Sera took a deep shuddering breath as she gave the man standing in front of her a death glare. Two other men held her arms outstretched away from her sides and up above her head.
"Ready Lady?" The man kneeled to look into her face as she sat on the ground, held in place by the two other men.
"Do what you have to do." Sera gritted out through clenched teeth. "I might try to kill you after though."
The handsome blond haired well built man smiled at her with those deep grey eyes she remembered from the swimming sea of pain he had found her in. "Let's get this over with then."
He reached out and pressed his fingers into her side and around her ribs as much as he could. Sera gasped in pain even as she knew the worst was to come. Sven gripped her rib cage and looked her in the eyes again.
"Do it!" Sera hissed. "Do iiii..." her last words were cut off by a wrenching scream tearing its way through her very body. Pain immeasurable stabbed every nerve ending in her upper body as Sven yanked again. The two men grunted with the effort of holding her twisting hands as they sought to claw Sven to ribbons. Bone grated against bone in her chest as he set her broken ribs back into place. Cartilage stretched or ripped as he pulled.
She had been healing for a week before they had realized that she couldn't catch her breath because her ribcage was still compressed.
"This was easier last time," Sven stood cracking his knuckles.
"Maybe that was because I was fucking passed out during it!" Sera wrapped her arms around herself as the two men released her wrists. She choked back the sobs that were fighting their way to escape her throat. "By the Line, I fucking refuse to do that again.'
"We shouldn't need to. I felt them pop into place. As long as you don't move too much, you should heal good as new."
"Thank you Sven." Sera felt tears start sliding down her cheeks. "Can I have a minute?"
"Of course." Sven motioned to the other men to leave. "Take all the time you need, but try to not move too much."
He turned to leave.
"Wait!"
He paused in the flap of the heavy fur tent.
"Has he improved at all?"
Sven turned to look at Sera. "He has a fever now. I was going to tell you after you had a chance to breath from this." He gestured to her ribs.
Sera's breath caught from fear sending a fresh pang of pain through her torso. "What did your healer say?"
"There is nothing more he can do."
"Someone has to be able to do something!" Sera cried holding her ribs as the sobs started escaping. "Please do something for him! I'll do anything."
Sven cocked his head to one side. "I'll see what I can do. There might be a way but it could also kill him or even others." His tone was grim, his face steeled into an impassive mask. "You said you were on your way to the North King's court?"
Sera nodded mutely.
"The King has the best healers on the island with him. Maybe we can get you there."
"I'll pay anything. Anything."
"We will just say you owe me a favor then."
"Done."
"I'll go see what volunteers I can find. It's a long journey for healthy men, let alone unconscious sick ones."
"We can do it! He can do it. He would want to do it."
"Either way, you can't go for at least another two weeks. If you try to ride right now, all of your setting bones would re-fracture and you would be right back in the condition we found you in."
As disappointing as the news was, Sera knew he was right. She had only been healing for a week. Besides, The Bard could still wake up.
"Do you think he will make it that long?"
"No."
Sera stuttered unable to respond.
"So we are going to have to take him without you on a litter. He's unconscious so the pain won't kill him and if the King agrees to help him, they can undoubtedly fix what else may have broken on the journey."
"So he would be on his own unable to speak for himself in the court of the North King?" Sera's heart shrank. "Couldn't I go with him on a litter too?"
"No. You will heal here and he won't. The situations are not the same. I'm willing to ask my men to take him. You will stay here."
"What if I decide to leave? Am I a prisoner?"
Sven stepped back into the tent, his presence filling the space around her. "I won't take him if you don't swear to stay at least two more weeks. You can't take him on your own. Send him and he might live. But only if you stay."
Sera considered for a moment.
"I'll stay." She whispered.
"I can't hear you."
"I said I'll fucking stay!" Sera glared at him with all her pent up anger. Her situation, The Bards condition and her helplessness all boiling over.
"My Lady." Sven gave a small bow and left the tent.
Sera wasn't sure if he was mocking her. But she knew that The Bard's only chance now lay in the court of the King in The North. If that meant she had to stay in this little hunting camp, then that is what she would do. No matter how much she hated it.