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Gareth sighed in shaky relief as the last of their enemies finally fled. His limbs were trembling and heavy, and his head pounded with something more than adrenaline. Gareth had just enough time to realize something was horribly wrong before his legs gave out beneath him.
Immediately Gaheris was there, gentle hands trying their best to support Gareth. Gareth could tell his brother was talking, but the words were lost on him. Instead he leaned desperately for the warm touch. It was so cold here…
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Gaheris let his younger brother sink into his arms. An alarming red was spreading across Gareth’s side, leaking through his armour. The younger knight was already shivering violently, yet apparently unaware of his wound. It terrified Gaheris.
“Lynette!” Gaheris shouted, finally pushed from his trance-like fear, “He’s hurt.”
Gaheris’s lady rushed over.
“I need to see it,” she said like an order. Immediately Gaheris started to ease Gareth out of his armour. Suddenly Gareth went rigid and let out a shriek as Gaheris’s efforts jarred his wound. Gaheris swallowed his guilt.
Lynette, quick as ever, caught Gareth’s cheek in her hand. It was a silent gesture of comfort, but one Gareth was familiar with. He relaxed slowly, but his breathes were still obviously pained.
Soon Gaheris had enough of the armour out of Lynette’s way that she could do her job. Gaheris couldn’t bear to look at the wound himself. It was silly, but after all these years of combat he still couldn’t stomach the sight of blood once the fighting was done.
Gareth shivered again.
“M cold.”
“I’ve got you brother,” Gaheris whispered, readjusting his hold on Gareth to be more of a hug than a desperate catch. He leaned forward to rest his chin on his younger brother’s shoulder.
It was endlessly unfair that Gareth was taller than Gaheris.
For a while Gareth was content to rest against Gaheris’s body. Lynette saw to his wound with an efficient focus that Gaheris found impressive, and possibly hot if not for everything else about the situation.
“‘Heris..”
“Yes?”
“Hurts…” Gareth’s eyes sluggishly looked for Gaheris’s face. Gaheris gave him a gentle squeeze, to remind him Gaheris wouldn't be visible in their current position.
“I know Gare-bear,” Gaheris reassured, “But you did so good. You’re so brave…”
Gaheris swallowed against an unexpected rush of tears. His little brother had grown up so fast, and what a man he’d become. Gaheris was so proud of him it hurt.
He couldn’t lose Gareth. Not now, not ever.
Gaheris clutched his baby brother as close as he dared, hoping against hope that it would beat back the cold. Lynette didn’t look overly worried, so Gaheris didn’t need to worry either. In fact, Lynette was soon done bandaging Gareth’s side.
“All done, Gare-bear,” Gaheris soothed as Lynette packed up her kit. Gareth jerked as the trembling got worse.
“I-I don’t-t feel good-d,” The poor man was shaking now, and looked ill. Gaheris bit back a curse, and shifted to better support Gareth in case he needed to throw up.
Lynette cast a glance at the brothers. To an outsider it would look clinical, perhaps even dismissive, but Gaheris knew what Lynette’s tenderness looked like.
“You’ve lost a lot of blood, you’ll probably be nauseous.”
Gareth nodded and screwed his eyes shut against the sensation. Lynette finished packing her medical kit and stood.
“I’ll get our horses,” she told Gaheris, “It should be safe to move him now, as long as you’re gentle and take it slow. We want to get him back home as quickly as we can.”
“Thank you, Lyn.”
Gaheris shifted his hold on the precious knight in his arms.
Hold on brother, we’ll be home soon.