Captain Toddmon

She opens the door and peers inside.

"Are you alright?" she calls into the carriage.

"What?" a voice asks.

Rosam Lucis climbs inside. I look around the carriage for any sign of the driver. I don't have to look far. His body is crushed beneath it. The horse is still alive and struggling to breath. I didn't know what to do for it, so I turn back to the carriage where Rosam Lucis disappeared. A man comes out of the door. He is dressed in military clothing and I unconsciously stiffen. Something is wrong with this man. He glances back into the carriage.

"Is she alright?" he asks.

"I need to find out," Rosam Lucis replies. "Go ahead and climb down."

I shift on my feet as the man slowly climbs off the toppled carriage. He eyes me suspiciously.

"Are you with her?"

"I am."

He nods. "I'm Captain Toddmon," he says, holding out a hand to me.

I don't take it, but nod.

"What's your name?"

"I have no name." I wish Rosam Lucis would hurry. This guy really bothers me.

"Are you from around here?" he asks.

"No. Are you?"

"No. I come from Uilrad. I was hoping to find the one they call Veneficia."

"I don't know of whom you speak," I reply.

Finally, I see Rosam Lucis start to lift herself from the carriage. Her wings spread out, giving her enough lift to clear the door of the carriage. She has something bundled against her chest and blood on her hands.

"How is she?" Captain Toddmon asks her.

Rosam Lucis shakes her head and wipes her hands on the cloth around her chest before climbing off the carriage. The horse whinnies in pain as her feet touch the soil.

"Ros…"

"Tace," she interrupts me.

Then she approaches the horse. She kneels beside it and it shifts as if trying to get back up. Her voice is soft as she gently pets its head. The horse huffs for air as it holds still then it stops breathing altogether.

"Be at peace, my friend," she says.

She stands as several men run down the road. They slow when they near and address Captain Toddmon.

"Captain Toddmon, what's happened?"

"Lame horse," he replies. "Had to put it down."

"Was there anyone else with you?"

"A woman, but she didn't make it."

One of the men nods before turning to Rosam Lucis. "Veneficia, what's this?" His hand gestures to her wings.

"A gift brought to me by the angels of heaven," she replies.

"You're Veneficia?" Captain Toddmon asks Rosam Lucis.

"I am," she says, turning towards us.

"I was hoping to find you. There are many in Uilrad who could use your help."

Rosam Lucis nods, but says nothing.

I begin to wonder about the bundle tied to her chest, but Captain Toddmon hasn't seemed to notice. Nor did he seem apt to pressing her for answers as I had thought any man would.

"Will you come back with me?" he asks.

"Once the bodies are cared for and I have been able to gather some things."

Captain Toddmon nods.

The men hurry back to the city for supplies to at least bury the horse here. Likely Captain Toddmon would want to carry the bodies back to his town for a proper burial. While we wait, Rosam Lucis walks to the other side of the carriage where the driver had been crushed. Captain Toddmon watches the road, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of his sword. I follow Rosam Lucis to the other side of the carriage. She shifts the bundle against her chest and I see the face of a baby securely nestled against her full bosom.

"Do not ask," she cautions quietly.

"Are you doing alright?"

She shakes her head before removing the bandage from her eyes and turning to look at Captain Toddmon. From what she told me earlier, she was looking into the past—Captain Toddmon's past. She only looks for a minute before she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. She places a hand on the carriage to steady herself. A shiver runs down her spine. I set a hand on her shoulder.

"What have you seen?" I ask.

Rosam Lucis fumbles with the cloth in her hands to tie it back around her eyes, but her hands shake too much. Her legs are shaking as well. I wrap my arms around her waist.

"Sit down," I tell her.

Nodding, she kneels. I kneel beside her despite the deepening throb in my calf. Then I take the cloth from her hands and tie it back over her closed eyes.

"We can't trust him," she whispers.

"So, what now?"

"I'm not sure yet." Her hand rubs the cloth securing the child to her chest, moving the child a little. It takes a deep breath, stretching its fingers to grip the top of her vest.

I place my hand over hers as the captain turns to us.

"There is a woman in Uilrad who can care for this one," she says softly.

"And in the meantime?"

"I don't know."

Rosam Lucis stands and walks back around the carriage as the wagon from the village arrives. They would bear the dead bodies back to Uilrad.

"I'll return shortly," Rosam Lucis tells Captain Toddmon. "I just need to gather a few supplies."

"Alright," he replies.

He watches us enter the trees before turning to help the men move the bodies into the wagon and bury the horse. Rosam Lucis sets a quick pace once we are out of sight. Waves of… something come off of her and if not for the baby tied to her chest, she would be running. The child starts to fuss as we near the house.

"Will you bring the laundry in, Genium?" she asks, as we enter the small meadow around her house.

"Sure."

I pick up the basket from where I left it near the door and gather the laundry. I limp heavily from all the walking and running, and feel as if the stick Rosam Lucis removed has been put back in. The basket is heavy and aggravates my leg as I carry it into the house. Several jars break on the floor as I cross the threshold. The child whimpers, but Rosam Lucis calms him by rubbing her hand across his back.

"Are you alright?" I ask, setting the basket down by the bottom of the bed.

"Fine."

The waves of whatever she was feeling are stronger now and I stop her. "What do you need?"

"I think I have everything," she says, ignoring the broken glass on the floor. "Oh, jerky." She adds this to her satchel of things she is bringing and I pick it up. She stops and looks at me.

"You have the baby to carry," I say. "I got this."

"Thank you, Genium."

"You're welcome."

We set a slightly slower pace getting back. The baby whimpers a little, but then an air bubble comes up and then he is quiet again. My leg is starting to go numb now, but I am grateful for the weight of the bag. It hides my limp better.

"How are you doing, Genium?" Rosam Lucis asks as we near the edge of the trees.

"I'm alright. Are you feeling any better now?"

"A little."

We leave the trees as Captain Toddmon and the others are finishing filling in the hole where the horse is buried. The two bodies have been put in the wagon and are covered by cloth. The farmer, whose wagon we are using, sits in the driver's seat ready to be going. Rosam Lucis climbs into the back with the bodies and I sit beside her. Captain Toddmon approaches the wagon and climbs up next to the farmer before we leave.