"Here Torn, take some of these Burnent Berry's with you. There you go, that's better. Oh, and give my greetings to Onin—such a pleasant woman she is. Now, let's go wake…Ashlin? Yes, that's what she said her name was" Ashlin awoke that morning to the dark, musty hollow belonging to Jacob and his son Torn. Almost immediately she was greeted with the feeling of damp morning dew surrounding her cot. Even her clothes felt clammy.
"Get up, we're leaving" came a deep, raspy voice from the stairway—Torn's voice. Jacob's home was built below ground in what would one day become Underground Headquarters in the fight against the Baron. The stairway led upwards to a door that was well hidden, accept for those who already knew where to look. That was where Jacob and Torn lived, secreted from those they did not wish to encounter.
"No problem, I'll be there in a minute" Ashlin managed to balance herself on both elbows for a good two seconds before the pain was too much to handle. Grasping her throbbing arm Ashlin could feel the unmistakable tight stitched thread; reaching from her joint to her forearm was a long, deep gash. Another cut Jacob must have stitched up with his tools of the trade. "Damn cuts" she mumbled to no one in particular. In the midst of her waking Ashlin had almost forgotten about her scared and scratched body. After all, Jacob's home had no proper mirrors or reflecting glass for Ashlin to examine her current state.
In a massive effort Ashlin was able to pull herself upright without the use of her tender elbows or bum leg. Still sitting on the sunken cot she struggled to push herself fully erect without falling over. The task was difficult to say the least. One foot she wound around a table leg while using the healthy arm to push away from the bed. The combined effort got her as far as leaning forward before she had to sit down again.
'Call for help,' a little voice rang in her ear. 'I'm sure Jacob wouldn't mind…nor his son Torn'. Another, stronger voice responded 'You don't need help, you can do this yourself. You already owe a life debt to Torn. Asking for help would just add to the obligation'.
Ashlin took a deep breath before making a second attempt; heaving the weight of her entire body she forced herself forward—but not up. Wincing Ashlin braced for the floor with her healthy arm before she was suddenly scooped up by…Torn? Where had he come from?
"When I told you to get up I didn't mean actually GET UP. I meant WAKE UP" Torn lifted Ashlin's good arm around his shoulders and began assisting her up the stairs. Ashlin attempted to use her functional leg to propel herself along, but it was really no use. Eventually Torn resorted to simply carrying her.
'Fantastic, great, perfect' again the voice ridiculed Ashlin. 'Relying on Torn again? How many times has it been now? Are you really so helpless as to accept help from him again? Pathetic!' the ridicule and guilt began pulling down on her. Who was it who kept mocking and insulting Ashlin in her head? What part of her was this?
"Put me down, I'm fine on my own" Ashlin spoke sharply.
"You can barely stand up, and you expect me to let you walk?"
"I said put me down" she hissed.
Torn looked taken aback. "Oh I'm sorry, I'm only the one who saved your life. That doesn't mean you need to respect me or even show me common curtsey or anything" he finished in a bitterly sarcastic tone.
"I only needed to ask you once to put me down. You're the one who—"
"Torn, Ashlin what's going on?" A voice interrupted from above. "You'll want to catch Onin before the sun comes up to avoid any guards who might be on your tale. Never know who's following you these days. Oh, and Torn let me take Ashlin from you, that leg is very delicate I'll carry her to the hovercraft".
"She's FINE dad".
"That's nonsense, she can barely stand up" he gently removed Ashlin from Torn's arms. She didn't have the heart to tell him otherwise. Yes she was proud, but not cruel. This man had shown Ashlin more kindness that any of the children whom her father had ever paid to befriend her.
On her way out Ashlin turned to glace once more at Jacob's humble home. There were others in cots similar to hers. A dark haired woman with a light haired child and a broad shouldered man who looked nearly as bruised and banged up as Ashlin herself. Wait, was that Krimzon Guard armor by his bed? "Jacob, who are those people?"
"The lost, the hungry, the injured, the sick" he paused "those who have no where else to go".
"Why are they here?"
"Why, for the same reason you are: to be healed" he smiled and looked down upon her.
"But that man is a Krimzon Guard, he should be in a palace sick bed. That's where all the Krimzon Guards go".
"Not all those who wear the armor and bear the crest desire to be a Krimzon Guard. That man abandoned his troop after they robbed an old beggar man of his savings. Obviously the guards did not take his desertion very well—once you are inaugurated into the guard there is no going back on your word…his scars are not from the war. He was injured by the very troop he deserted. They nearly killed him. He only wears the uniform because it is all he as left" Jacob finished as he helped Ashlin onto the hovercraft behind Torn.
"That's very kind of you. You must have saved a lot of lives" Ashlin spoke with a genuine smile. This man had a son to support, and from what she gathered no wife to help him. Yet here he was, helping those in a worse state than himself.
"I only do what I can little miss" Jacob handed Ashlin a basket of assorted fruits. "Drive fast Torn, you're racing the sun".
Author's note: I know not a whole lot happened in this chapter, but I needed it mainly to help characterize Jacob and add more of Ashlin's physiological battle. Next chapter they'll go see Onin and stuff will happen…I promise! Also, if you have any comments, concerns, even flames are fine just post 'em. I love to hear reader's ideas—it helps me learn.