Lia stood up straight and alert, scanning the area for any sign of immediate danger. There was a high chance that the people who did this was still nearby. With steps light and fast, she crossed the intervening space between her and Eldric’s body in no time.

“Oh my god.”

Compared to the regal look he had during the festival, the man before her looked like someone who fought to death, wounds all over his arms and legs. There was a big gaping wound on his stomach, looking like he was stabbed where all the blood came from.

She felt his wrist and checked for a pulse. It was faint, but it was there. She breathed a sigh of relief. He was alive. But barely.

Her mind worked fast. She did not have anything that might stop the bleeding, save for her handkerchief. ‘That would do,’ she thought. Better than nothing. Her hands shook as she pressed to his wound and tried to stop the bleeding. Soon, her handkerchief was soaked with blood. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead.

‘He is going to die at this rate.’

Lia knew she was not good at these things. She was not the perfect person on the job. She needed Tamara here. But calling her mother, then going back in the clearing took time. And time was not on their side. The people who did this to Eldric might even come back and kill him for sure this time. By the time Lia and Tamara came back, it would be all over.

There was only one thing she could do if her strength and luck would be on her side today. She shook him lightly, trying to rouse him. He had to be awake. Lia feared that if he fell unconscious, he would not wake up anymore.

“Hey, do you hear me?” She shook him again, a bit more forceful than last time. She also sent a tiny prayer for him to be awake.

Eldric grunted and opened his bleary eyes. That was enough for Lia

“I need you to stay awake, please,” she hauled him up, continuously praying that she was doing the right thing and that he would not die in her clumsy attempt to save his life.

The clearing was not that far from their house. But with a big body with her, Lia thought the walk lasted for day. ‘Please please please. Don’t let him die.’

She held the arm wrapped around her shoulder tighter and gripped Eldric’s waist closer to her body. She heard him groaned in pain.

“I’m sorry!” he groaned again and Lia thought because she was loud, so she spoke softly this time. “Hang on to me. We’re almost at my house. You’ll be safe.”

Lia did not feel reassured as she sounded. But she had to try. She could not just leave him to die. Maybe Tamara’s kindness rubbed off on her. She continued speaking just so she could prevent him from sleeping

“Hey, don’t you dare sleep on me,” Lia huffed and puffed as she hoisted him on her shoulders. “What are you even doing here? Why are you alone? Don’t you have men?”

Eldric groaned, moaned and grunted in response. And that was enough for Lia. ‘He is alive. Please continue being alive.’ She continued mumbling loud incoherent words.

Her legs almost gave way, what was with Eldric’s height and bulky body. It was too much for her. She had known that she had limited physical energy. She added to increase in physical strength and learn medicine to her long mental list of things she should learn for her to survive in this chaotic world.

‘Just a few more, just a few more. Please let us make into the house alive. The two of us.’