Martyn Swift || he/him || twenty-two

It was impossible to say what she thought of his collection of knives, vailed as her face was by her hood. After bringing Martyn what he'd asked for, she placed the rest of the contents of his saddlebags in the cart, an act for which he was grateful. Everything he owned was in those bags, the last remnants of his life before the war, a life Martyn could ner return to.

"Thank you," Martyn said, taking the bottle with his right hand. "I am as you say, but better to wait until we reach your town."

If I am going to take off my own leg, he added mentally. I would rather it be on an empty stomach.

The darkness and his shaking hands made measuring dosage difficult, but he managed without spilling or risking an accidental overdose. Letting her return the bottle to its place at the right of his medical kit, Martyn breathed deep and waited for it to take effect. It would be a few minutes yet, and he suddenly remembered he'd never induced himself.

"Martyn," he said, again trying to smile. "Doctor Martyn Swift. I've never had myself as a patient before."

Did I really say something so stupid? He asked himself, trying to think through the fog rising in his brain. I don't think I have, but I'd not be the first to make a fool of myself boiled as an owl. Damm, I am off it.

"Sorry," Martyn said, "I'm," he waved his hand before his face, "off it. Will be for three or four hours, six at most. How far is this town of yours?"

Lilith was making a spot for him thinking the cart, moving things around and setting up a little bed like spot to keep him warm and comfortable without risk of anything falling on him or such. She even moved his bags to securely rest in it.

She then returned to him, wiping off her hands on her pants. She heard him introduce himself and she nodded, sighing softly, a foggy breath leaving her lips.

"I am Lilith Jameson, and we have a doctor at my hometown, Martyn." She spoke, unsure what he meant by have himself as a patient. Did he think they lived with no doctor? I mean, yes,we live in the middle of the woods but it's a relatively big town. He's a confusing young man. "Maybe and hour or two longer, three if we get unlucky."

Lilith pushed aside her thoughts and nodded after she spoke, now gently reaching out to try and help him up. "I have no idea if yout medicine stuff kicked in, but it'll be nightfall by the time we reach my town." She spoke softly, apologizing beforehand for any pain she might cause him. She needed him to work woth her though, even with the cart and horse closer they still shd to walk to it, then get him into the wagon. Fun.

Martyn Swift || he/him || twenty-two

As Martyn talked, she shifted things about in her cart. He could only guess she was making room for him, though it was difficult to tell with her body blocking most of her efforts. After adding his saddlebags to the load she returned, breath filling the air with crystals as she approached.

Lilith, Martyin thought as she introduced herself. Her parents must be interesting people, to have chosen that name.

His original thought was soon forgotten, replaced with surprise as she explained there was a doctor in town. Lilith seemed a bit annoyed, a hit of sharpness entering her otherwise gentle tone. She was hard to read, especially with her face still covered.

There must be a story there, Martyn thought, focusing his wayward thoughts.

However, he was unable to dwell upon the oddity as Lilith half knelt in the mud beside, preparing to help him up. She again began to apologize for any pain she might cause, and Martyn was force to smile.

"It will hurt," he told her softly, "but I'll be alright. On my left side, if you will." My leg is little better than sprinters. Martyn added to himself.

Wrapping his damaged left arm about Lilith's shoulders, he took a deep breath and forced himself upright. The world filled with bright light and Martyn drew blood, bitting his lip to hold back a scream. Agony blazed though his bones, but somehow he kept his feet and did not pass out.

"Quickly," he gasped, everything swimming around him.

"I'm sure Mr. Erics can fix you up...mostly......he's relaly nice, he has a dog too. Do you like dogs?" Lilith was rambling, something she was good at and situations of stress. That and trying to provide comfort while helping him move. His weight didn't help, and the mud was a real pain since her boots sunk down mroe while trying to move him.

Soon enough, however, Lilith had him to the cart and gently lifted him up — which took mroe energy energy she wanted it to — but he was soon enough in the back of the wagon. Dhe climbed uo carefully to help him lay down in the makeshift bed of blankets and cloth she made, soon even laying another blanket over him while letting him keep her red jacket.

It was clear she had expendef some energy moving him, her hands shaking and sides drawing in air, but she smiled.

"There you go...now youll..be nice and warm." She spoke, soon climbing down from inside the wagon and shutting the back; so he and nothing else fell out. She looked around a moment before going to grab her middy gloves and just shove them in her pockets. They were muddy and wet, no use in them now. Than she returned returned the wagon where Palladin was becoming a but anxious, the large stallion tossing his head. "Okay Palladin, calm it." She mused before grabbing Palaldins reigns to guide him back to the trail, the mud making it a little difficult difficult finally it gave. The wagon creaked forward before soon it was on mroe solid ground.

"You'll be okay Martyn...just hang on, and if you need something just uh...ask." Lilith didn't know what to really say but was trying to comfort him, as she pulled her horse horse the trail. She had fallen at one point trying to get the wagon unstuck, so she was a but muddy now, but that was fine. Soon enough she climbed onto the driver's seat, spurring the clysdale forward along the trail. The wagon jerked a bit in the process, but it was relatively smooth after that.

Martyn Swift || he/him || twenty-two

Martyn's lip was bleeding by the time Lilith settled him in the cart. Panting, he learned back and closed his eyes as he covered him with a blanket. Pins bit into the tips of his fingers as they warmed, reminding Martyn of the many minor cuts and bruises covering him.

The grater pain of broken bone and torn muscle blocked things out, he thought, half-listing as Lilith talked to her horse. I'll hurt more once I'm warm.

That did not matter now. What mattered was living long enough to feel that pain. There was a chance Martyn would die before reaching the village, and even than his wounds could prove fatal. His life still hung upon a handful of slender threads, and as a doctor Martyn knew better than most his quickly they could be cut.

And what happens if I live? He asked himself, bitting down again as the cart lurched. What life will be left for me? I cannot go home, and...

He shook his head. Now was not the time. To have a ruined future he need to live, and so Martyn focused on his breathing and almost forced himself to sleep.

Lilith had been entirely honest; the ride was a little bumpy, and it took a while. It was bitch back by the time the faint lights of the town became visible. Smoke bellowed from a few chimneys and the sign they passed under was barely visible in the dark. Though, the name of the town was Clamity, a simple name. It wasn't a huge town but wasn't super small, having grown since the first who moved there.

Even so, she ahd been honest. Her hands were cold and she felt the biting cold against her skin, but was more worried for Martyn than anything. She took the cart as far as to the socyors office ebdore stopping. She quickly hoppedup, her legs fisbtly numb from sitting and the cold. Soon enough she knocked on the door.

"Doc! Please, it's an emergency!" She called out, her voice desperate for an answer as she knocked on the door again. She kept knocking till finally an older man answered the door. His glasses were messing on and he had slipped a coat on sloppily and was confused

"Lillith, what's wrong?" He asked, voice groggy from needed sleep. "Why are you...where's your coat and gloves?"

"I found a man in the woods, his names Martyn...just...h-he needs help." She spoke and quickly grabbed his hand to pull him to her cart, opening the back to reveal the blankets and the mass inside them. After that the doctor soon understood and soon enough both moved the blankets and were helping Martyn even though he was likely in pure agony and pain. They moved him inside to a fire lit room momentarily before basically to a table, his form of an operation table while he asked Likith to grab supplies and such that would be much needed.

Martyn Swift || he/him || twenty-two

For some hours Martyn drifted. Half formed thoughts mixed with the swirling snow, creating a strange land as much fairytale as nightmare. Pain slowly crept back into his awareness, and by the time Lilith halted the cart Martyn was gasping and bitting back tears. Words bounced off wooden buildings, and he could hear an unknown make voice raised in question.

Breath, Martyn he reminded himself, as someone bent over him. It will not be much longer now.

He passed momentary into darkness as hands gripped him, a scream dying on his lips. However, it was only a few moments before Martyn was waking on a table in a room lit by dancing firelight.

"Hello," Martyn whispered, squinting at the older man leaning over him. "You'd best know what your about, sir. Not the only doctor here tonight."

Is the pain of what I took to damp it making me stupid, he wondered, watching the man prob the shattered remnants of his left leg. The man's touch sent sparks racing though him, but Martyn could tell without needing to see that most of the major nerves had been destroyed.

Many a doctor is offended at being given unasked for advice by another, he thought, half-closing his eyes. And none will take advice from a patient...still.

Boots upon wood told him of Lilith's rerun and her shadow danced across the walls with the flickering of the fire. She seemed calmer now, assured of things with the doctor there, but Martyn sensed a strange emotion heavy on her.

"Lilith," he said, the words coming unbidin, "whatever happens to me, please don't blame yourself."

Lilith watched the the doctor inspect Martyn's wounds, especially his leg. In the candlelight she could really see a lot more of the damage....and sickening dread gnawed at her. He very well could die, even with her efforts, that, and he'd likely loose his leg to his injuries.

The doctor looked to Martyn as he spoke, fixing his glasses and sighing. "I assure you, boy, I'll do my best to get you right back in shape." He sighed, going to clean his hands and give Martyn a sedative to get him to rest. "I'll do what I can." He spoke, but after seeing the damage, well, he figured he'd have to remove Martyn's leg as well as spend a good but of time stitching any other wounds. He prodded in a few other places to chdck for anything broken.

Lilith was quiet, biting her knuckles. When Martyn said her name and and told her not to blame herself. "I-i hope we can really help you Martyn." She spoke softly, worry a bit laced in her words still.

The doctor would cutting a few bits of clothing to access Martyn worst wounds and see visually how bad the damage damage done to him, his head tilting as he thought of what used need to do.

Martyn Swift || he/him || twenty-two

The doctor's lay a hand on Martyn's should, his voice low and rich as he gave what reassurance he could. Eyes fluttering shut, Martyn began drifting again. The doctor's voice lulled him and whatever the man had given him only added to the sleepy calm slipping over him.

He's got what we call the touch, Martyn thought, he knows how to put a patient at ease. A gift in our age, he'd have been a gift on the battlefields of the war.

Cool metal pressed against Martyn's shoulder as the doctor cutaway his clothing. He flushed a little at the thought of Lilith seeing him unclothed, before reminded himself she was nothing more than a nurse under such circumstances.

Cold air brushed his skin, raising the tiny hairs. Martyn knew now they'd see the scars his previous work and the war had left. The bullet scars on his hip, right arm, and leg could be explained by the war, as indeed was their origin.

Yet how does one explain have a chunk of flesh missing from the right leg along with teeth marks that don't belong to any animal.

Well, it would be a story he could share later if he survived the next few days. It would be touch a go, Martyn knew, and he could only hope he came out alive and mentally intact.

The doctor fit something--a bit of leather and wood--into his mouth and Martyn inhaled sharply. He'd done enough amputations to know what was coming, and he knew to be afraid. If the doctor was good, it would be over in less than a minute and the pain would be brief...

If not...Martyn thought, surprise flicking up as Lilith grasped his right hand. So much can go wrong, especially when working above the knee. Easier when you can save the joint, but not possible with me.

Martyn gripped Lilith's hand, hoping to convey his thanks though that simple touch alone.

Lilith watched the doctor as he stuck the leather and wood between Martyn's teeth as well as revealing the bone saw he possessed. It brought her hand to squeeze tighter onto Martyn's, hoping to provide some relief while the doctor nodded to her. She was to hold Martyn down of needed, but he was hoping the sedative kept him mostly immobile during the procedure.

"It's going to be okay." Lilith spoke softly, even bringing one hand to rest in Martyn's hair — trying to comfort him as a mother does a child.

The doctor wrapped something around his leg, to keep the blood flow down as not for him to bleed out during the amputation, before he brought the saw to where he would cut. The metal tool rested against the mangled leg a moment before soon enough the doctor started to cut away. He worked relatively easily, having done a few amputations himself whether because of frostbite, wild animals, or an accident with tress or work. He didn't have time to ponder on the scars too much, trying to get the operation over with and relieve the man's pain.

Lilith herself — despite having helped a few times due to what time she spent spent the doctors — felt a sickened feeling churn in her stomach at seeing the procedure. It took her mind right off of Martyn's various scars. Shockingly she managed not to puke or freak out, ready to hold the stranger down if need be, but only squeezing his hand tighter and providing soft words to keep him calm.

Soon enough, though, the procedure was done and the older male worked to patch up the amputated spot to keep Martyn from possibly breeding out. The bloody tool sat down away where the others were and the dismembered limb sat else where as what was left of the leg was patched up, bandages and gauze soon wrapped around what was left to stop the blood and so on. He then moved on to either sew up or wrap up any major cuts or scratches.