Mermaid_ A Twist on the Classic Tale - Carolyn Turgeon [67]
“Yes, I think she will be of more help here,” he said and nodded shortly. Then he left as a servant came back with strips of cloth and began bandaging Lenia’s left hand.
A while later, there was another knock on the door. An older woman, short and bulky, with wide, rounded hips, came in. She had long, dark silver hair, pale eyes, and a loose skirt. Bracelets jingled from her wrists.
She focused on Lenia straightaway. “Leave us now,” she said, gesturing to the servants and ladies who remained in the room. Her voice was soft, a voice used to being around sickness, and her movements were surprisingly graceful.
Quietly, the servants stole out of the room. The woman walked right up to the bed, peering into Lenia. A strange, herbal scent came from the basket she was carrying, covered with cloth. Immediately Lenia thought of Sybil.
“They say that someone found you, on the beach,” she said. “That you can’t speak. Is that right?”
Lenia nodded.
“And you can’t write?”
No.
“Will you open your mouth for me?” the woman asked gently, nodding.
Lenia opened her mouth and let the woman peer in, watched the look of surprise that came over her face.
“Someone removed your tongue.”
Lenia nodded.
“You must have had something to say in your time, didn’t you? You poor girl. Someone wanted to hurt you, didn’t they?”
Lenia shook her head no, focused on the woman. I chose this, she thought. It was the price I paid to come here. I came here to be with him and to live forever.
To her surprise, the woman reared back and stared at her with wide eyes. “Did you say something?” she asked. She examined Lenia for a moment, then picked up Lenia’s right hand and turned it over, staring at her palm.
“What a strange creature you are,” she said. “I have never seen a palm with a life line like yours. You have the life line of a child.”
Lenia pulled her hand away, embarrassed.
The woman looked at her. “I only mean that I can see you are very special,” she said. “Forgive me. My name is Agnes. I am a friend.”
She took Lenia’s other hand and carefully unwrapped the bandages, then rubbed a salve over the palm, closing Lenia’s fingers around it.
She lifted Lenia’s dress and placed her palm against Lenia’s abdomen, felt between her legs. “Relax,” she said. “I will not hurt you.”
Lenia closed her eyes, wincing with pain. How strange to have a body that could be forced open like this. It was so different from when she’d been with the prince, when her body had opened naturally.
“Ah, you are fine,” Agnes said, removing her hand, which was streaked with blood, and pulling Lenia’s dress back down. “You have had your womanhood broken. Yes?”
Broken.
“It is painful business, lying with men,” she said. “Do not let yourself be abused. Do you understand me?”
Lenia nodded.
I need him to fall in love with me. Please help me.
“You cannot make it too easy for a man like him. Do you know that? If you want him to love you.”
Lenia just looked back at her. Agnes dropped her eyes, shaking her head slightly and letting out a small laugh. “I’ve become a mind reader, it seems,” she said.
Yes.
Agnes wrinkled her forehead. “Now, I will arrange for you to be washed. If you need anything, I live close to the castle, in a small house across from the church. You can recognize my house by the dried yarrow on the door. Call for me or come to me, any time. I will just leave you with this salve made from bark. You can use it to ease aches and pains.”
For my legs, my feet.
“Yes,” Agnes said. She stared at Lenia again, into her eyes. “You are trying to say something to me, aren’t you?”
Lenia nodded, pointed to her legs.
Agnes smiled. “The salve. It will help the pain in your legs.”
Thank you.
Agnes cocked her head, as if trying to hear Lenia, then reached out and touched Lenia’s hand. “What a strange one you are. Be careful here.”
Lenia nodded and watched her go. Then she looked down at her injured palm, which was smooth and perfect now. As pale as a pearl.
LATER, KATRINA CAME in and sat on the bed next to her.
“I think perhaps