I promised Fera we were going to help her keep that boy alive till he would be able to move again and get away.

It was not like we had much of a choice in that brief moment but it also felt wrong to sentence them to death.

As one might imagine, the technicalities of the operation weren't thought through at all.

"His leg bones are not broken. That means he will be able to walk as soon as he gains some strength. Except for the ones on his right abdomen side and his right arm, the other wounds are superficial. I think..." I said, after staring at him for a while.

So far I only read books with maybe some illustrations, but I never saw the insides of a person in real life. I wasn't sure if those were his guts or only muscle tissue, or if the cut reached his kidneys, and many other questions. As far as I remembered, you only can take care that the wound doesn't get infected, tie it up, and hope for the best, unless you have healing powers, which none of us had.

"How do you know that?" asked Salma. She was crying continuously even if Fera wasn't holding the knife at her throat anymore.

"I read that in books. My father had a few and I wanted to be a healer like my mother, I guess, to compensate for my lack of powers. But I didn't read all of them..."

I had been only eleven and sometimes the book became too boring and I chose to do something else. At that point, I felt stupid and guilty for having done that.

"You are only children..." The boy's voice was weak.

"You are a child yourself," I huffed.

"I... sixteen. I am a man grown."

Even if he was speaking Mane, the language of Quomared, his accent was strong, much stronger than Fera's. It's sounded somehow beautiful in its one odd way, with the sharp vovels and how the R's were rolling off his tongue.

He didn't look like a man grown. Even if he seemed tall and somewhat muscular, he had the face of a boy.

"Are you princesses, like she said?" he asked. His voice was becoming increasingly weaker, which was really concerning.

"No. She was just mocking us."

"Not even her? She looks beautiful, like a princess," he said, looking at Salma.

He was right and all. Everyone knew Salma was beautiful but he was bleeding all over so I found the ogling mildly annoying. Then again, when you think you are about to die it's worth focusing on the beautiful things around you.

"Jorn, just shut up."

I looked surprised at Fera. Seemingly I wasn't the only one irritated.

"We need a plan. He obviously cannot stay here," I said.

"There is no better place. The soldiers are patrolling the whole garden. I was thinking in a day or two he can walk and then..." Her voice sounded desperate. She was well aware of how bad her, now our, situation was. Hers was actually worse.
If The White Grace were to catch us, she might spare me and Salma, but Fera was common born and northern. That would make her almost equal to a rebel.

Three days. It had to suffice. If we were smart, we could take care that nobody found him here for three days. The sisters never came to the pantry and the other girls, if they happened to discover him, could be 'persuaded' as we were.

"Fera, how much do you know about healing?" I whispered to her.

"Not enough. I know about herbs and potions but mother died when I was ten so I obviously didn't learn all there was."

I shrugged.

"Do you think I was right with what I said?"

"Mostly. If I would think he would die, I would have given him a knife to do it with dignity."

I just stared at her. That was characteristically cold but besides that, it felt like a lie, a lie true to her character but still a lie. If she considered that, she wouldn't have bothered hiding him. She just wanted to seem courageous and detached in front of the boy.

"I recall garlic and ginger help to prevent infections but there was something else, something really good but rare."

"Yes, blue moonflowers or hinjean. Just that we don't have any. I will make a potion for the fever. If he survives the night he will likely survey the rest too. Salma, guard the door, until me and Zara clean and tie up his wounds. If you run and tell the sisters I will tell them what you have buried in the garden. If they kill me, you will die too."

Salma lost all the color from her face and fell to the ground. I pressed my palms over my mouth fast enough to not scream.

The boy tried to make a hasty attempt to stand up and help her but was struck down by a jolt of pain and Fera's foot.

"Stay put, lover boy. Zara, help her up."

I walked over and helped her stand.

"Salma, calm down. It's going to be fine," I lied. "Please just do what she says. If someone comes, scream and fake you are fainting or so."

She nodded slowly and walked outside.

My heart was pounding all the time while we were chopping the herbs Fera gathered to make a rudimentary ointment and while we were trying to close his wounds.

"We have to keep this closed somehow but it keeps bursting open," said Fera looking at his shoulder injury.

"Just make it tighter."

"It doesn't hold. My mother used sometimes thread."

"What? Like to sew? Flesh?" I asked a tiny bit horrified. Strangely, blood wasn't making me dizzy even if I was palace born but the idea of sewing a living being almost made me faint like Salma.

"Yes. I will get a needle," she said, walking away.

Gods be merciful. My heartbeat was already insanely fast; I could feel it in my throat. If they were to find us now, I wasn't sure what I could say. But maybe I wouldn't have to say anything, they would just strike me down after opening the door to spare me the misery.

"Why... are you helping? You... southern," asked the boy.

I didn't interact with boys a lot, as there weren't any in my father's palace. The only few I saw were offsprings of servants that were rarely allowed near me. And there was prince Dair... He was the only one that I remember distinctly. He was special, and I had had the privilege to see him, a boy of my age and status, but we never actually talked. I recalled him gentle and kind and the royalty made him appear even more enticing.

This boy, however, wasn't dressed in finery or talking like a nobleman, but something made him appear attractive. Maybe it was the danger, but however attractive, his words were irritating.

"Why did you want to kill us? We aren't all southern here," I countered annoyed.

"We didn't want to kill you, only the sisters, and retrieve something from the dangerous one, the one that shoots lightning. But then you were attacking us all together. You were just collateral damage."

"Stop talking, or you might just make me regret I am helping. You are collateral damage of that stupid plan of your commander too."

"No, I am a soldier. I know what I fight for and it is out of my own free will."

"So, what is it that you were fighting for? What was so important that it was worth all your lives and ours?"

"I... Cannot tell," he hesitated.

It didn't seem as if he actually knew. I mean, which commander would tell the important secrets to a mere foot soldier?

I just scoffed and tightened the cloth around the next wound extra hard.

Fera came back with thread and a needle. She moved it through a flame and I frowned.

"Why did you do that?"

"Mother said it is less likely to carry sepsis."

It was strange how that little phrase stayed with me.

Fera stuffed the boy's mouth with a cloth to keep him from screaming while I held his body as well as I could. I wasn't particularly good at it because he was significantly bigger and muscular.

"You know what? Let me hold him and you sew. You surely have more practice in that," said Fera.

"With fabrics, not skin."

"Just do your best."

I nodded and grabbed the needle, took a deep breath to steady my hands, and pushed the metal piece into his skin. It was a strange feeling, I had the impression I could almost feel his pain and distress, also feel how the needle pierced through flesh.

"Try to relax," I whisper. "I know it's easier said than done but think about something nice. Think about Salma or your home, or so."

He smiled faintly.

"You are doing good. Go on," said Fera. "Just don't faint also. Alright?"

I didn't feel like fainting, I was feeling surprisingly good besides frightened. I was feeling useful for a change. Even without magic, I held a life in my hands and could possibly save it.

"And now?" I asked Fera after all his wounds were bandaged.

"Now we wait and hope nobody finds him. If the fever will sink he will hopefully be able to walk and get away. If it doesn't..."

He would die and we would have a really big and heavy problem to deal with.

We went obediently to bed that night to not raise more suspicions and to make sure Salma didn't tell on us after all. She was very frightened and had the right to be but apparently whatever secret of hers Fera knew, weighed more than that very big fear.

I have always been a light and difficult sleeper and that night it was not different. After midnight I concluded it just wasn't working so I stood up to walk to the bath chambers.

My feet however carried me to the source of my concern in the pantry.

The boy was still there and in one piece.

I put a hand on his forehead to check for fever and he startled awake. At least he had good soldier instincts.

"Oh, it's you, mock princess." His voice wasn't that weak anymore and his skin was not as blazing as before. "Checking if I died already and if you need to get rid of the body?"

"Partially true," I admitted.

"Do you hate me?"

Did I? That was an interesting question to ask.

"I hate that you attacked us and wanted to kill us. Most were grown men of fighting age. It was an unjust fight for selfish reasons. I hate your commander or whoever made you do that but you, I only strongly dislike and pity a bit."

"Was one of your parents northern?"

"Of course not. Why would you think that? Because I helped you? Well, it isn't because of northern clan loyalty or however Fera called it."

"No. It's because of the color of your eyes.  The color is the same as that of Elv Forsvant Sjel. I have never seen this color in Southerners. I saw it with our people sometimes but not quite like it and the color of your skin makes it somehow more beautiful."

I wasn't vain. So far, looks weren't really important in my life. I regarded myself as plain and never cared, but when this boy called something about me beautiful, though it wasn't even a direct compliment, it caught me off guard. I felt my cheeks warm up slightly and anger brooding up because of that.

"What's that? It can be the name of a street rat for all I know." I tried to make my voice appear angry.

"It's a holy lake in the mountains. Very beautiful and it holds a lot of power."

The door clicked open and I almost urinated all over myself. I was so distracted by the dumb talk that I forgot the danger.

It was shortly before having a heart attack when Fera stepped in.

"You are here?"

"I came to see if he died. He is better."

"Thank the gods," whispered Fera. "Tomorrow we have to see him out somehow because the caravan with food is coming so the sisters might enter the pantry."

I frown a bit. "That's potentially good. It means they will open The White Gate. He can exit when they unload. It's the best moment."

Fera smiled a tiny bit. "You might be right."

The day after, either I or Fera were patrolling and taking care that nobody entered that particular part of the pantry. It was quite difficult doing that without seeming suspicious.

"It has to be tonight," said Fera. "We will not have a better opportunity."

I sighed. It was my idea but I was also afraid remembering what happened to Sita. Now there were also patroles here and neither Mairi nor Chioma were healthy enough to help. At least Jorn was significantly better. He could stand and walk even if he was still pale.

When night came over the priory we faked once again being asleep and after the lights went off for a while we walked to the kitchen.

"Do I really need to come too? I will do more harm than good," said Salma. "I cannot fight or so."

"Neither can Zara. Stop complaining. I already told you what will happen."

Salma nodded with tears in her eyes.

The priory was not as silent as it used to be at night. The soldiers were quite loud, but they were not allowed inside. The only one of relevance for us was the one guarding the exit of the kitchen towards the white passage.

"So, Jorn. The caravan comes mostly around midnight. As soon as it's here, the gate will open. Now the soldiers are doing the guarding so they will not check the caravan because one of their fellow soldiers is coming with it. You jump in when the moment arrives."

Jorn nodded. Then he said something to Fera in the language of the mountain people and took her hand to bring it to his forehead. There was a light blush on her cheeks. I would have chuckled were I not so nervous. She liked him! I knew it!

"My gratitude, daughter of the South with eyes like hope and faith," he said to me. His voice was not affectionate at all, but stern.

Then he turned to Salma.

"You are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen and if we are ever to meet again I will ask for the honor to compete for your affection." This time his voice was affectionate and I felt confused and a bit awkward.

Salma just looked away, almost crying.

"Enough," I whispered gesturing him to move on.

The gate opened as expected. Only one soldier brought the caravan inside and together with the one guarding the passage they started unloading the food and bringing it into the kitchen. However, there was always one soldier at the caravan. That was where I came to play.

I exited towards the garden. The plan was to distract the guards long enough for Fera to help Jorn to get into the caravan. Salma would be looking that no other guards to come.

That was the last package. It was time. I ran towards the two guards.

"My Lords, I heard sounds in the garden while I was walking to the bath chambers. "

"Where?" asked one of them.

"Over there." I point towards the dark.

"Alright, I will walk with you and you show me."

"It's unwise to go alone. It sounded like many steps."

The caravan soldier, that seemed fairly young, shrugged and started moving in our direction.

"There is nothing here, girl! We searched the whole parameter. Just go to sleep and stop disturbing."

I was seeing Jorn and Fera approaching the vehicle. They needed more time. Shit.

"But sir. I know what I heard and I was so frightened. Please check again."

The older soldier rolled his eyes.

"Fine. Yamal, you go back."

Shit.

"But there can be many, sir."

"Spare me. I assure you, I can handle all," he answered annoyed.

Yamal turned back and I was sure we were doomed. A few more steps and he would see them. Gods have mercy.

I was sure we were going to die, I could almost feel the hole in my chest when Salma sprinted out if the kitchen and started talking to Yamal.

A few instances. It was enough. I released a breath.

"There is nothing, girl. Just go to sleep," said the soldier that I almost forgot about.

"I am sorry, sir. It was just so frightening."

He shrugged, rolled his eyes, and walked away.

I walked back inside where I found Fera and Salma.

When the caravan exited The White Gate we were holding hands.

"You have the gratitude of my people, Zaretha," said Fera, squeezing my hand and I felt how much it meant to her.