The Black Death (A Medieval Action/Romance)

Chapter 14

He didn’t know why he hadn’t picked up on it before; maybe because he was too busy trying to figure out Isadora.

But not anymore; if she was a plant by the enemy then he couldn’t have her posting their location to Colt and Isadora every time they changed course and tried to catch up with them, or else, Drystan would never get her back.

Dawn was currently slouched against a tree, acting bored by the entire mission, whilst Iagan, Dermott and Jarred argue about which road to take.

Now was the opportunity to talk to her; walking forward, his hand resting on his sheathed sword, he called out her name.

Dawn turned to face him, her expression changing from bored to concerned in an instant.

Drystan opened his mouth to say something when Iagan shouted his name in a hurry.

Looking at his friend he saw him drawing his sword, his eyes fixed firmly on something behind him which, when Drystan turned to look, found was a hobbled over peasant, using a stick to keep himself up right.

Before Drystan would have offered help but now, as he looked closer, he also drew his sword and stepped back until there was a safe gap between them; Dawn shrieked slightly and jumped back.

For he was infected.

“Stop there!” Jarred shouted at the man who indeed did stop; lifting his head to look at them and Drystan had to grind his teeth together to keep from vomiting at the sight of the man’s face.

A hood had been covering him but the moment he looked up, his eyes squinting painfully against the sun, they could clearly see the infection. Boils of all sizes were over his face and the back of his hands, the skin that they could see, some had burst with pus oozing down his face whilst other leaked blood.

Jarred beside him lifted his arm and placed the cloth under his nose to keep from breathing him in.

“P- P- Please” The man’s chest was racked with coughs as he tried to speak and Drystan felt pity for the man, “K-Kill me,”

Everyone shared looks with each other at the request from a dying man; he knew none of them could touch him.

Drystan remembered back to the village when Isadora had killed that young woman who was dying; it was merciful, Drystan realised.

He shared a look with Thomas; who looked traumatised and upset by the man, before he turned to Dawn and gave her a small nod, “Do it,”

“You can’t-” Thomas stepped forward, reaching out his hand to the man but Drystan pulled him away.

“Do you want to die!?” Drystan shouted at him in a hushed tone, “I didn’t bring you all this way just be felled by this disease,”

“He’s a human being; just like you. How can you kill him?” Thomas begged him and Drystan was increasingly getting the feeling that he was not up to being in the real world.