Hospital

Bondrewd struggled to open his eyes, his whole body ached, his muscles burned with fire and his head was splitting. The man tried to get out of bed, but it didn't work very well, he only managed to turn over on his side, unable to make another attempt the man stared at the purple wallpaper. He quickly realised where he was - it was his so fortunately privatised room in Ritor's house, unable to move any more Bondrewd began to reflect on what had happened.

"I have won a victory, but I have won it very hard," this fact did not please Bondrewd, and he continued to ponder. "I need to become stronger, it is possible that this is not the strongest opponent I will face, the shifter spoke of some curators, which means the most interesting is still ahead, who is the husband I have no idea about the power of the champion of madness and defected heroes, the conclusion is one must save up strength, accelerate the execution of my plan, the external forces have already tried twice to prevent me, and it is not a fact that they will not try again ..."

Lord Bondrewd was distracted from his thoughts by the creak of the door opening, just in case the man decided to pretend to be asleep and observe the guest - it turned out to be a short pretty blonde woman, gathering his thoughts in a heap Bondrewd managed to remember her, "She is Ritor's servant, so there is no danger."

"Couldn't you roll over, changing behind your back." Bondrewd said in a calm voice, he knew how people reacted to him, the effect of the suddenness was an additional catalyst. The girl almost fainted from fright, she ran out into the corridor and screamed loudly.

"He's awake! He's awake!" The maid kept shouting as she ran down the corridor, and Bondrewd decided to himself that it was not a good idea to frighten strangers by shouting from behind. "But what can be done, we can only wait." The wait didn't last long, after a couple of minutes Lord of Dawn heard an unfamiliar stomp, man had not heard such footsteps before and instinctively tensed up, it turned out to be for nothing. Into the doorjamb flew, Dick: limping and leaning on a crutch, but he went in. At that moment Bondrewd felt a slight feeling of envy.

"You're dead, aren't you?" Dick asked, in all seriousness, his expression as collected and stern as possible.

"I'm a dead man compared to you, aren't I?" They laughed so loudly that the whole house could hear them, but this parade of humour had not even begun before they were both curled up in spasms of pain. After a little breathing, Dick went on.

"We thought you were dead, but you're breathing, and there's no improvement, and the whole town is on its ear, waiting for its saviour to heal." Dick was beginning to choke a little and paused and clutched his chest.

"Saviour?" questioned Bondrewd, he thought he had misheard something.

"Yes, the saviour, you have not misheard, everything has changed very abruptly Bondrewd, now you from a folk hero has turned into a real icon, even now arrange a great procession. And, of course, vultures immediately swarmed to your still-living body."

"Who do you mean?" Bondrewd, in his manner, wanted to think about it himself, but he was lazy, especially considering his condition.

"The whole town is talking about your affair with Aivyna, and the Royal Family and the Mages' Guild are not going to be far behind, there was almost a fight when they were deciding whether to transfer you to the Royal Palace or the Mages' Guild. Even without them, there was a whole crowd of healers, alchemists and merchants with wonderful potions and potions, eager to help you with your recovery."

"Well, since I am here, the higher worlds have not agreed?" Dick wanted to answer, but the man was twisted by cramps and his broken leg began to walk round and round, causing him great pain. "AHHH, bitch." Dick swore and grabbed a box of a strange white powder from behind his back, swallowing a handful and drinking it with water from a nearby vase, he was slightly relieved and continued.

"There was almost a fight, but Ritor saved the day, as you ask me, by breaking into the drawing-room with a poker and pushing all the messengers out into the street," Dick grinned. "The old man's got a lot of guts, but I digress. In the end they agreed to keep you here, and to send medicine and healers here. In case you're wondering, they're guarding our house, too, all together." Dick got up from his chair with difficulty and went to the open window, but Bond did not have that opportunity, which annoyed him.

"There were a lot of people here now, royal guards, mages and mercenaries from the trade guild, and everyone was looking out for a threat, and at the same time watching their neighbours from the other camp." Dick sat back in his chair and pulled a pipe out of his pocket to smoke.

"How long have I been out?" This question should have been asked at the outset, but Bondrewd, confused by his helplessness, had not thought of it.

"Three days," said Dick sullenly, exhaling a cloud of acrid smoke.

Bondrewd only sighed tiredly, "What a shame I've wasted so much time, on the other hand we've eliminated a major threat in our rear, I don't want to think what the consequences would have been. If he'd realised to stay below the grass."

"So what are you gonna do, Bondrewd?" Dick asked with a slight twinkle in his eye, even though he was hurt and maimed, the former forest brigand's fighting spirit was inexhaustible.

"Call Ritor and Grim, we've lost too much time and we have a lot of work to do." Bondrewd mumbled in his last breath, he couldn't remember when it had been so hard after a battle, never before, in case of serious injuries he could always transfer his consciousness into the body of one of the "praying hands", and that was the end of it.

"I understand you, we'll organise everything, Ritor is in the guild of traders now, he's taking healing potions, for you and me of course, and with Grim is more difficult, he's also a little hurt, during the uprising he fought in the first ranks and got stabbed in the side, but I think by tomorrow he'll be fully recovered."

"Well then, get a quill and paper, I have a letter to send."

"You don't pity me at all," the bald man grumbled, but he got up and, digging through the chest of drawers, dumped out a pile of paper and a quill and inkwell and, strangely enough, put them on the chest of drawers beside Baudrewd. The lord did not like this at once, and a very unpleasant thought crept into his head. "Nah, it can't be that bad." Overcoming his scepticism he asked.

"Dick, can you write at all?" Bondrewd asked with such an intonation as if it were a matter of course and nothing but an affirmative answer was possible.

"Brother, you offend me, of course not. I don't need it, remembering I'm a bandit, not a servant." Lord of Dawn opened his mouth involuntarily, in his world it was inconceivable that a grown man could not write, this revelation did not fit his head very well, much worse than the information about the death of an entire god. Unable to tolerate this theatre of the absurd, he asked Dick a second question.

"You were a centurion in the king's army, how come?" Dick only smirked slightly and answered with a smile.

"Well served and what, who husband, it was not a requirement for the position, and also you can always find a soldier who knows how and always carry it with him." Dick replied, and he was again twisted by another attack of cramp, the man almost fell off his chair, but still managed to keep his balance. And then Bondrewd felt something he had never felt before" he was a little ashamed, his subordinate was now almost on shit, and he was humiliating him. But Dick didn't give a damn about Bondrewd's manic world; the letter itself was of no use to him, so he ignored it.

"Dick, how are you?" Bondrewd asked, feeling slightly guilty.

"Well, as you can see, it's not so good, it hurts all over and it itches like hell, and this leg," Dick pointed accusingly at his foot. - It's driving me crazy, I can't sleep properly, and you've noticed the cramps." Dick stared guiltily at the floor. "I just over-accelerated, I can't keep it up that long, but I had no other choice. Now I'm paying the price," Dick faltered a little and looked guiltily at Bondrewd.

"For at least a week I'll look more like a log."

"What do you mean?" Bondrewd asked in confusion.

"I mean lying down and not doing shit, even with elixirs and the best healers, it won't be faster, it's all down to the physical capabilities of the organism, but you're a different case, we weren't sure if you'd survive at all, there wasn't a living thing on you. And by the way, you're fucking heavy, you should go on a diet." Dick finished his sentence and in his own way laughed loudly, which he soon regretted.

"I'm grateful to you for carrying me, but now call a servant who can write," Bondrewd thought for a moment, "but no, I'd rather wait for Ritor, and you go and rest, but turn me over on my back.

"I can't get any rest here, I can't make out with Linda, and I can't drink, so boring" sayd Dick, turning Bondrewd on his back, and turning his head sharply towards the window, where some noise was heard, he went to the window as fast as a man could move on a crutch. Bondrewd had only to squint at him.

"Yes, you're not going to rest, the royal family, Lady Aivina and Lady Mira, have arrived, and it seems that there is already a conflict brewing," After standing at the window for a while, he waltzed out of the room.

"Where are you going?" The Lord shouted at him.

"Like you said, to rest," Dick patted the lying suzerain on the shoulder.

"Be strong." He only said, and rushed out of the room. Bondrewd had nothing to do but wait in horror for the group intercourse of his brain.