Kei_s_Gift_bk_3_Return_to_Darshian_-_AS.pdf

K EI ' S G IFT

B OOK THREE Î R ETURN TO D ARSHIAN C HAPTER 1

Kei scrubbed his hands at the sink, his light-headedness and weak legs

warning him that he was almost at that point of exhaustion where he had to

either lie down or fall down. He had been working for well over eighteen hours

straight Î someone had told him it was past midnight, and that had to be at

least two hours ago Î and heÓd been tired to begin with. Finally he was

finished with the stitching, bandaging, the straightening of limbs and the

administration of drugs. He would do one last check on his patients, and then

find a cot or a pallet somewhere to collapse.

ÐAre you done, Kei?Ñ

He dried his hands and turned around. ÐJust now.Ñ

His visitor was one of the three Darshianese army captains in charge of the

fort Î Tiko, a grizzled veteran soldier originally from near Kislik. Kei had only

spoken to him very briefly before casualties had started to come in from the

battle near the fort, and heÓd suddenly had to deal with dozens of injured

soldiers. ÐThen come and get some food before you sleep. We can talk while

you eat.Ñ

Kei was going to say he was too tired to eat, but just the mention of food

made his stomach rumble and he realised he was, in fact, very hungry. Using

his mind-moving gift for so long always drained him, and he knew if he didnÓt

eat now, he would pay for it tomorrow when he needed to be functioning Î

there were some very ill people in the field hospital. ÐAll right.Ñ

The fort was mostly silent, apart from a few quiet moans from the cots

where the injured lay, and the distant complaints of the urs beasts. Tiko led

him to the kitchens in what had once been the hostagesÓ barracks, and on a

very familiar stove sat a cauldron of stew. The smell made Kei suddenly

ravenous, as did the sight of the bread, plain but good, that Tiko cut for him.

The captain was kind enough to let him eat a few hasty spoonfuls before

questioning him, finding him a mug of water to wash it down, and then his

hunger was slaked enough for him to be polite. ÐHow many more did we

lose?Ñ Tiko asked.

ÐThree, IÓm afraid. There really wasnÓt any hope of saving them Î the

wounds were too extensive and the blood loss too great.Ñ

ÐAnd the others?Ñ

Kei dunked a bit of bread into the stew and swallowed it. ÐIf they get

through this night, then I think theyÓll all live. At least they will if we can keep

the Prij medic away from them, or at least make the bastard wash his damn

hands before he pokes them any more.Ñ

Tiko chuckled. ÐI think he might have learned a few things today. IÓll send

him north with his comrades Î hopefully he wonÓt kill too many of them.Ñ

ÐWhen will they leave?Ñ

ÐTomorrow, in the morning. When will the wounded men be ready for

travel?Ñ

Kei considered. ÐTwo, three days at the very least. A couple possibly

sooner, but IÓd caution you to wait. Lieutenant Vikis is in a very serious

condition Î I canÓt give you an estimate for him, or even if he is likely to live. If

the general survives tonight, then he should recover enough within a week to

be able to tolerate travelling.Ñ Kei refused to think of how he would feel if

Arman died. He had to work in the here and now, and here and now, Arman

was still alive.

ÐWell, Darshek want him sent north as fast as possible Î weÓll use wagons,

of course. Three are on their way from Ai-Rutej.Ñ Tiko hesitated, and Kei used

the delay to eat some more. He really was starving, and the stew was

wonderfully warm and good. ÐI know you want to be getting home, but do you

mind delaying so you can travel with the wounded at least as far as Ai-Albon?

I canÓt really spare our medics, and theyÓve not got anything like your skill. It

might make all the difference to the injured menÓs survival.Ñ

ÐNo, I donÓt mind. IÓve been gone all this time, a week hardly makes any

difference.Ñ Kei had yet to really fully appreciate he was just a short time away

from being home again. He was too tired to be excited Î so much had

happened today, with the ambush, his aborted flight right into the arms of the

waiting Darshianese soldiers, and then the swift bloody battle which had seen

Arman and many of his men felled. Ai-Albon seemed as far away as ever.

ÐJust tell me whatÓs happening with the war.Ñ

Tiko frowned a little. ÐWhat do you know?Ñ

ÐNothing at all, other than the loss of communications with the north, and

that the siege at Darshek is still ongoing.Ñ

The captain grinned. ÐOh the ÒsiegeÓ will be going on for a good while yet.

The only people itÓs affecting are the Prij.Ñ

ÐHuh?Ñ KeiÓs hand paused on its way to his mouth. ÐI donÓt understand.Ñ

Tiko tapped the side of his nose. ÐThe Prij didnÓt take anyone by surprise,

and supplies were hardly disrupted. Darshek already had taken in extra

stocks and then we made other arrangements.Ñ

ÐThe Andonese?Ñ

ÐExactly. TheyÓve been using a northwest route Î longer and more

dangerous, but one the Prij seem to have overlooked or dismissed. They also

sent us the men in arms to let us retake the interior. ThatÓs why it all took so

long Î but the Rulers knew it was going to happen. The Prij are just wasting

time, resources and manpower in trying to block access from the sea, and

good luck to them. They can send as many soldiers as they like over the pass

too Î we can close that any time we wantÑ

Kei was astonished. He hadnÓt realised the Andonese would come to their

aid militarily, but it made sense Î the northern race had long-standing trade

agreements with the Darshianese, and were at threat from the Prijian too.

They probably thought it was better to stop the Prij advance in Darshian,

rather at their own doorstep. ÐAnd the hostages? Are they going to rescued?Ñ

ÐI think theyÓre making plans but they wanted to free north Darshian before

they moved on Kuprij Î IÓm not involved directly in the strategy, you

understand. You can provide us with valuable information there Î where are

they being held?Ñ

ÐAll over Utuk, in households of the nobility. The last time I saw all of us

together....Ñ Kei stopped, grimacing as he remembered. ÐYou knew about the

Ai-Vinri hostages?Ñ

Tiko nodded. ÐYes, that was very unfortunate Î the second lot were

removed two days before our forces took control of Tirko Pass and this fort.

Ai-Vinri knew rescue was on its way, but there was nothing they could do

without tipping our hand.Ñ

Gods, what an irony, Kei thought Î and on top of the even greater one, too.

ÐI was there when they were executed. We were all rounded up. That was the

last time I saw the others.Ñ

ÐDamn vicious bastards,Ñ Tiko spat. ÐAnd for what reason? Just because

one of the Prij couldnÓt keep his cock in his trousers. Not that they care since

itÓs one of our women he raped.Ñ

ÐNo, they do care. At least....Ñ Kei carefully amended that statement.

ÐGeneral Arman did. He found out and sent orders that the men be punished.

Only...I suppose that order never got there, if Ai-Vinri was rescued so soon.Ñ

ÐNo, it probably didnÓt but it still doesnÓt eliminate the fact that ten of our

people were murdered,Ñ Tiko said in a grim voice. ÐIf what you say is right, I

can see this presenting a problem for a rescue Î they would probably kill the

hostages before any force got control of Utuk.Ñ

Kei felt sick, his appetite now gone. ÐYes,Ñ he said dully. So close to safety,

and yet his friends were still likely to die because no one could contact them.

ÐIÓll need to question this general. When will he be up to that?Ñ

ÐTomorrow, possibly. More likely the following day. HeÓs very ill, Tiko. I

wonÓt allow him to be made worse.Ñ

Tiko seemed surprised at his protectiveness, which Kei was sure was only

what he would extend to any patient. ÐIÓm not planning on doing that, Kei,Ñ he

said mildly. ÐBut heÓs a catch for us, thatÓs for sure. IÓll have our mind-speaker

pass on to Darshek what youÓve said Î perhaps you can give us some more

information tomorrow when youÓre less tired.Ñ

ÐIÓll do what I can. WhatÓs happening to the other Prijian prisoners?Ñ

ÐTheyÓre being kept in a camp outside the city. I believe there are still some

wounded being kept at the villages between here and Darshek, so weÓll

collect them on the way north, but the others were marched away as soon as

we captured them.Ñ

ÐWhat will happen to them?Ñ

ÐThatÓs up to the rulers of the Prij,Ñ Tiko said with a shrug. ÐWe donÓt want to

keep them longer than we need to, but weÓre not sending them back to be put

into battle against us again. If they stop this hostility, they can have their

people back.Ñ

Kei thought of the little he knew of the sovereign of Kuprij, and considered it

unlikely that the lives of her soldiers were high on her list of priorities. He

started as Tiko touched his hand. ÐYouÓre falling asleep where you sit. Get

some rest. YouÓve done good work, Kei. These men were lucky you were

here today.Ñ

Kei got to his feet. He was nearly at the end of his energy, but he needed to

do one more round of his patients. ÐLuck had little or nothing to do with it,

Tiko.Ñ

ÐThereÓs a bed for you in the barracks....Ñ

ÐNo, IÓll sleep in the infirmary. I might be needed.Ñ

ÐWould the Prij be so devoted to Darshianese wounded, I wonder?Ñ Tiko

took his bowl and mug away to clean.

ÐProbably not, but considering the state of their medicine, thatÓs no bad

thing.Ñ

Tiko clapped him on the shoulder and grinned, making Kei jump. ÐPity we

canÓt wait for them all to die of bad physicians and save us the trouble of

fighting them. IÓll say goodnight now Î tell any of the men if thereÓs anything

you need.Ñ

Kei nodded, and walked out into the cold to go the short distance across

the courtyard back to the infirmary. He was grateful in a way to be so tired.

HeÓd been so busy, so absorbed in the surgery and treating the injured that

heÓd been able to push away the multitude of emotions heÓd felt from the

hundreds of troops, Prijian and Darshianese, who were sheltered in the fort as

he worked. Now he was too exhausted for his soul-touching gift to be more

than a dim presence at the back of his mind. It had felt good, in fact, to be

useful, doing what he was trained to do and what he loved to do. He hated the

reason heÓd been needed Î but he also knew that had he not been there,

more men would have died outright than had done. The night would tell if that

difference would be maintained.

The injured were lying in long, orderly rows. Most were Prij Î as heÓd

worked on the less seriously injured soldiers, heÓd been told how ArmanÓs

men, led by their general, had charged the Darshianese force in a suicidal

rush. If the Darshianese had wanted to destroy them, it would have been

easy. But the Darshianese archers had mainly aimed for beasts, not men Î a

number of the injuries, ArmanÓs included, had been caused by their injured or

dead animals falling, throwing their riders and trapping them. There were also

sword thrusts, concussions and arrow wounds, certainly Î the Darshianese

had suffered more in that respect, although there had been no deaths and

only two serious injuries. Once Arman had fallen, apparently his menÓs will to

fight had died away as they found themselves completely surrounded. Kei

was glad Î he had no wish for these menÓs deaths, whatever they thought of

him or his kind.

Most of the patients were asleep. One or two shifted restlessly in pain, but

didnÓt wake as Kei passed them Î they all seemed to be otherwise resting

peacefully. Nev, the son of a healer as Kei was, was one of two soldiers in

TikoÓs ranks who were acting as a medic. He was sitting on a stool by the side

of ArmanÓs lieutenant, who had taken a spear through his chest and who was

the most gravely wounded of the survivors. ÐHeÓs stable.Ñ

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