A Drink Before Battle [M/M] ✅

14: You Should Prepare Yourself (NSFW)

In a spacious infirmary tent, Yanek very carefully unbuckled Sevei's maille tunic while a doctor busied himself preparing antiseptics, bandages, and stitching equipment.

"It's really not that bad," Sevei complained. "I don't think he got any organs. If you could just clean me up and slap a bandage on..."

"How about we let the doctor make that call?" Yanek said gruffly, still not pleased that Sevei hadn't waited for him before getting himself in trouble."That Lorie may not have killed you, but the General sure tried."

Sevei remembered the wounds on the dying Loranarian soldier and shuddered, wondering what his own back might look like right now.

"Good job on this maille, then, Yan," he said appreciatively.

"You said it," Yanek agreed.

"Don't blame him, though," Sevei added. "It was an accident. I told him to cover me, then I got in his way."

As Yanek began to pull the maille down Sevei's arms, the tent flap whipped aside and Urskatha flew in, his eyes blazing with fury and... fear? And he still hadn't managed a shirt. He stormed up to Sevei and Yanek. His eyes were on the maille in Yanek's hands. He grasped it and ran it between his fingers as the doctor came over to help Sevei remove his tunic.

"This has lead in it," he stated, clear dissatisfaction in his voice.

"I guess," Yanek replied. "It blocks ethereal energy, doesn't it?"

"You can't wear this," Urskatha insisted. "Get rid of them. All of them."

"Now wait a minute," Yanek protested. "Do you have any idea how expensive these were?"

Urskatha shook his head resolutely. "Long term, it will harm your health, and could eventually kill you," he explained, pointing to Sevei's bleeding side. "It's too weak to stop a weapon, and if the lead gets into your blood, it'll kill you even faster. Where did you get these? If an Alchemist sold them to you, they should be barred from practicing."

Sevei exchanged an expression of surprise with Yanek and, holding his side, sat down on the bed behind him. Then a horrific realization dawned. "Do I have lead in my blood now?" he asked.

"Most likely, yes," Urskatha said grimly. "I can do something about that. You and you-" he glanced between Yanek and the doctor. "Get out."

With a stalwart, "Yes, Sir," the doctor immediately obeyed the General's order, but Yanek wasn't having it.

"Yan, it's alright," Sevei assured him. "I think he's the expert here."

After a moment of consideration, Yanek gave a begrudging nod. "I'll be outside," he said, eyeing Urskatha skeptically.

"Go get the night watch organized," Sevei called after him as he made for the exit. "I want triple the guard on camp tonight. And collect all of that maille!"

"Dear Gods, that was so much money!" Yanek shouted as the tent flap closed behind him.

"Think we might get any of it back?" Sevei chuckled.

"It's a criminal act to sell defective goods to the military, so, maybe," Urskatha replied. He pulled Sevei up off of the bed. "You need to stand."

"It seemed to work, though," Sevei said cheerfully. "I saw the other guy, and I don't feel that bad off at all."

Urskatha's arms snaked around Sevei's waist, one hand sliding up to pass a light circle over his back. The skin there felt sore, as if it were sunburned, but with no serious injury.