"Rabert?!" Rose tried to get the Captain's attention once more, but he was gone.
"I was talking about the scream," the king responded, very confused. "Did something happen with Rabert?"
The door burst open with a protesting Ethyn. His armor was missing from one arm and the protective sleeve underneath was torn away, revealing a gnarly puncture in his skin. "You got my shoulder back in. I do not think that needle should come anywhere near me."
"Please be reasonable," the doctor cried as his assistant tried to slow the knight's advance into the room. "Let me at least try to clean out the wound. It is worse than I initially thought. I even have something to dull the pain slightly." The doctor ducked out of the room to go and get the herb.
Ethyn sent a pleading gaze toward Rose. "You don't suppose the Guardian is still around with his little vial of light to help me out do you."
"I am afraid he is gone," Rose answered with a small smile. She felt a little guilty that Silver had healed her and not the knight, but Ethyn's wound had been hidden by his armor. "Is there something I can do?"
"I would never ask anything of you." The knight pressed his good arm to his chest gallantly.
Rose was torn. She wanted to remain with Rabert and puzzle out what had just happened, but she also wanted to make Ethyn as comfortable as possible while he was treated. At last she turned to her father for help.
"The Captain pressed my hand and mumbled something. Would you stay with him in case he says any more?"
Rhodri raised his eyebrows. "What did he say?"
"I think he called out 'Borit', but I could be mistaken." Rose hedged.
She was actually pretty positive that is what he had said, but it could have been that he was going to warn the Commander or just wanted to talk. The princess did not want to jump to the wrong conclusion.
"I see," Rhodri pulled at his beard gently. "Don't worry. I will keep an eye on him."
Satisfied, the princess released Rabert's hand and left the sleeping man's side.
Stepping around the other pallets, she returned to the knight and held out her palm. "Let me hold your good hand while the doctor gets you fixed up. I cannot have a personal knight who does not take care of himself. How will he be able to defend me if one of his arms is forever injured? If you will not get your wound healed for yourself. Do it for me."
The words pricked Ethyn's heart and he hung his head. "Very well."
When the doctor returned with the herbs, a chair was brought for the knight to sit. The young man winced and whined as the physician quickly cleared the wound of any sign of infection and pressed the numbing herbs into the hole for a moment.
The sweet, earthy smell was familiar to Rose, but she couldn't quite place the aroma.
Silently, the doctor threaded the needle and deftly closed the hole. Rose bit her lip. Somehow the mending of the wound bothered her more than when the carnage was happening all around her.
Perhaps it was because this pain could have been prevented, or maybe it was just because it was the man she loved who was crying out in pain.
"Distract me," Ethyn gritted his teeth. "Why would the Captain say 'Borit' when he awoke?"
"The Captain awoke?" The doctor interrupted, nearly missing his stitch.
He had been out of the room for the original announcement.
"Rabert said 'Borit' and looked frantically around before going back to sleep. As to the reason, we will have to ask him next time he is awake. I doubt he knows the whole palace is looking for the Commander." Rose was not sure what else to say.
A cloud passed over the doctor's face, but he suddenly changed the subject. "If I may, Your Highness, I have not been outside since this morning. Could you tell me if it ended up raining?"
Rose felt jarred, but obliged. "It did not rain. In fact I did not see a cloud in the sky..."
The doctor passed off his needle to his assistant and motioned for Rose to keep speaking. As she did, the physician whispered in Ethyn's ear.
Rose cocked her head to one side. "If it weren't for the battle, I would think it was a good day for riding. I imagine the countryside is not going to be a safe place for some time..."
As the princess rambled, Ethyn's eyes grew wide from whatever the doctor had said. He whispered in response, no longer thinking about the pain of the needle in his arm. The only thing Rose could make out between her words was 'guards.'
"What about the city?" the doctor asked. "Do you think I can check on my dear sister to let her know that I am unharmed?"
The doctor tiptoed backwards, soundlessly opening the door. Rose answered the doctor as if he were still present.
"We need you too much here. I think we should send a messenger to convey your words to your family."
"I didn't realize you had a sister in the city," Rhodri, whose back had been to them while he tended the Captain, turned around at last. "Where…"
Rose and Ethyn both brought fingers to their lips.
"Ouch!" Ethyn spoke over the king's question. "Be gentle, Doctor!"
The assistant glanced up, mildly unamused, but remained silent.
"He is nearly done. You faced a giant today. A little needle is nothing." Ross teased.
"A giant?" Rhodri wasn't sure if this was a serious comment or a continuation of this strange ruse.
"Yes, I only saw him after Ethyn brought him down, but I overheard the gossip of the soldiers at the gate who saw the epic battle. Sir Ethyn is the Hero of Birle!" Rose was genuine in her praise, which pleased the knight greatly.
He was so proud that he didn't even notice when the doctor's assistant finished his work and clipped the end of the thread.
"Tell me more, Sir Samberg," the king watched as the door silently opened to admit not one but three people.
Swords in hand, Conall and Aiden entered in front of the doctor, who pointed to the barefoot soldier by the wall. The person in question was wrapped tightly in a blanket farthest from the Captain.
After receiving the signal from the physician, the two armed men nodded and motioned for everyone else to keep back.
The king, princess and assistant moved toward the door. Rose wondered anxiously what the men were planning. Rhodri placed himself in front of his daughter. Whatever was about to happen, he would protect the princess at all cost.
Flanked by Conall and Aiden, Ethyn cleared his throat and stood. He strode forward with a grim expression. "If it is all the same to you, Your Majesty, I would rather not talk about myself just now, I am far more interested about what happened in the throne room after I left." He looked down at the barefoot soldier, "Care to tell us, Commander?"