The Exiles

31a. Chymer Keep

Ursa stared at the heavy, gilded doors of what used to be the grand hall of the castle, now the infirmary for those injured, or worse, dying. Back on earth, she would have been one of the brave-hearted maidens, rushing in there to heal those she could; to put her weave to good use, some of it anyway. But now? Now she froze, still in her battle armory, still with the signature of her Commander's weapon buzzing through her veins. Still with blood-encrusted clothes and trimmings. She'd managed to at least wash them off her face and hair. The cold water dripped now and again from her limp hair, crawling down her spine. Yet she froze.

In and out, many men and women went, some healthy, some hobbling, some bawling their eyes out. Amer too had slipped in a while ago, and Papa, but she couldn't bring herself to walk in. She could hear the chatter behind the door, dull, then loud every so often, with anguish.

The worst of the injured soldiers were inside, Anteri or Chymer. It did not matter anymore.

More were being brought in from the battlefield. Where they were all being fit was a question she pondered, rather than the one soldier she was keen on. One soldier who was already inside from what Papa told her earlier.

Attin.

Attin was inside.

Papa had told her this was where he'd brought Attin before the truce was called. Truce between two opposing armies, now melded into one, one that vowed to save their queen... but how? She could not even fathom. Chymer keep was days away. Mama was days away. By the time they reached her, would they even be able to save her? Would Attin be there...?

Alas, she did not know how extensive his injuries were...

The door opened then as a maid rushed out with a bucket sloshing red with blood and bandages. "Forgive me, commander, but your brother calls you to join him."

Is that Attin's? Ursa struggled to peel her eyes off the red. "Thank you."

"He's right over there." She shrugged in a vague direction, standing there holding the door ajar. But Ursa didn't need instructions. She could hear her brothers' voices over the din. Papa? He'd been quiet far too long.

She drew a breath in as she watched the maid hurry away to fetch fresh water from the well in the courtyard. Then she finally stepped in.

***

"Why the long face, sister? Disappointed to see me still kicking?" Attin winked as Ursa came into view, looming tall over the cot where he lay. He could hear the wince of pain in his own voice, though he tried to keep her from hearing it. She did not need to know how close to death he'd been. 'An inch to your right, my lord'—the physician had said, though Attin had only heard the words 'my lord' with interest—'and you would have bled surely to your death.'

"I see your tongue is intact!" She tried to smile.

He watched her sit at the edge of his bed, eyeing Amer, stood on the other side with Papa nowhere to be seen. "Where is Papa?" she asked then, a look he couldn't place washing over her features.

"They are at the castle temple. It's the only place that's not crawling with folks—trying to figure out how to get to Chymer, to..." Amer glanced his way and tapered off.

"What? What is happening?" Attin tried to sit up straight, folding over in pain as the stitches to his side strained. "I put my feet up for a minute and you two look as though the world is ending."

"You don't worry about a thing. Just rest." Amer stood, ready to leave. "I might try to see if I can be of use to them... though I don't see how..."

Before Attin could speak again, his brother scurried off through a large set of doors, presumably to get to the temple.