Tonight, was like every other night, except I was trudging down the lonely, bushy path from our farm, clutching the sack mama had asked me to get in the afternoon. It was filled with fresh herbs and was needed for the wounded warriors. But being a stubborn child, I let other matters take up my day and completely forgot about the herbs I was to collect during the day, when mama had asked that I bring it tonight, I lied it was in the barn and would get it as quickly as I could. Once outside, I sprinted off to go pick the herbs.
We were at war. The men in the clan were all at war and the women sit home, knitting and praying to the gods to protect their husbands, sons, and relatives. My brothers and my father were not exempted, I watch my mama pray earnestly every day for their safety. Women were no fighters; we were too fragile to lift weapons nor carry out any heavy tasks. Our works were to serve the soldiers, knit, cook, and bring new babies to this world. We are brought up to live for our husbands. Our parents always instill the manners a woman should have to be accepted by her husband.
We were taught how to dress, how to speak, our tone must not be too loud, we must not speak anyhow, because women were seen and not heard, we are taught to obey our husbands who were our masters. We carried out all these duties first with our fathers and brothers at home before we go into our husband's houses. Charity, they say begins at home. I am not scared of the night because the moon was out, and the path is bright. I hummed along as I walked the path, but I was disturbed by the neighing of a horse in the distance.
I halted, a deep frown sat on my face, and I turned my head to where the sound came from. It was unusual. Men were not supposed to be around the clan, all men were at war, and this wasn't the path that led to the healing home where my mama the healer could heal them. Why was I hearing the neigh of a horse? I quickened my steps but then, I heard the hoof of the horse, galloping along. It sounded closer and closer, and I began to run. It must be a soldier from the enemy's camp.
They were the only ones that could be on the wrong path at the wrong time. I started to recall all the bad events that has happened during the war. I recalled a young maiden who got lost during one of these wars and was never seen again, I remembered one of the maidens who was abused repeatedly by an enemy warrior. I clutch my heart with the sack, praying I would be saved.
But the image behind the noise emerged behind me. Something pricked me to turn and just like I was jinxed, I looked behind and saw a horse whining and raising its front hooves in the air. The rider was huge and was decorated with armor and war equipment. My legs suddenly became too heavy to walk, let alone run. They suddenly became so stuck to the ground that I feared they might have grown roots. The rider and his horse were charging toward me and I just stood there waiting for my death.
By tomorrow, my story would go around the clan and if I was abused, it would be difficult to get a good gentleman to marry me. In our clan, maidens are to keep their purity for their husbands alone. But I noticed that the rider of the horse seems not to be in control of his horse as they approached me, his body was slacked and his head was tilted to a side, when the horse got in front of me, it neighed again, and the rider fell off the horse with a heavy thud that shook the ground and suddenly uprooted my legs. I gasped at the man's heaviness and might. He was covered in armor; I couldn't see his face.
His horse was a white one, a rear specie, one that only noblemen, kings, and knights were opportune to own. But even as it is, it was still the rarest of them all, she was beautiful and had soulful eyes. But I couldn't help an enemy. It must be a trap. The heavy man on the ground growled and turned over to lie on his back, that was when I saw it, he was bleeding, and his golden warrior dress was stained with blood. I quickly turned away from him.
No matter how I needed to help, he was an enemy, he didn't have the emblem of our warriors on his chest. If I helped him, he would kill me first and then go out to the battlefield and slay my people. From his appearance, he is a mighty warrior, his bundle of muscles still showed from his armor. Yes, they were made to his size, to fit him, right? I began to walk away, telling myself I was doing the right thing; besides I was supposed to be home by now.
As I walked a few feet away from him, his horse lowered down and lay beside him and he spoke some strange language I didn't understand. I knew in my heart of hearts that I wasn't going to let him die there. It would have been different if I didn't see him. I stopped, huffed, and went back.
"You must not hurt me when I am done taking care of you," I spoke.
I was breaking all bounds. A young maiden is not supposed to be seen with a man that is not a brother or a relative, it was taboo, especially at night. But I won't let a man seeking my help die because of taboo. I couldn't live with my conscience if he dies. I was fourteen and my body has changed recently through the years. I was a child by heart, but a woman on sight. Sometimes, I forget that my breasts were ripe, my waist was getting narrower, and my legs were getting longer and had new shapes. I was always caught by surprise on the verge of womanhood. So, if I was seen with this man tonight, I would be seen as a wayward woman or it would be assumed that he has defiled me, because to society, I was a full woman now.
"Can you walk?" I asked knowing it was useless. He probably won't understand me. We speak different languages. But I couldn't carry this brick of a man, my strength would wear off before I even try. I tugged at his large, sturdy arm and to my surprise, he groaned, a groan that almost sent me running for my dear life. Everything about this stranger screamed mighty and dangerous.
"I am trying to help here." I tugged at his arm to try to raise him, but it was as if I was pushing a heavy rock to roll over. How can a man be this large and strong? Then he started to rise on his feet and my heart rate rose with him. I stood there watching him as he rose to his full height. He loomed over me, and I had to tilt my chin to look at his armor-covered face and waited for him to match me six feet into the ground. Then I began to demonstrate for him to understand that I only wanted to help.
I picked the sack on the floor, raised it, and pointed towards his chest, indicating that I will treat him. He said something to the horse and the horse stood walked up to me and stood still. I didn't understand what he was saying. The next thing, he swept me off the ground with one arm and I was aware that my butt perched on his strong arm. I glanced around on impulse to make sure no one was in sight. He set me upon the horse and climbed on behind me. My whole body went stiff with our proximity. Thankfully, this path led to our barn, it was closer now. But I wished the moon was not glaring so brightly because anyone could see us and anybody from the clan would recognize me.
My heart was pumping fast as the horse began to move, but it almost exploded when his head dropped on my shoulder. I didn't know if I should just disappear into nothing, this man was going to get my young self into trouble. But I relaxed and released my breath when he said the only words I could understand.
"Help, please, I am wounded."
Even though he spoke with heavy accents, I understood what he wanted from me. He was not abducting me nor going to abuse me, but he was asking for my help.
I led the horse to our barn and quietly led her into the barn hoping she doesn't startle the goats. Their bleating would surely bring mama and the other nurses out to check out what was wrong with them. I helped the huge man into the store where we kept bags of wheat and flour and let him fall heavily on the bags. He groaned loudly and I tried to keep him down so that no one would notice. It was a relief that my brothers were not home, because they would have come over to know what caused the noise in the store.
When he was quiet, I quickly grabbed the sack and removed some herbs to heal him, since I learned a little about treating people from my mother. I wasn't sure of how long I will be able to hide this man in the storage, but I needed to help dress his wound first. I raced back into the house, thankfully, my mother was not short of herbs to treat the wounded, she was too busy to even notice I have been gone for a while. I handed the sack to a woman and lingered around to make sure they were busy enough. I stole some portion of the other substances for mixing the herbs and hid them under my shift.
I raced back to the store when I have gathered everything I needed, the man was unconscious now, but I could tell he was still alive by the way his large chest rose and fell. I set out to work, trying so hard to be as quiet as ever especially when I managed to lift his armor and saw the deep cut on his chest. I did all I could and hoped he would be okay by morning. I couldn't remove his headgear, so I left it. I wasn't sure I wanted to see his face anyway. I sat there beside him, waiting on him until sleep stole me away.
When the cock crowed in the morning, I woke up with a start and found myself covered with a sack. The stranger was gone and beside me was a signet ring fixed to a gold chain. I picked it up and examined the emblem on the ring, it was the same as the one emblem on the chest of his armor. I quickly ran to the barn and his horse was missing too. He was gone, gone for good. My heart fell a little. I wish I had seen his face.