While Beth and Mary built a fire, Meg and Lily led Nick to a bare-chested man who had a blodied shirt fastened with a belt to his upper arm. He was lying sideways on the ground, somewhat pale.
Nick clenched his jaw briefly. The man was muscular, yet way too lean for a man of his strength.
– This here's Dan. Dan, this Sir's gonna heal ya. – Meg said, gesturing between them.
– I will try. – Nick amended.
– He a knight? – Dan asked.
– Yeah. But he a good one. Wants to help.
– Wants to help? Me?
– Yeah, you.
– Why?
– Cuz of his mother.
– His mother?
– Yeah, she a healer. She taught him. Is an honour thing.
– An honour thing—
– Oi, Dan! Quit yammerin', mate. Let the man help ya. He'll do all of us. Ya first. – Jack barked from his nearby spot.
Dan grew silent as he examined Nick, who took the opportunity to say:
– That wound looks quite bad. Who put that belt on?
– We did, – Meg said gesturing proudly at Lily and herself.
– Well done. You probably saved his life. But he can't keep that forever, can he? May I have a look, Dan?
– Got to. Mate's orders.
– Good. Tell me, how do your fingers feel, Dan?
– Kinda cold and tingly.
– I see. – Nick said as he knelt beside him. – I'm going to have a look at them, alright?
– Ay.
Nick pressed his thumb and then released it. Dan flinched.
– Sorry, that hurt a bit – Nick acknowledged. He pointed to Dan's thumb. – Meg, you see how it's staying white for a moment? That means the belt is too tight.
– Did we hurt him? – Lily asked, concerned.
– No! You saved his life! He could have bled out if you hadn't put that on. But if we leave it like that for long, it could hurt him, so we'll start by loosening it a bit, alright?
– Ain't it gonna bleed more again?
– Yes. We'll need to press on the wound right away.
– We did that. Didn't stop.
– It's been a while, so we'll try again. Take some deep breaths, Dan. It'll hurt a bit at fitst, but it'll get better after. Alright?
Dan nodded, so Nick lifted the belt's buckle prong, letting the leather slide slowly. He removed the cloth and readjusted the belt above the wound as a tourniquet. The injury was now fully visible.
Initially, Dan's body tensed, and his teeth clenched. A short groan escaped him, but then he exhaled a long breath. The relief showed as he slowly opened and closed his fist.
– Better now, right?
– Yeah.
– But now it's bleedin' badly again! – Meg pointed at the blood oozing from the wound.
– Yes, – Nick said calmly. He tore a small piece from the shirt and folded it to match the length of the wound. – Dan, breathe again, try to stay still, alright? Lily, hold his hand. Meg, help me keep this arm still.
– You gonna make me swear, eh boy?
Nick let out a chuckle.
– I like your humour. Ready?
Dan nodded grimly. Nick carefully inserted the cloth into the wound and pressed down on it. Dan moaned and leaned his head against his healthy shoulder, face nearly touching the ground as he breathed heavily through his teeth.
– You're holding on really well, Dan... Keep that up... breathe... – Nick encouraged him as he pressed.
– Grahh... Blast it... – Dan muttered several moments later.
– There's the swearin'! – Meg teased.
– Ay... gotta... keep... my word... eh?
Meg rolled her eyes. Nick and Lily chuckled.
– You're doing great, Dan... Keep up that breathing—and the humour.
– Ay, Sir... Grrra... But... How much... longer... Sir? – Dan's pleading eyes found Nick's, even as he tried to laugh through the pain.
– Almost there... just breathe...
– Damn. – He moaned as he started to tremble a little.
– Talk to him, help him stay grounded. Rub his back. – Nick instructed the women. Meg knew exactly what to say as she rubbed his bare chest:
– Just this once, Dan… don't go gettin' any ideas.
– Huh!... Shoulda... got hurt... sooner...
– Wouldna work, Dan. Only followin' Sir's orders.
– Oi Sir... give a hurtin'... fella a hand... Tell the woman... I'll be needin'… a lot more of this to recover.
– Ya dreamin' big, fella. Ain't gonna happen again.
– Don't ya deny it, Meg... ya want me... Sir said to rub my back... poor Lil' went all red... too much muscle for the young lass. But ya… ya went straight for my front...
– If ya don't stop makin' things up, Dan, I'll be helpin' Sir press harder on ya arm.
–No, no... front's good... front's good... –
He paused for a moment, then said to Nick – But ya saw it too, right, Sir?... woman's all over me. What d'think, eh?
– Ain't need to answer that, Sir, this fella—
– Oh, I can answer, – Nick said, chuckling. – I can tell you're both quite distracted with one another. You didn't even notice I'm done.
– Huh? Ya done?
– Yes, the bleeding's stopped. I even readjusted the belt over the wound.
– He gonna be alright, Sir? – Meg asked.
– For now. I'll still need to clean and dress the wound later.
– But he won't be dyin' anymore, right Sir? – Lily asked relief writen all over her youthful features.
– He's not out of danger yet. The wound could fester, but for now we'll let him rest, before we do the cleaning part. Alright?
– Alright – All three said.
– Good work here, now who's next? Show the way ladies.
– Yes, Sir! – Lily stood up, with a little more excitement than expected. Nick was pleased to see her spirits had lifted.
Before getting to the next patient, they stopped by Mary and Beth. Their small bonfire was cracking, and a belt's buckle, leather still attached, lay by the flames.
– Well done, thank you. – Nick praised them.
– Will that do, Sir? We got lots of iron here, but they took it – Mary gestured to the pile of farming tools the knights were guarding.
– Yes, that's enough. Can you make sure the leather doesn't burn? Try keeping it wet. It can work as a handle.
– Will do, Sir.
– Beth, would you mind staying on your own by the fire? That way Mary can come help me as well.
– Yes, Sir, that fine.
With Mary by their side, they reached the next patient: an older looking man that had a bloodied shirt tied with a belt to his left thigh.
– Gil, we gonna heal ya. This Sir's gonna help.
– He a knight? Don't want nothin' to do with knights. – Gil said, while spitting on the ground.
– Oi Gil! The man's good. He helped Dan over there. He with us.
– Yeah right.
– Jack agrees – Lily offered.
– Don't care. I ain't gettin' touched by tyrants.
– Gil! This man's different.
– Don't care. Made my mind about 'em when that blasted nobel laid his filthy claws on my Anne. Girl was never the same after.
Nick clenched his fists at the though of the injustice:
– Master Gil, was that man not punished?
– Course not, ya think ya nobels would care?
– I know nobels who would.
– I don't.
– What if I told you I care?
– Don't believe it.
– Could you let me prove it to you?
– How?
– By taking care of your wound.
– Ain't gettin' touched by ya claws.
– Oi! Gil! No disrespectin' the man.
– It's alright, Meg. I understand. I would be using even harsher language if I were in his shoes. But how about this, master Gil, would you let these ladies help you?
– Ya ain't helping me then?
– I won't touch you. They will. I'll only tell them what to do.
Gil frowned for a moment and looked a Nick more closely.
– Why ya helpin'? Has nothing to give ya.
– He ain't asking for nothin'. – Meg intervened.
– For nothin'?
– Yeah.
– Don't believe it.
– It's true. Is an honour thing.
– An honour thing?
– Yeah, an honour thing, for his mother.
– For his mother?
– Yeah she taught him.
– She though him?
– Yeah, taught him healing.
– He a knight and a healer?
– Not a healer, just a knight.
– Ya said mother taught him healing.
– She did. – Nick intervened after taking a long breath to keep his patience. – But —
– She did who, Meg or ya mother? – Gil interupted, still not trusting him.
– His mother did. He wanna honour his mother by healing all of ya. – Meg continued.
– All of us?
- Yeah, all of ya.
– But ya said he not a healer.
– He not.
– But he knows healing.
– Yes! I know how to treat battle wounds! – Nick exclaimed while rubbing the back of his neck. – I'm not a healer, but my mother is a healer and she taught me how to stop bleeding and apply dressings. If I guide Meg though it, would you accept her help?
Gil didn't answer, but the furrow in his brow told Nick he was considering it. Before Nick could think of something else, Lily clenched Gil's arm, looked directly into his eyes and pleaded softly:
– Please Granpa Gil, Sir Nick's good. Please let'im help ya? I don't want ya dyin'. Please?
Gil took a deep resigned breath.
– Fine. Ya can help.
Nick, Meg and Mary breathed a sigh of relief.
– Right then, what do I gotta do, Sir? – Meg asked.
– First, is there blood leaking from the bandage?
Meg took a moment to inspect it and said:
– Don't think so.
– Did you and Lily also apply the bandage?
– Yes. We tighten it too much again, Sir? – Lily asked.
– Probably not. When you bandaged it, did it look just like Dan's?
– Longer, Sir. But think less deep. – Meg answered.
– Was it as hard to reduce the bleeding?
– No, Sir. Think it was easier.
– Ok, that's good news. Let's see if we can remove the belt, but we have to do it very slowly. Mary, could you press gently on the cloth, around the belt, and, Lily, can you hold Master Gil's hand?
– Yes, Sir! – Lily responded immediately, and her and Mary got into possition.
– Now Meg, we want to release the pressure very, very slowly. So you will lift the belt's prong, while not letting the leather strap, slide. Then you will let it slide a little bit at a time. Does that make sense?
– I think so, Sir.
– Good, let's do it. Master Gil, it'll hurt a bit more at first, but you should feel better afterwards. Alright?
Gil nodded and Meg began releasing the belt as Nick had instructed. Once it came fully off, Mary also released her pressure slowly, and Gil let our a long breath of relief.
– Nice. Is there bleeding?
– Don't think so, Sir. – Meg answered.
– Then we're almost done here! Well done!
– What we missing?
– Wrap the shirt back over the wound carefully to protect it. Don't tighten it much, just so that it stays.
– Done, Sir. – Meg announced when she had finished.
– Then we are done here. Thank you Master Gil for letting us tend to you. We'll be back later to clean and dress your wound. – Then looking at the women he said – Next patient?
– Yes! – Lily said eagerly. Apparently, nursing wounds was growing on her.
They led Nick to a young man who was sitting while leaning on a tree. He was holding his shirt against his right side. His head was resting against the tree. His eyes were closed. Nick noticed his breathing was shallow, yet steady.
– Rob, wake up. We're here to tend to ya.
– Who's that? – Rob asked looking at Nick.
– My name is Nick and I would like help tend to your wound. May I? – Nick introduced himself briefly.
– No need. Girls already did it.
– Rob, this Sir can do more.
– He a healer?
– No, but he can help ya.
– How?
– I know how to tend to battle wounds. My mother taught me. – Nick explained quickly.
– His mother taught'im? – Rob asked Meg.
– Yeah, she a healer.
– But he not a healer?
– No, but he wanna help.
– Why?
– Is an honour thing.
– An honour thing?
Nick looked up to the sky while rubbing the back of his neck.