The God's Game

Dawn after storm

"Wow, those blood stained clothes really bring out your eyes"

River grimaced at his friend. Wolfram was soaked and smelled like the sea. He panted heavily, probably from running across the deck to get here as soon as he could. Wiping droplets away from his eyes,he glared.

Aithan pulled his overcoat off his shoulders in one smooth move and draped it around Wolfram's trembling farme. Wolfram's pale gray eyes ballooned but he muttered a quiet thanks through chattering teeth.

River watched him blushing furiously as he fumbled with the enormous coat  that seemed to swallow him up.

"Don't mind me bleeding over here" River commented,clutching his impaled shoulder.

"I see someone has forgotten  common sense inside their dirty laundary again" Wolfram scrunched his nose as he examined the injury. The matallic tang permeated the air in the small cabin to the point of suffocation.

"Couldn't have seen this one coming when you made the bright decision to go out in a damn storm"

Having nothing to say in his defense, River kept silent. It had indeed been a stupid thing to do.

After some poking around the raw,gaping hole in his arm,Wolfram sighed,exasperated "Gladly, it has only gone as deep as your intelligence,but you are losing all your blood"

He scrutinized the metal beam that had been cleanly severed from the fixuture and huffed "I suppose Alistair did this?"

"He had cut off the beam with his holy sword, Your Highness" Aithan explained.

"Even Alistair had been smarter than you tonight and it's saying a lot" Wolfram scolded "If he had removed you from the beam,you could have bled to death sooner than I woke up"

River couldn't help but roll his eyes "A paper cut could kill me before you got off the bed"

Wolfram grinned toothily but his eyes didn't curved in mirth "Full of ideas today,aren't we? Now, shut up before I put more holes in you"

He turned to Aithan next "Can we have some hot water and clean towels ? Also,a word with you, please"

Leaving the shivering, bleeding boy on his own devices for a brief minute the two stepped outside the door. After making sure River was not moving around to irritate his injury, Wolfram softly closed the door behind them.

When they were out of River's ear shot Wolfram gestured the tall man to come closer. Aithan's brows knitted but he leaned forward to Wolfram's level so he could clearly hear him over the commotion on the deck.

"You see, the wound is quite deep" Wolfram's voice was laden with worry. "I can't do anything without pulling it out"

"How can I be of help?" Aithan whispered back.

Wolfram chomped on his bottom lip, trying to keep his blush at bay in this pressing situation "Can you hold him down? If he panics and struggles the wound will deepen"

Aithan solemnly bobbed his head in agreement. They opened the door and entered the room together, hoping to catch the unfortunate soul off guard so they could pin him down and pull the iron rod off his flesh.

Instead,they both froze on their tracks in aghast at the sight that greeted them.

"I'm starting to think you have a problem" Wolfram facepalmed.  Aithan grabbed a table top to steady himself,looking as pallid as a sheet of paper.

River threw the bloody metal piece he had just yanked out of his shoulder  on the floor. "Well, what else should I do with it? Raise it as a pet?"

"I don't know man! Let me deal with it , maybe?"  Wolfram yelled as he pushed a folded bed clothe firmly over the oozing wound. Warm blood was pouring out,unrestrained, now that the plug was removed.