Chapter 60 Recovery

  My legs were unsteady for a few steps, and my boots were still damp from wearing them through the reservoir. All I wao do was sleep, but as the army and small encampments of legion panies waking and pag. I feared I would not have that opportunity to rest. If it ossible, our marg block was more haggard than wheered the camp, but we still followed Delmar and a severely limping Adrian to our destination. Delmar seemed to be sing the fgs of the legion panies, looking for something.

  I asked Brutus, “Are all these fgs for different mage panies? Do we have a fg?”

  Brutus looked up and studied a few fgs, “Most are mage panies. You tell if a fg has a solid background. If there is a horizontal stripe in the background, it is a duke’s legionare pany with no mage. Dukes ot and mages, and they o pay the Emperor a tax fionaries uheir and. Legion units without a duke e in charge do not have fgs. I assume Castile has a fg, but I do not know what it is.”

  Felix was in the back row of the marg blod answered tiredly, “Castile has a bck fg with an e bull on it. I do not know if she chose it or ied it. I have not seen the fg since we marched in the Nearade in the capital a few years back.”

  Delmar found what he was seeking and increased his pace to a gray fg with a red serpent on it. Outside the terance, he announced himself to two legionaries in pristiher armor. “Mage Larita, Mage Castile’s pany seeks your healing skills. Please grant us your favor!” His tone was very respectful, and an older woman with mostly gray hair in blue robes exited the tent with a steaming cup in her hand.

  She looked over roup and sighed, “Very well. Strip to your undergarments before entering my tent.” She turo one of her legion guards, “Do we have orders for moving out yet?”

  He responded sharply, “No orders yet. The army will advaer the midday meal. I expect us to follow.”

  The old mage turo Delmar, “We have time then, Delmar. You may enter and send in your men in threes. No armor or filthy clothes.” She wrinkled her urned, a ihe tent. Delmar rexed visibly.

  He turo us and spoke loudly, “We are fortuhe best healer in the legion is going to see to our ailments. Everyorip and keep as much of your body stink out of her tent as possible!”

  We all stripped, and as I took off my boots, some of my calloused ski with it. My heels were bleeding freely, and I did not feel the sting until the air hit the exposed flesh. My feet were not the only ones in dire need of attention. Everyone had gotten their feet wet getting through the reservoir, and the hard-earned callouses were puckered with water and peeling away from everyone.

  The first few men were stripping to just their boxers, so I copied them. Adrian had protested being one of the first men in, but Delmar yelled at him, and he went in with the first group. Looking around at our remaining pany, we were filthy, and about half had unhealed upper body wounds.

  Brutus fell on the grass and id back. Delmar snapped, “You fall asleep, Brutus, and we will not wake you when your turn es.”

  I sat cross-legged o him to wait. Brutus had his eyes closed as he spoke, “This is the rgest be to being in the legion, Eryk—the healing. The regur army might see a magic healer in their infirmary who was looking to practice their craft, but that would be it. As a legionnaire, you walk into any rge city and find magical healing without paying for it.”

  I nodded, and it made sense why people would volunteer ht to be in the legiohe army. I looked down the row of tents, “If all the solid background fgs were mages, how e we were defending Macha with just three? There must be beey mage pany fgs in the camp,” I asked.

  Brutus responded sleepily, “More. Probably close to thirty iire camp. Do not ask me why. They never asked for my advice.” He chuckled at the absurdity of a Duke asking his advice.

  Adrian came out walking stiffly aing his healed ankle. Lysander was behind him. Delmar turned, “Lysander, you are with me. Let us find a legion supply wagon a new underclothes and socks for everyone.” Lysander did not look thrilled but nodded and followed him. Brutus was sn in the grass. I let him sleep until we were the st two remaining and kicked him awake to enter.

  The tent had three tables in the ter, a fy bed along one side, and a modest dining table. An array of fruits, breads, and sliced meats was oable. The legionnaire inside seemed to be preparing aeapot for the Mage Larita. I bowed and thanked her, “Mage Larita, thank you for healing us and us pany. It is an honor to be healed by the best mage in the legion.”

  The older woman chuckled softly, “Best mage! I am as close to the best healer as I am to being a virgin. Delmar was just buttering me up to do my best. No fear, boy, I may not be the best, but I am better than most. Up oable and y down so I assess you.”

  Brutus stood while I y oable. Larita moved to my head and pced her hands on my ears. I felt a pressure in my head that suddenly cleared. I felt lightheaded but not nearly as tired. “Some minor trauma there. You should wear your helmet more, boy.”

  “I lost it falling down forty feet of stoeps,” I replied irritably and defensively.

  “I am sure there were plenty of men in no longer need of theirs close by,” she replied cleverly. She moved to my left arm, and I felt a warmth spread throughout. Whe go, my arm felt cold, and I got goosebumps. She repeated this with my other arm and then my legs. She mentioned, “Your knee has been healed several times somewhat sloppily, probably by healing potions of a bad healer.”

  I nodded but did not have time to speak as she had moved to my torso. She focused ohe crossbow bolt had peed, and I felt a sting. I reflexively reached for it, and she spped my hand away, “Just some small fragments I am extrag. You probably used a healing potion. They close the wound too quickly to get all the debris out.” She felt all ay chest, w her way down. Sometimes, I felt some warmth spreading from her hands, sometimes not.

  I remaiill as she reached my groin, cupped it, and squeezed a little harder than I thought necessary. “Healthy, unlike some of your fellows,” was all she said. “You are the st one?” she asked Brutus. The sleepy Brutus nodded and took my p the table. Mage Lartia quickly started to repeat the process.

  I asked cautiously, “When the healing mages healed us during training, they ouched us…all over.”

  Larita paused on Brutus and looked at me, “They were not healing mages, boy. They were using spell forms. Very ineffit. I use a diagnostic spell form with a very focused rahen, I heal just what o be healed. It serves aether and is much better healing than a potion or spell form. I fixed a dozen issues you did not even know about.”

  “Thank you, mage, for your insight and thh healing,” I bowed slightly and stepped back.

  She tinued her work, and I think Brutus had fallen asleep again. Larita addressed me, “Delmar used to be one of my legionaries. He did a good job for me,” she smirked slightly. She looked me up and down, “I could use a rge boy like yourself. If Castile survives this mess, I might ask for you as a favor.” I noticed she did not grab Brutus’ groin as she had mine before finishing with his torso.

  The old mage smiled with perfect teeth as I woke Brutus and pulled him out. I felt a little like prey under Mage Larita’s gaze. “Thank you,” I yelled as I went tear and began dressing. My feet were pletely healed with new pink skin, and I could not find a single ache in my entire body.

  Brutus mumbled, “I think she knocked me out whearted. I was not pnning to fall asleep.”

  “Huh, do not worry, you did not miss anything,” I said, dressing quickly.

  Felix was waiting for us. While we were dressing, he said, “We are headed to a farmer’s house. They have a pond in the back to bathe and wash our clothes. We started walking, following Felix. The army ag up their tents, and some units were eating from meal carts. The farmer’s house was outside the camp’s perimeter, and ries stopped us.

  Firth and Konstantin were already and headed back toward the camp. Konstantin paused to talk with Brutus and me, “We are going to see what is ing in the rumor mill among the legion panies. Brutus, do you know a few legionaries in other panies? You trai the Legion facility outside the capital?”

  Brutus nodded, “Yes, I trained with the legion volunteers at the Perfectus Legonis.”

  “Good, you head back to the camp after you yourself,” Konstantin said as he tinued on his way.

  Whe to the pond by the farmhouse, a dozen ducks were swimming in it, and most of the men had already bathed and were putting on underclothes. It was a little surreal as just a few ho, we could all barely stand, and noere healed. Lirkin rushed up to us with some bundles of food, “The healing will have drained your body’s stores. Eat all you for the wo days.” He rushed away to tinue preparing food from a cart he apparently appropriated.

  Mateo motio the cart, “He stole it. Best not to ask too many questions.”

  The pond was a good acre in size, and I think the farmer used it to water his livestod horses. My bath was quick, and I was gd to put on underclothes. I rihe dirt and sweat from my vas clothes and hung them to dry in a tree. I then worked on oiling my armor. Then, I sharpened and oiled my bdes. Fvius’ pack was well equipped, and I even found a gold a silver ed at the bottom. I hoped he returned from his adveh Master Mage Sebastian to recim it.

  The air was actually dry and not humid for ohe sun was clear, and the pany was lounging bare-chested on the grass, happy to be out of armor. The farmer did e out oo talk with Adrian, who looked like he handed him a few s. Lirkin handed out food as fast as he could prepare it on the meal wagon. It was jarring how fast our fortunes had ged.

  I soon fell asleep in the grass. Konstantin kicked me awake well into the afternoon. My pale chest had burned slightly from the sun. “Get up, get dressed; Adrian and Delmar are talking to the pany.”

  My clothes had mostly dried, and I put on some new socks. The boots were still damp but drier than before. As everyone circled around Delmar and Adrian, we were anxious to hear the fate of Castile and ourselves.

  Adrian looked gaunt in his face but was pletely healed. He had been in th of shape to do much leading, but now he looked revitalized. He spoke clearly to our small group, “Castile is going to be transported to hagan. From there, she is going to be portaled back to the capital, Telha. Duchess Veronica has called for a Ducal Tribunal into her as.”

  Everyone was quiet. Delmar joined, “We are going with her. Duke Octavian is as well with his fifty legioo guard the prisoner. We o make sure Castile does not meet with an act uhe Duke’s care.”

  Lu, our horse master, asked, “What happens when we reach the capital?”

  Adrian answered, “We will wait in the Legion Hall. The Emperor will he other two Dukes to sit with Duchess Veroni the Tribunal. Some of us may be called a witness before a Truthseeker.”

  “You know Duke Octavian is going to get himself oribunal. Who will be the third?” asked Kolm.

  Adrian made a pained face, “I guess we will see if the Emperor favors his son or a peasant mage.”

  Delmar added, “Get some rest. Octavian’s pany is mounted, and I do not expect them to wait on us. It is eighty miles to hagan. It would not surprise me if they outpaced us and did not wait at the portal for our arrival.”

  “Are we going to have to do ay-mile jog?” Wylie announced, exasperated.

  Adrian snapped, “If I told you to do a-hundred-mile run, you would do it with a smile on your face!”

  Delmar calmed things, “Lirkin is w with the farmer to get us water and food for the long march. That road,” he pointed behind us, “is the road they will travel past. As soon as we see their horses, we will fall in.”

  “Why don’t we start now?” Bze asked.

  Konstantin barked, “Because Duke Octavian would probably have us executed for desertion. He ot do anything about us following e ander.”

  We all strapped our armor on so we could mobilize quickly. This time, I settled uhe shade of a small tree and healed my sunburn under my armor. I rested my head on my pad drifted off.

  It was te evening when Brutus woke me, “News from camp. Duke Octavian is breaking camp. We are to assemble he road.”

  We were soon formed into ranks and waiting. It was nearly dark when a mounted unit came from the mostly dismantled army camp. The fifty legionaries riding all had metal legion armor instead of the leather we wore. At the front of the group was the bck-haired man who met Castile. I assumed that was Octavian. He looked fairly young to be the Emperor’s son. The Emperor was hundreds of years old. Guess with magic, aging was not a .

  Castile was riding in the middle of the group like she was a dao escape. The Duke s us as he pranced by, and Castile couldn’t hide a small smirk at seeing us. We fell in behind the calvary. This was going to be a long march.

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