King of Days: The Veiled Guardians

13. Time of Healing

Karíto felt the warmth of light on his face, and opened his eyes. He looked around and saw a room that was foreign to him. It was some sort of recovery room, yet there was also ornately carved stone all over. He saw at the end of the room Captain William and Princess Lucia sitting down and talking. On noticing that he was awake, Princess Lucia ran to his side. "How are you feeling?" she whispered. "I heard that you had gotten hurt and felt bad for you"

The doctor walked in and came up to the bed. He cleared his throat. "We did what we could, however you have been poisoned, if it is not clear in a day, we may have to amputate." Karíto tried to roll onto his right side, but gave up because of the pain.

He heard the captain's voice "At least we now know that the brigands have been joined to a new group, since they have new weapons." Karíto looked to Lucia who kindly took his left hand to comfort him.

"Who are these brigands?" groaned Karíto.

He heard a gruff yet familiar response "migrants, angry dissenters.You met some on the road, when you saved the Princess." Karíto turned his head to the right, and saw the knight who saved him in a bed next to him. The man looked at him and sighed. "I caught a brigand rifling through some bodies, it was a trap and he got my leg, but I got his life." He pointed to his leg, it was covered in bloody gauze. "The thing won't stop bleeding" Karíto closed his eyes, let go of the princess' hand and reached toward his bandage.

As he pulled at the bandage he heard a voice caution "I wouldn't do that mate, it doesn't like the air." Karíto opened his eyes and pulled the bandage. It revealed a small wound surrounded by a green hue, and was seeping a yellowish pus. Immediately he felt a searing pain as the wound sizzled in the open air. He groaned in agony and fainted.

Princess Lucia glared at the doctor "Why did you let him do that!?"

The doctor shook his head as he began to redress the wound. "Some things are best learned through experience. He will hopefully listen next time" He chuckled. She silenced him with a scowl and stormed out.

For Karíto the night was horrible and restless, he was constantly taken by a fever, and would rech from the pain. In his delirium he heard the doctor say "We will have to amputate, if we want him to live." Despite the pain, all Karíto could feel was emptiness and darkness. A creeping sense of loneliness and fear began to take him, and he felt tempted to give into the pain. In his delirium he heard an indistinct murmur, a fell and unfriendly voice.

At the moment when he thought the pain could not get worse, he heard a distinct yet almost singing voice. "It's okay, just give up."

He was about to give in when he heard a different voice. It maintained a certain power and authority, and declared one word. "Salu"

He felt as if he was in broad daylight, and heard the powerful voice, but it spoke in the purest song. "Remove the bandage, the wound hates the light." Karíto let out a raspy sigh as someone grabbed his arm. He felt a deep and restful peace, one that he had never felt before. In the light he saw a face he did not know, but he completely trusted them.

He looked into the eyes of the person and yelled with all of his might "Do It!" The pain peaked like he was bathed by fire, but then like dew in the sun, the pain evaporated into nothingness. From sheer exhaustion he fell asleep. After what had felt like an eternity, Karíto opened his eyes to a new dawn. It was as if he was awakening for the first time in his life. He was in the same recovery room as before, but now a lone attendant sat across the room.

"You are awake!" Cried the man incredulously.

"And more than that" Karíto sighed as he sat up.

"Whow, take it easy," cautioned the man "for a moment we thought that we had lost you too." Karíto gulped and looked to his right and saw the other bed was empty. The attendant got closer and whispered "everyone else is at the funeral, they thought there would be a double funeral, but sometime last night your fever broke." Karíto looked at the pure white bandage on his arm. "It is a wonder that you are alive!" said the man as Karíto pulled at the bandage. "The poison is gone from your system, you still have a wound, but the doctor said it will heal." Karíto looked at the wound, it was clean, and was stitched up.