We were doomed from the Start.(CLOSED)

[DeadnotSleeping]

“Don’t… don’t cry, Mitchell…” my voice is hoarse, huskier than I would prefer. “Please. He is going to be okay. He promised us, right? My liege always keeps his promises. He never swore falsely… he keeps his oaths…”


I am trembling. I should trust in those pills, but I can’t… I want to scream. To sob like a little girl… but I can’t. I’m a knight. I promised to keep these boys from harm… I still cannot smile like I want to.


“Would you please… give me a cup of soup? If he can… still swallow… I’ll try to feed him… maybe… he would… get stronger…”


Stupid idea. Absolutely the worst. I still don’t have anything smarter…

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

"Yes absolutely " Darius says as I'm


Still in a stunned crying state. He gets the bowl that was poured for Nigel and hands it to the Knoght slowly carefully.


I grab onto his hand. Willing him to wake up. I stroke the hand with my thumb, it going up and down the bones like a motor cross track.


It's worrying.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

I feel helpless, watching Mitchell cry. I cannot do a thing to stop this. I cannot muster up anything to say, something that would ease the worry, the pain. My heart is too heavy, and the thunderstorm outside doesn’t help. It sounds like the storm of the legends, accompanying Death as he rides for the heroes’ soul…


I clench my teeth.


I need my liege. No way I’m letting him go…


I prop him up against me, carefully, so I can make him drink the soup even if he is unconscious. Even without eating the meat or the vegetables it should help…


“Help me, boys…” I try to sound confident. I think I’ve failed…

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

Darius helped hold the bowl underneath as it was tipped to keep it steady, I held my father up. Even though he was thin and light, it took all my strength to keep him at the comfortable angle.


The soup seemed to go down, but I wasn't sure. A lot was spelling down his front. Maybe none of it was going down at all.


Maybe he was on the cusp of death I buried my head into my tensed arm. I couldn't look at him, or the soup. I feared that looking into my brother's or the knight's eyes would tell me something I didn't want to know.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

“Thank you” I sigh, finally giving up; I could only make my liege swallow a little bit. I don’t dare more, I’m afraid it would choke him. I cannot do anything right… I put down the bowl, reaching for the wet flannel, while laying my lord back to the sheet. I clean down my liege’s face and front, carefully, gingerly, like he was a porcelain doll.


A freshly baked porcelain. He is still scorching hot. I clench my teeth, and decide to be as balky as possible. I just wash out the cloth, and smile at the boys.


“Will you help me a bit more? I’ll change his bandages. Then yours, Mitchell, and maybe tell you a few stories.”


I sound calmer now, a little bit. I am determined to keep my lord alive, with every help I have, and I think I have quite a great help… I shut down the screaming voice in the back of my head. I smile.


My liege will live.

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

I agree quickly, snapping out of my stunned state.


I run to fetch all of the spare bandages we had, the scalpel and some TCP I found in the cupboard. Although it's probably a bit late for TCP. I hand them to her.


"I can help you change the dressings. I've done it thousand of times before. I've even got the scalpel... Just in case... Well you know... And this disinfectant. But the infection should be decreasing. He's taking his pill religiously."

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

I smile earnestly now, looking at the boys. Mitchell sounds every bit as determined as me… I nod.


“Thank you. I hope you are right…”


I am still afraid a tad while we are peeling down the dressings, but I earn a bit of relief. The red swelling has ebbed away almost entirely around the horrible inscription, and the burns also have started to heal now… I look at Mitchell happily.


“You were right, entirely. Those witchcraft pills helped… thank you” I say quietly, reaching out for fresh dressings and that herbal balsam. “I am grateful you were stubborn enough to persuade me…”

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

"I wasn't going down without a fight" I smile holding down the dressing. "Here use this, this welt looks like it's still got a bit of infection still in it. It smells and it will sting him but only for a second. He might not even notice."


I toss her the TVC and start to pick out bandage squares of correct shapes.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

I nod and catch the bottle, looking at it hesitantly. It smells from witchcraft, but after seeing how much those pills helped, no way I’m telling Mitchell off now.


“Okay… I’ll do it…” I swallow a bit before applying the potion to the welt. My liege squirms and moves around a bit, but he doesn’t wake up, and while I dislike the idea I’m causing him pain, now I sincerely believe it would help.


“Do you think… we should do anything else?” I ask, gulping again. I hate the still red MURDERER tag on my lord, screaming into my face even more than the burnt M-s. I want it gone… I really want it… all of them. But I realize how stupid of a wish it is…

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

"There's nothing we can do but wait" I bow my head and shake. "Just make sure he takes his pills at the right time and his dressings are changed good and proper. If he's going to live because of us then that's how it's done "


I tidied everything away properly and collect up the plates, placing them neatly to the side and sprucing everywhere up a bit. It all seemed a bit impromptu.


"Sorry" Darius piped up "He cleans when he's stressed"

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

“It’s perfectly okay” I manage to smile, propping up my liege on his side again, making sure his place is comfortable, again. “Thank you very much, Mitchell. Now it is your turn.”


I sigh, looking out the window as lightning flashes again. I try to exile that legend from my head, with a bit of success now.


“Come back here, kid” I repeat softly. “Let me see those again. No way I’m letting you get sick, too. I think my liege would punish me for that…”

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

I close my eyes tightly. I knew something was wrong back ther but hadn't mentioned it. I didn't want the focus to be on me.


But I need on the high backed guest chair facing the back and take my shirt off so I can be fully examined.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

I suck in a deep breath as the boy reveals his back to me. I shudder from the red welts, so similar to my liege’s… I want to scream at him for not letting me know about this, and I am shaking from anger. Even if he thought it was not that bad, it must have hurt…


I don’t say a word now to Mitchell, just pick up everything, this time not even thinking about what should I do, and with what. I know I need the disinfectant, and the ointment for wounds… at least, while the scarring welts are hot and swelled, there is no pus or excess fluid yet. Maybe we will be lucky enough to not have him at the same state as my liege. Maybe.


I take care of his wounds cautiously, as gingerly as possible, trying not to cause him more pain. I also call for Darius’ help so I won’t hurt his little brother even more. I have a bit of bad conscience as I suspect that it was me who caused the injuries to open up again, and I was the one who didn’t take care properly of them after that… I am almost shaking. Almost; I have to keep calm. At least the small stabs on his abdomen are healing well… but those injuries on his back…


“I am so sorry” I sigh, after doing everything I can for him, bandaging the boy up, and without any kind of hesitation, I lift him up by his waist, settling Mitchell down next to his father. “I shouldn’t have hurt you… now… I think you will need those witchcraft pills, too…”

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

My hips buck With the pain of the disinfectant on my wounds as I hiss in agony. No try not to pull away but it doesn't happen. Soon, I manage to expel the pain in another way: by digging my fingers into the chair so hard that there would be an indent for years to come.


Darius came to help hold me down, bit comfort me as well. His was in shock at my wounds.


"There's not enough antibiotics for both of us. He needs them all, I think. Or at least most, and you can't just take a few you've got to take a certain amount, or you'll make it all worse"

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

I am shaking with anger and worry… my voice is trembling, too, I know it now, but I am simply too worried for him, too – I see a pretty bad and scary example of how those can turn out, right next to him.


“Then I’ll search for more of those pills, and you will be sentenced to bed rest, young man… no way I’m letting you too…” I swallow. I don’t want to say what I think, but still, it is too worrisome. I caress his shoulder, gingerly. “Please…. next time tell me when you are in pain… your father would kill me if he would realize I didn’t care properly about you…”


I give them another blanket, standing up to look at the bottle, so I can read that strange name. Amoxicillin… I have to repeat it for a few times, before grabbing a candle and putting it into my blind-lantern.


“Finish your meal, boys. Darius… take care both of them…”

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

I nod sadly. I was in trouble again. I grab my bowl and start eating the now cold soup:


"Why didn't you tell anyone you were this bad?" Darius asked


"I'm not important right now, i can handle the pain. All our attention needs to be making sure this one doesn't die."


"Are you crazy?!" Darius laughed in disbelief "you're going to die if you don't get treatment. You were treated just as bad by that guy. You need similar treatment. It's not good getting all high and mighty making sure he takes his pills religiously , when you, yourself; can't take your own advice."


"I know, I'm sorry" I say hiding into my soup. He came over to give me a hug


"You don't need to be sorry"

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

"Darius is right, Mitchell" I lean down to caress him again. "Let us take care of you, okay? I won't let both of you die. I simply can't. Take the pills. I am turning this spital upside down now, so there will be enough. Even if it is witchcraft, if it works, I am willing to do it."


I try to smile, reaching into my backpack for the book I promised to Darius. It is a hefty tome, bound in bronze adorned dragon scales, with the Ebony Lady and my liege's coat of arms on the book jacket. The Chronicle of my town. It was supposed to be a wedding gift for the lord and the lady, we had it made in secret... I took it from Carsten's house when I went back there after the End... it is filled with the legends of old and new, with beautiful hand-painted pictures...


I hand it to the boys.


"Here. Look through it. I'll go search the building for those pills... use the berth as you see fit. And rest, Mitchell. I mean it."

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

"Yes Ma'am" I say sitting back into the chair. There's just about enough space for Darius to sit tentatively next to me and he opens the book. There is a picture of Dad and the Ebony Lady. She's beautiful. Stunning, in fact.


I touch the picture gently with my finger


"She would have been our mum" I say choking back a tear or two, resting slightly non Darius.


I read about the place's history, where Dad had been talking about. Where he was from, but soon fantasy got confused with reality. It always did with the Knight and Dad. It explained, to me, how they were so out of touch with reality. It was nice. It was innocent


"I... I don't get it. Do they think dragons exist, or nah?" Darius piped up.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

I take the blind lamp into my hand, lighting the wick from the other candle. I try to smile, taking a bag and my sword with me.


"I will check on you periodically. I want to search every room. This spital is big. It will take a while, so if you want to sleep, sleep at ease. I will be nearby" I tell them before leaving the room.


It is quite a challenge, scrounging and scavenging the dirty rooms. And I get quickly confused by the several bottles filled with colourful tablets... I compromise by taking all of them, occasionly stepping on a rat...

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

I take the book at close it shut


"I think she's right. I think we should read this in the morning. It may confuse you too much." I play patronise my elder brother, topping it off my patting his head.


"Fuck off, dickweed " he joked back nudging me slightly.


"No, you fuck off."


"No, you fuck off" we joked to and fro. Getting accidentally loiuder each time.


"Wouldn't be surprised if she heard that, Shut up, I'm not spending the night in the punishment corner." I say stopping th swear tennis


I resented my head on Darius and went to close my eyes on him...

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

Nie stirred at the argument. It joined to the sounds of screams and thunderstorm. He still wasn't quite awake and aware...


I pull the bag to my shoulders. It is full already, filled with bandage packages and mystery pills... I only hope the boys would find what we need amongst them.


I head back for the check I promised, speeding up to the voices of argument... but when I step to the room, the sons are quiet. I smile.


"Here is the first haul.... I think you should go to sleep now, kids..."

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

I smile


"Thank you." I rest my head on Darius's shoulder. I longed for a bed to rest properly. But I didn't want to complain. "Goodnight"


"Goodnight, ma'am" Darius said nudging me slightly. "Move up a bit, Knobhea"


"Where do you want me to go, shit for brains. Chill out".


Darius laughed at me. "You're so easy to wind up. He knuckled my head.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

"I made a berth, you know" I remind them. I smile watching them horsing around.


"Besides, there is plenty of room next to your father, Mitchell. I will find another one to bring here tonight, I promise..."


I sigh, emptying my loot on the table.


"I'm doing my next round. I expect both of you asleep when I return..."

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

I get up giving Darius a side eyes look which he smiled annoyingly sweetly at. I snarl at him slightly.


I climb at the bottom of my Father's bed and curl up again like a cat would. I hoped I didn't get in his was. I also hoped I didn't move to much and hurt him but I was so very very tired, so I didn't have the energy to move about to get another space.


I looked at Darius who was beginning to get comfortable.


"Prick" I joked to him and he flipped me off before we both fell asleep.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

I sigh, but don't dress them down this time. I just put a blanket and my cape on the younger, and anither blanket at Darius, then I leave the room again.


I'm exhausted, but way too anxious to rest now... and when I found snother child skeleton hiding behind a bed, I cannot take it anymore. I sit down in the dirty bed, and I cry again, loudly. The fear was already too much. My dreams and nightmares about a family of my own suddenly cut me like reality, and I sob freely now. Alone. Pretending to be calm doesn't hold out anymore.


I do not hope for liege anymore.... I could see Death's mark on him too clearly... even if he promised... he is dying...


I still smile.


But I can still save the boys, right?...


I force myself to stand. To move again. After all, I've promised a real bed and the witchcraft pills...