Tempest Rise (revised edition 10/2013) (Treborel) (4 page)

"Twenty, just this last week.”
She announced proudly, meeting his eyes as the annoyance returned.

"You must be
a very intelligent girl to have gone through the instruction so fast, and at such a young age." Katar interrupted, unsure why Cap was interrogating the young girl. 

"My parents encouraged my inclination for healing, which appeared in my early school years." Kendra answered
, glaring at Cap, feeling as if the tall Commander was challenging her competency.

"They should be
commended for their wisdom.” Katar added, frowning at the pair, catching Kendra’s attention, as she turned to face him.

"How did Tya know we were going to need you?" Cap continued, not
willing to surrender his questioning.

“
Tya had a vision, in her sleep; Bosen was killed by a sraeb. She is my cousin, and came to me at the Institute to ask for my help. Having just traveled through this area myself, and being family, I agreed to come." Kendra tore her eyes from Katar and turned back to the annoying Commander.

"The
sraebs are out early this year. Traveling as you were, you're lucky to have made it.” Cap scolded her, surprised by the sense of protectiveness that suddenly rushed through him. His thoughts formed the start of a serious lecture on the dangers of mountain travel, which someone should have, long ago, taught to this innocent young lady. 

Kendra sensed the lecture and said, "Traveling alone in these mountains is not a new experience for me. The Northern colony is deep within the Alps. We have no barriers
, like the city walls of Borel, to separate us from the forest creatures. I have learned to take care of myself."

Once again
, Cap found Kendra's big, brown eyes, glaring at him. Smiling at her, he produced her dirk from his pocket, and deposited it on the table before her saying, "So you've learned a lot about living in the mountains. Didn't anyone tell you a bow is the appropriate weapon for self-defense in Treborel?"

"I wasn't going to use it
on a Sraeb." Came Kendra’s threatening tone in response. In spite of his demeaning attitude, she found she was beginning to like this outspoken Commander.

Katar and Eades exchanged questioning looks, each lost in the conversation, wondering what had happened when the two met on the trail.

"Well, you're not returning on your own," Cap ordered, smiling at her insinuation. "Eades is Captain of the Queen's Guard. He's sent for a small team of soldiers. They will escort you and Bosen back to The Institute. He should be ready to travel in a few days."

"Perhaps," Kendra answered, not objecting to help
to escort the injured man. "The rest of you are not returning?"

"No, we're heading through the Chasm into Lon Tesse." Eades gruff voice answered
, as he rose from the table. Grabbing the empty bowls before him, he headed back to the galley.

Cap rose and turned his attention to Katar. "Now that our travel plans have been established. I'd like a word with our future Sovereign. We have a new foreign policy to discuss.” Eades grunted from the kitchen at the remark.
Rounding the table, Cap gestured toward the loft, over Bosen's sleeping form.  "You’re Grace?"

Ignoring him, Katar smiled at Kendra and excused himself. Walking past Cap, he headed for the loft steps. "Why is it every time you say that
phrase, it sounds like an insult?" Katar said over his shoulder.

"I always say it with the utmost reverence,
Your Greatness." Cap answered, as he moved quickly ahead of him, and bowed awkwardly at the base of the wooden steps.

"You know, I wouldn't take that from anyone else." Katar growled, trying to hide his amusement. 

"I never knew you felt that way." Cap smiled and winked at Kendra, before he turned to follow Katar up the steps.

A grin of defeat covered Katar's face
, as he shook his head at the top of the stairs. Taking a seat on one of the two single beds, Katar started the discussion, before Cap had the opportunity to begin the rush of never-ending questions saying, “You want to know what happened in the ravine."

"I just can't figure out how
Bosen managed to survive, if a Sraeb had such a good grip on him. It did a tremendous amount of damage; there were teeth marks on the front, and back of his shoulder. The creature had him in its jaws. How did he get away?" Cap said, as he sat on the end of the second bed, across from Katar, and pulled off his boots. "Did it happen like Connor said? It came out of nowhere?"

"I'm not sure,
I was up on the ridge checking our position. I left them at the bottom, looking for tracks. When I returned, they were deeper into the trees. I followed their trail, but before I could reach them, I heard Bosen scream. When I got there, Bosen was free, and swinging a tree limb, with all his might. The sraeb was a good 8 or 9 feet in length, with a bolt buried deep in its chest. Bosen must have been real close when he fired, but the shot was too low. I figured Connor was dead. There was no sign of him. So, I started shooting." Katar's expression turned to a scowl, as he continued. "When it was over, and I was working on Bosen, Connor appeared out of nowhere. That bastard had the nerve to compliment me on the kill. He just stood by and watched the whole thing, claiming Bosen wanted to handle it himself."

"Do you think Connor would have stepped in if you hadn't shown up?" Cap asked, already knowing the answer.

"Connor didn't give a damn whether Bosen lived, or died, and he didn't try to hide it."

"Do you think he was too scared after what happened last fall? “Cap asked
, trying to make sense of it.

"I don't know, maybe. It doesn't matter now." Katar answered
, deep in thought. 

Cap nodded
, and added, "We'll find out in a day or so, when Bosen's able to talk." He yawned, lay back onto the pillow, and folded his arms behind his head.

"If he lives, " Katar countered softly. “On the way back here, holding him in my arms, all I could think about was Tya and the boys. She's badgered me from the day we met
to bring a healer along on these hunts. If Bosen dies, It will be my fault entirely, and she’ll know it."

"His Royal Highness, Prince Katar, Heir to the throne of Treborel, is frightened by a chubby little Empath?" Cap teased
, as his eyes closed. Receiving no response, he raised his head and glanced over at his somber friend. Seeing the pain in his eyes, Cap sat up, his hopeful mood subdued. "Bosen’s going to be alright, Katar. It wasn't your fault. You couldn't have known Connor wasn't going to back up Bosen. And if it’s any consolation, I would have given him much worse than you did. Connor should have stepped in and helped him. He deserved a lot more than what you gave him." Staring off into the distance, Katar remained silent.

Making one last effort, Cap decided to take a different approach.
“Alright, if Tya comes looking for you, I promise, I'll protect you. I'll slay the monstrous beast before she reaches you."

Looking over at Cap
, with an amused yet annoyed expression, Katar answered. "You know Cap, I hate to admit it, but I'm going to have to start taking your warnings more seriously.”

"Meaning you
’ll hang on my every word.” Cap smiled.

"Not exactly.”
Katar answered, grinning at his friend. Rising from the bed, Katar picked up the folded blanket that lay across the foot of his bed, and headed back down the stairs. Cap stared after him, concern filling his face. Intending to sleep on the long sofa, not far from Bosen, Katar was surprised to find Kendra there, sound asleep. He wanted to be near his injured friend and to be the first to greet Commander Connor, should he choose to return. Katar covered Kendra with his blanket and settled down in the high back chair before the fireplace. A short while later, Cap woke to the sound of Kendra's voice coaxing Bosen to eat. 

He rose, and we
nt to her aid, as Kendra implored Bosen, “Bosen; you have to eat. You have a fever from the infection. I want to heal you, but you’re too weak, please take a bite.” Still, Bosen refused, turning weakly away from her.  Noticing Prince Katar as he reached her side, Kendra turned, and offered him a bowl of herbal broth Cap had prepared. "Perhaps you could convince him. He's still not out of danger."

Taking her seat on the edge of the bed, Katar spoke gently, “You have to eat,
Bosen. I can't guarantee it won't taste like dung, because Cap made it. But you've got to try." The pale blacksmith shook his head weakly and turned away once more. "Think of Tya and the boys Bosen. What will they do without you?" Katar tried to convince him of how close to death he was. Still, Bosen would not eat. Katar continued forcefully. "Do you want to die? Because that's what you’re doing, killing yourself. If you don't regain your strength, Kendra can't cure the infection, and you will die.”

"I can't, my stomach is too weak. It won’t stay down."
Bosen weakly refused.

"You've got no choice.” Cap's voice came from behind Katar
, he added, “Kendra, get a mug from the kitchen.” Katar rose, letting Cap have a try at the Bosen. Seating himself, Cap bent low over Bosen, stopping mere inches from his face. "Your stomachs upset because you are dehydrated. It will feel better once you get some fluid in you. I am the one who has to tell Tya if you die. I'm not going to tell her you died because you wouldn't eat." Cap explained firmly.

When Kendra returned with a large mug, Cap poured a small portion of the warm broth from the bowl into it
and held it to Bosen's lips. "I’m not kidding Bosen. Drink this, now, or I'll force it down your throat. "

"It won't
stay," Bosen protested weakly.

"Try."
Cap answered softly, still holding the liquid to his lips.

Bosen
obeyed, then turned to wretch over the side of the bed. "Once more," Cap encouraged, holding the cup to Bosen's quivering lips. Again he took in the broth and spewed its contents.

Kendra stepped forward
and lightly pressed her hand against Bosen’s stomach. "Try again.” She urged softly, nodding to Cap.

This time
, the herbal broth, stayed in his stomach. Encouraged, Cap coaxed him to take more. As Kendra cleaned the mess beside the bed, Bosen emptied the mug and fell quickly back asleep, exhausted. Returning to the galley, Kendra collected her small bag of herbs and examined it. Finding it lacking enough of the medicine to make another batch, she headed toward the door. "I shouldn't be gone long. If his fever worsens, holler for me, I won't be far." Kendra announced as she moved through the door. "I need more herbs to make another batch of broth before he awakens.”

Rising from
Bosen's bedside, Cap turned to Katar, concerned. "Do you think we should let her go out in the middle of the night alone?"

"She travelled for
almost three days and nights alone, just to reach us." Katar answered, wondering if Cap had become smitten by the young Empath, without even realizing it.

"Do you think I should go with her?" Cap's gaze went to the lodge's threshold.

"Do you want to?" Katar said, grinning at his friend knowingly.

Turning back puzzled, Cap stared at him. Then, as a smile broke out on his unshaven face, he turned to follow, grabbing his bow as he headed through the door.  He glanced around in the darkness
, and caught a glimpse of Kendra, as she disappeared around the side of the lodge. He quickly followed.

A warm breeze touched the
treetops, sending the night's shadows dancing along the log wall of the lodge. He found Kendra as she knelt beside the front of the small bathhouse. Cap stopped beside her, and said, “If you describe what plants you're looking for, maybe I can help.” He smiled down at her, watching the shadows caress her long, dark brown hair.

Kendra glanced up, her expression softening. His ease with
Bosen had impressed her, in spite of his overbearing attitude. He truly cared about the people around him. Pointing to the side of the building she explained, "See that fern-like plant near the corner? I need its roots. "

As Cap moved to dig up the plant, Kendra finished cutting the tips of the herb she had been working with. "I've got to find one other herb. It usually grows beneath the large evergreens." Kendra
walked past him, glancing around the corner of the bathhouse. Having used his large hunting knife to dig up the plant, Cap rose and presented her with a handful of roots. Untying the small pouch from her belt, she gently placed them inside with the other cuttings.

"There's a clearing near here
, surrounded by giant evergreens." Cap nodded toward the opposite side of the bath house, away from the lodge. “We should get some light.” He added.

Heading back to the lodge, Cap collected a lantern
, while Kendra asked Katar to prepare a meat broth with the herbs she had already obtained. As Katar headed into the kitchen, the pair walked back out into the darkness of the woods, toward the clearing. As they moved deeper into the trees, Cap handed Kendra the light, and allowed her to precede him. Cap smiled in admiration as he watched Kendra’s slender silhouette glide through the darkness. Cap stiffened, as she turned back to him, with a look of alarm. Moving quickly to her side, he glanced around, seeing nothing.