More Than the Dragon Wall

The moaning. The stink of blood, urine and sweat. Jelena had arranged a makeshift field hospital behind the lines of the battle, and was busy taking care of the wounded. How young they all were, how much younger they seemed still when they were in pain and scared. Little more than children, and the ones in worst pain sometimes even called for their mothers before dying. Jelena shook her head angrily thinking about how many stories, poems and songs described the glory of battle and the heroics in war. She saw nothing of the kind - just ugly and untimely death and suffering.

A young Shou girl was helping Jelena, cleaning the wounds, bandaging them, stopping bleeding.

- "Why you help them?" she had asked when Jelena had ordered the fallen attackers to be cared for as well.

- "I help them," Jelena said, staring her straight in the eye, "because they are human beings, just like the Shou. I am an agent of Ilmater, and I help all that suffer."

The girl's look was blank but she didn't argue. She was careful and efficient but Jelena worried. She must be exhausted - and she is perhaps thirteen years old.

Jelena herself was running out of spells as well. She would need prayer and rest in order to replenish them. And in the meantime some of the patients would lose limbs or die. A few shukenjas from the garrison had joined her efforts, but they did not have the capacity to cast spells of that magnitude. Still, they were a help.

She instructed the girl how to take care of the patients while she was gone and walked to An Mah's inn with a heavy heart. Winski, Sarevok and Imoen were in the battle, but she had no doubt they would be all right. Unless Sarevok wanted to prove something and tried some reckless stunt... and Peri, she was somewhere in the enemy territory. It was questionable whether Jelena could get sleep after all, exhausted or not.

An Mah was holding Umikaze who had an assortment of shimmering magical layers on her. The child was crying, and no amount of singing and comforting made her happier.

- "Where is young Peri?" An Mah wanted to know. "Little baby, misses mother."

- "She went on a rescue mission," Jelena said.

- "She crazy."

- "Indeed. But there is nothing to be done about that now. Did you give milk for Umikaze?"

- "I did. She drink it. What if Peri dies?"

- "She won't!" Jelena snapped, then mildened her tone. "I apologize. I am tired. Thank you for caring for Umikaze. I can take her with me now. Once I have rested a bit, can I bother you to care for her again?"

- "Of course. You help save Ankiang. But I worry."

- "An Mah... Peri is no ordinary warrior. She has battled creatures almost as powerful as gods themselves," Jelena said.

- "I see she good. She and Sarevok. Still, she alone there." An Mah still looked worried. And why not, Jelena was worried herself.

She carried Umikaze to her room, caressing the child who at least ceased her crying.

- "Little one... your mother is looking for the child of another mother," Jelena murmured. "Whether she did it out of compassion or willingness to prove herself after the pregnancy I do not know... probably a bit both."

She knew that her voice was soothing to Umikaze even though she didn't understand the words.

Jelena put the child to sleep, and in the presence of a family member she was soon breathing calmly, her little chubby fists clutching a toy An Mah had given to her. It was a simple rag doll, and it looked like Umikaze had chewed on it. Jelena ran her finger along the child's cheek and started her prayers.

My Lord... what is the folly so persistent in humans that they continue to do this to each other? My heart is in pain at all this suffering.

Another man's folly is another's honor. A dream of conquest, an ancient slight repaid... there is more than the Dragon Wall separating the Shou and the people of the Khan, preventing them from realizing they are all human and they all bleed red.

But... are we really so evil? So foolish and cruel a race?

Humans are a bit of everything, Jelena. Their short life is full of passion, and they can embrace good and evil, destruction and construction with equal fervor. Do not worry about that. Where you are now is suffering, and you are my agent. Do your job. I will grant you a peaceful sleep.