Chapter 8 #4
“It came from the potter’s workshop,” she said. Ignoring the Red Wolf’s order for her to wait, she followed him as he strode toward the cottage. Behind the cottage, dark smoke belched into the air.
At the open door, the Red Wolf turned to face her. “I told you to wait!”
“But my lord, I know these people.”
He scowled, sheathed his sword and proceeded into the cottage.
Again, Serena followed, holding her hand over her nose against the smoke filling the small space.
It made her eyes water. As the smoke cleared, she gazed around the workshop.
It appeared unaffected, pots lining the walls and blocks of clay and tools piled on a work table as they always were.
The potter’s wife, Hulda, leaned against the doorpost at the back of the cottage.
She looked about to faint. The door to the rear yard stood open.
Hulda stepped aside to let the Red Wolf pass.
Serena put her arm around the distraught woman and watched the knight kneel beside the girl lying on the ground in front of the kiln.
Black soot covered her face and blood tricked from her neck and arms where flying shards of pottery had sliced through her skin.
The ground was covered with pieces of burnt and broken pots.
“Be Edith alive, m’lord?” Hulda asked tentatively.
“Yea, but she’s hurt badly,” said the Red Wolf. “Is there a place I can lay her?”
“Yea, my lord,” said Hulda, “just inside.”
Carefully lifting the girl in his arms, the Red Wolf carried young Edith into the cottage and laid her on the straw pallet that Hulda directed him to.
Maugris, who had entered the cottage, stood next to Hulda as she explained, “My husband Godfrith is away so Edith worked alone. She must have failed to dry the pots she was firing. The lass is new at the craft. I was afeard something like this might happen.” Shaking her head and wiping her hands on her tunic, she added, “She was nay always careful.”
The Red Wolf faced the older woman, his eyes reflecting concern. “Is there a healer among you…someone who can clean and tend her wounds? It is best done while she is unconscious.”
Hulda shot a glance at Serena for all the villagers knew, along with Aethel who had the knowledge of herbs, the Lady of Talisand could treat wounds.
“I will see to the girl,” said Serena before the woman could answer. “Have you clean cloths and water, Hulda?”
While they waited for the needed provisions, the knight knelt before the girl and began to remove the broken pottery shards from her clothing. Serena was surprised he would do so.
She knelt beside him. “I can see to her, my lord.”
“Nay, we can work together until the woman returns with the cloths and water. It will not be the first time I have picked sharp objects from a wounded body, right Maugris?”
“Yea, more than once,” the silver-haired man answered.
Serena worked alongside the Red Wolf at the difficult task. The shards were stuck in the young woman’s tunic and had to be carefully lifted out. For the moment Edith was not aware, which was a blessing. In some places, the jagged pieces of pottery were still lodged in her skin.
Maugris hovered behind them. Serena could feel his eyes upon her and wondered what he was thinking.
A few minutes later, Hulda returned with the water and clean clothes. By then, most of the shards had been removed from Edith’s tunic. Serena rose. “I must go to the manor for the salves Maggie keeps in the kitchen.”
“Nay,” said Maugris, “You stay, Sarah. I will ask Maggie for the salves.”
Serena nodded and the old one left the cottage.
“I will need to cut her clothing from her,” she said to Hulda.
The Red Wolf rose, handed her the knife from his belt and waited on the other side of the small cottage while she and Hulda carefully cut away the girl’s ruined tunic.
There were some cuts on her face and arms but her outer garments had protected most of her body.
Serena cleaned the cuts, staunching the blood, and wiping the soot from Edith’s exposed skin. Once that was done, Hulda covered the girl with a large drying cloth.
Maugris returned and handed Serena the salve Maggie had made, which Serena applied as gently as she could.
“Will Edith recover?” asked Hulda hopefully.
“I have done all I can for her,” Serena said, rising from where she had sat upon her knees and dusted off her tunic. “The wounds are cleaned. We can pray there will be no fever. I will leave the salve and ask Aethel for herbs to help with the pain. Send for me or Maggie if you need us.”
“I am thankful to ye,” said Hulda. Then looking up at the Red Wolf, she said, “M’lord, ’tis a sorry welcome I’ve given ye. I’m in yer debt for yer kindness shown Edith this day.”
“Do not concern yourself with any welcome, madame. I came to meet the people of Talisand, and to see to the needs of the village.”
“And so ye have done, m’lord.”
It appeared to Serena the Red Wolf had won at least one of Talisand’s people to his cause.
She was glad the afternoon was over as she left the cottage with the two men.
Weary in body, she was lifted in spirit by the actions of the Red Wolf.
When he could have left her to tend the potter’s assistant alone, he had lingered and done more; he had helped. It had meant a lot to Hulda.
It meant a lot to her lady.