Chapter 178 The Wounded
In the royal stables.
The tall woman looked at the short man while he touched the legs of his Pegasus.
Sorcha: How is she?
Corsino: A little better. The pain is less now. The bones sustained no damage. Her hooves and muscles will heal with time and care.
The Redhead: They say that Count Aurelio died in battle. They believe that the Queen is going to win the war.
The dark-skinned man: Well, I think she has a good heart. And she is strong for her age.
She knelt before him and embraced him. The man noticed tears in her eyes. He caressed her face.
The Rider: What happened, my dear?
The Lady: My father fell in battle. I know his death was brave, and I feel great pride in that... but he was my papa.
Corsino: I understand. Men speak of honor in death, but that does not heal the pain. I will try to be with you every minute I can.
He held her while she was a woman, instead of a warrior.
Frieder knelt and began changing the bandages of Indigo Strike. The wound was deep, but the tendons were not completely severed. If it were a horse, many would have decided to put it down. But royal Unicorns were objects of veneration.
A voice sounded behind the young man: Will he run again?
The boy turned his head: My lord, I believe so. They are strong, and the priest told me that they heal well.
Rodrigo: Thanks for helping them. You work with horses, do you not?
Frieder: Yes. I am a blacksmith, like my father and my grandfather.
The Captain: You are in the Royal Militia. Are you brave?
The young man: Sometimes. Why?
Rodrigo: We need new squires. Think about it.
Frieder: My mother is a cook, and, as I have said, my father is a blacksmith.
The knight smiled: Unicorns do not care who your parents are.
A healing room.
Felipe lay on a simple bed. His bandages were new, but they were already turning red. He slept while his countess watched him. Marisela spotted the familiar figure of the lover of her maid. She signaled to the woman, who was dressed entirely in black. The woman approached and leaned in until her face was close to the mouth of the noblewoman.
Sister: Countess, it is very kind of you to visit your knights.
Marisela: He is more like a friend than a knight, after twenty years of service. How is Felipe?
The priestess whispered: The spear penetrated deeply, and the bleeding will not cease. It is likely he will not survive until morning. I am sorry. War serves death more than the living.
The woman looked at her friend: He has a wife and two children. I will take care of them, of course. But I do not know how to tell them that their father died following my orders.
Sister: The families of soldiers know the dangers of duty. Which would be better for them: a future under Aurelio, or one under the Queen without their father?
Marisela: What a pity, the questions that are necessary during war.
In another bed lay the Count of War. His wife was sitting beside him, holding his hand.
Tatiana: The Sister told me that you have two broken ribs. She believes that, had your chain mail not been so strong, you would have lost your lung...and your life.
Esteban smiled, his eyes filled with pain: I was an idiot to face him. I was never very skilled with a sword.
The warrior: I was lucky. He was focused on you and did not see me. Even a bad soldier can get lucky. The one who put Pedro here was just an ordinary soldier. You are an idiot, but you fight well. He was better.
The man tried to laugh, but the pain stopped him immediately: Uff! You are a hero of the kingdom. Without Aurelio, I do not think the army will keep fighting.
Tatiana: I hope you are right. If a captain wants to lead them, they still have plenty of soldiers.
Esteban: Yes. During the revolt, Aurelio was just a low-ranking captain. But he destroyed many companies of Puerto Blanco to save the castle from the attack. And many of our leaders are wounded or dead.
The Wife: The Queen sent the Pegasi out early in the morning to assess the condition of the enemy. There will soon be a court meeting to decide what to do next.
The husband offered the ring of his office: You have my voice at court.
She kissed him tenderly and rested her forehead against his.
In a bed on the other side of the large room.
Juana: He did not wake up during the night, nor when the sun rose.
Alicia: Sister, you need to sleep. I can sit with him for a while.
The older woman: No, when he wakes up, I want to be with him. He is my life. Except for you, he is my family.
The younger Sister: I understand. We have no one else. If he... no... he will wake up. He is strong.
The two embraced and wept in silence. They did not notice the woman in black approaching.
Sister: He is breathing well. Another knight told me that the tip of the spear struck him directly on the helmet; he fell to the ground and hit his head hard. With injuries like these, it is only a matter of time. I am sorry, but half the men with injuries of this type never wake up. They simply stop breathing.
Juana spoke through tears: Is there nothing to be done?
Sister: No. There is a treatment that the priests of Puerto Blanco attempted, but most of them died quickly. Pray; tell him that he is loved. I believe they can hear while they are in this state. Give him reasons to return.
The woman left in silence to attend to other wounded knights. The young servant held the hand of her intended and prayed in a low voice.
Juana: Goddess of the Air, please return my love to me. I want to give him children. I will be the wife he deserves.
The nest.
The wild Pegasi had sustained injuries in battle, and many also bore old scars. The attendants and riders strove to tend to them with the utmost care. By morning, their feathers were clean, and their coats were being treated for insect infestations. They were afraid of being touched, but with the comforting thoughts of the All-Mother, they began to trust.
All-Mother: They need you, and our family needs them.
Chico Bello: Why are we important now?
Mother of All: In the memories of the Mothers who preceded me, there were times of great peril. Soon, the moons will pass, first one, and then the other, before the sun, blocking the light of our world. When that occurs, something momentous will take place.
She projected an image into the minds of the lost sons. They were all afraid.