Chapter 22
"What do you need?" Artemis asked
Anna squared her shoulders. She would not let Jacques die. "First, I need to get him out of the trench. I'm going to need to tie him down while I do this so I will need a table or something similar," she said looking around to see what was useable. Seeing Jacques medical bag she picked it up and checked to make sure the instruments she would need were there.
"I got the medical supplies," Bovier said as he slid down the dirt wall of the trench. He walked over to Anna and handed her the bag. He gasped when he saw the blood on her hands and uniform, his father's blood. His eyes shot to the still form lying on the ground. When he saw his father's leg, Bovier blanched and backed away. He seen those kinds of wounds before and knew that his father might not make it. He leaned against the dirt wall and turned his face turned away from them. He was trying not to cry. He had already lost his mother to the war, the thought of losing his father was unbearable.
"Boy!" Artemis called. Bovier's head jerked up, "Yes sir," he squeaked.
Artemis crouched by Jacques and gripped his shoulders, "Pick up his legs," he told the boy. "Yes sir," Bovier said reluctantly getting to his feet and walking over. He hesitated, looking at the destroyed leg. Below the knee was mostly bone. Placing his hands under the knees, Bovier looked at Artemis before straightening. The bone had been shattered and the leg dangled from the knee. Bovier's stomach lurched as the bloody mess bounced against him.
While Bovier and Artemis lifted Jacques out of the trench, Anna looked around for something they could use as a table. A supply wagon with a broken wheel caught her eye, "Over there. We can use that," she said going over to inspect the wagon. "Is there something you can do to make it level?" she asked running her hand over the wood. To Anna's surprise it was Artemis that came to her aid. She wondered why he was doing this. It didn't fit what she knew about him. Artemis was a man that dealt in death. She didn't think he cared if Jacques died, so why was he helping her?
After setting Jacques on the ground, Artemis crouched beside the wheel. The wheel itself was still intact. Motioning to Bovier, he said, "Set the wheel back on the spoke while I hold the wagon." Bovier nodded and gripped the wheel.
Artemis placed a piece of wood under the axle and levered the wagon off the ground. Bovier slid the wheel back onto the spoke. Slowly lowering the wagon to the ground Artemis eased the wood out from underneath it and then jammed a smaller piece wood alongside the wheel. "That should be sturdy enough," he said.
Anna found some rope and climbed into the back of the wagon. "Okay, I'm ready," she said. Artemis and Bovier lifted Jacques into the wagon.
"Bovier, we are going to need a stretcher to carry your father back to the house," Anna said drawing the boy's attention. Bovier looked at Anna his face creased with worry, "You're going to have to take my dad's leg aren't you?" he asked. Anna put her hands on his shoulders and looked directly into his eyes, "I'm not going to let him die," she said. Bovier's lip quivered as he nodded. "Can I do anything to help?" he asked.
"We are going to need something to carry him back to the house on," she said. Bovier nodded. He cast one last glance at his father's still form and then left to find something that would work as a stretcher.
Picking up the rope, Anna began securing Jacques to the bed of the wagon. Finished knotting the ropes, she methodically tested the strength of the knots one last time before retrieving a long piece of metal called a cautery from Jacques' medical bag and handing it to Jarlaxle. "I'll have to cauterize the wound. I need this red hot," she told him. The drow took the metal and raised a white brow at her commanding tone. The dark elf didn't take orders from anyone. So he was surprised to find himself reaching into his cloak to retrieve a magical item that he could use to heat the metal.
"Artemis would you check the ropes, if Jacques wakes up while I am operating I can't have him thrashing around," Anna said as she set out the tools she would need.
While Anna was preparing for the amputation, Jarlaxle pulled out a small red orb from one of his pockets. Jumping off the bed of the wagon he scanned the ground until he found a flat rock. Picking up the rock he hopped back into the wagon. Carefully placing the orb on the rock, he whispered a command word. The orb began to glow. Anna glanced over when she felt the heat. She stared at the glowing small red ball sitting on the rock. Using the heat the drow began to heat the cautery. Anna shook her head and turned her attention back to her preparations. She heard a soft rustle as Artemis crouched beside her.
"Have you done this before?" Artemis asked, watching with interest as she painstakingly prepared for the procedure.
Anna nodded, "Yes, I have assisted in quite a few amputations, but this will be the first time that I will have to sever the limb myself," she said. Artemis wondered if she would be able to complete the procedure if Jacques woke up. Assisting someone was far different than inflicting the pain yourself.
After she was satisfied that everything she would need was within easy reach, she turned to look at Artemis. "I need to remove about two thirds of his leg. I will start with an incision here," she said, drawing a line on Jacques leg with her finger. "I will use a scalpel cut through the flesh, and the bone saw to sever the bone. Once the leg has been removed I will cauterize the wound and stich it up," she explained.
"Keep an eye on Jacques. If he wakes up you may need to sit on him to keep his still," she said to Artemis and then turned towards Jarlaxle, "Keep that metal red hot. I need to cauterize the wound as quickly as possible," she instructed. Looking at the tourniquet on Jacques leg she remarked, "I will need one of you to handle the tourniquet as I operate."
"What is the purpose of this?" Jarlaxle asked curiously. "To prevent the blood from clotting and to give me something to cauterize," Anna said. Curiosity thoroughly aroused, "I will attend to the tourniquet," the dark elf offered.
Moving back to Jacques leg, Anna glanced at Artemis who nodded at her to begin. Compressing her mouth into a hard line, "Okay loosen the tourniquet a little," she said. Jarlaxle twisted the stick used to control the pressure. "That's good," Anna said holding up a hand for him to stop.
Anna nodded. Taking a deep breath she picked up the scalpel.
Anna set the scalpel just above the damaged area and then froze. Jacques eyes had fluttered open and he was staring at the shiny blade pressing into his leg. Pulling the blade back, she leaned forward and rested a hand on Jacques shoulder, "The leg has to come off," she told him. His eyes widened as he realized what she was about to do and started struggling against the ropes.
Jarlaxe wondered if she would be able to go through with the amputation. He didn't care if the boy's father died, but he needed her as a guide in this world and it would be far easier if she didn't fight him every inch of the way.
Anna set the scalpel against the leg and quickly sliced through the skin and into the muscle. Jacques gasped and pulled against the ropes. As she peeled back the flap of skin she would use to cover the stump Anna knew she couldn't hesitate or doubt herself. If she did Jacques would bleed out. Blood soaked into the floor boards as she continued cutting through the flesh until she saw bone. Jacques' screams didn't sound human. He was like a wild animal as he strained at the ropes.
Ignoring his agonized screams Anna dropped the scalpel and picked up the saw, immediately starting on the bone. "Hold him!" she yelled.
Jarlaxle was fascinated. The last time he had heard screams like that had been in Menzoberranzan. That a gentle soul like Anna was able to do such a thing amazed him.
The man was out of mind with pain. Using the quickest route to subdue him, Artemis knocked Jacques unconscious. Anna glanced up when Jacques abruptly stopped fighting to find Artemis watching her intently. Anna turned her attention back to sawing through the bone. She couldn't waste time, Jacques' life hung by a thread. The bone was harder to cut through than Anna expected and her arms shook with effort.
Finally through the bone, Anna set the saw down and tossed the severed limbed out of the wagon. Taking the cautery from Jarlaxle she pushed the heated metal to the wound. Jacques stirred prompting Artemis to hit him again for good measure. She felt sick, but she had to finish. She pressed the white hot cautery into the wound again. She needed to cauterize the entire area. Finally done, she handed the metal back to Jarlaxle. Pulling the flap of skin over the stump she quickly stitched it up. She knew that everything she did was a temporary measure and wasn't concerned about appearance.
"Loosen the tourniquet a little more," she told Jarlaxle. As the dark elf loosened the tourniquet she watched closely to see if the stitches would hold.
Anna looked at Jacques to see that he had passed out. A small mercy. She wiped her hands on her skirt as she moved to the edge of the wagon and jumped to the ground. She felt sick. As she blindly walked away she didn't her the drow call her name. She kept walking until she felt a hand on her shoulder. She slowly turned around to find Jarlaxle had followed her. She couldn't look at him. Covering her face with her hands, Anna stifled a sob. She had never done anything so hard in her entire life. She felt arms encircle her. The dark elf stroked her hair. She looked up to find him quietly watching her.
"I couldn't look at him. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to do it if I did," she whispered.
"You surprise me," the drow said brushing the hair back to study her pale face. It was the truth. There had been no hesitation or doubt as she had methodically tortured her friend. Who would have thought such a gentle soul was capable of such a thing. The drow once again congratulated himself on the decision to take her with them. Watching her saw off the leg of a man she called her friend had been the worth obeying her orders.
"I didn't want to do it, but he would have died if I didn't," Anna said resting her cheek against the elf's vest. Above her head a slight smile lifted the drow's lips as he wondered what other procedures she had done. What she considered medicine was strikingly similar to what many would consider torture.
"What of your friend? Are we to return him to his home?" Jarlaxle asked.
"It would be better if we could get him to a hospital. I wonder if the main hospital is still standing," Anna said. She knew she should move away from him, but it felt so good to have him hold her. Having to amputate Jacques leg had been far harder than she had expected. She would never forget the sound of his screams. The warmth of the drow's embrace was surprisingly comforting, but they needed to get Jacques to a hospital. Reluctantly pulling away, "We should head towards the hospital, I've done everything I can for Jacques," she said.
As Jarlaxle watched her walk away he considered his options. Unfortunately his knowledge of this time was limited. He needed to understand this new world and with Anna as a guide it would be much easier. Though the world he had seen thus far had been torn apart by war there was a potential for gain that was far greater he ever had in Menzoberrazan. He just needed to figure out how to turn this situation to his advantage.
Anna climbed into the wagon to find that Artemis had remained beside Jacques. As she checked Jacques vital signs she wondered why Artemis had stayed with him. As she felt for Jacques pulse, she glanced at Artemis to find him watching her out of cold dead eyes. She wondered why he had agreed to help. It wasn't because he cared. As far as she knew Artemis didn't care about anyone.
"Have you seen Bovier?" Anna asked after she had finished checking Jacques vitals. Artemis didn't answer but directed her eyes to the left of the wagon. Bovier sat with his back to the rear wheel. His knees pulled up to chin. His face buried in his arms. How long had he been there? Sliding off the bed of the wagon Anna knelt in front of Bovier.
"Bovier," Anna called quietly afraid to touch him. Bovier lifted his head from his arms and stared at her out of hollow eyes. "How long have you been sitting here?" she asked.
"The whole time," Bovier whispered. Anna hung her head, "I'm so sorry that I had to take your dad's leg. He would have died if I hadn't," she told him. Meeting her eyes, "Is my dad still alive?" he asked. Anna smiled and leaned forward to wrap her arms around him, "Yes. His vitals are strong. He just passed out from the pain, but he will be fine. Your dad would never leave you alone," she said. Jacques life was hanging by a thread right now, but Bovier didn't need to know that.
"Now, I need your help," Anna said, getting to her feet and holding out a hand. Bovier took her hand and looked at her uncertainly. "The main hospital should be a few miles from here. We need to get your dad there so that they can monitor him," Anna explained.
"I found an ambulance a little ways from here. It's not in great shape but I think we can use it," Bovier said getting to his feet. "Show me," Anna commanded him. The boy nodded and moved away from the wagon as she fell into step beside him.
"Our young friend is full of surprises," Jarlaxle remarked sitting on the edge of the wagon.
"Do you think he will live?" Artemis wondered as he looked at boy's father. Jarlaxle shrugged, "I care not," he said.
"Why would your older self bring us here?" Artemis asked a frown settling over his face as Jarlaxle smiled at him.
"Think my friend. What wonders we have seen in the short time we have been here? Mind you we are seeing a land torn by war. Imagine what we might find in a land not torn by war. What wonders we might we find? " Jarlaxle teased.
"Judging by what we have seen so far, death if we are lucky, medical treatment if we are not," Artemis replied. Jarlaxle laughed. "Ah my friend, you have no vision," he said.
Author's Note: This chapter was so fun to write! Why do I like writing about blood and gore so much?
Surreptitious Chi X: Hmmm…to kill Jacques or not to kill Jacques. That is the question. Hehehe…
Sonra: Cyber hug *Squeezes cyber friend* Yeah, that is one of the things that make the Fae so interesting. To the Fae, humans are pretty much just a source of entertainment. So even the good ones can seem bad…lol gotta love the Fae.
General zargon: I'm working hard *wipes sweat from brow* hopefully the characters are getting better… *crosses fingers*
Yulandia: Not to worry, the journal is not forgotten. My poor characters just need a chance to breathe. Actually I was in a quandary about Jarlaxle's magic working in the modern world. Would his magic still work in a world without magic? In the end I couldn't bring myself to take away his magic entirely…I am so happy you are enjoying this story. I love the idea behind this story and was hoping that someone else would enjoy it too.