*The Chronicles of F.R.E.E. Earth's Knight - Ruth Watson* Part 2 - NARTHWICH

Chapter Two - Rebuilding Narthwich

*Watson's POV*

"Watson? Can you hear me?" I could hear Goodwin's voice from very far away.
"Watson... please wake up..." That was Green.
I groaned and my eyes flickered open. I was laying on my back in Ashdowns shop basement. Light was streaming in from the tiny window high in the wall, all of Ashdowns weapons scattered the floor and everything smelt very dusty. I felt a huge bulge on my neck below my right ear and lifted my hand to inspect it.
"Ah ah ah," Dean quickly snatched my hand down and away from the lump on my neck. "Best leave that where it is, hun."
"What happened?" I mumbled. My head throbbed with a blunt, strangely numbing pain and I was having to scrunch my eyes up to protect them from the bright light. I suddenly remembered what had happened. Ashdown had given me a baldric for my sword, Dragonwrath, I had been showing off to the crowd when there was a loud noise and the ground shook...
"Where's the Mournstrike?!" I sat bolt upright, instantly regretting my decision as it intensified the pounding in my head.
"It's ok," Ashdown cooed. "It's gone now. Just lay back down and rest." She tried to push me back down, but I stayed where I was.
"Is everyone ok?!" I looked to everyone's faces. Goodwin stood to my left and seemed fine, but had a worried expression on her face. Green was next to her and looked as though she had been crying, but she appeared ok too. Dean and Ashdown were both knelt to my right, Dean with her hands on my knees to stop me standing, and Ashdown with her hands on my shoulders.
"Yes. We're all ok." Dean reassured me.
I finally allowed Ashdown to lay me back down and position the bump on my neck a little better. Laying down didn't feel as bad as sitting up, so I allowed myself to relax a little.
"What is that?" I asked, trying to look at what she was moving around.
"It's a cloth. You were bleeding quite heavily after the mace fell on you," Ashdown furrowed her brow at my fidgeting.
"Jeez, well don't put your weapons on the walls then," I retorted rolling my eyes.
A small smile lit up Green's face finally. "Thank god you're ok!" she sniffled.
"Course." I smiled at her. "I'm fine, see?" I wiggled my fingers at her and she let out a small chuckle.
"I need to go home to get the potion for your wound," Dean went to stand, but I grabbed her hand. I remembered how that potion tasted, and I really didn't want to taste it again.
"Nah, I'll heal naturally this time," I looked her right in the eye.
"But it may get infected, you need to have it taken care of!" She argued.
"Watson, I agree you need to have that wound sorted as soon as. It looked quite deep." Ashdown pushed.
"But... but..." I turned my head slightly to beg Goodwin and Green for their back up with my eyes.
"I agree with Dean." Goodwin shrugged and Green nodded.
"Fine." I crossed my arms and legs. "I'll take that disgusting potion. But if I throw it back up in your faces, then on your heads be it!" I warned.
"I am willing to take that chance, I suppose," Dean made a face as she got up. "I'll head back and get the potion then."
"I'll come with you," Goodwin said.
I tilted my head to watch them go back up the stairs to the shop, then went back to my original position and closed my eyes. Green took my hand gently and I quickly drifted off to sleep.

When I awoke, I was alone with a blanket covering my body. The only light was a flickering candle that was placed in the corner of the basement by the door. I gingerly sat up and stretched carefully. I put my hand to where the cloth had been balled up against my neck, and it felt very tender and swollen.
Judging by how dark the room was and the tiny window was pitch black, it was night time.
I looked around to double check there was no one else in the room with me then stood up, slow and steady, and made my way to the stairs.
It was dead quiet and I started to feel nervous as I climbed my way to the shop floor of the Blacksmiths. I opened the door and only Ashdown was sat at her table, her head resting on her arms on the table. She looked like she had been having a drink, as the glass had been knocked over by her elbow and the fluids seeped to the floor. Relief coursed through me, and I went back down stairs, picked up the blanket and took it back for her to cover her up as she slept soundly.
She stirred when I was draping the blanket over her shoulders and turned her head to look at me.
"Watson? You're finally awake?" She mumbled sleepily.
"Yes, I'm alive." I assured her quietly.
"How are you feeling?" She asked as she sat herself up slowly, rubbing her eyes.
"Bit sore and tender, but other than that, I'm all good." I straightened myself up and noticed the round bottle of green potion with a spoon next to it on the side. I made a face. "Do I still need to have that?" I asked, dreading the answer as I pointed at it.
Ashdown stood and gestured for me to turn so she could look at my wound. "You've been asleep for about 4 days, now. You briefly woke for something to eat, but that was 2 days ago." She informed me as she lifted my hair for a better look. Then she lowered my hair and I turned back to her. "It looks a lot better, but I think the potion will help it disappear entirely."
"Oh, balls." I groaned. She gave a small chuckle and picked up the spoon that was laying next to the bottle.
"Open wide, here comes the aeroplane..."
I gave her a dirty look. "Don't patronise me." I did as I was told, though and quickly swallowed the vile thick goo in one go, wretching afterwards. Ashdown took a quick step back to avoid being in the splash zone, looked at the spoon and sniffed it.
"I never knew these potions existed until Dean came back with it," She said, making a disgusted face.
"It tastes as bad as it smells," I told her. "Speaking of Dean, where are they?"
Ashdown gave me a sad look. "They're at home. They've been helping the others rebuild after the Mournstrike. Watson, a lot of people lost their lives. It's completely changed everyone." She had tears running down her cheeks.
I looked away. I remembered the horrific screaming, the sound of feet pounding the road, running to the nearest safe place. The panic, the shock that the place you thought was safe, was now in turmoil. I shuddered and closed my eyes.
I started to feel the potion getting to work and a warm sensation coursed up my neck behind my right ear. I put my hand there to check. The tenderness had gone and it was no longer swollen. One less thing to worry about.
"You head to bed then, I'll head home and see the others." I told her before heading back to the basement.
"Uh, front doors that way." Ashdown smirked pointing at the door.
"Uh, I need to get Dragonwrath." I copied her smirk and pointed at the basement door.
After I had placed my new baldric complete with blade between my shoulder blades, I headed in the direction of home. I didn't dare look up the high street towards the hall yet. I couldn't bear seeing the once happy, thriving town that had quickly become our new home merely 2 months ago, destroyed.
After 5 minutes, I rounded the corner to see little lights twinkling from the porch lanterns illuminating the surrounding green and forest edge. Our little house on the outskirts came into view... along with the outline of a massive footprint (looked like it belonged to a dinosaur) in our front garden. It was a very near miss for our home, but thank god it had survived.
I could see a light in the window. Someone was still up. I reached the door and stepped inside the warm house.
Slumped on the sofa sat Green, staring into space. She had a void expression and seemed to be deep in thought about something.
"Hello, darling." I said.
She whipped her head round and, after a slight pause, scrambled to her feet and grabbed me into a tight hug. I hugged her back smiling, but that quickly melted away when she started sobbing.
"The town's destroyed! Watson, McAdams is dead.." She wailed into my shoulder.
Chills went down my spine and goosebumps sprouted all over me.
McAdams ran the food store opposite Ashdowns Blacksmith shop. He had been such a kind boy with his outfit of green, and was much adored by everyone. Green and Dean had become very close friends with him from our first day in Narthwich. I had even teased Dean for having a crush on him.
I held Green tighter and clenched my eyes shut, holding back the tears. My heart clenched and an ache grew in my chest that made it difficult to breathe.
Green sniffed and released me a little to look at me. "How are you feeling? You were out for a good few days."
"Yeah, I'm good. And before you ask I took that gross potion and it's all healed." I added.
It seemed to work in cheering her up a little. A small smile stretched across her face.
"Why aren't you in bed?" I asked.
"I haven't been able to sleep. I keep going over everything in my head..." She trailed off and I knew she wasn't just talking about the Mournstrike.
"You know, my nan used to say something to me. It's kinda stuck with me since I came here. Some things in life can cut you deep, overtime those cuts will turn into scars. Although you will forever carry those scars of your past, they can only haunt you if you let them. If you ignore them but keep the lessons you learnt close to your heart, then you can be capable of anything." More tears threatened to fall as I thought of my nan.
Green looked away. "Your nan's right. I can't help but think about it sometimes though."
"Oh yeah, I do too. But instead of looking back with regret, try to find something you can take away from it. A silver lining...?"
"I have learnt not to wear my heart on my sleeve," Green thought aloud. "And that my friends will always be there when you need them the most." She smiled at me when she said that.
"There you go. Now. Off to bed, young lady." I shunted her towards the stairs.
"Oh, by the way. I hope you don't mind, but I rearranged your room a little."
I stared at her with a blank face. "Great. I won't be able to find anything tomorrow." I huffed and disappeared into my room for bed. I heard her give a little giggle and make her way up the stairs to bed.