15. trembling hands
15. trembling hands
A dragon manifesting within their barracks as they slumbered, seemingly out of nowhere, had done well to catch them off guard. It left the survivors little choice but to retreat into the blanket of night, their skin torn by its claws, and heads dizzy with its smoke.
Ancel had escaped the worst of the damage, managing to work himself and an ashen-choked Estinien outside and away from the immediate danger. A lantern, scavenged suturing supplies, and a pitifully shallow flask of vodka were markedly little to lick their wounds with, but they simply had to do.
“Wait,” Estinien coughed quietly, fighting to remain lucid as he was seated against a tree. “Wait. I—“ Whatever remark the young knight had prepared quickly uncoiled into a sharp cry, his entire body flinching as the angry gash in his leg was doused in the lukewarm, stinging liquid.
“I’m sorry,” Ancel eased softly as he placed his free hand instinctively upon Estinien’s chest to still him. Further words died in his throat when his fellow knight's hand flew up to grab his forearm in answer.
For what felt like hours to Ancel, they remained. Heat chased through his veins. Tremors wracked his hand involuntarily, his fingertips curling inwards somewhat in a futile attempt to calm it. Had he not been frozen in place, he might have failed to notice the selfsame phenomenon occurring in Estinien's own ever-tightening fist. His arm. His body.
Though stubbornly downcast, his expression was one of unspoken turmoil; a different sort.
"... Are you alright?" The question was a whisper, and it left Ancel before he could stop himself.
Estinien exhaled and shook his head indiscernibly. It seemed less of an answer and more of an itch.
"Be quick," he muttered, stiffly releasing Ancel's arm. "I can't let it escape."
thank you for the prompt, @catscratching!! I tried to resist but God do I love playing with baby temple knight scenarios :’) can’t be tamed [prompt list!]