Caught

Finn snapped her face to the front, refusing to look at Roland as if he were anything special to her. She followed Dr. Sherman as he dismounted, and together they walked into the camp's central building.

The shock on Roland's face when he saw her should have been mildly satisfying. For some reason it irked her instead.

She walked with the doctor into a room where an officer sat at a table. Finn wished she knew something about military insignia so she could adequately address the officers if needed. Maybe 'sir' would be good enough?

The soldier looked up from his maps and paperwork as they entered.

"Good Morning, Captain. I am Dr. Sherman and am reporting with my assistant to inspect the new troops." He handed the orders from the General over to the man.

He perused them in silence and nodded. "You may use the infirmary." With a wave of his hand, he dismissed the two. What a man of few words, thought Finn.

"Why do they need a city doctor to come when they already have an infirmary?" Finn whispered as they left.

"Although they have field medics trained for combat and treatment of injuries, an official doctor always does the health inspections." Explained Dr. Sherman. "Let's go get set up."

Dr. Sherman decided to start with the youngest recruits and work upward. The first, a young lad of barely 16 years, tiredly dragged himself into the room. Dirt and sweat dripped from his face, hands, and clothes.

"Good Morning, I'm Dr. Sherman," began the doctor, "And you are?"

"Sam." Replied the boy.

Finn checked her list of recruits and made a mark beside the name. Any unusual findings would be written next to it.

"Well, Sam, let's begin. What are your parents' names?"

The doctor kept up a steady stream of mundane questions as he listened to the boy's heart and lungs, and felt a few of his joints. It was as much to keep the boy at ease as it was to check how his mental faculties had held up after no sleep and hard labor. A soldier on the battlefield would have to remain sharp after far worse than this.

Nodding at Finn that the boy had passed, the doctor dismissed Sam.

The next several examinations passed without incident. Then up on the list was 'Ashley.'

The young woman with the long, golden hair entered the room. Finn tried her best not to react. She'd known from Mrs. Sherman that women were allowed to join the military, it just didn't occur to her that she might find one mixed in with Roland's group. Even covered in dirt, this Ashley was stunning.

"Good Morning, I'm Dr. Sherman," the man began his scripted introduction, "and you are?"

"Ashley," She responded with a heaving sigh.

"And what caused you to join the military, Ashley?" It was the first time he'd asked the question. For the males, it was a required duty. He began listening to her heart and checking her joints.

Her face contorted into one of disgust. "My parents arranged a marriage for me when I was young. This is one more way to delay the inevitable."

The response surprised both Finn and the doctor. Finn had never heard of an arranged marriage in real life, and the doctor knew they were uncommon except among very rich families.

"Who are your parents?" The older man asked carefully. He'd asked the same of each recruit, but for the first time he was really interested in the reply.

"My mother's name is Dierdre." The girl ducked her head. "You'll know my father as The Provider."

Finn was stunned, but the Doctor hid his shock. "I see. Do they know you volunteered for service?"

"They'll know by now. I left them a note before I snuck away from my chaperone." She cringed.

"Well, if you regret that decision, since women's service is not compulsory, you may withdraw at this time if you wish to do so." Dr. Sherman gauged the girl's reaction.

"No! I mean, I know I can withdraw, but they can't make me withdraw, can they?" Ashley was practically pleading.

"I've never seen that happen," Dr. Sherman thought out loud, "after the age of 16, a person is free to perform their military service without interference from their parents... but I've never seen a daughter of a city leader attempt service against her father's wishes."

Ashley's face fell. "I just want to live my own life."

Dr. Sherman's mouth twisted in amusement, "The military is not exactly the place people generally go to do that."

"I know that, but it seemed like the best choice at the time."

"And now?" Finn interjected.

"I'm dirtier, but feel freer now." Ashley smiled.

"Who in the world did they engage you to, that this is better?" Finn shook her head in disbelief.

"Oh, I've never met him," Ashley responded. "He's apparently from far away and has never come to Klain to meet me. He seems to be very eager; Father has notes from him almost daily, but the way my parents speak of him makes me shiver. If I'm to be trained to be the perfect bride and wife and be expected never to make an error, I don't want anything to do with the man."

Dr. Sherman smiled kindly at her as he finished his examination, "I will clear you for service."

The young woman beamed at the doctor. "Thank you."

She hopped off the table and left the room. Dr. Sherman and Finn stared at one another.

"That was unexpected." Finn offered.

"Indeed." Responded the doctor thoughtfully. "I wonder."

_________

Roland was the last up for his medical examination. After each of the others had finished, they were excused to wash up and rest. This left him digging in the ditch the longest. The sun beat down on him and he sighed in relief when it was finally his turn.

Putting away his shovel, he plodded to the infirmary. He was glad to be done digging, and thrilled to see his adoptive father and Serafina. He hoped she was thrilled to see him... although he may not have made the best impression as she came into the camp. What was she doing there?

As he walked into the room, Dr. Sherman embraced him as soon as the door was closed, despite all the dirt and sweat.

"My boy, how are you?" He asked.

"I am well, but I have much to say." Roland responded. Despite simply wanting to enjoy the moment, there was only a short time. "I think the Provider is up to more than just getting back at you after you complained to the council about the lack of medicinal herbs. I'm sure it's all connected now."

"Go on," said the older man.

"He said I was good at spying, as if it was intentional that I saw what I did. He wasn't pleased or even terribly interested in what I had to say except for when I'd seen it. He seemed more annoyed by my report than anything else. I know that's not much evidence, but I've got a gut feeling that something's not right. The fact that he also brushed aside the matter of low herbs makes me think it's all got something in common."

"Have you talked to his daughter?" Dr. Sherman asked.

"His daughter?" Roland blinked in confusion.

"She's the woman who fell into your arms earlier...?" Finn put in. She wasn't worried about it (the woman was engaged, even if against her will), but she couldn't resist making Roland squirm a little bit.

"What? Really?" Roland thought about it, turning red but otherwise ignoring the jab. "We talked amongst ourselves while digging overnight to help stay awake. Let me see. Obviously someone asked her why she was here. It wasn't polite, but it wasn't exactly rude either. She said her father had become unbearable and she needed to get away before things got worse. I can't remember if she said anything more. Are you saying she was talking about the Provider?"

"It seems so." Dr. Sherman replied, rubbing his chin. "I haven't known him to be a cruel man. This bears thinking on. If you'll excuse me, I think I want to ask the local field medic about any unusual injuries or animal attacks. It's routine for the official doctor to check in with him." With that, he picked up his bag and left the room.

"I'm--" Roland began.

"You--" Finn started.

Both smiled sheepishly. "Ladies first." Roland offered.

"You left without saying goodbye." Finn shrugged. "Your note asked me to wait, but I don't know exactly what you meant."

"Don't you?" Roland stared at her.

"Well... no, not really. Did it have to do with the attack on Klain?" She stuttered slightly under his gaze.

"No." He took a step toward her.

"Or the wolves?" She guessed again.

"No, it had nothing to do with anything but you." He took another step and reached to take her hand in his. Her clean, pale skin looked completely out of place wrapped in his dirt-covered, blistered fingers.

"I can't get out of serving. It's my duty. But if it were up to me," He paused, looking from her hand into her eyes, "If it were up to me, I'd stay with you."

"Why?" She asked, a little mesmerized.

"I think you know why. But since I can't stay with you, I'm asking you to wait. Or tell me quickly that you're not going to so that you put me out of my misery." His face tightened in worry as he invited her rejection.

"I don't know." Finn's face was red and her mind was reeling. She felt like she might faint from the incoherency of her thoughts. This was too much. Too fast. She didn't know him. She had to get away, get some space to think. She pulled her hand away. "I... I need to catch up to Dr. Sherman."

"Wait, please." Roland pleaded, his heart on the line. "The outpost lets us send letters sometimes, and receive them in return. Please, may I write to you?"

"My village doesn't even have a name, how would you get a letter to me?" She continued backing away from him. His heart broke as she did.

"If I can find a way, will you write back to me?"

She stopped moving. "I'm not sure."

Letters were safe, weren't they? Words on a page, not a living, breathing man who knocked the sense out of her and who made her feel things that scared her witless. She could handle that. Couldn't she?

"I'm sorry," She said, seeing the mixture of hope and heartache on his face, "This is all sudden and I don't understand it at all. I don't want to do this to you."

She felt guilty now for coming at all. She'd had intuition that his note was romantic, and she'd rushed here to see him. What else could he be expected to think? Isn't this what she herself wanted? Why was she hesitating now?

She took a deep, steadying breath. "You make me feel out of control, Roland. I don't think I like that." With that, she rushed out of the room, leaving him in silence.