The war of the twelve realms - Book 1 - Of squires and scholars

Chapter 5 - Tryssen

Chapter 5 – Tryssen

Trys was in the sword yard, practicing with Fyn to make himself more light footed, but he was tiring and the big man was not relenting. Still Trys dodged and ducked, occasionally getting an empty air swipe for his efforts but just as often getting the flat of a wooden sword. The young Kavallan was red with exertion whilst Fyn was still strong, and eventually he just sat back and lay gazing at the sky, too tired to think.

A wooden sword touched him on the neck, “Dead.” said Fyn; it was one word that Trys knew very well by now; dead, dead, dead and dead, the big man would say as he hit Trys progressively harder.

“No. Trys not dead, he just sleepy.” Trys replied, struggling to find the right words.

“And if Trys gets sleepy on a battlefield, he get dead. So get up.” Fyn replied, using simple words to make himself understood.

“Meh, Trys does not mind dead. Dead peacy.” came the reply from the exhausted boy.

“It’s peaceful, Trys, not peacy. And you must say ‘does not mind being dead’” a new voice came. It was an old voice that Trys loved and trusted.

He sprang up and shouted, “Ven’rant Hollin!”

“Yes, Venerant Hollin. It’s time you knew more about us, Trys. Follow me, if it would please you, Fyn?” asked the old venerant.

“Take him, he’s too tired for much more training now anyway.” replied the soldier.

Tryssen took Hollin’s hand and followed him to a white tent, which was smaller than the main tent where the lesson normally was, but still quite big. As he walked, he noticed the men looking up from their duties and smiling or sniggering at him. “Why they laugh?” he asked. Trys was used to speaking in the common tongue now, after Hollin had told him to, so he could learn better.

“Because some men find it funny to see a poor young boy be led by an old man to an infirmary.” responded the old man.

“What is an infirmary?” asked Trys.

“A healing house, or tent in this case. I am going to teach you some things about our culture in here.” explained Hollin.

“Ok”

The two of them entered the hospital and Trys immediately went out again, making ‘pooowweee’ noises and covering his nose. Hollin kept a grip on Trys’ hand and pulled him through to a pile of furs where a man lay on his front with an arrow in his shoulder.

“This man has been shot by an arrow, Trys. I have probably left it too long, but I shall show you something of healing.” said the venerant quietly, as he pulled a small red berry out of a bag. “This is a bloodberry. See what happens when I put it in hot water.” Hollin took a big bowl of hot water and squeezed the berry over it, letting the juice squirt into the water until the water was a cloudy red colour. Hollin then reached into a larger bag and took out a grey flower. “This is scaleflower, Trys. It can be used in most medicines, and as a thickener for poultices like this. Look.” He tore the flower from the stem and dropped it to one side. With the stem, he split open down the centre and dropped in into the thing that Try was thinking of as a potion, although poultice would be more correct. Hollin stirred the now thick mixture with a knife and said, “Now, Trys. You need to get a strong grip on the arrow and pull as I put this poultice on his back. Can you do that?”

Trys thought for a moment, “I think so. How hard?”

“Not very; just pull it slowly.” Hollin replied, still mixing the dark red poultice. Trys took a little step up to the man who was lying on the ground, knelt next to him and pulled. “Not so fast!” cried Hollin as the man screamed. Trys immediately slowed down, being very gentle as Hollin used the flat of the knife to wipe the poultice over his shoulder. Still the man screamed as the arrow was withdrawn and the hot mix was applied to his skin. After a few minutes, the arrow was out and the man was asleep. “Now we must cover the wound.” said Hollin as he took some white cloth from the floor and started to wrap it around the wound, tightly but with as much gentleness as was possible.  When that was done, he rose. “Now we can see to people less in need of our help than this man was.”