For the next few days, Saul and Jonna continue their meeting as Andrea continued her work around the facility with working with the other doctors and treating every patient as they can get back on their feet. Or at least the best she can. Some of the freed slaves are very reluctant to gain any kind of help from them, let alone accept a pyrotechnic limb to replace the ones they’ve lost. While a majority of them are accepting the help, they need to walk again and use their new prosthetic limbs to their advantage. However, the bigger challenge is whether or not they reenter society as ordinary citizens again. Some decided to stay become new citizens of the South City while others are either indecisive about it o they want to go back home.
Which is easier said than done given the state of their body and the state of the city. However, the whole Sanstia family is working hard to make arrangements, if possible, to send some of them to their original homes. Hashiro has sent out a letter to the Lords of the East and West to arrange transportation if possible but he hasn’t gotten a response yet. Nicole arranges all the guards on double watch duty at the city’s entrances, Sara is out with her group on the hunt for any stragglers like Desperado or any other Mercenary group that might make a move on the south city. She would find a few but they stood no chance against them. Miyoko is assisting the nurses round the clock with Andrea though her mind often wanders off as she would often see Saul hanging out with the girl he saved and would often feel a bit jealous. She wants to join with Saul but can’t because of work and whenever she has a chance to go to him, Andrea would drag her back inside. Meanwhile, Saul and Jonna would continue their conversation together as Saul’s French would be improving a bit more as they continue to talk with each other.
“You said you work for the Sanstia family? But how are you working for them if you work as a soldier for the south as well?” Jonna asked as she wrote.
“Well I’m not exactly a soldier, I work as you could as one of the Sanstia’s personal guards. It’s a bit complicated.” Saul replied. He still can’t tell her the truth that he’s a human or that he really works for The Dark Children of the Night. If Jonna managed to find out that he was lying about being okay who knows how long he can keep up until she does find out.
“Really? That has to be tough for you, isn’t it? You’re basically my age as well.” She wrote.
“It’s not that bad. The family treats me well as well as the other employees as the mansion.” He said.
Just before they continue their conversation, a doctor walks up to them interrupts them.
“Miss Jonna, it is time to take off your cast now.” He called out to her.
Confused, he looked back at Saul wondered what did he said. Saul then translates what the doctor said and nodded. Jonna then got up from the bench but then moved as she was waiting for Saul to come with her.
“What is it?” The Doctor asked.
“I want him to come with him. I can’t understand the language just yet so I would like for him to come with him.” She wrote.
“She wants me to come with her to translate for her.” Saul responded.
“Very well then. Come along then.” The doctor responded.
Saul then got up and followed them inside the building. Jonna was still a bit iffy about being surrounded by doctors so she placed her hand on Saul’s left shoulder as they make their way to the operating room. Saul was hesitant at first but then let her anyway since he doesn’t have the strength in his arm just yet to pull her hand off of his should. Once they’ve made it to the operating room, Jonna sat at the examination table as the doctor proceed to check on her casted leg. He then proceeds to grab a tool on his desk as pulls a dermal-like tool. He cast some magic on the tool itself and proceeds to cut the cast off of Jonna’s leg. Once the cutting was done, the doctor then split the cast open as Jonna’s leg was freed from the cast. Jonna took a moment to be glad that she wasn’t wearing a cast anymore only to see the doctor then put a brace around her foot. Just when she was ready to walk around like normal again.
“Sorry miss, you’ll have to wear this for a week before you can walk normally again.” The doctor said. Saul then translated what he said to Jonna and sighed when she heard it.
When they exited out of the operating room, Jonna could walk a little more but would still limp a bit. Then again, she wasn’t expecting a full-on miracle to happen as the doctor are doing their best to help everyone including her and Saul. But as long as she had Saul to keep her company then things are exactly so bad. She was reaching out her hand over to Saul’s shoulder again but then a quick shouting was heard from across the hallway.
“LIKE I GIVE A DAMN BOUT GETTING SOME DAMN PROSTHETIC! YOU AIN’T FIXING ME AND THAT’S FINAL!!!”
An old man who was hunching over to wooden staff came out from one of the rooms down from the hallway. He had a pegged wooden leg and missing his left arm entirely. He was screaming and swinging his wooden staff around to ward off the doctor and nurses from getting too close to him. The doctors and nurses try to calm the old man down and prevent the situation from escalating but the old man continues to become hostile towards everyone.
“Come on let’s going around this nutjob.” Saul said.
Jonna nodded in agreement as they both turned around and headed the other way until the old man called them out.
“HEY! YOU TWO! What language were you speaking!?” the old man shouted.
Jonna tried to turn back to respond to the old man but Saul stopped her as he grabs her and begins to walk faster. But the old man despite his cripple state was able to keep up with them. Once he was in range, he used his cane to sweep at their legs, causing them both to trip down. Saul quickly turned around and faced the old man as he guards Jonna using his body despite his injured state.
“What the hell is your problem old man?” Saul shouted.
“That language! You spoke the language from the Eastern City!” The old man yelled.
“I know French to some degree. What’s it to you?” Saul asked.
“Then you’re a fucking traitor as well!” The Old Man screams as he ready’s his cane again to swing at Saul.
“The hell does that mean?” Saul asked.
“Don’t you fucking get it, boy!? We’re still at war! Like hell, they officially announce “The war is over!” just because everyone just stops fighting! So long as we soldiers live and breathe for another fight the war ain’t fucking over! And you speaking the enemy’s language means you’re from the Eastern City or a traitor! Either prove me wrong and let bash in the enemy behind you!” He shouts.
“Like hell, I am going to let you hurt her from your PTSD. The war’s been over for years! What good will hurting her do for you!?” Saul argues.
“Means there’s one less enemy breathing!” the old man argues.
The old man begins swigging at Saul as Saul guards Jonna with his injured hands. Despite his arm are still injured he guards Jonna and tanks the hits. A few of the doctors grab the old man from behind as they attempt to subdue him but the old man managed to push them back despite his old age. And swings again at Saul but Jonna steps in as she takes the hit from the old man’s cane at her head.
“So you decided to come from your bodyguard, eh?” he said.
Jonna didn’t say anything to him nor did she attend to write something to him because of how rude he was. She opened her arms as she was shielding Saul from the old man’s strike. However, the old man didn’t let up and continued but Jonna was not phased at all. But Saul intervened and shielded her with his back.
“Boy if you think you’re playing a hero you’re sadly mistaken. Now move, before you really get hurt.” The old man antagonizes.
“Over my dead body old man.” Saul argued.
The old man has raised his cane again only to be pulled from behind and fell on his back. Staggering and wriggling around on the floor, he tries to see who pulled him. He sees a man, missing his left arm entirely, and is missing his right foot support only but a crutch on his arm. He limbs over in front of him as the old man struggles to get back up.
“Amir! What are you doing here boy? I thought you were long dead by now.” The old man grunted.
“The same could be said about you, Hector. But you’re just stubborn as an old mule refuses to budge. That bygone age you still think is going is long gone, old man.” Amir commented.
“Boy, you need to learn to respect your elders. And as long as a soldier like me lives and breaths and still has fight in him, I’ll stop at nothing to keep the fight going!” Hector yelled.
“Wake up and smell the coffee you old fart. The war has been long gone, and what's left is us. Survivors and mad dogs like you hungry for blood. Either walk away now before things escalate or are put down like the rest of the mad dogs.” Amir spoke as two soldiers were behind Hector, ready to escort him off the premises.
Hector heaves like a mad dog indeed as he looks as the soldiers were pointing their wooden riffle and then looks at Amir and then at Saul as he covering Jonna. He growls as he gets up and lets the guards take him away. He gives one last look at Amir and Saul as he scoffs off and continues to let guards escort him away. Amir then looks back at Saul and Jonna but turns away as he spoke.
“Hungry dogs like him will come for her. If you really want to protect her, doing it before it’s too late. You never know before it’s too late.” he says as he limps away.
He was right though. There’s no telling if Hector would come back and try again. However, he knows a good way to protect her but, it would mean breaking his promise to Andrea on the rule of where he’s staying. But with little choice, he had to ask her.
“Jonna, do you want to spend a few nights in my room until things settle down?”
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