Fable - Ask Wounded

[Kassandra]

Cortos -Baal-Asha River

Kassandra Ariene Luisa Anireth, Princess of Vel Anir, watched the shores of the River Baal-Asha like a hawk. Between each of her fingers on her right hand lay a sliver of glass, the sunlight shimmering off of their smooth surface. The heat of the Savannah around them beat down with every passing second, but the only covering on board were being used for the dozen wounded men they were transporting.

There had been talk of ambushes along the usual river roots, and though the Guard was doing it's best to patrols the shores such use of manpower was not always prudent. Thus, when the wounded needed to be transported from up-north to Arnim, it had been decided that a small squad of Guardsmen would be sent along.

One of those Guardsmen was Kassandra.

They had been attacked twice already in their two day journey, and five more were due to pass before they made it all the way down the River. There was no telling what still lay in wait for them, no telling if the raiders would try to take the medicines from their ships, or if the Radiant Churches fanatics wouldn't try to strike again to kill those they carried.

Kizzie studied the shores to search for party, though she truly hoped not to see either.

Her magic had been instrumental in keeping their ship safe, but in truth each fight had sickened her.

It had not been before her joining of the Forty Forth that she had used her abilities for such bloodshed. Though she had always known it possible, the sight of her actions had been nothing less than sickening. Poor Wetherby had endured her vomit on his shoes, something she still hadn't really forgiven herself for. The poor boor only had one pair after all.

She had wrote her mother, asking for coin to buy him a new pair, bu-her head shook, a deep breath pulling into her stomach as she reminded herself of the task at hand. Keep it together Kiz, it's boring, but this matters. This is why you joined.

The Princess thought to herself, calling to her shipmates.

"Clear on left shore!" She called, not worried about being overheard. Their ship was practically a barge, anyone coming would already be waiting for them.

 

[Skyler]

"I've got you," soothing voice went down to the young man who was not much older than her. He was laying on his back, the bleeding from where his arm used to be finally stopped. His pain just now under control. During one of the raids last night, his arm had to be amputated. His blood covered the sleeves of her clothes. Her hands. Her dark skin. She'd been up with him all night and by the looks from the others of the 44th and even Felix Nevarre, she knew she was running herself ragged. She knew she wouldn't be good to any of them if she didn't rest.

But it was hard to.

When so many needed their help.

And this heat? She was used to that. It reminded her of Marakoosh. It reminded her of home. Even though she knew they were too far to see any of the gryphs or gryph tribes, she still couldn't help but look upwards through a hole in the fabric that covered the wounded on this slow-moving barge at the sliver of sky.

"We need more water over here," just as quickly her attention returned to her patients as she dipped a rag back into the dregs of the bucket. Sweat glistened on her skin.

At least the Princess was with them. That had to mean something, right? That Vel Anir cared about its wounded.

 

[Hellen]

Any farther from the river and Hellen would have flat refused the plea for water but as it was she quietly dumped her remaining skin into the bucket carefully but prudently beside Skyler.
Her hands were bloody, the light cloth layers that warded the sun held splatters of red from the attack. She had dropped her longsword and traded it for a curved one from the attackers. Longsword was too exhausting to swing in this dead desert heat.

Without pity she looked at the dying man and did not hold a shred of hope in her heart for his recovery.
She gave the water because she could and it was easily replaced. It mattered to give things even when the result would not change things.

She wondered why Skyler cared so much, it seemed she was only opening herself up to grief.

 

[Felix Nevarre]

Felix was busy looking after another one of the injured. This one had suffered a deep gash in her leg, and to make matters worse, the wound was infected. He still should have been able to comfortably save her and her leg, but that meant rest and water, not constant movement on a ship deck.

"Take this and rest. No movements."

Not waiting to see if she listened, Felix was moving on to the next. Casting a glance at Skyler, he motioned for her to take a breather. He had gotten his rest last night, as his father had once said the worst thing a surgeon could do is go into his work tired.

"Thanks, Hellen...Make sure Skylar some rests for a moment."

Moving once again, he moved to the right side of the ship along with another guard. This was far more nerve-wracking than the makeshift medical tent he had just left. He understood that, but some arrows could pop up out of nowhere and that would be the end of him.

Felix strained his eyes as they quickly scanned over the shore, not focusing on any one thing, but just looking for something out of place like he had been trained for.

"I...don't see anything on the right."

Even as he said, he made another pass of the shore, fearful that he had missed something obvious. Once again, his inspection showed nothing.

 

[Maxon Cerrsa]

Maxon was unusually quiet. He's moved all over in the Guard, bearing transfer after transfer from superiors not sure what to do with him. Cortos wasn't somewhere he got the pleasure of visiting often though, plus the fact that he was new to the fourty-fourth. There was also the matter of being in the presence of a princess of Vel Anir. He had enough manners and wits about him to cease his chronic grumbling for a time.

Max took stock of the goods in his collection damaged from the attacks, picking arrows out of his shield. He was forced to toss a few broken bottles once full of strange liquids, but luckily for his sanity not much else. With the primary concern out of the way, he scanned the wounded and his shipmates, mumbling to himself in his thin voice.

"Poor bastards. Poor, naive little greenhorns."

He hadn't decided if he was talking about the wounded or those trying to treat them. Maxon decided he should do his due diligence and try to look for the enemy. The shores were clear, so all that's left was the water. The sun bounced off into his eyes, causing him to squint. He couldn't really make it out, but it didn't seem as if anyone was down there. It may have seemed like a frivolous check to make busy (partly true), but an ambush from the river wouldn't exactly be new to him. Hardly anyone looks below them these days.

"All clear down below!"

He forced his wispy voice just enough to be understood. It took some energy but he got his point across. Chills ran across Maxon's neck as he sat down. He knew there would be another, and took up his shield in anticipation, rubbing one of his many good luck charms while he did so.

 

[Kassandra]

Kassandra relaxed ever so slightly as the others called out their own all-clears. They would have to watch the shores for hours yet, but for a few moments at least they would be safe.

Shifting in her seat, the Princess allowed herself a moment of reprieving. turning away from the banks of the river and drawing out her pack. Quickly digging through it, she placed the glass discs she had been holding aside and pulled out her water bottle and some rations.

Her lips pressing to a thin line as she watched Skyler and Felix treat the patients on board.

It was not so long ago that she had been assigned the same duties, though she had not the skill that either of them had. Being a medic had been foisted upon her, and only because of the siege they had been under. The sights of so many wounded Anirian's still made her stomach roil.

This trip didn't help quell the memories. "Felix."

She called out to the other Guardsmen.

"Come get some of this." The Princess said, her voice leaving no choice in the matter. They were the same rank, of course, but Kiz had learned to speak with authority from the young age. A fact which rankled some, and was found endlessly amusing by others. "We need to eat while we have the chance."

Kiz continued, telling herself she would see to Sky next. Her determination to take care of the caretakers breaking through as the river up ahead began to turn. It's shifting pattern drawing them closer to friendly lands, but also the trap which had been laid for them.

 

[Skyler]

"Thanks Hellen," warm-brown eyes spared a glance at her squadmate as she dipped another rag into the water and spread it onto the blistering forehead of a woman who'd lost consciousness an hour or so ago. They'd treated what was likely an infection. Now only time would tell if they'd gotten it fast enough.

"It's okay. I'm fine," she insisted to Hellen after Felix's comment. "Just let me check on one more." A frown as she glanced up at Maxon Cerrsa. Had he been awake all night as well? Another swipe of the back of her arm across her forehead as she knelt next to another wounded. This time a girl similar to her own age but with long, blonde braided hair and tired grey eyes.

She'd lost a lot of blood but her wound was stitched up nicely.

Sky's attention was on the wounded. She knew the others on watch would call if there was trouble. Just like they had over the past few days. And with Kassandra up and about, it only made Sky feel more like she had less to worry about.

"Do you think we'd be better off if a dreadlord was with us?" A quiet question up to Hellen as she began to mix some herbs from her belt into a poultice.

 

[Hellen]

Her eyes widened at the thought.
"Maybe. It depends on which one we got."
The Dreadlords as a class were famously callous even since the revolution. Hellen disliked the idea of working too close with them. She knelt in front of Skyler but did not make any motions to assist.
"From what I hear they'd be as dangerous to us as any enemy."
Her eyes scanned the unconscious young woman.
"Should we move her off the deck, take her below to rest?"
It was not a kind a sentiment as it sounded. Her priority was efficiency. The less bodies laying about the less they had to worry about and the moral would go up when she was out of sight. It just so happened she would also be out of danger while she recovered.

 

[Felix Nevarre]

One would have thought the cold hand of death had grabbed Felix by the nape of the neck as he tensed when he heard his name called by Kassandra. Of course, he had been told that she was to be treated just like the rest of them, but that was much easier said than done.

"Uh, thanks. I'm not really hungry, but I'll eat."

Felix gratefully took the rations and water. Needless to say, he wasn't exactly starving after hours of treating the nearly dying, but he knew that he needed to take moments to eat when he could. He took a bite of the dry rations before washing it down with the water.

While polishing off the rest of the ration he was given, his gaze looked over the select few guards who were still healthy. Most of them were tired, had light injuries, and had relatively little sleep the night before. There return to base could not come soon enough.

"How are you feeling m...Kassandra?"

Kassandra Skyler Hellen Maxon Cerrsa