Howdy! Today is Part 6 of Wednesday Character Stories! Only one more Wednesday left for Liam’s story. When we left off last week, Liam had been rescued by a mysterious warrior. We get to find out who this mysterious person is this week! Enjoy!

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Liam wrapped a new bandage around the wound.

“That should hold you for a while. You hurt anywhere else?” he asked.

“Nothing that can’t wait. You should look after yourself,” he replied. “There’s a stream nearby where you can wash.” He made as if to get up, but Liam held him down.

“I can find it. You’re staying off that leg. Lie down and sleep if you can,” he said. It was as if those words made the man realize how tired he was. He lay back without arguing and within a few minutes was asleep. Liam rummaged quickly through the packs, finding some more clean clothes and even some soap. He left the cave and found the stream. Kneeling down, he drank thirstily, rinsing his mouth of the taste of blood that still lingered.

He looked down at his reflection in the water. Blood caked his forehead and a cut along his jaw. His uniform was stained with blood, though hardly any of it was his. He unbuckled his belts and pulled off his leather tunic. He pulled off the mail coat with some difficulty. It was the first time in days that he had removed it. His bracers and boots followed and he gingerly pulled off his shirt. He assessed the bruises and welts that covered his body. From the way his ribs ached, his suspected that they were cracked. He unwound the bandages from the other wounds that he had taken during the siege, and began to wash.

He finished and held himself underwater, allowing the cold stream water to wash away the last traces of blood. He used a blanket to dry and dressed in the Calorin clothes he had taken from the pack. After washing his clothes in the stream, he gathered everything together and went back to the cave. His rescuer was still asleep so Liam quietly laid his belongings down. Darkness was falling as he gathered wood together and started a fire. Sitting down beside it, he began to re-bandage his wounds. Several blows with a spear had broken open a wound on his leg. Unwillingly he took out the needle again. He hated trying to take care of himself and stitch his own wounds.

He was halfway through when the man stirred and opened his eyes.

“You need any help?” he asked watching Liam.

“After seeing the job you did on your leg, no,” Liam replied, not taking his attention away. He gritted his teeth as he pushed the needle through his skin again, closing the wound. He tied it off and wrapped a new bandage around it.

“I don’t even know your name,” the man said. “I’m Trey.”

“Liam,” he replied. “And thanks.”

“It looks like I might be the one who ends up in your debt,” Trey said with a trace of a smile.

Liam looked up at him. The name sounded so familiar. Then he put it together.

“You’re Lord Cadwgan’s son,” he said. Trey’s face hardened.

“Was. He’s dead,” was all he said. “How did you know?”

“Occasionally one of our patrols would make it all the way down to the coast. There were a few stories in which your name got mentioned,” Liam told him.

“What? Like how I can fight like ten men? How I held off a whole ship of Raiders? It’s all exaggerated. And in the end, I couldn’t stop the Calorins, could I? I ran. Darrin is lost, and my brother and father are gone as well,” Trey said bitterly. Liam stared into the dancing flames of the fire. There were no words to assuage the grief either of them felt.

They silently shared a meal from the rations in the packs. Liam caught Trey yawning again. It looked like he hadn’t gotten any decent food or sleep for days.

“I’ll take the first watch,” he said.

“You sure?” Trey asked.

“Aye, I don’t feel like sleeping right now.”

“Make sure you wake me in a few hours. You still need to rest,” Trey said. Liam only nodded.