“But Captain, you cannot stay like this! You will lose your leg if it goes on.”
“Lady Cassandra is very skilled! She can definitely help!”
“I do not care!” yelled the man on a stretcher. “I’d rather lose a leg than be healed by a woman!”
“We can arrange that,” said Cassandra.
The men turned to her, two of them running to her as soon as they recognized her under her hood.
“Lady Cassandra! Please help the Captain! His leg was injured days ago!”
“It’s getting bad!”
“All of you shut up! Bring me back! I do not care for that witch’s methods! A woman healing is absurd! Women should be confined to the household and stay quiet!”
A bit annoyed, Cassandra crossed her arms, both from the cold and her impatience.
“I have many patients waiting for my help and not so many beds available. If you are yet to make a decision, do it quietly, please. Some of them need silence.”
The Captain glared at her, even more pissed.
“Shut up, woman! I shall not take orders from you! And do not look me in the eye, impudent little…”
“I suggest you watch your words in the presence of His Highness’ Concubine…” started Evin, but the man interrupted him.
“I will not allow a low woman to talk to me! And a slave, at that! The Commander-in-Chief may have been seduced by this wench, but I… I…”
The man suddenly lost his words, as he had caught a movement behind Cassandra. The snow-covered hill suddenly started moving and growing under his eyes, which opened wide in shock and fear. The snow fell in large chunks, revealing black scales and two glowing red eyes. Evin sighed.
“As I was saying, in the presence of His Highness’ Concubine and Dragon.”
As the large black dragon was eyeing the group, it lowered its head to Cassandra’s side, where she gently scratched under its chin.
Krai was obviously glaring at the man, though. Could a dragon have understood his words? Was he upset about the words used toward the Commander-in-Chief’s concubine just now? It couldn’t be, right? The Captain swallowed slowly.
“If you do not wish to be healed, I suggest you see another doctor in the camp. But please don’t be so noisy in front of the hospital or I’ll have you removed.”
“Re...removed?” said the Captain, though he had lost most of his voice.
Cassandra nodded, still scratching Krai’s maw. The dragon was chewing some snow, some of its back still white. The men around the Captain, despite being impressed, tried to convince him again.
“The Lady of the Mountain is very skilled, Captain! She stitched the Lieutenant’s arm and now he is fine! Please, Captain, at least let her examine you. ”
As the Captain was still frowning and glaring at Cassandra, one of his men walked to her, pleading.
“Please, Lady Cassandra, our Captain is very stubborn, but he is a great soldier and like a father to most of us! If he loses his leg, he will be sent back!”
“What happened?” finally asked Cassandra.
“He twisted his leg while training a while ago. We thought it might get better, but now it’s been two weeks now, he can’t even walk, and the area is all black and blue!”
She sighed. This was probably only a muscle contusion, but if that man was this stubborn, he probably hadn’t taken any rest for his leg to heal. Two of the men pulled up one of their Captain’s pant legs to show her the large bruise that had spread up his thigh. The Captain immediately became red.
“You little scums! How dare you undress me like that! You’re all going to regret this!”
“How is it, Lady of the Mountain? Is it bad?”
“Don’t you touch me you vicious…!”
