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“Are you the young girl who dragged him from the forest?” the healer asked, without pausing her examination.
“Yes, I found him by Lake Taurine. He’s, my cousin.” I nodded, even though she couldn’t see me.
“That's a long way to drag someone. You did well. I’ll have a look at you in a moment once I’ve examined him,” she replied, shooting a quick glance at me.
“I’m fine, do whatever you need. Will he be alright?” Anguish and guilt sealed my throat before I could say more.
“You dragged him all the way from Lake Taurine?” Captain Marcus asked quietly, and I turned slightly, not able to drag my eyes off the healer working over my cousin.
“Yes, I was… taking a walk, and I heard noises nearby. I went to investigate and saw two Bruralians burying something. Afterward, I went to see what it was, and I found him.” It was a half lie, but the words spilled from my mouth as if practiced, the pain coloring my voice covering the lie.
He looked me over, and for a brief moment, it felt like my soul was laid bare under his keen eye. “You should be proud of yourself. Not many soldiers could accomplish what you did today.”
Was that a compliment?
The tears I had held back a moment ago came back, spilling from my eyes and down my cheeks, unchecked. “Will has to be okay. He just has too!” I sobbed, and Captain Marcus pulled me gently into his arms. I let him. “He was so still, I thought he was dead. But then I felt him breathe. I couldn’t leave him there; I couldn’t. I couldn’t!”
A hiccup escaped me as my sobs made speaking impossible. Captain Marcus’s hand rubbed my back gently, letting me cry. When my tears began to subside, he let me pull away, and turned to the healer. “What are your thoughts?”
“He’s been severely beaten, and most likely has a concussion. We won’t know the severity of his wounds until he wakes up, but I have made him as comfortable as I can, and will stay with him through the night,” she answered, gesturing to a small cot in the corner.
“I’ll stay with him tonight as well, if you’ll let me,” I offered, expecting her to refuse my request.
“I wouldn’t normally allow it, but I think you’ve earned it. Also, it will let me keep an eye on you too.” The healer looked me over for a beat, then nodded with a wink.
I thanked her, then turned to the bed where Captain Marcus had originally led me. “Will this be alright?”
With a small smile, the healer nodded then approached me. “Let me take a look at you, now.”
“I’m fine, just tired.” I waved away her concern.
Ignoring my protests, she checked me anyway. I allowed her to, my exhaustion apparent. Even I couldn’t argue that.
After a few moments she seemed satisfied, but still made me drink a nasty potion “as a precaution”. It tasted like moldy bark and horse manure, but I forced it down my throat.
Once done, she turned to Captain Marcus and shooed him out of her infirmary. “I know you have questions for her, but she’s in my care now. She will answer them in the morning and not a moment before,” she declared, imperiously.
At that moment, I thought I might have fallen in love with her a little bit. No one talked that way to Captain Marcus and lived to tell the tale, yet she dared.
Wait a minute, morning? Had it taken me all day to drag Will back to the castle?
His stern gaze roamed over her face, assessing her. “In the morning, then.”
I wasn’t sure what happened after that; my eyelids gently closed, and I drifted to sleep.
Eyes flying open, I suddenly jerked upright, unsure of why I woke. My heart pounded in my chest as I glanced around at my unfamiliar surroundings. Then the day before came rushing back into my mind, and I jumped off the bed, rushing to Will’s side. He still looked awful, but some of the swelling had gone down, he seemed to be breathing easier now.
“He’s a fighter.”
“He’s always been that way,” I replied as the healer appeared beside me. “Most people don’t see it, though.”
“He pulled through the night, which is a good sign. I expect him to make a full recovery. He woke up briefly in the night and asked for you.”
I gave the healer a dirty look. “If you hadn’t drugged me, I would have been able to—"
“You were in no condition to stay awake,” she interrupted. “You dragged a full-grown man nearly five miles by yourself. Most soldiers couldn't accomplish that. You needed the rest,” she explained unapologetically.
Wide eyed, I stared at her, dumbstruck. I hadn’t realized just how far I was from the castle. Although, in the moment it had felt never ending.
