Attacked - Returning Home
Dec 16, 2013 20:53:27 GMT -4
Post by Empress Aymelek on Dec 16, 2013 20:53:27 GMT -4
MIKA: Mika was relieved when they finally hit the road again. Though he was not in a hurry to leave the north, he was happy to leave their current hosts to start on the road south again. It had snowed during their vists, but he wasn't worried about losing his way. He knew which direction south was, and while staying to the road might be more conventional, it's winding way wasn't clear beneath the snow. They were wearing heavy cloaks and the wind was whipping flurries up into the air; the sky was grey and overcast. Ghost bounded through the snow on either side of them. Mika had been quieter than usual, though he seemed less moody now that they put the Nicor behind them. He looked over at Aymelek and eased closer to her. "Thank you for your patience in this endeavor," he said gently. "I know it has been uncomfortable and, at times, trying for you." She was out of her depth, she was in an unfamiliar land with a husband that had been less than helpful at times throughout their journey.
AYMELEK: She was never going to be warm again. She was convinced. The cold seemed to have seeped into her very bones. Bones tht were used to being warmed by the desert sun. During the reminder of their visits with the Nicor, Aymelek remained closed to Mika. A presence more than anything else to ensure he knew he had someone there for him despite the difficult days. Aymelek, too, was glad to be leaving though she could not say they were unwelcoming or unkind, it was more relief for Mika. When he eased closed she turned to look at him, the large fur lined hood nearly swallowing her up, but the large eyes and warm face did appear. She had the good grace to smile, and inclined her head to her husband. "I could say the same, my behavior at times was less thn becoming but you never failed to forgive and move on. As for this last part of our journey, it was my pleasure to be there for you, Mika." It had changed the way she saw Mika. He was not just a stubborn man, he was a strong man and he faced what was most uncomfortable in order to try and make a solid future for the empire. One small gloved hand left the reins and squeezed at his arm briefly.
MIKA: "This place freezes so easily... I've seen deep angers grow because they never thaw." He shrugged. His arm slid so that his hand could catch hers and he squeezed tenderly. "I appreciate your support," he said quietly, almost tenderly. "I am not sure I would have had the charm to pull this off by myself." He was actually certain that this would have gone far differently ahd he been alone here, had he been the only one to attempt these talks. Having a wife at his side changed things, and he had a sense now, more than ever, the power the women here wielded, especially among the Kvarsi. He would have to think about that more as he considered Aymelek's role in Susa. What would have been expected of her there, had she married someone else? He would ask her, but not now. It could wait until they were resting tonight. He squeezed her hand once more before he let go, not wanting to hold it too long away from her body, where she could more easily keep warm. Their ride was quiet, muffled by the snow - the entire forest was quiet, though there was some bird song. But sounds didn't carry as far. It was easy to grow complacent, though Mika seemed to look around now and then, to be sure of their surroundings, of their heading. The road was lost under the snow, though he knew well that the road was no safer than anywhere else. Hoofbeats went unheard, but Mika saw them coming through the trees. "On guard!" He yelled, jerking his horse to make sure that Aymelek was protected as an arrow flew by. He drew his bow to fire back and tried to identify the riders, but they carried no banner. Their clothes looked Nicori to him, but he had no time to make a close study. Something hit him, sharp and hard, and as he drew his arm back he nearly screamed but fired again. They could not be allowed near the empress. He had vowed to keep her safe, and he meant to carry this out to his last breath.
AYMELEK: She was smiling, studying his face, and realizing that her husband was quite handsome. By northern or southern standards he cut a dashing figure. Her eyes met his once more as he released her hand, a small laugh given about his 'charm'. She had not a thought about attacks on the road, though apparently Mika and the guards...did. She was suddenly surrounded by guards on her sides and flanks and Mika at her front. His cry sent a surge of fear that caused her heart to race and her breath to catch in her chest. The horses grew restless, moving nd whinnying, Aymelek gripped her reins, but her eyes could not be taken from what was happening. She saw Mika jerk and screamed, "No!" lunging toward him but a guard gripped her cloak and kept her from falling from her horse. Her own weapons consisted of a dagger at her waist and that was the entirety of it. Her eyes scanned the woods and finally she saw them. "Protect him!" Her arm moved indicating the remainder of the guards should surge forward to put themselves between the attackers and the Emperor. Guards from both Dimmmark and Susa immediately reacted. She drew closer, studying Mika. From her angle she saw his cloak grow dark. Blood. She was right. He was hit. Her heart slammed against her ribs. Arrows were flying, the sound of their speed a distinct zing in the air, sometimes very high pitched if they were particularly fast. Between her worry over Mika, her assessment of keeping up with where the attackers were versus how the guards were doing and handling her horse, the moments were ticking by slowly, filled with a multitude of activity.
MIKA: Mika managed to fire again before the guards took the last of the would-be bandits out. The snow had gone red and slushy in a few places as bodies fell and bled, but now it was quiet again, save for Mika's labored breathing. "Is the--" He paused, wet his lips. "Aymelek, are you alright?" He hunched forward some, one hand disappearing beneath his cloak. The arrow was stills ticking out of his back, pinning the cloak in place as he hunched forward more. He managed to stay on horseback, at least. "We need to move," he muttered. "The birds will be coming soon, and the bigger beasts after that." And he didn't want to be here when the scavengers showed up. He looked to his empress, needing to see that she was in one piece. The fight had perhaps been brief... but certainly bloody. A handful of guards were injured, though they were also better armored than the emperor. Perhaps he would have to reconsider it for the rest of the ride south.
AYMELEK: That sharp strike of fear happened again as she watched in what seemed to her a morbid slow motion, her husband leaning forward, the arrow sticking from him and yet he was still asking on her safety. "I am well, untouched, Mika, no worries on this." She was so close their horses were rubbing against one another and tolerating it amazingly well considering the adrenaline of the moment. Her hand stroked down the back of his head, frightened at how hurt he may be and unable to assess how bad was the injury. She heard his mutter and lifted her head, calling to the guards in a strong, sharp voice. "Hurry! The Emperor wishes to ride! We move quickly, and stop at my command!" The guards seemed to jerk into action at her voice. Feminine, but laced with confidence and command. She easily slid onto Mikas horse and in front of him. She gave an upnod to one of the guards to take her horse. "Lean into me, Mika" she murmured as she took the reins of his mount. The imperial party took off in a muted thunderstorm of sound. They rode hard and long, putting as much distance as possible between them and the corpses. She knew the animals that fed on the dead would not travel far from the easy feast, so after three quarters of an hour she called for a halt. "Help me with him!A fire, quickly! And bring my bags to me." The Susain empire was a progressive one. While parts of the known world plunged themselves into a cyclic darkness of thought and discovery the kingdoms of Susa continued to grow, learn and develop. (think Ottoman's) Even in medicine. "Hurry!" she barked sharply as the guards assisted their Emperor down and to a bedroll that was heavily padded near the fire. A canopy was being raised over it for protection from the falling snow.
MIKA: "Be careful," he mumbled as she eased onto his horse. It was awkward, but soon he leaned on her, trying not to lean too much of his weight on her. Besides, he'd rather not bleed on his wife. Somehow that just seemed wrong. He felt exhausted by the time that they stopped and when they did, he nearly fell off the horse. Mika managed to catch himself on his way down, but hit his knees as the guards grabbed for his arms. He sank down onto the bedroll made available, careful as he went. He had to stay sitting up, not wanting to break off the arrow haphazardly. It hurt badly, and he'd lost enough blood to be concerned. "It needs to come out," he said quietly, a little dazed. "And if it hasn't gone all the way through, you need to push it through. The tips are barbed, it'll do worse if you try to pull it out." It would hurt badly to shove it through, but it would do far more damage to try to work it back out the way it had come in. Mika was not looking forward to it.
AYMELEK: Mika's strength of will (conveniently switched from 'stubbornness' in his wife's mind now) was noted by Aymelek as the guards got him situated, onto the bedroll. Her bags were brought to her just as she went to her knees by the Emperor. She brushed back Mika's hair with her fingers, "Shhh, hush. Quiet yourself, Mika. Breathe steadily and think of something calm. Something comforting. " She told one of the guards who seemed to be assigned to run errands for the Empress. "I need hot water." She drew out a smaller bag from the larger and got to work. "Mika, put this in your mouth." it was a small, fine powder that tasted sweet and melted quickly on his tongue. Her hands were freed from their gloves, and the powder was spooned into his mouth. She could not help holding tenderly to his jaw and pressing her mouth against his cheek. She was trembling but determined. She studied the arrow as the pain medication took effect to daze Mika enough to dull the pain he was inevitably going to feel. She had the guard take hold of the arrow and then got in front of Mika, her hands on each side of his cheek. "Okay, we are pushing it through on my count, Mika." She glanced over his shoulder to the guard, "One, two.....three.." The guard shoved the arrow through until it pierced through the skin in the front, and all the muscle it did not penetrate. Once it was through, the guard snapped the arrow and Aymelek grabbed the front and pulled it out of him. Bandages were quickly put in place and held until the hot water was ready. Aymelek shifted to Mika's side, holding both bandages and pressing inward to staunch the blood flow.
MIKA: Mika accepted the powder, even if it was unfamiliar. He was generally confident his wife wouldn't jsut try to kill him now. He adjusted himself so that he was braced on his knees while Aymelek settled in front of him with a guard behind. When the arrow shoved through, Mika tightened his jaw and struggled not to scream. Even with the powder it still hurt, though thankfully his senses were getting dull. He struggled not to slump forward - the next step was to break the arrow as cleanly as possible, then to pull the two sides out. The goal was to avoid getting any splinters in the wound. The snap of the arrow made him shudder again - he could feel the vibration of it through the wound - and the removal of the arrow made it easier to bleed. The guard helped remove Mika's cloak and his layered tunics - they needed access to the wound to clean it and care for it. The emperor was becoming less and less helpful as the powder took affect.
AYMELEK: The hot water finally arrived allowing Aymelek to work quickly to cleanse the wound. She applied medication from a small crock. She then placed cotton cloth squares and with the help of the guard, as Mika was growing jelly like, wrapped him with long silk strips. She had the guard hold Mika up long enough to give him sips of a tea she blended that would help with the blood loss and stimulate his body to rebuild the blood loss. "A few more sips, Mika.." she said gently, speaking in soft soothing tones. Finally satisfied he drank enough she helped the guard to lay him down, propping him for comfort as he dictated. She could not help but notice her husband's form. He was strong. Muscled. And once he was down, just before she covered him with woolen blankets as the fire was built to a large blazing source of heat, she felt her mouth go dry with the way he appeared. Her nostrils flared and only when Mika seemed semi-comfortable did she dare relax.
MIKA: He managed to drink the tea she offered, though all too soon he was listing again, and all he wanted was to rest. Someone managed to get him into a clean tunic and draped a clean, heavy cloak over him. Other guards had set up tents, and soon the emperor was moved into one of them, along with the empress's bedroll so that she could stay near him. But it would be warmer for them, more protected, and the guards had already elected there would be night-long shifts. There she could cover him with blankets and watch over him as he finally rested. He was exhausted, and though he wanted to fight and stay awake, there was no fighting whatever Aymelek had given him. He lightly touched her arm before his hand dropped again and he fell into a dreamless, uncomfortable sleep.
AYMELEK: It was not as if watching over him was a trial. It was what she wanted to do and there could have been no rest being away from him. Even the time it took her to relieve herself and wash up was too long and she was back,next to him. Scooting her bedroll close to his, she sleep in spans of time. Awakening when he moved, checking his forehead for fever, the inside of his mouth for color to ensure he was not still bleeding. She put her ear to his chest and listened to his heart. It was no longer rapid, but slow, strong and steady. She fell asleep in the hour just before the gray dawn broke and slept a few hours solidly, finally satisfied that her husband would mend without hardship. Outside of pain as the wound mended itself. His ride home was going to be uncomfortable, but the point was...they were going home together.
MIKA: He would not die here in the north... not yet, anyway. Mika woke some time after the sun came up - the day was a bit more clear but there were still clouds all around. With a quiet grunt he pushed himself up-- then froze with a hiss. Oh, that did hurt. His eyebrows pulled together and he tried to push himself up more, slowly and carefully this time. His entire torso ached. He remembered all of it, more or less, but the process of having the arrow removed was a bit fuzzy. He sighed and pushed his hair back, then looked over at Aymelek to be sure she was alright. They had slept in separate tents for a bit on the way to the Nicor, but they'd resumed sleeping in the same space while there. It was good to have her clsoe again. He didn't dare twist, but he did look toward the tent flap. He was hungry. And he was quite sure he'd been dead to the world for the rest of the afternoon and through the night.
AYMELEK: She frowned in her sleep, somehow knowing that Mika was stirring and trying to pull herself from her sleep. She finally drew herself out and sat up. Seeing Mika sitting there tense. She pushed the hood from her head and crawled to where he was, tipping her head to see his face. He was lucid again. "You wish to eat, Mika?" She knew he must be ravenous and eating was the best thing for him. She rose and walked to the tent entrance. She spoke to a guard, the layers of her gowns an array of colors. Purple, black, scarlet with strips of white fur here and there. The dark hair was braided into a thick braid that lay over one shoulder and down her front. She had adapted to the north as much as possible and while her coloring, her very soul was the fire of the desert, she was very much the wife of the Ghost, Einar. She returned and lowered to sit near him, pulling blankets and bags to give him a sort of reclined prop so he could lean back if he wished. "We should rest for a day at least, Mika, the ride will be intensely uncomfortable."
MIKA: He affirmed with a quiet hum, then managed a nod and something a bit more coherent. "Yes. Are you alright?" He couldn't remember now if she'd been injured or not. He watched her get up and move toward the entrance. He smiled small and slowly sank back again, figuring he might have to wait a bit for food. He propped himself up just enough so that Aymelek could stuff bags and blankets under his back and shoulders so he could sit up some without actually needing to support himself. He sighed and relaxed back. "Thank you," he said quietly, his voice a bit rough for lack of use. "And I would rather not rest, if we can help it. I can manage the ride, but if the bandits are already getting restless then I have no desire to linger anywhere longer than we need to."
AYMELEK: "I am unharmed. Completely unscathed." She leaned toward him and said with a smile. "Not even a token scratch to brag about later." She winked then settled beside him. "You are welcome, and why did I know you would insist on pushing along?" She sat quietly watching him. He was still strong, not stubborn. Yet. "Let us compromise. We will break camp after you eat and travel half the hours we normally would each day for three days. Then if your wound cooperates, we will return to our normal schedule." The food was brought in. Fried meats, flat breads, drinks with pieces of dried fruit. Aymelek arranged Mika's plate once the guard departed. "Agreed?" She had his food in bite size pieces so he could eat it easier, the spring water in the leather canteen laid close to his side. She put a piece of dried fruit in her mouth and chewed, waiting for his verdict before giving any order to break camp.
MIKA: Mika gave his wife a look when she started suggesting compromise. "We'll go on as we can, and I will speak up when I need to stop," he assured her. "We've agreed on moving forward, at least." He sat up just a bit more so that he could start eating. "But I'll eat first, and rest a bit more before we start today." He would make that concession, at least. But they were still too close to Nicor-controlled lands for his comfort, and he would be happier to keep moving until they were at least among the Andvari again. He looked at her again. "I will make it clear when I need stop... I will not press myself into exhaustion," he assured her.
AYMELEK: "But that would require me to trust you to tell the truth. As well as requiring you to be honest with me about how tired or sore you feel." She felt that flicker of frustration but managed to keep her composure. "Mika..." she began and this time she let her voice fill with the earnest emotion she was feeling. "It is not worth more harm coming to you. I know you are worried that more will happen, but if something happens to you, then it's all for naught." Then she inclined her head. She would trust him to tell her, but she added a caveat. "If I detect you are waning, I will press you to call a halt, Mika." Bandits happened everywhere, it was inevitable. For the sake of the Nicor, she prayed it was simply that, bandits who knew not who they attacked, for if it was more, it would become Aymelek's life's work to bring the Nicor to their knees for reasons that were her own. They had already taken much from her, before she ever knew they existed.
MIKA: "I'd rather not have anything else happen," he assured her. "And I know well you will." He lifted an eyebrow when she told him she'd make a fuss, and if she did... he'd stop for the night, or the day, or whenever it was it happened. "We'll be alright. I'll get you home safely, and I'll get there in one piece," he said with a small smile. He was tired, that was clear, but definitely more alert than he had been before he fell asleep last night. He ate steadily and cleared the plate, then sighed as he set it aside. He felt restless, but he knew better than to press his luck with Aymelek. Beyond that... he was tired, whether he wanted to say it out loud or not.
AYMELEK: She gave her husband a sidelong look through thick black lashes. Her mouth twitched at his arched eyebrow. He had a knack for making the one eyebrow go up. She removed his plate and scooted closer to give him a drink of water, before calling the guard to take thing away. "Be ready to break camp at the emperor's word, but I must rest first." She pulled the blankets over Mika, tucking him in carefully. Whether she needed to rest or not was debatable but she knew Mika would not argue if she insisted she needed it. Worry etched her features but she took heart in Mika's reassurance. She knew he would see to his word, he always did, except when it came to his own comfort. So she tucked herself to the side opposite his wound and reclined with him. She would remain with him while he rested, pretending to do the same.
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TAHYA SUSA!