Dorothy

Chapter 12

They didn't stop moving until they were surrounded by a labyrinth of buildings and Rosie's sensors weren't picking up any nearby life. Rosie wanted to keep them moving even farther, But Dorothy's leg was pouring blood that was soaking her shoe, and Auden and Ronan were stumbling under the weight of Thayer, who seemed to have passed out.

"No, Rosie, no. We can't go any father. Dorothy's in no shape to travel, and this guy isn't exactly a pixie," Ronan said as Rosie tried to urge them toward the next block. "We're as safe here as anywhere, which is to say, not very safe, but lets's not waste our fast-draining energy."

If she didn't know better, Dorothy would have thought that she heard Rosie give a sigh through her speaker, but the android relented in the huffy way of turning off for the night. Dorothy collapsed gratefully, her back against a window-less, building. Her leg was on fire now. Pulsing, throbbing. She was getting woozy now. Oh, she was going to throw up.

"Oh. Oh. Yeah. That's gross. Yep. Just get it all out. Don't mind us over here," Ronan said as Dorothy wretched. She knew he was trying to lighten the mood, but he really wasn't helping. Auden dropped Thayer's legs and moved toward Dorothy. He put his arm under hers and helped her to her feet, supporting her away from the pile of sick. She stumbled and almost fell several times. Ronan gave a little huff and dragged Thayer, rather unceremoniously, after them.

After about fifteen feet Auden lowered Dorothy toward the ground, then went back, grabbed Rosie, and set the android next to her. Dorothy thought that she might pass out too. Ronan slumped Thayer on Dorothy's other side and knelt down next to her.

"Alright," Ronan muttered, "let me have a look at that leg."

Auden held our his hand toward Ronan's chest, warding him off. "I think you've done enough. "

"Yeah? What's that supposed to mean. It may have escaped your notice, since you do tend to be rude, but I'm a bio-scientist and I can deal with this better than anyone else here."

"Well, it may have escaped your notice, but we never wanted you to come along. We never wanted you here. You haven't exactly been a big help so far."

"OH! And your have. I see how it is. You, staying huddled in alleys because their's a price on your head, you, slowing us down because of 'weak muscles.' Oh, forgive me, I forgot how all important you are to this operation!"

"Guys, please,"Dorothy tried weakly. They ignored her.

"I have been risking my neck for you from the first day that Thaumaturge Elwyn sent me here. Remember the market? Who got us through that? Who is that reason that you're still alive? Me. That's who. Me, going about in a glamour to get food. And now, I will fix Dorothy, because you're too useless to do it yourself!"

Auden made to lunge at Ronan, but before he got to him, Dorothy felt movement beside her and suddenly Thayer was there, a great paw-sized hand on each of their chests, holding them apart easily despite their struggle to get at the other.

"This solves nothing and doesn't help Dorothy. Such discord is not tolerated in the ranks of the queens soldiers, but I will allow you your opinions. The important thing is tending to Dorothy so that we may move on as quickly as possible," Thayer said.

The two seemed to realize the wisdom in his words, and Auden sulked to the other side of the alley while Ronan tugged the makeshift bandage off Dorothy's leg.

The artificial morning found them all exhausted, Thayer ravenous, Dorothy's leg so tightly bound that she was surprised she could move it at all, Auden and Ronan shooting glares at each other over their breakfast of stale bread, and Rosie confused on what had transpired over the night.

By the time they set out, Dorothy was leaning on Thayer's shoulder to walk. She couldn't honestly say that the beast man didn't still make her nervous, especially hungry, but she was so fed up with the other two that she didn't really want to walk by them all day.

So began another day of walking through Artemisia. They were close now, Rosie had said that it would only be a few more hours.

As they walked, Dorothy tried several times to make quiet conversation with Thayer, but it turned out that he wasn't the type to chat. After about an hour Dorothy was stumbling. Auden had just started to say, "Do you think that we should st-" when Thayer, without a pause, swept her up off the ground and carried her.

Another hour brought an excited announcement from Rosie.

"The place that Elwyn mentioned is just around this corner."

Everyone crowded eagerly toward the android and peered around. Rosie's prong indicated a tall, pale-blue structure rising maybe half a block away. They headed toward it purposefully and Ronan raised his hand and rapped on the white door. It opened almost immediately to reveal a short woman with a huge smile.

"Well, well, don't let the chill in, come in dears, come in!"