Roses in Winter (Focusedheart & Silence)

Aaron laid down in the house again. He fell asleep without the tea. There were too man things to try and remember. Rushing to push the bed roll out of the way he opened the hatch and beckoned the family out. Taking a secret gate way out of his blacksmith shop he started running with them along the edge of the woods. Soon enough they would come to the crossroads and he could point them to the trail that lead along the river to the next safe house.
 
Tabitha was nearby, camping out as it had been dark and she didn't want to travel during night. She was set up with her bed roll and was just sitting there watching the night sky.

It was the sound of movement that drew her horse's head up. He snorted and pranced a little beside her. She moves to her feet and looks around. "Easy boy, it's okay. Just an animal."
 
Hearing a horse nearby Aaron had the group halt. He knew that it could be cavalry guard or worse. After a few seconds he heard a female voice. Then he needed to hurry they didn't have much time if he was to get back to the home before daylight.
 
Carefully she walked through the trees a moment, leaving her horse at the campsite. It was as she came clear of the trees that she saw a few forms running in the darkness. Her eyes widen as she recognized one of those forms.

So that was what he was up to. That explained a great deal. She turns to head back towards her camp but that was when she heard the sound of armor clanking. She tenses. Guards.

Thinking quickly she went back to her horse and saddled him quickly. She mounts up and rides towards the sounds of the guards with the intent of delaying them from reaching the crossroads so that Aaron would have time.
 
The guards drew bows and halted in the road at the sound of an oncoming horse. "Halt!" Yelling to the rider they paused for a moment and then yelled again. "Halt!" When the rider didn't come to a fast enough stop they began to shoot.

Aaron hearing the warning urged the family to run faster. Peering over his shoulder he didn't see anyone yet. However they lucked out and missed the guards he wasn't sure but he thanked the gods anyway. At the cross roads he ushered the family onto a hidden forest road. "There will be another safe house to the east of the trail when it ends. Make haste now." Running back through the forest he paused as he heard the guards once more. He only had so much time to be home before someone would notice. Already there was a hint of daylight beginning to show.
 
She hadn't heard the first halt but had heard the second. It was too late though and her horse heard the sound of the release of bow strings and arrows flying before she ever did. He moved suddenly to the side, rearing with a loud cry.

There was nothing she could do but to hold on. She felt the impact of the first arrow to her side and as another sliced by her arm, nearly knocking her from her horse. Her horse let out a squeal as one hit his shoulder and another to his chest.

As his front legs hit the ground , they buckled and he fell to his side. Her leg trapped beneath his weight as she struggled to herself out of the way. "No no no no. " She was muttering over and over as she tried to free her leg so she could tend to her horse.

She knew the hit to his shoulder she could repair, it was the one to the chest that concerned her most. If she couldn't treat it quickly, he would die.

Ignoring her own injuries, she struggled to move him off her leg. No bones were broken that she could feel but it would be swollen and bruised. She didn't care though, her mind was only for her horse.
 
Aaron started through the brush when he heard the commotion. The rider hadn't made it. Carefully the blacksmith watched from his place in the forest. They were approaching and he knew from looking at the horse that it had been injured and it was Tabitha. What was she doing out here at this time of night? Cautiously working his way around to the rears of the soldiers the blacksmith pulled a small knife from his belt. It was sharp and probably one of the better ones that he'd made.

With only 2 guards he was sure once they dismounted that he could make quick work of them. Getting himself onto the edge of the road he made a dash for the first man and slit his throat. The second turned though he had a bow and arrow there wasn't enough time for him to make an accurate hit.

A sharp sting went across the blacksmith's leg and he barely deviated from his course. Finally coming face to face with the second guard he caught the man's wrist as he tried to force a blade into Aaron's chest. The blacksmith grit his teeth and brought his second hand with the dagger to stab the man. It was difficult to get a killing blow at this angle when his opponent wore armor. In desperation the guard brought his second hand up and started to force the blade closer to the peasant. Despite his strength Aaron knew that he could not hold back the power of two arms with his one. He was slowly losing ground to the man. Bringing his second hand up he began to twist the guard's wrist till the blade faced the other man.

The guard more experienced in fighting brought a foot up and made a quick kick for the blacksmith's knee. Momentarily his opponent staggered and he lunged with the knife. Aaron pushed back and threw his weight into the man. Twisting the blade toward his enemy once more he put all his strength into it and shoved the knife into the guard's throat.

Getting off the ground he walked over to check on the Tabitha and the horse. "Will the horse live?" Depending on the condition of the creature would depend upon where he would take the healer.
 
As the guards approached, she knew she had to move but her leg was still pinned and her horse's breathing was becoming shallow and drawn out.

"Come on boy, stay with me, stay with me."

It was the sound of fighting that brought her eyes back to the guards. It was to find one already on the ground and the other struggling with his attacker.

She held her breath as she watched. Trembling a little at the sight of the final death. It took her a moment to realize that it was Aaron.

With his help, she got her leg unpainted and she moved quickly to her horse, checking his wounds. "Come on boy." She grabs her saddlebag and pulls some herbs from it then pulled the arrow from his shoulder and then the one from his chest.

He lifted his head weakly and tried to move only to fall back down. Tears in her eyes she knew she was too late to treat him as blood started to come from his mouth and nose. The arrow had gotten to his lungs.

When Aaron asked his question, she shakes her head, still aware of her own wounds, the arrow still sticking out of her side. "No...his lung was hit..." she mutters and takes another bottle from her bag and gently places a touch in the horse's tongue.

It was quick acting and would ease the horse's suffering. "I'm so sorry boy. You didn't deserve this."
 
The blacksmith nodded. "Alright." It was a hard thing and he knew it. Leaving a trusted animal behind. Still they didn't have time to even move the body. He was already sore from his wound and he doubted she would make the walk in her condition. Soon as the horse gave up its last agonizing breath he grabbed the healer. "We have to move before the guards begin the morning patrol." They couldn't be caught outside the city.

Part way through the woman seemed to be losing strength. Aaron stopped and checked her over briefly. "Are you ok? Do you need me to carry you?"
 
It was the worst feeling in the world as she walked away from her beloved horse. She grabbed her bag that had all her herbs in it.

As they started walking she snapped the arrow shaft but left enough that she could grab it later to pull it out. If she pulled the arrow head out without knowing exactly where it was stuck ,she could just bleed out.

After a while though her body was getting weak. It was becoming hard to keep going. She shakes her head when he asked her if she needed to be carried. "I can walk...." she mutters.
 
Aaron almost had to cringe when she broke the arrow shaft. It had to hurt and he knew that walking was going to be painful. Even when he offered to carry her the woman seemed to insist on carrying herself. The growing light made it easier to see her and it was plain that the blood had begun to leak through the layers of clothing. His back felt sticky and the blacksmith knew that both of them would be needing to rest and do some mending. She needed to stay hidden and he didn't have many places to put a wounded person. Normally one night in the little hole wouldn't be bad, but he wasn't in condition to carry her to the next home just yet and she couldn't spend more than a night in the hole.
 
By the time they reached his home, every part of her hurt. Her skin had paled from the blood loss but still she kept moving until they were safely out of sight and in his home.

Grimacing she nods to him slightly, "let me treat your wound. Then you will need to help me with mine...then I have herbs that will knock me out for a day but will help my body rest. I can do the same for you but I don't know if you'll want to be out an entire day."

She grimaces and starts working on his wound once he had removed his shirt. Luckily it wasn't too bad but she was still concerned. The only reason she was still standing was because of that one year as a slave. Her pain tolerance was better.
 
Aaron gingerly pulled the shirt off. The wound had reopened and several threads from the shirt had stuck in the drying blood. Though he would have preferred to treat the woman first he could see her point. Whatever the salve was that she rubbed into the wound helped some. His arm almost felt like it was going to go numb and fall off. After she wrapped it again he turned to help the woman.

Gently pressing around the in her leg he then pulled the arrow out with the other hand. It took a little skill and some instruction from the healer to accomplish the work. However, when he finished it didn't look too bad. "You'll sleep over here by the fire and then in the morning I'll carry you down to the cellar." It was the best way to describe the hiding place. He would have to be back to work in he morning no matter how he felt because the guards would have increased suspicions after last night. They were already becoming weary with the added activity here lately.
 
Tabitha kept herself still as he worked on the wound. The pain was reaching levels where she could bare it anymore. As soon as that was reached though, he got the arrow out and she talked him through how to treat each wound.

She nods a little to him and manages a smile. She had seen much in her time of being a slave and being a healer but the events still troubled her and she couldn't wait to knock out for a bit. She nods to him ,and motions to the small green bottle. "Hand that to me. It will knock me out for a bit. "
 
Aaron reached into her bag again and started to dig out a few bottles. When she asked for the green one he handed it to her. The blacksmith waited for her to fall asleep before he moved the woman to a place in front of the fire. He knew it wouldn't be long before he had to move her to the hidden cellar in the house. Already the light had begun to seep through the slits of the window.

Once it seemed that she was sleeping soundly he picked her up and took her down the stairs then laid her down with a few blankets and wandered back up to pull the sleeping mat over the boards. The blacksmith then started with his regular routine to open the shop. He would likely have a few customers today and some suspicious guards. This was the best way it seemed to keep them at bay.
 
She was glad that she had gotten his wound tended to and hoped it would be enough for him to not be bothered by the guards. Could she have made things worse for him?

She was sure. Once she was out thanks to her mixture, she welcomed it. The mixture would work through her body and help speed up the healing process and allow her to move when she woke up.

Being left in such a vulnerable way was not a great plan but there was little choice if she wanted to fight off infection and get the wounds healed. The faster they healed the easier to hide. But would someone recognize her beloved horse?

She felt terrible about the loss. It had been all her fault that the animal lost his life. She had betrayed his trust in her. She wasn't going to be able to forgive herself.

Though her body was in sleep, her mind didn't stop. She could hear as well as if awake but not.
 
Aaron started to take customers soon as he opened his gate. It was going to be a long day. He could only hope that the woman wouldn't be one to get upset if she woke and found herself under the ground in his little safe haven. His shoulder began to ache with each pound of the hammer. A guard came next and he frowned as the man presented him with a horse that appeared to have thrown some shoes. "It's uncommon that an animal would have thrown so many shoes."

"Last night there was another killing." The man stared at the blacksmith. Seemed that he was moving a bit slower than regular. "What's wrong with you?"

"Kicked a few days ago by a horse." It was the excuse that Aaron had heard from Tabitha the other day. He found it was better to stick with the same story. "Had to take a few days off to let my shoulder recover. Still a little sore today."

He waited till afternoon and a small break to go into his house to check on the woman. Moving the bedroll aside he peered into the bottom of the house and took down a small goblet of water and some food. "I'll get you out of here tomorrow."
 
At some point she had woken from the sleep. Every part of her had tensed up instantly as the scent of earth filled her nose. In the darkness though she remembered where she was and why.

With a grimace she started to move but was careful to be silent. He was risking so much already. She could hear the voices outside and knew he was working.

Carefully sitting up she rested her back against the wall and took a deep breath. She was still a little groggy but that feeling would fade with time. She looks to her wounds, they were already close to healing and that was very good.

When he opened the top to bring food down, she had to blink a few times to adjust to the change in light. She manages a smile to him and nods at his words as she accepts the food from him.

She gazed at him a moment then said. "Please be careful." There was this feeling she couldn't shake of something worse heading their way. It was a bad feeling as most would call them but hers had rarely been wrong.
 
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