Spirits

Ch. 13 Castle Clio

Henry lay sleeping comfortably in a wagon that The Wanderers had so kindly allowed us to use. We are travelling with them to Henry's castle.

"Uncle have you any word from him?"

"Aleah you know you would be the first to know if I had heard anything."

"Yes uncle. Thank you." I said sadly.

I walked back towards mine and Henry's wagon. He was awake and sitting up.

"How are you?" I said as I walked in and sat next to him.

"I've been better." He smiled.

"Well you look better. Are you hungry? Can I get you anything?"

"Aleah you can start by telling me what happened."

"Oh what do you mean?" I asked cheerfully.

"What happened with Primo?"

"Henry I really would rather not." I looked at him pleadingly.

"I really rather would." He said slyly.

"Fine if you get up and come walk with me I will tell you." I said and walked right out of the wagon.

It was getting cold and I you can tell just by looking at the trees that winter was approaching fast. I didn't want to let the cold bother me but it just does. It puts me on edge because winter is the time when enemies try and take advantage. Henry wasn't seriously injured. I mean he broke three ribs and was stabbed but other than that he is okay. I know how much pain he is in but I am just happy he is alive. I walked just around our campsite to keep warm and I passed around our wagon to see Henry limping slightly out of the wagon. He nearly collapsed on the stairs leading down from it and I ran to help him.

"So now we can talk?" He asked out of breath.

"Yes while I look after your dressing." I said indicating to his side with broken ribs.

"Deal." He said.

I slowly helped roll him onto a boulder that was sitting under a large oak tree. He grunted even from the gentle impact of being set down. He took his shirt off so I could see and it wasn't pretty. His entire right side was bruised. It was funny shades of blue, black, green, and purple.

"Ow." He suddenly said.

"I'm sorry." I backed my hands away slightly.

"No its all right just get it over with."

I, as gently as I could, tore the bandage off of his stab wound and saw it was healing nicely. There was no sign of infection at least that I could tell, but I am no doctor. I whistled and Jynx came out from under the wagon.

"Jynx can you get the bandages from the chest in the wagon please."

"Of course." She turned to go and as she did so she gave Henry a strange look.

I shook it off as nothing. "Bertha! Can someone send Bertha please!"

Bertha is the lady in camp who heats the water and brings hot water to whomever is in need. Bertha came a few moments later with hot water and Jynx returned after her with her mouth full of cloth wrappings and a rag as well.

I took the rag and dunked it in the hot water Bertha had brought. Everyone warned me that one of these days the water would burn my hands clean off, but I had burned my hands so many times that I couldn't even tell anymore if they were really burnt or not.

I looked worried and I knew it but I hated changing his dressing almost as much as Henry does. Because his stab wound is right on top of his broken ribs and the only way to clean a wound like his is to apply pressure it puts him in excruciating pain.