Ash and Fire [Obi love story]

Chapter 2 - Mending Mayhem

Chapter 2 - Mending Mayhem

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"You're hair," Shania breathes out.

"Oh, yes. It's unusual, isn't it?" Shirayuki replies. She touches a few locks gingerly before focusing back on her patient. She carefully picks up Shania's arm and inspects the deep gash along it. "I heard you helped the fight at the gates. We all appreciate your efforts."

"Oh, you're welcome. I didn't think it would mean that much."

"You helped defend the castle against possibly your friends."

"I'd rather repay a debt to this kingdom instead of fall into one."

"I see."

Shirayuki continues to aid Shania's slowly bleeding wound. She cleans and wraps it with such ease. It turns out a few stitches must be administrated, which the female isn't too happy about, but she bites her tongue anyway. So, as the work is being completed, Shania sits back and observes. She notes the careful manoeuvring of the wrist, the gentle sting of the anaesthetic injection and the occasional bite of the cheek Shirayuki would do.

Minutes pass, and Shania is finally left to herself, her arm mended and an ointment being prepared for her. Shirayuki reassures her that a simple cream will reduce the lasting definition of the infliction. Shania doesn't mind, though, as she is a maker of sharp items. She has sustained many scars in her lifetime.

From the other end of the room, a townsman wakes from his unconscious state. He immediately bolts up, startling the few nurses working on his injuries. He looks around wildly, a panicked frenzy slowly starting to break out as he jumps off the bed and grabs for any weapons by him—a pair of scissors.

Shania, recognising this man, quickly rushes over, grabs the nearest healers, and pulls them out of harm's way. She steps into the view of this man, her hands raised at the sight of his panicked eyes.

"Hayben, it's me," she says. "Please calm down."

"You!" He yells. "You attacked us!"

"You attacked first."

"You turned your back on your own people!" Hayben lunges forward, scissors raised to strike. Shania is slow to react, swerving out of the way, but he isn't much to go up against in the man's concussed state.

"I protected the kingdom is what I did."

The man goes to strike again, this time stumbling into his former bed. However, this doesn't stop him from hurriedly turning around, slicing part of Shania's stomach to leave a tear in her clothes and a shallow mark on her skin.

"Please, I don't want to fight you again," Shania pleads, noting a few guards now entering the room with more unfamiliar faces.

Hayben lurches forward once again, this time aiming in such a way that Shania can grapple him. She swings them both around and pushes the man to the ground, pressing onto his back to keep him prone. A small table comes crashing down with them, a metal tray rolling close by. Hayben, seeing this, manages one last spurt of energy to grab this tray and crash it against the side of Shania's head. The momentum snaps her face to the side momentarily, but Hayben is surprised to feel her grip tighten on him, now wholly trapping his movement.

"I work in a hazardous environment," Shania explains. "I've suffered enough knocks to the head to stay conscious for a few more."

Her captured opponent merely groans in discomfort.

"I'm sorry, Hayben."

"No, you're not."

It only takes moments after for Shania to be relieved of the burden of holding the poor man down. Guards flood in and assist the collection of Hayben's tired body, the man in question is pulled sluggishly out the door, flanked on all sides. Shania watches after him, a guilty ball forming in her gut. But she pushes it aside with haste as she observes any injured left in the room. And it is only at that point she realises she is in the presence of a prince.

Shania kneels quickly before the Second Prince Zen Wisteria, eyes making no contact with any part of his figure. Beside the male are two of his loyal guards.

"Prince Zen," she says. "I'm sorry for the ruckus caused here."

"There is no need to apologise," the Prince replies. "What is your name?"

"Shania," she replies.

"Please stand, Shania. I want to thank you properly."

Shania tries raising to her feet, but she flinches as her stomach contorts and her wound is moved uncomfortably. In seconds Shirayuki is by her side, analysing the slash.

"You're hurt," she mutters.

"It does sting, I won't lie," Shania chuckles and allows the redhead to move her shirt to try cleaning the wound.

"I'm sorry you got injured from this," the Prince says, eyeing the cut. "Thank you, Shania, for protecting the people here and defending the Castle gate."

"I owe a lot to this castle and its inhabitants. I will protect it with my life to pay it all forward."

Zen just smiles. "I'm sure Shirayuki will do well to patch you up before sending you home. It's safe to assume you would like to rest as soon as you can."

"Thank you, your highness."

Shirayuki moves the brunette to one of the empty beds to patch her up for the second time. It takes a bit longer this time, but at least she is assured that her wound is not deep enough to keep her off her feet. So it's not too long after that she can leave the grounds and make her way home.

—

The forge is silent by the time Shania makes her way back. Mare Macknol cannot be seen through the worker's area, and moving upstairs to her room, Shania notices the glimmer of a candle through the crack under Mare's door. She wonders why he is up at such an hour but does not disturb the man to ask.

The brunette pushes open her room door gently, leaving it open as she makes her way to the nightstand. She looks into the small mirror, admiring her slightly dishevelled state with a silent chuckle. She's looked worse. The female reaches a hand up to push aside the hair folded over her right brow, revealing the snarly scar of long-forgotten burns. Yep, definitely looked worse.

Humming to herself—admittedly off-tune—Shania undresses for the night, getting comfortable in her rickety bed. The night is cold, but her blankets will do the trick to keep her comfortable. No doubt, the hard metal remaining around her neck will be the first thing to have her lose comfort, if anything at all.