The Necromanced (Being Edited 7/21/14)

Chapter Fourteen: Mortiferæ

Chapter Fourteen: Mortiferæ

I woke to birds outside my window, it was almost as if they had been charmed there. Then remembering where I was I figured they very well might have been. I saw a blue one perched on the sill. I was almost tempted enough to reach out and touch it. It's small blue feathers were perfect, almost too perfect. I got up, my palace room was warm, someone had made use of the fireplace while I had slept. I wasn't sure how I felt about random strangers making changes to my chambers as I slept. I desperately needed a ride. I'd been away from Faith and Eddie for little more than a day, but my muscles craved more. All this sitting around was starting to wear at my nerves. It was never  the life I was meant for. 

It was early, I could see that it had rained while I slept. The sun was just gliding over the skyline. I got up and dressed quickly. I had insisted on keeping my old clothes. I was most comfortable in them, though plenty of the maids complained hoping to convince me otherwise. Needless to say it didn't work. I slipped on a pair of dark brown pants and headed for the stables. The shirt I wore was long sleeved and black. I didn't pay much mind to the chatter which followed me down the hall as I headed towards Faith. To my surprise Tore was sitting near the fence of Eddies stall.

"Didn't expect to see you here." I called out as I got closer. I wasn't sure exactly what else to say.

"Me either," He said with a small smile, it was only a hint of the old Tore. "Figured they'd have you in a dress and some nice shoes by now." He joked.

"Yeah I don't give up that easy." I said lightly.

"So what are you doing here?" He said changing the subject.

"I was just lonely and wanted to ride I guess." I said with a small shrug.

"Would you mind some company?" Tore asked earnestly.

"I don't think it'll kill me." I joked. We made small talk as we tacked up the horses. It was slightly chilly making the horses uneasy in their stalls. I wasn't too worried about them. Tore was another matter. He hadn't been himself since we had gotten back. I wondered if it was because of the wedding plans, or whether it was something else. And then there was that strange man, had he seen what I had done with the little boy in the square. What had I done in the square? I couldn't explain it any better than I would've in the moment it happened. Those words. I had written them somewhere. In the little book.

"You coming?" Tore asked with a smile, he was already  in the saddle. Eddie looked packed full of energy. Faith was timid, but just as excited as he was. I mounted up and we were off. Tore rode towards the forest, I hadn't seen it before but we rode on anyway. The path was perfect for riding. We reached a steady gallop, Eddie was bigger than Faith but she wasn't going to let that get in her way. She just ran harder and harder. I looked back at her sides and saw sweaty foam at the edges of her saddle blanket. When we reached the end of the path we slowed them to a halt and walked back. The horses were exhausted.

There was a rustle in the brush, it was too large to be a small animal. I smelled something I had before the blue monster rushed out of the brush. I reached for the knife at my side. Holding Faiths reins in my right hand I held my blade in my left. It was the stronger of the two. "Tore," I whispered.

"What, what is it?" He asked, sounding not quite scared only partially alarmed.

"There's something in the brush." I said barely above a whisper. I saw a flash of red before the brush went still again. It was circling. I gripped the knife hard, Faith started pacing pulling away. The brush behind us rustled. It was moving faster. It leaped from the brush onto Faiths back. Her eyes went wide. She took off down the path the red beast atop her. Tore was desperately trying to hold Eddie in his place. I took the reins from him and swung up pulling him with me. I kicked Eddie into a canter. Faith was out of sight but I could hear her. Tore held on as tight as he could across my stomach. There was no time for politeness. I ducked under as many branches as I could. Eddie was at a gallop now. I could just see Faith, there was a bright red blur on her back. We rode closer. Faith was at a dead panic. I urged Eddie on. When we got close I saw Faith's legs buckle under her. The red creature was at her throat. I slowed Eddie down enough to dismount before I was face to face with the red beast. It all happened too fast for me to think. "mortiferæ!" I shouted it loud as I could before savagely burring my blade in the beasts side. To my surprise it was already cold.

Eddie paced, hot sweat dripping down his sides. Tore looked shaken. Faith was bleeding from a bite on her neck. I hated seeing her like that. I knew riding Eddie any harder would ruin him. Tore leaped down to the ground to help put pressure on the wound. I had to go. I started running.

I felt my lungs burn as I ran. My feet barely hit the ground, though I felt the stones grind into my heels as I pressed on. I reached the palace gate out of breath. The guards came near to help but I was in no condition to let them near me. My adrenaline rushing through my veins. I didn't mean to hurt them as they drew near I growled menacingly. But there was no time. I quickly told them what I needed and they were off to get it for me. I wasn't sure how I felt about having that much power. At the moment it seemed irrelevant. They brought two horses, the palace healer and a bag of sutures and bandages.

I mounted up and was once again on my way. My breath still not at its usual resting rate as I rode. The healer had tried for a heartbeat to keep me from joining her on the ride but soon discovered it was pointless. We reached Faith to find Tore looking very grim as he held pressure on the bite wound. The healer rushed over with her saddle bag full of supplies. She poured several ointments to ward off infection before suturing the wound together. Some of the flesh was so torn the healer had to cut it off. Faith hadn't stood in over an hour. The blood loss was getting to her. She slowed down, not moving much. The healer did what she could, but I could tell it wasn't good.

The healer finally sighed and turned to give me the prognosis. "You should say goodbye, it would be savage to keep her alive any longer now." Her voice sounded more than disappointed. She sounded in pain. Like she could feel what was going on. 

"Okay, give me a minute." I said quietly. I wasn't sure what I was going to say or do, only that I had to try.

The healer left her shoulders slumped, she headed to treat Eddie for any damage that had occurred during the chase. 

"Faith," I said feeling silly and hopeless. It was like a crushing weight I couldn't lift. "I don't know how to–" I broke off not sure what I was going to say. "I'm gonna try and get you back okay. You're going to be okay." My eyes started to blur as I looked down, she was barely breathing now. I wasn't sure what I was doing. I lent down and whispered in her ear. "vitam perducat." I wasn't even sure how I knew what it meant. All I knew was it would bring her back. It had done it before. 

I found that I had closed my eyes tight. They were squinted and watery. I wiped the water away as best I could. I saw Tore coming out of the brush. My hand went instinctively to my knife when I saw the brush move at first. I relaxed as soon as I recognized him. "How's she doing?" The way he said it would've betrayed no emotion, but his eyes were anxious.

"I don't know," I said not sure of much. "She didn't look good, but maybe..." I continued trailing off.

"I'll go ask." His eyes never leaving his feet. He came back a moment later looking grim. Faith was still laying on the ground, her breathing had quickened. I stroked her side being careful to avoid the old marks. Tore sat next to her for a moment without saying anything. Finally it was Faith who broke the silence. She stood up gingerly. Her legs looked unstable, like it hurt to breath, but she was breathing.

Tore and the healer who had returned looked shocked that she was even able to move. Less than a minute ago she was nearly dead. She wasn't in great shape at the moment, but at least now she had a chance. We walked back with both horses, the healer kept checking and rechecking the horses condition muttering about ointments and spells, even witchcraft for a heartbeat. Tore and I did our best to ignore her, for all the talk she hadn't done Faith much good.

When we got back I took Faith directly to the stable and made sure to redo the bandages and make sure the sutures were still secure. The healer did a decent job, though it was obvious she was used to human patients and was far less competent with horses. I reminded myself for the millionth time today the thing that mattered was Faith was alive. I tactfully tried to forget the fact that I had done something twice today to shift the balance, and I had no idea what that was.