 Previous |
 Main |
Next  |
By the tenth Ahn, Gorean midday, Eder notices that the Captain seems to be in some discomfort, he heavily favours his good arm, doing little more than resting his left arm on the rein, loosely, and using the pommel of the saddle for additional support. He is also talking much less. "Do you wish to rest ?" "I am fine, we will continue." "As you wish." They carry on, Eder watches closely and begins to change his position, sometimes flanking, sometimes trotting ahead. As he watches the Captain from the rear, having allowed the other kailla to brush past, he sees the Captain's head begin to roll on his shoulders, the beast picking its own way, obviously without control. Eder moves alongside, reaching to grasp the loose reins, and gently pulling the animal to a halt. Swiftly, he slaps both beasts with his whip as they begin to curl back their lips to each other. Kragus, clearly unconscious, rocks unsteadily in the saddle. Eder leads the way from the road into a small clearing in the trees, he dismounts, tethering his beast, before tying the reins of the other to a low branch. He hauls the dazed Captain from the saddle, staggering slightly as he takes the weight. Kragus groans and opens his eyes, whispering.. "Don't you dare say a word, I know.." Eder smiles as he helps the Captain across to a tree stump, the trunk a victim of some past gale, judging by the ragged spikes of heartwood sticking straight from the stump. Eder covers the still figure with a blanket and turns to begin a small fire, preparing food and hot blackwine for himself, food and broth for the other. He lifts aside the leather jacket and raises the pad which still covers the Captain's wound. It seems to be closed well, nothing of concern and no sign of the reddening or swelling which might signify some residual infection. Leaning against his saddle, Eder chews on a vulo thigh, occasionally adding twigs to the fire, and stoking the flames into life with a longer stick. Hearing a grunt, he looks up and sees that Kragus has woken. "So, Captain, you are fully fit for travel 'eh? " "Fit enough, and getting better." "A thought.......perhaps if we moved closer to the smaller villages and towns, we could reduce travelling time as well as spend a few nights in soft beds rather than in the forest. You never know what information we might pick up." "Not yet........." Kragus' voice begins to slur as his eyelids droop again. "......and stop calling me, Captain." At dawn, Eder makes a wide circle of their camp, looking for signs of pursuit, nothing seems to show of them being followed until he retraces their trail, following the tracks they made the previous day. About a pasang from the camp, maybe a little more, the marks of their animals are trampled out , in the soft earth, by the signs of a small party, which have circled here, possibly deciding their next move, before heading off down another parallel track. Inconclusive, at best, he decides not to burden Kragus with any suspicions or supposition he cannot substantiate. Returning to the camp, he finds the Captain moving purposefully, breaking the camp and stowing their gear into their packs. As Eder approaches, he hears the Captain sucking his breath through his teeth, as he attempts to lift the packs. Eder calls.. "Leave them, you will only damage yourself further. How, in the name of the Priest Kings, do you expect to heal when you try to do things beyond your capacity." Kragus looks at the Assassin, scowling and bends to lift the pack again. Shrugging, Eder waits, knowing better than to press the point. Once more, the Captain struggles and finally has to let the pack fall back to the ground, he glares at Eder, as if daring him to speak. Eder crosses the camp and tosses them easily over the kailla. "If you rest the arm a little, wait until the stiffness eases, we can then see how far you have recovered and maybe see how you can wield a weapon. Possibly even a little light exercise when we stop for the night." "Do you think I am incapable of defending myself, then ?" "No, not incapable, but I do think you should take it steadily. What would you have told one of your own men in a similar condition ?" "You are right, lad." Kragus admits, albeit will ill-grace. "Yes, I know." Eder smiles.
|
Chapter
Twenty - Two- "Stubbornness"