The Servant Crown

They both breathed into each other’s face as they stared, one to the other. Tama’s heart seemed to be beating all over his body as he struggled for release of his hands, which were held in a solid grip above his head. Even with as seriously injured as this man was, he was still too strong for Tama. Not to mention the man was straddling him, putting pressure on the one part of Tama’s body that surely did not need pressure. Or friction for that matter. But, honestly, the very strangest thing happening was that Tama was not only unafraid for his life, but he felt himself calming in this man’s clutches. As if being in his control was where Tama belonged.

“Who are you?” the man with the stunning blue eyes asked softly.

“I’m…my name is Tama. I was…I didn’t want you to reopen your wound. I was trying to help…”

The man closed his beautiful eyes for a moment, and then, when he opened them again, Tama could see he was most likely in a great deal of pain. So, unfortunately, he released Tama and allowed him to sit up.

“Well, Tama, you saved my life.” He looked down at the wound in his side and grimaced. “It hurts like a bitch, though. What the hell did you put on it?”

“I used some healing herbs and plant leaves. But…honestly, it shouldn’t be that painful anymore. Maybe it’s because…well—I just sewed it up.”

Those blue eyes widened. “Sewed it up. You mean like a garment?” He winched with as loud as his voice had gone. Obviously, the effort to yell cost him. “And you used plants?” he asked much more gently, sweat forming on his beautiful face and neck.

“I… I used a mixture of King’s Eslifria and Black Spur. The Eslifria helps with healing by sealing the wound and stopping bleeding. But it’s fragile. I didn’t want you to move, or you could jar it loose. The Black Spur is simply for pain.”

The blue-eyed man sighed, then drew in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “You mean this would hurt worse if it weren’t for this…stuff?”

“Well, I did just reapply it a few moments ago, after I finished sewing. It still shouldn’t hurt that badly.” Tama also saw that the man was paler than when he first saw him lying on the ground in the path. Was there something else going on? “I was helping you to drink some Ecea Weed tea, which will help with all those things as well, along with reducing the fever I think you are fast developing. Although I am not sure why.”

The man nodded as he looked down at the cup in Tama’s hand. “That the stuff you were trying to drown me with?”

“Drown you? No, I wasn’t trying…”

The man took the cup and tossed it down in one swallow, the movement obviously making him cringe and moan, squeezing his eyes tightly closed for just a moment.

After he opened them again, he tipped his head at Tama, looking at him with curiosity. “Are you a healer?”

“A healer? No! It was my … no, I mean, I know some things. But I’m not really a healer.”

“You’re good with the bow, too. Saw that with my own eyes.” He blinked hard. “I admit I was not completely cognizant at the time. But I did see you make a truly masterful shot.”

Heat once again blossomed on Tama’s face. “I…I…No. Unfortunately, that isn’t true either. They both still live.” He lowered his head in awkwardness. It was embarrassing that the beautiful man saw his bout with his attackers. What Tama had been was lucky, not masterful. “And beyond that…they got away with your horse.”