Walking in Shadow
Nov 29, 2017 23:07:16 GMT -5
Post by themirrorthief on Nov 29, 2017 23:07:16 GMT -5
She walked in shadow. Out of the light and hiding her face. It was dangerous for a beautiful woman to be out in these times. Soldiers were everywhere. They had a reputation for raping women. Judith had no desire to fall into their hands. Thus she hurried on, always wary and looking this way or that. The dark covered her, cloaked her in black. That did not bother Judith for she was a witch. Her powers were greater in the dark, the long dark. Winter was very near, nights were longer. The sense of dread that covered the town grew greater.
A battle loomed and Ketchley figured greatly in the plans of both armies. The occupying Kress army had fortified the town as best they could. The Lace River protected two sides of the city and additional fortifications were being hastily erected on an hourly basis. The Kress troops worked hard and drank hard. In most respects they were little different from any other marauding army, mostly young men who could face death at any moment. They carried their weapons with confidence and they smoked their cigarettes with a nonchalant grace. Were it not for their penchant for rape and pillage, many would have appealed to most women... were they not so rough around the edges and rather primitive.
The Casson army was stronger, much stronger. The fact the war had dragged on five years had amazed most of the so called experts on such things. The Kress were clever and brutal. It was no small task to root them out of any stronghold they wanted to keep.
Judith desired no man, her heart had been broken more than enough times. Her three children always stood first and foremost in her thoughts. She hurried on with the small bundles beneath her arms. She walked quickly, to quickly. A cat crossed her bath and the woman slipped. She crashed hard onto the cobblestones. The pain in her ankle was shooting spears of agony through her leg. Contrary to legend witches and cats were not friendly. She cursed the creature bitterly under her breath, wary it might be another witch that could change shape.
"Are you alright Ma'am?"
Judith was startled to see a very young soldier looming over her. He picked up her packages and helped her to her feet. The ankle throbbed but she found she could put most of her weight on it.
"That was some fall you took," you're lucky you didn't break something.
Judith surprised herself by answering in a rather flippant fashion. "Luck is usually not my friend. Thank you for your help, I think I can make it now."
The soldier stuck out his hand, it was an oddly feminine hand, smaller than most men's.
"My name is Judd, I am kinda of new around here, this is only my second night on guard in this neighborhood. My partner is somewhere getting drunk. I guess something is on his mind. I wish you would let me carry those packages for you a little ways. That ankle is getting a little purple."
He seemed nice enough and handsome too but she had no intention of letting him see where she lived...no way.
She quickly thought up an appropriate lie.
"My father gets very upset if he sees me with men, especially soldiers. He is a silly old fellow but he is terrified that I will not be faithful to my husband who is working int he mines for the Kress military."
The soldier smiled. "I understand, these are dangerous times for women. My fellow soldiers are often disrespectful. However, I would like to offer you a drink, it might help a little with the pain and help you get to sleep." A flask appeared in his hand. His smile was difficult to resist. She nodded, it might be nice to have a sip of some good liquor. It had been a long time. She took a good drink and savored the burn.
"Its good stuff," she mumbled.
"I had the devil of a time getting it. Please don't be afraid of me, I am very lonely despite being around all these soldiers. It does my heart good to share a few words with a nice female. I have three sisters at home. They kept me busy but I miss them terribly. Would you please sit for a moment." He motioned towards a little bench that sat by the sidewalk. It was insane she knew but she sat down and moved as far to one end of the bench as possible. He took another drink and offered her another.
She took the bottle and regretted the fact that good booze was impossible to find these days. There had been a time when parties, drinking, and long carriage rides had been staples for her. Her chin dipped a bit at the memory.
The soldier hummed some little tune. His face was very warm and youthful. Judith reckoned that she was at least six or seven years his senior. Still, she felt a shiver of old emotions sitting there sipping the liquor and sharing a word or two with the handsome trooper. She felt a little tipsey and smiled at herself One of the packages slipped from her grasp and she lunged to retrieve it The soldier acted the same and their hands brushed briefly. His was very warm and his eyes had a strange sadness about them.
"There is a battle coming," he declared. "I wonder if have very many nights like this left? I worry about you people here also. I pray you have a good hiding place when the bombs and bullets start flying."
"We have a large cellar, its dug in fairly deep. I guess we will have to do our best. Ive never been in the middle of a battle though. Honestly I'm terrified for my family."
They sat for several minutes...silent.
"I'm sorry Ive kept you. You should be getting along to your folks now. He drained the last of the flask and rose. Goodbye, I enjoyed our talk." In a moment he vanished into the shadow. The half moon was high in the sky and Judith took a quick look at it before getting to her feet and struggling towards home. Her ankle was not as bad as the had feared but she dreaded what it might feel like in the morning. She wondered if she might run into the soldier again. Her husband was dead. The soldier was alive. Still, she half wondered if they were all not half dead already. It was a frightening thought and brought a quick tear to her dark eyes.
A battle loomed and Ketchley figured greatly in the plans of both armies. The occupying Kress army had fortified the town as best they could. The Lace River protected two sides of the city and additional fortifications were being hastily erected on an hourly basis. The Kress troops worked hard and drank hard. In most respects they were little different from any other marauding army, mostly young men who could face death at any moment. They carried their weapons with confidence and they smoked their cigarettes with a nonchalant grace. Were it not for their penchant for rape and pillage, many would have appealed to most women... were they not so rough around the edges and rather primitive.
The Casson army was stronger, much stronger. The fact the war had dragged on five years had amazed most of the so called experts on such things. The Kress were clever and brutal. It was no small task to root them out of any stronghold they wanted to keep.
Judith desired no man, her heart had been broken more than enough times. Her three children always stood first and foremost in her thoughts. She hurried on with the small bundles beneath her arms. She walked quickly, to quickly. A cat crossed her bath and the woman slipped. She crashed hard onto the cobblestones. The pain in her ankle was shooting spears of agony through her leg. Contrary to legend witches and cats were not friendly. She cursed the creature bitterly under her breath, wary it might be another witch that could change shape.
"Are you alright Ma'am?"
Judith was startled to see a very young soldier looming over her. He picked up her packages and helped her to her feet. The ankle throbbed but she found she could put most of her weight on it.
"That was some fall you took," you're lucky you didn't break something.
Judith surprised herself by answering in a rather flippant fashion. "Luck is usually not my friend. Thank you for your help, I think I can make it now."
The soldier stuck out his hand, it was an oddly feminine hand, smaller than most men's.
"My name is Judd, I am kinda of new around here, this is only my second night on guard in this neighborhood. My partner is somewhere getting drunk. I guess something is on his mind. I wish you would let me carry those packages for you a little ways. That ankle is getting a little purple."
He seemed nice enough and handsome too but she had no intention of letting him see where she lived...no way.
She quickly thought up an appropriate lie.
"My father gets very upset if he sees me with men, especially soldiers. He is a silly old fellow but he is terrified that I will not be faithful to my husband who is working int he mines for the Kress military."
The soldier smiled. "I understand, these are dangerous times for women. My fellow soldiers are often disrespectful. However, I would like to offer you a drink, it might help a little with the pain and help you get to sleep." A flask appeared in his hand. His smile was difficult to resist. She nodded, it might be nice to have a sip of some good liquor. It had been a long time. She took a good drink and savored the burn.
"Its good stuff," she mumbled.
"I had the devil of a time getting it. Please don't be afraid of me, I am very lonely despite being around all these soldiers. It does my heart good to share a few words with a nice female. I have three sisters at home. They kept me busy but I miss them terribly. Would you please sit for a moment." He motioned towards a little bench that sat by the sidewalk. It was insane she knew but she sat down and moved as far to one end of the bench as possible. He took another drink and offered her another.
She took the bottle and regretted the fact that good booze was impossible to find these days. There had been a time when parties, drinking, and long carriage rides had been staples for her. Her chin dipped a bit at the memory.
The soldier hummed some little tune. His face was very warm and youthful. Judith reckoned that she was at least six or seven years his senior. Still, she felt a shiver of old emotions sitting there sipping the liquor and sharing a word or two with the handsome trooper. She felt a little tipsey and smiled at herself One of the packages slipped from her grasp and she lunged to retrieve it The soldier acted the same and their hands brushed briefly. His was very warm and his eyes had a strange sadness about them.
"There is a battle coming," he declared. "I wonder if have very many nights like this left? I worry about you people here also. I pray you have a good hiding place when the bombs and bullets start flying."
"We have a large cellar, its dug in fairly deep. I guess we will have to do our best. Ive never been in the middle of a battle though. Honestly I'm terrified for my family."
They sat for several minutes...silent.
"I'm sorry Ive kept you. You should be getting along to your folks now. He drained the last of the flask and rose. Goodbye, I enjoyed our talk." In a moment he vanished into the shadow. The half moon was high in the sky and Judith took a quick look at it before getting to her feet and struggling towards home. Her ankle was not as bad as the had feared but she dreaded what it might feel like in the morning. She wondered if she might run into the soldier again. Her husband was dead. The soldier was alive. Still, she half wondered if they were all not half dead already. It was a frightening thought and brought a quick tear to her dark eyes.