Well here is chapter 20 folks! When I started this I never imagined it would get this long but It has evolved along the way. Once again thanks for the comments. They keep me writing this and every comment is welcomed!

I am off this week so expect quite a few updates as I finish the story. I do have an idea for a new story which I will start as soon as this is complete.

But for now back to the drama of Will and Djaq!

Enjoy (I hope)

CHAPTER 20

The door to the strong room swung open and Djaq was flung unceremoniously through. She landed in a heap on the dark cold floor just inside and was immediately wary of the dangers in the room. The last time she had seen this place Will had almost been poisoned by a dart and Robin had narrowly missed molten lead amongst other things. She didn't dare move unsure as to whether the traps were still set.

The door slammed shut with an echo and was locked. She listened as the guards footsteps became muffled as they retreated down the corridor. Djaq tilted her head to face the back of the room. She let out a deep breath that she hadn't even realised she had been holding in when she saw that the hourglass had run through and the release mechanism was unset. The room wasn't booby trapped! "Allah be praised!" she muttered and slowly raised herself into a sitting position. One less thing to worry about! Her injured arm protested at being used but she would have to deal with that later. She was sore all over from her beating by Guy but the only thing Djaq could think of was Will. She ached to have him close to her and safe from danger.

Looking around the room again she could see the grooves from which molten lead had spouted and the deep slits where the spinning blades had emerged. There was only one lit torch in the room and this sent menacing shadows flickering in the recesses. How could they get out? There was a small chute that led to the great hall. It was where the count's money had been deposited. But even if the narrow chute was small enough for her to crawl through there was no way Will could follow. Where was he she wondered? She hoped that Allan had lowered him gently from his manacled position. Thinking of Allan confused Djaq; he had betrayed them and was working for Gisborne but again he was trying to help. Would he help the other prisoners too? Did he have the courage within him? Djaq knew he used to but now she wasn't sure.

Djaq stiffened when she heard the footsteps returning. She moved away from the doorway as the keys grated in the lock and light poured into the room from torches outside. She blinked as her eyes grew accustomed, momentarily blinded. Her heart was pounding in her chest as the guards half carried, half dragged an unmoving Will into the room and dropped him to the floor with a soft thud. Evidently they did not care for his welfare at all. "Enjoy your last night Saracen scum!" spat the taller of the guards and chuckled as they exited locking the two outlaws in their new prison.

As they walked away Djaq knelt down beside Will, the physicians training in her taking control for the moment. Starting at his head she brushed the dark hair off his face and began examining him. Normally Djaq distanced herself when looking at injured people but this was heartbreaking. Her breath caught in her throat and hot tears began to trickle down her bruised face as she surveyed the damage to Wills body. He was breathing but taking very slow laboured breaths.

Wills face was bruised from the blow to the head in Clun and from the few punches Gisborne hadn't aimed at his torso. Under the bruising His already pale skin was ashen and the trickle of blood coming from the corner of his mouth had half dried and congealed. His lips were tinged slightly blue which worried Djaq more. She pulled his jaw down and opened his mouth to check where the blood was coming from. It was difficult to see in the dim light but it seemed as though there were no cuts in his mouth save from a little nick where he had bitten down on his lips. Looking to the back of his throat Djaq could see thick blood bubbling and oozing up every time he took a breath. Ice cold fear washed over her. She had seen this before! The jagged edge of a broken rib had gone into his lungs! Without her doing something she had only seen before he would die! But how could she do it when she had no equipment?

Djaq's fears continued unabashed as she looked over his torso. Every part was bruised from the frenzied attack by Guy. It was a mass of purple and red even in the dim flickering light of the room. Djaq moved her trembling hand to the area that caused her the most concern. The area that she had already carefully bandaged the previous evening to avoid further damage.

Applying the least amount of pressure she could she gently felt around the area. It was swollen but she could feel two ribs give way under her fingers. One of those had nicked his right lung. She blinked as a long forgotten memory came flooding back to her…

Djaq was in a tent used for treating soldiers. The heat of the midday sun made the air inside almost unbearable but her job continued as she heard the muffled moans and cries of the injured around her. She placed a jug of water down next to a soldier who was little more than a boy. He had a fever from an infected arrow wound to the shoulder and she tried to sooth him with a cool cloth. "Saffiyah come here please, I need your assistance." came the deep voice of her father. She walked over taking care not to trip over her long robes. Her father was stood over a soldier who was clearly in a lot of pain. His breathing was laboured and his lips were blue. She could see that he had been hit quite violently in the chest. Maybe the blunt end of a sword or a shield she pondered? "What do you need father?" she enquired.

Her father sighed. "His lung is damaged. One of the ribs has wounded it. I need to clear it out and seal it, if I don't he will surely die but even if I try he may well die anyway from the wound. You must be ready with this to hand me when I ask and as soon as you have done that fetch me a red hot poker from the cooking fire. I will use that to close off the lung before I sew him up again. Do you understand Saffiyah?" He handed her a dried hollow reed. She turned it over in her hands unsure of its use but with complete faith in her father. Men who had been as close to death as possible had been saved by him and she was glad to have learned even a fraction of his knowledge. She was filled with pride as she saw her father begin his skilful work and tried to commit every step to memory.

The memory of her father caused the tears to flow more freely down her face. She couldn't loose another man who she loved! First her brother and father, now Will. Her heart was breaking! Without any equipment all she could do for now was to take pressure off his chest allowing him to breathe more easily and get as much air as possible. As carefully as she could she lifted Will up and sat behind him. He was surprisingly heavy as dead weight compared with his slender body.

Djaq was glad Will was unconscious as every movement would be sheer agony to him. Inch by inch she slowly dragged him so that she was leaning against the stone walls and then lay him back against her at an angle. She leaned his head back across her shoulder which kept his throat open for air to get into his lungs more freely.

All that Djaq wanted to do was to embrace him and never let go again but for now to avoid pressure on his chest she laced the fingers of one hand through his. She cupped his face with the other and began to whisper reassurances into his ear the tears still flowing and now falling onto Wills face without Djaq realising. "Its all going to be fine…wait until we are back in the camp, we will all be moaning about squirrel stew again in no time…don't you leave me Will Scarlett…I cannot loose someone else as important again…I need you…I lo…"

"Djaq…Dja? Came a hoarse but groggy voice. Djaq looked down at Will. His eyes were open slightly and his face screwed up in a grimace at the pain he must have felt. The trickle of blood had started again as he tried to speak. "Sshhhh Will, don't try to talk…you need to save your strength for when Robin gets here. He will be here soon. I will watch over you whilst you rest. Do not worry help will arrive, today is not a good day to die, even John would agree with me there. I need you to do something for me Will…I need you to hold on! Do you understand?" she said imploringly.

Will nodded weakly and closed his hand around Djaqs fingers trying to comfort her too. She marvelled at how he did this. As gravely injured as he was he was still thinking of her. "We are going to be fine…just hold on!" she whispered as much to herself as to Will.