After All

Chapter 8: Mysterious

It was very early in the morning when Artemisia was finally released from her sentence and sent to her room. Nolan was waiting for her with bandages and ointment in case Artemisia wasn't up to the task of healing herself. She sat quietly on her bed, facing the window with her exposed back towards her bedroom door. Nolan pulled up a footstool and sat behind her, dressing her wounds.

"How many did they give you?" He softly asked, dabbing Artemisia's back with a warm cloth to clean up the blood.

"Twenty." She murmured. Nolan paused for a moment to calculate the number of soldiers they lost before continuing to tend to Artemisia.

"We lost sixteen Skathi yesterday, and we would have lost more if it hadn't been for you," Nolan remarked, trying to comfort Artemisia as best he could.

"Can you heal yourself?" Nolan asked. When Artemisia did not attempt to reply, Nolan retrieved the medical supplies he brought with him.

"I'm sorry, Nolan, ... this is all my fault." Artemisia mournfully stated, wincing as Nolan poured the ointment on her back.

"Self-loathing won't heal your wounds," Nolan commented, hoping a reminder of how her powers work would be enough to calm Artemisia down.

"Besides. My sister is as crafty as she is resilient. She'll find somewhere safe to go." Nolan added, wrapping Artemisia's back with bandages.

"What I don't understand is what you were doing on the battlefield."

"I was... I was looking for Zane. I didn't realize what I was getting myself into." Artemisia confessed, feeling guilty that her concern for her friend made her lose her cousin.

"Yeah. I get that." Nolan replied, not wanting to admit that even he feared the endless cycle of vengeance and death that the Skathi had found themselves in.

"But that's only half the struggle. The people back home? They suffer too." Nolan added, buttoning up the back of Artemisia's shirt once all of her wounds were addressed. Artemisia pondered Nolan's words as he began to clean up. Suddenly Artemisia got an idea.

"The slums. That's where most of the banished nobles go, right? Maybe Desiree is there?" Artemisia suggested. Nolan contemplated her idea for a moment before responding.

"Well, it certainly won't hurt to look," Nolan replied, turning towards the door.

"I'm coming with you!" Artemisia insisted, wincing as she rose to her feet.

"Alright. Just keep your head down. And let me know if you're in too much pain." Nolan said, throwing his cloak around Artemisia's shoulders and pulling the hood over her head. He hoped that would be enough to keep his cousin safe for the time being. Just like they did days before, Nolan and Artemisia sneaked out through the servants' quarters and headed towards the slums of the Skathi village. Upon their arrival, Artemisia noticed that the village seemed less populated and quieter than the last time she visited. However, she had no time to reflect upon her surroundings when Nolan began his observations.

"We need to find an informant. Someone who knows these streets better than we do." Nolan thought out loud, holding his chin in thought. Out of the corner of his eye, Nolan spotted a twelve-year-old boy, begging the passerby for money.

"You there! Come here!" Nolan exclaimed, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a coin. The boy instantly ran over towards Nolan, eyeing the coin with wonder and yearning.

"Have you lived here a long time?" Nolan asked, pulling his hand away, so the boy couldn't snatch the coin out of his hand.

"All my life, sir." The boy confirmed.