It's a Long Way To Dearest Gravesfield

Chapter 28: Recovery

She smiles, gently stroking his cheek, "I think it's the opposite – you've survived things nobody should ever have to go through – you're still here, against all odds."

He rests his hand over hers against his cheek, "Maybe. I know I'm lucky I have you."

She blushes, "Thank you, Hunter."

"Did you lose your cardinal necklace?" he asks, noticing it's missing.

She shakes her head, "No. I put it on you."

He touches the ribbon, puzzled, "Why? When?"

"It seemed like the thing to do. It was before you woke back up, but after you were stable enough for Darius to move you." He reaches to give it back and she shakes her head, "No. Right now...it's yours. A little way I can be with you, even when I can't be present."

The healer approaches them and gestures for Willow to move, "You'll have to be somewhere else so I can get a good look at this boy. I've been told you were gouged – carved, almost, then speared?"

"Yeah." He lifts his shirt, "It's bad."

The healer shakes her head, "This is awful – no one else has injuries like this. Why would anyone do such a thing? Especially to a child?"

Hunter sighs, "I was the Golden Guard. He wasn't happy I left."

She stares at him a moment, "Oh. Well...that does explain it. But no more talking – I can tell you're having a hard time with the pain." She gently turns him so she can see the gouge better and he gasps loudly, stifling the urge to cry out. She lowers him, "Oh my...."

"Yeah," he barely manages to say, "It sucks."

"Well...I'd best get to work. Don't worry, I'm very thorough."

Hunter nods, closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and she gets to work.

After she finishes hours later, Hunter feels incredibly weak. She tells him it's due to the blood loss and advises him to get some sleep. He is able to slowly sit up, but drops back against the bed, dizzy, after only a few seconds.

Camila walks to his bed, limping slightly, "Come on. Let's get you some clean blankets. These one have blood on them."

"I can't stand up long enough to change them, Mom," he whispers.

"Then you can sleep in my bunk and I'll change the bedding."

She tries to help him up and he sags against her, his legs unable to hold him, "I don't think I can."

Willow hurries over, "No worries, we can do this together. She ducks under Hunter's arm and together, she and Camila lead him slowly to her bed. He sits hard on it and almost falls over before Willow sits beside him and props him up. "Hunter, there's still blood on your clothes. Come on, let's at least get your shirt off."

He's too tired to protest and Camila helps while Willow holds him up. He leans heavily on her and once he's shirtless, Willow gently helps him lay down.

"Can you get my concealment stone? I...I feel...I don't know. The scars are bad," he says, tugging the sheet up to cover his chest, arms hidden beneath it.

"Hunter, you just got impaled on a spike and nearly had one of your organs harvested. Nobody cares about the scars," Willow replies.

"We're all relieved you're alive," Camila says, "We thought we'd lost you. Scars are the least of anyone's worries." She leans in and kisses his forehead, "But you need to get some rest. So whatever helps you sleep, that's what you should do."