Page 67 of Upon Buried Embers
I open the door and shuffle in, only able to crouch. I drop the bucket on the ground, my hands raw from placing the other stones. My eyes water when the handle of the bucket rubs at the blisters. Something else I’ll have to get used to, Rohan said. It’s something the children start to do at age five.
Which made me even more embarrassed.
Master put me to work, cleaning and washing his clothes, feeding animals and so on. I’m not used to carrying around a heavy bucket of stones.
Placing the last stone on the pillar, I sit back on my heels and look around the small space. There are cobwebs in the crevices of the beams that hold up the wooden floor of the cabin, and it almost looks abandoned down here, like it hasn’t been used in a while.
It would make sense seeing as though Rohan had to practically shove the door open to get in.
So why is he using it now?
I head to the well next to gather water, per Rohan’s orders. There are three wells placed around the clan, but the closest one is down the hill and west, so I head that way, the wind slowing a little.
No one speaks to me, but Tofa smiles at me and Asseya waves as she passes with another woman, Astrid. It was nice of them, but not necessary.
I hopefully won’t be here for long.
Reaching the well, I attach the bucket to the rope and throw it in, my vision blurring when I see the drop.
I’m not very good with heights at all.
But more than that, it reminds me of the dried up well behind the barn, one of two, and I shiver at the memory of having to climb out of it.
I grab the crank and begin the slow ascent of retrieving the bucket. Beads of sweat form on my forehead as I turn the handle, my arms shaking, but the sooner I can get this done, the sooner I can get back to Rohan’s home and rest.
If he lets me.
Finally, the bucket is in sight, and I lock the handle, resting the bucket against the rim of the well, taking a breath.
Gods that’s heavy.
Bracing myself, I grab the handle, and just as I have my two hands on it, a shove comes from my side.
I land on the ground, the water spilling over me and instantly soaking my clothes. A hand grabs my hair as I cry out in alarm.
“Why are you really here, slave girl?” A harsh voice sneers. I try to get up, my hands clawing at the one in my hair, but a knee comes down on my back. “You won’t survive here, I will make sure of it. Leave, no one wants you here!”
“P-please, get off of me.”
She slams my head down, and my brow bone hits the bucket. I cry out, trying to cover my face.
“You will not mess up everything I’ve achieved over the last few years here, do you hear me?”
I hear other voices, two people laughing and then the hand is suddenly gone, and I’m left gasping, holding my face where it’s stinging. When nothing more comes, I sniffle and look around, only to pause when my eyes meet Rhett’s.
His brows furrow, staring at me intently, but then he shakes his head and walks off.
I pull my hand back and notice the blood smeared over the skin.
Shaking, I quickly fetch more water, my eyes darting around wildly, making sure no one else creeps up on me.
Soaking wet, cold and in pain, I grab the bucket once more, and hurry back to Rohan’s home, feeling eyes on my back and my legs start to feel shaky.
About half way there, Kaldar appears, blocking my path.
“Why are you bleeding?” His face isn’t unkind when he asks, but it must be a trick.
“Oh, u-um,” I stutter. “I just banged my head. I’m fine.”
