Elwin knew he had his work cut out for him. Even getting Prin and Aster out of the shed seemed like a monumental task at this point.

Maybe the doctor could just come out here? No, that would just create more of a scene, more unanswerable questions.

He left Aster on the floor and helped Prin to a standing position. “Wake up, we have to go in Valor’s window. It’s the best way. This ladder should do it.”

Prin wobbled on his feet but remained standing. He was clearly exhausted but, Elwin hoped, would be fine after a good long sleep and a change of clothes.

“Why don’t we just go in the door?” Prin asked. His eyes were slightly crossed with the effort.

“Because you’re covered in blood, and we also don’t want people to see Aster. Remember?” Elwin spoke carefully, trying to be patient and maintain his composure. What good would it do to upset him?

Prin gasped and raised his hands to his mouth. “Oh, Aster!” His eyes grew wide as though suddenly waking up. Then they filled with tears.

“No, no, hey, it’s okay.” Elwin put his arms around Prin and hugged him tight. “She’s okay. Valor is getting a doctor and we’re going to meet back in his room, okay? Everything will be alright. We just . . . We have to get Aster out of this shed, okay?”

“Valor is?” Prin asked.

“Well . . . we’ll see.” Elwin began to doubt himself. But, one foot in front of the other anyway. It was the only way to do it.

Prin crouched down and touched Aster’s forehead.

“Is it hot?” Elwin asked.

“No . . . she’s so cold.” Prin lamented.

Aster slowly opened and shut her eyes and raised one hand but dropped it again quickly, as though that was all the strength she could muster. The scarf tied around her arm was saturated with deep red. The little fairy sat in Aster’s hair. It would have been easy to miss her, except her wings causing movement that caught the eye, if you knew to look.

The fairy seemed despondent. Although Elwin didn’t know how he could presume to guess at her emotions.

“Alright, enough of this.” Elwin picked up the ladder. “Just wait here a second.” It was somewhat heavy but more just awkward, and he couldn’t carry this and Aster at the same time.

He left the shed before Prin could come out with any protests or offer to help, and set the ladder up under Valor’s window. He climbed up it, testing its solidness, and opened the window wider at the top. A peek into the room showed it as still deserted. Well, even the pirate king couldn’t summon a doctor quite that fast, he supposed. But if he knew it was for Aster he would make it happen if he had to throw the doctor over his shoulder and carry him here. The image would have been amusing under other circumstances.

Elwin had a wave of tiredness hit him but pushed it back. Not yet, not yet, just a little bit more to do. Then, he would sleep if it killed him. Or rather if it killed him or not.

He scurried back to the shed, tired of running, tired of hurrying. And feeling more and more conspicuous for doing so.

Prin was holding Aster in his arms like a baby, the tote bag thrown over his shoulder and ready to go.

Aster seemed to have passed out again, which was probably a blessing.

“Alright, come on, we’re almost home.” Elwin said, in what he hoped was an encouraging manner.

Prin had a wobble in his step as he followed Elwin. “I’m just so tired.” Prin said.

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Elwin supposed he was done rallying, having tapped just about all the deep reserves there could be. “You can lay down soon.” Elwin answered. Digestion always did make him tired.

He thought about taking Aster from Prin in fear that he would fall, but they were outside Valor’s window before he had made up his mind.

Elwin looked at them standing there, like the illustration from a book of scary stories. The monster, his precious face the only clean spot, shaking as he fought to remain standing, jewel-blue eyes far away.

The fair maiden, as limp as a sack of flour in his arms. Looking for all the world already dead and conquered.

Elwin shook his head to clear this sorry image from his mind’s eye. Didn’t work. “Here.” He took Aster from Prin, the now soiled shawl dragging on the ground as he did so. How was he going to get here up there? Safely.

Elwin picked up the shawl. “Can we tie her to my body with this? Will it work? It’s only a short climb.”

Prin took it and helped tie Aster to Elwin’s chest.

“I’ll go second.” Prin said. “Just in case . . .” He had focused enough to look concerned, but seemed to be conserving his words.

“In case?” Elwin asked.

“If she falls down, I’ll catch her.” Prin said, somewhat grimly, Elwin thought.

“I won’t let that happen.” Elwin said. “But if it makes you feel better.” He felt that they had stalled enough and needed to get on with it.

Elwin climbed the ladder. It was a little awkward but not as difficult as he had feared. At the top, he prepared to hoist himself and his passenger through the window.

“Hey! What the hells fire is going on here?” A voice boomed at him from the other side.

Captain Thompson was standing there, looking none too pleased, his arms crossed and bushy red eyebrows meeting in the middle in a scowl.

Elwin reared back in surprise and his foot slipped on a rung. Before he could fall or right himself, two large hands fell heavy on his shoulders and he was dragged up and over the window sill.

“Boy, are you daft? What are you doing?” The captain asked. “What’s this emergency, huh?”

Valor sat perched on the corner of the bed, looking like a spring ready to jump to attention at the drop of a pin. He was biting his lip, probably to keep from asking a play by play of what was happening.

“He wouldn’t call for a doctor without seeing the situation for himself.” Valor said. “I tried.”

“What have you got there?” The captain had a look of bafflement that was slowly morphing into dark wonder, a sort of horrified enchantment. He leaned in close.

“Help me untie this.” Elwin grasped at the knot in the shawl.

Captain Thompson untied the knot and took Aster from Elwin. She must have looked for all the world like a bundle of blood stained rags.

“What have you done?” The Captain asked, in a hushed voice as though afraid of waking her.

“It’s not as bad as it looks.” Elwin said, his sentence running together into one mutant word, practically unintelligible. He was afraid the captain would pick him up and throw him head first out the window. “Still pretty bad though.”

“Wha--? How?” Captain Thompson stuttered. A man rarely at a loss for words, but this had done it. He held Aster like she was made of glass and brushed her matted hair away from her face. “Rose? Aster Rose? Can you hear me?” He asked, calling in a soft whisper.

Aster didn’t show any sign of hearing his pleas.

“There was an attack.” Elwin said. “It’s her arm, you really have to call that doctor.” He looked out the window and motioned Prin to come up.

Prin climbed the ladder and Elwin helped him in through the window when he reached the top.

He waited until Prin got in to continue, hoping he would hear and go along with what Elwin was saying.

“Prin had to save Aster from an attack, and . . . the man was accidentally killed in the midst of a fire. We didn’t want Aster to get blamed for anything so we brought her here to hide, it seemed like the only thing to do.” Elwin said.

“I’m sorry.” Prin said.

“Everyone is so tired.” Elwin put his arm around Prin. “Please, get that doctor. One that won’t tell about seeing Aster here.”

“Now wait a second.” Captain Thompson said. “Excuse me son.” He stepped past Valor and laid Aster out on his big bed. “I need to know what we’re working with here, injury wise.”

Elwin closed the window, it was letting in a chill breeze, and went to Aster. “It’s here.” He lifted the scarf bandaged arm. “But I really don’t think –”

Captain Thompson picked up a bag off the floor, like a small suitcase and opened it up revealing a well stocked first aid kit. “Never mind that. I bet it’s nothing I can’t handle myself. I stitched up plenty of sails, and quite a few men who met the nasty end of a sword and lived to tell about it. Well . . . mostly they lived to tell about it.”

He squeezed Aster’s hand. “It’ll be alright, pet. Just leave everything to me.”

“I thought Aster wasn’t allowed to come in the house.” Valor said.

“Aster doesn’t work there anymore.” Prin said darkly.

Captain Thompson began to unwrap the scarf from Aster’s arm. “You boys can leave the room if you’re squeamish.”

“I don’t think that will be necessary.” Valor said. “They can handle it.”

“I don’t know. The dark headed one is looking a bit queasy.” The captain teased. He took a look at Aster’s arm before covering it back up and applying pressure with his hand. “More’n anything this looks like a bite.”