They where in battle, and had been for the last twelve days. To Kel, however, it seemed like longer. Weeks maybe, or even months, but not days. They where on the Scanran border, trying to stop their army from coming onto our land. Countless men had already died. The fight needed to be over soon, for if it wasn't they would have no men left to fight. Everyone was weary from fighting so much, and then having sentry duty. Dom was almost too weary to tease his cousin. Almost, but not quite. He still managed to fit it in around his tight schedule.
Kel smiled slightly at her last thought before killing the soldier in front of her with one clean sweep of her glaive. Turning towards the right, she saw Dom and the Meathead fighting side by side, and smiled slightly once again. Then, she turned back to the battle in front of her. Throwing herself in, she made swing after swing at the Scanran soldiers. She was tired, and knew she couldn't continue at this pace much longer. It would kill her, if she didn't die on someone's sword.
Suddenly, something hit her left shoulder, embedding itself in her skin. As she fell to the ground, the arrow in her shoulder, all coherent thoughts left her mind and she lay there, enjoying the rest she was suddenly given.
Dom watched Kel fall. He rushed to her side, piercing anyone who tried to stop him with his sword. Kneeling by her side, he lifted her up, then brought her to the healers' tent, a man from Third Company guarding his back, making sure no one attacked the unsuspecting sergeant. Neal hadn't seen his best friend fall. He had left to help a man some way away.
He explained to the healer what had happened, anguish clear in his voice. The healer checked the wound, and Dom blanched when he saw the wound. It was bad. Really bad. Blood covered her shoulder and her shirt was died red. It was fatal. He wasn't even sure if she could survive this.
Several hours later, Dom stepped out of the tent to find Neal. He hated to leave her side, but his cousin had the right to know. He walked out into Third Company's set of tents, and found him sitting before the fire with several of the men. Seeing Dom, he smiled wearily. Dom waved him over, and he came, a slight frown creasing his forehead.
After standing in silence, watching the fire flicker, Dom began. "Neal, something happened to Kel. They are" he choked, a sob catching in his throat, then continued, "They aren't sure if she's going to make it. She was shot in the shoulder with a poisoned arrow, and its bad, Neal. I'm afraid." He sank down next to his cousin, who was looking at him with horror on his face. Finally, Neal jumped up and headed for the healers' tent. Dom was not far behind him.
It had been days since Kel was injured, and she still hadn't woken up. Her fever worsened every day. Finally, Lord Raoul ordered Dom and Neal to take her back to Corus, giving them permission to stay until she had healed. Any fool could tell that he was worried about his ex-squire very much. Just like any fool could tell that Dom was more worried than necessary. He slept in a chair by her bed and wouldn't leave her side except to use the latrine. It was quite obvious that he loved her.
Their ride to Corus was extremely uneventful. Kel got neither better nor worse and still hadn't woken up. She sat in front of Dom on her mount Peachblossom. Dom figured that the gelding would be much more gentle than usual, knowing that his mistress was gravely injured and needed a comfortable and easy ride. She didn't even bite, but the look in her eyes plainly stated that her relationship with the two cousins would go back to normal once Kel was better.
Neal was excited to get back to Corus, for his wife, Yuki, awaited him. Though the circumstances he came in weren't good, he couldn't wait to be with her once again.
They arrived at Corus three days later. (Okay, how should I know how bloody long it takes to get from the bloody border to Corus? I don't. So I just put in a bloody number. If it's incorrect, please tell me, and I will be sure to change the bloody thing.) Kel was immediately brought to the Infirmary and laid down on a bed. Dom sat with her, stroking her hand, as his cousin and uncle talked.
"...hit with a bloody arrow. Bloody poisoned arrow, no less. Pain in the arse to heal. Healers said they couldn't waist that much strength to heal one person, and wouldn't let me do it." He was frowning and stomping his foot like a child denied his candy.
"How long ago was this?" Asked Duke Baird worriedly.
"Just under two weeks."
After hearing that, he let out a stream of curses.
Dom, who had never heard his uncle curse before, was taken aback. After seeing his nephew's questioning look, Baird explained, "Her condition is very bad. I like Keladry. Nice, polite girl, does her job well, sticks up for what she believes in, and keeps you and Neal in line. Also, she is my son's best friend and you love her. I don't want her to die, but I am afraid she will if she doesn't improve."
Dom took a moment to wonder how his uncle knew of his feelings for Kel, but a moment was it. Duke Baird, the most powerful healer in Tortall, believed she would die. Things where not looking good. What was he to do? This had to be a dream. A really awful dream, but a dream none the less. It had to be. Kel was one of the best warriors he knew. This would never happen to her. She was too good.
He sank into a chair, watching as his uncle clean Kel's wound. He tried to heal it, but there was poison in the wound that had to find its own way out. Finally, Duke Baird looked up at his nephew. "I think she will be fine if that poison comes out. It seems it will. She'll be awake soon, Dom, and you might want to tell her soon." He patted the sergeant on the shoulder and walked towards the door.
Why was his uncle always so astute? Dom wondered for a moment why Neal hadn't inherited that trait, but then turned his mind to more pressing thoughts: like how he would tell Kel.
I know, still really short! Actually, it has more words than the last. 373 words more! So there!
Kel smiled slightly at her last thought before killing the soldier in front of her with one clean sweep of her glaive. Turning towards the right, she saw Dom and the Meathead fighting side by side, and smiled slightly once again. Then, she turned back to the battle in front of her. Throwing herself in, she made swing after swing at the Scanran soldiers. She was tired, and knew she couldn't continue at this pace much longer. It would kill her, if she didn't die on someone's sword.
Suddenly, something hit her left shoulder, embedding itself in her skin. As she fell to the ground, the arrow in her shoulder, all coherent thoughts left her mind and she lay there, enjoying the rest she was suddenly given.
Dom watched Kel fall. He rushed to her side, piercing anyone who tried to stop him with his sword. Kneeling by her side, he lifted her up, then brought her to the healers' tent, a man from Third Company guarding his back, making sure no one attacked the unsuspecting sergeant. Neal hadn't seen his best friend fall. He had left to help a man some way away.
He explained to the healer what had happened, anguish clear in his voice. The healer checked the wound, and Dom blanched when he saw the wound. It was bad. Really bad. Blood covered her shoulder and her shirt was died red. It was fatal. He wasn't even sure if she could survive this.
Several hours later, Dom stepped out of the tent to find Neal. He hated to leave her side, but his cousin had the right to know. He walked out into Third Company's set of tents, and found him sitting before the fire with several of the men. Seeing Dom, he smiled wearily. Dom waved him over, and he came, a slight frown creasing his forehead.
After standing in silence, watching the fire flicker, Dom began. "Neal, something happened to Kel. They are" he choked, a sob catching in his throat, then continued, "They aren't sure if she's going to make it. She was shot in the shoulder with a poisoned arrow, and its bad, Neal. I'm afraid." He sank down next to his cousin, who was looking at him with horror on his face. Finally, Neal jumped up and headed for the healers' tent. Dom was not far behind him.
It had been days since Kel was injured, and she still hadn't woken up. Her fever worsened every day. Finally, Lord Raoul ordered Dom and Neal to take her back to Corus, giving them permission to stay until she had healed. Any fool could tell that he was worried about his ex-squire very much. Just like any fool could tell that Dom was more worried than necessary. He slept in a chair by her bed and wouldn't leave her side except to use the latrine. It was quite obvious that he loved her.
Their ride to Corus was extremely uneventful. Kel got neither better nor worse and still hadn't woken up. She sat in front of Dom on her mount Peachblossom. Dom figured that the gelding would be much more gentle than usual, knowing that his mistress was gravely injured and needed a comfortable and easy ride. She didn't even bite, but the look in her eyes plainly stated that her relationship with the two cousins would go back to normal once Kel was better.
Neal was excited to get back to Corus, for his wife, Yuki, awaited him. Though the circumstances he came in weren't good, he couldn't wait to be with her once again.
They arrived at Corus three days later. (Okay, how should I know how bloody long it takes to get from the bloody border to Corus? I don't. So I just put in a bloody number. If it's incorrect, please tell me, and I will be sure to change the bloody thing.) Kel was immediately brought to the Infirmary and laid down on a bed. Dom sat with her, stroking her hand, as his cousin and uncle talked.
"...hit with a bloody arrow. Bloody poisoned arrow, no less. Pain in the arse to heal. Healers said they couldn't waist that much strength to heal one person, and wouldn't let me do it." He was frowning and stomping his foot like a child denied his candy.
"How long ago was this?" Asked Duke Baird worriedly.
"Just under two weeks."
After hearing that, he let out a stream of curses.
Dom, who had never heard his uncle curse before, was taken aback. After seeing his nephew's questioning look, Baird explained, "Her condition is very bad. I like Keladry. Nice, polite girl, does her job well, sticks up for what she believes in, and keeps you and Neal in line. Also, she is my son's best friend and you love her. I don't want her to die, but I am afraid she will if she doesn't improve."
Dom took a moment to wonder how his uncle knew of his feelings for Kel, but a moment was it. Duke Baird, the most powerful healer in Tortall, believed she would die. Things where not looking good. What was he to do? This had to be a dream. A really awful dream, but a dream none the less. It had to be. Kel was one of the best warriors he knew. This would never happen to her. She was too good.
He sank into a chair, watching as his uncle clean Kel's wound. He tried to heal it, but there was poison in the wound that had to find its own way out. Finally, Duke Baird looked up at his nephew. "I think she will be fine if that poison comes out. It seems it will. She'll be awake soon, Dom, and you might want to tell her soon." He patted the sergeant on the shoulder and walked towards the door.
Why was his uncle always so astute? Dom wondered for a moment why Neal hadn't inherited that trait, but then turned his mind to more pressing thoughts: like how he would tell Kel.
I know, still really short! Actually, it has more words than the last. 373 words more! So there!