Escape from the Witch Hunters
Chapter 18

“Gillian! Gillian!” Maria’s voice cut through Gillian’s slumber like a hot knife through butter. “Markus needs your help!”

“What?” Gillian rubbed his eyes and sat up. When had he fallen asleep? He remembered setting down Ryia’s tray, then eating his food, and then resting his head on the table for a minute.

I’ve really got to stop falling asleep without realizing it, he shook his head to clear his brain.

“Your horse is trying to kick down our barn!” she squealed.

Gillian shot out of the chair. “He’s what?” he didn’t wait for an answer and bolted out the door, towards the barn. “Red?”

A part of the barn was wobbling as if an earthquake were shaking it. “Red!” he ran into the barn, towards Red’s stall.

Red neighed, the kicking stopped, and his head popped out at the sound of hearing his master’s voice.

“That-” Markus let out a long string of unpleasant words about Red, “-horse! He almost knocked my whole barn down!”

“I’m extremely sorry Mr. Jolly! I don’t know what came over him, he isn’t usually like this, he's just not used to this barn and,” he looked back at Red and almost choked on his own spit, “he’s got lice.”

He looked in horror back at Markus and repeated himself. “He’s got lice.”

Mr. Jolly’s expression mirror Gillian’s. “Maria! Gillian’s horse done got lice! Maria! You hear me?”

Maria came jogging out of house. “What’s wrong?”

“Lice Maria! Gillian’s horse has lice!” Markus yelled from the barn.

Maria’s eyes went wide. “Lice you say? Well clean him up!” she turned tail and went back inside, leaving Markus and Gillian to deal with Red.

“Red has lice?” Ryia came walking out the door in her night dress. “Poor Red!” she started walking down the steps from the house, down to the pathway that led to the barn.

“Ryia, get back inside!” Gillian shouted.

“But I want to see Red!” she lifted up her dress so she wouldn’t get dirt on the hem of the dress.

“Get back inside, Ryia. You’re sick!” Gillian waved his hand at her for extra emphasis.

She frowned. “But I want to see Red!” she kept walking towards the barn.

Gillian rolled his eyes and sighed before he trudged out of the barn, over to Ryia where he picked her up, and marched her right back into the house and into the bedroom.

“Gillian!” Ryia furrowed her eyebrows. “I wanted to see Red!” she sounded quite different with a plugged nose and thick throat.

“Well you can’t until you’re better.” he set her down on the bed.

Ryia took a deep breath. Count to ten, Ryia, count to ten.

“Gillian I want to see Red!” she exploded and puffed out her cheeks and sat up from her bed.

Gillian placed his hands on his hips. “You can’t. And whining like that isn’t cute on you.” he added sternly, although he had to admit that it was fun seeing her frustrated, and it was almost cute. But she wouldn’t get to know that.

She huffed and emphatically flopped down on the bed. “You’re very frustrating and very controlling. You know that don’t you?” she frowned up at him.

It took all of Gillian’s self control to keep himself from laughing at her expression. “I am quite aware of my controlling habits. But you’re my wife, and you vowed to obey me.” he smirked.

She took another deep breath and closed her eyes. Keep calm, Ryia. Don’t explode. Do not explode. You're better than this. Or am I?

“You’re right.” she nodded calmly, finally gaining control of her temper. “I’m sorry, I should have just done what you told me to do.”

Gillian smiled. “Glad you came to your senses.” he turned to leave. “Get some rest.” he looked back at her before he walked out of the room.

Once I’m better, I’ll get you back. Just you wait, Gillian McCormack. I’ll strike so fast, you won’t have time to duck, she thought to herself. Although...what am I going to do?

Ryia rolled her eyes and flopped back down on her bed. “Who am I trying to fool? I can’t do anything.”

She wiggled in the bed, trying to get comfortable. A very daunting task if you’re sick, she thought glumly. My nose hurts. My throat hurts. But I hate sleeping all day!

She sighed and closed her eyes, trying to make herself go to sleep again.

“Great.” Gillian muttered. “Just great.”

The question was, how did Red get lice in the first place? He must have gotten it from something in the forest. Then Gillian froze. He distinctly remembered resting his head on Red just the night before when he was checking up on Red.

He took huge strides out of the barn, up the steps, and into the barn. “Maria! Come here!”

Maria came over from the cooking pot and looked at him as if he were going insane. “Whatever is that matter with you?”

“Look at my hair.” he ducked his head in her face, making her flinch slightly.

“And what may I ask, am I looking- Ah!” she screamed. “Great Father he has lice! Markus!” she shrieked. “Markus! Come quick! Gillian has lice!”

Markus came running into the kitchen with a white face. “Oh no. Not him as well.”

Ryia came out of the bedroom with wide eyes and Gillian thought he saw a trace of a smile. “He has it too?”

“Yes, and you probably do too.” he grunted.

Surprise overtook her features. “I do? Why would I- oh!” realization dawned. Gillian had shared her pillow, most likely spreading the dreadful things.

“Well,” Maria sighed, “we might as well get rid of those pests as soon as we can. And we’ll have to burn a lot of good stuff.”

Maria started to sniffle.

“I can pay for the costs.” Gillian offered.

“Oh, no, we couldn’t do that.” she continued to sniff.

“Oh yes we could.” Markus mumbled under his breath.

“I insist.” he patted Maria’s back.

Maria shook her head. “I’ll go get the stuff to get rid of those terrible little things.”

She left the kitchen and over to the cabinet.

Gillian had only had lice once in his life, and his father had to shave Gillian’s head till there was barely any hair left on his head.

Gillian ran a hand through his thick hair and let out a growl. Ryia’s going to have a worse time of it than you are, he looked up at Ryia and she seemed to be realizing the same thing.

She felt a lock of her hair then looked back at Gillian with a sad face. He could see her bite her lip, and she hurried back into the room.

I should go make sure she doesn't do anything drastic, Gillian stood up, walked to the bedroom door and opened it. “Ryia?”

Her face was in her pillow, and he could see her tiny body shaking with, presumably, tears of horror.

“Don’t talk to me.” she spoke in between blubbers.

“Ryia.” he sighed and walked over to the bed and sat down, making it sink.

She didn’t answer and her crying took over.

“I won’t be that bad will it?” he grimaced, preparing himself for her answer.

Ryia gave a whined answer that sounded suspiciously like, "yes".

“I stand corrected.” he spoke softly and touched Ryia’s shoulder, prodding her to look at him. “Look at me, Ryia.”

“No.” she stiffened up and sniffed.

“Ryia.” he spoke to her in a warning tone.

She still didn’t move. I don’t need to look at him, she tried to discreetly rub her eyes on the pillow so she didn’t look quite so pitiful.

Gillian turned her over using both of his arms so that she was facing him. “It’ll be alright.”

Gillian wasn't prepared for the hurt look on her face.

Her eyes were wet, her eyelashes matted, and lips cast into a downward position. “Have you ever lost one of your most treasured features? No you haven’t.” she spouted. “Have you lost your eyes? Have you lost your,” she looked him up and down, “your whole physique?”

One of Gillian’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.

“No you haven’t! And it won’t be alright!” she sat up and swung her legs off of the bed. “It won’t!”

Gillian was silent. He didn’t know what to see. He hadn’t ever lost any of his physical articles. He had lost his hair, yes, but it grew back at a rapid pace. He hadn't lost anything else.

“I’ve lost something equally important as your hair.” he avoided her eyes and looked at the ground.

It was true. He had. It wasn't something that could be touched. But it could be hurt. It couldn't be seen with eyes. But it was visible. It hurt when he lost it. Not just because he lost it, but because in the shuffle, it had been carelessly thrown away and it broke.

“What?” some of her fight leaving her, although a bit of defiance still lingered.

She sniffed again to keep her nose from dripping onto her nightgown.

They sat side by side, mere inches away from each other.

So close I could hug him, Ryia sniffed again, oh hush.

He looked up at her piercing her with his blue eyes. This is going to sound stupid, he took a deep breath and looked at her with a remorseful look. “My heart.”

If Ryia had been standing she would have fallen over.

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