[Esgallhugwen]

"No stop, please" Gudryn begged tugging on the man's sleeve, he spun striking her in the jaw a studded ring on his finger cutting her lip. "It's so difficult disciplining a stubborn child, your worse then that god awful horse" he turned to pick up an oaken staff smiling grimly as he struck her again and again.

She dared not call out least he hit her harder, she swallowed her sobs and her eyes welled up with hot tears. She had had enough, enough of the beatings because she was proud and kind, but now her mind was broken and her body sore.

Gudryn wondered if she would die on the floor under this heathen.

Her eyes lazily opened to the sight of a fire blazing in the hearth, everything seemed so pure when you thought you were going to die, even the bone eating cold had a calm to it. Her brown eyes were caught in the light of the fire reflecting the golden hue.

Voices drifted around her and silhouetted bodies stood by her bringing the warmth to her chilled limbs. Then one of the voices spoke directly to her driving her attention away from the fire.

"Is your stomach ailing? Any pains there? I cannot give you broth if you are hurt inside. "

She closed her eyes for awhile trying to sum up the strength to shake her head. She kept thinking no, no ,no but her head wouldn't move, finally she managed weakly to turn her head side to side.

The young woman was hungry and couldn't remember the last time she had eaten, but broth would do for now least solid food cause her to be sick.

"Then let us warm you here first, and feed you, and I shall attend to your hurts once we can see the blood colour your cheeks again, from the inside where it belongs."

She smiled weakly because she could not nod her head, someone whispered loudly, her heart was pounding in her ears and she couldn't hear him, but one of the others, a tall man, raised his eyes impatiently towards the voice.

A fit of coughing escaped from the girl leaving her gasping for air. A kind faced woman looked down on the girl wiping her face clean of dirt and tears, her face came closer and looked at her lip.

"Did someone strike you, child?" the woman asked. Gudryn did not reply, but fresh tears leaked from her eyes and fell into her ears. She turned her face back towards the warm fire.

Her knees began to throb and the pebbles that were still stuck in her skin twinged her nerves sharply. She clenched her teeth and concentrated on the fire dancing on the logs, she loved the way it twirled around the wood, licking the stone and crackling gently.

Two of the figures returned to her side, the shorter one which she could not see very well lit up a pipe telling his whereabouts. She closed her eyes again and tried to breath smoothly and evenly.

A soft scent wafted to her nostrils, she groaned slightly as they helped her sit up on the table. The broth had arrived and Gudryn couldn't help but lick her chapped lips.

"Drink it slowly now, it is hot and we wouldn't want you to choke", she took the bowl and sipped it, the broth stopped her chills and warmed her belly. She coughed up a little dribble then wiped it away.

"Thank you" she said sleepily setting the bowl in her lap.