Deserter

FOURTEEN

{Chapter Triggers: BLOOD, mentions of a wound, of a blade, talking about tending the wound, a bit of anger/argument, discussion of battle, lack of trust. Those are all I can think of/figure out from reading through the chapter, I apologize if I missed any and feel free to inform me.}

Once they'd found a guard to watch King Thomas, Roman grudgingly helped Logan carry the Trickster down to the infirmary. There were several more occupied beds now, but they managed to lay Anxiety out on an empty cot before Patton came bustling out of his storeroom.

"Logan, Roman- oh goodness, Anxiety!" He set the things he was carrying on the nearest worktable and darted over. "What happened?"

"It seems he was stabbed while protecting King Thomas." Logan shot Roman a look as he said it. He knew the knight was least trustful of the man, and he hoped his expression made it clear that this was not the time to be titchy about it.

"Do you know where the wound is?" Patton scanned the man's body. It was unhelpful that Anxiety was wearing all black. 

"His side, I believe."

Roman nodded, holding up a hand covered in blood. "Over here."

Patton pulled a tiny surgical knife out of a sheath on his belt. Without a moment's hesitation, he'd sliced Anxiety's shirt open and shoved the pieces out of the way.

Logan stepped away from the table. Blood he could deal with, but he disliked the sight of wounds like that.

"It doesn't seem to have hit anything vital..." Patton murmured, leaning in and peering at the wound closely. "I don't see any signs of poison and," he paused and inhaled deeply. "I don't smell any either."

After a moment, he stood straight and looked at Roman. "You've stitched wounds before, have you not?"

Roman paused, thinking about it. "Once or twice, yes, but I believe I remember the basics."

Patton snapped his fingers twice. An orderly dressed in a white apron (smeared in blood) came scampering over.

"I need a needle, thread, and a candle brought to this bed." Patton ordered.

"Yes Sir Patton."

The orderly darted to the storeroom and Patton turned to Roman. "Stitch him up and bandage him. I've got to attend to some of the others that have been brought in with more serious issues."

Roman nodded quietly. It was rare that Logan saw him take direction so well, and even more rare for that direction to be from Patton, but he supposed the healer was helping Roman's own men and he understood the need for obedience.

Patton walked over to gather the things he had dropped earlier, and Roman accepted the tools the orderly handed him. He lit the candle and began to heat the needle, glancing at the girl again. "I need some sort of wet cloth as well."

She nodded and turned to fetch it.

"Logan."

He looked up. Roman was watching him.

"He will feel this, most likely. I need you to hold his shoulders down to keep him as still as possible."

Logan nodded, steeling himself and walking back to the bed. He avoided looking at the wound on the ex-assassin's side.

The orderly returned with two wet rags. Roman used the first to wipe as much blood from the wound as possible. Then he threaded the redhot needle and got to work.

Anxiety twitched under Logan's hands, but he kept a steady pressure on his shoulders to keep him still. With each pass of the needle, Roman wiped any extra blood off and ran it through the flame for a few moments again.

After several minutes, he wound the thread through itself several times to make a small knot and carefully set the needle down, sighing heavily.

"Do you believe him now?" Logan asked quietly as he let go of the man on the stretcher. They stepped out of the way as another orderly bustled over with more wet rags and a blanket.

He noted how Roman stiffened, and waited silently for the answer.

"I suppose I must." Roman said, through gritted teeth.

"But you don't want to."

The knight threw his hands into the air. "Is that really such a horrible fault?"

Logan grabbed his elbow as several orderlies shushed him, steering him out into the corridor. Roman crossed his arms, making a clear sound of annoyance.

"Roman, just calm down and speak your mind. Every time we have gotten into this discussion you let your emotions override your thoughts and it is hard to understand what you are attempting to convey." Logan said calmly.

He watched as the knight wrestled with his anger for a few moments, knowing he had finally overcome it when his shoulders became less tense and his arms fell to his sides.

"I feel I cannot," Roman paused and shook his head. "No, I know I cannot trust him fully. No matter how much he proves himself."

Logan nodded slowly. "You are the only one of us to have physically battled him before this."

"You've never seen him fight." Roman shook his head, turning to look at the door that they both knew Anxiety was lying behind. "Truly fight. My strongest men are terrified of him."

"Why?" Logan had seen the man in battle, but if his suspicions were correct Anxiety was holding out on them. Keeping his skills to himself.

He saw a shiver run along Roman's body. "Roman, what is so horrible that even you are afraid of him?"

"He laughs."

Logan paused. "I'm sorry?"

Roman shook his head, clenching his fists at his sides. He turned to Logan. "In battle, he laughs. One of the most terrifying things in the world is to turn to your enemy and to see him cackling like a madman as he lunges at you."

That did sound rather alarming. Logan nodded quietly.

"Then I will ask you this, Roman. I do not expect you to trust him, but allow me one thing."

Roman looked at him.

"Give him some leeway." Logan offered a humorless smile. "Keep an eye on him, worry about what he is doing, I don't mind. But allow him a bit more freedom. He has proven that he is on our side, he sacrificed himself for King Thomas readily."

Roman sighed and looked down, thinking.

"Very well."

Logan clapped a hand on his shoulder, nodding. He stepped back after a moment, and the king's two advisors tapped their right fists to their chests in a formal salute to each other.

"Sir Patton, Sir Patton!"

A young footman nearly knocked Logan over as he raced past him and into the infirmary. Roman raised his eyebrows and the two started to follow him.

They didn't get far. Patton burst out of the room with his medical kit. Seeing Roman and Logan, his face burst into a grin. "The king is awake!"

{For whatever reason my computer wants to autocorrect 'advisors' to 'advisers' but I know that's wrong. What is wrong with this thing?}