Heretics

Chapter 14: Healers and Home

"Run? You want us to run? Why so you can take off back home to your general?" Jespers voice was wavering. He was losing confidence in his little group.

"No because he's almost here. So run and hide. I'll get a message to you. If you want help you have to not die first." I stated more matter of factly then I meant to.

      "Kaz, we should go. I trust her." Inej broke the silence that hung in the air around us. Kaz looked at her like she had three heads.

     "Of course you trust your saint! Why wouldn't you!" Kaz put a rough hand through his hair and sighed. "Fine. But if I don't hear anything within the next three days I am coming back to the palace."

      "Fine. Now go before he gets here." The ran back to the carriage and took of. I stayed put until I couldn't hear the bourses anymore.

     I ran under a tree and put my hands through the mud. I put some on my kefta and over my face. I used the cut to make it look like tree branches had scraped and tore at my skin so when Kirigan found me it would look like I escaped my captors.

ALEXSANDER'S POV

I raced after Yelna on my horse. I didn't want anyone else dealing with this. No one could know that another sun summoner was out there. Outside of the palace walls. How anyone even got through the walls baffled me but they would be dealt with after I got Yelna back.

I had left the little palace only a few hours ago when the sun was still down. Alina should be sound asleep by now in her bed. Ivan should be watching over her.

My kefta billowed behind me as the horse galloped faster and faster. I rode and rode until the horse slowed down needing a rest. I led her over to a little stream near by and let her drink. I pet her mane and gave her an apple that was in the bag.

I looked down at the water catching my reflection briefly before the ripples took it away. I looked exhausted and worried. Something I was not accustomed to. I heard twigs break and snap behind me and I formed the cut between my hands. Slowly I turned around.

Yelna was standing in front of my. Blood and mud coated her face, arms, and kefta. Her kefta was torn and shredded in some places and her gloves were missing. She stumbled into the path and I ran up to her. The cut dissipating from my hands. She tripped and stumbled into my arms. I pushed her hair out of her face and picked her up.

YOUR POV

Aleksander picked me up and carried me over to the little steam his horse was drinking from. He pulled off my kefta and tore off a piece. He dipped it into the water and then proceeded to wipe the dirt and blood from my face and arms. I had been walking for a few hours since Kaz and the rest of them had run off.

I sighed and closed my eyes as I leaned my head against his chest. I was exhausted. My feet and legs ached and the little cuts and burns on my face and arms had begun to itch. I ignored the need to itch them. Aleksander moved my face so he was cupping it between his hands. I opened my eyes slowly. They felt heavy and like they could close at any moment.

"Yelna?" His voice caused me to stir in his arms a little. He was arm and I shivered against him. The cold air around us finally getting to me. HE shook off his kefta and put it around my shoulders and did the buttons up so I would remain warm. "Stay with me."

"Aleks?" I didn't finish saying his name before I started coughing. I was in worse shape than I had thought. I felt light headed and looked down at my arms. I could tell that some of the cuts were becoming infected. He put a hand on my forehead.

"You have a fever. We have to get you back to the Little Palace." He picked me up and leaned me up against a tree as he went to get his horse. He rode over to me and I shakily took his hand and climbed up. I was reminded about the first time I had been on a horse with him. On our way to the little palace.

"Aleksander," I whispered as I settled into my seat. I leaned against his chest and my breathing was heavy. I heard his heart beating through the ear I placed against his chest. He put his fingers under my chin and pulled it up so I was looking at him. "Kiss me."

It was barley above a whisper but I knew what I was saying. His eyes went wide for a moment before he leaned in closer to me. Our noses were almost touching and I closed my eyes. I felt his breath against my neck and I sighed. He placed a gentle kiss under my ear.

He kicked the sides of the horse and we took off at a slow trot at first. The movement causing me to cry out in pain. I grabbed a hold of Aleksander's shirt and bit my lip. I didn't realize the horrible bruise I had given myself when I fell in the carriage but it was more than obvious now. A silent sob escaped my lips and I buried my face into his shirt.

"I'm sorry moya soverenyi," Aleksander leaned down and used one of his hands to pull me closer. He kicked the horse again and this time it took off running. I bit my lips to keep from crying out. I continued to pull and tug at his shirt in pain.

Moya Soverenyi= my darkling

Aleksander held me close the whole ride back to the palace. It was a horrible pain filled ride. It took half the time it took him to get there to get back. He jumped from his horse carrying me in his arms to the healers. I groaned in pain. Looking up at him he looked at me.

"You're going to be alright moya soverenyi." He kissed my forehead and left me with the healers. I groaned again as I felt them begin their work. One of them touched my hip and I screamed out in pain.

I looked down to see what it looked like. It was thrombin and was a horrible black and purple color. It looked dislocated or worse. One of the healers called for a heart render to put me under but I refused.

"I can't. The people who took me had one. I can't be put back under. It will stop my heart!" I groaned in pain again. Ivan walked into the room as I spoke of it. He sighed and grabbed my hand. "Ivan."

"She's right her heart is under to much strain. We can't put her back under." He looked at the healers and told them to start on my hip after he counted to three. He would be here the whole time. "The general told me to stay with you. Alright, here we go. 1...2....3!"

I screamed in pain as my hip began to move under my skin. I felt pieces move to fit back into place and a huge bump formed where my hip had been resting for the last few hours. It was definitely going to be swollen for a while.

I the pain soon ebbed away as I began to loose consciousness. Ivan kept up my heart rate so I wouldn't fall asleep until they were done. He was worried that if I were to sleep now while they were working that I wouldn't wake back up.

When they were done Ivan let my hand rest down by my head. I curled in on myself as someone placed a blanket over me. I closed my eyes and just breathed. In and out. Slowly and i counted my breaths. I nodded off soon after.