(no subject)

[equal_of_any_man]

Olivier comes in through the door with a flurry of snow. It clings to his tunic and hair. And the white linen of his Crusader’s tabard.

Only it’s not white, not over the left breast. There’s blood seeping through and he holds it with care as he stumbles in, reaching for the bar.

Comments

[athelstanthescribe]

"Olivier!" Athelstan leaps to his side, alarmed, to hold him up. "What has happened?"

[equal_of_any_man]

"Betrayal." Olivier mutters darkly, leaning heavily on his brother. "Treachery of the highest order." He withdraws a blooded hand from the inside of his tunic.

[athelstanthescribe]

He's stronger than he looks and takes the weight without complaint.

"Come, sit down - or lie down, in the infirmary, I must see to your wound."

At least he can be fairly sure it didn't hit the heart, or Olivier wouldn't be walking around.

[equal_of_any_man]

"It is not deep. I turned as he struck. I was fortunate." He nods towards a chair, glad of Athelstan's help to reach it. He is cold, very cold. The tunic and hose he wears are thin and unsuited for the snow that melts in his hair.

[athelstanthescribe]

"No, by the fire - brother, where is your cloak?"

He steers Olivier in that direction.

[equal_of_any_man]

"I was... set upon during my morning ablutions. There was not time to retrieve my things." His hands shake as he sits, curling towards the warmth of the fire.

[athelstanthescribe]

"Then a moment." He darts off and comes back with a thick blanket, which he drapes over Olivier's back and shoulders before he starts examining the wound. "Who did this?"

[equal_of_any_man]

"Alain le Gaucher. One of my lord's men." He carefully extracts himself from his tunic and tabard. The cut runs thin and long across the swell of his left breast where the blade sliced against his flesh. "His parting gift."

[athelstanthescribe]

Athelstan takes a breath of relief as he sees it's a slice, not a stab. "He has betrayed your lord?"

[lt_blade]

Sonya only originally came to have a go at the punching bag. Nice as the gym was on base, there was less chance of facing a line there. She was done for the day and about to head back when the door opened to reveal Olivier-and that hi was wounded.

Nevermind that it wasn't over his heart, he was still wounded and clearly not something he could just walk off.

"Holy shit..." She quickly rushed over to him. "What happened?!"

[equal_of_any_man]

"It is not deep. He caught me by surprise as I was washing but I was able to turn away in time." His hands are cold as he leans into her, snow melting in his hair.

[lt_blade]

That he could still breath was a good thing: it meant that whoever tried to stab him didn't get his lungs or anything vital. Yet he felt cold and she had a sinking feeling it wasn't just from the snow.

"Still, it needs looking at, and you need to get into some drier clothes." She herded him into a seat by the fire.

They'd worry about the bastard who stabbed him when Olivier was more stable.

[equal_of_any_man]

"It's not deep." He repeats, warming himself by the fire. He's gone into shock a little, more from the attack than the actual injury.

With an effort, he manages to shrug off his damp tunic. The cut runs thin and long across the swell of his left breast when he was able to turn aside as his assailant struck.

[lt_blade]

He was right, the cut wasn't deep, but it could easily get infected if not taken care of. She asks bar for a clean shirt and warm blanket: the former to replace the one she puts out to dry, the latter to wrap over his shoulders while she sets it by the fire. He wouldn't have been the first half naked man she's seen and..well, they were practically family.

"You're lucky you turned when you did. This could've easily been serious, and blood loss in the cold would only speed death up faster." Her voice is professional, though anyone who knew her would know it's just a farce to cover her true emotions. "Where's your room? I'm going to assume you've some stuff for such injuries."

He would've had some. She'd seen him with his herbs often enough, and she did recall that in the time period, those in the East had better medical knowledge then those in Europe.

[equal_of_any_man]

"I am more fortunate than some of my fellows." He nods, moving a little slowly. "My room is in the roof. I have unguents there I can use and water to clean the wound."

He bows his head a little, "Sonya, will you help me up the stairs please?"

[lt_blade]

Sonya knew that feeling all too well, so she left it alone.

"I would've gone with you anyway, or had you wait here. You're not in much of a state to walk all the way up on your own." The wound wasn't serious, but he was cold and in shock and she didn't trust him not to take a mistep up the stairs.

She helped him up and walked with him towards the stairs.

[equal_of_any_man]

"Thank you, my sister." He leans into her.

His rooms are in the lee of the roof but the bar is kind and the stairs don't see so high. It's a loft with low beams, all of them strung with drying racks and lined with bottles and jars. There are two beds, one on each side of the room and a wide fireplace. He moves to the fire, sitting down by the banked coals to feed more wood into it.

[guppy_sandhu]

"Olivier?!"

Guppy moves quickly over to him to support him. "I've got you, what's stabbed you?"

[equal_of_any_man]

"I turned as he struck. The cut is not deep." But it had caught him by surprise and he is cold with shock.

[guppy_sandhu]

"Come on, let's get you in the infirmary." Guppy says. "You're shivering."

[equal_of_any_man]

"There was... it was very cold. I couldn't go back for my cloak." He nods and leans a little on Guppy. "Forgive me, Guppy."

[guppy_sandhu]

"What on earth would you need forgiving for?"

Guppy hustles him into the infirmary and wraps a blanket around him.

"Let's see this wound?"

[equal_of_any_man]

"I don't mean to be such a burden." He pulls the blanket tight for a moment before carefully shrugging off his tunic. There is a cut across the swell of his left breast where the blade turned aside against his skin. "It... it was meant to end me."

[guppy_sandhu]

"You're not." Guppy looks at the wound carefully. "Looks like it hit a rib, fortunately. Mind if I check with the scanner?"

[equal_of_any_man]

"I place myself in your hands." He nods, holding himself still.