Chapter Twenty Three

Nobody knew how much time had passed when we started hearing the hooves of horses. Without thinking, I jumped off my bed and rushed towards the door.

“They are back!”

“They are back”

Yells that the soldiers were back rang in the hall and Serena and Lillian also jumped off their beds rushing out of the door towards the huge courtyard and then I saw red.

So red that I was almost blinded by it. I blinked my eyes, trying to wonder what could be this red and it took me a while before I realized what I was staring at. It was blood. Bloodied soldiers spread across the courtyard and I covered my mouth in shock as I staggered backwards.

“Oh my god” Lillian whispered and I could clearly hear the sob that choked in her throat.

I watched as more and more soldiers were carried into the courtyard and then Masoma appeared in a hurry. I could see the worry and fear in her eyes as she moved around the soldiers throwing out instructions to them in quick, practiced manners.

She was trying to be calm but I could see her hands shaking and her face marred with worry. She kept looking towards the gate but I couldn’t figure out why. She suddenly turned to us and our eyes locked.

“Why are you staring and standing there?” She asked suddenly.

“Get bowls of water and clothes and help out, don’t just stand there!” she yelled and  swallowed, my feet still rooted to the ground.

“Let’s.. Let’s help out” Serena stuttered.

“Lillian, get the bowls of water” She added, “Amira, get the clothes” she added and I turned to her.

“Now!” she yelled and I immediately burst into a race, my ears ringing.

The sight I had just seen was extremely stimulating and I don't ever remember seeing that kind of sight in a long time. With blood pumping through my chest and my ears, I grabbed as many clothes as possible rushing towards the courtyard.

“There are bandages, trying to stop the bleeding and wrap their injuries. Your job is as simple as that, we’ll take care of it from that point” Masoma instructed. I could see the lady that had attended to me when I had fainted running around. Our eyes met once but none of us had the luxury of time to say anything.

I bent down beside one of the soldiers trying to stop his bleeding. He had been stabbed through his stomach and I tried using the cloth to stop his bleeding but the water had turned red yet the bleeding was yet to stop.

I wiped the sweat that had formed around my forehead as I kept trying to stop the bleeding. The bleeding suddenly splashed on me and I blinked my eyes, wiping the blood off my face as I stuck the cloth to the wound.

“I’m so sorry” I pleaded with the soldier who was staring at me with lowered eyes. I doubt if he could feel the pain of the stab. The bleeding finally stopped and I quickly bandaged his wound.

“They will come and check up on you now” I informed him as I carried the bowl and moved to empty it. The water had turned so red that you could easily mistake it for blood.

I was about to move onto the next soldier when there was a loud yell. I stared at the entrance as someone rushed in with soldiers with mean faces guarding whoever it was. I was quick to recognize one of the guards as Jonathan’s personal guard. I stood on my toe starting to see who it was and the moment I did, my blood ran cold.

It was Jonathan, his eyes were closed and his cloth was soaked in blood.

“Is that the king?” someone asked behind me.

“He’s badly injured” someone else chipped in.

“You!” Masooma yelled as I turned to her.

“Come with me” she added as she rushed into the palace. I stood frozen on the spot before I rushed after her. My head was spinning as I rushed in after her. I couldn’t believe that Jonathan had gotten injured, he was strong and smart and I knew that. I also knew he was a good fighter and I couldn’t believe that he had gotten injured, he was supposed to be the Alpha of the pack and the king and he had gotten injured.

The guards stopped me before I could enter Jonathan’s private quarters. “I’m with Masoma” I yelled at me and he glared at me instead.

“No slave will be allowed into the king’s quarters” he sneered at me in reply and I blinked, his reply hitting me deeply. I swallowed as I stepped back instinctively.

“What the hell are you doing?” Masoma’s voice echoed in the room and I froze. The soldier returned to her, his voice softening immediately.

“Nothing. Just the slave trying to be a nuisance” the soldier and Masoma chuckled.

“Trying to be a nuisance? She’s with me, let her in” shoe hurled at me in obvious irritation and the soldier stared at her in surprise.

“She? The slave?” he stammered and Masoma scoffed.

“Are you deaf? Do you need me to repeat myself?” she asked and the soldier opened his mouth to reply to her but Maosma beat him to it.

“Shut up. You open that door now, this concerns the king's life or can you answer that?” she asked and the soldier instinctively, he stepped aside and i walked after Masoma.

“Stop his bleeding” I grabbed the cloth and stared at Jonathan’s unmoving body and hesitated on what to do.

“Why are you staring?” Masoma asked me, “Get to work!” she yelled at me and immediately I got to work, using the cloth to soak blood but the blood wouldn’t stop. But I kept at it.

Masoma stared at the unstopping blood and at the pot of water that had turned to blood already and our eyes met.

“The bleeding won’t stop,” I replied, my voice quivering.

“His special body constitution would not allow that. Stay here with him, I’ll be back” she said and I froze.

“Amira, under your watch, no harm comes to the King”