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Beau had never particularly liked the Crownsguard. (Well, except for Bryce, but they were an exception.) But a few months ago she would never have guessed to be fighting them while technically being a Xhorhassian spy and traitor to the Empire. Boy, had things changed.
“Beau, ya got company!” she heard Fjord shout, and spun around just in time to duck out of the way of an incoming sword swing. Beau rolled to the side, sweeping her foot to knock the Crownsguard soldier’s legs out from under them. She turned her head to see another soldier approaching a fallen Jester, scrambling for her shield which had been flung just out of reach.
Beau’s feet seemed to carry her without even being told what to do. In a flash, she was between Jester and the soldier.
“Jessie, look out!”
The blade sliced across Beau’s side, burning pain erupting through her body as she cried out. Her hand flew to the wound out of instinct and she hissed as she pulled it away, covered in warm, sticky blood.
“Fuuuuuck,” Beau groaned, falling to her knees.
“I got him! I got him!” Nott cried as a resounding thunk was heard. The soldier who had injured Beau was now sporting a crossbow bolt through the neck, struggling momentarily before reeling backwards and collapsing on the ground, unmoving.
“That was the last of them,” Beau heard Caleb say as her head began to ache and her vision went fuzzy. She groaned again and squeezed her eyes shut.
When Beau opened her eyes again, she was back in her bed at the Xhorhaus. As soon as she realized this, she sat straight up, drawing a sharp breath as the pain in her side flared. The next thing Beau noticed was that Jester was sitting at the foot of the bed.
“Beau! You’re awake! Lay back down or you’re going to hurt yourself all over again.”
Beau’s voice was slightly slurred from both the pain and grogginess of having just woken up. “Jess… how are we back here? The last thing I remember… we had just dealt with those Crownsguard dicks.” She slowly laid back down on the bed.
“That was a few hours ago. The sword that got you was laced with some kind of poison and you went out on us pretty quick after you were hit.”
Jester’s voice was soft, not her usual cheery and boisterous demeanor, though Beau liked it fine either way.
“Are you okay, Jester?”
A small smile crossed Jester’s face. “Yes, Beau, I’m fine since you decided the play the big, dumb hero and get yourself hurt for me!”
Beau laughed, which turned into a short coughing fit. “I didn’t have much of a choice, Jes. I would happily put myself in harm’s way to keep you safe. You’re way more important to this team than I am.”
A warm hand clutched at Beau’s arm. “Do not ever ever ever talk about yourself like that. You are so important to all of us, we wouldn’t know what to do without you! I wouldn’t know what to do without you.”
“I don’t know what I’d do without you either, Jes. Probably be dead in a ditch somewhere.”
Beau felt her eyelids begin to get heavy again and decided that maybe a quick power nap wouldn’t be such a bad idea.
“Mmm… good night, Jessie. Thanks for looking after me. See you in the morning.”
“Good night, Beau.”
The words were accompanied with a soft press of lips to her forehead. The warm tingle of Jester’s healing magic washed over her and eased her even further into her sleepy daze.
“You’re important to me, Beau.”
In her last few moments of consciousness, Beau felt the end of the bed dip and shift as Jester stood and moved away. As she slipped into her sleep, Beau dreamt of soft kisses and blue skin.