Emogen lunged to her lover and pressed her fingers against his throat. She prayed that she found his heartbeat. After a few seconds, she sighed in relief and placed a hand upon his forehead. It was already starting to burn. As quickly as possible, she and her assistant pulled the First Knight out of his armor and cut away his leather tunic top. The wounded area was red and as she caressed the spot, she could feel the heat originating from it. She took a warm wet cloth and started to clean AROUND the wound. The bolt, upon closer examination, had entered and broke through his collarbone. She bit her lip. This wasn't good. If she removed it now, it could cause the marrow within his bones to pour out and give him blood poisoning or it could heal. She didn't have the knowledge on how to heal blood poisoning.
"Keep cooling him off. Don't touch the wound or the bolt. I have to trade with Enys, Alma, or Ula. Plus I'm to close to him. I can barely think straight."
Her assistant nodded in understanding and sat beside the Knight and patted his brow with the cool cloth. Emogen took a deep breath and walked out of her hut. She entered Alma's and smiled. Alma was just finishing her last patient.
"Alma, I need your help. Lancelot was hurt and I'm much to close to think straight around him. Plus, his collarbone has been broken through with a bolt, and I don't want to risk it."
Alma looked up from her stitching and added dryly, "Plus the blood poisoning…okay. We'll switch then. I'll take the Knight and you finish here."
Emogen smiled brightly at the red-hared woman and said, "I owe you one Alma."
Alma shook her head and said, "You owe me nothing Emogen. We're friends and friends help one another."
The red-hared Healer took her supplies and left the hut. Emogen washed her hands in a clean bowl of warm water and continued to stitch up the wounded man before her.
When she was done, she wrapped it once to protect it from dirt and paint and ordered, "Tell those outside my hut, to come to me. Then, go to Arthur, Guinevere, and the other Knights and tell them that Tristran and Lancelot are here being taken care of."
The man, Brian, nodded to her and said, "As you command Lady."
A minute later, another Woad man entered her hut. He had a deep cut on his forearm and one on either thigh. She washed her hands again and proceeded to clean and stitch some more.
Brian, when he finished telling the wounded to go to Alma's tent, ran as fast as he could, without hurting himself further, to the battlefield. In the center, he could see Arthur, Lady Guinevere, and the remaining Knights looking frantically around.
He ran up to them and shouted out, "ARTHUR! LADY! I bring news from the Healer Lady Emogen!"
Guinevere spun around and demanded, "Well! What is it! We're busy here!"
Brian bowed his head and said, "I bring news from Lady Emogen. She sent me to tell you that Sir Lancelot and Sir Tristran are in the Healing huts. They were taken from battle when they were no longer able to stand and fight. Sir Lancelot and Sir Tristran are being healed even as I tell you this. Come, follow me!"
He spun around and ran from them. He heard them running after him and smiled. They were now free!
When they arrived, Emogen was helping a woman out of her, or rather Alma's, hut and helping another into the hut.
"Emogen! How are they?" asked Arthur seriously as they stopped near her. Emogen sighed and wiped her brow. The Knights winced at the bloodline left behind. She looked to be as exhausted as they felt.
"When I left Lancelot he was unconscious but alive. I don't know about Tristran though. The last time I saw him was when Ula plucked him from battle. He was actually yelling at her, so I'm guessing he's alive. Alma and Ula, the healers for the two of them respectfully, are Mistresses of the Healing Arts. They won't die, Arthur."
She smiled and said, "Congratulations King Arthur, you've once again gained victory against outstanding odds and you didn't lose one single Knight."
She shook her head and said, "If you'll excuse me? I have a few more patients to see to and I suspect you all might want to wait outside here for me too. Those wounds don't look very nice. Tristran and Lancelot will be out for a few days at least so we have time."
Then she entered her hut. The Knights looked at one another and shrugged. She was right. They were tired and their wounds did need to be looked at. As they waited for their turn, a woman dressed similarly to Guinevere stepped out of the last hut on the right and sighed. She had long blond hair that was pulled up into elaborate twists and curls. Her blue eyes were weary and her hands were tinted pink. She was vigorously wiping them clean with a wet cloth and humming softly to herself.
Guinevere looked at the Knights and then to the girl and rolled her eyes. The Knights were staring at her-Galahad most of all.
Guinevere called out, "Enys! How did you do? Did we lose anymore than the perceived amount?"
The blond looked up startled. She looked at them closely and blushed when she realized they were staring at her.
She shook her head and said, "Ah, no we didn't. We lost one hundred and ten people, but all that we saved are still living. We saved up to fifty people Lady Guinevere. Who are your male friends?"
Guinevere waved her hand and said, "Enys, daughter of Sera and Liam, Mistress of Healing, I'd like to introduce you too Commander Artorius "Arthur" Castus of the Sarmatian Knights, Sir Gawain the Sensitive One, Sir Galahad the Cute One, Sir Bors the Lucky One, and Sir Dagonet the Gentle One. Knights, this is Lady Enys, Mistress of Healing."
The Knights were slightly surprised to hear the nicknames Emogen told them not two days ago in their introduction, but the smile that the Woad girl smiled at them was worth it.
Her face bloomed and her cheeks became red as she said, "It's a pleasure to meet you all. Your friends, Sir Tristran and Sir Lancelot should be out of Ula and Alma's eyes in an hour or so. Are any of you in need of healing?"
Galahad jumped up and said, "I have a few cuts that need to be cleaned and stitched."
She looked at him and blushed again. She nodded and all but ran back into the hut she recently left. Galahad tilted his head in confusion.
Guinevere rolled her eyes and said sarcastically but truthfully, "She's a shy girl Galahad. Plus, it doesn't help that she's been "in love" with you for three years now."
Galahad smiled largely as he entered the hut. The other Knights started to laugh. It wasn't that funny, but they were tense and the laughter helped make them feel better. Ten minutes later Emogen stepped out of her hut and waved one of them in. She looked tired, so Gawain silently entered and sat down on the cot set up with clean sheets.
"So, where else are you hurt besides your shoulder, Gawain?" she asked as she cleaned her hands off in warm water yet again.
"How'd you know I was hurt in my shoulder?" he asked her oddly.
She turned to him and smiled as she answered, "I saw you take that hit, and watched Alma save your life by killing that Saxons behind you."
He nodded and replied, "I have a few cuts that need to be cleaned and wrapped that's all. My shoulder is the worst of my injuries."
She smiled and said, "That's good. Now, lets get you out of that armor."
Together they got the lion like man out of his battle armor and Emogen gently stitched up the major wound. When they came out, they saw Enys and Galahad talking adamantly and Galahad was acting like a gentleman by escorting her to the Knights. The Knights started laughing and teasing the two. Both the young Knight and the young Healer blushed at the good-natured ribbing.
After Emogen saw to the other Knights' wounds, Alma stepped out of Emogen's hut. She was sighing and rubbed her shoulder like it was tense and causing her pain.
Emogen shot to her feet and asked, "Well, how is Lancelot?"
She sighed and said tiredly, "He'll live. He'll be out for another day or so, but he'll make a complete recovery in a week or two. How did you all do?"
Arthur and the Knights started to cheer as Emogen smiled and nodded. Guinevere rolled her eyes and touched Arthur's arm.
When he looked at her she said shortly, "Arthur, we must go speak with Merlin. We have a lot of work to do. You are to be King remember?"
Arthur stared at her and then he turned to Emogen. He raised an eyebrow at her. Emogen shrugged and smiled in apology. She knew how simple minded her cousin was when it came to Briton. Guinevere would do whatever she needed to do to accomplish her goal. Guinevere wasn't a cold-hearted person, but she came across that way with her actions sometimes. Arthur sighed and nodded.
Guinevere smiled in triumph as Arthur turned to her and said, "With all due respect Guinevere, I'd like to wait and see what Tristran's fate is. Also, I'd like to go and visit with Lancelot even if he is not awake to talk to me. Also, I'll be along to speak with Merlin in my own time. It's not like another battle lies in the future so soon."
Guinevere glared at him, spun on her heel, and marched off. The Knights looked at their once commander and still friend. He sighed and placed a weary hand upon the bridge of his nose and squeezed. They glanced awkwardly at one another. This was Lancelot's job. He is the one who is supposed to fight and argue with Arthur to help him release his tension. Before, when Lancelot could not do his job because of complications, Tristran stepped up and drew their captain into a sword fight. Now both Lancelot and Tristran were wounded and they had no idea what to do.
Emogen sighed and then brightened. She snapped her fingers and whispered into Enys' ear. Enys cocked an eyebrow up, but she nodded and ran off.
"Where is the lass going?" asked Bors gruffly.
Emogen replied, "You know, for some reason I think Arthur needs to release some tension, so I sent for my other cousin, Cordelia. She is a Mistress of War like Guinevere but she is more…I guess the word is sweet. She'll give Arthur a hell of a fight. Will this help?"
The Knights stared at her in awe. They turned to one another and shook their heads. Emogen smiled. They acted like she was a Godsend.
Emogen shook her head and stated casually, "I'm a good person reader. I can tell what they are thinking by their body language. Arthur seems tense and you all are awkward. Lancelot is his second-in-command. As second it is his job to deal with Arthur in his moods, right?"
They nodded with wide eyes.
She continued as the said woman arrived, "Well, until Lancelot is able to do his job, Cordelia can do it. She's second to Merlin and is good at her job. Hello cousin, how are you?"
The Knights and Arthur spun around and Arthur's jaw dropped. This Cordelia was beautiful; even more so than Guinevere. She had long black hair and big blue eyes. In fact, she and Emogen looked a lot alike. The only big difference between them really was the color of their eyes.
The Woad woman smiled and said, "I'm okay, I guess. I lost three of my best fighters and I've just been informing families. I hate that part of my job. So, why am I needed?"
Emogen waved to Arthur and said, "Cordelia, this is Arthur. Arthur, Cordelia. Arthur is to tense what with two of his Knights out of commission for a while and Guin pushing him to take control of us all. He needs a good workout. Do you think you could accommodate him in your extraordinarily busy schedule?"
Cordelia burst out laughing as she said, "What busy schedule! Now that Rome is gone and we've defeated the Saxons' I have only too MUCH time on my hands! I'd be honored to duel the famous Arthur Castus."
Arthur nodded and waved her in front of him. Cordelia nodded and started down another trail leaving the group to their own devices.
Emogen sighed and looked to Alma and asked, "Do you know anything about Ula? I've taken her line of patients along with yours when you started healing Lancelot. I haven't heard a thing about him…"
"Don't bother…he'll live the bastard that he is." Called a voice as they turned and saw a woman with dirty blond hair and deep brown eyes. She had a scowl on her face and Tristran was following her with a hip length sized wooden walking stick.
She tossed her thumb back at him and said with wide eyes and an exasperated voice, "Please, please! Take him away from me! All he does in twitch and move making me work twice as hard to keep his stitches in! Take him behind the wall PLEASE!"
Bors burst out laughing and said boisterously, "Still don't like having women touch you, eh Tristran! Come ON Lad! What's the matter with this one? She's a pretty thing AND she can fight and heal! She's the perfect woman!"
Ula blushed and retorted, "If I'm his perfect match, I'll kill myself! Who wants such an irritating man?"
Tristran frowned and whacked the back of her knee with his walking stick and said tonelessly, "Who said I'd even want you, you overbearing woman."
She growled at him as he stepped around her, turned to Emogen and said, "That's the last time I heal one of your friends. The next time I find him dying on a battlefield, be sure to remind me to let him die, bastard."
Tristran growled at her again but remained quiet. The Knights burst out laughing. This was the best entertainment they had ever seen! The Knights had never seen Tristran so emotional around a woman. Normally he was totally stoic around women! But, this Ula girl has some sort of power over their Scout and they found it very funny indeed.
Galahad, from his spot beside Enys, called out chuckling, "You should be honored, Tristran is never this talkative around women. You are the first one he's taken such an interest in!"
Ula growled and Tristran and threw one of his knives at him. It landed in between his legs.
He gulped down a chuckle and said slowly, "I might be mistaken though."
When Tristran turned away, Ula grounded her teeth together and said, "Oh no you don't! You are going back to bed!"
Tristran glared at her and challenged, "Make me, woman."
Ula stomped up to him and said smugly, "I plucked you from that battlefield like you were a baby. I'll do it here too in front of ALL YOUR FRIENDS IF YOU DON'T MOVE THAT CUTE BEHIND OF YOURS NOW!"
Tristran blinked a few times, smiled superiorly and said, "Okay, I'll go, but you first sexy."
Ula was so surprised, Emogen, Alma, and Enys burst into giggles and gasped out, "You called his butt cute!"
Ula burned with embarrassment as she stomped into her hut with her head held high. Tristran smiled at his brothers and followed shortly after.
Dagonet said softly, "That's one of the few times I've seen Tristran act this way. He must like and respect Lady Ula. He wouldn't try so hard otherwise."
Bors nodded and asked Emogen, "Who do I go to, to ask about going to get the caravan? I miss Van and all me bastards."
Emogen smiled and said, "Follow me, I'll take you to Duncan. He'll take care of it for you."
The father nodded gratefully and followed their new friend through the woods and into a clearing full of wooden, straw, and grass huts.