Chapter 52 - Physician
Even though the lord of the territory, Marquis Godfrey Percy, was captured, the important soldiers and officials stationed at the base were killed, and the remaining soldiers inside the castle had surrendered; Drayce and his group could not afford to stay inside Barknor Fortress for long. Soon, Thevailes and Hatha would realize that an important fortress had been compromised and send reinforcements which would undoubtedly put everyone in danger.
The fight might have been brief, but due to the overwhelming numbers of the enemies, several elite knights from the squad had been injured, and some of them even died. No doubt, such a situation would severely affect the speed and security of their return trip.
It was good that the majority of the military of both the kingdoms of Thevailes and Hatha had been diverted by Abetha, Megaris, and Griven. While dealing with the overwhelming attacks on their borders, Thevailes and Hatha couldn't pay much attention to this fortress. Even if they did, the delay would doom their scheme to fail.
It was exactly what Drayce and his group had planned.
The Kingdom of Megaris would deal heavy blows to Thevailes, putting more pressure on its armies, such that Thevailes would not be able to support Hatha once Abetha counterattacked. Without Thevailes' military might, it would be easy for the combined armies of Abetha and Griven to defeat the small kingdom that betrayed its former ally. Perhaps, once the war concludes, Hatha would be swallowed by the alliance and lose its sovereignty as a kingdom.
After Drayce and the others went out of the castle, they headed towards where Sir Berolt and General Cavrois had taken Slayer to the physician. The physician's lodging wasn't far from the castle grounds. Though it was smaller than the buildings around it, the place was accessible, located strategically in the central region of the fortress.
"How is he?" Drayce asked Sir Berolt, who was outside of the physician's small home, guarding it along with other knights.
Sir Berolt bowed to the three royals in front of him and answered, "Sir Sanders is still being treated."
Arlan followed Drayce, who had entered the lodging without another word, while Cian stayed with Sir Berolt. Although Cian had heard about Commander Calhoun Sanders, the Slayer of Megaris, as an outsider, he found it more proper to remain outside to hear Sir Berolt's report about the current situation.
Inside the lodging, Drayce found Slayer lying unconscious on a rug on the floor while being treated by an old man in his sixties, wearing a physician's robe, although there was no insignia as to which force or kingdom he's working for. Assisting him were two young men, probably his subordinates or apprentices, wearing similar robes that looked like their uniforms. One was mixing medicinal herbs, while the other was helping the old man wrap bandages around Slayer's wounds.
The old physician paid no attention to the newcomers, busy directing his apprentices as well as putting thin silver needles on various acupuncture points across the patient's body.
General Cavrois bowed to the two royals who had entered. "Your Majesty, Your Highness."
Hearing how the newcomers were addressed, the old physician merely glanced at them and then resumed his work, not bothered by anyone's presence. Even his apprentices treated them as air.
"How is he?" Drayce asked again.
The physician looked at the red-eyed man who seemed to be the leader of these people, but as someone who had spent decades healing people, he recognized the genuine worry despite the man's bland tone.
"Obviously on the verge of death," the physician answered.
Although Drayce was the ruler of a different kingdom, General Cavrois didn't like the way the physician talked to him. He pulled out his sword as he glared at the arrogant old man. "Be respectful."
Drayce waved his hand to signal the general to back off. He didn't mind the physician's boldness. At least, he didn't say his knight was dead.
Judging from how terrible Slayer was tortured, Drayce knew that his guardian knight would have died from blood loss and internal injuries if not for the existence of this old physician.
"Will respecting you save my patient's life?" the old physician asked, staring at everyone without being scared of anything.
When the physician glanced at Drayce, whose face was expressionless, the old man was silently amused. His sight was only fixed at the injured man lying on the floor, his red eyes holding the pain and fear of losing someone.
The physician sighed inwardly. In his practice, he was used to seeing such emotions whenever he treated people who came to him, and he had to give into them. However, such sincere worry was common among family and life-and-death friends, not between superiors and subordinates. Despite not introducing themselves, he could see from their interactions that this red-eyed man was someone influential.
Although he did not appreciate these people who had suddenly barged in his lodging in the middle of the night, seeing such a man worried for his subordinate was something he had never seen.
While continuing his work, the physician relented to comfort the red-eyed man, although his tone remained stoic as he informed him of his initial diagnosis, "We have stopped the bleeding, but he has already lost too much blood. His organs were ruptured, and there's an internal hemorrhage. The medicinal herbs with us can only stabilize him for now, but we can't be sure about his condition after this treatment."
Drayce was all ears on what the physician said about Slayer's condition though his eyes still didn't leave Slayer's lifeless-looking face.
"He seems to be a strong man, so if he's given proper treatment, we can expect him to get out of this ordeal alive. There is still hope," the physician assured. "However, although I am trying to fix his legs, they wouldn't be exactly like before, but he should be able to walk comfortably at least…." The physician paused and mumbled, "...only if he survives long enough to receive proper treatment…."
Heavy silence enveloped the room.
Just then, Cian entered the room. He observed the tense situation, but he had to say what was needed. "We've received news from the spies. We can't stay here for long."
Everyone knew that they had only delayed their escape due to Slayer's situation, but nobody said a word and merely stared at Drayce, waiting for his decision.
Drayce nodded at the Prince of Abetha before looking at the physician. "I hope there is no issue in proceeding with the treatment inside a running cart."
The physician looked at Drayce and spoke curtly, "But I have an issue leaving my place."
Drayce gripped his sword. "I can solve that issue forever right away."
His gloomy red eyes suddenly turned aggressive. Drayce, who had been calm even after this physician acted disrespectfully in front of him, looked ready to kill the old man if he would defy his order.
The physician looked at Drayce with one eyebrow raised in question. It was clear that he sure was not scared of dying, and making him move from his home would not be that easy.
"I remember hearing from a certain someone that respecting me will not save their patient's life. Now I ask you, will your stubbornness save his life?" Drayce glared at the old man. If the next words he heard were not to his liking, his sword wouldn't have minded beheading one more person.
The physician smiled lightly and spoke, "Get the cart ready then." He started to work faster as he kept instructing his two apprentices about what to do.
Arlan playfully nudged Drayce. "See, the sword is not always the answer to everything."
Both of them knew that the physician was not giving face to Drayce himself; instead, the old man was persuaded by his words due to his desire to save a person's life.
"Says the one who just had fun with merciless slaughtering," Drayce commented dryly as he stepped out of the physician's lodging.
Arlan and Cian followed him out and the three of them started the new arrangements necessary for their return trip that was made more difficult now that they would be bringing an injured Slayer and other soldiers back with them.