Recall mxm

Setting the Stage

"Enjoying your rest from work, Hollem?" Lady Lelynn said as she calmly walked into the room, her cane thumping unpleasantly loudly on the worn wooden floor. 

She had found out where they had worked the day after he'd been stabbed. To his surprise, she'd come with the magistrate and his lover, curious and eager to see how they would be taught by him and Amia. It had been a bit ugly, from what he'd been told. He was almost thankful that he'd already been unconscious from his injuries to actually see it.  

He was just opening his mouth to reply in a cautious manner when a giant dog padded into the room. The moment it saw him its ears pulled back and its upper lip lifted in warning. 

"Um, whose dog is that?" Hollem whispered as he tried to shift back in the bed a bit further. 

The thing was absolutely massive with a wiry coat and silvery dark fur. 

Lady Lelynn glanced at the dog and nodded, patting it on the head with her free hand. 

"His name is Kite, and I am baby sitting him. He was dropped off a few days ago." Lady Lelynn said with a smile, as if the dog couldn't easily take down every single person in the brothel without even trying. 

"That can't be a dog." Hollem said simply, still in awe of its massive size... and its massive teeth. 

Lady Lelynn chuckled. "He is a wolfhound, and he is not very fond of men." She said, her voice almost sounding excited about that little bit of information. 

"I see..." Hollem said as he glanced behind her toward the door, praying that someone would come take the crazy old woman and giant dog away. 

His prayers were thankfully answered, somewhat, before he could be eaten by the beast. The doctor who had been looking after him walked in, nodding to Lady Lelynn before giving the dog a wary look. 

"If you wouldn't mind, madam, I need to speak with Hollem." He said, gesturing toward the door. 

Kite growled loudly at his movement, making the man freeze in place until Lady Lelynn huffed and sauntered toward the door, only calling for Kite to follow after she was nearly out of sight. The moment the dog was gone the doctor walked to the door and shut it, allowing Hollem to breathe a little easier without that giant monstrosity staring daggers at him. 

"How are you feeling, Hollem?" The doctor asked as he began checking him. 

Hollem pursed his lips, but the doctor spoke before he could. 

"No, I will not clear you yet. You are obviously still in pain, since your breathing stutters slightly when you inhale. You got very lucky and the weapon missed your heart, but you still need to rest." He said as he straightened back up, earning a scowl. 

"I know you want to go be the hero, but the magistrate has already gathered enough evidence to start pushing your friend's uncle. Be patient, he'll be returned to you." He said, only making Hollem angrier. 

When he didn't respond, the doctor sighed and gathered his things, then left the room, shutting the door behind himself quietly. 

Left alone, Hollem leaned back against his mound of pillows and sighed up at the ceiling. He'd been waiting for days, since he'd first woken up, to hear about Amia being freed from his uncle's captivity. 

"What is taking so long? He is an older man with a few men, and Matilda, helping him. Surely it cannot be so hard to get Amia back to me." He said quietly, blinking away from his thoughts as the door opened again. 

"Abel?" He said as he straightened again, scooting back to try his best to sit up. 

He couldn't argue with the doctor, his chest did still definitely hurt.