Snippet #2705265

Claramond Friedrich, Warmaster of Beleth and King Edmond had prepared for many things to happen when the Queen arrived. Everything from a smooth transition to her new home filled with happy tidings and a smile on her face to bitter woman ready to take off the head of the nearest servant who even looked at her. Thankfully Claramond was prepared for most of the situations, though the number of guards had been kept to the bare appropriate levels so as not to make the Theren party feel uncomfortable, several of Ava’s trained maids and butlers were among the staff ready to step in if need be. What she hadn’t expected was a scout to come galloping in to alert the court physician for an emergency and the carriage to come roaring in with a wounded man and his daughter. What surprised her was the queen and her handmaidens tending to them without hesitation. “Quickly! Take them to the medical wing! Eile!” She barked in a accented voice to the servants moving the man and his daughter. “Take her majesty and her handmaidens with them, have them checked for injuries!” She added as some man jumped down from the carriage and began speaking, “Her Majesty is in no condition to meet the King. And what’s more there are bandits in your wood.” He said. She approached him and spoke, “Bandits?! What happened, tell em everything!” She said to the man.

"We came upon an overturned and sacked carriage, but were not there for the attack. We sent no one after the trail in case they decided to attack us later. That is all we know of the incident. The man's poor wife was... well let us hope she died quickly." Lord Cromwell explained quickly and calmly, removing his gloves as he did so.

Claramond frowned in disapproval, “You had enough men to send one man ahead to alert us of an emergency and still feel safe. Yet you could not spare a man or two to follow the trail of the offenders? A trail which grows colder every moment it is not followed?” She said with the same disapproval in her voice.

"We, unlike you, do not take the life of our Queen lightly, and we, unlike you, do not allow bandits in our royal wood." Cromwell stated simply, cutting Claramond off. Besides, it was as though the woman was suggesting that one or two men were sufficient for an untold number of bandits.

Claramond swallowed her retort and continued on where she had been cut off, “Very well, I will send some men out to handle this. Where did you find them?” She asked. If this had been any other man other than the royal party she would be calling him an honorless dummkopf for not sending someone to find these scallions. But she didn’t need to cause a diplomatic incident as tense as things were right now so she would hold her tongue until Edmond gave her permission to speak her mind.

"Half a day's ride behind us, that's a canter not a gallop." Cromwell held his hands behind his back, turning to the side and taking note of the servants.

Claramond narrowed her eyes once again, one might swear she was gritting her teeth but that would be unlady like, “Well, it could be worst. It could be a day’s ride behind you.” Claramond said as she turned and walked to a guard, “Send a scouting party to find and locate this place along the royal party’s path. Track these bandits and find where they are and report back their numbers and position.” She ordered. The guard snapped a crisp salute and with a ‘yes ma’am’ dashed off to muster the riders for this task. Claramond turned back to Cromwell and crossed her arms, “Is there anything else I should be aware of?” She asked.

"Yes, it is a pleasure to make your aquaintence. I am Lord Cromwell, Royal Secretary and Chancellor." Cromwell gave a rueful smile and clicked his heels together, bowing before making his leave and attending to the carriages. He already knew who Claramond Friedrich was, and didn't need telling.

Claramond sniffed in disapproval, but said nothing. She knew of the man, having been briefed ahead of time. She didn’t recognize him until he gave his name but needless to say she was not pleased by his attitude, as she had expected much more from a man of his position. But then again Edmond had probably spoiled her considering the people he surrounded with were noble and honorable. Nevertheless, she wouldn’t be breaking back to help the man like she would some of her other friends and comrades.

"We weren't injured, there isn't any need for a fuss... " Meera and her ladies were being coralled to another location, probably to the infirmary, but she was still in too much shock to fully understand what they were saying.

"Get your hands off of me!" Lady Nyme snapped as a servant who had come too close to the already highly strung woman. "We just need a room where we can change, go make yourselves useful elsewhere." Lady Nyme rubbed the caked blood on her hand onto her skirts. Lady Estelle was silent, and looked as though she might- she did indeed turn around to hurl, her nerves getting the best of her.

"I think Ladies that we should just do as they ask, Estelle looks so pale in any case." Meera went over to her and steadied her, gaining back her senses when her friend was in need, "Lead the way then." She nodded to Ava, a servant who came up to them.

Ava bowed as she was trained to do and in a neutral voice not betraying her disapproval of Lady Nyme gesture towards doors of the castle, “As you wish, this way your grace.” She said as she and several servants lead them inside. Unbeknownst to them, the servants were well trained assassins ready to defend them at a moments notice or kill them if they were given an order to. Edmond may have been willing to extend his trust for the sake of ending the feud but Ava was not quite ready to trust the queen quite yet. She would abide by the marriage as long as Edmond was happy, so long as she could remain close to him. But if the queen made one wrong move she would have her blade at the queen’s throat as she slept.

The three ladies made their way onward, Meera looking back at Lord Cromwell, were they to go alone? She somehow did not feel safe doing so.

"Unpack, take the Lord Numaire to his chambers he can be presented to the King Later, I must accompany her Majesty. You three come with me." Lord Cromwell issued the necessary orders and pointed out three Theren guards to accompany them. He trailed behind his mistress.

As the servants carried the two wounded into the castle Edmond, Ava and Flenior came rushing towards them, “Hurry, lets get them to the medical wing! Where is the court physician?!” Edmond said as he quickly moved to help move the man, not carrying his clothing became bloodstained. The servants protested but he silenced them, “To heck with protocol, this is an emergency! Now where is the physician!?” He asked in a firm but not unkind tone, “The rider sent to get her has not returned. She and her assistants are still administering the yearly vaccines to the people.” One servant said. Edmond scowled, “Which leaves only the most basic staff on call. Flüche!” Edmond cursed in langued he had learned from Claramond. “Flennor, go to the infirmary and prepare yourself, we have to move quickly before they bleed out, hurry!” Edmond said. Flenior nodded and quickly rushed to get the infirmary ready while Ava stayed nearby, holding onto the the rest of Edmond’s ceremonial clothing he had failed to put on once word reached him of the emergency. “Ava, drop those things and help her majesty and her handmaidens to the infirmary, then come help us.” he said. Without hesitation she dropped the clothes, which a nearby servant rushed to pick up and went to escort the queen and her party to the infirmary. Edmond looked over the man, then to the girl whom he assumed was his daughter, then back to the man, “It is your right to pass over to the spirit world sir, but today will not that day.” he said.

It did not take long for them to reach the infirmary with Edmond helping them. They quickly placed the two on the bed as Edmond began pulling off all of his rings and loose pieces which might cause problems, “Someone get us some water now, we need to clean their wounds before we can treat them.” Edmond said as he rolled up his sleeves. “ My lord we can handle this.” One servant said but Edmond waved him off, “These two need to stabilize them and the only people here qualified are me and Flenior. I’m not about to let anyone die when I can do something about it. Now please get me some rags, water, bandages and some needles and thread.” Edmond asked as he quickly set to work opening the man’s clothing while Flenior cut away some of the girl’s dress near the wound.

Meera and her ladies passed by an open door to one of the infirmary's rooms, she paused and looked in. Servants were moving about quickly, a very old man and a younger one poured over the father and daughter pair. She supposed they were physicians.

"Best to situate ourselves elsewhere your Majesty." Lord Cromwell placed a hand on the small of her back and gently moved her along, he knew from experience that people needed to get in and out without having to dodge around curious women when an emergency was at hand. Besides, his Queen had already flawlessly played her part, all there was to do now was wait for the King. Who Cromwell noted was one of the men tending to the commoners. He was right about him, he was just like Meera, and putting them together would not be difficult if the cards fell right.

Once settled into a room Lord Cromwell set up the guards out front, more for peace of mind's sake than anything else. In truth they were too heavily outnumbered and in a foreign land, there wasn't any defending them if Beleth wanted to attack their party, but the world was like that. Much was done for propriety rather than practicality.

"How much longer are we expected to sit in these clothes?" Lady Estelle voiced, looking down at her skirts, which were silver and now most likely ruined.

"Bring water so we may get her Majesty and her ladies cleaned up and have a change of clothes brought for them, suitable clothes, ones fit to meet the King in." Cromwell ordered Ava and her servants. Ava bowed and wordlessly left the room with some of her servants, leaving a few behind to tend to the royal’s needs.

"We could've changed in proper rooms like I said..." Lady Nyme rolled her eyes.

"Yes Nyme but we'd best just do as we're asked for now, before Estelle releases her stomach's contents on any nice rugs." Meera joked, they all looked at one another and started laughing. It broke their tension.

"I don't think there's anything left there for me to ruin tapestry anymore." Estelle noted when they calmed down. It was a dark joke, but they need something, anything to make the situation they were in better.

"This couldn't have gone worse." Meera chuckled, "Oh we're doomed aren't we." She shook her head. Already things were going awry.

At that moment two nurses entered the room wearing the traditional robes of the medical staff, “You grace,” They bowed, “We are here to check up on and treat you for any wounds you may have.” She said as she came closer to the queen while her partner moved to treat the queen’s maidens, “This will be quite simple. But I must ask you to be completely honest with me, are do you have any feelings of pain of any kind?” She asked as servants came in with water and towels.

"We weren't harmed in the least." Meera answered.

"But Estelle upchucked." Lady Nyme added, ratting her out. Estelle stuck her tongue out at Nyme and took her chance to wash her hands and arms.

The nurse giggled a bit, “Well I’m glad that is the only thing that has happened to you.” She said as she walked to a cabinet. She rifled through it before pulling out a vile and walking over to lady Estelle, “Drink this, it tastes bitter but it will settle your stomach.” She said as she reached into her front pocket and pulled out a white cube, “Then eat this to take the taste out of your mouth.” She added. Lady Estelle was happy to obey.

"How are the man and his daughter?" Meera asked, "Do you know anything?"

The nurse looked to the queen and shook her head, “They are not in good condition. The time couldn’t have been worse, as the royal position is out giving out vaccines for the Venos disease. A rider was sent out but they not returned. For now they are just trying to stabilise them long enough to give Alora time to return. But do not worry, I have the utmost confidence in the two men tending to them.” She said with a firm look of hope.

In the other room Edmond and Flenior were hard at work treating the wounds of the two wounded. Things kept going back and forward from good and bad as they tried to stay on top of the situation. The cleaned their hands and the wounds to prevent infection but the blood kept coming out in bowls as they tried to sow up the wounds. But try as hard as they might the blood kept making it hard to close up the wounds. Edmond didn’t want to have to cauterize the wounds but if he had to he would. Somehow Flenior managed to close up the girl’s wound and with one of his potions, managed to stabilize the girl, “I’ve done all I can for now. The girl should be safe until Alora returns.” Flenior said. “Good, help me with this one.” Edmond said. Together the two worked trying to close the wounds with aid from the nurses but it was slow going. Just when Edmond thought he had made a false promise the finally managed to put in enough stitching to stop the bleeding. But the man was in far worse condition than his daughter was due to the blood loss.

“He’ll live but we need to get him a blood injection. Someone get a blood wick ready now!” Edmond said. The nurses moved to get the wick and equipment ready while Flenior spoke to him, “We may not have enough time to find someone to give the man blood.” he said. Edmond looked at his grandfather figure as he rolled his bloodied sleeves up further, “We don’t need to.” he said.