Tis But A Scratch

"Eska"

Sitting still while Gwyn tended to the tears and bruises had made Eska stiff. When Ulric entered the room, she could tell that it was him by the sound of his pawsteps. She couldn't turn her head to see him though and was only able to lay her golden eyes upon him when he came before her. Rage and relief were the mixed emotions on his face and when he leaned his cheek into hers, she did her best to lean back. It would take a while for Eska's wounds to heal and even after that, she felt as though her neck would be stiff. It wasn't only from the bites, but from the harsh angle at which the man had jerked her head backwards.

The battered woman thanked the young healer for her aid and as Gwyn left the room, Eska brought her gaze back to Ulric. Rage had won out over relief and he questioned her immediately. There was no use in beating around the bush, so she answered him plainly. "Big. Black and blue, though he could have been dark grey. The rain could have altered his color." Ulric then questioned where it happened and she answered just the same. "The tidepools by the cove." There was no reason to hide anything, so she answered.

Gingerly, Eska stood, her limbs shaking from the effort. The bodily trauma and the long walk had really taken everything out of her. There was little energy left in the woman, but she refused to stay in the infirmary where anyone might come in to see her shame. At least the blood was cleaned off of her now and she didn't look like a horror show. Eska trembled as her muscles fought to do as their master bid. She made it to the door before collapsing against it, a hiss of pain squeezing out between gritted teeth. "Please," she growled through the exhaustion and the pain. She wanted to go somewhere private where she could sleep enough to regain her energy. The first thing that she would do when she woke was walk into the sea and let the salt wash away the scent of the bastard that had done this to her.