Isdra snarled, furious. "What has that to do with the insult given to Epor?"
Joden raised his hand. "If the truth is to be known, then Iften's truth must be told as well, and Iwould preserve his words for the Elders to hear."
"You are not yet full singer, Joden." Isdra's voice rasped in her throat. "It is my right asEpor's bonded."
"That is true, Isdra of the Fox, and I answer to your truth by saying that I only ask this. I cannot, and do not, command."
There was a long pause as Isdra stood there, breathing hard, glaring at Joden. No one seemedto breathe. I risked moving just enough to look at Iften, to see if I could determine his injuries.
He lay like a broken doll, clearly unconscious, but he seemed to be breathing.
Finally Isdra lowered her weapon. "Epor honored your wisdom, Joden. I will do no less." Isdradrew in a deep breath. "But this carrion will answer for his insults as soon as the Elders haveheard his words."
"Iften must answer to you." Joden acknowledged.
Isdra sheathed her warclub in its harness, turned, and walked out of the circle.
Keir stood, and spoke. "It shall be as the Singer has said. This senel is over."
I took advantage of the distraction, and pushed past Rafe, headed for Iften. With carefulhands, I moved him into a prone position.
Joden had picked up his sword. "He will not thank you, Warprize."
"I did no less for Simus." I didn't bother to look up. "Iwill do no less for him." I pressed my fingers gently to his jaw, but it wasn't broken. Thebruising had started, and I was certain that the arm would be badly bruised as well. I started tounlace the armor from his forearm. "Marcus, would you fetch my bag?"
There was no response, and I looked up to see quite a few people looking very unhappy. Ireturned scowl for scowl. "I have my sworn oaths, as you all know. He needs my aid. I will giveit to him."
Keir's face was grim, but he nodded. "We remember, Warprize. And honor your oaths to healall in need."
I bit my lip, conscious that I had quite an audience around me, conscious that Keir was makinga point. But my attention went back to my patient in an instant as Jo-den knelt beside me, andreached to unlace Iften's bracers. Iften's breathing was even, and I'd seen no blow to the chestor ribs. I concentrated on the head blow, and his sword arm. Without shifting him too much, Ipried back first one eyelid and checked his eyes. They were unfocused and dazed, with no signof awareness. Probably for the best right now.
Joden had his sword arm bare, and the forearm was beginning to blacken and swell, but theskin wasn't broken. I took his arm carefully in my hands and felt along its length, using a firmpressure. There, right in the center, where the blow had landed. The top bone was badlycracked, but still in one piece. The bracers had probably kept the bone from shifting, but itneeded to be set.
Someone placed Gil's satchel by me. I turned to it quickly. "Splints. Gils, I need—"
There was a silence about me, and I closed my eyes as the loss of Gils coursed through myheart all over again.
There was silence all around me. I didn't look up, I just wiped my tears, and cleared my throat.
"I need two pieces of wood, flat and straight if possible. Bandages and a length of leather."
"I'll see to the wood." Marcus growled. "Hie to the tent, Rafe, and get the rest."
Rafe set off at a run.
Iften groaned, moving his head slightly. He was going to be in a lot of pain shortly from thatblow to the head. I was tempted to dose him with some of my remaining lotus, so that I couldset the bone in peace, but I resisted the urge. Besides, I was fairly sure the medicine would bewasted if I did.
"Broken?" Joden asked.
"Yes." I rummaged in the bag for the bandages that I had there. "Help me hold his arm still."
Joden reached over, and we got the forearm in the right position for binding. I started at thebase of the thumb and began to wrap. Marcus and Rafe returned at the same time, and aidedme to bind the arm, secure the splints, and then protect it with the leather over all.
I finished as Iften began to come around, which gave me a chance to place him on his sidebefore the inevitable happened. Sure enough, after a bit of moaning and groaning, he vomitedinto the dirt.
"Move slowly. You'll be dizzy from the blow." I cautioned.
I was ignored. Iften struggled to right himself, trying to crawl onto all fours. I managed to steerhim away from the mess, but he struggled up to his knees, hissing when his arm came intocontact with the earth. He knelt there, clutching his head with one hand, holding out his swordarm and staring at it. "What happened?"
