Dark Waters Rising

Heal

"Ah!" Wesley cried in pain as his bones popped back into place. His father gritted his teeth in discomfort as he worked on the injured area with his magic. 

Someone handed him a bottle of rum, and Wesley gulped from it greedily, making his throat feel as on fire as his hand did. 

"Just a bit more," Ambrose said as something else popped. It was extremely unpleasant. Wesley felt like the magic was melting his bone fragments and welding them back together. Healing through magic was nearly always unpleasant, especially for large wounds, and Wesley would've chosen to heal naturally if the option wouldn't have ended in the permanent loss of use of the hand. It would have healed wrong, and he wouldn't be able to use the appendage to its full potential, if at all. Thus he had asked Ambrose to fix it. 

"Seven hells!" he cried out again, his skin covered with a sheen of sweat from the exertion. It hurt so bad. 

Another pop and searing heat. If he didn't have view of the hand, he'd think someone was pushing a fire poker or a branding iron into the skin. 

Then, all at once, Ambrose pulled back. "There," he breathed. "It's not completely healed, but it's enough to be functional."

Wesley tested it by slowly clenching his fingers into a fist and releasing it. It was sore as all seven hells, but the fact that he could move it was a miracle. Ambrose had neglected to heal the outside of his hands, which were both covered in pinprick scabs and blood blisters from the Kraken's assault, but Wesley was content with that. It would hurt far less to heal those naturally, and he wouldn't mind the scarring. 

"Wesley Roberts!" A voice came from the water. Wesley stood and peered over the taffrail at the unfamiliar siren that called him. 

"The battle is won. The King is dead. Valentine Cross has sent me to collect you."

Wesley's heart swelled at the news. He was alive. They had succeeded. He would see his siren again before the sun set. 

"I will be a moment," he called back down. The siren nodded and slipped beneath the waves again. 

Wesley turned back to the hodgepodge crew that remained. All of the men had come to his aid when he'd asked. He was forever grateful for the sacrifices many of them had made. 

"Thank you," he said, his gaze sweeping across the men before holding on Cassius and Castor. "You have no idea how much this means to me. You have saved us all."

He turned to Castor. "I am sorry for the Queen Adelaide, Captain Williams," he said. 

Castor shook his head. "She was insured. We will be all right."

Wesley nodded, knowing it to be true. 

"Every man who fought here today is a hero. I hope that the scales you amass from this battle are enough for you all to live comfortably for the rest of your lives," he said genuinely. 

"I must go now," he finished, "but I wish you luck in the aftermath of this day."

"I should go too," Evander stepped forward, causing Cassius to frown slightly. "There will be discussions of rebuilding and I should be present for them."

Wesley nodded.

"Will you come back to me?" Cassius asked Evander softly before he could step away. 

Evander nodded. "I would be a fool not to."

Cassius smiled as the smaller man rose to his toes and placed a chaste kiss on his jaw. With pink cheeks, Evander stepped toward Wesley, ready to see his home again, and ready for it to heal.