Part III.
Training continued the next day, as per instruction by their Flame Champion. Percival and Borus were working together today to perform particular fencing demonstrations.
"My assistant and I are going to show you this move twice before you practice with your partners," Percival announced to the group. So, watch carefully as we do this once, then again in slow motion. Sir Borus, are you ready?"
Borus merely grunted a reply. He drew the wooden practice sword he was using for training, meeting Percival's weapon and deflecting the blow easily.
"Now, again--in slow motion!"
Borus raised his sword again as Percival's stick slowly moved as though to strike. The other sword glanced off of his, and the movement was completed.
"Now, everyone stand up with your partners, and--hey!"
Percival was suddenly whacked from behind and fell to his hands and knees, too stunned for a moment to realize what had happened.
"--you okay?"
"Answer him, Sir Percival! Are you hurt?"
"...thought he said...three demonstrations," Borus was mumbling.
"Someone go fetch Doctor Tuta--quick!"
Percival sat up, rubbing the back of his head. "Not necessary...please, stand back... I'm okay... Let me stand!" But then the knight saw that his gloved hand had come away bloody. The vision that had started to come back grew dark again. "Then again...maybe I need to see the doc...after...all..."
The next time Percival opened his eyes, he was in the infirmary.
"Doctor Tuta? What on earth happened to me?" Percival winced as he tried to sit up.
"Not so fast, Sir Percival!" the nurse, Mio, cried shrilly. "You took a nasty blow out on the field; the doctor doesn't want you to move!"
"But--training! I must return to--aaah!" Percival couldn't sit up. His head began swimming and pounding furiously. "Ugh...what happened to me?"
Doctor Tuta leaned over Percival and peered into his eyes. "Almost a concussion, that's what," he said. "It was only an accident, but you knights should be a bit more careful in training and remember that you're only practicing."
"Practicing?" Percival murmured. "Oh, that's right! Borus, the bastard!"
Mio gasped.
"Pardon me, my lady..."
"It was...just an accident...right?" Tuta asked suspiciously.
"Oh, yes; I'm sure." Percival sounded angry. "How long am I supposed to stay here?"
Tuta scribbled something down on his chart. "We'll be back in half an hour to check on you. You shouldn't be here more than an hour or two, at most--just until the dizziness passes. But I'm writing up a quarters slip, Sir Percival. It's nothing but rest in your room for the next two days."
"Two days--!" Percival tried to sit up again, but the pain was so intense he couldn't lift his aching head.
"Hush now, and lie still!" Mio ordered. "Listen to Doctor Tuta. We've already told Lady Chris not to expect you back on the field for the next couple of days, so if she sees you she'll just have to send you back to the infirmary for sedation."
"What?!"
"We'll leave you now," Tuta grinned. "Oh! And you have a visitor. Will you see him?"
"Not if it's that imp, Borus."
"No," Tuta laughed. "It's Rody."
"...Rody..."
"I'll take that as a 'yes'." Tuta ushered Mio out the door, and a moment later Rody walked quietly into the room.
"Hello, love."
"Percy!" Rody rushed to the bed, relief resounding in his voice. "You're awake!"
Percival had to laugh. "It's nothing serious, I'm sure. I just have to prove I can sit up by myself, and then I can go."
"Oh, I'm so glad." Rody's breathing was ragged, Percival noticed.
"Hey, you were really scared, weren't you?"
"Of course I'm scared!" Rody cried.
"There's nothing to be afraid of now," Percival soothed. "Why don't you give me a hug?"
It was the first time Rody had seen his love without his shirt on, and Percival's body looked quite inviting at that moment, but... "...I don't want to hurt you..."
"It's only my head," Percival laughed. "If you're that scared, just hold my hand."
That seemed okay with Rody. He reached out and let Percival kiss the back of his hand before lacing fingers with him.
"Oh, Rody... I'm so glad you're here... But it really isn't necessary; I know you're busy, too..."
"I don't know what Borus was thinking, laying into you like that with your back turned!" Rody fumed.
"Neither do I, love. But I intend to ask him."
Training continued the next day, as per instruction by their Flame Champion. Percival and Borus were working together today to perform particular fencing demonstrations.
"My assistant and I are going to show you this move twice before you practice with your partners," Percival announced to the group. So, watch carefully as we do this once, then again in slow motion. Sir Borus, are you ready?"
Borus merely grunted a reply. He drew the wooden practice sword he was using for training, meeting Percival's weapon and deflecting the blow easily.
"Now, again--in slow motion!"
Borus raised his sword again as Percival's stick slowly moved as though to strike. The other sword glanced off of his, and the movement was completed.
"Now, everyone stand up with your partners, and--hey!"
Percival was suddenly whacked from behind and fell to his hands and knees, too stunned for a moment to realize what had happened.
"--you okay?"
"Answer him, Sir Percival! Are you hurt?"
"...thought he said...three demonstrations," Borus was mumbling.
"Someone go fetch Doctor Tuta--quick!"
Percival sat up, rubbing the back of his head. "Not necessary...please, stand back... I'm okay... Let me stand!" But then the knight saw that his gloved hand had come away bloody. The vision that had started to come back grew dark again. "Then again...maybe I need to see the doc...after...all..."
The next time Percival opened his eyes, he was in the infirmary.
"Doctor Tuta? What on earth happened to me?" Percival winced as he tried to sit up.
"Not so fast, Sir Percival!" the nurse, Mio, cried shrilly. "You took a nasty blow out on the field; the doctor doesn't want you to move!"
"But--training! I must return to--aaah!" Percival couldn't sit up. His head began swimming and pounding furiously. "Ugh...what happened to me?"
Doctor Tuta leaned over Percival and peered into his eyes. "Almost a concussion, that's what," he said. "It was only an accident, but you knights should be a bit more careful in training and remember that you're only practicing."
"Practicing?" Percival murmured. "Oh, that's right! Borus, the bastard!"
Mio gasped.
"Pardon me, my lady..."
"It was...just an accident...right?" Tuta asked suspiciously.
"Oh, yes; I'm sure." Percival sounded angry. "How long am I supposed to stay here?"
Tuta scribbled something down on his chart. "We'll be back in half an hour to check on you. You shouldn't be here more than an hour or two, at most--just until the dizziness passes. But I'm writing up a quarters slip, Sir Percival. It's nothing but rest in your room for the next two days."
"Two days--!" Percival tried to sit up again, but the pain was so intense he couldn't lift his aching head.
"Hush now, and lie still!" Mio ordered. "Listen to Doctor Tuta. We've already told Lady Chris not to expect you back on the field for the next couple of days, so if she sees you she'll just have to send you back to the infirmary for sedation."
"What?!"
"We'll leave you now," Tuta grinned. "Oh! And you have a visitor. Will you see him?"
"Not if it's that imp, Borus."
"No," Tuta laughed. "It's Rody."
"...Rody..."
"I'll take that as a 'yes'." Tuta ushered Mio out the door, and a moment later Rody walked quietly into the room.
"Hello, love."
"Percy!" Rody rushed to the bed, relief resounding in his voice. "You're awake!"
Percival had to laugh. "It's nothing serious, I'm sure. I just have to prove I can sit up by myself, and then I can go."
"Oh, I'm so glad." Rody's breathing was ragged, Percival noticed.
"Hey, you were really scared, weren't you?"
"Of course I'm scared!" Rody cried.
"There's nothing to be afraid of now," Percival soothed. "Why don't you give me a hug?"
It was the first time Rody had seen his love without his shirt on, and Percival's body looked quite inviting at that moment, but... "...I don't want to hurt you..."
"It's only my head," Percival laughed. "If you're that scared, just hold my hand."
That seemed okay with Rody. He reached out and let Percival kiss the back of his hand before lacing fingers with him.
"Oh, Rody... I'm so glad you're here... But it really isn't necessary; I know you're busy, too..."
"I don't know what Borus was thinking, laying into you like that with your back turned!" Rody fumed.
"Neither do I, love. But I intend to ask him."