Just to let you all know the romance is coming much later in the story, so I took it off the description now, just in case it was keeping readers from reading.

Please review!

Clera's eyelids slowly opened, very heavily.

Her head was throbbing, as if there was a heart in there beating.

She put her hand up to her head to feel crusted dry blood on her forehead and in her tangled hair.

She then heard the sound of many people running away from where she was.

She remembered what had happened, and tried to sit up, immediately regretting it when she did.

Her hand messaging her head, she saw confused Horace and Will, and Halt leaning down on Gilan's lifeless body.

Gilan? No, this is not happening she thought to herself.

She crawled over to where he was laying, which took a lot of her strength.

Still holding her head in her hands, she looked over to see Gilan's miserable face.

She saw Halt's hand on top of Gilan's stab wound, applying pressure, in hopes of decreasing blood loss.

"They took everything; we have no bandages, or food for him." Halt explained solemnly.

"Halt" said Horace in a pleading voice, "we have to go get her."

Clera's head shot up at Horace.

They were missing Cassandra.

"Did they recognize her?" Clera asked without thinking.

"They don't know who exactly she was, just knew she looked important, for all we know they might just…" Halt wisely chose to stop there.

No one wanted to think of the things that could happen to the Princess, because she was all of their responsibility.

"Let's go" Halt said getting up "Get your horses ready."

"But what about Gil?" Will asked.

Clera felt a knot in her stomach turn.

She wanted to go find the Princess, but she could never leave Gilan this way.

"You all go," Clera stated "We'll catch up with you later."

Everyone did seem surprised at Clera.

"You have no supplies though," Halt began "And the stab wounds would take at least a month to heal. Including training with his longbow all over again, judging by the condition of his arms."

They all looked down to Gilan's sleeping body. His cloak that was still on him did not help hiding the three deep stab wounds in his stomach.

His arms dangled loosely on the ground, cuts and signs of struggle all around his body.

Clera knew that staying was the right decision.

"Just go find Cassie for me." Clera said softly.

Halt nodded, before Horace pulled her into a big bear hug.

Clera then noticed that she had gotten very attached to the young men.

Is that why Crowley hid her?

Because girls get attached, have bigger hearts?

She knew the Ranger's life was a life of solitude, but did he really think she could not handle it?

Her thoughts were interrupted when Horace pulled away from the hug and whispered, "Don't worry I'll bring her back."

"I know you will." Clera said, running her hand through his light hair.

Will then stepped up and hugged Clera.

He was silent, and Clera knew why.

Will hated farewells.

"Take care of yourself." Clera said stroking his hair.

Will merely nodded and stepped back.

Halt leaned over to kiss Clera on the cheek.

"Take care of Gil" he said, not meeting Clera's eyes.

"Of course" Clera said with a small smile.

And with that, the three men rode off.

Clera looked down to her new patient.

She had to food or water.

She had no bandages or any other supplies.

But she would make it work.

She had to.

Gilan woke up with a moan.

He noted that he was very warm, but shirtless.

He ran is right hand over his stomach to find bandages.

He turned his head and inhaled the smell of whatever he was laying on.

It smelled like Clera.

A figure appeared over his body, replacing the bandages.

She was wearing a peach, tight, sleeveless tunic, and tight white breeches, that just covered her knees.

The tunic had a very low neck, Gilan noticed.

Her golden curls were in a messy ponytail, strands coming out in every direction.

Gilan thought she looked beautiful.

She smiled at him when she noticed that he was awake.

"Are you thirsty?" Clera asked gently.

Gilan nodded his head; still his speech had not come to him.

Clera ran to fetch a canteen and then poured water into his mouth, wiping his hair out of his face tenderly as he drank.

Gilan noticed that the canteen was not the one they used, and was not made out of leather. Rather, it looked handmade.

"How are you feeling?" She asked gently.

Gilan grinned in response, the best gift Clera had ever received these past few days.

It had been tough, being all alone.

She had resolved to use her own clothes as bandages.

Water had been from a stream half an hour away, so she tried to ration it as much as she could.

Food however was a different story.

Because the winter season was almost here, bushes and trees lacked in giving off food.

But still, she managed to find some nuts and berries for herself and Gilan.

"What happened?" Gilan finally asked in a low tone. These were his first words in the last two days.

Clera figured it would be wise enough for him to know, keeping it from him would make him angry, and he already was injured.

She explained to Gilan everything she knew, since she was unconscious for a lot of the time.

"What are we waiting for, then? I'm fine. Let's go." Gilan said, attempting to sit up straight.

Immediately regretting it, Gilan felt as if he was being stabbed all over again.

Clera scolded Gilan as she helped him lay down again, "We will go when I think you're ready. You can't expect to go all wounded and they will just surrender the Princess just like that can we?"

Gilan decided it was best to keep silent, which made Clera grin. She wasn't used to Gilan giving up so easily.

Gilan noticed her grin and frowned, "What? My teeth aren't black again, are they?" He said, rubbing his hands in his teeth.

Clera laughed melodically before saying, "No, of course not. I'd never do that when you're so vulnerable."

"So you're saying that you would do it again?" Gilan asked fearfully.

Clera looked up from the bandages and did feel uncomfortably close to Gilan's face.

"I'd do it again if I had to give up the world." Clera said smiling.

"Really, was it really that funny?" Gilan asked smiling.

"Yes, but it was funny because you didn't even notice for the longest time. That made it ten times better." Clera said in between giggles.

Gilan smiled at the memory. He had to admit the prank was quite clever. Perhaps when he got better, he could get revenge.

"Could you help me back up, I think I can sit up now." Gilan asked.

"No" Clera asked not looking up from the bandage.

"No?" Gilan asked, surprised at her answer.

"No, Gil, you just woke up, after being unconscious for two days, after being stabbed repeatedly. Do you actually think you should sit up?" Clera asked.

"Yes." Gilan argued childishly.

"Then perhaps I should leave you alone then, since you know what you're doing, and take my cloak with me. And my bandages, and my food, and my water. You can take care of yourself, can't you?" Clera asked with a smile.

Gilan wracked his brain for something clever to say, but ended up remaining silent.

"Goodbye then" Clera said cheerfully as she could as she began to get up.

"No" Gilan said. Knowing Clera, he knew that there was an actual possibility that she would leave. He grabbed her arm until she sat back down next to him.

"You know that I'll never get better without you" Gilan said softly.

"That's more like it." Clera said even softer, smiling. She patted the finished bandage on Gilan's stomach and then went to fetch something.

Eew… I feel like this chapter is long and pointless.

I think the beginning was necessary, but I felt the ending to be dreadful.

To give you all a better idea of what Clera was wearing, imagine a tight peach tank top with tight white caprice

Please review, and let me know if you shared the same opinion about this chapter as I did!