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 Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 2:04 pm
Erim lead the people in through the city walls. Everyone was exhausted and ragged in appearance. The children were crying scared. It was so crowded already from others running from the terror of the ongoing war.
She managed to pass through the crowd and reach the edge of a fountain that was no longer running. She plopped down hard onto the edge of it. Her sword clanked against it. She buried her face into the palm of her hand and sighed. Her clothes were worn out and dirty but you could just barely make out the emblem of the kingdom.
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 2:18 pm
Liu was hesitant to enter the city with the others. Her cloak would keep her warm and dry if she left for the woods behind the city. The edge of a fountain could be seen from outside the city gates, looking at her small wagon, her water jars had more dust than water in them. Hesitently she entered the city walls and made it around the crowd to the fountain where it seemed only one other person was taking refuge. Liu managed to toss an empty pot into the fountain as she realized it was empty. Just as she turned to retreat outside the walls the gate closed. She cursed under her breath.
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 2:40 pm
Erim glanced over at the Liu.
"dont panic" She said quietly "Its just starting to get dark. The gates open again at first light."
She pulled a small flask from her side pouch and tossed it to her. It sloshed heavily with water.
"I managed to make it to a well. Its full." she offered
She closed her eyes and took some deep sleepy breaths.
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 2:50 pm
Liu managed to catch the pouch and took a couple gulps of water. Placing the pouch on her wagon she slowly walked around to the woman.
"Thank you." She said softly, just before pausing as she eyed the sword. "Are you a soldier? Do you know what's going on?" Liu's eyes darted to the gates then back to the woman. She slowly grabbed the water pouch off her wagon and placed it next to the woman's sword.
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 3:25 pm
"Yes. I am" she smiled slightly "The Emisu kingdom is attacking relentlessly. We were not prepared. We dont even know why they became so suddenly aggressive. We were at peace"
Erim took a shaky breath and slumped backwards into the empty fountain. It was then that Liu could see blood. It ran down Erims arm in a thin line and a bit was escaping from her scalp and running over her eye.
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 3:48 pm
Liu quickly jumped in the fountain and adjusted Erim so she was sitting up before running her fingers through Erim's hair to find the source of blood. Liu found her fingers tangled in a patch of damp hair, gently removing her fingers she turned to her cart and pulled out a cloth. She pressed down a ball of cotton before wrapping the cloth around Erim's head to make sure the cotton wouldn't move off the wound.
"Lucky for you when my temple was attacked I managed to escape with my Healer's supplies." She looked over her shoulder to make sure no one was near her cart, fire pits kept the court yard well lit with a soft orange glow. It seemed like no one, local or refugee, wanted to be near the fountain. "Might as well sleep here till the gate reopens." She thought aloud.
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 4:42 pm
Erim opened her eyes slowly a half hour later. She gently touched her head and felt the bandage.
"Thank you" she whispered thinking that Liu might be asleep
She gazed up at the stars for a while unwilling to move from her spot. Her body was heavy with fatigue. She hummed a quiet song from her hometown. She did not notice that things became quieter and quieter as people started to listen. They had stopped turning in their beds and fussing with their supplies. The night became her quiet tune and the flickering of flames.
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 4:54 pm
Liu had fallen asleep after tossing and turning a short time. She awoke to a dog licking her face and wagging it's tail so hard it knocked over the soldier's sword. Liu pulled the dog over to her other side and looked at the soldier, exclaiming "sorry!" not even sure if the soldier was awake or not.
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 5:20 pm
Erims eyes popped open when her sword fell. She sat up quickly and looked around to make sure everything was fine. Her heart pounded quickly but she settled a bit when she heard Liu's voice. She saw the dog and chuckled slightly.
"Its fine" she said and scooped her sword up "The gates open. I guess you will be leaving now"
Two men in much cleaner looking uniforms came running in their direction. Both of them had angry looks on their faces and they had their swords ready to fight.
"you!" one shouted
The other grabbed Erim by the shirt and hauled her to her feet.
"What are you doing! You embarrassment" the first continued to shout.
The second yanked the bandage from her head and dropped it to the ground.
"No showing weakness. Why are you just sitting around" The first continued to shout
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 5:33 pm
Liu collected the bandage off the ground in a panic, barely escaping a kick by the distracted bully soldier. The second one nearly trampled her as well, this time she put her arm out causing him to stumble backward.
"Why are you just sitting around?" She mimicked. "She has doctors orders." Liu pulled out her necklace, a green stone carved into a tree with a circle around it hung from a green woven thin rope.
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 6:10 pm
Erim innocently tilted her head toward Liu accepting the excuse that she had presented. Officer one turned to Liu to confront her. Officer two let go of Erims shirt and shoved her.
"You're not sick" he accused "quit pretending"
Officer one ignored the fight going on behind him.
"A healer" he said "I doubt that. You probably stole that"
He tried to simply yank the necklace from around her neck.
Erim in her tired state finally lost her patience. She set her sword aside and then punched the guy in the jaw and then straight in the gut. He dropped to the ground. She stepped around him and put her hand on officer ones shoulder.
"Leave her be" Erim warned in a dangerous tone "Never threaten healers"
"Now you've threatened a superior" he smiled and turned away from Liu
"Im arresting you"
Erim unleashed several quick punches to his face and chest. Then she dropped to the ground and tripped him with her leg. He collapsed as she stood back up. She stepped over him next and posed to protect Liu further. She swayed a bit. The whole back of her shirt was wet and sticking to her.
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 6:25 pm
Liu put her arms under Erim's arm pits and pulled her back toward Liu's cart. "You can't arrest a dead person, sir." Liu stated, trying to get Erim onto her cart with one arm and scooting things over with the other. "If you don't let me take her to my healing hut, she'll die." Liu continued her list of excuses as she tied down Erim and her supplies on the cart. "Now if you don't mind, we're gunna head out, but I'll make sure to bring her back in good health so you'll believe I'm a healer." Liu grinned as she struggled pulling the cart with the extra weight.
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 7:01 pm
As you are trying to pull, a much larger man in uniform approaches. He stops you and gives you a gentle smile.
"I have been assigned to help you" He took hold of the cart "No trouble I promise"
The two who had been causing trouble were now being severely scolded by a man with a red coat draped over his shoulders. When he was done he greeted Liu politely.
"I am sorry they mistreated you" he said "Healers are the pride of this country. They will face punishment. Please take good care of my subordinate"
He placed Erims sword gently on her chest and placed her hand over it. She squeezed it gently and gave him a grateful nod. Liu may have thought she was exaggerating but Erim was actually in pretty bad shape.
"You are to stay with the healer until she releases you" He said sternly "do not disobey me"
He let them leave through the gates.
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 7:31 pm
Liu eyed the larger man. He didn't seem like a soldier but knew he was working for the man who wanted Erim back once Liu was done with her, was he a servant? As she led the larger man out of the gates, Liu looked over her shoulder at the red coat man as he watched them leave, a devious smirk on his face as he nodded.
"Who are you? Who was he?" Liu looked back at the cart. "Do you know who she is?" Liu asked the larger man as she took the fork in the road to the left toward the forest.
Any warfare was forbidden in most forests, because of that you could find hunting traps and healer's huts scattered throughout most forests. Liu was trained how to find traps and huts. There were trinkets tied to trees leading to huts, traps were usually off trail.
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 9:05 pm
"My name is Liam. Pleasure to meet you" he said "I am a high ranking servant to the man you just saw. Dont mistake me for a slave though. Its totally different. He is a very high ranking political person as well as military officer. That is why he has the red coat. His name is Demetry. This young lady here is Erim. She is a good officer that Demetry depends on. She doesn't have much in rank yet but that sword is an important gift"
Erim turned just slightly and looked at Liam.
"Demetry is my teacher" Erim said proudly "I was an orphan"
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