When Lyra returned from her mission, it was on a stretcher.

Vai was practicing reading in the Valhym language when he heard Lyra's doors burst open. He immediately ran to the opening between his chamber and hers and grew pale as a group of men dumped Lyra from the makeshift stretcher to her bed. His mistress was pale and unconscious. Ulris rushed in, the familiar case to his side. Another man and woman soon followed.

The men who'd carried her left and Ulris and the other two began feeling about, talking quickly about her wounds. Blood loss, tendons, infection.

Unfamiliar but concerning words drifted to Vai and he slowly stepped forward. Dyla appeared at the door, her hands over her mouth but she didn't cross the threshold. Vai moved closer.

Lyra had a puncture wound on her shoulder which was inflamed and red, stuffed with a dirty cloth. There was also a long red stain down her side. Her right temple was matted with blood and Vai felt his stomach heave. He vomited in the corner, but quickly wiped his mouth and forced himself closer. Ulris pulled away the bandage on her side and Vai caught a glimpse of pale white bone. He swayed, closing his eyes as the room spun.

He focused on staying conscious as the doctors bustled about. There was a sour smell, the odor of hot metal, and Lyra screamed. Vai's eyes shot open.

"Hold her, damn it!" the male doctor yelled and Ulris and the woman tried, but Lyra convulsed, tossing them off. Dyla came up and gripped Lyra's legs. In a strained but steady voice, she commanded, "Vai, take her arms."

Without quite processing the movement, Vai stepped up and firmly held Lyra's torso down. The doctor poured liquid over her wound and the woman bent over it with a red hot needle. Ulris shoved a strip of leather in Lyra's mouth. She screamed more but went rigid and passed out again. Vai's hands fluttered from rubbing her arms to stroking her face, his eyes fixed on her chest and the ragged irregular rise and fall of it.

"Vai. Get more water." Dyla's voice pulled him back and he nodded numbly. He reached down to the pail and picked it up.

It was filled with red water and the smell made him vomit again. The bucket sloshed a bit with the added content and shamefully he made his way out of the room. He moved quickly down the hall to the familiar washroom, the heavy smell of the fatty soaps and boiling laundry clearing his head. He tossed the bucket over the refuse pile out back and took a clean one quickly back up to the room.

The doctors barely noticed him, but he looked cautiously back to Lyra's side. The gash was now a long red rimmed series of stitches and the attention was on the shoulder puncture. They were extracting the wadded fabric.

Pus and blood came with it and when finally gone, it was tossed to the floor. More liquid, the sharp scent of alcohol cutting through the blood and rot, poured into the injury which bubbled for a moment. The women inspected the hole. "Nothing left inside," she declared and a fresh bandage was given and she repacked the wound.

Lyra gave a shudder and Ulris shoved a waterskin at Vai. "Help her drink."

Vai moved over and carefully set the bottle to Lyra's lips. Water trickled out from between them but then they moved and she swallowed, her face convulsing with a grimace. Her head was cleaned and the three inch gash at her temple stiched neatly.

Finally, the doctors stepped back and surveyed their work. Besides the area around the wounds, she was filthy. Mud was caked on her arms, no doubt thanks to the rain the night before. Her shirt had been cut off and unceremoniously tossed away but her pants were red stained and Ulris carefully removed them to reveal her unharmed below the waist to everyone's relief. The sheets were also soaked with blood and alcohol.

"I-I'll get new bedding," Vai said, his slight stutter making him wince. His mouth was dry and tasted terrible and he swallowed painfully. Ulris stepped in front of him. "I'll have it sent up. You stay with her and keep her from moving if she wakes up."

Vai obediently moved to the bed and sat at Lyra's uninjured right side. Carefully, he lowered himself down, sliding an arm under her neck and moving her head to where he knew it fit perfectly below his shoulder. His hands found hers on each side and he held them, ready to grab her wrists should she wake.

Dyla turned to the doctor. "Will she recover?"

The man and women looked at each other. Finally the woman spoke, "We did what we could. She's lost so much blood, we'll prepare medicine to help her recover it. That will give her half a chance."

Dyla nodded, pale. The man coughed. "It will be up to the gods and her force of will."

Lyra's mother gave a small smile. "If it's up to will, then she'll be back with us soon."

The doctors nodded and left quickly, no doubt predicting who would come next. It was only a few minutes after they left that the Bear arrived.

Vai had never met the man, only seen him from the distance or from the windows. He was huge, his corded muscles taunt as he eyed his daughter with dark grey eyes like storm clouds. Those eyes rested briefly on Vai, who felt like a rabbit under the gaze of a hawk, before settling on his daughter.

"She's alive," Dyla stated, "Hunter and Fortuna say the battle is hers now."

Bryn stepped in the room and leaned over Lyra. Vai held still, paralyzed by the man's powerful presence. The Bear whispered in Lyra's ear, "Come now, you would not wish me to outlive you, girl. The fight isn't over."

The words were not spoken with kindness or concern, but they weren't a direct challenge either. They were soft but commanding and although Vai was sure Bryn didn't see, he felt Lyra's fingers twitch. Her father left without another word, her mother following.

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Vai's arm was asleep when Lyra finally moved, but he still managed to hold her down as she jerked. She swiveled her head and bit his arm, her legs kicking.

"Please, mistress Lyra, you must stay still. You are in no danger," he spoke softly as her eyes scanned her surroundings wildly. She blinked and leaned, throwing up over the bed.

Carefully he guided her back in place, wiping her mouth with a relatively clean bit of sheet and helping her drink some water.

"How long?" she croaked.

"I'm not sure. You left here four nights ago."

She let out a rattling breath. "Two days then. Where's Brandt?"

"I do not know but I will have him sent for. You must promise to hold still."

Lyra hissed but Vai stayed firm, his concern for her wellbeing outpacing any avoidance of her displeasure. "I'm not going anywhere," she conceded. Vai carefully slipped out from under her and opened the door. There was a man on guard there.

"Lady Lyra wishes to speak to Brandt."

The man nodded and took off down the hall. Quickly Vai returned to the bed where, to his relief, Lyra had not moved.

"I am cold," she muttered and Vai lay down next to her carefully rubbing her arms. She closed her eyes. After a minute, Hana appeared at the door with a basket of bedding. Vai nodded to her to put it in the corner.

"A bucket of clean water and some soap please," he asked and Hana nodded sympathetically before hurrying off.

"Maid?" Lyra asked, eyes still closed.

"Yes."

She nodded and winced at the movement. "Warn me when Brandt comes," she muttered, her words beginning to slur.

Vai didn't know who Brandt was and was beginning to think calling him was a bad idea but nevertheless said, "I will."

A man approached the door, one arm in a sling, also filthy from travel. Vai whispered, "He's here."

Lyra groaned and her eyes fluttered open. She licked her lips and barked, "Come here."

Brandt approached moving straight forward to stand at attention. "Report," Lyra commanded.

"We approached the delegate, but it was a trap. They had a powerful mage keeping a team of elite men invisible above us. We managed to kill the mage, but were outnumbered and outmaneuvered. We barely escaped. You were shot early on by an arrow and the mage's final blast knocked you off the cliff face. We retreated after you and got jumped by the fake caravan who were also fighters. They reached you before we did and no doubt thought they'd finished you off. We fought until it was just Ferguson and I standing. Realizing you were alive, we returned to the estate by cutting through giant territory, made it to the rendezvous and the messenger helped us get you home."

Lyra closed her eyes again. "Leave."

Brandt nodded and left. Lyra breathed a bit faster and groaned, attempting to claw at her side. Vai locked his fingers over her wrist and stopped her. She hissed again.

"Please. They said you mustn't move," Vai whispered. Leaning over her ear, he kissed her jaw gently. "Let me get you cleaned."

As if on cue, Hana reappeared and Vai took the bucket of water. Gently, he cleaned Lyra from head to toe, avoiding her already treated areas. Halfway through his ministrations she fell asleep. He wrestled for a moment whether to try to change the bedding and decided to wait. He returned to her side and when she again woke, startled, he held her and reminded her not to move.

With Lyra awake, slowly he peeled the sheet out, lifting her easily and gently as needed. Soon she was both clean and on a clean bed. The bloodied sheet tossed in the corner with her clothes. Gently, Vai covered her with a soft down blanket as she shivered. He lay at her side warming her and stroking her hair as she drifted in and out of consciousness.

Hours later, the doctors reappeared. They gave Vai strict instructions on how to give her the medicine, what she must eat, what to do if she was sick or feverish until they could come check her. Vai carefully absorbed all of it and was a dutiful nurse.

Lyra didn't take bedrest well and the doctors gave Vai many grateful glances when he managed to soothe her or distract her from her attempts to get up. Occasionally she'd bite his comforting fingers or twist and make things difficult in defiance, but despite her pain and dissatisfaction, slowly color returned to her face and a fever came and passed.

The doctors ordered that Vai sleep as well, but he struggled to obey, absolutely refusing to leave Lyra's side and not finding it easy to sleep at the odd times she did. Fenrin visited a few times, usually staying at the door and holding a finger to his lips to prevent Vai from announcing he was there. Other times he'd sit by his sister when she was asleep, watching her with mixed emotion.

One morning, as Vai gently stopped her attempt to rise, Lyra said carefully, "Vai, if you do not let me up I will strangle you with my good arm."

"Do what you will, but I cannot risk your health."

She dug her nails into his arm and growled, "If you do not let me up I will not eat and I will rip this bandage off and shove it down your throat."

Vai sighed and slowly stopped holding her down. She sucked in her breath in pain but began to sit up. Worried she would hurt herself, Vai switched sides to help her, gently repositioning her so she was up right, leaning on his chest. She panted with the effort.

Despite the sweat beading on her forehead, Lyra tried to swing her legs off the bed. Vai felt her stiffen and the bandage on her side blossomed with red. Immediately, he used his legs to lock hers in place and folded his arm around her. She struggled weakly for a moment, cursing him.

"Vif!" The guard outside the door opened it at Vai's call. "Fetch the doctor."

He nodded and shut the door again.

"Damn it, Vai, I'm fine. Let go of me!"

Vai leaned down to whisper to her and she reared back, slamming her head into his nose. His vision went white for a second and blood poured from his face. He didn't release his grip and the doctor came running. He raised an eyebrow at Vai who shook his head and glanced at Lyra’s side. "She's bleeding."

The doctor came over and peeled back the bandage. "Popped a stitch. You mustn't move and strain the wound, Lady Lyra."

He pulled out a needle and redid the stitch. Finished, he pulled out a bandage and grabbed Vai's face, examining his nose. "No major damage." He forced Vai's chin up. "Look up until the bleeding stops."

Vai kept his head up and the doctor cocked his head. "You're exhausted. I told you to sleep."

Vai shook his head. "I cannot sleep while my mistress is awake."

The man's eyebrows furrowed. "She should be sleeping soundly, I—-"

"Drugged me."

They both flinched at Lyra's dangerous tone. She gave a sly grin. "Won't work on me. Not many poisons do."

The doctor sputtered, "I-It was medicine. To help you sleep. I swear it wasn't—"

Lyra laughed coldly. "We'll have a long chat about your methods when I'm out of this damned bed."

The man went pale. Vai risked letting go of Lyra's arm to hold the bandage to his nose so he could look down. "Puhls, mistress. Tohn't try to get up."

Lyra slumped back onto Vai's chest. "I'm tired of hearing that. Stop talking, Vai, and you," the doctor flinched, "leave."

The door closed and Vai prayed to the gods Lyra wouldn't try to get up again. To his relief she groaned and closed her eyes. "I have a headache. Get me some water."

Vai silently reached over to where the water was and she drank deeply before laying her head to the side and falling asleep. Vai discarded the bloody bandage, lay back on the pillow, and,before he knew it, drifted off as well.