Dreamwalker's Bride - Chapter 211

Chapter 211: Stranger
Mia froze, and stared. From behind the tree, two very dark eyes beneath jet-black hair peered at her. The man’s face was pale, and his expression wary. Unfriendly.

“This is my land,” She answered with a slight waver in her voice. “Shouldn’t I be asking who you are?”

The man frowned and shifted to face her better, but he did not stand. How rude, for a man not to stand in the presence of a lady! Well, a farmer’s daughter, but a woman, anyway.

“This is your land?” He looked around as if he doubted her word.

“My family’s,” She amended. “Your accent… you’re from Foundrel.”

The realization did not comfort her. Foundrel had fought a war with them a little over a decade ago, and many people still harbored strong feelings about it. Was he one of those people? Violent, and dangerous?

“Yes.” He said, his face darkening. “Is that a problem?”

“Not as much of a problem as trespassing,” She tried to make her voice sound more intimidating than she was, but it didn’t seem to work. He didn’t move to get off the property.

“I’ll be on my way soon enough,” He assured her curtly.

“Well, then,” Mia smiled tightly. He was being very rude, but so far, not dangerous. She wanted to leave, but didn’t want to step back in a show of fear, or turn her back on the man entirely. So she waited.

He glared at her for a moment, and she was bewildered. Was he mad at her for telling him not to be on her family’s land? She didn’t know his purpose here, but she knew that vagabonds shouldn’t be allowed to lurk.

He reached to the other side of the tree, where she couldn’t see, and she leapt back despite her resolve. Was he reaching for a weapon? Was there someone else there that she couldn’t see?

No. It was… a crutch. He rolled towards his stomach and began to awkwardly lift himself to one knee, then used the tree and the crutch to shuffle to a standing position on one leg.

The other was splinted.

Shame washed over her for her lack of compassion.

“You’re injured,” She observed. “I’m… I didn’t realize. I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what? You didn’t do it,” The man cut a bitter glance at her.

He awkwardly leaned down to snatch up a blanket and sack, which he slung over one shoulder. With a final glance at Mia, he turned and began to hobble towards the road.

Her heart wrenched, and the magical pull to follow him startled her. There was blood staining the sleeve of his shirt under his arm where the crutch rubbed him, and she grimaced.

“Wait!”

The man froze, but didn’t turn around. The effort of doing so might be painful, Mia guessed.

“What?” He demanded roughly.

“Are you hungry?” She asked. He looked painfully skinny. “We have rocking chairs on the porch. I could get you some breakfast while you sit and rest awhile.”

Her parents couldn’t object to that. She wasn’t inviting him inside, and it didn’t seem kind to send him away, injured and starving.

He turned his head, and she could see his profile in the beginning of the dawn light.

“Why?”

The single syllable was enough to propel her forward. She came around the front of him to look full into his face for the first time. Her eyes widened.

He was much younger than she’d thought from his grizzled voice and appearance. Maybe not much older than herself. His eyes were haunted and bitter, but strangely mesmerizing. His face was sallow and starved, but not unattractive despite his pitiful state. She hesitated before answering.

“I’ve been raised to be kind to everyone. Your presence scared me at first, but you obviously need a good meal and some water. Please come up to the house.”

She was close to him, but she doubted with his injuries that he could harm her too much before her screams would bring people running from the house, if he were inclined towards evil.

His stare was cold. Perhaps he hated the idea of charity?

“I’ve got fresh eggs,” She held up the basket. “And I’ve just milked the cows.”

The man’s brow furrowed, and his stomach rumbled loudly enough for her to hear. She was torn between laughing lightly and crying for whatever had driven the man to this sad state.

“All right,” He agreed, turning to hobble towards the house.

Mia wanted to cry out with triumph. Maybe what she wanted was to be useful? That might be the pull this man held.

“May I carry that for you?” She gestured to his sack. “It looks like you’ve had a long journey.”

He eyed her, but said nothing, and didn’t offer it to her. Mia let her hand drop to her side. When they got to the porch, she grimaced as he struggled with the steps. Once she was sure he wouldn’t fall and hurt himself further, she pulled out her rocking chair–made by her grandfather–and turned it to make it easier for the stranger to sit.

She also got a small table and pulled it closer.

“Would it help your leg to elevate it?” She asked. “It looks like it might be swollen.”

The man glared at her, and she pushed the table close enough for him to be able to lift his foot, but not so much that it would be in the way if he decided not to. Then she grabbed her basket of eggs and fled into the house.

“Mama? Papa?” She called. “Grandma? Grandpa?”

“What is it, Mia?” Seth, her father, strode into the room.

“Um,” She considered her words, “I felt a pull this morning, out to the edge of the land by the road.”

“Oh?” He looked like he was wanting to leave to complete his own morning’s chores, but was giving his daughter the attention she required before he left.

“Long story short, there was a man out there, who looks half starved. He’s on the porch now, I’ve promised him some breakfast, but I… I thought you should know.”

Seth’s eyebrows almost hit his hairline. “Thank you, Mia. I’ll go out and meet with him now.”