Chapter Text
"Sweet Hero," Beatrice cries with a gasp of dismay as her cousin's eyes flutter and Benedick bends one knee, catching her weight in his grasp.
Claudio scoffs and sneers "oh, another death? Perforce it so falls out-" Benedick lifts chin and his back is stiff, his eyes are blazing, but it is the fist of Beatrice that flies, connecting first with stomach and then as Claudio bends and gasps, she brings one knee up to strike his face as she holds it brief between her hands.
"Now you may slander not my cousin," she snaps.
"Ah, my dear Beatrice," Benedick cheers "what a blow!"
"Tis the least of what he deserves, and I yet would give more. But Hero -"
Benedick pulls Hero against his chest and lifts her carefully. "We will take her with us across the estate, or now is there boarding-house or room that will house the governor's daughter without first telling him she resides therein?" As Leonato has stormed in, so the soldier speaks in manner soft, and swift, words that the eyes of his wife shine and light up in response to.
"... you would preserve her then?"
"Aye, my fair cousin does no more deserve this wrong of her father choosing to take her back in than she deserved to be slandered. She does still breathe, though faint and rapidly," his dark head bends over Hero's lighter one and then he moves, whistling for a man.
It is Ursula who answers, who has stepped back but gone not far away, and with sharp eyes puts together what needs be done. "My lord Benedick, bring I a horse and carriage for you three?"
Beatrice nods and Benedick says "Aye, good Ursula, and presently!"
With swish of skirts she starts away as Claudio groans still behind them, with mutters that "for this, you'll pay".
~°°°~
It is the feeling of a cool compress that wakes Hero, and the deftness of slim but firm-placed hands; she opens eyes in a room dimmer than her own, but comforting, with sturdy wooden beams at corners of walls, and wainscoting. Light comes through window and off bowl beside her does a candle shine, as over her bends "-Ursula?" Hero's voice feels thick and strange, as rough as the other's touch is gentle. "Know you where we are?"
"My lady," Ursula says, "I am right glad to see your eyes. We are in town, you and your cousin Beatrice. Lord Benedick has carried you into this place most carefully, and took you from your father's house most speedily."
"My father - and Claudio," Hero swallows, shifts her head. "Was- Claudio still there?"
Ursula opens her mouth after wringing out a cloth, but it is a far livelier tone of voice that says "he was, with blood on his face and bruises to his pride, as were caused by I and Benedick," with leap and flurry Beatrice's voice and body fly to Hero's side. "Ah, cousin, this work you ought have seen, though we and Ursula have discharged from you the dreaded state of such foul men as both your father and count Claudio," spitting the latter name as she does in fury, still careful does she wrap her arm about and so help Hero into a sitting position. Ursula brings a cup of warm mulled wine.
"I thank you, Ursula," Hero says to her, and sips a trifle.
"Of course, my lady Hero," Ursula inclines her head. "It is so good to see you well, without -" her cheeks go pink and she drops her eyes.
Beatrice, never one for mincing words, crows "you can be glad she has not wed Claudio, good Ursula - indeed that was her aim. My cousin said she would not wed him, were she to choose."
Hero, focused on her drink, hears Ursula inhale softly. "... really? What of her father, though? Will he not still strive to persuade her?"
"If he can find her," Beatrice snorts. "But Benedick now goes to ensure we are discreet until we may return ourselves to Padua. Or leave for there, as 'twere." With swirl of skirts she's standing, looking from Ursula to Hero. "You have need to decide your will now, Ursula," Beatrice adds abruptly in all her brevity - or as much as ever possesses she. With a squeeze of Hero's hand "I am glad you are awake dear cousin," adding thus before "I shall go and see to Benedick, if his last wit has gone off as yet."
Hero nods and smiles faintly. "it is good to see you smile again," says Ursula as she takes a seat on a simple stool beside Hero's bed, offering to take the cup of wine, which after a couple more sips Hero hands to her. She places it on the surface of a barrel that also holds a bowl of cool water, that which Ursula saturates a cloth and dabs at Hero's cheeks and forehead careful. "I - had been worrying."
Hero dons another smile, patting at the other's knee. Of her ladies, or as hers and Beatrice's they have been, Ursula has remained a gentle one, with her honesty offered with quiet sweetness. Margaret by contrast was ever loud and as boisterous as Beatrice, but with a wish to dally with men that neither of the cousins have. And she was blameless, to my father, after he disavowed his duty to me, Hero's chest feels such a pang that outward she throws her hand even as she gasps, nearly whimpers.
Ursula catches Hero's hand between both of hers and asks "my lady, are you well?"
"O-h," Hero's sight goes bright and blurs before she chokes on words. "I am sorry, Ursula, to cause you worry. What shall I be doing, going to Padua with my cousin? Marry, she and Signor Benedick have been married, and I am happy for her, please do not mistake me," hair obscuring part of her face as she lowers her chin "but what -what is there, what is to now become of me?"
Holding onto the hand of her lady, Ursula offers up softly "...I do not know, but. We shall see."
Hero's eyes turn and find hers, and she reacts as though with shock.
"Ursula, what- mean you to come with me?"
Shifting skirts and dropping gaze as if bashfully, "If that is the wish of my lady, I would - I will come happily."
Hero can hardly speak but holds Ursula's hand tightly.