Idri cursed once again, that girl had some gall. That was he willing to give her. But which sane person would run off in the middle of the night. The forest was dark, the moon's light wasn't able to reach the ground completely. Which made seeing were one is going, next to impossible. But this was clearly not an issue for the most stubborn woman he had ever met. She had run off, and he was chasing her. He and his men, that is.

"I think she went towards the main road." Said one of them.

"How even those she knows were to go?" Asked another. That was a very good question, and he already knew the answer. She had listened to their stories about the area. She knew which way to go, because they unknown told her. But they were right about that, she would go to the main road. And from there ... He didn't know which way she would take next. Would she walk all the way towards the capitol, which would take her a whole day? Or would she go to Hifadhi. To get a horse. He frowned, she was stubborn and she had to know that they were going after her. So why go to the village, no she would rather walk home. Now they only need to get to her first, he had promised her that he would bring her home. And although he hadn't sworn it on his sword, he didn't like the idea that he broke his word. The past the last bush, stepping on the moon light road. He pointed in the way of the capitol, his men simply answered him with a nod. He didn't even need to explain why they were not splitting up. Instead, they rushed down the road, and they didn't go even that far. Zeudi came towards them, running.

"Riders!" Yelled Simret. A whole flock was following her, weapons drawn. "Why are they attacking her?" That was again a very good question, and once again he knew the answer.

"Because she is the princess." He said, pulling out his own sword. "Protect her with your lives." His men followed his example, and rushed towards her. This time they were in a disadvantage, these men were not willing to get off their horses. But that did not scar him, alright maybe a little. But they needed to protect her with their lives. Something they shouldn't have to-do this, but it was a waste of time to think about what suppose to be. Now he needed to focus on the fight ahead, he wouldn't be able to protect otherwise.

"Idris!" She screamed.

"Yes I know, you are even more stubborn then a donkey's behind." He said, blocking the first blow. "Next time, do not run into murderous soldiers." If there would be a next time. The man on the horse, wanted to strike him again. Missed him, only just.

"Look out!" She screamed, just in time to warn him that there was another man on horseback behind him. Only this time he couldn't avoid the blow. "No!" She jumped towards him, was she crazy? It didn't matter though, the blade still got him. He wasn't sure how deep the cut was, only that it hurt, a lot. But it didn't matter, he needed to protect her. "We need to fall back." Fall back where would they fall back too? "The forest." She was not only stubborn, she had brains too. Which made it even more annoying. He nodded, pulled her off the ground.

"I have her, fall back!" He screamed towards his man, one of the two men on their horses, swung his sword again. This time Idris was able to block the blow. From the corner of his eye, he was able to see that his crew disappeared into the forest. Zeudi was pulled towards it by Simret, while she screamed his name. She was screaming his name, for heaven’s sake. She also had done that when they were little, only this time it sounded different. He shook his head, he was in the middle of a fight. So why was he thinking about how his name sounded when she spoke it. Another swung came his way and because of his cursed mind, he was not able to block it.

"Idris!" Her voice, the desperation. It sounded so good, but why was it so far away? Why did the world around him disappear? He didn't know the answer, not this time.

******

Zeudi needed to fight against the tears, this was all her fault and she knew it. But there was no time to mellow in self-pity. They needed to get Idris too Hifadhi, and the group of witch doctors. Simret a skinny man walked next to her holding a tight grip on her arm, she couldn't blame him. She had run away, and now their boss and friend was injured because of her actions. Something she actually was trying to avoid, tried but failed. Only his men were not taking him in the direction of the village, they were taking him back to the temple.

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"Simret, he is badly hurt. I might have some knowledge of medicine, I still fall short." She said. Simret looked at her, luckily they were standing in a rare ray of moonlight. "We need to bring him to Hifadhi, I know the witch doctors there. They will help him." Simret started to curse, but nodded.

"You are right, he needs medical attention." Simret said with a sigh. "Are you sure that they would help us?" She nodded, she wanted to explain that she helped the village before they attacked her. But apparently that was not needed. "New plan, bring Idris to Hifadhi. The rest is going back to the temple to pick up our stuff." The men didn't reply, they simply changed direction. "I hope for Idris’ sake that you know what you are doing."

"So am I." She whispered. He let go of her and she rushed towards the other men, who were carrying Idris's lifeless body. "When you find a rare ray of moonlight, put him in it. I need to see the wounds." The men looked first at Simret before they listened to her. They put him down gently, and she looked at both his wounds. The one in his arm wasn't that deep, but was heavily bleeding. She pulled out her undershirt, and ripped a piece off. Binding the wound with it. The other wound was the one who was the most dangerous, it was deep, a simple bandage wouldn't help. She hissed, this one needed stitches and some herbal compression. But there was no way that they would find herbs during the night, or was she able to stitch him up. She needed a needle and thread, and most important one of all, more light. Still she ripped another piece of her undershirt and bound the wound. That was all she was able to do right now. Haile would reprimand her for this quick solution, but what else could she do? She didn't have an answer for this. "Alright, lest go. But we need to hurry, one of the bandages will not hold for long." The surrounding men nodded and the lifted Idris. Their walking, was so fast but couldn't call running either.

******

The moon was about to disappear behind the Bila Theluji, when they left the forest behind them. The village itself was dark, no wonder the villagers were still fast a sleep at this point. Most of them were farmers and they needed the rest. Zeudi ran towards Haile's home, she had spent a month in this village so she didn't need any form of direction.

"Haile, Haile!" She called out, well bouncing on the door, like a mad woman. In many ways she was a mad woman, but that was beside the point. The door of the house opened, and a woman appeared in the trash hold. She looked a lot like Haile, maybe it was his sister? "I am sorry to bother you at this time, madam. But I am looking for Haile, my friend got hurt." The woman sighed.

"Well, well, princess." The woman's voice was also very similar, maybe a bit higher. "Well, don't just stand there come in. Let me see what this fuss is all about." Zeudi turned around and saw that the group was right behind her. She stepped aside, so that they could enter the house. She followed close behind them. "So what do we have here? A little scratch which is bound to perfection and a very deep wound that need some stitches." The woman looked at Zeudi. "Why in heaven's name did you bind it? I do not need to tell you what this wound needs. You know that all too well." The woman even talked like Haile.

"Madam, the princess did what she could. We just came from the forest and I do not need to tell you that light isn't very common there." Simret said, it was nice of him to defend her.

"Alright, now all the men. Get out of my house, princess I do not need to tell you what you are going to do." The woman said. Zeudi nodded and chased all the men out of the house. Except for Simret, knowing that the man wanted to be close by. She walked over to the kitchen and grabbed the herbs needed for the herbal compression. She gave Simret the mortal and pestle.

"Here, everybody in here has his or her own job. This is yours, put the whole herb in the mortal and smash it until it is a nice clean paste." She said, Simret nodded, sat down at the table and went to work. She herself went back to the bedside and helped the woman, still she didn't know who she was. But it did not matter, for now. She grabbed the needle and hold it into the fire. There was no need to look for thread, because if the woman was another witch doctor, like Haile, then she would only need the needle.

"Alright that is enough, just give it to me. Before that friend of yours bleeds out on my bed." The woman snapped, snatching the needle out of Zeudi's hand. Zeudi paid close attention, the woman murmured while she attended to the wound. A small silver threat appeared where the needle has been, so the woman was a witch doctor and a relative of Haile. Magic is only passed down in curtain families and the color of the magic is bounded to one family. So if a witch doctor is coursing harm instead of doing his or her job. It is easy to see from which family the witch doctor is. Zeudi went back to the kitchen to grab a piece of cloth. "Were are the herbs?"

"Here, madam. I hope that they are usable." Simret said, jumping up from where he sat. The woman grabbed the mortal out of his hands.

"Usable? Usable! The herbs are barley smashed at all!" The woman said, grabbed the pestle and started to stamp on it. "Really did she pick you two up?"

"Well madam, we picked her up. Not the other way around." Simret said softly, the woman didn't pay much attention to him. Zeudi looked at him, and shrugged. At least Idris was in good hands and that was a huge releave.