ShikaIno1 chapter 2 . Mar 8
Glad to see some updates! I'm most excited to find out what has been happening to Raven this whole time
ANSWER: I am looking forward to telling you what Raven has been up to, but you have to wait for a few chapters (2-3), In the meanwhile, I present chapter 3
PS: Rebirths can go many ways.
1.
It had taken Richard and his allies four weeks to cross England. Most of the time he spent conversing with the Valkyrie, or as Victor and Garfield put it: courting the Valkyrie. Which he denied, even as Starfire –the Valkyrie– asked him to eat with her, walk with her, keep her company at night, and bathe with her.
Time after time Richard declared "We are not courting!"
Which was met with snickers from the men and outright laughter from Victor and Garfield.
It was therefore with some relief they arrived in Jump city. Not only were they home, but Richard could distance himself from his underlings. He left Victor and Garfield to sort out the men, while he spirited Starfire off to the tower.
2.
"We were gifted the land by Lord Caulder. Legend says it was home to the jumping men, therefore I named it Jump city. It is our base of operations, every citizen is a part of the rebellion," explained Richard, as Starfire looked out over the town below. It was well organized, with a city wall, broad streets, houses, huts, and tents. "Only Vic, Gar, I, and a few others live in the tower. Most of it is used for storage. Grain, freshwater, dried meat, gold, and weapons."
"Why is it shaped like a T?"
"Oh, that. It was Victor's Idea. We call ourselves the Titans, so he suggested we built our castle looking like a T. Do you want to see inside, we have a room for you?"
"Please yes!"
Walking down the stairs from the top of the tower, they entered a hallway with six doors on each side.
"These are the sleeping quarters. My room is the first to the right, followed by Alfreds. He is with Lord Caulder at the moment. Next is Garfield's, then Wally`s. He is the one I told you about, the one who can run really fast. And then there's another empty one. The last room is Victor`s. On the left side, all rooms are empty except the last. That is where Jinx sleeps. She is a witch."
"Then I will take this one, next to yours" smiled Starfire, reaching for the first door on the left, finding it locked.
"Great! Victor will sort that out for you. Now, If you would follow me." Richard said, leading her down the hallway, past a heavy oak door, into a spacious room. Directly in front of them was a dartboard, to their left a library with a reading chair and a window overlooking the town below, to the right a kitchen area with a fireplace. The fire was dead.
"Jinx, Wally!" yelled Richard. Half a second later Wally stood in front of them.
"You are back!" He looked worried. Dark circles in his eyes, dirty blood-stained clothes. He smelt awful.
"Why have you let the fire run out?" demanded Richard, but Wally ignored him.
"Come quickly, Jinx is hurt."
"What!?"
"Come!"
Down another flight of stairs, they entered a training room with weights, wooden swords, armor, a small arena, running tracks, etc. Then, into another corridor, there was one door to the right, and another to the left. They walked thru the on to the left, into an infirmary.
There was Jinx, laying in a bed. Sweating profusely, wrapped in a blanket. A bucket of blood stood on one side of her, a bucket with water and swamps on the other.
"I have washed her, and tended to her wounds, but she is not getting better. I know you don't approve of her medicine, but she begged me to bring some brew from her room. That has helped, but she is still very ill."
"Okay, okay. We will talk about the brew later. For now, show me where she is wounded"
"Her right foot was pierced by an arrow, her thigh sliced by a sword another arrow entered her lower back. The worst-hit her stomach. I am not sure she will make it."
"Karen, I killed him" croaked Jinx, from her fewer dream.
"Who did she kill?"
"Garth."
Richard took a look at her foot. It was inflamed, and in its center was a wound covered in dried blood.
"Did you get the whole arrow out?" asked Richard.
"Yes."
Then he looked at her thigh. It looked bad. The skin around the wound was yellow, and the wound itself did not look like it was healing. Jinx kicked him hard with her other leg.
"Stay away!"
Richard released her. Then he inspected her lower back. The whole wound was yellow, with puss running down her side.
Her stomach was worse.
"How long since she got the wounds?"
"Five days?" I got her back as fast as I could.
"She is a survivor, but I don't know what I can do for her that you haven't."
"I think I can help," said Starfire, who up till then had been silent.
"Who is she?" Wally asked Richard.
"This is Starfire, she is a...Valkyrie, it`s another word for angel I believe," explained Richard before turning to Starfire "If there is anything you can do for her, please do."
3.
"She really killed him," said Garfield. It was not a question.
"That's right, an hour after you went east, she went south."
"Why didn't you stop her?" demanded Richard.
"Do you think I have any power over what that girl does? Garfield and Victor would be away for two months, I won't be a custodian. I mean, even if I tried she would probably put a sleeping spell on me or something."
"How did you find her then?" asked Victor.
"Oh, I didn't stop her, but I kept an eye on her, and realized quickly where she was headed. Then when she managed to sneak into Garth's castle."
"Wait, how did she sneak into Garth's castle, her hair is pink?" interrupted Garfield.
"A potion of some sort, it turned her hair blonde and eyes blue. Anyhow, I kept watching outside the castle. Then suddenly she crashed thru a window from the top of a tower house. I caught her before she hit the water. The rest you know."
"Are you sure she killed Garth?" asked Victor
"That is what she says, and I believe her."
"In that case Boohya!"
Richard murmured something to himself.
"What is it?" asked Victor.
Richard looked up, "If Jinx survives I need to speak with her. What she did was reckless and stupid, possibly even immoral."
"If by speak with her you mean congratulate her, I agree with you wholeheartedly."
Starfire walked in, all eyes turned to her.
"I believe Jinx will survive."
4.
If you wanted something, you had to take it.
And if you had something, you had to keep it.
That was the rules Jinx lived by.
At least I have my health, she used to say. Now she had lost it, by taking a life.
She smiled, pain was good. It was her friend. Her companion in life.
She felt always there beneath the surface. Burning, searing, bursting to life.
Jinx opened her eyes and screamed. Her stomach was a pit of hurt, her back killing her, her foot cramped up, and her thigh burning.
"Give me a drink!" she cried. "Anything!"
She recognized the tower infirmary.
In came her friends. Wally, Garfield, Victor, and Richard. Victor was quick to put a wineskin to her lips. She drank as much as she could and spat the rest out.
"How are you feeling?" asked Garfield.
If looks could kill.
"Stupid question, I know I know," he said holding his hands up.
Then another woman walked into the room, no floating. Red hair, pretty face, green eyes. Dressed as a London prostitute. Jinx liked her style.
"Who is the girl?" she asked.
"This is Starfire, she saved your life" explained Victor.
"If this is what being saved feel like, I don't think I want any more saving"
Victor laughed at that.
She then noticed Richard, standing in the doorway.
"What's with the scowl?"
"Oh, he is just mad you stole his thunder" joked Wally.
"I dint take you as the jealous type"
Richard: "I am glad you are alive Jinx, but when you get better, we need to talk"
"Don't you mean if?" asked Jinx.
"I mean when, you got me really worried, but you will survive. That's an order" then he marched out of the door.
"Don't mind Richard, he is just worried" Garfield comforted.
"Oh, fuck him. He is always worried," she cursed before changing accent "I dealt with Garth, now he is dead. Not a problem no more, no sir. A crispy skeleton he is" a quick breath "Oh fuck, this hurts!"