Kaia stroked the soft white sheets, marvelling at the fine texture and softness, then pressed on the mattress.

“This is for me to sleep on? It's like something the goddess would rest upon.” Marie smiled at the girl as she poked at the soft fluffy pillow. 

“Yes dear, the sheets are clean, and it should be much more comfortable than what you've been used to.”

“I can not believe what the world is like now. The bath and the shampoo and the towels and the beds. What amazing things have been made while I was gone.” She sat down on the bed and bounced a little on the mattress as she clutched the hairbrush the she-wolf had given her to her chest. Now she was clean and there was a little more light in the room, Marie could see that her hair was a rich golden brown that seemed to have strands of actual gold in it, and her skin a light tan colour. It was her eyes that were most amazing; they appeared to be swirling pools of liquid gold. Her pointed ears had tiny tufts of golden brown hair on the tips and twitched slightly as she looked about the room in amazement as if she was always listening for danger.

“Wait until you discover the wireless.” Laughed Marie good-naturedly; she couldn't believe how fast the girl's eyes were healing after centuries in the dark. But then Marie was still marvelling that the girl could stand up with how skeletal she was. Maybe nothing about this extraordinary creature should surprise her.

There was a light tap at the door before the hind could question the odd word. Kaia made a mental note to find out what a wireless was. 

“Come in, Winston. I asked Winston to bring you some more food if you think you can manage it? My prescription for you is to eat many small meals every day.” Marie turned and smiled at him as he came in.

“I have chicken soup, a cup of sweet tea, and a pair of dark glasses that used to belong to Master Gabriel's father. I thought the lady may be able to make use of them. Master Cassiel said he will come in the morning Miss Kaia, to see how you are."

“You are truly amazing, Winston.” As she spoke, Marie moved forward and kissed the dwarf on his fuzzy cheek. He coughed and turned scarlet as he placed the tray on the bedside table near the hind.

“Umm… Thank you, Miss Marie. Umm... I hope the glasses are of use. I really must get back to the kitchen. I have things in the kitchen. Kitchen things to take care of.” With that, he spun on his heels and left the room.

The french wolf chuckled to herself.
“He is so much like an Englishman.” She shook her head. Turning back to Kaia, she smiled warmly.

“Try the glasses, my dear; they should help dim the light so you can see better. I have a sun hat in the house. I will bring that in the morning and we can try going into the garden, the sun will do you good. After so long without it, you need it.”

“It's been so long since I was in the sun.” Said the hind wistfully. “I miss watching the butterflies and feeling the heat on my skin.” Marie pointed to a chair in the corner.

“Do you mind if I sit and keep you company for a while? My Duncan is talking with Gabriel for a while. Will you try some of the soup?” Kaia smiled at her and took the proffered tray. Tentatively, she took a sip of the tea and wrinkled her nose, which made Marie smile. They spent a few minutes in silence as Kaia ate some of the soup then returned the tray to the bedside table.

“I spent so long alone, then Rouge came, and now you and Cassiel and Winston. There's food and fresh drinks. No licking moisture from stone walls and hoping enough moss will grow to take the edge of the sick feeling. So much company. So much food and riches. It's overwhelming.” Marie crossed the room and put her arms around the doe as her eyes filled with tears. 

“You poor thing.” She rubbed the girl's back until she pulled back, sniffing.

“Sorry I don’t usually cry.”

“Do not be silly. You have been through hell. I don’t know how you survived that solitude for so long and didn’t go insane. You deserve a good cry.” Kaia looked at her and smiled.

“It would be nice if you could sit with me for a little while longer. I kind of don't want to be alone again just yet.” Marie smiled back at her and, leaning forward, took the hairbrush from her.

“How about I work on getting those knots out of your hair, and you tell me what it was like in your time?”

“What would you like to know?”

Marie thought for a moment; she knew so little about ancient Greece. Any of the others who had grown up in this world would know what to talk to her about.

“What was Hercules like? Were you the hind he took to King Eurystheus?” Marie knew instantly she had made a mistake by the way Kaia tensed.

“I know him as Heracles; he was a bastard. He cared for nothing and no one but proving himself and getting up to Mount Olympus to join his father. It didn't matter who he crushed on his way as long as he got to be a god.”

“But history remembers him as a hero,” Marie said carefully.

“A hero?" Spat the girl. "He was a drunk who had sex with any man or woman that would have him. Nothing more. I thought he had made my life miserable for the year he was tracking me. But then, he condemned me to life in Mabs prison. I hate him. I hope he never got to Olympus. Why don’t I tell you what life was like for me and my sisters before he took me?”

“I’d love to hear about it.” Marie began gently brushing a small section of the hind's hair as she began to tell Marie what life had been like for the hinds, running free in the sunshine at the foot of the Parrhasian hill or through the woods that made up Artemis’ hunting ground. The venom the girl had spoken of Hercules with had surprised Marie; she had been so softly spoken till that point and had switched back to her soft, gentle tone as soon as she changed the subject. The son of Zeus must have hurt Kaia a lot, and Marie wouldn't poke at that wound again.

***

Raphael's hands shook as he bathed Rouge as gently as he could with the flannel and bowl of warm soapy water Marie had left for him. His chest felt tight as he looked at her dirt-streaked face and roughly hacked hair. Her arms were bound in bandages, and her face so pale and sickly looking, it broke him. He felt tears prick at his eyes.

“I’m so sorry, Red. I should never have let you go off alone.”

“You came for me.”

He nearly dropped the flannel at the sound of her whispered voice. Had he really heard her? Had her lips even moved?

“Red?” Her eyes were still closed, and for a moment, he wondered if he convinced himself he'd heard her and had just imagined it as he watched her pale dry lips for the tiniest movement.

“My teeth feel disgusting. I really want my toothbrush.” Raphael laughed, and the tears fell as he pulled her into his arms and held her close.

“Oh Red, I’ll get you a million toothbrushes.”

He kissed her forehead over and over then looked down at her in his arms. Slowly, she opened her eyes and squinted up at him.

“I missed you. She said you’d come”

“I missed you too, baby. Without you, my life has no meaning. I will always come for you no matter where you are; I will always find you. Always”

He buried his face in her shoulder and held her as close to him as he could. He felt her arms weakly wrap around his huge shoulders and held her even tighter.

"I really do want that toothbrush."

***

 Duncan had searched their hospital cottage and then the main house, finally finding Marie in the sitting room of the house reading a book.

“What are you reading?” She jumped a little and looked up at her mate, a warm smile spreading across her red-painted lips.

“I was talking to Kaia about Hercules; she referred to him as Heracles. There's an awful lot of hate and pain there. I'm not sure what he did to her, but I think it's more than taking her to a king; she's still angry and hurting. I just thought I would read up on the labour where he captured her and about his death.

“Cheerful topics then.” Quipped the wolf as he took a seat next to her. “I can fill you in on his death; only his human part died. The rest of him was transported up to Olympus to join his father and become one of the gods.”

“So he’s still alive?” Duncan shrugged.

“That's how the legend goes, but I haven't heard of anyone actually seeing him since his death so it could all be rot, but there are some that worship him, not that I keep an ear out for him.” He pulled her close, so she was leaning against his side with his arm around her body. She turned and curled her legs up.

“Shall I read to you?” He kissed the top of her head.

“That would be nice. I do love that french accent of yours.” She snuggled back against him, turned back to her book, and began to read to her wolf. In his arms, her old human life was like a distant dream of someone else. This life felt so much more real to her than her old life. Well, most of it, one painful detail still haunted her dreams, but she expected that always would. Losing a child was not something you just forgot, nor did she want to.