disclaimer: same bs

Anika was silent as Dagonet carried her, and was for once thankful for the storm that had pushed all the village's inhabitants inside to shelter. Only the Goddess could imagine how madly people would be whispering about the sight of the strong, stoic knight carrying a wounded woman off to an empty room alone.

Pausing at a long building of stone with a thatched roof, Dagonet counted along the eight doors, stopping on the four before he continued forward. He pushed the door open with his foot and stepped inside. Anika looked around the small room as he set her on the bed and turned to latch the door shut again. Furniture was sparse. Anika sat upon the only bed, a worn cot covered with thin blankets and thick furs. A small fireplace held glowing embers, and a small table in the corner near it was surrounded by two chairs. Candles were placed here and there to give the room what small light they could provide. A small cupboard was in the far corner near the door and Anika spotted the axe, sword, bow, and few arrows leaning against it.

Dagonet moved silently through the room, stopping by the fireplace only long enough to throw a few logs and a handful of tinder on the embers before moving to each candle, lighting them by the sparks of a flint he held in hand. Anika set her eyes on the rekindling fire as Dagonet moved to the cupboard in the corner, opening the doors to search for something.

Anika was still staring at the fire, cradling her arm to her chest, when Dagonet kneeled before her and took her left hand gently, moving it to her side. She sucked in a breath and sent a small glare his way, none too happy of the pain. His attention, however, was on her bruising shoulder. He poked and prodded gently before he met her eyes. "You shoulder is dislocated. I need to reset it before I can tend to your other wounds. You must stay very still, no matter how painful it will be," he instructed. Anika nodded and turned her head away as he set one strong hand on her upper arm and the other on her shoulder.

With one quick shove, a loud snap filled the room and Anika let out a small cry as her shoulder was pushed back into place. Dagonet pulled his hands away and looked at her. "Try moving it." She did as he said and gave the joint a good roll or two before nodding. "It's still going to hurt a little for a few days but the pain will dissipate." Anika nodded and looked back at him, green eyes still blazing with ferocity from the battle that had so recently occurred.

Moving to look at her side, Dagonet paused. With Anika watching him, his cheeks took on a slight pink shade before he muttered, "I need you to remove your tunic so that I can get to your wound…" The fire-eater's face grew slightly red with sudden realization and she let out a small sigh. Setting a hand on his strong jaw, she turned his head to the side. Taking the hint, Dagonet closed his eyes.

The clink of weapons and a whisper of cloth were followed by a sharp hiss and Dagonet looked back when she tapped his shoulder. Using both arms pressed against her bosom, she hid most of what she didn't want him to see, but still her face was heated, her cheeks red. She was bare from the waist up and Dagonet couldn't help but notice her pale, curved figure and the scars that covered it. A few stood out more than others and drew the healer's attention. On her chest, just above her heart, Dagonet could see a jagged, welted scar that fanned out and looked much like a sun and its shining rays. He gestured to her, and quickly she turned herself with her back to him, crossing her legs on the bed, tunic and torso sheath set on the bed beside her.

The healer pulled his attention from the half-naked girl and focused on the wound on her side. It was a clean cut and, luckily, not that deep. The Woad's attack hadn't been with great force so apparently the axe's blade glanced off her ribs. Touching around the wound gently, he took note that it still oozed blood slowly but would be easy to sew up. Getting to his feet in a fluid motion, he went to the table in the corner, grabbing a cloth and jug of water before returning to the bedside. Wetting the rag, he dabbed at the slash gently, cleaning it the best he could before reaching for a needle and thread. Anika hissed in pain but then bit down on her lower lip, expecting the greater pain that would come next.

Dagonet placed one large, calloused hand flat on the soft skin of her back by the wound to steady her and was slightly surprised to feel a shiver slip up her spine. "Did I hurt you?" he asked with a touch of worry.

Anika shook her head slowly. "I'm just…not used to being touched," she muttered and sunk her head between her shoulders as she bit on her lip again. Dagonet turned back to the wound and slipped the needle into her skin, across the split, and into the other flap of skin before pulling it gently taut. The fire-eater made no sound as he continued but the healer could feel her muscles were tense beneath his hand. Only when he finished did she relax. The wound was held shut by the thread and no longer bled so Dagonet found no reason to bandage it.

Swiftly, Anika released her arms from her chest and pulled the tunic back over her head, feeling much more comfortable covered. She turned and stood as the healer did. Her face was still red and she only dared glance up at the tall knight before she muttered her thanks. Grabbing the torso belt that held only one dagger and her two-handed sword now, she moved towards the door.

Dagonet grabbed her arm, stopping her in her tracks. She looked back at him and flushed at the kindness warming his silver eyes. "You're soaked to the bone. Please, allow me to speak to a friend of mine. I believe she has spare clothing that will fit you," he spoke. Anika shivered lightly at the deepness of his voice and nodded lightly. Releasing her arm, he moved to the door and opened it before slipping out into the dark, rainy night. Tentatively, the fire-eater followed him.


A/N: somewhat of a short chapter. but i think im on a roll: starting, finishing, and uploading one chapter each night. yay me! anyway, this was kinda just more setting: Dagonet's room mostly, and building the small beginnings of closeness between Anika and Dagonet that will lead to a relationship sooner or later. oh, and Anika DID need to have those wounds tended. i just dragged the process out. :P anyway, thinking up an idea for a tramatic thing that will happen to Anika and maybe Rosala that will be filled with drama, hurt/comfort, and the pushing of people away/growing closeness of others. R&R pleeeeeease! its all i have to look forward to anymore!