The Warden | A For Honor Fanfiction

An Ascencion

"There's no infection, but to be quite plain, he simply isn't a young man at this stage. His body is not repairing itself at the rate one might expect, and frankly I don't expect it to recover fully at all." He explained. Not recovering, I wondered? I had seen injuries affect older men and women before, so I understood the doctor's implications. If Berrat could not recover from his injuries, what would that mean for Herongale's rangers? For him?

"I am hopeful. I have faced far worse injuries than this one, I'll be up before anyone knows it." Said Berrat, his smile never wavering. Garrick did not seem to react much at first, simply shrugging his shoulders as Berrat spoke.

"Yes, of course the word of a patient is far more reliable than that of a doctor, what was I thinking when I gave my medical opinion?" He snarked, his eyes only briefly turning to Berrat as he raised a single eyebrow.

"Shall I fetch you your sword so you may go galavanting?" He asked in a mock tone.

"Are you mocking me, Doctor?" Asked Berrat. He did not seem aggravated by the implication, if anything he appeared more amused by the prospect.

"Not mocking, dear sir, just trying to remind you to consider reality. You are past your prime, and a wound such as yours has crippled men half your age." He explained, his tone softening as Berrat's expression fell.

"Now we will work best as we can to get your leg back in working order, but I will not let you strain yourself for pride's sake. Mine, or yours." Said the doctor, gently turning as Berrat nodded softly. The harsh nature of the doctor's words gave me pause as I watched him go. It was true that reality could not fall to the wayside for boasts and declarations, but was it not also important to be hopeful? Perhaps Berrat would never recover fully, but was it truly wrong to hope he'd walk again?

When the Doctor had well and truly left, tending to another of his patients, I considered the man before me. Berrat still had a look of silent resignation on his features, even as the clear tiredness presented itself. For a moment, I pictured myself in his place, a man of duty and honor forbidden from performing his duties. How would I have fared in that sort of case? Had I already had a small glimpse of that reality at the fortress? I did not know, and that uncertainty gnawed at the back of my mind. Still, I could not linger on it.

"Is there anything I can do for you, Captain?" I asked, placing my hand on the back board of the cot. Berrat simply chuckled as he lazily swung his head towards me.

"I believe you already have, Warden. You saved both my people, and myself. I am not sure what more I could ask of you." Looking up to me, Berrat seemed to fight back something, but I could not discern what. All I could see was that his gratitude was genuine. Still, I worried for him.

"Then for your people? I cannot in good conscience leave them to the wolves, not without a home to call their own." I explained.

"No, I suspect you couldn't. Luckily, I have a solution for that." Said Berrat. Without warning he attempted to sit up, grunting and groaning painfully as he clenched his eyes shut and grit his teeth. Almost out of instinct I leaned in to grab at his arms, holding him just underneath his armpit and at the tip of his forearm as I helped him sit up straight. When he was satisfied, let out a simple sigh of relief as his shoulders slumped, and his smile returned.

"You have done a great service to Herongale and her people, and now we would do the same for you." He said slowly, opening his eyes and staring deep into me. A service, he said? What service?

"From this day on, I pledge myself, and my people to your service. My rangers will be at your command, as will my militia. As thanks for your deeds." He proclaimed. At my... was he certain? This was far more than I could ask of him, let alone any of his fellows. Herongale had already suffered so greatly, was it really right of me to accept his offer? Berrat seemed so certain of his words, but had he truly considered what they meant?