[Raforn]
What the fuck is happening right now? Why am I cooking dinner for a group of bandits?
I'm a doctor, not a CHEF! That asshole! I steal a glance at him again. He was seething less than an hour ago, and I swear I thought he'd go even more ballistic when they knocked Ridge out. Surprisingly he only briefly attempted to kill the guy who actually hit him.
I honestly don't care about whatever psychotic antics he comes up with anymore, I just wanna live. I want the others to live too though. This is what I get for having an identity crisis and taking off with the first group of weirdos I came across.
Once I convinced them to let me examine Ridge I told Kadeeth he's gonna be fine. That seemed to calm him down some. I really need Ridge to wake up soon and get this guy under control. After he relaxed a bit he started provoking the bandits, who only let us live because Kadeeth's little prank about me being a Chef amused them, or at least their leader. I'm surprised she still thought it was running after her minion's face was mutilated.
She's been watching us since we were directed to their camp, which wasn't very far from where we were ambushed. Now Kadeeth's all smiles, and he won't shut up.
He keeps trying to provoke her, but she ignores him. It's almost freaky how she's just sitting there observing us. I turn my attention to the ingredients set in front of me. I don't think she actually intended to make me cook when she brought us back, but Kadeeth kept boasting about my food, so here we are.
I gulp. Please wake up and sort this out, I glance at Ridge. His hair is matted down with dried blood, and half of his head is wrapped in white bandages, though part of it is soaked in red again. His battered body is leaning against Kadeeth's also bandaged shoulder.
His plan could've worked I suppose, but I would've chosen whatever Ridge eventually came up with over one of Kadeeth's ideas anyday. I guess it was more of Tellur's plan, but Ridge couldn't see him from behind. All Kadeeth did was distract the bandits for Tellur to make a move, but to me, and probably to Ridge too, it looked like Kadeeth's fault.
I don't even want to address what happened after that went to shit. Rolling up my sleeves, I get to work sorting through the variety of canned foods. I'll just focus on this task until Ridge wakes up, there's no need to recall the events from earlier. It'll just make me gag, which isn't sanitary.
~*~
"GET HIM OFF OF HIM!" The woman orders in a horrified voice. Her minions rush towards Kadeeth, trying to ply him off of the man he has pinned to the ground.
Suddenly there's a dagger in his hand. When did he get that? I watch in terror from the ground as Kadeeth starts dragging the blade down the man's face, like he wants to skin him alive.
Did I really travel this far with a guy like that? I can't believe I was ever alone with him. Ridge was right, what on earth made me follow this man through the woods by myself? Ridge.
I find his body among the chaos. Swallowing my fear I force my body to crawl over the rough ground towards him. There's so much blood. No. Don't panic. Head wounds always bleed a lot, that doesn't mean it's as bad as it looks. I yank my shirt over my head and wrap it around the nasty gash in the back of his head.
Of course the only other semi reasonable person gets hurt. Actually, it always seems to be Ridge who gets hurt. I look down at my first patient. This is the first time his face hasn't had a shred of worry or responsibility on it. He looks peaceful.
The feeling of his arms instinctively reaching for me at the first sound of trouble ghosts over me. A shiver goes through my body. It's the evening breeze, that's all.
I pull him closer to me and will myself to look up. The screaming has died down some. The only remaining wails are coming from the bandit on the ground, who's curled up in the fetal position holding his shredded face.
It could've been worse. When did I start thinking like this? After he tried to fight the person I admire most in this world? At the cabin when Ridge acted so casual about Kadeeth almost attacking me? I shouldn't stay with these people.
I shouldn't...
Then why does the grin on Kadeeth's face as he's forcibly subdued make me feel so alive. Maybe it's the way the moonlight hits his white teeth. Or how his eyes are still locked onto the man wallowing on the road. There's something horribly beautiful in his crazy.
Then his eyes finally drift from the man as more bandits block his line of sight in order to help their friend. His dilated pupils search for the one person he ever really sees. When he finds the man lying unconscious in my arms his eyes turn gentle.
He looks worse now, like he wants to be praised. His sleeves are ripped to shreds and stuck to his shoulder with blood from where the man tried to claw at his attacker. Yet, he looks like someone who thinks they just did good. Just how far would he go to protect you? I squeeze Ridge in my arms, suddenly more afraid of that thing protecting him than anyone I've ever seen try to harm him.
Does he know? That the guy he showed up out of nowhere with is like this? How long have they been together? Kadeeth is a Noble right? Did he brainwash Ridge into being his Knight?
I have so many questions, but I don't ask any of them. Instead, I make a promise. Silently, hardly even a whisper in Ridge's unhearing ear.
"I'll help you." I beg, "So ask me for help. All you have to do is ask."
~*~
I turn away from Kadeeth's smiling face. Yeah, I don't want to think about that.