Kingmaker

Tewkesbury #2

The knights continued to hold Ava's arms over their shoulders. Even as she insisted she could stand on her own, they held her still. The gash in her leg was numb, and no longer felt painful. Maybe it was just the initial shock that had caused her to limp with it. In silence, she watched as the remainder of the Lancaster forces came to a rest around them. Many of them stood bloodied, some gripping their wounds whilst others crouched to catch their breath and calm their shaking hands. Ava gently pulled away from the knights at her sides, taking a step forwards. She drew her sword, still sticky and dripping with the redness of blood. "King Edward was on this battlefield today. It was made very clear that several of us are wanted alive and are being made to suffer. Men. We won today. But this is not the end. We will go home tonight. We will eat well and rest. Your wounds will be tended to, and you will each receive coin for your efforts today. Those that are wounded, seek help of men around you. Be proud of what you achieved today, gentlemen. I'm proud of all of you. One thing I regret is that we won't be able to collect our dead this time. I cannot carry anyone. Pray for them to reach heaven, and let us head home" The men gave a cheer, before the march home began. Some men found horses along the way from small towns, putting the most severely injured in the saddle. The horses being led by those more able. Sir Richard had acquired a horse, riding himself with Ava infront of him. She had discarded her armour into a cart that was dragged by two large stallions behind them. It was restricting, and made her rather warm. Not to mention how muddy it was and how badly it smelt of blood and mud.
The towns they passed through had been quite generous. Horses, carts, food and drink had been given to them. What hadn't been as generous was the weather. In the miles they had ridden after the battle, another storm had rolled in. Making the ground much harder to cover for already tired and wounded men. The next 2 days would be hard. They knew that much.
As they rode, men switched with those walking and those on horses. Some of them stumbling as they walked from exhaustion. It was only when a man stumbled and fell did the group call for a camp to be set up so that they may rest and tend to their wounds. Ava more than welcomed it as Sir Richard gave the order to stop and make camp. Whilst he slid from the saddle, Ava leaned over the stallion's neck. Resting against the brown mane almost like she was hugging the stallion. Though it reminded her that her own mount had just fallen in battle. She'd lost Spur, and could still go home to Crispin. But losing a mount was still hard. Regardless of how long the rider had known said mount. Silently, Ava gripped onto the stallion with her left arm. Her right forearm feeling numb after a sword had taken a liking to it and found it's way between the cracks of her armour to cut into flesh. If she had wanted, she could drop from the saddle there and then. Quite literally falling to sleep. The wound in her head made that seem more and more likely. It ached, and stung in the cold air.
Around her, soldiers had set up camps. The less wounded tending to those with more severe injuries. It was a team that Ava was proud of. They cared for one another. Even if they too were wounded, they cared for the men around them. Ava herself could only smile faintly with one eye open as she rested against the stallions neck still. When both her eyes closed from exhaustion, anyone would've thought she was dead. One man did as he scrambled to the stallion, calling for Sir Richard and Sir George. The knights had rushed over to see Ava in the saddle, with Sir George taking the soldier under his arm carefully, leading him away with kind words. "Get some rest, my friend. She is exhausted, but thank you for alerting us to her before she fell from that saddle. You have done a duty today, my friend. Now get some rest" The soldier gave a few shaky nods, watching behind Sir George as Sir Richard pulled Ava from the saddle and into his arms. He thanked the Lord she was alive and just exhausted. It would've been devastating to lose her now. Or anyone now for that matter.
Sir Richard carried Ava into a red fabric tent under a tree, sheltered from the elements with their soldiers camped right next to them. They had purposely set up the tents right next to one another. This way they could see one another, and they could fend off some of the elements that could be thrown at them. The horses were tied nearby, with the carts blocking the tents from each direction. It was a nice little camp, really. It would do them well for a few days if they needed to stay for such amount of time.
In silence, Sir Richard cleaned himself up; wiping away the blood from his face and removing his armour as Ava slept nearby. He himself had received a few cuts and bruises here and there. But they were nothing to him, and had experienced far worse. Once he was done, he moved to Ava. Kneeling beside her as he wiped the blood from her face and head. The gash in her head was cleaned and stitched up quickly with supplies from the last town they had passed through. He then moved on to the gash in her forearm, repeating the same process there, and again in her thigh. The one in her thigh wasn't as bad as the other two, but it had still required stitches. In silence, he lifted her tunic to check her ribs. Her armour had been dented in the area. And that only screamed she'd been hit there. It was no surprise when he found more bruising. Nothing could be done for bruising. At least, not until they reached the castle. The last thing was her back. He rememberd that she'd fallen and he'd had to help her to stand. She still didn't wake as he rolled her onto her side to check her back. A very distinct bruise one more on her spine near her tailbone. That explained why it hurt at least. With a sigh, he rested her on her back once more. That was one battle in which he could've lost her. He couldn't bare the thought of it.
In silence once more, he stood from her side after pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. Exiting the tent to help with food preparations for the men that remained. Some had opted for sleep over food, so they didn't need much to be prepared really. But they would still prepare all they had so that those that had chosen sleep now could eat later. Ava being one of them. Some of the younger soldiers had said she should be awake. Saying she should be there to talk to them. Those that had spoken in such a manner had been quickly silenced by the elders. The elders knew that Ava should talk to them. But it wasn't needed immediately. She would talk to them later on. It was also quite difficult to form sentences when you were exhausted and dealing with a head injury.
Either way. They respected her choice not to talk. Besides. She needed the sleep right now.
They all did.

[Authors Note: This part is significantly shorter than the previous part. But that's expected. And trust me. I know how Ava feels with the head injury. When I was younger, I fell forwards onto my head, and cut my head open. I can still feel the scar. And believe me. It was quite difficult to form sentences for a while. Dizzy and probably dealing with concussion. I was like 7 or 8 at the time. Head injuries ain't fun. And I feel for Ava on this]