Chapter 10: Camp cut short

The stories were much wilder than the truth. Tibout did not break his shoulder, but rather dislocated it. He was ordered to stay at the main camp for two more days, while Emmy, thanks to Vania's healing, was allowed to resume normal activities the very next day.

Not that it mattered. Tibout avoided Emmy as much as he could, likely embarrassed by both what happened and the stories that spread afterwards. Except for Gregory and some of his closer friends, most of the other pages seemed to have a new found respect for her, and Emmy wasn't sure what to do with the polite nods and the occasional invitations to join their lunch or supper.

The instructors were also careful not to put her and Tibout or Gregory in the same group again, and Emmy was relieved as much as pleased. It meant that she ended up more often than not with Vania or Fianola or her other year mates, and it made any mundane task more enjoyable. That was important, because rain fell on the second week at camp, drenching everyone and almost everything, and any tasks became muddy and wet.

One day towards the end of the second week at camp, it was a rare sunny day, and the first years were sent out as a group to look for dry wood to replenish the stock at their camping ground.

"How are we supposed to find anything dry after the blasted rain?" Gerald grumbled, using his sword to pick some fallen branches off the ground. They dripped in mud. He made a face, and wiped his sword on his boots. They all carried live swords for the first time to summer camp, having been deemed decent enough with them to graduate out of their wooden practice swords at the palace. It was also much more practical for everyone concerned.

"Can we just pick some, and have Vania dry it with her Gift?" Roland said.

Vania's eyes lit up. "That's a great idea, Roland!"

Ahmad frowned. "I'm not sure if that is the point of the exercise. What if we are trapped one day without anyone with the Gift, and we need dry wood after a rainy day?"

Fianola hid a smile as Vania's face fell. "You're always sensible, Ahmad."

They found that the areas with thicker trees remained very wet and muddy, and thus they detoured towards an area with sparser trees. It was not really a clearing among the trees, but at least they could see the skies above, and the sun was mercifully warm on their backs as they looked for dry wood.

They had been looking for a while when huge shadows covered the ground. Emmy looked up.

"HURROKS!"

Four of the winged horses flew at them from the sky, silver claws at the base of their bat-like wings aimed right at them.

"Duck!" Emmy pushed Vania down, and they fell flat to the ground as the silver claws missed them and swept upwards again.

"Up!" Vania ordered as they both scrambled to their feet, "Weapons up! Stay in pairs, cover the archers!" Fianola and Ahmad had carried crossbows in addition to swords. "Archers, fire at will!"

A hurrok came for a second pass, and Emmy had her sword up. She dodged its claws and stabbed, carving a line across its side as it screamed and flew away.

She turned. Vania stood frozen as another hurrok dove at her, her sword pointed to the ground.

"Vania!"

There was no time. Emmy jumped and wrapped her arms around Vania, twisting her around to shield her as she pulled them both down.

Too late. Sharp claws cut across her back and she cried in pain. They slammed to the ground, and Emmy landed on top of Vania.

"Vania!" Emmy yelled through the explosion of pain on her back. She shook Vania's shoulders. "Wake up!"

Vania blinked and tried to get up. Emmy scrambled off her, and pushed herself to her feet with gritted teeth.

"Look out!" Emmy cried again. But Vania was ready this time. She dodged and stabbed neatly into the hurrok's belly, and it crashed into the bushes behind them.

One more hurrok lied on the ground nearby, two arrows sticking out of its neck. They watched just in time as Gerald took down the third with his sword, jumping out of the way just in time. Ahmad and Fianola shot simultaneously at the last one, and it, too, crashed to the ground.

And it was over.

As the last of the hurroks fell, Vania took a quick scan of the others. They were panting or sighing in relief, most looking well if a little worse for wear. She almost couldn't believe it. Did they, all first-year pages, just took down four hurroks by themselves?

Next to her, Emmy fell on all fours with a thud. Vania's eyes widened at the bloody mess on her back. Three large claw marks bled sluggishly, soaking through Emmy's shirt and tunic.

"Emmy!" Vania crouched down next to her, frowning and trying to remember what happened.

Fianola, Ahmad and the others ran over as she helped Emmy up. Emmy was pale and grimacing in pain. She leaned onto Vania heavily, as if Vania was the only thing holding her up.

Vania bit her lips, thinking fast. "It's not safe here. We don't know if there are more of them. Let's retreat to the cave we saw two hundred paces back. Fianola, Ahmad, I want your bows at the ready and eyes on the trees and skies. Gerald, Roland, take the front and back. "

Vania didn't wait for the rest to nod or reply, and shifted to carry Emmy on her back. Hands helped her shift Emmy into position. Vania grimaced when she straightened — Emmy had grown since last winter. It was good news, except that this just became harder. She shook her head a little, and started in a trot towards the cave.

"You like… doing this… don't you?" Emmy said weakly when she had covered a few paces.

Vania grinned a little in relief. Joking was a good sign. "Only because… you like scaring me." She panted.

"Only because…" Emmy echoed, "I can't… carry you."

Vania almost stumbled, finally realising what had happened. Emmy had shielded her with her own body while she stood frozen. What was she doing? Why did she suddenly remember that blasted night?

Not trusting herself to speak, she stayed silent until they reached the cave. When they did, Ahmad and Gerald stood guard at the cave entrance without being told, while Fianola and Roland helped Emmy sit down on the ground. Roland took off his own tunic and started using his belt knife to cut it into strips for bandages. Gently, Fianola pulled up Emmy's torn tunic and shirt.

Fianola and Vania both gasped. While they had expected to see the three large claw marks, cut diagonally across Emmy's back, they did not expect the mess of scars on it.

'Mess' was the only word for it, for they were long, thin scars that went in different directions, covering her whole back. They looked like they came from a very thorough whipping.

"Emmy…" Fianola said softly.

Roland's silently handed over of the make-shift bandages, breaking Vania out of her shock. She used one of them to gently wipe away the excess blood. She could feel Emmy flinch at her touch. Curse it, the wounds were too big and deep for her Gift. Why hadn't she spend more time learning how to heal?

She needed to distract Emmy from the pain. "What happened to your back, Emmy?" Vania asked as she started to lay some strips of cloth on the wounds before wrapping bandages around them. Roland went to join the other boys at the cave entrance, giving them some privacy.

"How did… it was a long time ago." Emmy muttered as she leaned a little forward, balancing with hands on the ground.

"Who did this to you?" Vania asked, her anger slowly rising at the thought of someone abusing her friend so. Her hands shook a little, and she worked faster with the bandages. "They can't do this. You need to report them."

"It was a long time ago." Emmy repeated wearily.

"Was it someone from Tirragen?" Fianola asked quietly, and Vania suck in a quick breath in realisation.

Emmy took a moment to reply. "My father was drunk that night."

Vania's hand shook so badly that Fianola covered it with her own, and took over with the bandages. Vania couldn't even manage a grateful nod at Fianola, her mind was too shocked to do so.

"Your father…?"

Emmy took a shuddering breath. "It was… it was the day the healer said Xander will be crippled for life," she said, looking down, "Father was always drunk, but that night… that night he was drunker than I'd ever seen him. His eyes had madness in them. He came back with a whip, and he said he wanted to teach Xander a lesson, for getting himself crippled."

Fianola had finished with the bandage, and she slowly pulled down Emmy's tattered shirt. Emmy didn't even seem to notice as she continued.

"Xander was still weak and feverish. Father wouldn't listen, not to me, not to the servants. The only thing I could do was to jump over Xander and cover him with my body. Uncle Darius… for all I hate him, he saved my life. When he came, he pulled father away. The servants…" Emmy paused, and took a deep breath, "… they said Uncle Darius dumped a bucket of water on father. When father realised what he did, he went mad. He ran into a wall and killed himself."

Emmy's arms shook as they pushed against the ground. "So you see? There's nothing to report. It's just one cursed accident after another." Her voice cracked, and Vania saw tears dropping onto her breeches.

Vania blinked hard to keep her own tears at bay. She shifted so that she was in front of Emmy. Gently, she pulled Emmy up by the shoulders, and closed her arms around her, mindful of her wounds as she felt Emmy lean in.

"You said… you said your brother was crippled right before he entered page training." Vania said numbly, feeling Emmy shudder against her chest.

"I was six."

Vania's hands shook, and she tightened her arms around Emmy, her heart aching for her. A glance at Fianola showed her that the other girl's eyes, too, shone with tears for their friend. Why must something like this happen to someone so young?

"Don't," Emmy pushed weakly against Vania, and she let her pull back. Emmy's face was pale and streaked with tears, but her eyes were fierce. "Don't feel sorry for me. I just want to be normal," she coughed.

Vania looked around, and saw Gerald walking over. He had been carrying their supplies pack. He handed her the waterskin without further explanation. From the shock and sadness in his eyes, Vania knew that he had heard. Probably the rest of them did as well.

Fianola had to support Emmy by the shoulders as she leaned back to drink. Vania stood up, blinking rapidly as she thought about their next course of action. There would be time to talk to Emmy later, and not in front of everyone else.

Ahmad nodded silently at her when she joined him and the rest at the entrance. Roland did not acknowledge her, though the hands on his bow shook.

"Did we get any reply from the main camp?" she asked Ahmad quietly. He had been carrying the gemstone that allowed them to communicate with the instructors at the main camp.

Ahmad inclined his head. "We were not the only group attacked. I told haMinch we can hold our position for now, and he said he will come after he helped the other groups. There were spidrens and centaurs involved, aside from the hurroks that attacked us."

Vania frowned. "This is too well-coordinated. But they don't usually work together."

Gerald nodded grimly in agreement beside her.

Vania shook her head. "We don't know how long it will take them to get to us. We better get some rest. Ahmad, Roland, go back in and get some rest. Gerald and I will take the first shift."

She took over Ahmad's bow and slung the quiver over her back, keeping one eye on the tree line even as she fingered the bow and plucked an arrow from the quiver.

"Were there…" Gerald started quietly, more hesitant as she had ever seen him, "were there… a lot of scars?"

Vania pointed her bow and arrow at the ground, making sure that she could draw and aim quickly. She knew that he wouldn't take his eyes off the clearing as well. She replied just as quietly, "Yes. They've faded a little, but it's clear as day that her… her father managed to whip her badly before he was stopped."

"How could —" Gerald swallowed, loss for words for once.

Vania's throat tightened. "I don't know."

They kept their eyes on the trees and the clearing, and no more words passed between them.

When Emmy opened her eyes, she saw fading daylight through the tent above her. The cuts on her back throbbed painfully. Vaguely, she remembered being carried on a stretcher, Vania's worried face staring down at her as she walked beside her.

She licked her lips. Her mouth was stone dry, and she was starving.

"Here," It was Vania's voice, and Emmy squinted as her face came into focus. Vania was holding a waterskin to her lips. Emmy drank gratefully.

"Are you hungry?"

When Emmy nodded, Vania went away for a while. Emmy couldn't do much else except stare at the top of the tent. She felt weary to the bone, even though she had just woken up.

Vania came back with a bowl and spoon, which she set beside Emmy's bedroll. She sat down next to her, and gingerly helped Emmy sit up. Emmy gritted her teeth and tried not to make a sound. The cuts on her back flared in pain, despite Vania's careful support. Gently, Vania let Emmy leaned back onto her chest, using her left hand to grab the bowl of porridge. Her right hand reached across Emmy and took the spoon. Carefully, she brought a spoonful of porridge to Emmy's mouth.

Emmy swallowed, her cheeks warming with embarrassment at being fed.

"I'm sorry," Vania suddenly said, "The healer had to spread himself thin across the other groups. We were not the only ones attacked, and there are more casualties among the other pages. He said he could only burn off infections for now. You'll need to wait until we get back to the palace before you get a proper healing."

Emmy blinked as she tried to process this. Her mind was foggy. "How many… casualties?"

Vania continued feeding her. "Nine injured in total, including you. Thankfully, we didn't lose anyone. Briar had a deep cut on his thigh from a spidren, but he'll live."

Emmy sighed in relief for her friend.

"Emmy," Vania paused suddenly, her voice tight. "I'm very sorry. I shouldn't have froze like that. You shouldn't have to take this for me."

Emmy reached up with her right hand and patted Vania's hand gently. "Don't be. We're friends. You've always taken care of me." Vania dropped the spoon into the bowl for a moment, and gave Emmy's hand a squeeze.

There was something she had to know. "But I don't understand… you always have a cool head, Vania. You had no problems with wolves. Why do hurroks affect you so?"

Leaning on Vania's chest as she was, she felt Vania swallow. Her hand shook slightly when she let go and went back for the spoon. "When I was six, a band of hurroks and centaurs broke into the palace nursery. Jasson, Lianne and I were trapped. They slaughtered the guards. We would have been killed if not for Lord Wyldon of Cavall."

Vania paused, forcing herself to steady her hand as she brought another spoonful of porridge to Emmy. "They were so big, and we were so helpless. I just… I just remembered. When the hurrok flew at me, it was like I was six again."

Emmy nodded her understanding. "Don't be sorry, then. That would make anyone afraid. Even a fearless princess like you."

That startle a chuckle out of Vania. "I'm not fearless at all. You are, throwing yourself at me like that. You could have been killed." Her last words were stern.

"You could have been killed," Emmy muttered. How could she let Vania know that the thought of losing her first friend besides Xander was terrifying?

Vania snorted. "We won't get anywhere with this."

Emmy had to smile at that. They continued in silence for a while, before Vania spoke again.

"Emmy… I'm sorry about your father. No one should have gone through what you did, especially not when you're six."

Emmy grimaced. She had never told anyone else about the details of that horrible night just for this reason. "I don't want you to be sorry for me. I just want to respected. I just want to be your friend."

Vania chuckled slightly. "Friends can't help feeling sad for a friend, don't you know? I respect you, all right. Anyone who faced what you did, and carried on fighting like you did deserves respect."

Emmy felt her cheeks warm. "I wasn't going to wallow in self-pity my whole life."

"Of course you aren't," Vania said, a smile in her voice. "And we're all the better for it. Keep fighting, Emmy. I believe in you."

Emmy believed her, and it gave her a warm feeling in her heart.

The pages' summer camp was cut short, the first time in years. Even so, the instructors kept them at their camp site until a Rider group arrived to escort them back to the palace. Vania kept herself busy for the three days that they waited, taking care of Emmy and trying to make her as comfortable as possible. The other uninjured pages did the same for the other wounded, and they took sentry duties throughout the night. None of them wanted to be caught by surprise again.

On the third evening after the attack, Vania was surprised to see her mother leading the Rider group herself into the camp site.

Queen Thayet spotted her daughter just as quickly, and hurried off her horse and all but ran over to sweep her into a hug. "Thank the goddess you're all right!"

Vania hugged her back just as tightly, glad to see her after weeks apart. "Mother, I didn't know you're coming!"

Her mother pulled back, and surveyed her up and down carefully. "You aren't injured are you? What's wrong?" She asked sharply, seeing Vania's face fell.

"I'm fine, mother," Vania looked down, "But I got a friend hurt. I — I froze when the hurrok dove at me. Emmy jumped in front of me and took the blows for me instead."

Her mother rested gloved hands on Vania's shoulders, and she looked up. "You had a bad experience with hurroks," she said gently, "Don't be too hard on yourself. Bring me to Emmy later, I want to thank her properly." She said and looked up as haMinch strode over to them.

"Your majesty," haMinch bowed, and eyed Vania pointedly. "We have much to discuss."

Taking the hint, Vania bowed to the training master and turned to leave at her mother's nod. She retreated at a deliberately slow pace, straining her ears.

"Have you uncovered who led the attack?" Her mother was asking.

HaMinch must have shook his head, for he said next, "But definitely mages' work. There were invisible spelled collars on all the bodies, spidrens, hurroks and centaurs alike. Only a mage could detect them."

Her mother cursed. "With Maggur and his killing devices at the north, this is the last thing we need…"

Sadly, Vania couldn't hear more. She sighed, and hurried over to Emmy's tent to make sure that she would be awake when her mother visited.

The Rider group brought two healers with them, and Emmy finally had her cuts healed properly, though she slept for almost a day after that. Queen Thayet visited her twice before the group set out for the palace, and Emmy was both flattered and intimidated by the attention.

She watched as Vania rode beside her mother at the front of the group, both of them alike in their beauty, despite their plain working clothes. They made quite a glorious sight, and Emmy couldn't help but wonder how she ended up friends with Vania.

Fianola caught her staring, and steered her horse closer to hers. "What are you thinking about?"

Emmy nodded at the front of the group with a smile. "I had almost forgotten that Vania is a daughter of the queen."

Fianola grinned as she followed her gaze. "Vania will be pleased to hear that, even if she will be annoyed that you're reminded of it."

Emmy chuckled, knowing that this would be exactly how Vania would react.

"I'm happy for her." Fianola continued, and Emmy turned to her curiously. "She misses her. The war has kept their majesties busy the past few months. I don't think she has even talked to her majesty properly in a while."

Emmy blinked. "How do you know that?"

A normal person would have smirked. But Fianola was still the most lady-like among them, and she only smiled slyly at her. "I observe, my dear Emmy."

Emmy scowled, and nudged her horse forward. She headed towards Roland instead, needing to talk to someone who didn't make her feel so young.