Old Acquaintances

Twenty minutes later, Katherine sat by the roadside dejectedly. Despite the assurance that she was needed for patch up later, she felt useless, and that was not only because she was worse at fighting compared to everyone else. No, what worried her most, was her reaction to the corpses.

Even though she'd never seen the aftermath of a battle, she'd seen plenty of wounds, illnesses, and heavy burns. Damn, she'd even seen her parents die with the same eyes that were now pressed shut in anxiety confronted with a few unknown bodies! From her self-reflection, her reaction shouldn't have been this exaggerated. But what came up in her mind again and again were not the corpses actually, but the bloody muzzles of wolfs, and the sight of her own disfigured body. Once, she'd been way worse off than these soldiers. And though she wanted to suppress it, the memory of those few minutes before unconsciousness engulfed her, terrified her ever since.

After a while, Dorian lit up a lamp and sat it down beside her, as darkness began to envelop the surroundings. Staring at the flickering candlelight, Katherine only looked up when she heard the rustling of leaves drawing near. The sight of black coats between the trees announced Nathaniel's return. When Katherine hoisted herself up, prepared to act her part as a healer, she was surprised to suddenly hear a female voice.

"Milady?"

Peeking out behind Nathaniel's back were familiar green eyes in a slightly freckled, milky white face. The heaviness in Katherine's heart elevated at once.

"Hazel? You - how come you're here?"

Her dress dirty and bun messy, Hazel ran across the distance between them and threw herself into her Lady's arms, were she started wailing like a child. "I - I thought I'd never see you again! I was so horrified when the Crown Prince's people caught up with us! So-so horrified!"

Sobbing, Hazel stumbled over her words and didn't manage to tell the whole story. However, as Katherine's sight blurred in sympathy, she got the gist of it and could piece the rest together with her own knowledge. Obviously, Hazel had been saved from the palace by this unsightly Cursed Crow, who she somehow knew, and after a few days of hiding, brought along to meet up with her Lady.

The people of the Crown Prince, waiting for their reappearance, ambushed them in big numbers, hence slaughtering most of their protectors and taking Hazel and the rest as hostages. Somehow, Cursed Crow had avoided that fate and met up with Nathaniel on his own instead. Therefore, the 'goods' he said got raided, were actually people... this part was a bit insulting to Katherine's ears. Anyway, Nathaniel had set out to reclaim them without explaining one bit to her. She had to have a word with him afterward.

But right now, there was another question that puzzled her more.

"Why did they take Hazel hostage? Wouldn't it have been better to see us meet up and attack then?", Katherine asked to nobody in specific. She couldn't comprehend why someone would take a simple maid hostage when there was an opportunity to catch a prince, princess, and some more all at once.

"That would be because of me", another woman's voice suddenly rang out beside the pair. It was gentle but firm with a hint of bitterness inside it. Though this voice was not as familiar as Hazel's, Katherine still recognized it right away. Surprised, she turned her head.

Stepping out of the shades was a woman in a layered, dark green dress that sported tears on the seam and shoulder. Despite the ordeal she'd been through, she seemed as confident and collected as on any normal day. A slight smile even lifted the corners of her mouth when she made her greetings.

"Good evening, Katherine."

Katherine's mouth opened slightly but for a few seconds she didn't know what to say. Then she just shook her head and returned the smile. "Ella. Never thought I'd meet you here of all places."

Her friend from the Capital, former hostage of the king, Lady Gabriella Brandon, laughed self-deprecatingly. "I tend to be caught by different fractions every second Monday. What should I say - I'm too popular!"

Katherine wanted to give a silly comment in return, but a hand on her shoulder interrupted her. At the same time, Hazel backed off with a shocked sound that soon turned into stammered excuses.

"My dear, if I can steal your attention for a bit?" Looking up, Katherine gazed into the serious eyes of her husband and the weight of responsibility settled on her shoulders again.

In remembrance of his request before he set out, she excused herself from Lady Brandon, before asking her husband sternly: "Are you hurt anywhere?"

Now that she was over the surprise, this was her biggest worry. Yet, it was easily soothed with a shake of his head. "It's those few over there."

He pointed in the direction of a few of his guards. Then he returned the question: "How about you? Are you better?"

With a new task in mind, Katherine dismissed his concern with a simple approving gesture. But when she approached the injured, her steps grew fainter, insecurity taking her over as she saw the blood flowing from their wounds. Deep red blood, the essence of life… a lesser form of the terror from before took her over again. She took a trembling breath.

Nathaniel, who'd watched her, squinted his eyes in thought. He was just about to stop her - the wounds were not serious enough to treat them at the cost of uncomfortableness for his wife - when Katherine seemed to shake off her hesitation.

With a decisive step, she reached the injured group and began her treatment. The smile she sent the men was mild and professional. Despite this, Nathaniel continued to observe her. He had an inkling that something was off, and the quiver in her hands whenever she reached for the wounds without gazing at them, seemed to prove him right. Yet he knew that he should not interfere, else she might feel even more frustrated with herself. After all, he had consoled her with being able to treat the injured even if she couldn't battle before.

With knitted brows, Nathaniel decided to intentionally distract himself. Without averting his eyes from the scene before him, he asked: "Lady Brandon, what do you think your brother would do if you returned home?"

For a few moments it seemed as if the Lady didn't hear him, since she marveled over the scene of Katherine's healing magic. Then, she pulled herself together. "I want to believe he would support those that are on my side, however, I can't be sure if he would not just sit still instead. Since I didn't see him for years, other than his letters, I don't know much about the current him, and the state of the islands and the people has to be considered as well."

Though it was nearly indiscernible, Nathaniel's icy face relaxed a bit. "You are very honest."

"There is no need to hide facts you already know, your highness."

"True." He nodded, and the both of them stood quietly for a while. Finally, Nathaniel spoke up again. "So, do you want to return home?"

With a bitter laugh, Lady Brandon turned to face him. "Would you really give up the support my brother could provide you so easily?"

Nathaniel's eyes were calm as he gazed down at her. "I would leave that for my wife to decide."

Surprise flashed through Lady Brandon's brown eyes. She fell into thought for a while. Finally, when Katherine had nearly finished her treatment, she made up her mind. "After several years of living here, I believe a few weeks or months wouldn't make much of a difference."

Nathaniel gazed deeply at her once more. "It seems my wife knows how to pick her friends."

Lady Brandon only nodded deep in thought.