[IRP] As Firm as a Mountain

[WyvernSlayer]

The camp looked about as miserable as the average central Lycian village. How ironic that it would be located in Bern, of all places.

Satsume sat on a tree stump, puffing on his pipe. He was only a couple days from home, intending to drop by for a visit to give some of the money he had earned to his family. Granted, it wasn’t his usual means of making a living (he had won a card bet in Badon with a group of particularly inebriated pirates), but he figured his father wouldn’t mind too much if he had kept quiet about it.

I’ll just tell him I got it some other way, Satsume thought, and only if he asks.

Just then, a small commotion behind him caused Satsume to stand up and look back toward the center of the camp. A small crowd of people had gathered around one of the tents. Satsume chewed on the end of his pipe, swept his knapsack up from the ground, and started walking toward the tent, faintly intrigued. His armor made its familiar clanking sound as he walked.

As he neared the tent, Satsume was approached by a lithe man with a very formal-looking gait. The man’s clothes didn’t quite match the impression his walk gave. Satsume was prepared to step aside and let the man be on his way, but as he locked eyes with the stranger, he stopped and addressed the young armor knight.

“Pardon me, sir…”

“Me?” Satsume muttered from around the lip of his pipe. He plucked it from his lips and pushed a cloud of smoke off to the side with his breath.

“Yes. Would you know of a doctor around here?”

“Uh…” Satsume said apologetically. “I’m not a regular here.”

“Ah…” The man nodded in appreciation, then started walking past Satsume.

“But wait!” Satsume said aloud, remembering. “My village is only about a day’s ride from here.” He pointed to the east. “We have a physician. Maybe he could help you.”

The man shook his head. “I may not have that much time,” he replied, “but thank you all the same.” And just like that, he was on his way. Satsume watched him wander off for a moment, then turned back to the commotion at the tent. His curiosity had been further piqued. He calmly approached the crowd and weaved his way between the onlookers. Through a gap in the tent flaps, he could pick out a young woman lying on a cot. She had a cloth on her forehead and appeared to be sweating heavily.

Satsume pondered this a bit. She looks like she’s pretty sick…, he thought. I wonder… He took a deep breath and entered the tent. He could hear the group behind him slow their mumblings as his wide, armored frame disappeared behind the flaps.

“Hey! I said no visitors! Out with you!” cried an aging man as he entered. “Or are you the doctor, perhaps?”

“No,” said Satsume. He gathered that this man was probably an alchemist, based on the various vials and other equipment that lay strewn about the tent.

“Then get out!” the man cried again, throwing his hands up toward Satsume in a shooing motion.

“Wait,” Satsume said quietly, and he reached into his knapsack and fumbled around a bit. The alchemist shook his head and continued trying to shoo Satsume away.

“No no, I don’t want your money. I can’t have people here disturbing-“

“Just hold on a sec, will ya?!” Satsume snapped back. He finally yanked a small vial of pale orange fluid out of his pack. He stuck it out in front of the alchemist’s face. “Here.”

“This…” The alchemist turned up one of his palms, and Satsume placed the vial in his outstretched hand.

“It’s not much,” Satsume said quietly, “but it should help reduce the fever and convulsions until she can be cared for properly.”

The alchemist stared at the vial for a moment, not saying anything. His eyes softened into a kind expression. “I see… yes, that’s good. Better than nothing, yes.” The alchemist reached for a small cup that lay next to the woman and began preparing the antitoxin. Satsume was caught by her rather fancy attire – was she some kind of noblewoman, maybe? Or maybe just exceptionally rich. Satsume rolled his eyes as his mind flashed back to his dealings with Orica, the Tanian princess. Some noble flower SHE made herself out to be. Yeesh.

Satsume looked on as the alchemist gently lifted the woman’s head and helped her drink the antitoxin. He folded his arms and waited, hoping his chance remedy would at least breathe a little life into her.