Closed He will be Better than Me

[Dravite]

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61 Summer, 515 AV
10th Bell, Morning
The Sea of Grass

"We've been riding for six bells," Greywing complained, "my leg hurts."
"Would you pipe down about your wretched scrape already," Sparrow hissed, "some of us have real problems," she whispered as she looked over her left shoulder at Dravite who looked as if he were suffering from heatstroke, slumped forward on his horse with his long tendrils of matted hair curtaining his face.

Bayon slowed up and rode alongside the man butting him with the back of his hand gently, "you all right, son?"
Dravite lifted his head, righting himself on the stallion's back, "how far are we from camp?"
"Two bells, maybe three at this pace; we'll set up for the night and from there its half a day's ride to Endrykas."
The horse lord sucked a ragged breath through gritted teeth and nodded, "can we talk once we make camp?"
"Of course," Bayon agreed, "chin up; you're starting to worry my newest recruit."
Dravite looked ahead at Greywing and laughed, "You mean he finally got over his scratch?"
Bayon threw his head back in a hearty laugh, "no I think we'll all be hearing about that one for a long time to come.

As Bayon galloped ahead to join Helena, Dravite did his best to keep up, enduring the pain that radiated across his pelvis and had slowly crept up throughout the ride into his sides. A few more chimes into the ride and he was forced to stop for water, taking it from the leather skin before dismounting slowly. Sparrow turned back to check on him, "I'm fine, cousin," Dravite even managed to smile.

Sparrow waved and re-joined the group while Dravite struggled to get back onto his Strider. He threaded his fingers through the loop of the yvas and used the strength in his arms to pull himself up; a process he had to repeat three of four times before he was finally successful. Cree, far too spirited as normal, raced ahead to catch up with the team, jostling his rider about, "Ah, ah, ah!" Dravite growled but the stallion didn't slow until he was one with the herd again.

The man's vision became blurry and as he looked around blinking in an attempt to see where they were, his body gave into exhaustion and he fell from his horse. A couple of the new recruits looked back to see where the 'thump' sound had come from and noticed Cree dart aside as if something had scared the horse. "Bayon!" Sparrow screamed and leapt from her mare to run to Dravite's side with Bayon not far behind; he had been there when Pearl's husband was bitten by a snake, he wasn't about to let the second leave this life so easily.
"Helena!" The man called, "send your fastest rider to Endrykas for a doctor!"
"What's happened?" Helena called.
"Now!" Bayon demanded and within four ticks two riders broke away from the group to race home to the city of tents.
"He's burning up," Sparrow cried, brushing away a stray tear from her cheek while her other hand lay against the horse lord's temple.

Dravite’s heart was racing; he was wet with sweat and barely conscious. "Blackwater, try and stay awake," Bayon ordered.
The half-dead man opened his eyes to blink at Bayon before the world went dark, his parting words, "tell my son I..."

In the web there was no pain and the heavy burden of his woes were lifted. Dravite often fled to the web as a boy when he was injured or suffering from toothache. He watched from his home among the glowing, interwoven strands of djed as The Watch discovered his infected Zith bite that had gone septic even for all the care he had taken with it, and lifted up his limp body to put him on a horse. Moving a Webbers body while the Web-Mage was still inside the web was a dangerous business, but Dravite had a feeling he had worn that old skin for the last time. When he tried to return to his form, he found it difficult to wake and decided his best hope of sending any kind of message home before the riders got to Endrykas was to do it himself.

It took great concentration and a few chimes of meditation to connect with one of the Webbers in Endrykas. "Two riders from The Watch require urgent assistance," Dravite informed the woman listening on the other end.
"Who should we send?" She asked.
"A doctor or healer if there is one handy."
"Who is the injured party?" The woman inquired.
"Dra-" the man tried to tell her but lost his line of call, someone, or perhaps something had run through the main line, weakening the direct point of contact he had drawn with home.

When Dravite tried to establish another line of communication, that failed too; perhaps, he thought, I am too far from my own body. Perhaps his form had finally given up the ghost. "Am I dead?" Dravite asked the wind, but there came no reply.

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[Dravite]

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3rd Bell, Afternoon
Endrykas, City if Tents

"Move!" Bayon roared at the group of people gathered in the middle of the street, bickering over a pair of chickens one couldn't decide whether he owned or not. The men dove back just in time to steer clear of the charging horses that thundered towards the heart of the city and on further still until they came to the tents of The River Flower.
"Get back!" Helena yelled at the crowd that slowly started to gather, people who had been waiting for service to treat minor cuts or ease the dull pain in there aching bones.

The Watch recruits dealt with crowd control and ushered people away from their places in line to see a doctor at the tent and those who argued about how long they had waited already started to cause a scene outside. An old nurse shuffled out from the waiting room and grumbled, "what's all the fuss, you'll all get your turn soon; we've been very busy today."
"They are moving us off!" A man complained.
"What about my daughter's bug bites?" Shouted another.
"You can't just push in!" The nurse scolded as Bayon and another man limped towards the entrance with Dravite held up between them.
"Pearl!" Bayon bellowed, "Pearl!"
"She's busy!" The nurse hissed, standing in front of the three men, "lots of men have been taken down by the heat this summer, he will just have to wait."
"He is dying!" Bayon spat, "do you want me to explain to one of your doctors how you let her husband die in the street after riding almost six hours to be here?" Bayon pulled the leather away from Dravite's hip to reveal the infected Zith bite that had gone red and purple and slowly started to spread up his side moving dangerous close to his spine, "this is not a case of mere sunstroke!"
"By Syna's light," the nurse gasped and raced into the tent, "get out the way," she fussed, making way for the Watchmen.

Dravite had followed The Watch home through the blue glowing strands of the web, weaving his way back and forth, every now and then forced to turn back and find another way when the webbing was rundown or severed completely. It was now that he realised just how much work keeping the Drykas magic in working condition would cost the city if they didn't have people like him to mend it.

As he traversed the webbing to the entrance The River Flower, Dravite felt the djed in his body growing weak, as if it were being sapped from him. As Bayon helped set him down onto the bed, the horse lord was able to return to himself, if only for a moment; his own body feeling alien all of the sudden. "Pearl," Dravite managed to say through cracked lips. He swallowed a breath of air and lifted his hand to grasp hers before drifting away again.

Bayon took hold of the young doctor's shoulders and gently pried her hand away from that of her husband's, "you're a good doctor," the man insisted, "take two ticks, find your inner calm and then treat him; I'll be outside if you need anything," he promised and pressed his lips to the back of the woman's head, one who felt much like a little sister to him, "calm," he coached, "that man just survived five bells on a galloping Strider, two chimes for you to gather your thoughts won't kill him, but a silly mistake might."

With that Bayon left the room and stood guard outside the door where Pearl would be able to see his silhouette through the white fabric of the tent wall.

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[Pearl]

The morning had been busy at The River Flower, but Pearl couldn’t keep from thinking that Dravite was due home tomorrow. She and Belkaia had had no word regarding the mission or how it went. The fluttering in Pearl’s stomach was beginning to increase with each passing bell. She couldn’t decide if she was excited or worried, but anticipation was swelling within her regardless of the news, or lack thereof. Belkaia was wonderful with the boys, which made it that much easier for Pearl to spend the kind of time she was spending at The River Flower. Despite her illness with the pregnancy, Belkaia always made sure the boys were well cared for. In turn, Pearl was doing her best to make sure Belkaia was well cared for.

She was working on grinding some of the Acklar Tree bark into a powder in the mortar and pestle in between patients and paused to swipe her forearm over her forehead to wipe some of the sweat away. So many had come into the tents to be treated with severe headaches and sun stroke on this day that the small amount of powder she had already processed was growing low.

When she heard all the commotion, she quickly placed the recently ground powder into the paper container with the other, folded it carefully and put it away before she stepped out into the main area upon hearing her name being bellowed. “What in the name of Zu-,” words were silenced as she saw Dravite being held up by Bayon and another man of The Watch rushing towards her. She held the door for them, motioning for Bayon to take him straight to the grassy bed that was set up in her examination area. As he was settled onto the bed, she stepped to his side. Her emotions weren’t that of a doctor; she was a wife, seeing her husband distressed and near death. As he grasped her hand and spoke her name, she reached for him, brushing her free hand over his brow and could feel the heat radiating from him.

The past mixed with the present in Pearl’s mind. Two different men, two similar situations, each one being her husband. Bayon having delivered both directly to her for treatment. But she had failed. Nexus was dead. Why then was she hearing his voice speaking her name? The faces swirled together as she looked at Dravite. She saw the well chiseled jaw of her current husband, but the hair was dark and long, not Dravite’s wheat coloured braids. Pearl closed her eyes tightly against the horrors her mind was forcing upon her. That’s when she felt Bayon’s hands at her shoulders, drawing her backwards. Lashes lifted and she looked again to Dravite upon the bed. Bayon’s words brought her back to reality and she saw her husband clearly now, without the ghosts of the past.

When he made his retreat, Pearl took a moment, as he’d suggested. She looked at her husband as a doctor would look at a patient; closing off her emotions and focusing on what was presented to her. He was feverish, drifting in and out of consciousness but he knew her and that was a good sign. His breathing was laboured, but not alarming. His lips were dry and cracked from breathing through his mouth. She stepped closer to him, her focus solid as she moved around the bed, taking her time. She removed his boots, setting them aside before she checked his toes, pinching them to see how quickly the colour returned to normal; the toes of his injured leg taking longer than the toes of his opposite foot. Next, she bent to remove his pants, shifting Dravite and the material as easily as possible so as not to cause him discomfort while she slid the leather down his body; dropping them over his boots and not bothering to fold them neatly as she usually did.

When the severity of his wound was revealed she paused, looking at it closely. Taking up his hand, she let her fingers settle over his pulse at his wrist, feeling if it was regular or fast; a bit fast was better than slowing down too much. The wound was festering, purple and red tissue surrounding the swollen bite marks. Red streaks ran over the flesh in all directions in an outward pattern from the wound; red dots were sprinkled in between the streaks. Blood poisoning. She had seen it before, in Nexus.

Pearl took a deep breath and turned away from the form of her husband and faced the closed door; she was alone in the room with him. One hand went to cover her heart, the flat of her palm pressed in against her chest, its partner lifting and the back of her knuckles were pressed in against her lips. She released the breath slowly as she looked to the silhouette of Bayon as he stood guard outside the door. Another chime passed as Pearl slowed her breathing and gathered her thoughts. Once she was steady inside, she opened the door and stepped out.


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[Pearl]

Several assistants and nurses had gathered in anticipation and were awaiting orders from Pearl as they stood in the area outside the door, but none had been brave enough to venture past the presence of Bayon and the glare he had given them. Pearl didn’t take time to address them by name, she simply looked at them individually as she spoke. “I’ll need some cooled water. I want it from the boiled stocks. Make certain it is cleaned or do not bring it. Fresh cotton cloth for bandages. Don’t you dare bring an old strip of it near this room. Warmed milk, fresh from the goat or cow I don’t care which, but if it cools before you get here, go back and get more and get back here faster. Bring a bucket of warm water, and some soap and several cloths along with another empty bucket.”

Once the assistants disbursed on their tasks, Pearl looked to Bayon. “Not a single person comes into this room without my knowledge or permission. I’m not risking them bringing in any illness or anything else that might put him at greater risk, nor will I risk his infection being accidentally passed to others.” She softened her tone, but still held that air of authority within it as she spoke. “Please, Bayon. Someone needs to notify Belkaia, but she is in a delicate state, and I need her kept calm. The boys should remained sheltered of this, if at all possible. Raven, Yuki, Roan. They all need to be told. Where is Sparrow? Is anyone else hurt?” Concern shown in her eyes at the mention of Dravite’s cousin and the other members that had also taken part on this mission.
Bayon nodded once as his understanding of everything Pearl had said. “Sparrow returned safely with us. No one else has more than a scratch. Nothing to be concerned about. They can see one of the other doctors or healers if they feel the need. Members of The Watch will take turns volunteering to stand watch here with you.”
“Thank you,” she managed to say before adding, “if Belkaia wishes to come see Dravite, bring her here, but I want to talk to her before she sees him.”

Pearl retreated back into the room with Dravite and got out the turmeric power, the ginger powder, and the cloves of garlic that she had stored in the cabinet. She used her dagger to crush some of the garlic cloves, pulled the papery husks from them and placed the softened cloves into the mortar and pestle and mashed them as much as she possibly could. Once she was able, she used a piece of thin material, placed the mashed garlic in it and pressed it to the side of the mortar with the pestle so she could squeeze out the juice from the garlic, leaving only the pulp inside the cloth.

Star arrived first with the clean water that was as cool as possible, considering the heat of the day. Pearl nodded to the woman as she continued to work. “No, stay. I need your help, please.”
“Yes Ma’am.”
“Organize the supplies I’ve requested as soon as they arrive. First, I want to clean and dress his wound with this garlic juice,” she explained as she began mixing it with some of the cooled water; two parts water, one part garlic juice. “Then I’ll bathe him.”

Star hadn’t had time to look at Dravite’s wound before the bandages Pearl had asked to be delivered arrived. She took them from the girl and placed them on the table next to Pearl where she worked. When the warmed water, soap, and towels arrived, Star put them at the head of the bed and out of the way until Pearl was ready for them. The empty bucket was sat on the floor at the foot of the bed. “The warmed milk should be here soon,” Star looked at Pearl as she let her know.
“Good.” Pearl wasn’t much on explaining herself as she was more focused upon her work. Turning, she took up a cloth and began to clean the area around Dravite’s wound.

As Pearl cleaned and dressed Dravite’s wound, Star used one of the clean clothes to keep Pearl’s brow free of perspiration. She and Star had worked together on numerous occasions, and she was one person that Pearl trusted to perform her duties properly and with little instruction. The wound was left unstitched for the time being as Pearl wanted to be sure the garlic juice mixture had room to work and draw out the infection. Once the bandage was properly in place, Pearl spoke, “see what the hold up is with the milk, please? I’ll need it soon.”

When Pearl was alone with Dravite again, she began to bathe him. Normally this task was left to one of the assistants or nurses, but this was her husband and she meant to care for him herself. When he was cleaned, she covered him with a thin summer blanket, and sat next to his bed. Pearl dipped a cloth in the cooled water and began to gently wipe his brow to help comfort him, making sure to moisten his dry and cracked lips. She leaned in pressed a kiss upon his lips, barely touching them with her own. “I’m here, my love. Rest and heal. I won’t leave you.”

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[Dravite]

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Bayon left the tent for a few chimes to seek out Sparrow who was sitting hunched against the entrance with her head bowed between her knees, "stand up," the tall man summoned and Sparrow quickly got to her feet.
"Is he all right? Will my cousin be okay?"
"I don't have any answers just yet and I fear the worst is yet to come, but Pearl has given me no reason to feel alarmed," Bayon explained.
"I knew he had hurt himself, did he say anything to you?"
"No," Bayon admitted, "but I felt once or twice that he meant to; Blackwater is a very determined, self-sufficient young man."
Sparrow released a shaky sigh, "I feel so sick with worry."
"Go home, child. Someone needs to go and inform Belkaia that her husband is at the River Flower."
Sparrow wrapped her arms about herself, "I will."
"Close family only, this place is busy enough without a handful of worried family members camped outside."
"He only has her and my father; his uncle," Sparrow confessed.
"All the same, Pearl has a rough night ahead of her, best if she is free to focus."
Sparrow nodded, "I will come by in the morning. Promise me you will send someone if he goes downhill."
"Consider it done," Bayon forced a smile.

When he finally returned to the tent, he peeked through the crack in the door flaps and saw Pearl holding a damp cloth to the man's brow. Bayon entered the tent and sat down at the end of the bed, watching her. "Why don't you let me do that, you should go rest; it looks like you've had a long day." He knew she would refuse to rest after she had watched Nexus slip away some years ago, but thought it kind to offer all the same.

"The milk is here!" Star exclaimed as she burst into the tent and Pearl jumped up to mix it into some kind of strange smelling concoction.

The horse lord’s breathing was laboured and his brow again grew wet with sweat as his body worked hard to try and fight the infection. Bayon noticed that the man looked a lot cleaner, save for the dirt under his fingernails and when he moved closer to put his hand on Dravite's chest and felt the man's racing heart, his brow furrowed with concern. "What if he doesn't wake? Should you not try to drain the infection soon?"

Bayon knew very little about medicine other than the odd lessons he had taken from Pearl while watching her treat The Watch members over the years or while escorting her out on herb hunting missions. He was just about to say something else when he noticed Dravite's eyes slowly open.

"Water," Dravite coughed.

"Sit him up," Star waved; now was their chance to get the milk inside of him.

The tall watchman helped sit Dravite up slowly and held the man as the women worked. The horse lord’s head lolled forwards as if he lacked the strength to man his own body and not two ticks later he threw up onto the light summer blanket, not that there was much more in his stomach than bile to lose. Bayon lifted the man's head and helped the girls get the freshly mixed medicine into him, selling it to the man as 'the water' he had asked for. Dravite got most of it down before Bayon laid him back against the bed. "He didn't eat anything yesterday after a long day on patrol. I should have known something was up right there and then but I was too busy tending to one of my new recruits. We were attacked on the first night of our watch. Dravite had spotted the Zith in the web; without him looking out for us we could have lost many lives that night."

Bayon took a clean rag and soaked it in the cool bucket of water to dab against the man's brow. He felt the back of Dravite's neck and looked up at the doctor. "Pearl he is burning up," the watchman admitted as Dravite's body sought to betray the man's words, his hands and arms shivering as if he were freezing cold.

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[Pearl]

Pearl didn’t look up when Bayon came in and offered to help with Dravite. “Keep the cloth at his forehead while he rests. Move it to the back of his neck if he wakes,” her words were emotionless, as if she had hidden everything deep inside and refused to let it out. She didn’t look at Bayon before she relinquished the cloth to him. She wouldn’t leave her husband’s care to another, that much was certain. Nor would she leave to rest. There simply wasn’t time. If he was going to survive, it would take her working day and night, tirelessly to get him through it all.

Before she could stand, Star burst into the room with the milk she had requested. Quickly she went to mix the turmeric in it, answering Bayon’s questions as she worked, “the garlic juice will help draw some of the pus to the surface of the wound and likely through the open bite marks that exist. I’ll change his bandage soon, and remove what pus I’m able to remove by making a series of incisions. That will take some of the pressure off.” Dravite’s name wasn’t mentioned when she spoke. “You’ll need to hold him while I do that.”

When Dravite coughed, Pearl turned and deep blue eyes stared for a moment. She nodded to Star who immediately went to help Bayon sit Dravite up. It wasn’t surprising, in the least when he began to empty his stomach. Star removed the blanket quickly, using the corner of it to wipe Dravite’s face clean and then placed the entire blanket in the bucket at the end of the bed. Pearl stepped closer, easing her body between Star and Dravite. Star moved back to the side so she could help hold Dravite’s head up while Pearl lifted the cup of warm milk and turmeric to his lips and encouraged him to drink as much of it as he possibly could. Most of it went into the man with only a little ending up on his chest, which Star quickly cleaned up once Pearl stepped away.

“I’m well aware, Bayon, but his body has to fight the infection; fever is how the body fights. As long as it doesn’t get too intense, then we are good. His heart rate needs to stay up as well, but not too fast. If it were to drop too low, then the body wouldn’t be able to get the medicine into his blood stream so that it could help fight this infection. Everything has to work together in a delicate balance and I’m doing my best to maintain that balance. Coolness on the outside of his body, warmth on the inside. Fluids have to go in and they have to come out. Food is not a necessity right now. He has to help me. He has to fight for his life as much as I am.”

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[Pearl]

Pearl placed both hands on the counter, her back to them. It was the only outward show of emotions from her. Star looked at Bayon and offered him a reassuring smile. She could tell Pearl was struggling to hold it together. Pearl took the ground ginger and laid the open paper of it out on the counter. The surgical knife was dipped in alcohol and laid beside it. “Turn him on his side,” she instructed without looking at them. “Star, take the bandage off and put it in the bucket, please.”

Star and Bayon had to struggle in order to hold Dravite down, much less still while Pearl made the incisions. Her hands were steady and the incisions were well placed in the wound, opening it up sufficiently. She forced herself to breathe evenly as the blood and pus began to run over her fingers and down his leg. The surgical knife was set aside and Pearl began to use her fingers to open the wound so she could see it more clearly. The sickly sweet smell of rotten flesh filled the room and Star had to look away, her arm over her face to keep from throwing up. Dravite kicked his leg violently as he growled in pain. “Hold his leg, Bayon!” Pearl snapped. Pearl continued to work the flesh, removing bits of rotten flesh from the wound as she could with the use of the surgical knife. It took several chimes before she was satisfied that she had done all she could do for the time being.

Once the wound was drained of as much pus and blood as Pearl could get out of it, she held out her hand to Star, who quickly took the surgical knife from her and put a clean, wet cloth into it. A small amount of blood continued to trickle from the wound and down Dravite’s leg. It was bright red in colour and Pearl nodded when seeing this, pleased that it was no longer the blackish blood that had first drained from the wound. Pearl washed her hands in the bucket of water and used more of the soap to be sure her hands were clean before applying the ginger powder. “This will help draw out more of the infection and relieve some of the pain, as well,” she explained as she wrapped his leg with a clean bandage, covering the wound so it would hold the ginger powder in place to do its work.

Dravite lay still upon bed now, his brow covered in sweat from his recent struggle. “I’ll check it again in a couple of bells. He needs to rest. Star, take that bucket at the end of the bed and burn everything in it, then bring in another.” Star nodded, thankful that she had a reason to escape the room for a little while after that ordeal. She handed Pearl a clean summer blanket on her way out and Pearl used it to cover her husband once again.

Pearl wiped the back of her forearm over her own brow and sighed heavily before she turned back to straighten the supplies and make sure she had enough bandages and herbs to change the bandage and pack Dravite’s wound when it was time. When she was satisfied that everything was where it should be, she returned to Dravite’s side and sat down. She took up a fresh clean cloth and wet it with the water and began to clean Dravite’s brow in a very loving touch while humming quietly.

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[Dravite]

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5th bell

The waking pain of decaying flesh being cut from his legs saw Dravite thrash about like a caged bull. Bayon did his best to stay the man and eventually slipped off his leather belt to fold in two and encourage Dravite to bite down. The horse lord did as he was told but it was impossible not to flinch every now and then at the pain. A lone tear strayed from the edge of his eye and rolled down his cheek, betraying the strength and sheer determination he had put forth in an attempt to stay strong. When Pearl's work was done and clean blood ran from the open wound he felt almost relieved, as if all the built up pressure in his hip and leg had been drained.

Soon Pearl was at his side again and this time the man remained conscious though it seemed only just. The skin on his neck and shoulders was red where his muscles had been under strain, fighting back the will to break down and beg them all to leave him to die. He felt as if someone had taken to his thigh with a saw, but not quite managed to cut all the way through. The ground ginger offered some form of pain relief but not quite enough for the horse lord to forget what he had just undergone. His chest rose and fell slowly as he looked up at the doctor wiping his brow dry and smiled, or at least it seemed as if that were the intended gesture as his eyes closed and the right side of his mouth flinched.

He closed his bear-mitt over Pearl's firearm and made sure she stayed close. "I'm just outside of you need anything," Bayon assured her, leaving the two of them to rest.

The tips of Dravite's fingers were rough and hardened by his line of work. His nails were short, dulled down by the amount of lifting and riding he did. In the heat of the tent the sweat on his chest, neck, and face soon dried, but every now and then fever would take him again. Whenever Pearl moved the man's burly fingers would close around her arm, only to ease in their grip once more as sleep tried to take him again. Sometimes he would open his eyes to make sure his wife hadn't escaped and each time he was reassured of her company, he felt ashamed; they had not been long bound and already he was reduced to this pathetic, useless lump of a man who should know better by now.

"There was a boy, he was just a kid," Dravite tried to explain and was not put off by Pearl's attempts to hush him, "the Zith came out of nowhere and picked him up as easily as hawk might snatch up a mouse."

There was a pause as he caught his breath and furrowed his brow at the pain in his side. "When he dropped the boy I saw my chance, I took it, but I am paying for it," he managed to say before it looked as if rest might take him once more.
A few chimes passed before Dravite became semi-conscious again and when he saw Pearl he looked as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, "you are too good to me," he turned his head and used the last of his strength to gather up the woman's hands in order to pepper her fingers with kisses, "the gods were kind to me to give me you."

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[Dravite]

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7th Bell

Sparrow raced into camp and flew into her father's arms. Yuki and Belkaia got up quickly and went to the girl's side, fussing and pawing at her, "what's wrong, my little song bird?" Raven asked, closing his hands around the young woman's arms.
"Father, Dravite was hurt."
Yuki gasped, "Mother Semele; is he all right?"
Sparrow shook her head as she fought back tears, "no, he fell from his horse. He was bitten by a Zith a few days ago; I think the bite went bad."
Roan came out of his tent after hearing the news and covered his mouth, "how long was he out?" The boy asked; everyone knew that falling from a horse wasn’t a good sign in Endrkas which came with its own bad omens.
"Five bells, maybe more. Bayon said he would come here in person if there was any change otherwise he asked that only close family go."

They all looked at Belkaia who bent down to pick up her boys. She had seen him through some tough times in the past, broken bones, flesh wounds, aching teeth, bumps and bruises, but he had never lost consciousness before. The woman paced, torn, not for her husband but the pavilion’s future. "Raven you won't leave us will you, if..."
"Of course not, child! Dravite's family is as good as my family."

Belkaia nodded and disappeared into her tent without a word, leaving the rest of them there while they chatted and worried. When Raven finally entered the tent he found her tucking Garrison and Kyanite into bed with her.
"What are you doing?" He asked.
"The boys need sleep."
"Belkaia your husband might die, wouldn't you like to see him befo--"
"Shh," she hushed the man.
Raven stood struck-dumb for a moment before speaking up again. "And what of the boys, you would stop Kyanite from saying goodbye to his father?"
Belkaia stilled, "I cannot take the boys to see him if his injuries might make one of them sick. I cannot risk it myself if I intend to giv--" she stopped, "if he passes he will be reborn a fearsome warrior, or as one of Zulrav’s children; for he has always worshiped the gods."
"Sweet girl, you cannot lie here content with your actions surely?"
"Why should I teach my boys to fear death when their father does not fear it himself? Blackwater have no room in their hearts for fear."
"To comfort a man in pain," Raven pleaded with the girl.
"Please leave my tent, when he is well he will return home and if he does not we will learn to survive without him; we adapt, we're good at that."

Raven swallowed his disdain and left the tent to walk out of camp. Yuki reached out to him on the way and he pressed a kiss to her temple, "I'll go see my sister's only son if his wife will not. That boy has very little left in the world; the least I can do is go and comfort him."
"My love I'm sure she is just in shock," Yuki cooed, stroking her husband's arms.
"Look after her and make sure Sparrow eats something, I'll be back before the fires go out."

When Raven arrived at The River Flower he explained who he was to Bayon and was let by. He rushed into the room and slowed when he saw Pearl sitting beside her unconscious husband. "How is he?" Raven frowned, his eyes watering; Dravite was all he had left of his sister Lazuli, it was hard to see him this way, "how are you holding up?" He embraced Pearl and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

Raven sat at the end of the bed and listened to the girl, she seemed so strong; he had never noticed that about her before; this brave, relentless young woman was one stoic girl, someone he could admire. As Pearl explained what was going on, what Dravite had already been through and what he was yet to face, Raven lowered his gaze thoughtfully. "You know when River was a girl she fell over and hurt her knee. We thought nothing of it until a few days later it started to fester and smell. We were a three day ride from Syliras and when the doctors there suggested using maggots on my little girl’s knee I almost took one of their hands off with my sword."

The dark hair man chuckled, "they saved her knee, perhaps her leg and life; who knows how bad it might have become if we had left it. I’ve never question people in your line of work, not since that day. I don't quite understand what the little buggers did, but when we checked back in the morning all of the dead flesh on her leg was completely gone and the fat little things had crawled off in search of their next meal."

He caught sight of Pearl's face and grimaced, "I'm sorry dear; I don't mean to waste your time with stories... Stay strong and don't worry about that sweet little boy of yours, he's in good hands with us."

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[Pearl]

Each time his hand tightened upon her arm, Pearl wanted to cry; not from the pressure of his hold, but from the pain of holding down her emotions. She had just cut her husband, not once, not twice, but several times, and her touch had been not tender as it should be towards her husband, but still he wanted to keep her close. She had done what she must, to save his life, in hopes of saving his life; causing him intense pain, was never her wish. Still, she had to keep herself together. She had to keep her emotions controlled, separate herself into two halves; she was his doctor, she was his wife, and each had to do their part to help him heal.

But the two couldn’t mingle. As his doctor, she had to make the tough decisions, she had to hurt him in some ways to help him. She had to block out the portions of herself that wanted to cling to his side, hold his hand and tell him everything was going to be okay. It seemed harsh, but it had to be done, for his sake, for his life. The strain of it was showing in the creases of her forehead, in the dullness of her eyes.

On the occasions, such as now, that she sat quietly with him, her outward appearance was that of a wife, caring for her husband, listening, offering comfort, while on the inside she was steeling herself against what she knew had to come next, and at her own hand. For Dravite’s sake, she would not let him see her weakened, would not burden him with the torture she felt within.

His story of how the bite had happened touched her heart. He was trying to save another, and that was a noble and honourable thing. She smiled, leaning forward to wipe his brow again with the towel once more. “Shh, my love. You did what felt you must. None will fault you for such,” she whispered against his cheek before she touched her lips to his skin; gauging the heat of his fever more accurately as her hands had been recently washed and were otherwise engaged.

When he drew them up, she wanted to insist that he save his energy and rest, but the words he followed with stilled her own. He thought her good to him, when she had caused him so much pain. Her reply was on the tip of her tongue when Star returned with the chamomile tea she knew Pearl would want for Dravite. “Thought you might be ready for this now, Doc,” whispered Star as she sat the cup of tea on the table where Pearl could reach it.
“You read my mind, Star. Thank you.”
“Think nothing of it. How’s he doing?”
“He was saving a boy from the Zith,” Pearl dodged the question easily.
“A boy? The Watch had a boy on the mission?”
“Apparently, though for what reason, I have no idea.”
“Your husband’s a hero,” proclaimed Star. “Wait until I tell everyone that he was saving a boy. They’ll sing songs and tell tales of his adventures,” She left the room before Pearl could offer any protest; Pearl’s smile was fleeting.

Pearl nudged her fingers along Dravite’s cheek. “Love, I’ve some tea here for you,” she spoke in such a gentle tone, urging her husband back into consciousness so he could drink. “Chamomile tea. Warmth and comfort, darling.” She knew she had to keep fluids in him for his strength and so the medicine could continue to move through his blood stream to help fight the infection internally. Once he had a little more than half the tea down, she let him lay back and rest again; leaning in to press a kiss to his forehead.


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