Chapter 22: Great Responsibility
“WOOH, for a time there I wasn’t sure how things were going to turn out, but I’m sure glad it was a successful rescue!”
The four travelers who helped save Unen smiled broadly as they each patted her on the back and remarked they were very happy to see that she was in one piece.
“Anyway, your mage friend is something else altogether! I’ve never met such a powerful mage before! He divided the water down the middle like a scene out of a fairy tale!” One of the men excitedly looked over his shoulder at Mouru, who was sleeping under a tree behind them.
His excitement rubbed off on the man next to him, who turned to face Ori. “You’re just as amazing as your friend, mister swordsman. You’ve got some real guts to dive into a rushing river. Not something most people could do!”
“I have to give it to the young lady here though. While we were panicking about your friend falling in, you had already pulled out a rope, handed one end to the swordsman, and tied the other to the tree in a matter of minutes! I haven’t seen someone move so quick to take action in a disaster before! You could show us a thing or two!”
As the third man continued passionately praising Irena and Ori’s abilities, the fourth patted Unen on the head. “Be careful where you step, boy. Make sure you listen to what your big brothers tell you from now on. And try not to get into any more danger.”
Unen docilely nodded, not wanting to waste the energy to correct her gender.
✦ ✦ ✦
UNEN’S group continued to rest in the same spot once they saw off the four men who left after thanking them for the meal. They couldn’t go anywhere until Mouru replenished his stamina a little more.
Mouru continued to sleep like the dead in the same makeshift bed under the tree. He didn’t even twitch when Unen accidentally dropped an empty kettle on the ground beside him.
Ori shook him awake around the time the sun began to set.
Mouru’s eyes opened with a look that could kill. He let out a grudging sigh that sounded as if it had crawled up from the depths of hell, and uttered but a single word demanding libations, “Tea.”
Irena, who had been pouring herself a second cup’s worth of tea, prepped a cup for him alongside hers with a dry smile.
“Oh, don’t pour the water into my cup until it cools down some more. Dump out some of the water. Look at me, hey? Do I look like I can hold something that heavy?” he complained. “That’s it, reduce it to the size of a single gulp. Huh? Of course that’s not all I’m having. How would that be enough? You’ll be serving me seconds and thirds, obviously.”
“AGH! Quit your complaining!” Irena snapped, brandishing the kettle.
“If you don’t like my instructions, you’re welcome to hold the cup to my lips…” Mouru offered with a cool smile.
Irena’s agitation visibly switched to flustered as she turned her face away from him.
“Ah, I changed my mind. Don’t bother. Ori, you help me drink it.”
“Don’t you love having women nurse you back to health?” Ori pointed out.
“I’d take you any day over a woman with a vein bulging out of her forehead.”
“You should say that after you take a good look at the vein bulging out of my forehead at the prospect of caring for you,” Ori retorted.
What in the world had caused his silence and sullenness from before? Unen softly sighed in relief upon seeing Mouru return to his old ways.
✦ ✦ ✦
EVEN after they watched several groups of travelers pass them by on the main road, and it was nearing the time they had to get moving to reach the next town before dark, Mouru still didn’t have the strength to move.
Staring down at Mouru leaning weakly against the bags, Ori suggested, “Want me to put you on the horse…?”
“Won’t do me any good. I can’t sit up,” Mouru answered with an unusually grim face.
His partner spared him no sympathy though. “I said I’d put you on the horse. Like this.” Ori acted out laying Mouru sideways on the horse’s back before making a half-baked attempt at reassurance, “You won’t fall over if you’re on your stomach.”
“No, please, don’t. That really, really HURTS. My face would hit the horse’s flank with every jostling step and his backbone would dig right into my ribs. I’d have bruises for days.”
From the sound of it, Mouru had experienced that method of travel before.
Unen pressed her lips together. Mouru had been reduced to this state because she had slipped into the river. She didn’t want to put him through such a miserable ride after he had sacrificed his own health to save her life.
She walked over to Ori, who was swiftly preparing the horse to carry Mouru and said, “Wait.” Then she crouched in front of Mouru and asked him, “Okay, what position works for you then?”