Her Graceful War Song

Sebastian was reflecting on the anguished cry Ryan had just let out. It seemed that the pain had quite an effect on Ryan's vocal cords, but for Sebastian, the sound was like music to his ears. Rowan was capable of performing tasks such as setting bones. However, Sebastian valued Ryan too much to leave it to anyone else. He preferred to handle it personally.

To him, this was a skill deeply ingrained in his bones. He carefully felt along Ryan's leg, inch by inch, until he reached the misaligned section. With great precision, he adjusted the bone. Ryan was drenched in sweat from the pain, his body trembling uncontrollably. He gripped Rafael's wrist tightly, his nails digging in and drawing blood.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

The pain from setting the bone was excruciatingly real.

The pain-relief medicine didn't seem to help much, and he felt as though the pain was radiating throughout his entire body, even though the injury was in his leg.

Once the bone was set, Sebastian began applying the medicine. Two wooden splints were used to stabilize Ryan's leg, and he would need to remain bedridden until the bone healed.

Sebastian's medicated plaster, a formula he had personally developed, was highly effective. It wasn't available at other pharmacies, and it worked well to speed up bone healing. With the added benefit of the medicinal soup, Ryan should be able to walk again in about ten days.

After securing the splints, Ryan was given another dose of painkiller, which also had calming and sleep-inducing properties to help him rest. This would hopefully ease the pain when he woke up. Outside, those waiting heard Ryan's agonized scream, which left everyone feeling anxious and troubled. Hearing such a cry made it clear just how intense the pain was.

Carissa paced nervously, awaiting the door to open. Diana clasped her hands together, trembling as she prayed silently.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the door opened.

Rafael stepped out first.

Carissa hurried inside to find Ryan lying on the bed, with Rowan administering acupuncture to alleviate some of the pain and help him fall asleep.

Sebastian gave a soft shushing sound, and said quietly "We should leave and let him sleep. He's a brave and resilient child."

Carissa was gently ushered out again. No one else could visit to avoid disturbing Ryan. If he couldn't fall asleep, he would have to endure the pain as best he could. Carissa noticed that Rafael's hand was covered in blood, clearly from where Ryan's nails had dug in.

Are your hands alright? Thank you for your hard work."

"It's nothing to worry about. It's not a big deal," Rafael said with a reassuring smile. "Ryan is incredibly

strong. He endured it all. We didn't use acupoint sealing for pain relief, so there's no effect on the blood flow in his leg. Once he's healed, he'll be fully recovered."

Carissa placed a hand over her heart. "Hearing him scream like that really frightened me... Please, come with me. I'll take care of your hand."

Seeing the blood on his wrist and the back of his hand made her uneasy. It made her feel both guilty and grateful.

Anthony also added, "She's right, Your Highness. You should tend to your wounds. We're truly grateful."

"There's no need to-"

Before Rafael could finish his sentence, Carissa had already taken his other hand. "It's necessary. At the very least, it should be cleaned up."

Her fingers were slender, with calluses in her palms, and they perfectly fit around his wrist. Feeling the warmth from her fingertips, his heartbeat quickened, and he swallowed his objections.

"Alright, then. Let's take care of it. It would be alarming if it were left in this bloody state."

The injury wasn't severe-it was only scratches. Ryan had scratched him several times, leaving a few bloody streaks that looked worse than they were.

Carissa led him to a side room, asking Pearl to fetch some medicine, Joy to bring clean water, and Lulu to get some gauze from Rowan.

Once everything was ready, Carissa cleaned the blood with a cloth, carefully applied the ointment, and then wrapped the gauze around his hand. She started from his wrist and covered the back of his hand while avoiding the webbing between the thumb and index finger. Finally, she secured it with a knot.

Handling wounds like this was second nature to Carissa. Back in Meadow Ridge, she had often tended to her own injuries with ease.