Warprize

again, squinting to let them adjust.
    I was in Keir’s bed. The tent seemed to glow it was so bright.
    “Ah. There’s my girl.” A whisper caught my attention.
    “Eln?” I turned my head slowly, my neck achy and stiff. Eln was sitting on the bed next to me, holding a small bowl. I stared at him, puzzled.
    “It’s me, child.” He kept his voice low. “How do you feel?”
    “Feel?” I didn’t understand, but even more confusing was the angry voice that had not stopped or cooled. I turned my head slowly back to discover that the tent wall had been rolled up. Keir was pacing back and forth where the wall normally hung between bedroom and meeting area. Still dressed in black leathers, the silver wrist bands catching the light and glittering as he moved like a large cat. A large, angry cat. I could just see the tops of heads beyond him, filling the meeting area. Something wasn’t right. I sat up.
    Rather, I tried to sit up. The arm I asked to support me objected mightily, and I gasped at the pain. In that instant it all came back, details of the attack flooding into my head. Keir was by the bed in an instant. He half climbed into the center, and placed a hand on my chest to keep me flat. “You’re awake. Warprize, are you all right?” He was speaking my tongue. I eased back onto the pillows. “I think my arm is going to fall off.” My voice was a croak. Keir sucked in a breath.
    “It’s not going to fall off.” Eln responded firmly. He frowned at me and gave a sharp jerk of his head, telling me in a not-so-subtle manner to watch my tongue. “I’m sure it hurts, but the wound is clean and well bandaged. There is bruising on your neck, but no real damage. You will recover fully.” Gils hovered behind Eln, his face tight with worry. Eln continued, “Your student did well, Lara.”
    Keir snarled. “One of the few who did well.” He returned to his feet. “Tend to her,” he snapped as he resumed his pacing. None of the others had stirred.
    I lay back on the bed as Eln leaned forward and placed his hand on my forehead. Gils stood next to him, nervously watching us.
    “Eln, how—”
    “Kidnaped from my home by mounted warriors and slung over a saddle like a sack of meal.” Eln snorted as he checked my heartbeat. “It took a while before someone who spoke our language explained what had happened.”
    “How long have I been out?” I asked, still sounding rough. Gils flicked a look from my face to Eln’s and back.
    Eln grunted. “I don’t know. You were unconscious when I arrived, and I have been here for a quarter of an hour.”
    I repeated my question to Gils in his language.
    “Warprize, you were unconscious for about an hour. I’s did the best I could, but I told the Warlord to send for a real healer from the city, and I knew your teacher’s name.” His face was pale under his red hair. “I’s told him that I’s your apprentice.”
    Eln raised his eyebrows when he heard a familiar word. “Your ‘apprentice’ did a fine job of cleaning and binding the wound. I have checked it, and it would seem that stitches are not required.” Eln inclined his head toward the lad. “You might tell him that for me.”
    I did, and Gils collapsed next to the bed, his body seeming to fold under the weight of his fears. “I’s so scared, Warprize. That I’s be hurting you, that the Warlord be hurting me…” Keir’s angry voice was raised again. Gils swallowed hard. “I’s think most of the blood we saw be your attackers, not yours.”
    Eln produced a cup. “I want you to drink this, then sleep.”
    I smelled the contents. “Lotus? No, Eln. I want my wits about me.”
    “More fever’s foe then, and water.” Eln didn’t fuss at my refusal. I looked into the main tent, at the heads that remained lowered, as Keir moved back and forth. “What is going on?” I asked.
    Eln looked over his shoulder. “From the tone, I believe the Warlord is going to start ordering executions.
    ”
    I straggled up, heedless of my arm. Gils moved to support me, kneeling behind me on the bed. Keir’s voice was razor sharp. “I am looking for answers as to how the warprize came to be attacked inside my own camp, while she was under the protection of my warriors.” His head swung angrily toward the kneeling warriors, and I could hear the snarl of an infuriated cat in his voice. Dearest Goddess, he was angry. The tent contained Epor and Isdra, the captain of the patrol, his men, Simus, Prest, and Rafe. Many of