"Oh, c'mon now, buck up! It's only a broken ankle!" Tiaret teased from where she sat, in the same room as the unfortunate Akamu and being treated for her own injuries: some cuts and deeper lacerations, some bumps and bruises, and a bloody, good sized knot on her head that, when she'd recieved it, had really made her see stars. Ugh, yeah...that hadn't been her most glorious battle...at all. She would have done better had she been on her own, but she'd taken the bumbling Akamu under her wing, and...well, yes, he did slow her up considerably.
But she didn't regret it. No one else was teaching him a thing, he <I>wanted to help out and probably would have with or without her, and, well, he would have gotten himself killed on his own, though he was pretty good for an ameteur. Even so, he was also surprisingly clumsy, and...hell, he nearly got the both of them killed when, right as an opponent popped up, he <I>somehow managed to snap his ankle. Tiaret hadn't seen how it happened, as she was kind of focused on fending off the attacker, but she had been overwhelmed. The warrior had been stronger than her.
She still couldn't remember who took over for her, just that in the next instant, the very last instant, she was shoved aside to land near Akamu on the ground, head thwacking against the wall...
Tiaret rolled her eyes as the nurse fussed over her, dabbing at her head injury which looked worse than it really was and wasn't even inflicted by the enemy! She'd come out better than a lot of the other fighters...and for some reason, it annoyed her that she had such minor injuries. For some reason, it made her feel like she hadn't been doing all she could.
Twisted logic, perhaps, but there it was.
Well, in any case the nurse was thoroughly pleased that she had taken so few injuries, and jabbered on about how unlady-like wielding a sword was, how back in her day it was unheard of, and where was her man that should have been there fighting for her instead, unless she was fighting with him, though why should she have to do that? Tiaret resisted the urge to hide her head in her hands, biting back a sigh...but was relieved when the endless chatter stopped. The woman wrapped some bandages around her cuts, announced she wouldn't have to heal her with magic because they were so minor and it allowed her to save the energy for those that needed it, and ordered her to take some rest.
Tiaret gave a small smirk and stood, but she didn't leave. Instead, she went to stand beside Akamu's bed to wait for him.
And ignore the other man that was in the room with them.
Cadmus was being helped up from a table by a nurse, his head spinning from blood loss though his body was no longer enflamed with pain. Though he'd initially tried stubbornly to brush off the healersâ€"and without much success, as one couldn't really do that too well collapsedâ€"he truly did appreciate the lack of pain, though it did nothing to replace the blood he'd lost. It wasn't really any single wound that did it to him, but all of them conbined...that had done it. Shifting back to his human form at the battle's end had used up the last of his strength.
It had been a long, long time since he had faced such a strong opponent. And regardless of the circumstances...it had been refreshing. Cadmus was a born warrior...and he couldn't help but feel fidgety when he couldn't exercise that side of him.
His right arm was in a splint, though due to the healing it was no longer broken, and in truth it had been his wing that had been snapped while he was in his Gryphon form, not his arm. However, once he had shifted back to his human form, the injury transferred itself to his arm insteadâ€"an odd side-effect of having extra appendages while in a different form.
Undoing the splint, the nurse tsked at him. "There, good as new! But don't be thinkin' this gives ya an excuse to go running around! You'll be needin' plenty of rest, now. Do you need help to your chambers? You lost a lot of blood."
Carefully, Cadmus stood, though he held onto the table with one hand to steady himself. "No...I think I will stay here. If I won't be in anyone's way, I mean," he added, looking back to her in question with those tarnished gold eyes. "I have companions here...I just want to make sure they are well..."
---
Sachi had come down from her chambers as soon as she was informed it was safe, though she would have earlier...if she had been able. But guards had been stationed at she and Caanan's rooms to keep her inside, and for those hours she had been a virtual prisoner in her own temporary home!
It had been sheer panic for her for those hours...the castle shaking, the cries of war coming from below, and...and she couldn't do a thing about it. She couldn't help, even though she wanted to, and wouldn't have even if she had been allowed. She was with child, and it really showed, now...and she wouldn't put the babe to risk.
"I must warn ya, miss...it's not a pretty sight down there," one guard cautioned. "Not right for a lady to see..."
But Sachi didn't listen. Holding the hem of her dress off the ground so she wouldn't tripâ€"to her own annoyance, she had no choice but to wear dresses anymore, and hadn't for a while, for her rounded belly didn't allow for any other garments!â€"she rushed down the stairs...and indeed, the sight that greeted her was gruesome at the best...
She tried not to look.
And prayed no one she knew was among the dead. But she didn't know! No one had told her, for no one knew! Oh Gods...please let them all be safe...Caanan...her brother...her friends...oh please...
The first place her feet took her was to the infirmary, and she flung open the doors and rushed inside, short, silver hair disheveled and silver eyes wide as she scoured the place for anyone she knew. Oh Gods...let them be here...let them be safe...
