It was Chagum.

He was alive.

"Chagum!" The words were a strangled whisper. She lowered her head to his chest, disbelieving the grace by which he still breathed, but he did – smoothly and evenly. She examined the back of his head – a bump, off to the side, a little blood. He moaned softly and she opened his eye, checking his pupil, then the other. They dilated, reacted to the lantern light. She gasped in relief.

The Spearwielder wanted to hug the boy to her, hold him tight and never let go, but it was not the time. They had to go.

Staggering to her feet, Balsa surveyed the scene around her. There was no movement anywhere in the camp, bar the shuffling of the nervous oxen. She staggered over to the tents, peeked inside. Two attendants and two pages in the first tent – all unconscious, all breathing. The assassins were good at their jobs. She spared a glance at the royal guardsmen, also still, one of them bleeding from his gut. She pondered assisting, decided against it – if they lived or died, she didn't have the time to do anything more for them than hope.

The Hunters lay scattered, all wearing the uniform of Rota. Balsa scowled – there would be time to consider that later, but she didn't like the smell of it. She knelt by the one whose nose she had broken and ripped away the cowl that covered his face, just to be certain.

It was Mon. There was no doubt.

She left the Hunter there and limped back to Chagum, who was stirring and moaning softly. Now, finally, the Spearwielder considered her own wounds. The thigh was trivial – the shuriken had caught her just below the buttock and missed the sciatic nerve. Grunting, she ripped a strip of cloth from her tunic and wrapped it tightly around the wound.

The shoulder was a little worse – there was quite a bit of blood – but the sword had missed the big muscles and glanced off the shoulder blade without breaking it. There would be a risk of infection, of course, but that was Tanda's job. She wrapped the wound with another strip of her tunic, wincing from the pain.

"Spearwielder."

Balsa spun, looking for the source of the weak voice. "Spearwielder." It came from one of the Hunters lying at the edge of the trees. She limped over to the man, who lay on his back, hand covering a wound in his stomach. A knife wound – Chagum's dagger.

"Finish me, Spearwielder. Finish me this time."

Balsa knelt and ripped the man's cowl away. "Jin." She tossed the cowl away. "I don't have time for you."

"I no longer wish to live, Spearwielder. Will you not do what you should have done before?"

"I will not kill you, Jin. I've got better things to do with my time."

"Please!" the young man grunted. "I can no longer live with what I've done."

"That's no concern of mine. We have to go."

"Spearwielder! The prince, does he-"

"He lives."

"Prince Chagum…"

Balsa scowled in disgust and knelt next to the man. "You could have killed him. You had your chance – he couldn't have stopped you, even with his blade. You didn't strike."

"I could not." Jin whispered.

"Then do this for him. That wound will not kill you. Instead of wishing to die, bind it and those of your comrades, and return to your Mikado and tell him that Chagum is dead. Tell him that you saw him die, saw his body washed away in the river or lost in a ravine. He may not believe, but it may at least buy me a little time to get Chagum to safety." She rose. "I have to get him away from here before your colleagues come around or things will be very complicated."

"Bodyguard… Protect him."

"Until I die." Scowling again, she retrieved her water skin and poured a few sips down the man's throat.

Balsa walked back across to Chagum, desperately fighting off the exhaustion and dizziness that threatened to overcome her. She took a quick sip of water, then gently tipped the boy's head back and moistened his mouth. He did not wake, but swallowed the water. Good.

She tied the spear to her back, horizontally, as tight as she could tolerate. She spied Chagum's dagger, wiped it on the grass and tucked it into her belt. Then, carefully lifting Chagum into a sitting position she guided his hands around her neck and rolled him onto her back, the shaft of the spear supporting his bottom. She lurched unsteadily to her feet.

The Spearwielder gasped at the weight of him – it felt as if he had stones hidden in the pockets of his robe. She was tired, wounded – but it was not the easy thing she'd reflexively expected. The boy had grown a bit taller than she remembered, not much, but his weight belied his physical appearance. It's muscle. She realized. He's solid as a rock.

Without another glance at the carnage around her she limped to the road and turned back the way she had come. It was after midnight now, for certain – perhaps two hours after. The clouds were beginning to thin out and the rain had abated, the moon now more clearly visible almost directly overhead. By Balsa's estimate she had four or five hours of darkness left.

She could manage no more than a rapid walk, even with the elation of the moment buoying her. Balsa knew that her body was at the limits of its tolerance, that will and emotion could only carry it so far. Chagum's weight felt more intolerable with every step. But she had him back – the strangeness and wonderfulness of it, to have him back! How could she falter now, after having seen the impossible happen?

"Balsa?" a sleepy voice moaned behind her.

"I'm here."

"Is it really you, Balsa? Am I dreaming?"

"You're not dreaming, Chagum." The Spearwielder whispered, fighting down a rising flood of emotion that would have overwhelmed her fading reserves of energy. It Was Chagum's voice – a bit huskier than before, perhaps, with a prospect of what it would become layered in its timbre – but Chagum's voice nonetheless. "We're fine."

"Balsa, you're bleeding!"

"I'm fine, Chagum, it's a scratch. Just be still."

"Balsa, I can walk. Put me down."

"You're injured. Don't worry – I'm not even tired."

"Balsa – please! You're hurt and you're staggering. Put me down!" The boy began to struggle weakly and she stumbled to a stop, lowering him to the ground. He stayed on his knees, wide-eyed, staring at her in disbelief. "Balsa!"

The moon shone brightly now, unencumbered by cloud. Balsa could see more detail in the face before her than before. "My brave prince. How are you feeling?"

"My head hurts." He winced, feeling the lump. "But I'll be fine."

"Listen to me, Chagum. We need to keep moving – we can't be caught on this road. Can you walk?" He nodded. "Take my hand, then – we need to move as fast as we can. Don't talk and save your strength, all right?'

His hand reached out and touched her cheek softly. "Balsa – you look terrible!"

The Spearwielder rasped an exhausted chuckle. "I've had a busy night. Come on. Tell me if I'm going too fast, okay?"

"All right."

Balsa forced her agonized body into motion again, the boy's hand wrapped tightly in hers. It was much easier to move without his weight on her back but she held herself in check, not wanting to push him too hard.

"Balsa – I can go faster." Chagum said after a moment.

"Why don't you go as fast as you can, then – and I'll match your pace, all right?" He nodded, smiled. After ten more minutes walk, she saw a glint in the moonlight on the left side of the road. "Stop here."

"Balsa?"

She knelt and picked up her shuriken, tucked it into her tunic. "We need to go through the trees now. Down to the river. It might get a little rough-"

"I'm fine, Balsa. Show me which way to go." She smiled and nodded, then led the boy through the trees and down towards the river. He followed, uncomplaining, as she picked her way back through the route she'd followed earlier, sticking as closely as possible to the path she'd cut with her spear.

The boat was where she'd left it, still bobbing softly in a river that now reflected the moonlight brilliantly. Balsa cast a nervous glance at the little fishing shack but if it was occupied, there was no sign of it. She untied the boat and lifted Chagum inside. "Have you rowed before, Chagum?"

"Yes – at the palace. I know how."

"Good." Balsa sat across from him, facing backwards, and pushed away from the bank. She pulled the oars, grunting in agony as her wounded shoulder sent waves of fire though her entire body, and a sheen of sweat formed on her forehead. Chagum wordlessly slid across and sat next to her. The boy took the left oar in both hands, staring at her expectantly. They began rowing together, making steady progress towards the far bank, losing a little ground to the current but not much. In less than two minutes they were across.

Balsa and Chagum wordlessly dragged the boat onto the bank and back into the trees, both of them panting with exhaustion by the time they were done. Chagum grabbed her hand and stared at her expectantly. "What now?"

"We need to get to Yashiro Village. See those two hills there? We just need to follow an animal trail between those and it will take us to the main trail, on the other side. From there, it's close by."

"Balsa, are you all right?"

"I'm tired. I've lost a little blood, too – but I'll be fine, I promise. We need to go a little further."

"I can see the trail." Chagum squinted. "Between the hills. Can you see it?"

"No – but I found it before. You lead the way and I'll follow."

He did, and she did. But the going became rougher and rougher, and her strength more and more fleeting. She'd had no food for better than twelve hours and unimaginable physical exertion for much of it. Her wounds throbbed and her head began to feel light. After not more than five minutes of following Chagum she found herself stumbling and leaning against his surprisingly solid frame. "Balsa!"

"I'm all right, Chagum."

"You need to rest. I'll help you, okay?"

"I think… I think I'm going to need to sleep for a couple of hours. I don't think I can…go much farther."

"Hang on!" he panted. Balsa felt herself drifting away from her body, forcing herself to concentrate on sheer absurd realaity of Chagum's presence at her side. She was leaning more and more of her weight on him, and his breathing grew more and more labored. "Here!"

"What?"

"It's a nice little dry spot. Almost like a cave." He led her by the hand to a small depression in the round hill on their left, an overhanging lip of rock that had kept the ground beneath it fairly dry. "It's OK, Balsa. We can rest."

The Spearwielder slumped to the ground with her back against the hillside, panting. Chagum slid next to her. "I'm pretty tired."

Chagum still held her hand, his eyes wide. "Will you be okay?"

She forced a smile. "I need to sleep. Two hours should be enough. I just need to sleep for a bit… Then we can get to the village."

"Sleep – I'll stay up and wake you in two hours."

"No – you need sleep, too." Though her voice was weak, Balsa squeezed the boy's hand reassuringly, feeling a fraction better at finally being able to rest. "My wounds aren't serious. I can wake myself whenever I need to. It's a skill you have to have in my profession."

"Will… Will we be OK here?"

"We should be. They don't know where we went, for starters. And there's no bridge for miles and miles. None of those guys are going to be in any condition to swim for a while." She grinned and patted his cheek. "You took two of them out yourself."

"Balsa!" Chagum blushed. "I thought I was going to die."

"If you hadn't gotten out of that tent when you did and hadn't defended yourself as fiercely as you did, you would have died. I wouldn't have been able to save you."

"You… saved me." Chagum whispered, wide-eyed.

"You growled like a little tiger – and bit like one, too."

"Balsa, that man I stabbed-"

"He'll be all right." Balsa rasped. "I checked on him – he's not critically wounded. Neither are your pages."

"Honest?"

"I swear it." Balsa took out the water skin and drained a long sip before handing it to the boy. "Here – finish that up."

He did, looking worried. "Balsa, those other men – did you kill them?"

"No one died today. Not by my hand, anyway." She smiled weakly. "They've all had much better days, I promise you that. But no one died by my spear."

"Thank goodness!' Chagum breathed. "Who were those men, Balsa? Why were they-"

"Shhh. We'll think about all that later. Now we need to sleep for a bit." The Spearwielder lifted her good arm and pulled Chagum close to her. "My Kotora… Rest your head on my shoulder, all right? It won't be very comfortable but it's better than rock."

"What about you?"

"I won't have any trouble sleeping, Chagum – I promise." Balsa adjusted the boy's weight against her side, then rested her cheek on top of his head. At the end of it all, with her exhaustion and her wounds sapping every last ounce of strength from her body, she still had the ability to marvel that it was really Chagum, against all possibility. It was almost beyond imagining, but he was real.

She felt the tension is his body slowly soften, the weight of him against her grow as his muscles relaxed and let her support him. "Balsa, it's really you."

"It's me."

"I…I thought you forgot about me."

"I never forgot about you Chagum. Not for a single minute."

His voice was a distant whisper, losing itself in slumber. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again…" She found a last reserve of strength in her good arm to pull him a little closer to her, then lost herself in dreamless sleep.

****************************************************************************

"Chagum."

That was strange, hearing that word not proceeded by "Prince". No one called him that anymore. Not since…

"Chagum."

His eyes snapped open, a flood of recollection sweeping over him, and Crown Prince Chagum saw the spearwielder's blood-stained, exhausted face staring at him. It was as clear as it had been in his imagination countless times before. Eyes gaping, his hand drifted to her face unbidden, felt its rough solidity. "Balsa!"

"How do you feel?"

The boy winced, realizing at the question that he had a stout headache. "My head hurts a little." He felt Balsa's calloused hands part his hair and assess his bruised scalp with supreme gentleness.

"I don't think this is serious, but we'll have Tanda take a look at it just to be safe."

"Tanda!"

"He should be waiting for us at the village. Can you walk?"

"Of course." The boy pushed himself upright and squinted in the morning sun, panic rising in him at the brightness of the sky. "How long was I asleep?"

"Only about three hours – it's still early. But we need to move."

Chagum felt as if he were in a dream, much more than the receding veil of sleep at the root of it. The events of the night before, Balsa here, now – it was as unreal as any dream could be. His hand was at her elbow, again needing to feel that she was not an apparition. "Balsa, I can't believe it's actually you. You're here!"

"I hope so."

"Why, Balsa? How? How did you know what was going to happen? Why did you save me?"

"You're full of questions." The Spearwielder smiled. "I promised I'd protect you didn't I, Chagum? It's obvious my job isn't over, since you keep getting yourself into trouble."

"But – how, Balsa?"

"We need to go – there'll be plenty of time to talk later. I'm not going to be at my best, so it might be slow going. All right?"

"Okay." Chagum sighed. "But Balsa-"

"Shhh." The Spearwielder knelt so that they were at eye level, hands on his shoulders. "What I think is this. There's something watching over you – looking out for you. I think someone sees all the burdens you've had to carry and the way you've carried them, and wants to make sure you're all right. That's what I think."

Chagum's heart rose into his throat. "That's you, Balsa."

Her eyebrows rose and she stared at him for a breath, another. She inclined her brow towards him slowly until their foreheads toughed lightly for a moment, then stood. "Let's move, now."

And then they were walking, through thick brush which slowly gave way to tall grasses and wild plants which swayed softly in the autumn breeze. The sky was a mix of puffy clouds and azure clarity, the air brisk and clean. Chagum picked his way through the high stalks and brush easily, the thoughts of the animals that had blazed the almost invisible trails as clear to him as if he'd made them himself. He could almost see the hooves and pads beating the paths over the centuries and millennia, and feel the primal needs that drove them to water, and shelter, and prey.

Balsa's hand was in his at first as he led her, the calloused skin of her palm rough against his own. Then her arm was around his shoulder and he relished the closeness of her, the safety of her warm presence close to him. As they broke through the tallest of the grasses and the main trail came into view ahead of them she leaned more and more weight against him, and her gait become more and more irregular until he found himself breathing hard and perspiring from the strain of supporting her. "Balsa, you need to rest!"

"Just for a second." She mumbled. The paused at the edge of the trail and she fell to her knees with a grunt. "I'm fine."

"You're not fine." The boy sighed, sliding to the ground next to her. "Do your wounds hurt?"

"Just tired." She sighed. They sat back to back and Chagum could feel her breathing slowly, evenly.

"I could try and carry you."

"Mm?"

"You know - on my back. I might not be able to, but-"

A weary chuckle. "I don't think you're quite ready for that, Chagum. I'm heavier than you think."

"But-"

"Hush. Let me be still for a few minutes and we can go."

"If you say so." The boy replied dubiously. Balsa said nothing for a little while, and he began to wonder if he was asleep. What if she was – should he wake her? She was so tired, but… Then his head snapped up and he closed his eyes in concentration. "Balsa!" he whispered. She did not reply immediately. He twisted himself around, supporting her weight against his shoulder. "Balsa!"

Her eyes fluttered open. "Balsa, I hear something!"

Instantly, she came to a coiled position on one knee. "What?" she hissed. Then she heard it too – footsteps crunching on the trail, somewhere up the hillside. She sprang quickly to her feet but Chagum saw her involuntarily grimace as she did. Indicating the cover of the tall grasses they'd just left, she crept quickly towards it and Chagum followed.

They lay down flat, breathing quietly, and the footfalls grew closer. Chagum glanced at Balsa's face and saw her dark eyes focused on the trail with furious intensity, one hand on her spear. Then her mouth opened in surprise and she pushed herself to her knees. "Tanda!"

The healer turned, startled, then his face brightened. Chagum stood up and helped Balsa to her feet and Tanda's jaw dropped in shock. "Balsa!" he dashed towards them, eyes darting between he and Balsa. He stood in front of Chagum – still dressed in his imperial sleeping robe - slack-jawed, and awkwardly began to kneel. "Prince-"

"No!" the boy shouted. "Please don't do that, Tanda!"

"Sorry." Tanda mumbled sheepishly. "I wasn't… Are you all right? Are you hurt?"

"No – I'm fine. But Balsa's not well! She has two wounds and she can barely walk."

"Don't be dramatic." Balsa scowled. "It's just exhaustion and hunger. Chagum's been injured – struck in the head. Check him first."

"Balsa!"

"Let me see. Where were you hit?"

"Here." Balsa pointed and Chagum could feel Tanda's expert hands palpating the knob on his skull.

"Hmmm." Tanda was in front of him, his kind face staring into Chagum's own. "I want you to follow my finger with your eyes, all right? Nice and easy." He nodded, and the healer dragged his finger back forth, up and down, intently watching the boy's eyes. "Good. Do you know what happened to you?"

"Of course! I was fighting with a soldier and I went for him with my dagger- My dagger!"

"I have it, don't worry." Balsa said gruffly, patting her belt.

"Go on." Tanda prompted. "How much do you remember?"

"I… I was trying to avoid his sword and he was trying to… To kill me, I guess. And I stabbed at him but I missed and then…" the boy shrugged. "That was it until I woke up on Balsa's back."

"How much later was that?"

"Not more than twenty minutes I'd guess – but I was pretty out of it." Balsa answered.

"Good." The healer smiled reassuringly and shrugged his pack to the ground. "Judging by the lump and the way you've reacted, I don't think it's anything more serious than a couple days of headaches. You're lucky."

"Thank goodness." Balsa breathed, her arm around him. Then Tanda's hands were in his hair again, and he felt a damp cloth being wiped across the wound in his scalp. All at once the boy had to bite down on a surge of emotion, overcome by the ease and familiarity with which they touched him, unconcerned for protocol or ceremony. A quick sob escaped his chest.

"I'm sorry – did that hurt? This is to help stop an infection. I'll be more gentle."

"No! I'm fine." Chagum wiped the sleeve of his robe across his eyes quickly. "See to Balsa already, damn it! She's… She-"

"All right, all right – don't worry now." Tanda smiled reassuringly and patted his shoulder, then turned to Balsa. "As for you – what is it? Where are you hurt this time?"

"This is the only one I'm feeling." She shrugged her tunic off her shoulder.

The healer untied the makeshift bandage. "Ugh. Sword?"

"Just grazed me. Ow!"

"Stay still." Tanda hovered over the wound, hands working expertly, then reached for his pack. "You must have been born under a lucky star, Balsa. It's mostly just skin and surface muscle. Three inches lower-"

"Three inches higher and it would have missed me altogether." Balsa winked conspiratorially at Chagum over the healer's shoulder. Tanda worked on the wound for several moments, then applied a fresh bandage. "What else?"

"Here." The Spearwielder pointed at her thigh. "But it's nothing – a scratch."

"Hmmm. Caught you at a sensitive spot, did it?" He began to peel down Balsa's trousers and Chagum turned away quickly. He stared at the trees on the distant hillside as Tanda and Balsa bickered amicably while he tended the wound.

There was a clap on his shoulder. "Done." Chagum turned back and Tanda was busy wiping his hands, then repacking his gear as Balsa pushed herself to her feet. He handed each of them a yamabime fruit from his bag. "Get some sugar in your systems, both of you. Can you both walk?"

"Of course." The Spearwielder spat.

"Put your arm around me." Chagum ordered.

"What's that?"

He slid next to her. "Lean on me – you're hurt and you're tired. Tanda can help, too."

"That's not-"

"Just do as he says." Tanda took up a position on her other side. "You're going to disregard orders from the Crown Prince?"

"Hey!"

"Fine, you two." She sighed. They set off, each supporting the Spearwielder with an arm around their shoulder. "How much farther is it?"

"Two hours walk at most."

"What're you doing here, anyway? Didn't I tell you to wait at the village?"

"Good thing I didn't, isn't it?' the healer scowled. "I waited as long as I could, Balsa – I figured if you were hurt it'd be better try and get to you that much faster."

"You could've missed us on the way."

"But I didn't, did I?" the healer sighed. "She's a terrible patient."

"Take the shortest route you can."

"What?"

"Balsa – are you sure?" Chagum whispered.

"I just want to get off the damn trail and to a bed as fast as possible!" she worked her arms free of them and walked ahead.

******

Yashiro Village was pretty much just as Chagum remembered Toumi Village, deeper in the mountains - though it seemed like two lifetimes rather than two years since he'd been there. It felt like that boy had been a completely different person than who he was now – a person who had seen and felt so much and been changed by all of it, in deep and permanent ways.

And yet, that time felt more real than the months and years he'd spent cloistered in the Imperial Palaces, living a strange and fantastical and cold existence as the Crown Prince. It was impossible to reconcile the two existences – the child who worked and fought and was touched by those close to him with the sheltered and pampered symbol who seemed to live at a remote distance from all who surrounded him.

And yet, oddly, Chagum felt like it was always him, no matter which life he was living.

The bones of the nahji decorated its entrance of this village just as they had the other, though he didn't have to leap quite so high to rattle them this time. Like Toumi, Yashiro was surrounded by small plots of farmland, crops that the boy didn't recognize. The fields looked more unkempt than he remembered, though – almost overgrown. There were few villagers to be seen until they reached the cluster of huts that formed the village center.

Someone had clearly been alerted to their arrival, because the village elder, a distinguished man who looked very, very old to Chagum, was already coming to meet them when they arrived, half-supporting Balsa between them. "Tanda – you have indeed found your friends, I see."

"Yes, Nanda-sama. Balsa's hurt, as well. May we bring her into your hut to rest?"

The old man stared at Chagum, wide-eyed, then nodded. "Of course. It is as you asked – a fish broth has been prepared and there is fresh bedding. Come."

Chagum started back at the curious faces looking in his direction, acutely embarrassed and ill-at-ease. The boy was surprised to see so few people about. "We'll need to get you some new clothes." Tanda whispered to him.

"Come, come." The old man led them into the largest hut, where his wife waited, bowing deeply. Straw bedding and blankets had been set up in the main room and a cauldron bubbled on the brazier. All at once, Chagum realized he was starving. "Sit and eat. Is the boy injured as well?"

"Not seriously. He's just tired." Tanda helped Balsa to kneel at the low table and prepared a bowl. "Balsa – eat. You need to build your strength up before you sleep. You lost a lot of blood."

"I'm grateful for your hospitality, Nanda-sama." The Spearwielder rasped.

"You are always welcome in our village, Balsa-dono." The old man bowed. "You are held in much esteem here."

Balsa tucked into her bowl hungrily and Chagum stared, stomach growling. Tanda watched Balsa eat for a few moments, rapt, then snapped his gaze over at a particularly audible lurch from the boy's gut. "Chagum – sorry! You must be starving. Here – you didn't have to wait."

"Thank you." He accepted to bowl of broth, thick with potatoes and fish heads, and bowed to the elder. "Thank you for your hospitality, Nanda-sama."

The old Yakue smiled merrily. "You are most welcome, courteous Yogo Boy. Tanda and Balsa are well-known here and we are happy to extend our meager hospitality to their friends. Now – eat."

Chagum nodded and tore into the bowl greedily. Amazingly, just as he remembered, the food tasted so much better than any of the aesthetically pleasing feasts at the palace. He heard Tanda laugh and saw the healer smiling in his direction. "Feels good to eat when you're hungry, doesn't it?"

Chagum licked his lips. "Sometimes I don't eat for a day at the… At home. Just to feel hunger. It drove my… It drove them crazy."

The elder eyed him curiously. "I will leave you to your repast, and your rest. My home is yours. If you have a need, Tanda, you will tell me?"

"Of course." The old man bowed, and he and his wife departed the hut. Chagum and Balsa slurped their bowls down greedily.

Chagum, finished with the chunks, raised the bowl to his mouth and licked it clean. "Oishi." He smiled at Tanda. "Do they know who… who I am?"

"I told them only that a Yogo boy would be visiting – that's all. They're smart people – Nanda-sama not the least. They would welcome you as a guest under any circumstances, don't worry."

"Sleep." Balsa groaned, her bowl clattering to the hard dirt floor. "Tanda, have the villagers keep a watch, will you? Watch as much of the south and west as they can. I need time – I'm sorry."

"Of course." Tanda was smoothly at her side and helped her to one of the straw beds. "When do you want me to wake you?"

"Not through the rest of the day and the night. Fourteen hours at least." The spearwielder mumbled. "I'll wake in the morning."

"Aye, then. Sleep." Balsa drifted off gratefully almost at once, eyes closing and her chest rising and falling in slow, rhythmic breaths. The healer came and sat next to Chagum. "You must be exhausted too, ne?"

"I'll be fine for a bit." Chagum sighed.

Tanda took a deep breath. "A few moments to relax, at least." He looked Chagum up and down, grinning, and put a hand on his head. "Well met, Chagum. I'm very happy you're safe."

"Tanda… Thank you." The boy squeezed the healer's arm gently.

"Chagum." Tanda ruffled his hair and shook his head. "I can hardly believe it. I really never thought I'd see you again."

"Me too."

"You're grown well. You're the young man I imagined you'd become. It's good to see you, Chagum."

"Tanda." The boy looked over at Balsa worriedly. "Is she going to be okay, do you think? I've never seen her like this."

The healer continued to ruffle the boy's hair affectionately. "Her wounds aren't too serious – I've treated a lot worse injuries on that one. Don't worry."

"But she's-"

"Chagum, listen to me. She ran all the way to find you – all the way from my hut to your camp. I doubt she stopped for a minute's rest on the way."

"What? But that's a day's walk, at least! How did she-"

"She's Balsa." The healer shrugged. "I've never known how she does the things she does. I don't know that there's another person who could have reached you in time. And I don't think she's ever pushed herself that hard before."

"Balsa!"

"Hush – let her sleep, now. All those miles, all those hours… All of her battles have taken something away from her, you know. All her injuries. I know just about every one – most of those wounds I treated myself. You don't endure all that and not lose something of yourself in the process."

"Balsa." Chagum whispered. "Please – stop."

"She's going to be fine, though – just needs rest. Like you do." Tanda patted the boy's head one last time and stood. "Chagum, you know, she'd never have done it for anyone else except you."

"What?"

The healer smiled warmly. "There's only ever been one person that could change her – and that's you, Chagum. You already have. Don't forget how special that is." He lifted the boy to his feet and pushed him gently towards the bedding next to Balsa's. "Now – you go to sleep. And don't wake up until you're completely rested. You've been through a lot and you've got a head injury – you need as much rest as your body can take."

"Tanda…" Chagum was exhausted, he realized now that they were safely off the road and he had food in his belly. But his mind buzzed with a thousand questions.

"Sleep." Tanda gently pushed him down onto the straw mat and pulled the rough blanket to his chin. "Healer's orders. I'll get some Yakue clothes sorted out for you, to tide you over till we can find something suitable. And Balsa will be right here when you wake up." He held his finger to his lips and left Chagum and Balsa alone in the hut.

The boy felt sleep begin to take him almost as soon as his head touched the straw. He let it fall to his left and watched Balsa for a moment, looking peaceful now and deep in slumber. Her skin was pale in the firelight and there was a bit of blood in her hair, but her breathing was unlabored and easy and he face wore a contented expression. Feeling a smile come to his face, Chagum closed his eyes and let his exhaustion claim him.