Disclaimer: All chapters bare the following disclaimer, all characters and places recognized belong to Tamora Pierce. The songs used for this story all belong to the band Muse.
There was a flurry of activity as the two prone figures were brought into the infirmary. Raoul thanked the gods that Dom and Keladry were alive, even if it was a close call. He also thanked the gods that the infirmary had calmed down over night and the healers were able to gain some rest, he suspected that the two in front of him would need it. He cursed the Scanrans who had led them to this point. He had lost too many of his men and he hated to think about losing one of his best men and his former squire whom he often thought of as the closest thing to a daughter he had. He cursed again looking at possibly the two luckiest warriors he had known. How they had survived the gods only knew.
Take me for a ride
Break me up and steal what's left inside
And hope and pray iniquity
Has died inside and left a scar
It has been well after dark when it had been brought to his attention that Domitan and Keladry were missing. The field had been cleared and the infirmary and rooms searched with no such luck. They had to wait till morning to try and find them. What a long night it had been for him not knowing their fates.
I'm on red alert
Bring me peace and wash away my dirt
Spin me around and help
Me to divert and walk into the light
As soon as dawn had begun to break he was out on the battlefield searching the outer perimeter, hoping to find them alive. He didn't know what he would have felt if he had found them dead. His heart had been sinking the longer they looked without finding any sign of them.
Warm my heart tonight
Hold my head up high
Help me to survive
As he had begun to fear the worst that they had been captured, they had seen figures emerging from the woods. At first believing that it could be an attack, they prepared, and then he heard the sound that nearly broke his heart, Dom's voice calling out "We need healers." He sprinted with as much speed he had, watching in slow motion as the glaive fell from Dom's hands.
Kick me when I'm down
Feed me poison, fill me till I drown
Wake me up before I get
Pushed out and fall into the night
He had arrived just in time to catch Dom as others gathered Kel. Now all there was to do was to wait and pray that they could pull through. Just by the look of both of them he knew that the healers had more than their hands full. Fever and infection had set it.
Warm my heart tonight
(Force me to lose control)
Hold my head up high
(Watch as I lose my soul)
Help me to survive
(Push me until I fall)
Pacing as the hours ticked by, Raoul rubbed his eyes. The losses had been heavy, had Kel's force not arrived when they did he doubted that they would have survived. It would have been Gaintkiller all over again. He began to rub a finger along his own partially healed wounds. Not one person had been left untouched, but at least they had seen healers right away.
Looking up he noticed that a healer had finally emerged, looking warn. "They have been healed the best we can, fevers burnt out along with infection. Now all we can do is wait."
