Chapter Fourteen

Once I limped myself back home, I lay in bed for a long time. Honestly, I lost track of how many hours or even days had passed. With how damaged my body was, moving was difficult. Even if I could move properly though, what would be the point in it? The die had been cast. I couldn't go into town anymore for fear of the villagers ganging up on me once more. I couldn't go deep into the forest for fear of the dragon's wrath. What was left for me here?

All I could do was wither away in seclusion, as everyone wanted me to. With a sigh, I rolled over in my bed to face the bare wall of this small, rundown cabin. My home. Well, it's where I've been calling my home. Truly, I had no home anymore. I haven't had one for quite some time. 

I lay there, wallowing in my sorrow until a loud banging came at my door. My body stiffened. With that loud knocking, it could only mean that they had come back to finish what they started. The villagers whom I had known all of my life would be the death of me. My skin broke out with a cold sweat, my hands clammy. Fear gripped my heart like a vice, the sound of its frantic beating reverberating through my ears.

Maybe if I stayed perfectly still and didn't make a noise, they would think I was dead. A plausible explanation, right? I mean, they did drop me out in the woods. Any reasonable person would think I'd gotten eaten by wild creatures. After all, no one knew that I could enter the forest without danger. I lay perfectly still, the only noise filling the cabin was my heartbeat. I was scared to breathe. 

The banging resounded through the small space again, followed by a deep, authoritative voice. "Apothecary Amelia, of Ferencia Village, by order of our Emporer, His Majesty Arthur Dealia the Fifth, you have been ordered to join the first squadron of General Soren Bludborne as a healer. Please report to the town square by noon today to join the company in heading to the southern front." 

I bolted upright in bed. What the fuck did he just say? I've been what?! My mind reeled as I processed this information. It's true that I was the only apothecary in the village, but through the whole continent, there were many more who were far better qualified than I was. My blood ran cold. Did someone from the village nominate me to join? Wait, that didn't make sense. They would all think I was dead, without a doubt. Could they have sent someone to the forest to look for my body? No, they wouldn't risk their own lives just to confirm that mine had been ended. 

I stood, my legs shaking underneath me. I had no choice but to go, and it was already late in the morning. My hands shook as I pulled on my trousers and blouse, and would hardly obey my commands as I tried to lace a leather vest over my midsection. If I didn't go, then they would put me on trial for treason. But going as a healer? I would be on the front lines. I wouldn't be fighting, but everyone knew that the fastest way to end a battle was to go after the healers.

I gulped, trying to fill my lungs with air and wet my dry mouth. And to make matters worse, I was assigned to General Bludborne. His line was famous around the whole continent for his ruthlessness. As rumor had it, he was a beast on the battlefield, preferring to be on the front lines, slaughtering the enemy. Hells, he was even said to go after his own soldiers if the mood struck him. 

I pulled on my boots and carefully set foot outside. I didn't bother with my cloak. While I was wallowing in self-pity and licking my wounds, the weather had grown warmer as winter passed. Snow still lingered on the ground, but puddles could be seen during the day as it melted in the warm sun. By nightfall though, the water would freeze over leaving slippery ice behind. It would be cold, surely, but even if I wanted to, I couldn't wear my cloak. It had been ripped and ruined by the events of that night. 

I started my way into town, careful to keep to the edges and shadows. As long as no one saw me before I made it to the square, I should be fine. I carefully made my path through the melting snowdrifts and refuse that had built up along the edges of the roads. By the time I made it to the edges of the town square, I could hear the murmuring and shuffling of a gathered crowd. My heart sank. All these people would see me. 

Perhaps the knights from the capital would keep them from beating me to death though. After all, I've been summoned by the Emporer to join his army. Anyone who stands in the way of that would be just as guilty of treason as I would if I chose not to go. 

With that small boost of confidence in my safety, I walked forward. At first, I struggled to get through the crowd, but then people began to take notice. I heard gasps first. Then whispers. The crowd parted for me as they filled the area with their venom.

"She's alive?"

"I thought the bitch had croaked."

Snicker. "Or had been devoured by those beasts."

"Oh, I heard about them! They say a dragon lives in the mountains. I had hoped it would have taken her as a sacrifice and would let the village be."

"We could only be so lucky."

"What's she doing here though? Even if she'd survived, you'd think she'd have enough sense to not show that ugly face anywhere near here."

The urge to hide in myself was strong. I wanted to bow my head and hide from their whispers, their condemnation. I knew they wanted me dead, but did they have to be so blatant about it? As I neared the front of the crowd that had gathered, someone spit in my direction, the disgusting slime landing on my boot.

I looked in the direction it came from. It was that man. Young John's father. My eyesight bled red with hatred. If it weren't for him, then I wouldn't be in this mess. I would still be living quietly, occasionally selling herbs and potions and not hurting a soul! What was so wrong with that?

Hmm. If I'm going to die at war anyway, then what's the point of hiding myself anymore? There isn't much more they can do to me after today. I hold my head high as I walk past the brute. I stop next to him. Reaching my leg up, I wipe his mucus off of my boot and onto his pants. 

His face twists with rage and disgust. He thinks his own saliva is so disgusting that he doesn't want it on him? I can't help the comment that escapes my lips as I continue walking forward. "You may want to get that checked out. They say that yellow snot is a sign of infection. If you let it go on too long, symptoms would include coughing, sneezing, shortness of breath, and... Impotence." A grin spreads across my face. That last bit was a total lie, but it was completely worth it to see his face sink in despair. Good luck finding someone else to tell you otherwise, you bastard.

That send-off adds a skip to my step as I breach the crowd and find a battalion of soldiers standing in the square. They're all lined up precisely, even the horses that stand behind them dare not break formation. What a scary group. Their blue plumes flutter around in the brisk wind and the banners of the Western Empire flap against their poles. 

One of the soldiers at the front of the line notices my approach. "Finally," He says. His nose is turned up in a haughty manner. "We came all this way and you make us wait." He looks me over, searching for something. Apparently dissatisfied, he asks, "Did you bring no supplies? How are you supposed to be useful as a healer if you have nothing with you?"

His deep voice radiated with displeasure. The man who came to my door didn't tell me I needed to bring anything! But the aristocratic air to him makes any excuse vanish. He's clearly in charge here. It would be unwise to talk back. It'd be better to play it off.

With a shrug, I say, "I can gather what I need along the way. All you need to provide me with is a bag to carry my supplies." 

I hold his icy stare. It's clearly written all over his face that he wasn't expecting me to say anything. The knight approaches, his armor clinking with each step until he is less than a foot away from me. He scrutinizes my face and the attention makes me want to jump out of my skin. All I can do though is stand my ground and stare back.

He was a handsome fellow under all of that pomp. His jaw was chiseled, with a straight nose and icy blue eyes that didn't miss a single detail. A small scare ran across the corner of his mouth, meaning he must be experienced wielding a sword, unlike most other aristocrats who join the army simply by buying a ranking. 

I can only guess that the knight is satisfied by what he sees, because he walks away and fetches a canvas bag from his saddlebag, tossing it at me. "Use this, Apothecary. I am First Lieutenant Avery Wellsworth of the first regiment of General Bludborne. Until I say otherwise, you listen to every word I say."

He mounts his horse with ease and shouts to the other knights. "Mount up!" Everyone quickly brings their steads to bear. I look around. Every horse has a rider, and there isn't a carriage or wagon in sight. To be fair, I had never ridden a horse in my life, so I wouldn't even know where to begin if they had prepared one for me, but I'm still baffled. How did they expect me to keep up with them? 

Lieutenant Wellsworth looks back at me and grins. "Don't worry," He assures me. "Since you don't have a stead of your own, we will go at a pace you can keep up with. Better not fall behind!" With that, he pulls on his reigns and leads the company of soldiers down the only road that leads out of the village.

I stand there baffled for a moment. This bastard expects me to walk and keep pace with horses?! A whinny pulls me out of my thoughts. Shit! I jog to catch up as I leave the only place I'd ever known behind.