Savoirs

Adam

It was myself and Jason that took turns carrying Jaclyn after we cleaned and wrapped her wound with some of the rags I had in my pack. Jason was carrying her at the moment and Joseph was further up the path than us, making sure we weren't going to get ambushed by anyone. I was angry with him from when Jaclyn had lost consciousness because he wanted to leave her for dead, after saying how we were a family the previous night. For some reason I wanted to protect her, as if she were a sister. Thankfully, Jason had been very clear that we would do no such thing, that no one would be left behind no matter what. The wind shifted and the bushes around us made their familiar swishing sound and the smell of smoke drifted to our noses. Jason and I shared a look and Lia faded a bit, her two companions sharing a look of panic. Joseph reached for his sword as we reached a break in the trees and saw the castle. We saw the smoke curling into the sky from a burned house and saw the knights crawling the streets.

"We won't get through the streets without them arresting us." Lia says.

"They wouldn't have seen her clearly enough to know." Joseph mumbles and presses on with us trailing him. We walk into the village without so much as a second glance and Jason stops to ask if there's a healer we could go to. Something about his sister being hurt in a nighttime robbery and people nod. I see them point at the castle and they tell us we have to head there because he was treating someone there who was hurt from a house fire and I feel my heart speed up. I know we have to go to the castle but I already feel closed in out here in the village streets and I know if I went to the castle I'd feel like the world was shrinking, I was too used to the open world of the woods. I had rarely ever stayed in the little cottage I had myself for when the weather was too bad to be outside. I sighed as we headed towards the gates and guards stopped us when we tried to pass through. Jason made sure her mark was hidden with a quick, unnoticeable glance at her wrist and nodded at the guard respectfully.

"Please, she's hurt." He says. He sounded small and I find myself surprised that Jason could seem so unsure when he was the most confident person I've ever known but of course he was playing the game of survival. We all were right now. The guard glanced down at her and saw the bloodstained rags around her wounds then nodded at the rest of our ragtag group.

"What about them?" He asks, his face a bit softer than it had been when we had first walked up. Jason glances over at us and shrugs.

"They are fine or at least that's what they tell me, sir." He says in the same small voice but it gains some strength, no doubt noticing the pity in the guards face. The guard registers the slight force in Jason's voice as hope and nods at myself and Jason.

"You two may go in with her but they have to stay here." The guard grumbles and I see him eyeing Joseph with his hand rested on his sword. Jason nods while my stomach churns at the thought of being inside the castle.

"Of course." He says as the guard lets Jason pass with myself trailing him. I have to force myself to walk into the building and a servant hurries over when they notice us.

"Can I help you, sirs?" The young servant girl asks and Jason nods.

"We are looking for the healer and were told we'd find him here. Could you take us to him?" He asks gently and the girl nods. She turns and leads us through the castle halls to a room where the king is standing with one of his sons over a girl laying on the bed with the healer kneeling next to the bed and every step makes the walls come closer to me. The prince reaches for his sword when I enter and then sees Jason carrying Jaclyn. His face goes pale and he nods at Jaclyn.

''Did she get hurt by the fire?" He asks quickly. Jason shakes his head.

"No, your highness, we were traveling to our home in the next village over when we were attacked by robbers in the night. My sister was hurt in the attack. We were worried she wouldn't last as long as it took to get to our village so we came here looking for a healer. We were told he was here and that he could help her." Jason says smoothly. The prince nods, obviously believing the lie and walks to a bench against the wall. He removes the many pillows on it and leaves one at the end. Jason moves to lay Jaclyn down on the bench and I take up a place at the door, feeling slightly better at the fact I would see where everything was and could watch out a window while standing there. The prince nods at me and looks at Jason who glances at me questioningly.