Young Writers Society

"I know you will," Zander said encouragingly. "I know how much you care about her. You can and you will keep her safe."

Zander saw Tadaaki fumbling.

"Here," he said.

Tadaaki looked up, then stepped backward out of the way. Zander strode forward and pushed the door open, stepping inside with Tomhas and looking around to see what the situation was inside.

Laura, the apothecary who had helped Anneke give birth, looked up from her book, eyes widening as she took in the sight. "Good gods, what happened?" She got out of her chair and rushed to get supplies. "What is this?"

"She got stabbed," Zander answered, nodding towards Ky as he lowered Tomhas onto a bed. "He is having a hard time stomaching it."

Tadaaki strode in and looked around helplessly, at a loss for what he was supposed to do.

Tomhas sank onto the mattress, then lay down gingerly and shut his eyes. "Thank you," he said miserably.
"Have the rites traditions changed that drastically?" Laura asked with a shake of her head. "How was she stabbed?" She checked Ky's eyes. "Ky, dear, I need you to talk to me now, so I know how to help you. Can you do that for me?"

"Sure thing," Zander nodded to him, but then was by Ky's side in an instant.

Ky whimpered and shook her head. There was no chance she was talking. Words were still too hard. And she was feeling progressively worse.

"There was an attack during the ceremony," Zander offered. "The threat's been handled now, but she got stabbed in the arm in the process... I think she's in a bit of shock as well."

"I can't operate if she's in shock," Laura sighed, wrapping Ky's arm with gauze in the meantime and loosening her shirt. "Ky, look around the room for me and point to your uncle. Can you find your uncle? It's important that you do this."

(Not me looking up treatment for emotional shock at the last minute)

(Hahaha I was researching signs of shock last night too)

She let out a shaky, shuddering breath, but didn’t open her eyes. She didn’t understand what was happening — but she reached out with her left hand, feeling around.

“I’m here.” Tadaaki knew what she wanted and grasped her hand tightly. Her shoulders relaxed. He sat down next to her. “You gotta, Ky. It’s something you have to do to keep this from getting worse.”

Ky whimpered but opened her eyes. She didn’t understand why she had to do this. But she understood what getting worse meant for her. She looked around the room. Where was she? Who was — why was Zander here? Had Aleth brought him here somehow? Gods, was he hurt—?

“Zander?” her voice was weak and nothing more than a croak. But at least she spoke.

“I’m here, too,” Zander said, walking up to stand next to Tadaaki. He put his hand on Ky’s shoulder.

"And where's Tomhas?" Laura prompted. Tomhas stirred, sitting up reluctantly but keeping his eyes fixed firmly on his knees. Ky was bleeding, still, and he couldn't stand to see that. "Point to him for me."

"Tom--?" Ky whimpered slightly, still not sure what had happened, but if Tadaaki and Zander and Tomhas were here it meant they were all in danger and she didn't know how to help them."Did he-- is he-- did Aleth hurt anyone else?"

"No," Tadaaki promised. "No one else got hurt."

Ky relaxed slightly at that.

Zander, however, did not. He hid his anger well, but he had a desire to rip off every single one of Aleth's fingernails and shove them down his throat. To rip out his intestines inch by inch. To--

"Are you sure?" Ky murmured.

"I'm sure," Tadaaki said. "See for yourself. Tomhas is here. Do you see him?"

Ky whimpered again but cracked an eye open. She couldn't see much. She forced both eyes open. They locked on Tomhas. "Is he-- are you--?"

"I'm okay," Tomhas assured her, still staring at his knees. "We were worried about you. We are worried about you."

"I'm fine," Ky said, closing her eyes again. Breathing was hard. "I just need to sleep until my blood comes back. It's fine."

Zander didn't know what to do with himself. He wanted to kill something and cry all at the same time. What had he let her go through, to get to the point where she was used to losing this much blood?

Tadaaki was still holding her hand, and now reached up to brush her hair out of her face. It hurt to hear her say that. But he understood. Tea and sleep was what helped this. There wasn't much else that any of them knew how to do, aside from dumping alcohol on the cuts and wrapping them in a bandage.

"I need you awake, so we can stitch you up." Laura had begun sterilizing a suture and thread. "Tadaaki, could you prop her up for me? We need to get this done, then give her some water and let her rest."

"C'mon, little one. Up you go," Tadaaki grunted, hefting her upright and letting her slump against his chest.

She opened her eyes again at that, grunting in protest. There was a woman in front of her. "You're not Yeona." So who was she?

"No, we've met before. I'm Laura. Ky, do you remember where you are? You're at Caracal Keep, you've just completed your rites ceremony."

"What's a--?" Ky exhaled, clenching her teeth as a fresh wave of pain stabbed through her arm, but made no noise. She took a shaky breath. "I don't understand so much."