A Mentor's Struggle

Chapter 14

Just as I was about to lead myself to my own room, I felt my lungs slowly beginning to explode as rasping coughs seized my body, and blood spilled out the sides of my mouth.

I slowly began to become cripple as my legs gave out, and I plunged to the ground, my head banging against the cold flagstones of the castle floors. The darkness vanquishing what little consciousness I had left.

I felt someone shaking me roughly and I wanted to scream as my head began to pound, giving me a herculean headache. I opened my eyes reluctantly to see Rowain holding my head, checking me for injuries worriedly.

I braced myself with my elbows and slowly propped myself into a sitting position.

"Benedict! What on earth happened! I- I thought-"

"Well, you thought wrong, whatever nonsense you came up with." I chided clutching the walls I pulled myself into a standing position.

I heard Rowain let out a small snort of contempt. I graciously decided to ignore it, though most masters could have beat their apprentices for that.

"What are we doing today? Curing smallpox? Malaria? A new foreign disease? Or are we starting with knight training?"

I rolled my eyes at his enthusiasm but I began to feel it wearing off. "No, actually. Lief requested for me to complete a mission for him, and he was generous enough to offer training the knights for a month. Due to the fact that Lief refuses to allow me to complete the journey alone, You will have the honor of accompanying me."

"What's this so called journey?"

"Nothing special, so don't get your hopes up. We have to travel to King Ezuras's kingdom to acquire helenium. Mixed with radish, bishopwort, garlic, wormwood, cropleek, and hollowleek, it creates a powerful yet basic tincture to heal headaches and joints. I had an abundant supply, but they have run dry and I desperately need a new collection."

"Wow. Sounds exciting."

"Not really. Oh wait, was that supposed to be funny?"

Rowain snickered at my lack of humor and I turned to walk to my room. I needed to feed the lynx previously inhabiting my quarters before I hit the sack.

The oversized wild house cat, in my opinion, took up half of my bed to my annoyance. I tried to move slowly, not wanting to scare it and be vigorously ripped apart by a cat of all creatures.

I laid a piece of venison on the floor as a peace offering and the lynx lifted her head drowsily, being momentarily aroused from her slumber. It first eyes the meat, then flicked its gaze to me wearily, as if it was deciding to trust me or not.

When its eyes glared at me, I felt as if he could see right through me, to the depths of my soul and the wall behind me. I cautiously took two steps forward and the animal did not move.

I walked even closer, and managed to sit on the edge of the bed without it so much as blinking. Shakily, I lifted my hand and reached out to it.

It gave out a tiny hiss, alost under its breath. I continued nonetheless and finally rested my palm on her head. At first, her eyes shone with panic, but I continued stroking her until I felt her lean into my touch slightly.

When she first let out a purr, the volume of it almost scared me to death. I felt as if the whole castle was vibrating like an earthquake. I slowly rubbed her head and worked my way down to her bandages. I met her gaze nervously, but cautiously began to unravel the cloths around her wound.

She let out a low growl as I pressed a towel against it, and she started flexing her claws on the bed. I gulped and continued wrapping her waist.

Fortuitously, I pressed harder than I intended and she let out a fearsome howl, slashing her claws across my neck, below my chin.

I hissed in pain and felt beads of red vital fluid rolled down my neck, oozing down to my chest and staining my shirt. The cat, however, couldn't move because of her wounds so she settled for glaring at me coolly.

I returned the look with an equivalent passion and walked to the mirror beside my window. Four, angry slashed were strewn across my throat, and it might have killed me had it been any deeper.

I snatched a blanket from my bed and pressed it against my neck. The blood was still gushing through, and I knew I would have to sew it.

I grimaced at the thought, knowing it would be next to unfathomable to operate on myself. I had one hope.

Rowain.

I moaned in disdain at the thought of the clumsy boy stabbing me with a needle, but I never thought he would be my apprentice either yet here we were. I shakily finished wrapping the lynx and climbed down the ladder to my room filled with apprehension.

"Rowain?" I called softly halfway hoping he wouldn't respond.

To my overflowing fortune I head a small,
"Yes, Benedict?"

I clenched my fists and walked into the boy's newly acquired chambers. He had done a neat job of tidying up, sweeping and scrubbing the floors and dusting the walls.

"Did you need me for something? I thought lessons didn't start until tomo-" he stopped mid sentence as he eyd my wound. "How the heck did you manage to hurt yourself that badly?"

"Shut up." I grumbled. " I need you to sew this. Do you know how?"

"Do I know how?" he said rolling his yes mockingly. "I wasn't born yesterday, Benedict! My sister taught me how to sew."

"I highly doubt your sister knows how to stitch skin together. I consider it an art."

"Same thing as clothes, isn't it? It'll be a breeze!"

"Those are two entirely different things!"

"How do you mean? Both involve needles, and a willing participant."

"Who said I'm willing?"

"Hey, you came to me. Now do you want my help or not because you're starting to turn pale."

Obtunded, I nodded weakly. Carefully, and I was sure to take note, he went as gently as he could as he poked the small needle through my chin. I gritted my teeth but met no sound escape so as to distract him or make him jump.

Due to my ongoing auspicious nature, Lief chose to walk in the door at that precise moment. Rowain whipped his head up to look at the king and his hand jerked, sending the needle further into my throat.

"Lief!" I spat angrily as Rowain was frantically trying to pull the needle out without harming me.
Lief shot me an apologetic glance, taking in the situation.

"Good gracious! What on earth did you do to your neck?"

"Your starting to get your memory back, correct?" I muttered, trying not to move my jaw so much as Rowain continued his work. Lief nodded in agreement and his eyes all the sudden lit with recognition.

"That cat! I told you it was a bad idea, you idiot."

"It's a working progress." I retorted.

Lief snickered and leaned back in the chair beside me, playing at the charade of being amused at my pain. Out of nowhere with minimal warning, I feel the needle jerk again and lodge itself into my jaw, though how I've not the slightest idea.

"Sorry!" I hear Rowain babble.