The Crimson Chalice by Victor Canning

faintly, making no move, his eyes shut.
    Baradoc nodded to an earthenware jar by the door. “Get some water. Wash his spear wounds and find some cloths to bind them. Don’t touch the burns.” He went out of the hut, gathered up all the weapons and brought them back. Then, carrying only the light spear, he went toward the low crest above the hillside doorway.
    Tia filled the jar with water. As she did so she noticed that Aesc and Cuna had stationed themselves on the forest edge of the clearing. Back in the hut she washed the old man’s wounds and bound them as well as she could with some of the rags that Baradoc had found in the fishermen’s hut. Since the rags were dirty she tore strips from her short undershirt, which was reasonably clean, to go next to the wounds. When the dressings were done she made a pillow from the old man’s gown, propped his head up and fed water to him from her beaker. Eyes closed, he drank a little and groaned sharply when her arm touched one of his bums.
    Baradoc came back after a while carrying two handfuls of leaves and herbs. With a stone he began to pound some of them into a pulp on a platter and said, “There’s a hen run at the side of the hut. Get some eggs.” He said it without looking at her, pounding away at the leaves. The old man was all his concern. She found four eggs in a bracken nest in a corner of the run and brought them back. She saw that Lerg had returned.
    Baradoc broke the eggs over the pulpy herb mass and stirred them into it to make a paste. When the paste was well mixed he took handfuls of it and spread it over the old man’s chest burns. Although he did it gently the old man twitched and groaned at his touch.
    Over his shoulder Baradoc said, “Find something to cover him.” Except for a rough loin wrapping, the old man had been naked under his rough woollen robe.
    â€œThere’s nothing here. I’ll have to fetch Sunset.”
    â€œThen get her. There’s no danger. They won’t be back to face Lerg.”
    As she left the clearing, Lerg rose and went with her without any sign or word.
    When she came back with Sunset she unloaded the two panniers and freed her short mantle from the saddle rope. In the hut she spread the mantle over the old man, covering him just short of the lowest burn on his chest.
    Baradoc said, “We must take turns to watch him. He’s not in his proper mind and may try to pull the salves away.”
    â€œHow do you know about such things?”
    â€œBy not running away from my master. From his words and from his books. And much from my own kind. Although the old man burns, water will not put out his fire. It is the air which gives us life that feeds a fire. The burns must not be allowed to breathe. Did you not know this?” He looked up at her and then, unexpectedly, smiled.
    â€œThere are many things I don’t know. It seems there is much that is missing in me.”
    Baradoc stood up. “But much that I am grateful for. You can be fearful but not lose your courage. I owe you a life already. And now I owe you my liberty. Those devils would have sold me to slavery.” He reached out, took her hand and held it between the palms of his own, pressing it firmly.
    â€œWhy do you do that?”
    â€œAs a sign. While we stay together nobody can harm you until my own power is broken.” Releasing her hands, he grinned. “You came to me here, and I am free. Because of you, too, the old man lives and will live.”
    Tia shook her head. “I came because the dogs brought me.”
    â€œNo. Without them you would have found a way. There is the mark on you. I know it and the beasts know it. They read your thoughts and know your heart. Before we reach Aquae Sulis I will teach you how to speak to them without words. Already the gift is in you. Now”—he turned to the hut door—“let us get unpacked and settled in. It will be many, many days before