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“Rally in the training grounds!” Oisin, Captain of the Cathair, the highest level of trainees, sounded urgent. “Quickly dispose of training weapons and arm yourselves.”
Nanea, one of the Cathair, was lucky. She was standing right next to the armory. Darting in, she found weapons. She slung two long knives criss-cross on her back, sheathed a sword in the scabbard already on her belt, grabbed a bow and quiver of arrows and ran out the door to join the others. She didn’t know if this was a drill or not. Captain Oisin sounded alarmed, but you never knew with him. As she neared the training grounds sounds of battle reached her ears. Looking up to the windows above she saw women and children rushing in, frightened, and warriors rushing out.
“So this is how it begins. Our first battle,” Dieter, a fellow Cathair said.
“Aye. I suppose so.” Nanea could barely articulate her swirling thoughts.
“Good luck!” Dieter recklessly darted into the fray.
Nanea took the scene in with a glance. Katar Tallulah had been breached--how she did not know. Warriors dressed all in black with coverings on their faces had made their way through the impenetrable forests of Exersh, climbed the steep mountains of Tallulah, and entered the center of AMRATH. Nanea hung back in the shadows to take it all in and grasp her fear. She drew her bow and began picking off the enemy one by one, never missing her mark. As her confidence grew she added more arrows to her bow. The adrenaline rushed over her as her quiver emptied. She drew her sword and rushed into battle, slaying left and right. Everything she had been taught came flooding back. Her sword was like a living creature in her hand, moving without command.
Suddenly, a sharp pain in her leg caused her to look down. Embedded in her right thigh was a dagger. Her whole leg burned with almost unbearable pain, but she knew her choices: give in to the pain and die, or suffer through and possibly make it out alive. She continued fighting as her eyes searched for a way of escape. A few steps away was a path of trees leading to a ledge of one of the surrounding mountains. Overhanging branches were at perfect distances; as a child she and her friends would swing on them from the mountain to the ground. She sheathed her sword and staggered over to the first branch. She tried to jump, but was forced to kneel in pain. As she heard someone running towards her she turned sharply, knocking him down. She pulled herself up quickly. A cry of pain wrenched from her throat as she jumped onto the branch. She swung to the next branch, then to the next. A couple times she was almost pulled down, but she kicked them off. As she reached the ledge she swung her legs like a pendulum and jumped onto the ledge, knocking down a man in her path. She pulled him on top of her as she rolled towards the edge and cast him off. Using the mountainside she pulled herself into a standing position A man in black reached over and pulled her sword from it’s sheath. Nanea froze, uncertain of what to do. She reached back and pulled the knives from her back. She twisted them in her hands challengingly, then struck. She left the safety of the mountain to draw the black men off another Cathair. Two men raced towards her unwatched back, but her long knives found them first as her arms wrenched back. She limped back to the rock wall. Leaning on it for support, she winced in pain. She began to lose feeling in her leg.
Soon the battle was over. AMRATH raced after those who escaped, tracking them down, as others began to clean their weapons and help the wounded. Nanea quickly hid the dagger under the folds of her short tunic and slowly began to limp towards the infirmary. The infirmary was buzzing with activity. Sounds of agony pierced Nanea’s ears. She fell against a chair in pain. A nurse came rushing over to her.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes. It’s just a little wound on my leg. I can take care of it. I will just need supplies. There are others who need help; don’t bother with me.”
“Very well. What do you need?”
“Vinegar, Yarow, water, bandages, and needle and thread.” The last two items she rushed over quietly. “It will be good practice for me. Someday I may be alone and have to treat myself.” She quickly added as she watched the nurse’s face.
“Very well.” She was obviously used to such behaviour from Cathair. “I’ll put you in a spare recovery room and you can take a bath as well. Sabine, please bring some Vinegar, Yarrow, bandages, water, a thick, blunt needle, and thread to the fourth recovery room. Also have Ajac and Ayden bring a warm bath in.. This way.” She led her down a hall and opened one of the many doors. “Here you are.”
“Thank you. Could I ask one little favour of you? Could you send for one of my dresses? My name is Nanea, daughter of Oswold, Cathair.” Nanea waited until she left, then sank down upon the bed. She shot up when she heard Sabine knock on the door. “Come in.”
“A freshly made Yarrow poultice, a pitcher of vinegar, and the other things you needed. The boys will be in shortly with your bath. Oh, here they are.” Two boys entered with a tub partly filled with water.
“Sorry, it’s not going to be too hot. Those men damaged our hot water reserve.”
“That’s alright. Thank you. ” Nanea smiled gratefully. She sank back down on the bed and looked at her leg. She placed a rag underneath her leg to save the bedcloths a little mess. Tears sprang unbidden to her eyes as she touched the handle. Setting her mouth and gritting her teeth she yanked the dagger from her leg. Panting and gasping in pain she dabbed at the wound lightly to stop some of the bloodflow. Removing her tights was painful, but once done a great relief. She poured vinegar over the open wound to clean it, applied the poultice, and wrapped it firmly.
It felt good to bathe; fighting made her feel dirty inside and out. Her leg felt gloriously painless in the water. She had to be very careful drying off around the wound. She slipped her dress over, and braided her hair to the side. One of the infirmary aids handed her a spare crutch on the way out. Nanea began her walk to the Great Hall were a gathering was being held.
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