– Do you always cloak your lies in grand words of honour, Sir Nicholas?
– Words mean very little, Sir Lionel. Honour is shown through action. Therefore, I must ask you to let me continue. There are still several arrows to remove, and I must dress Sir Darius' wound before sundown. For his sake, would you please sheath your sword and let me get back to work?
– If dressing Sir Darius' wound is so important, why are you prioritizing healing these criminals?
– I am not prioritizing anyone. Everyone knows stopping the bleeding comes firts. These wounds are bleeding, so I am treating them first.
– Aha – Sir Lionel said dryly.
Before Nick could answer, Lily dropped to her knees, her eyes pleading.
– Please, Sir… please… let Sir Nick treat them. – She said.
An instant of silence followed. Nick's eyes widened, struck by Lily's courage.
– Please! – Meg echoed, also kneeling before Sir Lionel.
– Why are you looking at me? You attacked him!
– Was just a misunderstanding, Sir. Won't happen again, right, Mary? – Meg said, glaring at her.
– Yes. Am sorry, Sir. Won't happen again. Promise. – She said as she also got down on her knees.
Nick took a step towards Sir Lionel and said:
– My loyalty is to Princess Rowena, Sir Lionel, so I won't embarrass us both by kneeling before you. But if it suits you, I would gladly beg her for permission to continue treating these people.
– No, no, Her Highness doesn't need to engage with such nonsense, – Sir Lionel said hurriedly. – Let's move. Everyone back to your posts, and don't intervene if they have annother "misunderstanding". Let them kill each other if they wish.
The knights retreated sheating their swords. Sir Lionel held Nick's gaze for another moment, before leaving as well. Nick took a deep breath and turned around to face the commoners.
– I'm sorry. Those are indeed my arrows. I should have told you from the start.
– Ya think!? – Mary answered.
– Mary! Ya're the one who ain't thinkin'! – Meg scolded her. Then she pointed at the dead bodies the knights had gathered. – Would ya rather we're on that pile?
– Of course not!
– Sir's arrows kept all of'em from that pile! – Meg said ponting at the wounded commoners.
– But if he hadn't shot'em we'd won!
– And what? Ask a handsome ransom from the King? Ya think he'd give it? He'd burn us all! Sir saved us! And ya saw how he stood with us just now! Like he promised! – Meg turned to Nick and said – Sir, thank you. Thank you.
– Thank you, Sir – Lily echoed.
– Don't thank me yet. I promised to tend to all the wounds and to help you face the king. We haven't even finished with the first one. Shall we continue? We have no time to waste.
– Yes, Jake is waiting– Lily answered right away, and returned to Jake.
Meg followed. Mary stood still, looking at the mound of bodies.
– Mary? Ya comin'?
Mary lowered her gaze and said:
– Am sorry. Wasn't thinkin' —
– Mary... I'm sorry too. I should have told you. Can we say we're even?
Mary raised her eyes to find a kind smile on Nick's face. She huffed softly through her nose, and scratched her head briefly before nodding.
– Good, thank you. Now please come, Jake is going to need you. – Nick said.
Mary nodded more vigorously this time and followed Nick.
– Jake... I know I would do it again without a thought if I had to, but I am still sorry for this – Nick said kneeling by him and pointing at the arrow.
– I get it Sir. Ya were defending ya friends, like I was. And I shot at ya first. Ya're just a lot better.
– You are actually pretty good too, you know? At your age, hitting small moving targets at that distance is quite impressive.
– Ya think so? – Jake asked, trying to hide the grin tugging at his lips.
– Yes! With more practice and and better equipment you could become an amazing archer.
– Thank you, Sir – Jake said, blushing a little.
– I'll give you a few pointers later on, but first, I've got to remove this arrow from you, alright?
– Will ya have to cut me? – Jake asked, the colour still on his face, though his voice tightened.
– No, my arrows aren't barbed. Don't worry. I'm glad yours weren't either, or I would've had a much harder time treating the knights.
Jake let out a relived sigh.
– It'll be alright Jake. – Nick said while placing a hand on his head. – You've held up really well till now. You just need to hold on a little more. Alright?
– Alright, – Jake echoed his jaw tightening slightly.
– Good, I'm going to remove this belt and pull out the arrow. Meg, help me steady his arm. Lily, hold his hand, Mary, you steady his legs. – Nick waited for them to get into possition. Then he said – Look away Jake, and take a deep breath.
Jake did as he was told with a deep furrow on his brow. Nick released the belt and pulled the arrow out in a smooth motion. Jake let out a short cry though his teeth. Lily rubbed the back of his neck and talked to him.
– Jake, Jake, ya gonna be alright... Is alright... breath... breath...
Nick smiled. She was a quick learner. Then his expression changed, as his eyes caught the colour of the blood.
– Mary! Go get the belt.
Nick began pressing hard on the wound with the shirt. Jake swallowed several cries.
– The belt? – Mary asked.
– The one that you and Beth prepared.
Mary's face mirrored Jake's.
– Ya gonna—
– I don't have time to explain. Go!
Mary jumped and rushed away.
The shirt in Nick's hands had turned red.
– Jake, you're bleeding a lot. I'm going to have to do something that will hurt a lot for an instant.
– What? – Jake asked clutching Lili's hands tighter.
– I need you to trust me, kid. You will be alright.
– Ya have to? – Meg's voice trembled, eyes wide.
– Yes!
– But Dan didn't —
– Here! – Mary shouted, rushing in with the belt held high. Beth was right behind her.
– Meg, I'll explain later. Hold his arm really tight. Mary get the prong to stick out, use the leather. Beth keep his legs still – Nick urged.
He stopped pressing and observed the wound.
Bright red blood pulsed out quickly from one side.
Nick's keen eyes locked onto the exact source.
Ignoring Jake's moans, Nick pressed on the wound again with the shirt with one hand and reached out to Mary with the other.
– Here, Sir, – she said, giving him the readied prong.
Nick confirmed the four women were ready, stopped pressing, and touched the hot prong to the bleeding spot.
Jake screamed, jerking against their hold, his lean body trembling.
Nick reapplied his firm pressure on the wound for a moment, then let go and observed it carefully.
He let out a sign of relief.
It was still bleeding, but the bright red pulsating flow had ceased. He tossed the belt where no one could be hurt and then continued pressing on the wound.
– You can release him now. – He said to the women.
They hesitated, eyes still on Jake, his loud sobs were the only sound.
– Meg, you can let go of him, – Nick said gently, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
She looked up at him and moved aside. The other three women immitated her. Their eyes fixed on Jake. Lily used a hand to cover her nose.
– Jake, Jake... Come here... It's alright, you're going to be alright. – Nick murmured, pulling him close, Jakes's back against his chest. He wrapped an arm around Jake holding him steady, and used his other hand to press firmly on the wound.
Jake continued sobbing as he gripped Nick's arm, trembling against his chest.
– I know, I know, Jake... I've got you... Hold on... breathe, Jake... breathe...
Jake pressed the side of his face into Nick, letting out quieter sobs. Slowly, his breathing steadied, he stopped trembling, and the tears stopped streaming, though he was still clutching Nick's arm, letting out soft whimpers between each measured breath.
– There… there… – Nick murmured, gently stroking Jake's head. – We're almost done… you're doing great...
Jake nodded a few times strengthening his grip on Nick's arm.
– Sir, why ya had to do that? – Lily asked.
– Because it wasn't going to stop if I didn't.
– But Dan's stopped by pressin'. – Meg asked.
– Yes, but this one was different.
– Different, Sir?
– Yes, the blood was bright red, pulsing like the heart. I've never stopped that kind just by pressing.
– So ya had to do it, cuz he'd die otherwise. – Lily concluded, convincing herself.
– Yes, as brutal as it is, sometimes it's necessary. – Nick confirmed.
Jake took a deep breath, now also convinced.
– You're going to be alright Jake, we'll take care of you, and you'll be shooting again in no time. You'll see.
– I... I'll shoot... again, Sir? –Jake asked weakly in between breaths, turning his face to look at Nick.
– Yes!! This wound will heal. You'll have to build your strength again, but with practice you'll be even better than before.
– Even after this... Sir?
– Yes, the strength in shooting doesn't come from your arms, Jake, it comes from your back and shoulders.
Jake let of a big sigh, and Nick felt the tension in his body relax significantly.
– Were you afraid you'd have to give up archery, Jake? – Nick asked, holding his gaze.
– Just... a little.
– Oh, kid! Don't worry about that. You'll be alright. – Nick reassured him as he finally ceased pressing on the wound. – Let me have a look at your wound again, alright?
They shifted slightly so Nick could asses the wound. He smiled.
– See, no longer bleeding. We're done for now. But you have to keep your arm still.
– Thank you, – Jake murmured.
Nick smiled at him, then he said:
– Alright, I've got to move. I still need to tend to all the others.
Jake nodded, and Nick lowered him to the ground. Then he gently tied the bloodied shirt with the belt.
– Good, rest for now Jake. I'll be back later. Alright?
– Yes, Sir. – Jake answered, placing a hand over his wound.
– Alright. Who's next?– Nick asked the women?
– Bill, Sir – Meg answered getting up.
– Sir, I believe ya. – Mary said before they started walking– Ya really with us. Am sorry about earlier.
– I thought we had said we even, Mary.
– Yes, Sir, but... I believe ya now. Ya really do care.– Mary said teary eyed.
– Thank you, Mary. – Nick smiled gently at her. – Shall we?
– Yes, Sir.
The four woman led Nick to Bill. The wound was similar to Sir Christopher's, so Nick used the same approach. Then they moved on to the next, and the next...
Occasionally, Nick looked around to asses the changing shadows, which were elongating way too fast for his liking. To everyone's relief, they did not have to use the makeshift hot iron again.
Finally, they made it back to Jack. His eyes were closed. He was more pale that before.
– Jack? Jack, please wake up!– Meg shook him gently.
Jack moaned as he opened his eyes.
– Am fine Meg. – He murmured.
– No ya're not! – Then turning to Nick she asked – will'e be alright, Sir?
– Let's get to work. – Nick urged. – Lily, press here. Mary keep his leg steady. Meg, you hold—
– Ya did everyone else?... They alright? – Jack ask.
– Yes, they're all recovering and waiting to have their wounds dressed. Now it's you turn, Jack. I'm going to remove these belts, alright?
Nick unbuckled the bels while Lily kept the pressure. Anticipating the depth of the wound, he prepared to pack it by tearing some thin pieces of cloth from the shirt and tying them together.
– Take a deep breath, Jack, try to hold still. Alright?
Jack noded.
Nick pulled out the arrow in one smooth motion and froze, his eyes widening as bright red pulsing blood gushed from deep within the wound.