Chapter 39
Shifting her armload of stained greens, Afiona looked back over her shoulder to see if she had dropped any garments. Thankfully she found no misplaced greens on the packed earth.
She could see Seviot watching her from a distance, but so long as he didn't try attacking her again she didn't care if he watched. Daric was watching him and not exactly being subtle about it. But then, what could something that big and white be besides obvious.
The boys were currently with one of her healers learning some basic Valdemaran as they helped with the Karsite wounded. They had been surprised at the number of Karsite regulars who had been wounded and while prisoners were still receiving care equal to those of the Valdemaran wounded.
It was a quiet day on the front since it was a Karsite Holy day, though she couldn't recall which. On the other side of the battle field the priests had everyone but a skeleton guard in their large tents and even from here she could occasionally hear the priests extolling the brave men who had killed the demon… a Herald.
She'd already managed to get most of her 'must do soon' chores done and had a bath in the river. Now she just had to get her laundry done and she'd be ready for another day. She actually had a candlemark to herself, though she wasn't certain what she was going to do with it.
She was torn between talking to Mia and just going for a walk in the woods where no one could pester her.
Ever since her discussion the other day with Mia she had been avoiding the Herald. Not that she was still upset about what Mia said, Afiona had to admit there was at least a kernel of truth to what she said, both about wanting approval and about overworking herself.
She knew she should go apologize to her friend for being so touchy, but in all honesty she was still too embarrassed. On the other hand, a quiet walk in the woods, maybe with a book, might help ease that knot between her shoulders that had defied all attempts to be loosened.
Before she could decide a grimy hand clamped around her mouth and she found herself being dragged backwards into a vacant tent. Afiona's first suspicion that Stef or Shain had decided to play a prank on her was quickly disproven by a mind touch revealing it was neither Stef's ungifted mind or Shain's shielded one. In fact it was a mind of someone so tightly shielded that she couldn't even sense their emotions.
:Daric: She mindcalled as she bit down on the hand covering her mouth and started to struggle. Reaching back she managed to get a handful of hair and yanked it out by the roots.
"Quiet, Healer." A heavily accented voice said in her ear. Afiona ignored the quiet command.
Sinking her teeth deeper into the fleshy part of his hand he hissed a curse and released her. Rissa's training took hold and pivoting Afiona raised her knee to connect with his groin.
Before he hit the ground Afiona recognized her assailant. It was the spy she had helped months ago when Lance was still in the camp.
"Oh, sorry." She apologized and knelt to see what damage she had caused. "You should have said something."
Daric poked his head in the tent. :It seems I'm always late for the rescue.: He teased when saw there was nothing to save her from.
:You better get out before someone notices you.: Afiona suggested.
:Right, I'll go keep an eye the walking corpse. Call if you need me.: Daric said as he withdrew.
Afiona sank onto the floor and waited for him to recover. At least she didn't nearly kill someone this time.
It took him a few minutes to recover enough to sit up.
"You aren't injured, or rather you weren't, so why did youdrag me in here?" Afiona asked him bluntly.
"I wished to bring you news of your husband." The Karsite explained as he examined the teeth marks she had made in his hand.
"Lance?" Afiona's voice quavered.
"He was captured a fortnight ago." The spy explained.
"What?" Afiona said in disbelief.
"I told your Lord Martial ten days ago." He said as he wrapped his hand in a cloth. "When I came back tonight I asked how you reacted, and he said you hadn't been told. I did not think that was right, so I thought to tell you myself."
"Is Lance alright?" Afiona demanded.
"He's alive." The Karsite explained. "Which can be good or ill. They are using him as an example."
"An example of what?" Afiona asked, almost scared of the answer.
The Karsite looked away uncertainly.
"Tell me." Afiona ordered.
"As an example of how demon worshippers should be dealt with." He finally admitted.
Afiona stood carefully. "I have to go."
The Karsite scrambled to his feet. "You can't. If they find you…" He didn't have time to finish his warning before she collapsed where she stood. He barely managed to catch her before she hit the ground.
Cursing in Karsite and Valdemaran he set her on the cot. Peering out the door to the tent he could see her great, white horse charging towards them again. Glancing back at the unconscious woman he slipped out of the tent and made his way to the woods ranged behind the camp.
-
Afiona found Lance strung between two trees on the edge of the camp within view of several tents that were emblazoned with the sun emblem that she knew belonged to the priests. The ropes holding him were blood stained where his struggles had shredded his own skin. They had allowed him enough give in the ropes to kneel but not lie down or sit comfortably. A scabbed wound on his cheek, perilously close to his eye, was red and infected. The dirty shirt he wore was stained from his own blood.
:Oh, gods, Lance.: Afiona cried as she reached for him with her incorporeal hands.
:Afiona? What the devil are you doing? Get out of here.: Lance said with more strength than she suspected him of having.
:What are they doing to you: Afiona demanded as she used her gift to hunt down and purge the infection that was rampaging through him. :Why didn't you or Carmia call for help:
:I can't reach her, They're blocking us somehow.: Lance explained, worry for his Companion was palatable. .
Afiona found the mare in a blink of an eye. She was standing in a high wooden corral, hobbled and unable to move more than a few steps.
:Carmia: Afiona said hesitantly.
:What? Afiona? Oh, thank goodness. Have you seen Lance? I can't reach him. I think they have him shielded from me.: Carmia raised her head and looked around.
:I saw him. They've hurt him.: Afiona's mindvoice sounded strained even to her.
:Are they just leaving us here: Carmia asked without rancor.
:I don't know. The Lord Marshall has known for ten days, but he didn't tell anyone.: Afiona explained as she searched the mare for injuries.
:Don't worry, I'm not hurt. They think I'm just a horse. They have me hobbled like this because I kept trying to escape.: Carmia explained.
:I'll talk to the Lord Marshall.: Afiona said. :He'll send someone.:
:No, if he hasn't by now, he won't.: Carmia said fatalistically.
Afiona shook her head violently. :He wouldn't just abandon you! He can't just abandon Heralds.:
:It's better that it's just us and not an entire rescue team.: Carmia pointed out as gently as she could.
Afiona returned to Lance. :Carmia's fine.: She said.
:Thank you.: Lance said gratefully. :Now go, before they find you.:
:I love you.: Afiona said.
:I love you, too.: Lance said solemnly.
Opening her physical eyes Afiona found herself in her office tent with both Leander and Shain bent over her with obvious concern.
"Welcome back to the land of the living." Shain said dryly. "We warned you that you were pushing yourself too hard."
"It was deliberate, I was tranced." Afiona said as she levered herself up into a sitting position, ignoring the throb of pain behind her eyes.
"You are not moving." Leander said firmly. "Why do the young always think they're immortal?"
"Because young is also synonymous with stupid." Shain replied as he tried to force Afiona to lie back down.
"Don't touch me." She growled as she swung her legs over the side.
Both men drew back at her tone and exchanged glances.
"What's wrong?" Leander demanded.
"I need to talk to the Lord Marshall. Now." Afiona said as she stood carefully. Her legs felt unusually weak.
"I'll tell him." Leander stood between her and the door.
"Leander, move." Afiona hissed.
"No, you are going to lie back down while I fetch the Lord Marshall." Leander said firmly.
Afiona glared at him through bloodshot eyes. :Daric:
:Coming.: He answered and almost immediately he appeared behind Leander.
Shain sighed. "You escort her then and don't let her out of your sight." He said to the Companion. Leander turned to see who Shain was talking to and jumped when he saw the Companion.
Afiona wove her fingers through Daric's mane and the pair of them headed towards the tents in the heart of the camp.
"Why'd you let her go?" Leander demanded of the younger Healer.
"Because that's her Companion. If he thinks she needs to go, she needs to go." Shain said as he started after them. "But that doesn't mean I am letting them out of my sight."
"Her Companion?" Leander repeated and hurried in Shain's wake.
When Afiona reached the tent it was packed with people in blue uniforms. She shoved her way through the bodies to reach the table the Lord Marshall was standing behind with a large map.
"Oh good, you're awake." He greeted her. "Just have a seat and I'll get to you in a minute."
"No." Afiona ground out. "I want to discuss this now."
"Discuss what?" He asked absently.
"Lance." Afiona's one word was enough to tell him exactly what was wrong.
He glanced around at the confused faces of the officers. "This is neither the time nor the place."
"Now." Afiona repeated. "Why haven't you sent someone to help him?"
He sighed. "I know you care for him, but he's just a Herald. You can't expect me to risk more lives—"
He didn't get a chance to finish before Afiona's fist collided with his jaw. Nobody had time to react before she was over the table, her fists striking his face and neck. Some one grabbed her arm and tried to drag her off their prone leader only to get an elbow to the solar plexus.
"Afiona!" Jisa shouted at her and grabbed her hand.
"He is not just a Herald!" She screamed at the Lord Marshall and struggled to free her hand.
"Afiona, snap out of it." Jisa jerked her hand hard enough to catch her attention. "What's going on?"
"He won't send someone to rescue Lance because he's just a Herald." Afiona explained, her chest still heaving.
"Rescue Lance from where?" Jisa demanded.
"The Karsites have him and he-" Voice dripping with anger, Afiona used her head to indicate she was talking about the Lord Marshall, "didn't tell me." Afiona jerked her hand free. Instead of resuming her pounding she sat, straddled across his chest, and glaring down at him. He wisely decided not to move.
"Shouldn't we stop her?" Someone asked uncertainly.
Jisa stood slowly. The muscles in her jaw were clenched and her hands were in fists at her side. "Everyone out." She ordered. Everyone practically scrambled to the exit.
"Tell me everything you know." Jisa ordered.
Afiona took a few deep breaths and wrapped her arms about her chest to hide their quivering. "Two weeks ago the Karsites caught Lance." Afiona said bluntly. Then she haltingly began to tell the consort both what the spy had told her and what she had seen when she had tranced herself.
When she finished, Jisa offered her hand to Afiona and helped her to her feet. "Have a seat. You look like the walking dead."
Afiona practically collapsed into one of the chairs. "I'm sorry." She muttered as tears started trickling down her cheeks.
Jisa winced as she Felt Afiona's emotions and extended her shields over the shaken healer. The Lord Marshal was just getting to his feet when Jisa rounded on him.
"I want a full explanation." She said coldly. "Why was nobody told?"
"I didn't want Afiona to know because of just this reason. I knew she'd react badly and we need her at least semi functional." He wiped the blood from his nose.
"You are a cold hearted son of a cold drake. Do you know that?" Jisa said in her iciest tones. "I highly doubt you'll be able to convince her to do anything for the good of Valdemar at the moment."
"She's a Valdemaran, she has a duty to do all she can to—" Once again he didn't get a chance to finish.
"You do yours first!" Afiona snapped. Her voice was high pitched and cracked with emotion.
Shain poked his head in the door then hurried to Afiona's side. "What's that ass done now?" He asked as he offered her a handkerchief. "And not one word from you, sir. She's infinitely more important to this camp than you."
Leander was the next to barge in with a blanket in his arms, muttering about the follies of youth.
"Infinitely more important?" Leander repeated.
"Well, I am biased." Shain admitted insolently as he shrugged. "I'd rather follow her than the Blood Lord over there."
"Blood Lord?" Jisa repeated in confusion.
"It's what the men call the Butcher here." Shain explained impudently.
"The Butcher?" This time it was the Lord Marshall who spoke, and he didn't sound impressed.
"What? You expected to be called the savior?" Shain asked the man who had led so many to their deaths acidly. Deciding that the effort wasn't worth his energy he turned back to something he knew was, "Hey, Mama-Afi, you still with us?" He asked in a much gentler tone. Afiona nodded and wiped her cheeks.
"Wonderful." Shain patted her shoulder. "Are you done with the Lord Marshall? You should lie down for a while."
Afiona batted his hand away. "What about Lance?"
"Lance?" Shain repeated. "What happened to him?" He demanded of the King's Own and Lord Marshall.
"He was captured." The Lord Marshall explained as he tried to recover his dignity by straightening his uniform and wiping away the blood.
"Oh." Shain rested his hand on Afiona's shoulder in a gesture of comfort. "So that was why you needed to get here so desperately." Looking over his shoulder at the other occupants of the tent his face hardened. "What are you going to do about it?"
"Nothing, he was going to nothing." Afiona started to sob, answering for them.
Shain glanced helplessly at the only other female present, Jisa. She quickly moved to comfort the Healer.
"So, Your Majesty, what are we going to do?" Shain asked, ignoring the Lord Marshall.
"By law…" Jisa glanced at the Lord Marshall. "By law I have no say."
"Oh." Shain frowned. "What if something happened to the Lord Marshall?"
"What?" The lord in question demanded.
Shain grinned wickedly as he pulled his robes over his head and handed them to Leander. "This should only take a minute."
Jisa quickly caught Shain's arm before he could resume the pummeling Afiona had started. "Don't. Take Afiona and get her settled. I'll deal with him."
Shain cocked an eyebrow at the serious expression on the Consort's face and nodded reluctantly. Picking Afiona up, he carefully carried her out of the tent.
Leander hesitated a few moments looking conflicted before he followed the pair. Jisa turned back to the Lord Marshall and was about to speak when she noticed his sickening pallor.
"Something tells me calling a Healer won't help here." She commented just as he lunged out of the tent and retched in the sparse grass.
-
Afiona rolled to face the wall and squeezed her eyes shut.
"Damn bastard." Shain cursed. "I should have beat him to a pulp."
Leander grinned slightly but his eyes still looked worried. "By sunset he will be unable to rise from his own bed."
"Oh?" Shain asked with a malicious grin. "Didn't think you had it in you."
"I can be very practical when the need arises. If he is seriously ill for more than a couple weeks the King and King's Own must take his place. And he won't be declared healthy by anyone here anytime soon." Leander sat down on Afiona's lone chair next to the bed. "Now, she has a Companion? Is that just to help with healing them of is this more permanent?"
"I am not too sure." Shain started to pace. "I can't believe they just left a Herald there to rot." He fumed.
Leander leaned down and patted Afiona's shoulder reassuringly. "It is only one man." He said logically.
Shain snorted. "Every man should be important."
"True enough." Leander agreed. "But look at it from the Lord Marshall's point of view. He already has lost many men—"
"Due to his own desperation and unwillingness to admit he is doing dismally." Shain grumbled.
"He has already lost many men and if a rescue group were lost and tortured what would that do for morale?" Leander finished.
Shain shook his head. "At least they would know he gave a damn about them. Besides, he could ask for volunteers. It would also be a good opportunity to find that mage Afiona said the Karsites probably have."
"What mage?" Leander asked in confusion.
"Our Heralds have been blinded by something on that side of the border. Afiona once mentioned they probably had a mage or something." Shain explained. "Send in a small group to get in, cause havoc, find the mage, and get Lance out, how hard could it be? Especially since it's a Holy day."
"What does it being a Holy day have to do with anything?" Leander asked.
"Simple, those men over there are more frightened of their own priests than of us. With all the priests busy saying prayers or preaching death and murder to thy neighbor the guards are bound to be relaxing." Shain explained.
Afiona rolled onto her back and stared at Shain.
"I thought you were listening." Shain grinned.
"You're right, they'd be off their guard." Afiona sat up slowly and winced as her headache flared to life.
"Lie down." Leander ordered.
"No." Afiona said as she leaned against the wall. "How many people would it take?"
"Barely any." Shain admitted. "A Healer for Lance and a couple fighters. Maybe someone who knows the area."
Afiona frowned and rubbed her temple. "Mia's injured, his mother is currently done the line about a half days ride away and we'd have to act fast."
"No offense, but sending a Herald won't be a good idea." Leander pointed out. "Remember they are thought to be demons? If they or their Companions are seen the priests will come running."
"I'll go." Shain volunteered. "I am a fair hand with a blade and a Healer."
Leander shook his head. "I hate to sound like the Lord Marshall, but I don't think it wise if you go. What experience have you had? One on one in a salle?"
Shain scowled.
"He's right." Afiona agreed. "Besides, if I go the younger healers will need you to keep them in line and focused."
"You are going no where." Shain said firmly.
"Over my dead body." Leander grumbled.
"I have to go." Afiona said softly. "I can't do nothing."
Shain and Leander frowned.
"I think I will go find someone who can talk some sense in to her." Shain said as he opened the door.
Once he was alone with her, Leander stood up and started to pace. "You are in no shape to go anywhere. I'd be betraying every oath I have ever taken if I allowed you to do something so foolish."
Afiona slowly stood up and took several slow, deep breaths and put a few pain blocks on herself. The small flashing lights that had been teasing her vision for several days now remained but the pain vanished. "I am going. You can take away my robes, cite me for deserting, I don't care. I must go."
Leander shook his head. "Others are better suited—"
"I love him." Afiona said softly. "That may not mean much to you but it means everything to me. I can't stay here and let him die, it would kill me."
Leander frowned as he felt just how serious she was. "You're broadcasting."
Afiona quickly shored up her shields, she felt Daric offers his help.
Leander placed his hands on her shoulders. "You, my dear girl, are an idiot."
Afiona shrugged. "If it was just me I'd know where everyone is, I could slip right past them, get Lance and Carmia and spook the animals into charging about madly to cover our escape."
"You convinced me already." Leander sighed. "I felt you were speaking the truth. After this you will stay in bed for at least two months, am I understood. I'll be shipping you back to Haven with the first group of wounded if I have too. I am going to get you some supplies for Lance and yourself. Don't do anything stupid just yet."
Afiona hugged him tightly. "Thank you."
"Oh, you'll pay for it later." Leander promised as he returned her hug. "Now pack what you need and I'll be right back."
Leander left quickly leaving Afiona to dig out the nondescript pack she had on hand for the few spies that had come to her for healing. She tossed in some of the ointments and such she had on hand, a couple candles, and a few of the insect repelling smoke bombs that were kept for any tents or building that became infested. Tying her hair back she looked around for anything else she could need.
:Me perhaps: Daric suggested. :There is no way in the Havens you are riding out without me.:
:Of course not.: Afiona agreed.
"What the hell does Shain mean you are going off to conquer the Karsites?" Medren demanded as he burst in making Afiona jump. "Sorry."
"I am not going to conquer the Karsites." Afiona explained. "Just rescue Lance. The captured him and they are hurting him."
Medren's expression softened when he saw the depth of her pain. "Do you think Lance wants you risking life or limb to save him?" Medren asked. "I know it would kill him if anything happened to you."
"I know." Afiona said quickly.
"You're a Healer, not a fighter; I've heard about how your classes with that Herald usually ended up with you being battered by your own weapon." Medren continued. "What if you are confronted?"
Afiona handed him the bag. "That's why you are coming."
"What?" Medren gaped at her.
"And change into something less obvious than scarlets." Afiona ordered. "I want to leave soon. They will be lax since most men are at the services and all the priests are."
Medren rolled his eyes. "Give me ten minutes."