Enduring

Chapter Two

I got up, looking down at the offending leg; it was bleeding once again. I sighed, seeing that it had gotten on Alenia's pretty new sheets. I sighed. At some point, I would have to tell her.

I threw on old clothes so it wouldn't matter if I got blood on them. I figured I was due for new ones anyway. I hadn't gotten clothes since I had first got to Villam and was raking in money neither of us were spending anyway. Both from the orchard and the military pay.

Despite trying, it was a lot harder to hide my limp today, but I still hoped Alenia would be too distracted to notice. It sounded ridiculous in my own head. There wasn't much that got by her, if anything. Nothing came to mind.

Slowly I made my way down from the loft, struggling to do so. I sighed as Alenia turned around instantly. Her usually cheery self usually became more so when she saw me, but this time I had the opposite effect. I hated it.

She stopped her adorable near-skipping around the kitchen as she watched me, and even Mariwan's shoulders straightened.

"Breakfast is almost ready. Though it's nearly midday. I didn't want to wake you." Her voice was a forced cheerful I had never known from her, and she looked exhausted. I knew she would never complain though and my guilt grew. This was my fault. Maybe it would have been better if I didn't make it home at all. At least then I wouldn't be a burden on them...

"Actually, I think I'm going to head into town. See if Dr. Corek is still around."

She nodded her head, her gaze fixed on the offending leg. She looked like she wanted to say more than she was. "I shall save you a plate then."

"Thank you, my love," I said giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. I wanted to get out of there before blood became noticable on my pants. And it would be nice to see the good doctor too.

"I'm worried about him dear," I heard Mariwan whisper as I shut the door. I was easily able to find myself a sturdy branch to lean on, thankful the orchard always provided for us.

I didn't have to travel too far to find him. He was milling around on the outskirts of the town. Unlike Alenia and Mariwan, he smiled when he saw me. He saluted once I got closer, something I was sure I would never get used to.

"Good day, Elro. Glad to see you back home safely."

"Not quite I'm afraid."

"Did you come looking for me then?"

"I did as a matter of fact."

"Come then my boy," he said, leading me to his makeshift tent. As glad as I was not everything had changed while I had been gone, I had thought for sure Dr. Corek would have a slightly more permanent set up by now.

He gestured to the first chair, and I took it without hesitation, grateful. Unsurprisingly, blood was now soaking my aching leg. He frowned at it, clearly disapproving. He put on gloves before rolling the pant leg up.

"So when did you get back?"

"Yesterday."

"How...How were things?" My mind flashed back to Fern's cold body without my permission. My face must have given it away for me. "Bad then. Sorry."
"Very. Likely worse than you've heard."

He nodded his head, seeming to be trying to clean out the wound on my leg. I bit down on my lip, only flinching slightly.

"Sorry. Does it hurt?" I gave him one of those 'Are you an idiot' kind of looks. "Didn't you have a medic look at this?" He asked shaking his head and earning himself another 'look'.

"Why do you think I'm home already? Who else is back other than Des?"

Dr. Corek had now reached the point of not knowing what to say to me either. I was no longer the boy he had saved. I wasn't the young boy who had left here just last year.

"How is Alenia?"

I snorted. "Still devasted over her father. Doesn't know what to do with me. I'm no help. So basically great," I answered sarcastically.

"Elro, you need to talk to someone. If not me, talk to her."

"Because this isn't hard enough for her? She needs my damage too?"

"You don't think her seeing you like this with no explanation is hard on her? You don't have to answer. Just think about it, would you?"

It was enough to shut me up. He was right, I didn't have to answer him. But I did still need his help. He sighed and went back to cleaning out my leg. He handed me a bunch of bandages and some kind of tube. "Right. I want you to wash that twice a day with normal soap and water. Dry it well and put that cream on it. Then cover it back up with the bandages. It should help with the pain, but if nothing else it will prevent infection."

He began inspecting the stick I had used to hobble my way here. He nodded his approval at it. "Needing that stick isn't weakness either. You certainly picked a good one. Come see me again in a week's time and we'll see where we're at."

"Thank you," I said, grateful we were back to business instead of my personal problems. It was easier to deal with at the moment.

"Do tell Alenia I said hello," he called to my back as I began to hobble back home.

"I will," I promised over my shoulder with a fake smile and a wave.

The sun was high by time I made my way back through the gate of the orchard. The farmhands all stopped to look at me as I did. Unlike last year when they did, this time the looks were of admiration. It was a strange sensation.

"You are hurt," Alenia nearly cried as I made my way through the front door, collapsing into the first chair I could in the kitchen.

"Yes, my dear sweet Alenia," I sighed. I knew I had to tell her but this isn't how I had planned to. Technically I didn't have a plan at all.

"And you were still planning to climb up and down from the loft?" Mariwan questioned.

"Well, yes. It's our room. I wasn't going to complain."

"Well that won't do at all!" Mariwan decided for us. Alenia and I looked at her in surprise. "We will swap rooms."

I was not comfortable with her having to climb up to the loft at all, even if doing so was harder for me. I would be able to manage. But, it seemed Mariwan had already decided and began emptying her room.

"What did Dr. Corek say?" Alenia asked curiously. I filled her in.

"So he doesn't think that will help with it hurting. Does it hurt now? Tell the truth."

I wanted to lie to her, but I knew she would know. She had that look on her face, studying me. I sighed and nodded my head slightly. She got up and quickly busied herself in the kitchen making tea.

"It's more for just headaches love. Drink some."

I smiled gratefully. She was so much more than I deserved. She was still being so kind after I had snapped at her while full out panicking after my nightmare, acting like nothing had happened. What had I done to deserve someone as wonderful as her?

The minute I was distracted and drinking my tea, she began emptying out our things from our room, putting them in the living room for the time being. It looked like I didn't get a choice in the room swap.

"It honestly makes more sense anyway. There are two of you and one of me now," Mariwan said cheering up. It seemed like the two of them were happiest when they were able to be helpful. "What are these?" Mariwan asked, looking at the pins I wore on my uniform. It seemed Alenia brought them down in the first batch of stuff.

"Elro got awards, Mother."

"Did he? Why didn't you tell us you're a hero?"

"I'm not a hero, Mother."

"You are to me, Elro," Alenia said shyly, clearly afraid of me going off again. I hated that she saw me as a ticking time bomb, but really it wasn't like she was wrong either. I had no words to comfort her.

"Same, Elro. We do love you Son."

It was more than I could take. Instead of anger though, I once again became a sobbing puddle of mush. As quickly as it began, I could feel myself being wrapped into two hugs. This was the safest I had felt since I had left.