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Post by karenee on Sept 5, 2006 10:36:41 GMT -5
Kaie blinked back tears and glanced around, wondering if there was anything she could do.
______
Beagan bowed his head as he finished the tale he had constructed so carefully. Would Kaefeir see through it?
"Kaie escaped to the South?" Kaefeir seemed frustrated, but not angry.
Beagan stifled a sigh. "I followed her as best I could. When Rhakar killed the rest of our group, I decided to follow and see what he planned. I lost them and spent a week seeking their trail. I would not have traced them, but they came out of hiding when you attacked Sherwydd. I believe they have gone south for assistance in battling you. As I said, when I saw what they were about, I thought I should let you know. I'm confident I can pick up their trail again."
Kaefeir grimaced. "Without Rhakar she will be defenseless. You said he did not revive? You need not have followed him. I ensured his death before letting him go. Next time, ask. Finish the matter of Kaie, Beagan, and do not fail me again. Even you must be able to deal with this alone; I will need my warriors elsewhere."
"Yes, Kaefeir!"
Hastily, Beagan left the hall and hurried to his hut. All was as he had left it. Avoiding all eyes, he gathered his packs and ran toward the gate. He knew what they were thinking anyway. They had said it often enough. A new eagerness rose within him. Could his life be different now? Had he finally found true companions?
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Post by Dred on Sept 5, 2006 14:15:46 GMT -5
Reaching out his good hand he patted Kaie on the arm gently. It'll be alright. The One is in control and if he wants my arm then that is how it must be.
Cyfnach continued working out the poison before looking for a dagger. Do we have a dagger or something else that is sharp here? I need something to cut away the dead flesh before it eats away at what is left of him.
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Post by karenee on Sept 5, 2006 21:02:40 GMT -5
Kaie pulled her dagger from her belt, then let go of Rhakar's hand. "I have to at least wash it!"
___________
Beagan trekked away from where he knew his friends were hiding. It would be just like Kaefeir to send someone after him to spy. Carefully, he chose his route, leaving clear prints going south before he climbed into some rocky terrain where it would be virtually impossible for anyone so see where he'd gone. Doubling back took some time because he kept checking his backtrail for followers, but he eventually made it to the river and swam over, crawling up a more hidden part of the bank and into the hollow where he hoped his friends still rested.
Startled at the low moans he heard as he drew closer, he hurried into the hollow to see Cyfnach bending over Rhakar's shoulder. Kaie hurried toward them with a dagger, still dripping.
"What's going on?"
Kaie stopped and stared at Beagan for a moment, but her eyes soon focused on the packs. "What do you have in there? Is there a flint? We need a fire to cleanse the blade and heat water for Rhakar's wound."
Beagan leaned over Rhakar and handed Kaie the packs. "There are herbs in the top of the smaller one, along with flint and a pot." Rhakar's face was pale and damp with sweat, his eyes closed and his jaw clenched tight against the pain. The ground beneath his shoulder was wet with blood and puss.
Beagan soon realized what Kaefeir had been talking about when he'd said he'd made sure Rhakar wouldn't live. Gritting his teeth, Beagan muttered, "He poisoned him!" Behind him, he heard the grating click of striking flint and he turned to help Kaie. "I'll get the water." He noticed the pile of twigs she was working with and winced. "Uh...actually, I'll make the fire. Those will smoke. You get the water." Pretending to ignore her glare, he took the flint from her hand and went in search of wood. It took only moments to find a dead bush, and even less time to build a tiny fire. By the time Kaie arrived with the dripping pot, the wood had caught, and he was searching for a rock or two with which to prop the pot.
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Post by Dred on Sept 6, 2006 15:30:55 GMT -5
Cyfnach continued working as he noticed Kaie and Beagan working rapidly to gather the necessary items to help save Rhakar's arm. He mumbled under his breath as he noticed Rhakar's breathing growing more and more shallow.
Pulling back the shirt from Rhakar's side, he noted the deeply discolored bruises and bulging sores that were rapidly appearing. The poison was moving faster than he had anticipated. The spread was working up and down his side but moving invariably inwards towards his heart.
Reaching over, he pushed back the lids to Rhakar's eyes and noted how only the whites were visible. He was quickly losing control and would start spasming shortly if they didn't rush to counter the effects of the poison.
A long drawn out moan escaped Rhakar's lips as his body started to shake. It was all Cyfnach could do to keep Rhakar from thrashing on the ground. He looked up and asked for help from any of them to keep him still.
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Post by karenee on Sept 7, 2006 11:50:23 GMT -5
Beagan hurried over to help as Kaie thrust the blade of the dagger into the fire, nearly knocking over the pot of water. Wiping the still heated blade on her tunic, she hurried over and handed it to Cyfnach before turning away and hurrying back to the fire. Clutching her stomach, she took deep breaths and attempted to think of something she could do...while not looking at Rhakar's wound. Soon the water boiled and she carried the pot over to Cyfnach, careful not to look too closely. "Should I put out the fire?"
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Post by Dred on Sept 7, 2006 19:07:17 GMT -5
Cyfnach nodded his head as the convulsions hitting Rhakar subsided for the moment. Keep the fire going for now. This may be touch and go for a while. You see how the poison has spread already?
Cyfnach began cutting away at the ruined flesh and exposed what lay beneath and it nearly made him gag with disgust. Small little creatures were gnawing at the skin and flesh beneath the surface. Maggots and other small parasites nearly made him lose what little he had in his stomach but gritting his teeth and gestured for the water. This is going to be horribly painful for him but it'll need to be done. Pour a very small amount of that water on the wound. We've got to clean away these...things that are eating him.
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Post by karenee on Sept 8, 2006 12:18:48 GMT -5
Kaie added a couple twigs to the fire and looked up to see how much smoke it was making.
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Post by Dred on Sept 11, 2006 8:40:19 GMT -5
The water washed out the wounds and after removing some of the dead tissue, Cyfnach applied some sweet smelling roots to the wound. Ripping a short segment of his clothing, he bound a strip around the wound and sat back to wait. It's all a matter of time now. We'll have to see how this heals. If it works, we'll know in a few hours. If it doesn't, we'll have to remove the arm.
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Post by karenee on Sept 11, 2006 10:41:15 GMT -5
Kaie put out the fire and studied Beagan from across the clearing. "Where did you get all that stuff?"
Hovering over Rhakar, Beagan almost seemed not to have heard her for a moment, then he looked up. "I went back to the village." She saw him brace for her response.
"Oh." Taking a deep breath, Kaie tried to think through the ramifications. "Why?"
Beagan shook his head. "Kaifeir would have sent someone out to hunt and kill me if I hadn't returned. He doesn't take deserters lightly. Now, he thinks he has sent me on a mission, and I am free. If I don't return, he will assume I am dead. I think he hopes I'll die." His jaw tightened and he turned away. "If Rhakar survives I will tell him more, but do not interrogate me now."
Kaie felt frustration rise within at his direct rebuff, but knowing her own pain over Rhakar's condition, she refrained from speaking and sat staring across the clearing, pondering all that had happened and trying to decide what she might do next. But the path ahead was too unclear, depending on the life of her friend and the faithfullness of this new companion. Eventually, her eyes drooped closed and she fell asleep.
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Post by Dred on Sept 11, 2006 13:03:04 GMT -5
His dreams were full of turmoil as he fought the poison in his body. Every time he felt himself rising to the surface and nearing wakefullness, something drug him back down into the darkness. He felt adrift and constantly searching for a way beyond the confines he felt closing ever tighter about him.
He shivered and felt cold pass through his entire being before suddenly it was intense heat that penetrated his body.
Cyfnach sat still and watched the inner struggle taking place inside Rhakar. There was great strength there but also great pain. He could only wonder which would claim posession of Rhakar. He heard the words being exchanged between Beagan and Kaie and let them pass him by. His eyes glanced over them both and realized they were trying to control themselves.
He sighed deeply as he leaned back to stretch his cramping muscles. He mumbled to himself as his eyes once again traced a pattern over the darkened skin on Rhakar's side. It is so hard to tell right now if it is healing or not. At least it isn't spreading any more.
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Post by karenee on Sept 13, 2006 12:43:32 GMT -5
Kaie awoke, finally feeling as though she had caught up on the sleep she'd been missing. Dusk was settling over their tiny hollow, and she looked over to see Cyfnach had fallen asleep at his post beside Rhakar. Groaning a little, she stood and stretched. Rita was nowhere to be seen, and Beagan strode into the clearing and dropped a load of dry wood just as she started to wonder where he'd gone. "Where's Rita?" she asked, trying not to sound as if she thought he'd absconded with the child.
Beagan shrugged, but didn't look offended. "She's around. I think she's been waiting for you to wake up."
"How's Rhakar?" Kaie glanced over at the still forms of her friends and, for a moment, wondered if she might lose them both. Shuddering at the thought, she looked away and saw Beagan's unguarded expression, tense and grim. He didn't seem to know if Rhakar would make it either. She sighed. "Never mind."
Slowly, she approached, looking for signs of life. He was still breathing, a raspy, shallow sound. Relieved, she settled beside him and listened for any sign of Rita. They still hadn't talked and she knew the girl would have questions.
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Post by Dred on Sept 13, 2006 15:37:13 GMT -5
He stirred restlessly in his sleep and moaned as he felt himself rising to wakefullness only to be drug back down into a darker slumber.
The sounds stirred Cyfnach and his eyes opened slightly. He noticed Kaie immediately as she sat nearby Rhakar but also took in Beagan's form building up the fire once again. He's still sleeping it seems. That's better than I had hoped. It means his body is still fighting the poison and there's still a chance for him.
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Post by karenee on Sept 15, 2006 13:29:53 GMT -5
Kaie sighed. "I hope he makes it. We need to get out of here before we are discovered. I'd hate to see what Kaifeir would do to him...and the rest of us." She glanced at Beagan and saw his face tense. Did he fear her father so much? How would that fear affect him? Would he betray them to save himself? He had gone back, it seemed to help cover their tracks, but it could just be a story.
Kaie bit her lip and looked down as Beagan glanced her way. If she could only place him into a category in her mind--friend, enemy, acquaintance--it would be so much easier to ignore him. She gazed into Rhakar's face, trying to read his expressions to gain insight into his dreams...and forget Beagan's presence.
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Post by Child of Immanuel on Sept 15, 2006 13:56:05 GMT -5
Rita wasn't sure where she was. She had gotten the water in the leaf after some difficulty but had gone the wrong way returning. "Seriously," she muttered, "how did I go the wrong way when I only had to walk straight and down into the dell?"
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Post by dafyd on Sept 15, 2006 14:59:00 GMT -5
The longer the journey went the group became more silent. Joe noticed it but didn't understand the reason of their sadness and feared of what's ahead[is this right?? I don't know how to express it]. After several days of traveling Cinnia came to him and explained him that they'll only have to walk over the next hill. She also instructed him of being careful and staying next the group. When he went over the hill he saw the village and suddenly knew the reason for all the sadness. It wasn't really a village, it was a couple of burnt houses and in the middle he saw people between the ruins of a great hall or something like that. Cinnia and the other people stared in disbelief at the burnt place. When they started crying Joe suddenly felt wrongly at the place.
Joe was the first who noticed the crowd of people coming nearer hesitately.
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