Butterflies of Blood

Chapter 8

The sun had just crept lazily above the horizon when Shah woke. He sat up, shivering violently, the cold had crept into his bones and it felt paralysing. His shoulder ached with a numb sort of pain, deep and draining.

"Get up," Aias commanded. He stood over Shah and offered him a hand.

Shah took it and was pulled to his feet.

"Hold still." Aias lifted his wounded arm and crossed it over his body so his hand rested on his uninjured shoulder. Then he took a thick bandage and wrapped it around Shah's chest and over his arm in rough gestures. He changed direction after a few loops and wrapped it from side to injured shoulder.

Shah watched the whole process with a bewildered look on his face, he lifted his arm as instructed and let Aias do his thing.

Once Aias was done Shah's arm was strapped firmly to his body.

"What are you doing?" Shah's teeth chattered, slurring the words.

"Strapping your arm." Aias stood back and looked Shah up and down. He was shirtless, the old bandage now half hidden by the strapping. His heavy pants were covered in dirt and his golden hair hung ragged to his waist. He looked a far cry from the dainty prince Aias had observed at the palace.

Assessment complete he retrieved a sleeveless brown shirt from Jokarmun's saddle bags, Jokarmun himself was nowhere to be seen. He pulled it over Shah's head and jerked it into place. Shah finally reacted and pushed Aias away, settling the shirt himself.

Aias nodded. "Follow," He ordered and set off at a jog down the road, Lupine bounding at his heals.

Shah stared after him, his body ached from the beating and the cold, it had sunk too deep and running seemed as impossible as flying.

"I said, follow," Aias growled, stopping a few paces ahead and turned back to face Shah. "You want to catch your death?"

Shah shook his head and broke into a slow, halting run. Aias dropped back to run beside him, matching his long strides to Shah's.

Shah's breath started to rattle in his chest after a few minutes and after another couple Aias let them stop. Shah breathed hard, his head tilted toward the sky and hand gripping his injured shoulder. Standing like that, head back, arms crossed over his chest and light catching on golden hair and lightly tanned skin he looked strangely angelic.

Lupine put her paws up on his leg and snuffled at his pocket, her tail wagging happily. 

Aias blinked. "Come on." He grabbed Shah's good shoulder and spun him around, pushing him into a run, back the way they came. Lupine fell back to all fours and bounded off ahead.

Shah groaned but let himself be dragged along. His new burning need for air pushed other thoughts aside and he was left with only his pounding heart, ragged breathing and an occasional shove from Aias when he started to slow.

The wagon suddenly appeared around a bend.

"Let's go!" Aias cried and gave Shah a hard shove, launching him into a sprint.

Shah staggered and black flashed over his vision but it cleared just as quickly and he raced down the road.

Aias arrived before him and came to a gentle stop, his breathing raised but controlled. Shah took a few, slowing steps and then half collapsed to the ground. He sat back on his good arm and shut his eyes, letting the dizziness and nausea pass, his shoulder throbbed mercilessly. But his head was clear and, if only for that moment, he was content, the guilt and pain that had hounded him were still running the last stretch of the road