Chapter 41: Penance

Jackalope had received a stern talking to by Apuma, being the oldest Bizmati currently standing, he was in control of the keep. Even if he was clearly not in the mood for dealing with this, Sapphire could understand that. It had been a very shitty day yesterday.

Combined with hurting her hand and being laughed at for hitting herself in the face, that seemed like sufficient punishment. Sapphire knew she wouldn’t learn anyway, she never did.

They still had a great many wounded, some in very bad shape. Unkai was still not sure if Nunuk was going to recover from this. Tom’s trick with the glue had worked well enough, but she was still very weak. Tom had suggested giving her blood from either Dakota or Rachuck but scrapped the idea claiming he needed to know what kind of blood they had. Blue hadn’t been a sufficiently accurate response, apparently. He had turned to one of his books before deciding she needed water.

“We have been giving her water. She's had plenty to drink.”

“Not water to drink, water in her blood special water though”

“Can you make some?”

“Don’t know, if get wrong she dies. I have some for humans" There were worried looks exchanged around the room.

Tom continued reading in his book with many of the others looking to each other. How would she get it in if not drinking it?” Fengi had finally asked.

“Needle and drip bit like Dakota only more and just water”

“Why not just give her some of what Dakota got then?” Fengi continued.

“Only last short while and might kill her afterward” That didn’t sound like a good plan, also just how dangerous had it been to give that to Dakota?

“Oh” Fengi replied.

“Treatment says blood and crystalloid solution, saline should work. But this is for human, don't know dragonette.”

“Have idea Jackalope need your hand for test.”

“But I just got it bandaged”

“Take off, need your wound”

“But…”

“You have the freshest wound, best for test.” Tom cut her off before she could finish. Getting up to go get something he returned with the medical bag again.

“Need to know if this hurts or not” Jackalope looked very uncomfortable as Unkai delicately peeled part of the bandage off. Tom opened the bag pulling out a small bag which was sort of see-through?

“I need right temperature. Open mouth" Jackalope did as instructed and Tom placed a little white stick under her tongue. Jackalope just sat there mouth agape looking around at the others who were by now all watching intently. There was a beeping sound from the stick and Tom pulled it out.

“24 interesting. No need to warm then” Sapphire had no clue what was going on, 24 what? and why was that important?

Tom brought the bag back out fiddling with it he squirted some of the liquid inside right onto Jackals wound, she flinched a bit but looked surprised.

“Does it hurt?” Tom asked.

“No, not at all… Not even slightly”

“Okay, then I need you to be brave, one more test. Need you to not blink”

Tom held the bag over Jackalope’s eye who was clearly very worried, Sapphire was damned happy she hadn’t been selected for testing duty. Fengi held her friend’s hand trying to help comfort.

Tom dripped a few drops directly into Jackalope’s eye, she flinched a little but again it didn’t seem to hurt. Tom tilted her head at her expectantly.

“I didn’t hurt, It didn’t hurt at all. What is that?”

“Saline and we may continue” Tom handed the bag to Rachuck and closed up the big bag, bringing it all along.

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Right then, hopefully, the fact that the saline hadn't hurt even in an open wound meant they had the same blood salt level as him. Fingers crossed this would help then. Why hadn’t he thought about it last night though, it was so obvious the old Lady had lost a lot of blood. Anyway, she was still with them, so better late than never. He got Rachuck to hold the bag up high attaching the hose getting out a needle.

He had no fucking clue what he was doing here. He wasn’t even qualified to do this on a human, he had just bought all this stuff before leaving thinking it might come in handy. He had washed his hands first then used alcohol to clean her arm, all very professional looking. Even if it seemed they were capable of dealing with infection rather easily with that magic. Nunuk didn’t need more problems right now.

He had seen doctors often put these things in the arm so why not try that. According to the book he needed to hit a vein for this. He put on the turner clip and started feeling around. The thick skin made it rather tricky but he did eventually find what he thought was a vein.

“This may hurt” He clarified receiving only a grunt from Nunuk who was only sort of awake. As he stabbed her arm with the needle there was clear concern from the group. Even a little gasp from Fengi. Tom wasn’t sure what they had been expecting was coming next but oh well.

Blood didn’t start squirting everywhere so at least he hadn’t hit an artery. It did look like the needle was in but he really wasn’t sure. It was the best he was gonna get though. He hooked up the bag and bled the line before hooking it up.

As he opened the little valve the liquid began flowing. Tom nodded it all seemed to be going to plan. He wondered how much a dragonette should get but. One bag was probably a safe bet after just how much bleeding she had been doing last night. He just hoped that would do. He didn’t have much of this stuff, even if he could make more if he needed to. He would need to save the needles and resterilize them though.

“Think it's working” Tom went looking around. They all looked rather confused.

“Uhm Tom how does water in the blood help?" Apuma had questioned.

“Helps make more blood I think”

“Also we need to fix glue wounds”

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You think? You think this helps!?

Sapphire was not sure if this was a good idea. Anymore she really hoped that book of his was as good as Tom thought and that this would work for dragonettes. It was definitely becoming clear Tom was no healer even by his people's standards.

Sapphire had no clue if this was safe, he was literally putting water straight into Nunuk’s blood, maybe it wasn’t safe. That was why he had been so cautious with testing on Jackalope. Even if she had a hard time working out what putting the stuff in Jackalope's eye had to do with anything.

His superglue had done its job, he claimed it was only supposed to be temporary.

Whatever had been preventing the healing from taking hold had seemingly abated as Unkai went to work cleaning up the wounds and sealing them properly one by one. Now it was just a matter of hoping Tom’s weird water worked.

Tom had insisted on staying to watch if anything happened. So possibly he had his doubts as well. Sapphire remembered when he had used the ‘syringe’ she believed he called it on Dakota. That had apparently been very dangerous, she just hoped his luck would hold. She was exhausted though and went off to some well-deserved sleep. She got Fengi to promise to come wake her up before Dashu’s trial, she would not be missing that. Afterward, they would be giving Anastasi the burial she deserved.

Fengi had done her duty and woken Sapphire after a few more hours of sleep, the trial was about to begin. Time to make Dashu know the consequences of his actions. Even if he most likely already knew it.

The trial had been the standard procedure Dashu had been dragged out into the center of the grand hall to be surrounded by the ones he had wronged, at least those able to leave the infirmary. Getting a hold of a defender had been a challenge but Vulzan would have to do it. Apuma didn’t want to deal with Dashu. The old man wasn’t cut out for this sort of thing. That meant Rachuck would be the attacker. Tom was just sitting watching from a corner, keenly watching everything with interest.

The fact Dashu had already confessed meant this was mostly to uphold tradition.

“Dashu Flaxen, you stand accused of treason against the free trader Vulzan Hanori and the people of Bizmati-Keep. First count of selling information to the enemy, second count of breaching our keep's defenses letting the enemy in our door. Your selfish actions have brought death and destruction to both parties including the death of an innocent child. How do you plead?”

“I did it, but I didn't know this was gonna happen. I claim innocence by ignorance to the first count and innocence by forceful persuasion to the second count”

Somebody had been thinking this over, Sapphire thought. Slimy little worm, but it was clear he was expecting a fair trial like in the big cities he had doubtlessly grown up in. He was in their keep now.

“You bargained with the enemy, yet you claim innocence?"

“I bargained with an old man in an alley, not damned black knight” Dashu protested.

“And when the darklings came you continued to aid said, enemy.”

“They knew who I was, my family is spread all over the kingdom. They threatened to go after them if I didn't do as I was told.”

Really was that his defense, he thought betraying his employer by selling out his employer wasn’t that bad after all. Then he had weighed his family against theirs.

“So you sold our family instead, to save yours” there was no response from Dashu “Even if you did not wish for the consequences, your actions led to the death of three escorts employed by Vulzan and a child of this keep. Do you find that acceptable?”

“Do you think I wanted this to happen?” Dashu tried desperately.

“I don’t care,” Rachuck replied coldly.

“You are found guilty on both counts of treason, on admission of guilt. Even if you were too stupid to understand the consequences of your actions at the time. That excuses neither action nor the consequences, and frankly, I don’t believe you didn’t know what was going to happen. You just didn’t care.” there was real spite in that last line Sapphire thought.

“Sir please I know I did something terrible, just don't kill me, please. I wanna see my friends, my family again.”

“And I want my daughter back,” Esmeralda shouted out from her seat.

Sapphire could see Vulzan looking rather tense, he had lost three friends to this guy and now he was expected to defend him. The trader was doing honorably not joining in the accusations in Sapphire's opinion.

“I just don’t wanna die please sir. Please! That is all I ask for, I’ll do anything!”

“Clearly.” Rachuck was not impressed by the display it would seem. Besides, the law was clear on the subject. “Tie him up, gag him and blindfold him. I've heard enough. The sentence is death by eternal fall. You will be allowed to write to your family and other acquaintances to explain your fate and attempt to seek their forgiveness for your actions. Your execution will be early tomorrow."

“No please sir, Please! I beg of you! Tom, you said they would let me live!” a few heads turned to Tom who just walked over to Dashu.

“I said I ask them to let you live and where I am from, you would live. I made no guarantee”

“Then ask them please, you owe me that!”

“Oh kind sir Rachuck, would you let live?" Tom sounded almost mocking, clearly not intending for this to be a serious request.

“No, I will not," Rachuck replied, seemingly not bothered by the plea.

“Sorry” Tom went leaning back in his seat. Sapphire smirked at him, He wasn't sorry, even slightly.

Dashu was tied up and taken away. The conclusion was forgone so there wasn’t much in the way of surprises. Not that this was something that happened often, Sapphire had only once before witnessed a trail in the keep, when some bandits had tried to raid them. That had been much the same. Traitors, murderers, rapists, and other such scum pay the ultimate price, such was the law. He would be making a final flight like Anastasi, he would just be going the other way.