Dragon's World

28.

Out steps a woman. The crowd parts like the Red Sea for Moses as the woman approaches the table. Her hair is in a messy, auburn bun, her face free of makeup but pretty enough to not need any. Her figure is small but her hands look strong as she reaches out to Sandra and touches her on her chest. The woman closes her eyes.

"A bullet wound?" She snaps her eyes open and looks to Rune skeptically.

"Turns out guns were one of our more popular inventions to the outsiders," Rune shrugs, a small joking smile gracing his lips.

"Julia, are you still familiar with working on bullet wounds?" Xavier asks the woman as her stare lingers a little too long on Rune.

"I am. I'm just surprised they still had bullets out there with all the chaos that's gone on," she looks back down at Sandra and asses the damage.

"Well, you'd be even more surprised with how the people turned out," Rune watches the woman.

"I don't think I would," Julia gives a little smirk, her gaze still focused on Sandra's wound.

Ripping her shirt open where the epicenter of the bleeding is happening, Julia pulls up a briefcase and sets it on the table beside Sandra. She begins cleaning her hands with alcohol when I turn to Xavier.

"Is there some place uhh...kid friendly?" I ask, hinting down at Maddie by my side.

"Of course! I can take you to my children," he looks down at Maddie with a smile as her eyes are glued to whatever that woman is doing to Sandra.

We follow Xavier through the crowd of people, up a flight of stairs and down the hallway, into a small bedroom. Two little girls greet us, one about Maddie's age, one a bit younger.

"Daddy, how much longer until we can go downstairs?" The one that's about Maddie's age comes right up to Xavier, her hair in two puffy buns atop her head.

"A little while more, my sweet. I brought you a friend for now though. She's new so be nice," he turns to reveal Maddie and I behind him. The girls stare at each other for a brief moment before I decide to introduce us.

"This is Maddie, I'm Vanessa. We've uhh...come from the outside world?" I give Xavier a questionable look and he simply nods with a smile.

Both his girls faces light up with curiosity and smiles. "I'm Lanie, she's Letty. Can you tell us about outside?" Lanie's eyes light up with hope as she looks between both Maddie and I.

"Actually, I need to steal Vanessa away. Prince Rune has come back and needs her," Xavier cuts off the excitement and the girls faces drop. So I crouch down to their level with the warmest smile I can offer.

"Maddie is a really great story teller, she's learned from the best, right?" I give Maddie a little wink before turning back to the girls. "So if you guys can allow her to hang out with you, up here, for a little while, I'm sure she'd love to tell you all about outside," I watch their faces light up as they look to Maddie for confirmation. She gives a hesitant nod, still a little shy. "Then, maybe later, I'll be able to tell you guys a little more," straightening back up, I give them all a little smile and Maddie, a nod, before Xavier leads me back down to the chaos below.

Surprisingly, a lot of the people had left, leaving only a few others helping around Julia. Rune comes up to me as we come up to the table Sandra is still passed out on.

"We'll have to stay here for the night, but I want you to meet my sister," he gives Xavier a short look, the man simply nods.

"All the time you need, my friend. If you'll excuse me for now though, I have to help my wife with something," Xavier gives a small nod to both of us before excusing himself from the room.