Chapter 2) Firsts
Well, this is certainly unexpected. I never would have imagined myself serving in an army, even one as small as this, yet here I am doing exactly that. It may be a small group for now, but that is no reason to shirk. I have to act as if I would be treating hundreds. After all, I agreed to stay until the end of the campaign and no one hides that while they hope for a short one, it could very well lead to a long string of battles. These battles... I had no doubts that after this next one, we would have far more soldiers. Already, Lord Sigurd has had to refuse volunteers, but if the captured are not in Evans, then we would have to invade Verdane itself and face the full force of its army. Volunteers would have to be accepted to make up the difference in numbers, and many of those volunteers would die if I did not give it my all. Many would die even if I did.
Evans Castle is technically a Verdanite fortress, but few treat it as such. It has the 'honor' of standing at the border of three different countries: Grannvale, Verdane, and Agustria. To the surprise of no one, it is also situated at the only crossing point for those borders. The Tuncier Mountains that separate Agustria from the rest of the continent stop short of Verdane's Lifespring Lake, leaving only a sliver of ground that can be safely used as a road. Meanwhile, the Jun River, which forms a natural boundary between Verdane and Grannvale, is notorious for its fast current and hidden rocks. The only safe way to cross is at the Nicoquet Bridge, which 'conveniently' leads straight to Evans Castle. Those that try otherwise find themselves quickly regretting the choice, assuming they could think before the panic of dying set in and death took them.
Despite its location, Evans Castle has always been a relatively peaceful area. But that would change soon. There is no such thing as a bloodless, peaceful battle, after all.
"Damn, they have the bridge blockaded," Lord Sigurd murmured, glaring at something in the distance. I didn't know what. All I saw was a tiny blotch on the horizon, which I assumed was the bridge. I thought about trying to stand up in the saddle to see if I saw more, but decided to remain seated. I didn't know how this horse would react, after all. "It's a smart move since we'll have to ride straight into it, no matter what sort of traps they have set up."
"What sort of traps?" I asked, tilting my head up to look at him. His expression was drawn and dark, yet I knew I couldn't ease his mind. I needed to know this; it would help me anticipate what sort of injuries I would treat. Gods knew I would need every advantage I could snatch to make up for my inadequacies. "Arrows?"
"Very likely. From what I've heard, the archers led by Prince Jamke are easily the equal to Yngvi's Beige Ritter." Were they now? I supposed that was impressive, though it told me nothing truly. Yes, they were the 'best archers of Grannvale', but that only implied that their arrows killed more. That was all it meant to me. "There will likely be traps that hobble the horses, and the bridge itself means we can be easily funnelled into one spot…"
"I fear I shan't be much help with any injuries the horses suffer, other than a simple gash." If any broke a leg, for instance, I would be next to no help at all. I wouldn't know what was 'normal' for the horse and what wasn't. "I shall, however, take a guess and assume some of you will be thrown."
"Pretty good assumption. The horses might be trained for battle, but even the best trained horse will balk." Lord Sigurd sighed, and finally urged his horse to turn away from the border. I remained silent, trying to remember just what my books said on injuries resulting from falls like that. I'd have to read over them again to be certain. "Okay, so based on the map, that church should be in this direction…"
The day after I joined, Lord Sigurd moved the 'army' closer to the border, dealing with stragglers along the way. When we were within easy riding distance of Nicoquet Bridge, we set up a camp and Azelle brought up the abandoned church he had told me about. Lord Sigurd thought it worth investigating, and thus, he and I rode out as soon as the basics were done. It was strange riding with someone who wasn't Arvis. For one thing, Lord Sigurd was somehow even more careful than him, constantly checking that I was okay and comfortable riding with him, no matter how many times I reassured him that I was. It would have been frustrating if he were not so genuine and sincere about the concern, and it wasn't as if he knew I had some minor experience with riding. To him, I was a simple village healer of some skill. He wouldn't know that Arvis visited me, and would sometimes take me out for a gallop when he did.
Eventually, we did find the church and it was obvious at first glance that it had been abandoned for many years. What had once been a small garden along the outer wall was overgrown with weeds, and what plants survived grew up along the walls to snatch what sunlight they could. There was no sign at all of the path that once led to its doors, and the windows were so filthy you could barely tell them apart from the walls.
"I wonder why this was left," Lord Sigurd mused, easing his horse to a stop and dismounting. He then helped me off and steadied me while I regained my footing. "Do you know, Miss Alicia?"
"I believe I heard something about it being 'less needed' after King Batu took the throne and negotiated the peace treaty with Grannvale," I answered, pressing a fist to my cheek while I thought. It had only come up once or twice, mostly from Arvis. Once he'd learned of me from Cigyun's journals, he had scoured Yngvi trying to figure out where I was and had even checked abandoned churches like this one. "Most of the travelers along the road were soldiers going to battle."
"Ah, so when the treaty was signed, there was much less traffic. Verdane and Grannvale don't trade much with each other, so there would be no merchants, and the locals would still be very wary thanks to the old border raids, so they aren't likely to travel."
"Yes, so the cost of upkeep became greater than the coin coming in, both from healings and donations." I wondered what Verdane would trade. In particular, I was curious about what medicines they had. Alas, it seemed I wouldn't learn either. "The outside looks sturdy enough, though."
"Quite true. No noticeable holes and it doesn't look like the roof has caved in." Lord Sigurd walked a few steps ahead before turning and holding out his hand to me. "Here, the ground is unsteady, and muddy. Would you like me to carry you instead, so that you don't ruin your shoes?"
"Lord Sigurd, my shoes have been filled with blood before." Despite the words, I took his hand to let him help me. He was right in that the ground was muddy and not easy to walk on. Perhaps that was another reason why this place had been abandoned; it had been weeks since we'd had rain and yet, the ground still retained the water. "My shoes are surprisingly sturdy."
"Ah, good to know." He smiled warmly and led the way to the door. It was surprisingly intact, but smelled of mold and rot and I could tell by Lord Sigurd's expression of disgust when he pushed it open that it was soft and perhaps even 'squishy'. The hinges creaked from disuse and rust flaked off like a scab. Dust met the rust in mid-air, as simply opened the door scrapped years upon years of dust off the floor. The inside itself was caked in it, so much so that one could be forgiven for thinking there were simply sheets covering everything instead. Of course, 'everything' implied there was much more inside than there was. Anything of value had been taken long ago to be used elsewhere, even the wax from burnt out candles. Only the sunlight streaming in behind us gave us any sort of light. "Ethlyn is going to faint at the state of our clothes."
"It's nothing a wash can't clean." I stepped inside and a plume of dust greeted me. I immediately started coughing from it, and Lord Sigurd gave me a handkerchief to cover my nose and mouth. Our clothes were already stained. "Thank you."
"It's no trouble." Lord Sigurd produced a second one from his pocket to cover his own mouth and nose. "Well, I'm not sure what I expected, but it wasn't this. Is it useable or would you rather we just set up a tent for you?"
"I suppose it depends on how much time we have." I carefully walked through the main room, studying everything. We had a small group, so I wouldn't need a lot of room, so this was actually a good size. It was easy to imagine just where to set up things as well. "The main issue is cleaning. It needs quite a few thorough scrubbings before we could even begin to use it." I'd personally prefer a few more, but I could make due if I had to. "Still, as we noted earlier, the walls are sturdy and it does not look as if any animals have made their way in here." With this amount of dust, I doubted even a ghost had wandered through.
"The dust probably scared them off." Lord Sigurd headed for the back, looking at the doors to the outer rooms. "Is there another way out besides the front?"
"Typically, there's a secondary door hidden in one of the back rooms. The one in town had it in the back left corner, across from where we stored the medicinal supplies." I knew both rooms very well. They were good hiding places when the jeers and lectures became too much when I was a child. "Why?"
"We are a small number and I will not assume we will be able to completely hold them back. No matter what I wish, it is entirely possible some push past us and reach you here." Lord Sigurd looked grave as he checked the rooms I indicated, looking for that hidden door. "I do not wish for you to be trapped. You should have a way to escape, should the worst occur." He stepped into one of the rooms and ran his hand along the wall, leaving a long stripe through the dust that stubbornly clung to it. Then, all at once, he stopped. "I think I found it." He fiddled with something I couldn't quite see from the doorway, and pressed against the wall. He frowned when nothing moved. "Hmm…"
"What makes you think it's there?"
"Felt different from the rest." He didn't elaborate further, and continued frowning at the wall for a second. Then, surprisingly, he kicked it hard. Immediately, I worried he'd hurt himself, but thankfully wasn't the case. He'd simply proven himself right and opened the door. "There we go. Not surprised it was stuck, but wow, I'm glad it wasn't Eldigan who kicked it. He probably would've kicked a hole through it. I can see where the wood gave with just me."
"Pardon?"
"Eldigan is the Hezul Major of our generation, and the war god's blessing yields strength. A lot of strength." Though I couldn't see his grin thanks to the handkerchief, his slight squint and dancing eyes told me he was. "The number of times he accidentally broke a practice sword from swinging it too hard is hilarious, and we won't go into the other things he's accidentally broken over the years." Lord Sigurd ducked down to fit through the now open door, and I followed simply to have a breath of non-dust-filled air. "Okay, this leads straight to the woods. You can evade pursuers there."
"It is also close enough that most wounded could be carried there safely." A thought occurred to me and I glanced up at him. "Lord Sigurd, does not Baldr blood also carry the blessing of strength?"
"It's not nearly as much, but yes, it does, as well as Njorun. They're the only three bloods that provide any blessings towards physical strength, truthfully. But the blessings of Baldr and Njorun are many and, thus, each individual one is lesser than those whose blessings are to one thing, such as Hezul. It's a trait shared by those of Naga's blood and Bragi's."
Meanwhile, Hezul was clearly a physical counterpart to Fjalar's own blood. "I see." I glanced back at the door before returning my attention to him. "Well, I do believe this church can serve as a temporary base and infirmary, provided we have time to clean it. Does it pass your own inspection?"
"I'll want to double-check the integrity of the walls and roof, but I think it's worth moving the camp closer." Lord Sigurd reached over and brushed some dust out of my hair. "Let's walk around the perimeter to check for anything obvious, and then we'll head back to make Ethlyn faint."
"I still do not understand why she would faint, when a simple wash will clean it." It wouldn't be hard, certainly less extensive than the cleaning we'd do for the church. "She should have seen worse."
"Different mindsets for off-duty and on."
"I suppose." It did make some sense, yet it still confused me. The only way it made sense was remembering that a healer should always appear tidy for her patients. Sadly, there was no place to wash up here. "Regardless, shall we head to the right? If we start on the left, I fear we shall have to fend off whatever lies lurking amidst the weeds."
"Yikes, that's definitely something to avoid." He brought down his handkerchief and smiled. "So, to the right, we go."
We found nothing unusual along the outside, so Lord Sigurd helped me mount up and we returned to camp in time for dinner. Though, it was certainly delayed by Lady Ethlyn's yelping and flailing. She did not faint, but she did wax dramatically about the dust until I told her that I could wash them easily and would do so after we washed up and ate. She was such a strange girl.
The first, second, third, and fourth steps to cleaning the church involved a lot of water, a lot of scrubbing, and more mud than I'd thought. The fifth and sixth involved a little less water and less mud. The seventh and eight had even less, and by that point, I finally did deem the interior 'acceptable'. I still cleaned, though. 'Acceptable' only meant that if I had to deal, then I could. When it came to people's health and lives, 'acceptable' was no excuse to stop. Of course, not everyone agreed.
"Ugh… how is this supposedly not clean?" Lord Lex groaned, stretching up as far as he could to clean as much of the wall as he could without grabbing something to stand on. I had originally intended to do the last cleanings on my own, certain the rest would be too busy to assist now that everything 'passed'. Yet, when I told Lord Sigurd of my plans, he had added 'cleaning the infirmary' to the chore roster. I had protested, telling him I would be fine alone, but he had insisted and proved the more stubborn of us two. So, I had help, with some were more enthusiastic than others. "Finn, what do you think?"
"I think that listening to the healer is a good idea," Sir Finn answered, focused intently on scrubbing the floor right by the wall. There were soap suds in his hair and up his arms, all the way to where water soaked his rolled up sleeves, but he didn't appear to care. "She's going to be keeping our insides where they're supposed to be, and in Leonster, a healer has absolute command over their 'domain' of the infirmary. Not even the king can order them in matters of health."
"That doesn't really answer my question you kn-GACK!" Lord Lex reeled back as some soapy water dripped right onto his face. He coughed and sputtered and desperately rubbed at his watering eyes. Of course, that just made his situation worse, since he had soap on his hands. "Ow…! Why does soap hurt so much?!"
"Lord Lex, come over here," I urged, stopping my own task. I had been sorting through my medicines, but this took priority. "I have clean water." I smiled slightly as Lord Lex stumbled blindly towards me, and caught his arm to lead him to the boxes we had set up as a 'table' for me. Smaller boxes served as chairs. "Easy…" Carefully, I helped him flush the soap out of his eyes and then examined them to make sure there was no lingering damage. I wouldn't think so, but it didn't hurt to be sure. "I was about to make some tea. Would you like some?"
"Please," Lord Lex groaned. He made to use his sleeve to clean his face, but I handed him a cloth to use instead. I didn't want a repeat of what just happened. "Who knew soap tasted so bad?"
"Well, it's not designed to be consumed." I set about making tea, using the stove in one of the side rooms. All churches had something like this, for what better way to entice followers inside than the smell of something delicious cooking. I liked it because it made it easier to make medicinal teas and to boil water to sterilize needles. "To answer your question, Lord Lex, while the room is indeed clean 'enough' to work in, an infirmary can never be 'too clean'. The chances of infection increase dramatically if you work in an unclean area. So, since we have the time, I wanted to clean some more." If a little effort now spared someone pain later, then I thought it well worth it.
"Oh. I guess that makes sense, especially since the one most likely one to be resting here is Midir and the last thing he needs is an infection." Lord Lex glanced over at Sir Finn, who didn't seem to be paying attention, and then ducked into the side room to stand next to me. "Hey…" He then spoke quietly, frowning very slightly. "Must you call me by title? I've known about you almost as long as Azelle has." That didn't surprise me. He was, after all, one of Azelle's best friends. Tailtiu was the other, and I was certain she knew too.
"It is better and safer for both Arvis and Azelle if I remain hidden." I smiled serenely and he immediately made a face. "Does it truly bother you?"
"Well, yeah. I wouldn't bring it up otherwise." He sighed gustily, shaking his head. "I suppose I can deal for now, though."
"Thank you." Wanting to end the discussion, I returned to making the tea. "Hmm… we have enough water for a larger batch. Do you mind asking if any of the others want tea?"
"If it means getting out of cleaning, I'll do almost anything."
"Go on, then, and ask Sir Midir first. I'm certain he needs a rest by now." I kept up the smile until he left and then let it fall and indulged in a little bit of slumping and sighing, since I was so tired. Father Eirik would have scolded me, but he wasn't here. Still, I knew it was improper for a healer to indulge herself for long, so it was just enough to ease the wear on my mask. Then I had my calm back in place and I stepped out into the main room. "Sir Finn, would you like some tea?"
"Ah, yes, thank you," Sir Finn answered, standing. He winced in pain and rolled his shoulders slowly. He had been at it for a while now… "Though, Miss Alicia?"
"Hmm?" I beckoned him over to the box-table and had him sit down on a smaller box while I fetched my staff. "What is it?"
"You call me 'Sir', but I am not officially a knight yet. I am Lord Quan's squire." He smiled sheepishly at me, blushing very faintly. "It is embarrassing to be called a title I have not earned yet."
"Ah, I'm sorry." I held my staff up to examine him, noticing immediately the strain and inflammation of his muscles. His leg wasn't fully healed either, and he had definitely stressed it today. "I'll call you what I call Lord Oifey, then."
"That's… incorrect as well, Miss Alicia." He became even more sheepish. "I'm common-born. So, I am no 'lord'."
"Is that so?" I healed up his muscle strain, and then turned my magic towards his wounded leg to study it further. "I suppose it must be 'Mister Finn', then."
"That still sounds strange, but it is accurate, so it'll do?" He tilted his head, watching me curiously. "Are you sure you should be wasting a charge like that? Healing staves require that, right?"
"They do, but I find it no waste." I frowned and knelt down to better reach his leg. "I need to look at this injury again. Would you-?"
"These are loose enough that I can roll them up, if that's okay?"
"Of course." I carefully rolled them up, to lessen the chances of me putting more pressure on the wound than needed. Almost immediately, I saw a concern. "It's open a little…" I must not have stitched it tight enough. Darn it… that sort of mistake could've cost Mister Finn. "Sit here for now. Once the tea is finished, I'll reinforce the stitching."
"Hmm? But surely I can still…" He trailed off when I fixed him with a look. "Yes, Miss Alicia."
"There we go." I smiled serenely and stood. "Do you have a preference for how you like your tea?"
I would need to practice my sewing. I needed stronger stitches now that I was tending to knights. I had to minimize the number of mistakes I made, lest they cost someone their life. I had to. That was my job, after all.
"Miss Alicia, I think the plant you're looking for is over here?" Lord Oifey hesitantly told me, pointing to a patch of flowers growing in the hallows under a root. He looked between the sketch and description I had given him before we left, and the flowers. "It matches everything…"
"Let's see…" I murmured, joining him. I smiled when I saw them. "You are correct. That is it."
"Really?" He smiled triumphantly, and it was strangely endearing. I suppose he was glad to be of help, since he had shyly volunteered to escort me when I told Lord Sigurd I wanted to go foraging earlier. "I'll gather them, then!"
"Okay, but make sure you're wearing your gloves. The leaves can cause a rash, much like poison ivy."
"Yes, Miss Alicia!" Lord Oifey double-checked his gloves were fully on and then crouched down to pick the whole patch and deposit them in the basket I carried. "Why do you want these again? I never thought knorn blossoms were anything but weeds."
"Once they have been washed, the leaves can be ground up into a powder that can be used in many different medicines." I helped him up and then counted just how many leaves I had. "In particular, I want it for a disinfectant balm." It was one of the strongest I knew, and I wanted to use it for Sir Midir's injury. He had thankfully been doing his best to follow my instructions and keep it clean, but the sheer size of it made me worry anyway.
"Wait, it can be used for disinfecting?" Lord Oifey frowned and nearly tripped over a root in his distraction. "What about the rash?"
"You have to wash the leaves thoroughly first, and you cannot use them on their own. They must be made into a balm first. They are but one of the many ingredients in medicine that can be detrimental on their own." I tried to think of another example, and my mind immediately latched onto one of the more extreme ones. "Most do not know this, but the antidote carried by most apothecaries is made with the venom of a ygg snake."
"A ygg?!" Lord Oifey's yelp was loud enough to startle the nearby birds into flight, and I had to quickly muffle a quiet laugh. I remembered my own reaction had been similar, when I first read that in my books. "But that's the most venomous snake in Grannvale! One bite and your entire limb necrotizes!"
"Yes, but when you distill it and mix it with a particular combination of herbs, it becomes a powerful antidote." I smiled down at him. "If you would like, when I next acquire the ingredients, I'll show you how to make it."
"That's still so… illogical!" He frowned, looking almost irritated. "Yes, I must witness this alchemical miracle!"
"It's no miracle. It's a proven technique." Things like that, however, were one of the many reasons why measurements were so important when making medicine. "Regardless, this should be plenty, so shall we head back to camp?" Thanks to the herbs from my garden and the medicines we bought from the apothecary, we had enough medicines for this battle... or so I hoped. I couldn't be so lackadaisical for the next one. In truth, it was irresponsible to be so for this one, but the area here wasn't good for foraging. What herbs had once grown in the garden were next to useless and the surrounding area simply didn't have many plants at all, much less medicinal ones. It was, perhaps, yet another reason why the church had been abandoned.
Lord Oifey agreed and insisted on leading the way back, even though we hadn't traveled far at all. However, when we arrived back at camp, things had obviously gone wrong in our short absence. There was no other reason for everyone to be running like something was on fire.
"Ah, there you two are!" Sir Naoise greeted us, remarkably calm given everyone else. "Oifey, our lord needs you to check his saddle and weapons," he conveyed, not bothering with any sort of greeting or explanation. Lord Oifey simply nodded, bowed to me in farewell, and raced off. "Miss Alicia, Lord Sigurd would like to speak to you. I was about to go looking for you both, but you have very good timing."
"Perhaps I needed to return sooner," I whispered, focusing on keeping calm. It was a healer's duty to be the calm one in a chaotic situation. "What has happened?"
"Verdanite soldiers have crossed the bridge to attack us directly." That seemed… ill-advised? I didn't know much of battle, yet… "We think they do not know of us and seek to do another raid, but the circumstances do not matter. We must meet them in combat, and ideally seize Evans Castle."
"I see." So, it had begun then. This would be my first time as a healer during a battle, my first time being 'in charge'. I had to meet and exceed expectations. "Where is Lord Sigurd?"
"Allow me to escort you, Miss Alicia."
"Thank you."
Sir Naoise escorted me easily through the camp, no doubt helped by how it was truly a small number of people rushing about, and then a short distance away where Lord Sigurd stood, watching the horizon. I was surprised to see him alone, but perhaps it was simply him taking a moment to breathe before the chaos swallowed us all. It could also be that there were so many things to do that even waiting to speak with me was too much.
"Goodness, you must've charged like there was an enemy in front of you, Naoise, to return so quickly," Lord Sigurd gently teased as we approached. Sir Naoise smiled slightly in acknowledgement, but said nothing. He simply bowed. "Thank you. Continue with what you were doing before?" Without a word, Sir Naoise left to do just that, pausing only to take my basket from me. "Well, this wasn't what I expected today."
"I know little of tactics and battle, Lord Sigurd, but even I know you do not expect an enemy to throw away their greatest advantage," I replied, stepping to his side. He was paler than usual, and there was a steely glint in his eyes. "You wished to speak to me."
"Yes, it's about Midir." Ah… of course it was. "I know he wishes to join the battle. He has not stated it yet, but I can tell. I have Naoise watching him to ensure he does not do anything reckless, but..."
"Hmm…" I closed my eyes to think, trying to balance his physical state with his mental well-being. The problem was, of course, that his wound… "Well, I shall be needing a guard or two. I have no fighting capabilities." I opened my eyes and saw him pondering the suggestion. "Do you think that might be a good enough compromise?"
"I had planned on leaving Arden to guard, but perhaps two guards would be better, given they have already surprised us once. Twice if you include the initial attack." After a moment longer to think it over more, he nodded. "Yes, I think that will work. Thank you. I knew his wound was too great still for active combat."
"If it worsens, I shall be right there to assist him and keep him bound in a bed if the need arises." Well, truthfully, it would be more of 'bound in blankets'. We didn't have spare beds and none of us thought it needed for the infirmary of such a small group. I hoped we wouldn't regret that in the coming hours. "I should ensure I have everything organized."
"I'll walk with you. There's not much more I can do staring out into nothing."
"Thank you."
Lord Sigurd escorted me to the church and made sure I would be fine before leaving to continue (or start) his own preparations. Meanwhile, I saw Naoise had left my basket of flowers on the box-table and I found a bowl to fill with water and let them soak. If there was time, I would wash them, but for now, this would do. Now, I just had to check my medicines, or so had been my intention. However, the front door open and shut and I turned to see Azelle walking inside. He came over to my side, but didn't say anything immediately. It was like he was trying to gather his words, so I waited for him.
"Um… is there anything…?" he eventually mumbled, not quite looking at me. He tried to pretend, but his eyes were firmly fixed on the ground. "Anything I can do to help?" He fussed with his cuffs, trying to hide his nerves, and unease. Was it because he didn't feel comfortable in an infirmary? Was he asking because he felt obligated?
"At the moment, there's not much," I refused, shaking my head. As soon as I did, gentle as I tried to make the words, he slumped. I… had guessed wrong. So, I quickly tried to think of a way to fix things, to mend the hurt, and glanced around quickly to make sure no one was around. "I would, however, very much appreciate a hug?"
"Huh? Oh!" Almost immediately, he brightened and, after checking for potential witnesses himself, he hugged me almost shyly. It was different from Arvis's awkward, yet sure, hugs. Arvis wasn't used to such gestures, while Azelle… it almost seemed like he thought I'd push him away. So, when I hugged him back, I did my best to make sure it was firm yet gentle, warm even. Well, it would be 'warm' by default. All those of Fjalar's blood seemed to generate a lot of extra heat, perhaps because of the fire in our veins. So, 'comforting' might have been a better word instead. "Your hugs are a lot like Arvis's. A little awkward."
"Is that so?" I supposed it made sense. This was the first time I had ever hugged him. "The next one won't be as awkward." I hoped, at least. For now, I simply hugged him until he himself pulled away. "Please be careful on the battlefield? I know you're aware of the dangers, yet I cannot help but fret."
"I'll be as careful as I can. I promise." He smiled bravely, and I smiled back slightly. I tried not to think of the very real possibility that I might find myself desperately trying to save his life in a few hours. Such a thing… it would be a nightmare, but I couldn't let fear make me falter. If I did, then more would die. That was why healers were taught to remain calm in all situations. Well, it was one of the reasons. "I'd better double-check my preparations, huh?"
"It would certainly be a worry off my mind."
"Then I'll see you later!" Azelle grinned and rushed out of the infirmary. I watched him leave and closed my eyes to gather my calm again. I had my own preparations, and it was not just ensuring my medicines were well-organized and labeled. I had to check my inventory, make sure everything would be within easy reach…
It was time. I had to hope that, for once, I would meet expectations.
I liked mending. It was a good, practical way to practice stitching, or so I thought. I didn't have to worry about hurting someone, and regular thread was much cheaper than surgical. Mending also helped things last longer, like my dresses or blankets, so I could save and afford to indulge in my silly ideals. So, I thought it was a very efficient use of my time to mend some of the blankets while most of the group left to challenge the Verdanites. In ideal circumstances, they wouldn't have to be used until nightfall, but I doubted that would happen. Ideals were something to strive for, not expect.
"Thank you for allowing me to guard you, Miss Alicia," Sir Midir murmured at some point during our long wait. For the moment, only the two of us were inside the church. Arden insisted on remaining guard outside, and Lord Oifey was seeing if there were any messages from the others. At least, that was what Lord Oifey claimed; in truth, I was certain he simply longed for something to do. "I know that my injuries should have me lying abed, yet the thought of simply sitting here and waiting while others shed blood for my mistake is..."
"If anything, I should be thanking you," I demurred, continuing my mending. I didn't see the point in informing him that Lord Sigurd and I had already guessed that would be the case, nor did I see reason in trying to convince him that he had made no mistake. For one thing, I didn't know what had happened and, for another, I knew no amount of reassurance from me would change his belief. "I am not trained to fight, so having a guard is very reassuring. You are also folding the blankets for me."
"Lord Oifey is not the only one whose nerves and worry can overwhelm if left to idleness." Sir Midir smiled weakly and continued to fold. He was very careful and practiced at it. "I am aware, however, that even things that appear small can be a huge boon. Having the blankets neatly folded lessens the chances of them becoming tangled at an inopportune moment, and it frees you to work on other preparations."
"That is quite true." I finished with one blanket and moved to the next, checking that the thread matched the color before starting. "How are you feeling? Is the pain worse?"
"The pain is manageable, and much less than it was yesterday." Sir Midir paused in his folding to rest a hand on his chest. "It is there, of course, but until the battle is won, I would like to avoid pain medications. They make my head feel fuzzy and my thoughts slow. An archer's role is one of support, to recognize even the smallest of details, and that is something I would still like to be able to do despite my injury."
"Very well. Do tell me if it becomes unbearable, however."
"I promise." He smiled in both relief and gratitude and I ducked my head to hide from it. I didn't think either was warranted; I understood his reasonings and it was my job to take his wishes into consideration. "Now, I am certain Lord Oifey-"
"Nothing from the front yet," Lord Oifey announced, striding inside with all the dignity a fourteen-year-old thought he could muster. His slight scowl belied his annoyance at having nothing to do. "You would think that they would have had contact by now."
"Lord Oifey, it is good that there is nothing to do," I chided, deciding to cut to the heart of the matter. Sir Midir ducked his head to hide his slight smile at my terrible bluntness. "Ideally, it means that the others are not so wounded that they need a healer's assistance, and that they are not so rattled that they need strategic advice." I didn't mention the worse possibilities. It was entirely possible they were all dead, for one. For another, another potential 'alleviation of boredom' was the Verdanites arriving. But the lighter possibilities seemed like enough of a chastisement. "Why not come and sit by me? You can help me with the mending."
"I... don't know how to sew?" Lord Oifey reluctantly sat down on the box next to me, and watched me mend a threadbare spot on one of the blankets. "It's not something knights need to know."
"That may be what the books and traditions say, but I have found that knowing how to mend my own clothing to be a very useful skill," Sir Midir gently countered. He continued folding the blankets, setting them down carefully to keep the piles evenly distributed. "Arden, what are your thoughts? I know you're listening in."
"It's not like there's much to drown the chatter!" Sir Arden laughed, stepping halfway inside. He kept his gaze fixed to the horizon, and didn't relax at all. He was, after all, our first line of defense here. "However, I do agree. Sewing is always a useful skill, though I'm dreadful at it personally. Alec is good at it, though."
"Really? I find that surprising."
"Said something about it being a good excuse to spend time with the maids."
"Never mind, I am no longer surprised."
"...If you think I should learn it, then I suppose I should," Lord Oifey mumbled, blushing faintly. Sir Midir and Sir Arden shared a grin, no doubt over what had likely pushed him to agree. I hid my amusement behind my mask, and handed him a needle and thread. "Okay, how do I...?"
"Different people have their own tricks, but I shall show you what works best for me," I explained, taking his hands. I briefly noticed the blue Baldr Mark on his wrist, a series of interlocking 'squares' that almost resembled a small shield, but I didn't comment on it. "First, we have to thread the needle, so hold them both like this..."
"Hold like this..." He frowned in concentration, though his eyes flicked briefly to the bandages on my lower arm. "Um... does your arm hurt?"
"No, it doesn't. It just covers a scar I prefer to hide."
"Scars can hurt, though."
"That is true. But this one doesn't. It's kind of you to ask." I wanted away from this topic. "You aren't holding your hands correctly."
"Agh..."
I wasn't certain on how good of a teacher I was, but Lord Oifey was determined to learn, so I did my best to help him. I even massaged his hand when it started cramping from holding the needle for so long and so tightly. During the lesson, Sir Midir and Sir Arden chatted about random things like people they both knew and old memories. Their words washed over me, simply noise in the background, until I noticed that they had stopped talking. They were both completely silent, their attention focused firmly outside.
"...There's people approaching, but they do not ride horses," Sir Arden murmured at last. I had no idea how he knew; I neither saw nor heard anything amiss. But the way Sir Midir tensed told me to pay attention and take his words for fact. "I'm closing the doors. Don't open them for anything. I'll open them with it's safe."
He didn't wait for a reply. The doors closed with a heavy 'thud' that echoed in the silence and lingered amidst the dust. It only disappeared with the shouts heard an eternity later, and the clanging and screaming resulting from the battle outside.
"Perhaps it would be best if you and Lord Oifey head to the woods, Miss Alicia," Sir Midir suggested slowly, his gaze turning to the windows. It took me a moment to guess why; glass was breakable and we had no idea how many were here. We had to assume the worst, and that there were those among our enemies would be willing to brave jagged glass. "I will follow momentarily. I wish to grab my bow first."
"I will need my staff," I 'protested' with all the calm a healer should have. I hoped so, at least. It was my job to remain calm, as Father Eirik had reminded me so many times. "I should get it."
"I will do that."
"Very well, then." I stood up on legs that did not feel connected to the rest of me, and placed the blankets on the table. Then I gently touched Lord Oifey's shoulder to jolt him out of his own shock. "Lord Oifey, we should hurry." Lord Oifey gasped and jerked his head up towards me, blinking owlishly. "Come now and keep close to me."
Thankfully, Lord Oifey did move then, and we made our way towards the back room where the hidden door was, though I moved ahead since I remembered how much trouble the door had originally given Lord Sigurd and wanted those extra seconds, just in case. Sadly, though, we moved too slowly, wrongly assuming that the threat of gouges from glass would deter our enemies for longer. It felt like only an eternity of seconds had passed before the sound of glass shattering ripped through the air. It was followed by a triumphant warcry and a Verdanite soldier clamoured into the church, uncaring of how the glass gouged them. No, they cared only for one thing and one thing alone: easy 'prey'. Unfortunately, they immediately found one, for Lord Oifey had frozen, no doubt startled by the disregard to one's self and how much danger we were truly in. So, the soldier charged straight for him, axe raised high above their head, and Lord Oifey could only stare as death came rushing for him.
I did the only thing I could think of. I had no true fighting ability, save for the 'Final Strike' suicidal attack all those of Fjalar's blood had. I certainly couldn't fend off a soldier by myself. However, I could use myself as a shield and I could drag Lord Oifey out of the axe's path. Well, I could in theory. In actuality, I only mostly succeeded. While I did manage to get in-between in time, attempting to drag Lord Oifey only resulted in both of us falling. I pulled Lord Oifey towards me as the soldier towered over us both, wrapping my arms around him to cover him as much as possible. When the soldier leered, I regarded him stoically, forcing myself to remember all of Father Eirik's lessons in keeping calm. If this was how I died, I would not die as my father did. I would not go to death screaming and crying like a child throwing a tantrum. I'd keep some measure of dignity while I breathed, even though I knew a fate worse than death could await me before death itself arrived.
Thankfully, however, I didn't have to test my resolve any further. After all, there had been more than one guard and Sir Midir had been fetching his bow. Before I knew it, an arrow thudded into the soldier's eye. They reeled back in pain, screeching until another arrow caught them in the throat. Then they crumpled with a gurgle, choking on their own blood. Immediately, I crawled to their side and tried to see what I could do to help, but there was nothing. I hadn't expected as much, but I still had to check. I still had to try.
"That… I do believe that my wound did not agree with that action." However, since there was nothing, I had to move on. I had to focus on those I could still heal, and that meant Sir Midir, who now had blood seeping through his shirt. "I must apologize, Miss Alicia," Sir Midir continued, the strained breathlessness in his voice belying his attempts to act nonchalant. "I fear I have undone your work."
"From what I understand, that is precisely what any soldier or knight does," I quipped in return. I pushed myself up and winced at the sudden spike of pain that lanced up through my shoulder. A quick look showed why; I had been grazed at some point. I didn't know when. I could guess, but that didn't matter at the moment. "Here, I will…" No, my wound did matter, actually. The blood would interfere with my attempts to clean Sir Midir's wound. "Lord Oifey, will you help Sir Midir to the back room?" There was no response, and when I turned to look, I saw him standing and staring. "Lord Oifey." He still didn't react. So, I had to… "Sir Midir, here." Ignoring my wound, I wrapped an arm around Sir Midir's shoulder and helped him walk. "I am afraid I shall have to wrap and clean my arm, but I shall tend to you as soon as I do."
"I was actually going to insist you tend to your own injury first. I can feel mine holding together still. It just hurts."
"Sir Midir, you truly shouldn't feel that." That alone told me just how poorly Sir Midir was doing. So, while I hoped SIr Arden was still okay outside, I had to focus. While I thought of everything I'd need, I glanced back at Lord Oifey to try and urge him to at least follow. However, I realized then just what he'd been staring at, and decided to let him collect himself for a few more seconds.
His eyes were fixed firmly on the blood Sir Midir and I left behind. I would let Lord Sigurd know later.
"I am most pleased you did not suffer too many injuries while defending us from the bulk of the assault," I murmured to Sir Arden as I patched him up some time later. Honestly, I could have used my staff to have him fully healed, but he had insisted on waiting until we had seen the others. "You were outnumbered, from what little I saw."
"I may not be the fastest, but I'm sturdy and strong," Sir Arden boasted with a slight smile. I thought he might've shrugged with the words, but it was difficult to tell with the armor. "I'm sorry for not stopping that one, though. How is Midir?"
"He shall be fine, though I fear he won't be able to shoot for a while." I glanced over to where Sir Midir stood watch by the door, since all four of us had moved to the back room with the hidden door. He had insisted on it, despite the fact that his entire torso was numb. I had to stitch his wound again; my original stitches hadn't been strong enough and only the fact that I had used multiple types of stitches kept it from completely ripping open.
"And Lord Oifey?"
"He's…" I didn't know how to answer that. While Lord Oifey had eventually let Sir Arden guide him into the room with Sir Midir and me, he hadn't said a word. He simply sat in the corner furthest from the door, his eyes unfocused and looking at nothing. "He's here."
"I see." Thankfully, that seemed to tell him enough. "When we took the castle, I guarded Lord Oifey and neither of us were near the battle. This was his first time being in danger like that. Most freeze during their first battles." Sir Arden looked up at me, but I tilted his head back down to add more disinfectant to the wound on his scalp. An axe blow had broken his helmet just enough to scrape it. "Bit of a surprise you didn't freeze, Miss Alicia."
"Healers are not so different from soldiers. Our job involves battles as well, though we fight infection and death instead of people." Besides, I had no doubts I would have just sat there staring after he'd shut the front doors if Sir Midir hadn't prompted me. However, I couldn't admit that failure to him. "It's also part of our training to remain calm. Those that can't quickly find themselves another path to walk." Right then, I saw Sir Midir straighten, as if reacting to something, and I seized the chance to change the subject. "Do we have more guests, Sir Midir?"
"We do…" Sir Midir confirmed slowly. He watched whatever it was for a short second before relaxing. "I think you'll be pleased to see this one, though. Naoise, we're here in the back."
"Thank the twelve gods! I feared Neit had taken at least one of you when I saw the corpses out front and the shattered window!" Sir Naoise slid into view, almost passing the doorway entirely but catching himself on the frame just in time. He had a scratch that dripped blood on his cheek, and was both sweaty and breathless. Otherwise, however, he looked well. "I must apologize," he continued, bowing briefly. "Our ruse to gather the Verdanites in one spot proved more fruitful than expected. We did what we could, yet some slipped behind us."
"Does the battle still rage on?"
"Yes and no. We believe we have taken out the bulk of the Verdanite forces, yet we still must cross the bridge to take Evans Castle." Sir Naoise's gaze hardened, and there was a distinctly thrilled glint in his eyes. Did he like fighting? "However, because of the lull, Lady Ethlyn insisted we fall back to assess our injuries and to make certain you were well. I rode ahead."
"Of course you did. You always charge first. Sometimes, I feel like you and Alec switch personalities once a battle has started."
"We do not!"
"If the rest are arriving, then we should move back to the main room," I interrupted, adding the last of the disinfectant to Arden's head wound. It would have to do for now. "Sir Naoise, you can be the first to be checked, so sit on the chair while I gather my supplies."
Sir Naoise attempted to protest, but thankfully, Sir Arden solved that by picking him up like a kitten and dropping him on the chair for me. I quickly went to work, noticing that Sir Naoise was bruised badly, but had few bleeding injuries aside from the one on his face. He'd taken a heavy blow to his leg, though, and I knew it would take multiple sessions to heal it fully. Still, I did what I could for now, using my staff to ease the worst of it before applying some bruise balm and covering it with bandages. By then, the others had arrived and I treated them as well. Though, with a couple of them, I thought I needed to check their heads first.
"You shouldn't pull arrows out of your injuries, Lord Lex," I scolded, once I learned just how he'd acquired the tiny wounds that peppered his arms and chest. I'd question how he was alive, but Neir's blood blessed its bearers with bodies of steel or so the stories went. The legends of the Holy War frequently spun tales of Neir's ability to catch a blade with his bare hand and other feats that should have led to him losing a limb, if not his life. "They plug up the hole, for one thing."
"But they were annoying," Lord Lex grumbled, scowling. It almost hid how he flinched each time I reached for him, as if he expected some sort of blow. I didn't comment on it; I just did my best to silently warn him whenever I had to. "If they didn't bounce off, then they got stuck. The wounds weren't big, so what did it matter?"
"Well, for one thing, one of these is near an artery. A small puncture there could have led to you losing a lot of blood very quickly." I frowned slightly at him and he looked away. "Still, this time it seems you were lucky. These shall heal easily and there is no poison or debris that I can find for now. So, I will only ask that you do not pull them out yourself next time."
"Fine, fine…" He muttered something I didn't quite catch before sighing. "Azelle is going to scold me again when he hears about the close call."
"I see no reason to tell him. Your wounds and health are your business." Finished with my cleaning, I stepped back and grabbed a roll of bandages. "Lord Lex, might you hold still for a moment longer? I need to bandage you."
"Ah, right, okay."
He did his best, of course. He definitely flinched when I had to lean around him, but for the most part, he kept himself as still as he could to make my job easier. I helped him pull his shirt on, and ignored how quickly he escaped outside where Azelle was. Azelle insisted on staying as the 'guard' since he was uninjured, merely tired, and now, I wondered if he had also wanted to give Lord Lex a convenient excuse to step away from everything. It wasn't truly my business, of course, but it was certainly curious.
"Are you able to take a break?" Lord Sigurd asked, joining me in my work area then. I nodded and started cleaning up, but stopped when he rested a hand on my arm, under the bloodstained hole in my sleeve and the bandage underneath. Lady Ethlyn had double-checked the wound for me before helping Lord Quan with the horses and she agreed it could wait until later for further treatment. "You look a little pale." He brushed the hair out of my face, and I frowned slightly at him. "I'm sorry. First you were attacked, and then you had to heal us."
"Lord Sigurd, that is precisely what I'm here to do," I chided, returning to my cleaning. It gave me something to do with my hands. I always had to be doing something with them; time was wasted otherwise.
"You're not here to get attacked." His tone went very flat, and I did have to smile slightly at the fair point. "Alas, I fear we can't give you the break you deserve. We must press onward."
"I expected something like that. Sir Naoise already explained." Guessing that he wanted the status of everyone, I stopped what I was doing to carefully consider everyone's injuries. "Sir Midir must rest. The stitches held for a single shot, but I do not wish to try them further." I might have reinforced my earlier work, but... "As for your more battle-ready soldiers, Sir Alec insists he can fight, though it shall likely be with his off-hand only."
"I'll take that into account. How is Finn? Quan has been worried about his leg."
"The stitches are holding. I checked them twice to be certain." I hesitated before continuing, going back to my cleaning. "He can fight, if he must." I'd rather he didn't, though...
"Will you be offended if I had him stay and assist with guarding? He may be a squire, but he is very skilled."
"Of course I wouldn't." If anything, I would be happy he was putting less stress on his leg! However, the mention of 'squire' made me remember Lord Oifey and… "Lord Sigurd, have you spoken with Lord Oifey?"
"I've seen him, and he asked to talk later. He struggles to untangle his thoughts for now and its better to leave him alone for that. I know from experience." Lord Sigurd smiled at me. "I heard you protected him. Thank you."
"Sir Midir is the one who saved him."
"I have already thanked him for that." He glanced at the door and nodded to someone I couldn't see. "We'd best be off. Hopefully, when we next meet, we'll have Evans Castle captured, and Edain and the other captives safe."
"...I shall prepare to take care of any injuries they might have suffered." It was all I could think to say. We both knew that the chances that any of the captured were still in Evans was slim. Still, I knew it wasn't something to speak.
So, I smiled a serene smile and saw them off before finishing with my cleaning. It was all I could do, after all.
"...The captured are truly at Evans?" I repeated, certain I had misheard Lord Quan. It was much later in the day, close to sunset truthfully, and Lord Quan had come to inform us of the capture of Evans Castle. "What of Lady Edain?"
"Sadly, Munnir took Edain deeper into Verdane ahead of the others," Lord Quan relayed, sighing softly. He looked no worse for wear than he had earlier, but he had to be tired. "Still, this is no small victory. Sigurd asked that you come ahead to tend to them. I'm certain they'll be more at ease, seeing someone they know."
"We'll see." I wouldn't say any of them knew me, so much as they knew of me. They would, however, know I was there to heal them, and perhaps that would be enough. "I need a moment to gather my things." I almost asked what he'd meant by 'ahead', but thought better of it. While they may be enough horses for all of us, that didn't mean everyone could endure a gallop. "You should check with Mister Finn. He's done a very good job keeping watch for us."
"Has he? I knew he would, but it's nice to have it confirmed." He relaxed enough to smile slightly. "I'll be with him, then."
"Very well."
Sir Midir was kind enough to assist me, so I was ready sooner than expected. Lord Quan didn't seem to mind, and had us riding for Castle Evans in what felt like no time at all. It felt like even less time had passed before we arrived at the castle itself. Lord Sigurd and Lady Ethlyn met us at the front gates, but there were no pleasantries. As soon as Lord Sigurd helped me off Lord Quan's horse, Lady Ethlyn seized my hand and dragged me to the room they'd moved the captured to. There was no time to waste, after all.
"Alicia, fix her!" It was hard to tell how much time had past since I'd entered the room. I only knew it was enough for my back and shoulders to ache, my hands to cramp, my knees and legs to have gone numb from crouching on the stone floors, and for those with lesser wounds to find their voices. "That's what you do, right?!" At the moment, I had a little girl, probably nine or so, screaming at me while I tended to her sister. "You fix people!"
"I fix what I can," I gently corrected, focused entirely on my task. I already knew, though, that her sister's recovery would be long. Her physical wounds were easily tended to, but the wounds to her heart and mind during all of this had left her dumbstruck, unable to communicate or do much of anything but stare. "I do not have a spell that erases memories." I doubted anyone did, truthfully. "Still, I can give her body the strength to keep going while her spirit tries to come to terms with everything that happened."
"But…!" That was all the girl managed to choke out before breaking down in sobs. A flicker of unease crossed into her sister's expression, but it looked distant as if she were simply an actor on a stage. Still, it was the first bit of a reaction I'd seen since I started treating her. "I…"
"...I fear I need my hands to work, but if you would like to rest on my lap, you may."
She took my offer and she fell asleep there after crying all the tears she could. Lady Ethlyn saw and arranged it to where my next patients came to me instead of the other way around as she was doing. That was how we spent our time until the last patient was treated and all of them were reasonably reassured that they were finally safe again. Only then did we rest, sitting against the far wall while the knights carried and escorted the former patients to… somewhere. I assumed one of the many rooms in this castle, but I didn't know which ones or how they would go about dividing everyone into said rooms.
"Their armor looks freshly cleaned," I observed as I passed the girl sleeping on my lap to Alec. He smiled and winked at me, but both looked more of gestures of habit, not genuine. "Is that to give their armor the shine needed to be 'knights in shining armor'?"
"That and so they look less scary," Lady Ethlyn answered. Now that we weren't working, she pulled her ribbon from her hair and rested her head on my shoulder. "I wonder why they were captured. I can make some guesses about the older ones, each one worse than the last, but what about the younger ones? Some of them were two or three…"
"Sadly, that seems to be one of the many unanswered questions." The biggest, of course, was 'why did King Bantu suddenly attack?'. Was it something Prince Munnir did on his own or had the pretense of peace been nothing more than a mask? "I doubt the answer will be satisfactory, no matter what it is."
"True." She sighed and leaned more on me. "You smell nice. Herbal and floral."
"Do I?" That was an odd thing to comment on.
"Yep." She smiled sleepily, but then winced as Sir Naoise picked up a toddler to carry out. "I hope things are solved soon. I don't want Altena to experience this sort of danger."
"Altena is your daughter, right?" It was better to change the subject to that, instead of pointing out that with Leonster's 'war' with Thracia, Altena was already in this sort of danger. Then again, princesses tended to be better protected than commoners…
"Yes, she is!" Though still tired, Lady Ethlyn's face lit up at the thought of her little girl. "She's so cute and tiny and she has the biggest smile! Father and Sigurd haven't met her yet; Father was supposed to visit, but then word of Darna arrived. Maybe I can send for her when things settle down up here? The Aed Desert is neutral territory, so its safe to travel. Though, then again, Darna is in Aed and..."
"Lady Ethlyn, Miss Alicia?" Sir Naoise gently interrupted suddenly. I looked up at saw him kneeling in front of us, and that the three of us were the only ones in the room. "I am here to escort you to your rooms." He offered us a hand to help us stand. Lady Ethlyn took it; I didn't. "Please, follow me."
I didn't pay attention to the various turns we made in the maze that was the castle's halls. For one thing, I was tired. I was completely and utterly exhausted, yet there was still a lot to be done. I had to conserve my strength. For another thing, I didn't actually plan on staying in said room, lovely as it may be. I was a healer, and so it was best for me to remain near the infirmary. Still, the room was a good place to wash up and change into a clean dress. Once that was done, though, I gathered my things and left to try and find the infirmary. Of course, given that I had never been in a castle before, I had no guesses as to where it was. I did, however, know where the main room was and figured that was a good place to start my search. If I had known Lord Sigurd and Lord Quan were having a private discussion there, however, I would've reconsidered. Alas, hindsight was perfect.
"Damn them!" Of course, the private discussion appeared to lean more towards Lord Quan leading Lord Sigurd away so that he could scream and flail in private. "Damn them!" Lord Sigurd repeated, pacing and gesturing wildly as if that would bleed off his anger. "To put civilians through this sort of hell and drag Edain...! If Munnir harms one hair on her head, I swear I'll...! I'll…!" Though, perhaps it did since he calmed soon after and became unnaturally still compared to before. "Damn them."
"Hmm... quicker than I thought," Lord Quan noted, frowning. He stepped towards Lord Sigurd and peered at his face. "You can yell a little more, you know. No one is here."
"It's not like its doing anything, besides making my throat hurt."
"Oh, I don't know. I can think of many times where you not yelling and holding in your anger led to further trouble." Lord Quan poked Lord Sigurd's temple, and Lord Sigurd immediately grimaced. "In fact, I believe it's a very known trend. Your anger festers and poisons your impulse control and makes you even more reckless than usual. I'd rather we not have to deal with that, my dear friend. For one thing, we don't have Eldigan around to pin you."
"Still, me screaming to absent dastards is-"
"Dastards?" Lord Quan raised a brow. "That's... why blunt it? 'Bastards' is probably the least of the insults we can rightfully throw at them." Lord Quan frowned even more. "Sigurd, we are brothers by bond and brothers by marriage. Of all the people in the world, I am not one you should feel the need to hide from."
"I'm not hiding!" Still, Lord Sigurd glanced away, noticeably uncomfortable. Unfortunately for the building awkwardness, he happened to look right at me. "Miss Alicia?"
"Hello," I greeted, making sure to smile serenely. It was best to not comment on what I just saw, for now. "I didn't mean to interrupt."
"You're not, but is everything all right?" Lord Sigurd asked, turning towards me. Lord Quan sighed behind him, shook his head, and then gave both of us his full attention. "The civilians..."
"They have received the first of their treatments and should be resting in the rooms the knights showed them. Lady Ethlyn is in her own room, no doubt asleep given how tired she was earlier." I shrugged, careful to keep neutral. "I am not quite as tired, however, so I thought I would find the infirmary and see what must be done." Lying was easy, but it was even easier when no one could read your expressions.
"If you would like, I can escort you there. It was one of the places I checked for Edain."
"I believe I shall take you up on the offer." While I'd wander aimlessly if I had to, I'd be a fool to insist on it. "Thank you."
"While you're doing that, I'll arrange for a messenger to King Azmur for you," Lord Quan offered. The look he gave Lord Sigurd all but screamed 'I am not done with you yet', but he let it go for now. "You may have his blessings, but outright invasion does require official nonsense. It'll be a good excuse to rest and gather our strength for the coming days."
"Yes, you're quite right," Lord Sigurd agreed. His 'response' to Lord Quan's look was an innocent smile, and I swore that if I were not present, Lord Quan would've rolled his eyes at it. "This way, Miss Alicia." He led me down one of the numerous hallways that branched off the main hall. "It's fairly easy to get to, once you know the way. I worry about the defensibility for that reason."
"It is more important that the wounded can find it easily," I chided, glancing back briefly at Lord Quan. He looked very thoroughly exasperated, in the split-second I had before he turned away. "He worries terribly for you."
"Quan is always worrying." Lord Sigurd looked down briefly before forcing a smile. At least, I thought it was forced. It did not look much different from his usual smiles, yet... "Besides, as Ethlyn adores reminding me, if I do something reckless, she's here to guilt me into behaving."
"I suppose I should hope you do not give me extraneous work?" Almost immediately, I regretted the words. They were too casual, too dry, for a healer. "Then again, that is why I'm here."
"I fear we'll give you enough work just by what is 'expected'."
"As any healer can tell you, unexpected things are expected in this line of work." I frowned slightly at him, studying his forced smile and thinking of what I just overheard. No matter how Arvis described him, I knew how easily 'masks' could be donned. I knew how trying it could be to wear them. I also knew... I also know, from experience, that sometimes you wore them not to hide from others, but from your own mind. "...Do you hide your anger in the hopes it shall also bury your fears?" He had to be terrified for Lady Edain. She was a prisoner to a ruthless man, one who clearly took what he wanted with violence. Who wouldn't be afraid? Who wouldn't be angry? The two emotions were tied together, so if one was hidden, then perhaps the other would as well? That… was at least how my mind reasoned it.
"Huh?" Lord Sigurd was so caught off-guard by my blurted question that he stumbled. "I..."
"You do not have to answer if you do not wish." It certainly wasn't my business one way or the other. In fact, it was rude I had even asked at all, even if I quickly found a 'justification' for it. "However, stress can have a negative effect on your health. So, if there is a chance I am right, I insist on making you some medicinal tea."
"I..." Lord Sigurd was silent for a long while, and did not speak until he opened the door to the infirmary down the way. The inside appeared neat and tidy on the surface, but we would see if that was truly the case when I thoroughly inspected it later. "I won't say 'no' to the tea. The last cup you made me was very good."
"In that case, let's see if there's a kettle here. If not, we'll have to borrow from the kitchens."
I didn't press Lord Sigurd further on my question, nor did he bring it up again. Instead, we talked over tea about the coming days, particularly the volunteer soldiers he'd have to accept and the health checks I would have to do. I made sure his tea had herbs that helped calm the heart and support one's immunity, but I drew no attention to them. It was better this way.
Sigurd
Class: Paladin
Skills: Pursuit
Holy Blood: Baldr Major
The 22-year-old heir to the Chalphy Dukedom, he is described by many as the typical 'knight in shining armor' with a demeanor as bright as the sun itself. He's very well known for his reckless loyalty, especially to those dear in his heart, as well as his kindness and empathy.
His Mark is on his back, stretching across the entire left side in an arrangement that almost appears as a wing. Due to inheriting the blessings of Neit, the God of Death and the Dead, he has enhanced strength and skill. Those of this blood are also known for their uncanny luck, though this is sometimes forgotten due to the infamous 'Ulir Luck'.
While his kindness and empathy lead to a great number of allies, it can also make things difficult for him. He finds it hard to lie and can be overcome by both his own emotions and others', particularly when someone is hurting. It can also blind him to someone's true intentions and make him tragically easy to manipulate.
Author's note: While I think 'Jun River' does come from official sources (can't tell you where atm), the mountain range was never named so I made something up. Made up the details about the river as well and added a bit to… well, in game, the bridge is 'destroyed' during the intro scene and then 'repaired' after you capture the Yngvi castle. Here, I just had a blockade and then them leaving to go raiding for unknown reasons (with the group speculating on plausible ones).
The attack on the church is because it's… well, it can be very easy for one of the enemy to slip behind you if you're not paying attention. So, yeah. Thought it fit in nicely.