After finally making it home, Gord lays the boy on the bed, Julia is waiting beside the bed, holding a special satchel, made to carry glass containers. She hands it over to Gord before asking in a hushed tone, "Honey, what happened out there?"
Sighing, Gord begins administering several concoctions of varying color and density to the boy as he recounts the disastrous events of the day.
Once Gord had finished tending to the boy and his condition started to show signs of improvement he sighed with relief, "There, I've done all I could. It's up to him now."
"Do you think he'll make it?" Julia asks with concern as she hands Gord some stew that had been simmering over the fireplace.
"Honestly?" Gord pauses to steady his shaky hands and bring a spoonful of stew to his lips, "I don't know, I think we found him in time, but he's extremely weak. Not only is he terribly underweight, but I think he has weak lung and withering disease on top of his other injuries. Why anyone would let him get this old without treating it is beyond me. If he makes it through the night, then I'd say he'll probably pull through. But… If he does… I know we didn't talk about this…" Gord pauses and looks down into his stew, slowly stirring the meat and vegetables doing his best to prolong his confession.
"Talk about what?" Julia asks, a questioning look crossing her face.
Sighing, Gord continues, "I claimed him…"
"You what?! What about his village? What if they come looking for him!" Julia shouts in disbelief, causing the boy to stir slightly. Drawing the panic from her voice she moves to the bedside to comfort him, rubbing his back softly, before turning to give her reckless husband a look he knows all too well.
Gord responds with a whisper as he moves to the bedside wrapping his arm around her free shoulder, "I know we thought we'd never have the chance to be parents after…" Pausing with a forlorn look before continuing, "But I think the spirits have graced us with this precious chance… And as for his village, I don't think we'll have to worry about them. Judging by his state, he's probably the sole survivor of a night raid or an abomination attack… That, or he's a runaway..." Gord says, using his other hand to brush the long, unruly hair from the boy's face.
Gasping Julia takes a closer look at the boy, his weak, malnourished body covered in bruises and cuts noticing the old scar across his face, "Who would do such a thing to a child?!" Julia says lightly stroking the scar with her thumb causing the boy to shiver. "You poor thing, don't worry you're safe now." She coos softly rubbing his back.
Sighing she turns back to Gord, "Alright you old fart, he can stay, I'll claim him too. But you're sleeping in the main room for a month!" lightly jabbing his chest before leaning against him, "I wander what his name is? And what he's like? Or his favorite food?" lightly laughing at herself, "Look at me getting all fussy about a child I didn't even know I'd have this morning."
Laughing too, Gord says, "I know the feeling, take away the stress from nearly dying and loss of Lor... I'd almost be giggling." A melancholic look crossed his face as he places his head in his hands before mumbling, "Poor Lor... That damned oaf..."
Sighing, Julia takes her hand away from the boy's back and wraps her arms tightly around Gord consoling him, "I know how much Lor meant to you Honey…" Trying to comfort Gord before continuing, "How about you go rest and I'll watch the boy tonight and you can take a group of guards to go look for him in the morning?"
Sighing, Gord hugs Julia back, "Thanks Darling, I think I'll do that." Slowly standing he calls a final time while heading to the main room, "Wake me should anything happen, love you."
Turning her attention back to the boy, Julia calls back, "Will do Honey, love you and sweet dreams." Slowly bundling the shivering boy in the few spare blankets, they had before wrapping him in her embrace, whispering an old lullaby that her mother would sing to her. Before falling to sleep several hours later.
The night continues peacefully enough, the boy only incoherently mumbling and occasionally tossing and turning beneath the oppressive smothering, like a kitten struggling to free itself from the confines of a blanketed basket. As the sun rises, Gord awakens to find both Julia and the boy resting peacefully in the bed. But a loud roar shatters the peaceful moment, digging through the cluttered chests in the main room, Gord finds his sword and tears it from its sheathe as he rushes out to the main gate.