TFM 47

Chapter 47

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***

Edric shouted loudly toward them.

"Her Highness is injured! She must receive healing magic immediately!"

Hearing this, Sir Hart ordered the knights following behind to fetch a mage.

Moments later, a young mage belonging to the imperial court arrived running.

While he examined the princess's condition, Edric and the knights began clearing the rocks.

Lifting the boulder crushing her knee revealed a completely shattered knee and calf beneath the torn skirt hem.

Edric stifled a groan at the sight of several bone fragments protruding through the skin. In this state, even with healing magic, she might never walk again.

"If we let the wound heal like this, the leg will be completely deformed. First, we must move her to camp and set the bones."

The mage, who had been examining the princess's condition with a grave expression, spoke in a heavy, somber voice.

Edric looked at him with a dark expression.

"Will she be able to hold out that long?"

"I've cast a recovery spell, so she should be fine for now."

The mage replied with a sigh-like response, rubbing the back of his neck as he added.

"Still, it would be best to splint the leg to prevent the wound from opening further. Do we have any suitable tools?"

"Will this do?"

Sir Hart loosened the scabbard from his waist and held it out.

The mage took the scabbard, gave it a light shake as if gauging its weight, then slowly nodded.

"Then I'll bind the leg. Please hold her lower body steady."

Edric immediately obeyed the mage’s instruction, carefully supporting her swollen calf.

At that instant, a pained scream erupted from the limp woman's mouth.

Startled, Edric dropped his hands. The leg, bones protruding, fell to the ground, spurting dark red blood. As he stood frozen in horror at the gruesome sight, Varkas, who had been watching from a short distance away, wrapped his arms tightly around the princess's upper body and held her steady.

"Stop the bleeding!"

Snapping back to his senses, Edric hastily grabbed her leg.

Meanwhile, the mage tore his cloak to apply pressure to the long gash running from her thigh to her knee. Burying her face in Lord Shiokan’s chest, the princess let out a beastly groan, her crimson nails clawing wildly at his neck.

"It's done! Now splint it!"

At the mage’s urgent cry, the knights bent down, positioning her leg against the long sheath to secure it.

Finally, with the emergency treatment complete, Lord Shiokan lifted her in his arms.

Edric reached out urgently toward him.

"I'll carry her. The captain should tend to your wound..."

Just as his hand was about to touch her, the man's arm pulled her body tightly toward him. Edric hesitated at that defensive gesture.

Varkas narrowed his eyes as if annoyed and gave a sharp nod.

"Enough. Lead the way. We have no time to waste."

"I'm... I'm sorry."

Edric muttered an apology without realizing it, then hurriedly lit the way with his torch. There was no way they could carry the princess in that state up the steep slope; to reach the campsite, they had to circle around the rock face.

He moved along the dark forest path, glancing back at Varkas.

The knights' torches faintly illuminated one side of the man's face. Edric stared intently at that face, which looked not just cold but almost indifferent, before quickly shaking his head. Now was not the time to wonder about that man's true feelings.

Pushing aside the distracting thoughts swirling in his mind, Edric quickened his pace and emerged from the thickly wooded forest.

***

Her legs felt like they were on fire.

Moaning from the searing pain that felt like her skin was boiling, Talia struggled to lift her heavy eyelids, which felt glued shut.

A dimly lit ceiling flickered within her blurred vision. Her confused expression lasted only a moment. A bone-piercing pain made Talia twist her body and let out a sharp scream.

"Hold her down so she can't move!"

Drawn by the unfamiliar voice, she looked down and saw a stout, well-built middle-aged man leaning deeply over her leg.

With one hand pressing down on her thigh, he probed her blood-soaked knee with a small, pincer-like tool.

Talia watched the scene with eyes filled with terror, then twisted her body to escape the man. Instantly, someone standing by her head roughly pressed down on her shoulders.

"Your Highness! Calm down!"

Talia gasped for breath, gazing up at the dark shadow looming over her.

The haggard face, heavy with exhaustion, seemed vaguely familiar. Only after several seconds did she recognize it as one of the maids Senevere had assigned. But she felt no relief whatsoever.

Her pupils dilated as she darted glances between the maid's rigid face and the man rummaging through her knees. Talia reached out and clawed at the woman's face.

The maid, whose sun-tanned, muscular arms had been pressing down on her body, let out a scream and hastily pulled her hands away. Seizing the moment, she tried to crawl away across the bed, but a strong hand shot out from somewhere, pinning her wrist to the mattress.

Talia thrashed violently like a trapped animal.

"Let go! I said let go!"

"Calm down! We're treating your wound. You mustn't move like that!"

The man shouted urgently, pressing his armored chest down on her upper body.

Talia began thrashing even more violently. The excruciating pain felt like it was tearing her whole body apart. Yet, the sheer terror that she had to escape immediately overwhelmed all her senses.

"No! Don't touch my body!"

"Get the sedatives now!"

The man shouted loudly.

Talia looked up at the rough, heavily shadowed face with terrified eyes. Her personal knight, who had always acted like a scatterbrain, was now suppressing her with a grim, hardened expression.

Familiar terror and helplessness tightened around her throat.

She reached out to scratch his face.

"Get... get away! Leave me alone!"

A scream burst from her between rough sobs, and a short curse erupted from the man's mouth.

Talia twisted her body even more desperately. Then the man grabbed her wrists in one hand and pressed a cold glass bottle to her lips.

"Drink it. When you wake up, everything will be over."

Talia clamped her mouth shut.

But he didn't give up easily. Pressing the bottle's mouth firmly against her lower lip, the man pleaded.

"It's not poison! It's medicine to help you not feel pain during the treatment. So please... please..."

Despite the knight's desperate plea, Talia clenched her teeth and held firm.

She couldn't trust anyone.

They were all surely waiting for her to become helpless so they could commit some terrible act.

Talia knocked the vial away with her elbow and stubbornly pulled herself upright. Then, struggling to free her bloodied legs from the beasts holding her down, she saw a tall shadow suddenly step into the tent.

Recognizing his face, Talia stiffened.

The man, carrying the heavy scent of rain, seized her upper body with arms like snares.

There was no time to flee. Varkas, positioned behind her, held her torso firmly with one arm and signaled to the knight.

"Bring the medicine."

The knight obeyed the command immediately.

Varkas, handed a new vial, pulled the cork out with his teeth and pressed the mouth of the bottle to her lips.

Talia stared at it with trembling eyes, then shifted her gaze to his expressionless face.

Varkas urged her in a low voice.

"Drink it."