
"But.. Leo!"
"I said no Mattie!" He strode angrily out of the tent.
Leo could barely look at her when he came back late to the tent. She was curled up like a small hurt kitten on the edge of the bed. He should let her go. Yet he couldn't bear the thought of her out there. Unprotected. Matilda was so beautiful, what if someone hurt her. He remembered when he'd found her, covered in blood, about to be raped. Lying down next to her he waited till he was sure she was asleep and then he carefully gathered her up against him, holding her close.
The next day Matilda was furious. How dare he behave in such an autocratic manner! Like she was one of his soldiers he could just order about. Then storming off like a spoilt child, refusing to speak about it. She wanted to learn to fight. There was no reason a woman couldn't do it. Damn him, she was going to learn, with or without his help.
It was late when Leo happened to spot Matilda slipping away from the camp. A cold knot of dread formed in his stomach. What the hell did she think she was doing? Had he pushed her too far yesterday? He followed her at a discrete distance. He could tell she was nervous, doing something she shouldn't, the knot grew. He watched from atop a small hill as she set herself up in a clearing.
She held a large stick and was obviously trying to practice the fighting form he taught his men for one on one combat. He stood staring, as she gave it her all, a slight sheen of sweat visible on her brow. She wasn't as bad as he would have thought for a female novice.
