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| Somewhere in the Eastern Spine |
| See Log. |
| 30 August 3013 |
Agnes is perhaps the least injured of the group of wayward Havenites, so she lead the way down the beach before turning sharply inland into the foothills and trees of the Spine itself. They continued East as long as they dared, before looking for shelter for the night. She found a nice overhanging bit of a ravine amid the wooded areas, and they set up camp, fashioning a screen out of branches, mud, and leaves to camouflage their location as well as cut any wind or rain that might arise. They made a small fire inside of one of Agnes' metal greaves, using the visor from her helm to subdue the light, but let the heat radiate for warmth and cooking. Rabbits were snared, water was located and brought back, and some root vegetables were dug up and added to a pot over the heater for stew. With meals eaten, some members are patrolling, most are sleeping, and Agnes has moved to more closely tend to Jarek's wounds. She sits beside him, digging into the med kit that Momoko provided. "How do you feel?" she asks softly.
Having been awake for the last couple days, Momoko sneaking by to administer adrenaline to stave off his passing out, and Chiron diligently learning to shoot him up when the good doctor was called away to help with another, Jarek is laying flat on the ground. The plating around his chest was done for, and had been taken apart to use in what ways they'd needed for making arrow heads to needles, to anything necessary their weapons couldn't provide them. He looks up at Agnes, "Like I need to sleep… but I can't." he replies groggily, only thing keeping him up is the adrenaline shot.
"It's the adrenaline, love," Agnes murmurs. "Keeping you awake for a little bit longer so we're sure all your bits and bobs are going to stay inside." She tries to smile, but it's wan at best, because he is very badly injured. "I'm not a surgeon, but I can set breaks and sew stitches. Let's get your hands mended a bit, ok?" She pulls out a splint from the kit, to work with his broken finger first. "I'll need to move it into proper position, and it's really going to hurt. Ready?"
The magnetically stiffened finger plating removed, his finger shows signs of having swollen from the break. Jarek takes hold of bit of leather wrapped in cloth and bites down on it, then nods to Agnes.
Agnes grimaces at the break, but she takes in a breath, sets the splint on the finger, and activates the mechanism that pops the bone into the proper place before securing it soundly. The noise made is probably as bad as the pain. She lets the breath out. "All right, let me see the other hand. Is it a gash or another break?"
The scream he emits is mixed with a deep throated growl as the device rebreaks and sets his bone properly. His teeth cutting into the leather while he tries to breathe a bit, finally he's able to spit out the bite and offer his other hand, the plating gone there's a light laceration across the back of it. "That one doesn't hurt so bad." his voice pained.
"Not as bad, no," Agnes murmurs, leaving out the fact that it's possible the least painful looking bit of him at the moment. She pulls out a cleansing wipe and some butterfly stitch bandages, along with gauze and tape. "Cleaning it might sting a little, but not that bad for a tough Knight," she teases lightly, trying to keep his mood up. She swipes the cloth over the laceration to ensure it's clean.
Not a baby about taking a wound, Jarek isn't so good about getting them fixed back up again. He winces at the sting of the anticeptic but tries to chuckle afterwards for Agnes' sake, "Tough…" he shakes his head weakly, "Not so tough it would seem… how many was it? twelve… fifteen? Kaedin okay? You okay?" he asks.
"Kaedin's wounds aren't as bad as yours, but he'll never be as pretty as you, my love," Agnes murmurs. She secures the edges of the wound with the bandages that act as stitches for shallow cuts, then covers it up with gauze and secures that with tape. "That wasn't too bad, was it?" she asks with a small smile.
Jarek chuckles softly, breathlessly. "Not at all…" he looks at her, his splinted hand moving up to stroke her arm, "How are you feeling my love? How's Chiron? The others?" he doesn't seem keen on paying attention to himself, ever worried about the fates of others… ready to throw himself into the fray so that even one person can live.
"I'm worried about the blows Chiron took to his chest, but he's moving around all right. It's his breathing that scares me. I'm trying to keep him from doing much. Same with you and Kaedin. If this were a hospital, they wouldn't even move the three of you except to surgery. We need to keep you as still as we can, so we don't injure you further." Agnes' countenance is grim. "But thankfully, Miss Ichihoshi knows her stuff. So we're going to make it."
"You haven't answered me about how you are. What's wrong?" Jarek notes then asks. He watches her for a moment, "Everyone will be fine, Kaedin's been through worse, his doctor is great… as for Chiron, he's made of the same strong stuff you are. He'll pull through without worry, and he's got siblings to get home to." he sighs softly, "If I'm not fit to travel… I can stay behind you know."
"I'm better off than most in our group, Jarek," Agnes insists. "My squire used his field medicine training from his military experience to stitch up the spear wounds I had, and the one in my back from the crossbow. I took a blunt blow to the chest, but I'm used to that. I think my ribs just cringe away from them on their own now." She's keeping the conversation light. She hasn't accepted any pain medications, only antibiotics, leaving the heavier stuff for the more badly injured. She reaches a hand to stroke through his hair. "We're all going to make it, you have my word on it."
"There's something I've been waiting to tell you Agnes… something I just didn't want to blurt out until the time was right." Jarek starts then stops, he winces slightly at an unseen pain before he draws in a ragged breath, "My father agreed… he's made our betrothal official. No Banns has gone up just yet as he's busy with the war, and drakes are pushing closer to Spike each day… but we're engaged, Agnes." His grip on her arm tightens slightly as his gaze seeks hers.
Agnes eyes widen, then brighten, looking at him softly as she leans down to kiss him gently. "That is the most joyous bit of news I have heard in a long, long time, Jarek. And all the more reason for us to get home safe and whole." She is beaming as if glowing from within. A strange sight in so dire of circumstances, but a good one. Hope is the best motivator.
"It's why I didn't stay behind… why I didn't turn back to distract the hostiles and buy you all more time to get away." Jarek says softly after the kiss, "I have no fears of dying, I'll go to Them when I do, but I couldn't imagine doing that to you. I love you too much, and I want a life with you. It's why I needed to ask you, I've known for a few days now." he looks up at her with a soft smile, "So, will you answer me again? Will you marry me Agnes?"
"Nothing in Heaven nor Haven could keep me from marrying you, Jarek," Agnes says softly, sincerely, and leans down to kiss him again. "The Six are clearly watching over us. We should not have survived back there, but we did. It's a sign from the Knight and the Maiden, that they approve of our union. We have both waited so long."
"It will please my father to know how faithful you are… he asked about that you know." Jarek smiles a little brighter, "The Knight watches over me always, it was He who approved of my life when I was born… and thus the reason for me becoming a Knight." He winces again at an unseen pain, "My chest feels like Attop is sitting on it, and is on fire at the same time." he weezes a bit.
"I have been devout to the Knight since I was a little girl, Jarek. Granted, I don't think I was ever very little. He showed me my path when I was young, and realized I wasn't suited to being a simple lady who sewed and cooked. Your father can rest easy, I have always been a religious woman." Agnes smiles at him, tears of joy pricking at her eyes. "I expect he'll wish a lengthy betrothal. I realize he is unsure of you taking a bride of my age."
Jarek can't really nod to her, so he uses smiles to indicate his answers. "Yes, a lengthy betrothal… but more so that you can get used to the Drakholt, Spikka, and the closeness of my people. Also, he still thinks we rushed into this, and wants us to take the time to be absolutely certain this is what we want." If he could get up he'd kiss her, as it is he can't even lift his arm enough to pull her down to him, "I don't think has anything to do with age, so long as heirs can be had."
Agnes puts the kit aside and she slides down beside him, to be close and share warmth. "Only your father would think two people who spent most of a lifetime admiring each other from a distance and never acting on it, were taking it too fast." She laughs lightly, then winces, because that hurts.
Jarek chuckles softly, then ruefully… "We should get used to camping Agnes… our honeymoon will be outdoors." there's a slightly playful smirk from him as he looks at her, "Wouldn't be fair to Spikka, with all the noise." a tease mostly, before he does his best to offer his arm for her to rest her head on. "I'd hold you, if I could lay on my side… but I think that'd just make it worse for me right now."
"Just being near is enough, Jarek. We'll get home soon, then we'll get everyone fixed up, then we'll take things to the next level. "For now, we need some sleep. I have next patrol." She kisses him lightly, and settles down to rest.