Cursed wounds.
When a cursed being like the Moroi wounds someone, and it does not lead to instant death, the wound left behind keeps bleeding and starts festering for over a week, which, if the blood loss did not kill that person, the festering surely will.
"Kael, Lune," screamed Blanc, running near the two.
Kael was cold. He fainted because of the terror he felt at that moment.
But Lune… her wound was shallow enough not to pass through any bone, but the bleeding was significant.
She needed immediate attention. Attention, they, however, did not have the capabilities to give her.
"By the Vita…" Blanc muttered, looking at her wound. He then turned around, looking at the two behind him, "Are you two wounded as well?"
"I am," said Celine, with Miyanna nodding along.
"Shit," muttered Blanc, turning back to Lune to look at her wound. "We need either a Daughter or alchemy."
"There are no such things here anymore, then," replied Celine, skipping slowly as she watched Lune's wound.
"Either way, let's do what we can while thinking. Go back inside," said Blanc.
"Are we not leaving then?" Celine asked.
Blanc shook his head. "None of you is capable of leaving. We stay for now, and pray none others will come."
With a nod from Celine, Blanc took Lune in his arms while Celine and Miyanna pulled Kael off the ground and brought them back inside.
Kael got a cut on his right cheek. Not lethal yet. But Lune did not have much time.
Blanc laid Lune down on the bed she shared with Kael, placing the girl down gently.
As Celine and Miyanna placed Kael down near her, Blanc began removing every piece of clothing that covered her wound to be able to clean it as thoroughly as he could.
Celine, despite her wound, brought clean water and a towel for Blanc, who, for the next few minutes, focused only on cleaning the wound of dirt or any debris that could cause an infection.
But that was it. The bleeding slowly continued regardless of what he did or hoped to do.
He let out a shaken sigh, looking at the bleeding, his heart breaking yet again.
He was weak. He was not able to defeat the Morois on his own, so they had to help him.
Giving the last Moroi the time it needed to approach and wound them.
"I'm sorry, Little Flower," he said, putting his forehead on the back of her small hand. "Your brother has failed you, yet again."
Not planning to waste too much time on apologies, he then began bandaging her as best and as tightly as he could. Then moved towards Kael's wound to clean it.
After bandaging him as well, he left the room to go to the kitchen to change the bloodied water.
"How are they?" Celine asked, sitting on a chair near Miyanna.
"Kael will be fine for a while, but Lune…" Blanc muttered, tightening her jaw.
The two women remained silent, with grim expressions on both their faces.
Half of it was because of the wound they both received, and half was because of Lune's severe condition.
After coming out of the kitchen, Blanc looked at the two, noticing the wound on Celine's foot as the blood left her shoe and began making a small pool around her foot.
"My love," said Blanc, wide-eyed, rushing before her.
"It's fine," Celine muttered, trying to wave him off.
"Being humble does not suit you," Blanc sighed, kneeling before her and taking off her shoe.
The wound was deep. It cut through bone, and the bleeding was quite severe.
He began cleaning the wound with as much focus as he had remaining. The rest of his willpower kept the tears from escaping his eyes. But he did a good job in both, as he began bandaging the wound that was already making the bandages turn crimson.
He then got on his feet and kissed her lips slowly, whispering a small "I'm sorry" to her.
"It is not your fault, Blanc," she replied, offering him a warm smile, before she turned her face to Miyanna, then back at him, "Help her out as well."
"I planned to," nodded Blanc before facing Miyanna.
"Blanc, I-" Miyanna began speaking.
"Not now," he said, interrupting her, "Take off your clothes and come here."
Miyanna looked at Celine, who nodded, before she began taking off the clothes and leather armor she had under a light tunic.
She only had a bandage as a cover for her chest. A usual staple for common women to wear. It did its job. Keeping whatever needed to be kept in place pretty well, no matter the action or movement.
Miyanna looked embarrassed at being seen that way.
But Blanc did not show any signs of embarrassment, kneeling before her and starting to clean her wound, which was bleeding quite heavily as well by that point, despite the shallow cut.
I was useless, thought Miyanna as she watched Blanc's focused face cleaning her wound.
She felt not only useless but guilty as well. Guilty that he finally found out, just as Celine had predicted weeks prior. And worse, because he did not say anything about it.
He was not angry. He just looked heartbroken.
Was it because of this? Or was it because of all that happened besides this?
Do not fool yourself, Miyanna, she said to herself.
Seeing him this close, and this time, aware of his surroundings, made her freeze in place.
She was afraid that he would kill her, yet he was now tending to her wound.
The lie had become known to him, and since she chose her path days ago, when she chose to kiss him, she would tell him what he wanted to hear now. A piece of hope.
"I'm sorry," Miyanna said.
"I told you, Miyanna, not now," Blanc replied, exhausted.
"Not that," she began, "I'm sorry I haven't said this sooner after the fight. I know where an old alchemist lives in these parts."
"What did you say?" Blanc asked, stopping mid cleaning, turning to stare straight into her bronze colored eyes.
His gray eyes were heavy on her mind as they watched her every movement, yet she replied, "I know of an alchemist who might help."