Naomi walked quietly into the infirmary, noting with some alarm the shards of broken window outside. What all had happened here during the night?
Mayra had opened the door with a finger to her lips. Despite it being midday, the patients needed rest. The women threw their arms around each other, comforted that each of them was all right.
"Peter?" Naomi asked with fear.
"In the other room. He will be all right, despite his heroics," Mayra commented wryly. "Hopefully all healed up in time for the wedding."
"That's wonderful! I'm so happy for you," Naomi said sincerely. "Finn has had no news of Roland, perhaps you…?"
"He is… missing." Mayra grimaced. "My brother Shayn came by to check on me while Riley searches. He doesn't want to break the news to Finn until he knows more."
"Missing? Where was he last seen?" Naomi asked with concern. To lose such an important man was no small thing. "When he left, Finn said he was headed to the City Hall, I think."
"Shayn saw him there but, well, he wouldn't give me any details, but he looked half-dead on his feet. Our other brother, Kyler, is injured but alive." Mayra heaved a sigh.
"Well, that's mostly good news, I should think." Naomi said. "Caspian is here?"
"Yes, through here. Although," Mayra put her hand on her friend's arm. "I should prepare you for what you're about to see."
"He's alive, isn't he?" Naomi suddenly asked. "The note said–"
"Yes, yes, nothing like that. But he was badly wounded, and disfigured." Mayra winced.
"How badly?" Naomi braced herself. If he were crippled, she would care for him to the best of her abilities. If he were bedridden, and missing limbs, she would look past it and keep his spirits alive with her unwavering love. She schooled her face. An expression of shock would be inappropriate.
"It is his face," Mayra said carefully. "He is missing an eye, and is scarred badly across one side. The damage is permanent."
Naomi sighed in relief. "Then he will be all right?"
"Yes, we hope so." Mayra smiled for the first time since the other woman had entered. "Would you like to see him?"
"Yes, please."
Mayra knocked lightly before opening a door to a small side room. Apparently Caspian's status as a foreign dignitary, or Dr. Sherman's kindness, merited a private recovery room.
Naomi stepped in silently and Mayra shut the door behind her for privacy. Caspian lay on the bed. He looked perfectly normal from this perspective, lying on his back, his face turned slightly towards the wall as he slept.
Or, she thought he slept. As the door clicked shut behind her, his eye popped open.
"Yes?" He asked, his voice hoarse and gruff. He turned toward her and his expression changed. Emotions passed over him quickly.
Surprise, fear, shame, and a dozen other expressions flickered across half of his face.
The other half was covered in bandages.
"Are you in pain?" Naomi asked as he sat up and made room for her to sit with him.
She did so, gently, not entirely sure if he was wounded elsewhere as well.
He hesitated, but nodded, just slightly.
"I love you." She swallowed her emotion at seeing him hurting.
His eye welled with tears, and she lifted a hand to gently brush them away. She wondered if the place where his other eye had been still made tears, and if crying would make the bandage wet, impeding healing.
Should she try to stop his crying, or let him express the emotion? He must have seen terrible things.
"I love you," He echoed, the words scratched and a little slurred.
"Don't talk if it hurts," She assured him, taking one of his hands in hers. One corner of her mouth tilted in a smile. "It will be fair, you know. Since you forbade me from speaking once."
He smiled slighty in return, and flinched. She frowned.
"I suppose smiling is also not allowed." That would be difficult. All she wanted to do right now was make him happy.
He blinked at her. Winked? She had to adjust the way she thought of what he did.
A slight knock at the door preceded Mayra's presence with a tray.
"Some tea mixed with medicine for the pain. I'm afraid it may make you rather sleepy, so I'll put it here for you to drink at your leisure," She smiled at both of them, but gave Naomi a significant look to ask if they were both all right as she set the tray down on the table.
"Thank you, Mayra." Naomi said with a returning smile. "That's very kind."
The other woman slipped quietly from the room.
"I think you ought to drink your tea now, since you're in pain," Naomi eyed the cup on the tray.
Caspian shook his head no, gripping her hand tightly.
"I love you. I will stay here until you fall asleep," She smiled. "I would stay longer, but I've just learned…" Should she tell him? She didn't want him to worry over his cousin, but she did want to be there for Finn when news was received. Depending on how things went, she might need a friend with her. "Well, there are several other people we haven't heard about yet, whether they're ok. I think Finn could use a friend around while we wait."
Her husband eyed her with silent contemplation, then slowly nodded his understanding. Naomi wondered if he'd been told the rumors of his father's death. She hoped not; he didn't look like he was in good enough shape to receive it. She wasn't going to break the news just now when she wasn't even sure of its veracity.
Releasing his hand, she picked up the tea. "I'll help you drink, and hold your hand until you're asleep. I'll be back before you know it."
He nodded again, seemingly too tired to put up a fight about it. It hurt her heart.
_______________
Finn waited. And waited. And paced. And considered going to the City Hall or General's residence to ask for news.
Her father assured her that he and Gabe could look after the babies for a little while, but Finn was certain that as soon as she left, news would come of Roland's whereabouts. Or he would come home, weary from battle, without anyone to make him some hot tea.
She'd sent him out. If she hadn't, wouldn't he have stayed near home? She had only herself to blame for his extended absence. There were many important tasks to be done all over the city.
If he were wounded, or dead, she would have been notified immediately. After all, Naomi's news of Caspian had come hours earlier.
She tried to be patient. It was difficult. The babies kept her physically occupied, but mentally, she was slowly nearing panic. Something was wrong. She'd known it for a while now but had been pushing the thought away.
If she could delay the intrusive thoughts, she might gather evidence to fight them. Unfortunately, that evidence was not forthcoming so far.
A sharp rap at the door announced a visitor, and Finn rushed to it, throwing the door open in anticipation.
Riley and Ashley stood on the other side. He looked haggard. She looked worried, and held a basket of baked goods in her arms.
"I thought you mightn't have eaten enough today with all the goings-on of the city, so I brought some pies." Ashley announced.
"That's very kind," Finn's smile was strained. "Riley, did you just get off duty? You look positively exhausted."
He looked as if he'd hastily changed his uniform, perhaps when he'd gone home. But why would they come, unless…
"I'm still on duty, actually," He admitted.
"Then… this isn't a social visit. You have news." Finn ushered them in and took their coats so that they could all sit down. Phillip took the hint and motioned Gabriel to follow him out of the room, taking the babies with them.
"Roland. He's…" Finn began the sentence, but couldn't finish it, sitting down on a wide sofa.
"Missing." The ache in Riley's voice was too severe for such a mild declaration.
"That is not what I expected to hear." The dark-haired woman's eyes flickered between the couple in front of her. Ashley had set the basket on the floor, and had clearly been brought along as moral support.
There was no other reason for Riley to have stopped by his home while still on duty.
"There's more," Ashley put in, giving Riley an intense look for delaying what more he had to say.
"Tell me," Finn encouraged with a brave smile for Riley's benefit. She had been through much. She could bear whatever was to come.
He had known her too long to be fooled by her show. The ache in his eyes grew deeper, and the fear in Finn's stomach threatened to eat a hole through her.
"Roland mentioned Gwen, earlier. Something she said about destroying the artifacts." Riley prompted.
"Yes… they were sacred, and destroying them would be a sacrifice, I think," Finn dimly recalled the words.
"So you heard her say it too?" Riley tilted his head.
"Yes, why?" Her voice was tainted with suspicion.
"Roland destroyed them… by sacrificing himself."