Vanna Meets the Girl

Vanna slammed down her hot mug, fuming silently. Yet another person pounding on her door.

No, they wouldn't acknowledge her at the market, but they surely would come begging for her services. She rose to her feet as slowly as she could. If they wanted her, they could wait another minute, couldn't they?

As she rinsed her mug in the wash basin, she smirked to herself.

Payback....it was a bitch, wasn't it? She was tired of the scorn, the avoidance and the outright hatred.

Finally, she moseyed over to the door and opened it, only to find a young disheveled woman she never saw before.

"Please!" The girl cried. "You have to help me...Or find someone to help. My..ma---my friend, I think she's dying. She's....she was....or maybe still is...pregnant and now she's bleeding. Please!"

Vanna looked over the poor girl. Her dress was clean, but not well made. Her hair was tangled and loose, but she played with a wedding ring as her eyes darted around the inside of Vanna's house. This girl was no ordinary peasant, nor was she the Lord's daughter or her little friends.

"Of course. I need to grab my medicines."

"Oh...Thank you! Thank you---I'm....ever so grateful!"

Vanna nodded and stepped back into the house. The poor girl was frightened out of her mind, shaking from either cold or worry. Vanna was quick to stuff her medicines into a sack, along with a poultice or two. If the girl was as bad off as this one said, the only thing Vanna could do for her would be to ease her pain as she passed on.

"Where is she?" Vanna asked as she snapped her front door shut.

"In the forest."

"What the---why is she in the forest?"

Vanna stopped and stared at the girl. She was one of the outlaws the sheriff was looking for, though Vanna was surprised that she was a woman.

"I don't have a good feeling about this."

The girl threw herself to her knees. "Please! Oh please, if you don't, she will die....Please, as an act of good Christian faith."

Vanna stared down at the girl. "What is your name?"

"Maudrun. Call me Maddie. Please."

Vanna didn't know what made her decide to follow the girl. She didn't know if it was the girl's tone, demeanor or just God himself, but she followed the girl---Maddie---all the same.

"Thank you! Oh, thank you!"

Maddie started to run, and Vanna found it hard to keep up with her.

She was out of breath by the time they reached the young girl. Maddie dropped to her knees on the piney forest bed next to her.

Vanna halted in her tracks at the sight of the girl.

There was so much blood. More blood than she'd ever dealt with before. Vanna swallowed hard. Her specialty didn't include miscarrying women, but bellyaches and pox related illnesses. She honestly didn't know what to do.

Another voice broke Vanna from her reverie. She started as a redheaded woman stepped through the thicket.

"Did you find someone?"

"Yes," Maddie panted. "Here! Her name is...."

"Ariana...." Vanna whispered.

Maddie stroked the girls cheek. "Ariana. She's here to help."

Vanna half-smiled, half-grimaced. She looked over at the older woman, whose face said the same thing she thought. There was no hope. Vanna turned her back and rummaged through the wool sack for something, anything to help the girl. She bit her lip and looked over her shoulder at the three women. She had nothing, but hope and maybe God. Though God had abandoned her long ago, she had never abandoned Him.

Vanna took a deep breath and turned back to the women.

"Here," she said and held out a handful of St. Johns Wort. "I usually make a tea of it....but...she'll have to chew...To help with the pain."

The redhead nodded and practically snatched it from her hand, reminding her slightly of the town midwife's daughter, Ann. She passed it to Maddie, who carefully placed it into the girls open mouth. Maddie cupped her chin carefully, as the girl chewed slowly. Her green eyes never left Maddie's.

"I just....I need to....um..." Vanna looked through her sack some more. She was stumped. Who had experience with childbirth? Who didn't hate her....Oh! Ann, the midwife's daughter. "I'm going to get the midwife's---the midwife. She should be able to help."

The redhead raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure that's wise?"

Vanna straightened her back and put on her best doctor face. "Yes, I am. She will be able to help."

She knew better than to promise to save the girl's life. The girl was most certainly going to die, and any contrary promises would only get stones thrown at Vanna. No thank you!

Vanna turned swiftly, before they had a chance to protest. She hurried off towards Ann's house, heart pounding and bile rising in her throat. She hated the idea of going for help, but if she was going to try.... She moved as quick as she could, though she was not used to such exertions and frequently had to slow her pace. Damn, if only she got out more. Well, if the other peasants didn't hate her so, she would! Branches snapped under her feet, sometimes poking them rather painfully through broken shoes.

She stopped short just outside of Ann's house.

The only person she knew who tolerated her. She wasn't sure if Ann liked her, but it was enough that she had never thrown stones at her. Ann helped her mother bring three brothers into the world. Ann would know what to do...Maybe. Vanna took a deep breath climbed the last stair and knocked a little timidly on Ann's front door.

Inside Vanna heard yelling and crashing, utter chaos. She cringed back from the door as it flew open with a bang!

It was Ann, rubbing her flour covered hands in her apron. "What?! Oh...Vanna..what do you want?"

"Ummm....Well....it's not a usual situation."

Ann's eyebrows went up and then down. She scowled at Vanna, but turned and shouted into the house, "If any of you little nasties move one toe out of this house I will tan your hides from here to Windsor, got it? Now finish your chores and no bellyaching!"

Ann slammed the door behind her. She crossed her arms and stared down at Vanna. "Well?"

Vanna sighed. "There's a strange girl in the forest. She's bleeding and I don't know how to help her. Since your mother was midwife....I thought...."

"You thought I could help you. Of course you did." Ann sighed heavily before she froze and cocked her head to the side. "Wait, did you say she was in the forest?"

Vanna nodded. "I don't know if they're those outlaws or what, but it's just her and two other women. I didn't see anyone else."

"Yeah....Well, if I get killed, I blame you."

Vanna's heart lept. "You're coming?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Thank you," Vanna said, as breathless as Maddie first was.

Ann marched down the stairs, practically running Vanna over. "Show me the way."

Vanna nodded rapidly and hurried towards the forest edge. Why did Ann intimidate her so? Vanna had no idea, but she was glad Ann would be there.

The girl---Maddie---was beside the bleeding girl on her knees, her lips moving a silent prayer. The redhaired older lady stood, hands on hips, staring down at the girl. She looked up to find Ann and Vanna heading her way.

Vanna rushed forward and stared at the girl, she was still so sickly pale, even though the bleeding had stopped.

"Please," she whispered. "Save my baby. Please."

Ann turned slowly to Vanna with a scathing look. Vanna shrank back from Ann. She didn't know what else to do. She felt angry at Ann for being angry at her and mad at herself for being a coward. Vanna pushed her chest out and thrust her shoulders back.

"We can do this," she whispered.

"You better hope we can," Ann whispered. "Those are no peasants. Not like us. They're nobles and if she dies, so do we."

Vanna paled but looked past Ann towards Maddie, who cradled her friends head in her arms.

The redhead stomped over to them. "Well? Is there hope?"

Ann's sharp eyes flitted between the women. She finally spoke. "With God, there is always hope. Now, move, we have work to do!"

Ann rolled her sleeves up, and Vanna followed suit. She nodded at Van and they approached the girl.