The Baronet's horse bolted, and Phantom struck out again as Roger tried to get up. He collapsed and lay still.
The Captain's voice rang over the field. "Royals to me!"
The Royals were locally out numbered. With a curse, the captain threw himself from his horse and grabbed Roger. "Still alive." He dragged the limp body toward his horse which shifted nervously.
Liz gulped. "Phantom, can you kneel?" He did and with a manic grin the bleeding Captain slung the baronet across her lap. "Take him to the . . . no, take him to the tavern. I don't want that doctor to have him." Liz gripped, and Phantom heaved back to his feet and retreated from what was, so far, a mounted shoving match.
The Captain remounted and raised his voice again. "Withdraw, into the city." He looked around for Liz and Phantom followed him when Liz leaned her weight that direction. He raised his voice again. "There are Arbolians south of town, we could be besieged within days. Either flee or load supplies and get within the gates. Baron's troops, go home and find out where your loyalties lie." He looked around. "Folley! Ride for camp, tell them to pack and move inside the walls. Stone, get men on all the gates, double the east, don't let the baron's men in until I talk to the baron. Send scouts out to the south, they are not to engage, just report back."
He was cursing under his breath all the way to the south gate, checked the disposition of his men, then led the way to the tavern. This time Harv got to take care of the horses, as the two men following the captain took Roger's body and Liz jumped to prop a staggering Prince.
The lady took one look and ran to get the tavernmaster to open the nearest room and returned quickly with clean bandages . . . er, diapers and a bottle of wine.
Liz was holding up a fair bit of the prince's weight by now. "Roger tried to kill the captain."
" What, you're on a first name basis with him, but me?" The Captain's voice was a bit thin. "I'm just a Captain."
" Lay down." December ripped the shirt wide. "Not too deep. Drink this." She raised his head and got a shot glass of wine down his throat.
" Excellent wine, but the ambiance . . . " his voice trailed off in a gasp as the lady pressed, pushing cut muscle back together, then pinched the surface slash shut—and it stayed together.
She abandoned his chest and tore his sleeve off, and gripped his upper arm at the top and just above the elbow, and pressed her hands together, shoving the sliced muscle into place. When she released her grip the cut remained closed.
She took her hands off and turned to the pitcher and basin. "Get some hot water." She handed the pitcher to one of the hovering staff, and turned back to the prince. "How do you feel?"
" I love you," he reached for her hand.
" That is an unfortunate side effect of that wine, and why I gave you so little. It'll wear off in a few hours."
" I don't want it to wear off. I haven't felt like this for a year." He lay back and his eyes drifted to Liz. His eyes lit and he beamed at her. "Liz, you saved my life. Twice at least."
The lady interrupted. "So how healed do you want Roger? He looks pretty bad."
" I need him to talk." Kurt rolled off the bed and looked down at the man.
The lady dribbled a bit of wine into his mouth. Then a bit more. "Is that a Phantom sized hoofprint on his chest?"
" Yes M'lady," one of the Imperial troopers nodded. "The horse struck his shoulder, knocked him off his horse, he landed on his head, and then the horse landed on his chest."
" Surprised he's alive." The lady dribbled a bit more wine.
The girl brought hot water, and Liz dampened a diaper and sponged Kurt's arm. He leaned down and kissed her. Then straightened looking a bit shocked. "I think maybe I'd better do that myself."
Liz backed up touching her lips.
"They're going to win, you know."
They all transferred their attention back to Roger.
"I know. I'm a noble, so I know things. The gods are real, and the God of War assured
The Captain's voice rang over the field. "Royals to me!"
The Royals were locally out numbered. With a curse, the captain threw himself from his horse and grabbed Roger. "Still alive." He dragged the limp body toward his horse which shifted nervously.
Liz gulped. "Phantom, can you kneel?" He did and with a manic grin the bleeding Captain slung the baronet across her lap. "Take him to the . . . no, take him to the tavern. I don't want that doctor to have him." Liz gripped, and Phantom heaved back to his feet and retreated from what was, so far, a mounted shoving match.
The Captain remounted and raised his voice again. "Withdraw, into the city." He looked around for Liz and Phantom followed him when Liz leaned her weight that direction. He raised his voice again. "There are Arbolians south of town, we could be besieged within days. Either flee or load supplies and get within the gates. Baron's troops, go home and find out where your loyalties lie." He looked around. "Folley! Ride for camp, tell them to pack and move inside the walls. Stone, get men on all the gates, double the east, don't let the baron's men in until I talk to the baron. Send scouts out to the south, they are not to engage, just report back."
He was cursing under his breath all the way to the south gate, checked the disposition of his men, then led the way to the tavern. This time Harv got to take care of the horses, as the two men following the captain took Roger's body and Liz jumped to prop a staggering Prince.
The lady took one look and ran to get the tavernmaster to open the nearest room and returned quickly with clean bandages . . . er, diapers and a bottle of wine.
Liz was holding up a fair bit of the prince's weight by now. "Roger tried to kill the captain."
" What, you're on a first name basis with him, but me?" The Captain's voice was a bit thin. "I'm just a Captain."
" Lay down." December ripped the shirt wide. "Not too deep. Drink this." She raised his head and got a shot glass of wine down his throat.
" Excellent wine, but the ambiance . . . " his voice trailed off in a gasp as the lady pressed, pushing cut muscle back together, then pinched the surface slash shut—and it stayed together.
She abandoned his chest and tore his sleeve off, and gripped his upper arm at the top and just above the elbow, and pressed her hands together, shoving the sliced muscle into place. When she released her grip the cut remained closed.
She took her hands off and turned to the pitcher and basin. "Get some hot water." She handed the pitcher to one of the hovering staff, and turned back to the prince. "How do you feel?"
" I love you," he reached for her hand.
" That is an unfortunate side effect of that wine, and why I gave you so little. It'll wear off in a few hours."
" I don't want it to wear off. I haven't felt like this for a year." He lay back and his eyes drifted to Liz. His eyes lit and he beamed at her. "Liz, you saved my life. Twice at least."
The lady interrupted. "So how healed do you want Roger? He looks pretty bad."
" I need him to talk." Kurt rolled off the bed and looked down at the man.
The lady dribbled a bit of wine into his mouth. Then a bit more. "Is that a Phantom sized hoofprint on his chest?"
" Yes M'lady," one of the Imperial troopers nodded. "The horse struck his shoulder, knocked him off his horse, he landed on his head, and then the horse landed on his chest."
" Surprised he's alive." The lady dribbled a bit more wine.
The girl brought hot water, and Liz dampened a diaper and sponged Kurt's arm. He leaned down and kissed her. Then straightened looking a bit shocked. "I think maybe I'd better do that myself."
Liz backed up touching her lips.
"They're going to win, you know."
They all transferred their attention back to Roger.
"I know. I'm a noble, so I know things. The gods are real, and the God of War assured
Similar Books
