*****
"WILLAN!!" Gamling's body fell from his saddle with a thud, Aefre's knees very nearly collapsing as the full weight of the unconscious man landed on top of her. "Oh Béma, nonono Dréogan, hold steady, boy-"
"I've got him, ma'am!" Haleth had Dréogan by the bridle, as if that would stop the giant warhorse from moving. In the days that would follow, Aefre would be grateful the destrier had been well-trained and he held still as woman and Rider began to sink to the ground.
Before she collapsed, a pair of strong arms slid between her and the Horse Lord, Willan grunting as he hoisted Gamling over his shoulder. "Quick, through the kitchen, there - take him to my room, it's closer. Haleth-" she addressed the boy, "take Dréogan to the stable. Rub him down, feed and water him. Bring the Marshal's things to my chamber. You know where it is?"
"Yes, m'lady."
"Good. Be quick!" She scurried after the large servant, following him into the kitchens. The joyous bustling of the kitchen stopped as Willan threaded his way around cooks and tables with the injured Rider slung over his shoulder.
"What the-" The nosy cook planted her fists on her hips. "Well! I-"
Aefre burst through the door with a bang, interrupting the woman in the midst of her outburst. “I need hot water, clean cloths, soap, comfrey, willow bark, to my chamber, immediately! And another healer. And bandages! And the strongest ale in Edoras. If he wakes up during any of this, he will be a warg angered beyond..." her voice trailed off as she went through the other door.
Willan was moving fast; he was already down the hall and kicking the door to her chamber open. Aefre rushed around him, pulling the top layer of coverings back from the smaller bed. "Here... here... gently..."
Willan lowered the Horse Lord to the bed, a pained grunt assailing Aefre's ears.
"Gamling... can you hear me?"
"...not... naked..."
"No, I'm not, but you are going to be!" Aefre leaned over and unhooked his cloak. "Willan, help me get his clothes off. You!" she spun on the serving girl, standing in the doorway with her arms piled high with clean cloths. "Béma! Where is the healer?" She turned back to Gamling and unlaced his chest plate, pulling it away from his body.
"Ma'am, they had a skirmish just past the bonfires. She is attending to several injured-"
"Unless they are dying, tell her I need her ... oh... Béma..."
Gamling's tunic was blood-soaked, plastered to his right side - crusted from his waist to beneath his arm. There was no way to pull this off...
"Willan, get my knife from the mantel, now! Girl! Get me a healer or someone to help me! NOW!"
"But, m'lady-"
"Get. Me. Some. One!" Aefre grabbed the offered knife and sliced up the front of the shirt, then soaked it with clean wet cloths until the dried blood loosened, slowly peeling it away from his body.
"Willan, I need-" she looked over her shoulder to see the back of the man already out the door. As soon as he disappeared, another serving girl entered with a large pitcher of steaming water, several cloths draping her arm.
"I need your help." She gestured to the table next to her bed. "There is a large bowl under there. Put it on top of the table and pour the water in it. Then go around behind him."
"Oh, ma'am! I never-"
"Stop yammering and do it! Stop blushing while you're at it." Aefre snatched one of the cloths from the girl's arm and dipped it into the bowl as the maid filled it with hot water. She turned and as gently as she dared, began to clean the blood and grime from the wound site.
"...tough..."
It was grunted and Aefre glanced at him to see pain glazed eyes boring into hers.
"Think so? You haven't seen anything yet. Tell me if I-"
"...is... all right..." Gamling closed his eyes, grimacing. "... ruined my... best... tunic..." Aefre snorted at his lament.
Willan returned, arms laden with bags, containers, another pitcher of steaming water. He sniffed the steam rising from the bowl.
"Nothing but hot water, Willan. What do you have?"
The mute began setting things on the table, picking and choosing. For the fourth time, Aefre dipped the cloth into the now bloody, muddy water. "Open the window, girl, and dump out the contents of this bowl. Then go and get another pitcher of hot water. Keep the hot water coming!" She reached over and grabbed the cloths still draped over the girl's arm. "Leave those!"
The girl jumped up, away from the bed, throwing the window open before grabbing the bowl and throwing the dirty water out of the window. "Ma'am, I-"
"Just keep the water coming!" She waited as Willan filled the bowl and then began to sprinkle medicinal herbs into it.
In silence, the two worked together, cleaning, swabbing down. Several times, Aefre squeezed water into the wound, forcing filth to rise to the top, only to watch it dribble over his side and slowly roll towards the cloths bundled at the junction of his side and the mattress. Aefre rubbed her face across her shoulder and upper arm many times, wiping away sweat... tears...? Did it matter? Horrified at the amount of filth, dirt, and Béma knew what else was embedded in the gash, Aefre wrung out a fresh cloth in hot water and gently wiped the Rider's face. It seemed forever to Aefre before the deep and ugly cut ran bright red blood. The girl returned several times with fresh hot water and linens before an elderly healer finally hobbled into the room.
She peered over Aefre's shoulder, squinting down at the semi-conscious man. "How deep is it?"
"Deep enough."
Gently, Aefre pressed the loose flaps of skin, assessing the damage. "He needs to be sewn.'
"Well, that's simple enough." The old woman slowly straightened up. "Y'just get yourself some sheep gut thread and the sharpest needle y'have..."
"NO!" Aefre gasped. "I can't!"
"Never sewn a man, before?" the old crone cackled. "Tis simple enough. First you-"
"I can't sew!" Aefre whispered. "My stitches are huge, lopsided, ugly loose things. You'll have to do it!"
The old woman thought for a moment. "I'm sorry, Lady Aefre. I can't hardly see. You'll have to-"
"Surely, you know someone who can do this!"
The healer tapped a crooked finger against her lip. "Well, there is one, who sews finer than anyone. She's helped me a time or two. But I don't think you would want the likes of her in your chambers, or his for that matter."
"Look! I don't care if she's a whore in the brothel! Get her up here!"
"As you wish." The old crone scurried out, grabbing the serving girl as she went. "Hie you down to The Blue Whale. Get Eadignes, tell her to hurry!"
Aefre continued to clean, bathe him as best as possible. Willan had removed his boots, the remainder of his armor, leaving Gamling in nothing but his leggings. Willan's hands moved to the waistband.
"Take them off carefully and put a sheet over him," Aefre was stuffing dry cloths where Gamling's body met the mattress. "I'll bathe the rest of him later."
"...still... not... naked..."
"Such a man," she retorted quietly. "He goes through the war unscathed, only to be almost killed outside the city gates." She continued to clean and disinfect the wound with witch hazel bark steeped in some of the hot water. "What am I to do with you?"
"...get... na...ked..."
"Ah, as if I could work better unhindered. And what would you do if I complied with your request?"
"... looooook ..." Gamling's voice was getting softer and softer as he sank towards unconsciousness again.
"You are going to have to be sewn, milord Marshal. Do you need anything to help dull the pain?"
There was no answer, and when Aefre looked over, his eyes were closed.
"Damn! Where is that woman?" Aefre looked back up, searching. "Willan! Have the kitchen make tea; put comfrey and willow bark in it, he will need it against fever.” The man rose to go to the door. "Please hurry. You might have to hold him down."
The room was quiet for a few minutes as she continued to bathe him.
"...won't... need... Willan..."
"What was that?" Aefre did not stop her gentle swabbing.
"Been... sewn... before... won't need... Willan..."
Aefre remembered the scars that she had felt, touched...
***...kissed and licked...***
...that night in Dunharrow. Of course, he had been sewn before. "Not like this, min heorte. Ah, look," she dragged a finger down the curve of his leather-clad hand, propped in her lap. "I thought Willan had gotten your riding gloves." She laid the dripping cloth over a particularly deep section of the ugly cut, allowing the medicinal herbs to soak into the laceration. She carefully removed the glove, tossing it in the corner with his armor, before reaching for his hand and removing the second. She tugged at the fingers, only to stop and stare, dropping the grimy thing where she sat. She turned his hand over, caressing the palm, tracing the path of the once green ribband wrapped around it. It was filthy, the insignia of her father's house covered in sweat and...
"Did you not once take it off?" she whispered, hoarsely.
Gamling's hand clenched weakly. "...don't... take it..."
Aefre stroked the back of his hand, closing his fingers around her token. "For now, you may keep this." She laid his hand back up and out of the way and returned her attention to the sword cut. As she lifted the cloth, she was grateful that the bleeding had stopped. The door flew open behind her. "Willan! Good your-"
"Oh, Béma!" The voice was younger, higher pitched. Aefre turned to look over her shoulder to see a young woman, in a low-cut, too-tight dress, staring in horror at the man on the bed. She held a large bag in her arms.
"You're the healer?"
The girl tore her eyes away from the Rider on the bed. "I was told that someone needed stitching."
Willan followed, coming around the woman, looking at her... looking very...
interested...
"Look here!" The girl gathered herself and thrust a bottle at the Rohirrim standing next to her. "It's strong, mead brandy. The strongest in the bar. Start pouring it down him until he passes out." She looked back at Gamling, fear... and something else Aefre did not want to contemplate - crossing the young woman's features.
"The Captain holds his liquor well. It will take a little while to get him..." Tentatively, she touched Aefre's shoulder. "I can work better from this side, m'lady."
Aefre slid from her place, going around the bed to the back. Quickly, the woman ran her hands down Gamling's side to the cut, scowling at the viciousness of it.
"M'Lord Gamling-"
"GRRRRRRR"
"Don't growl at me! You and I have been along this road before," she said sternly. "I need you to drink this. And keep-"
"Eadignes?" It was whispered. Gamling's eyes opened up and he searched, someone else sitting in Aefre's spot.
"Aye, it's me. I took Wulfric's best brandy ale from his cabinet," Gamling smiled at that, "so drink up before he discovers it! He won't miss what he can't find!" She nodded to Willan. "Will you help him with that?"
"I.. don't... need-"
"Gamling!" Again, Eadignes' voice was curt. "This is a very deep wound! I do not think your lady will want the scar wide and jagged, and you bent over like an old soldier. Please," her voice softened, gentled, "Drink it."
"...pay..."
"You'll do no such thing! Just drink it."
Aefre sat on the other side, sliding pillows under Gamling's head and handing fresh cloths as needed. She watched as Willan slowly dribbled the reddish - hued brew into a not - so -eager mouth. Eadignes reached around the tall man, dipping yet another clean cloth into the water. Aefre noticed how carefully, tenderly, she rebathed the cut, inspecting the skin, the wound's edges. Eadignes stood up and went to her sack, pulling out fine sheep's gut thread and several slender bone needles.
"How potent is the brandy?"
"It is the strongest at the Blue Whale." The girl - she really wasn't more than that - began to unravel and lay out lengths of thread, cutting them into manageable lengths with a small knife. "Had I known it was the Captain-“
“Marshal. He is Marshal now.”
“Oh,” she breathed quietly. “Well deserved, I’m sure. Either way, had I known it was him, I would have brought a second bottle - just to be safe. But I think one should do it." She laid the first threaded needle down. "At least, I hope so."
***BlueWhaleBlueWhale...***
"You are a bar maid at the Blue Whale?"
The girl smiled ruefully and continued to thread needles. "I'll not lie to you, m'lady, as the truth would get back to you soon enough. I do... other... work besides tend the bar at the Blue Whale." She laid down another needle. "I promise to remove myself from your chambers as soon as I finish."
The old healer's words suddenly began to make sense.
"Know Gamling well, do you?"
Eadignes looked up, resigned, before looking over to the man lying prone in Aefre's bed. "How far gone is he?"
Aefre leaned over, searching for signs of unconsciousness. "Gamling? How fare you?"
"izzit foodz sweetz anden swim!"
"Well, I think it's safe to say, he's pretty well-soused." Aefre grinned.
"Amnut... sssh-ow-shhh..."
"I stand corrected. No, the great Marshal Gamling who rode into the city without his helmet is not soused!" Aefre patted the shoulder reassuringly. "You're wide awake and ready to cut down a horde of Orcs. Béma forbid that you, of all people, would get drunk!"
"Zezrite!" There was a loud belch. "Izzit mur fer izzit whatzis."
Aefre looked down to see Willan struggling to keep a straight face. "Stop that! How much is left in that bottle? He's bleeding again and we can't wait much longer!" Willan held the bottle up to the light to inspect the contents. There were perhaps three fingers left in it. He began to dribble it into Gamling's mouth.
Aefre continued to swab, clean the wound site, until the bottle was empty and the Horse Lord was snoring. Eadignes sank back down in the curve of Gamling's lap, inserting the needles into the mattress. "Thank you," she nodded to Willan, "He won't move."
Willan looked at Aefre, expectantly and then turned to go. He held Aefre's teapot in one massive hand. "Go see if the other healers need help. If not, check on Dréogan and then the kitchens. Cook will be in a fine fury, I guarantee." Willan tapped the side of the teapot with a finger tip. "On second thought, tea would be lovely. Thank you for suggesting it. Enough for both of us, please." Aefre turned her attention back to the girl across from her. "What do you need me to do?" Aefre lifted Gamling's arm and crooked it over his head, which caused him to snore even more. She made sure there was a bedpost nearby for him to grab on to. "Have you known him to snore?"
Eadignes looked up at her in surprise. That the noblewoman was still speaking to her, much less allowing the whore to tend to the Marshal, shocked her, but to ask her such an intimate question... "Uhm... no, ma'am. But I've never seen him this drunk either."
"So, he's not one to drink-"
"I didn't say that!" Eadignes' eyebrows knitted in consternation. "I've seen him drink …omer under the table a few times and still be able to-" she stopped in mid-sentence. "Please, ma'am. This is most uncomfortable." She began to push the skin together. "He's a good man. You are very lucky."
Aefre leaned over, her hands aiding the younger woman's. "What makes you think he is mine?"
Eadignes snorted and picked up the first needle, knotting the end of the thread. "This is a deep cut. I cannot sew the muscle, only the skin. I'll need you to hold it tightly together while I sew and then we will have to bind his chest tightly so the muscle will heal." She perused the wound site again. "It's lucky this wasn't a leg or arm wound. Had it been his leg, he would have limped for the rest of his life."
"He would have lost use of his arm," Aefre whispered.
"Aye. He will bleed, just so you know, so do not be alarmed." She inserted the needle into the upper edge of the wound, under his arm, where the depth was the shallowest. Sure enough, a trickle of blood seeped from the entry point and Aefre used a damp cloth to clean it. Although unconscious, Gamling inhaled sharply, his hand clutching at the bedpost. "As for how I know he is yours, I overheard what he said to the woman in his tent; about wanting her naked in his bed upon his return. So I waited, I watched to see who left Gamling's tent in Dunharrow." Eadignes made two more stitches. "It was you." She waited for Aefre to dab blood away again. "Not to mention, I overheard you calling him 'your heart'." With tiny, deliberate stitches, the girl was moving down the wound. "Hold it together here. I also saw him bring you back later. Never have I seen him so angry." She took her eyes from her task for a moment. "And I have seen him plenty angry." The room was quiet while the girl sewed and the woman cleaned and held skin together.
At some point, Willan re-entered the room, tying the curtain further back to allow more sunlight in and setting down a filled teapot and two mugs. Rather than leave, he drifted into the corner, into the shadows, watching and listening intently.
Finally, after forever, it was done. As Eadignes made the final stitches, Aefre rose to the table, where her herbs and medicines lay. Pouring fresh water into a bowl, she mixed up a thick, gooey paste.
"What's that?" Eadignes was peering over her shoulder.
"It's comfrey and willow bark - a painkiller and an anti-swelling poultice." Aefre picked up the bowl and sat where Eadignes had sat for so long. "This will reduce the swelling and ease the ache. I will also put comfrey in his water and broth when he wakes. I imagine he will be quite sore." Gently, she began to smear the paste along the wound. As she did so, she closely inspected and examined the girl's stitches; finely wrought and seemingly perfect. "He'll also run a fever. We'll have to watch for that."
"If you are finished with me-"
"Hand me those strips on the back of my chair." Aefre held her hand out, waiting for the clean bandages. She laid them over Gamling's side, the unguent causing them to stick to wound. Motioning to Willan, the three gently bandaged the Rider's chest and waist with tight strips of cloth, working the long ends under him. It took time to complete the arduous task. Finally, it was complete and Gamling was laid gently back on the bed, a thin sheet tucked under his arms. Slowly, Aefre rose to face the girl.
"Ma'am, if you are done with my services-"
"No," Aefre was pouring two cups of tea. "I'm not done with you." She lowered herself into one chair and motioned toward the other.
"Now, we talk."
*****