Briar Rose - Taekook

Chapter 27

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WARNING: May contain some triggering content as well as mentions of blood. 

XXVII: Jungkook

Within ten minutes of the war starting, the infirmary has its first soldiers. The first one is a man limping into the white tent, supported on one side by his comrade. He has an arrow stuck in his left leg, and Jin quickly breaks off the arrowhead to prevent it from dragging through his skin. We lay him in one of the many cots, and Jin hands me a compress to cover the wound.

The soldier grimaces as I apply the healing poultice, but relaxes afterward. "Thank you. That's much better."

"How is it out there?" Jin asks as he unrolls a reel of bandages. "Bad?"

"Absolute hell. I've never seen such an aggressive war in my whole life. Vampires from both sides are falling dead like fleas. This infirmary's going to be packed by the time this is over. It'll be a miracle if London isn't burned to the ground."

"Have you seen Taehyung?" I ask, gripping onto the steel of the bed frame so hard my knuckles turn white. Please let him be alright. Don't let him be hurt.

"The King?" The soldier furrows his brow. "No. He's probably fighting closer to the heart of the war, while I'm an archer at the main gates. If it's this bad just at the edges, god knows what's happening in the center." Seeing my horrified expression, something clicks in his eyes.

"You're his soulmate, aren't you?" At my nod, the soldier clumsily salutes. "I'm so sorry for not realizing sooner, my queen. If you would like, I could go and check―"

"With that leg?" Jin shakes his head. "You're lucky you're not crippled for life. No way am I letting you go back out on the battlefield. That would be suicide."

"But if our king needs help..." His words are cut off by another soldier bursting through the door, panting hard.

"Jin! Where's Jin?" The second soldier asks, not even pausing to catch his breath.

"I'm right here," Jin pushes through the mass of patients, and I follow him. "What's wrong?"

"Lieutenant Kai is down on battlefield two. He hit his head while falling down a ravine. We need you immediately. He can't walk, and there's no one there to carry him. Please, come quickly!"

Jin curses, grabbing a roll of bandages and vials filled with different medicines. "How bad is it, do you know?"

"I'm not exactly sure, but he was losing a lot of blood. There was a nasty looking gash on his head and he said his ribs hurt. Probably a few broken bones too."

Jin nods. "Hoseok, you need to stay here. You're the only one besides me who isn't hopeless at medicine, and there'll be more wounded streaming in while I'm gone. Tend to them." Hoseok nods, giving a thumbs up.

"Where's Lisa?" Jin asks, turning around to look for the long-haired girl. Hoseok coughs. "You just sent her to healing center 3 to deliver more bandages. She won't be back for five minutes."

Jin groans. "Then who can I take? I can't do this alone!"

"Um," I step out. "I can go, if you want." Jin's eyes land on me, and I can see him having a mental battle about the decision. But then he nods.

"Gods, I'm going to regret this later," Jin mutters. "But I can't just let someone die. Come on!"

We run out of the healing center, the soldier directing us where to go. Just as we're about to pass the ridge which separates us from the city below, I think I see a winged figure at the edge of my vision. I turn around, eyes searching the sky for what I think I just saw.