D' Arc || The King

Chapter XVI

The sound of groaning men and the screams of the dying rang in Isabel's ears as she ran through the rows of the injured. "Cecily, I need more clean water!" She called to the little black-haired girl who nodded and dashed off towards the river.

"Isabel, we need you over here," a woman named Margaret called and Isabel glanced down at the man whose injuries she had been cleaning. He was going to bleed out if she didn't stay by his side, but the other man needed an amputation and another had a crushed arm.

Cursing silently, she quickly pulled off her hood and wrapped it hastily around his injuries before running to Margaret's side. "Hold him down, his leg needs to go," Margaret commanded and Isabel nodded, pressing her hands against the man's shoulders as the older woman began to saw away.

The man thankfully passed out from the pain and Isabel took a moment to wipe the sweat off of her brow. Isabel, along with all the other healers had been running around nonstop for the past three hours as wave after wave of injured men came crashing in. They had already run out of clean linen and herbs were running out as was space to put the bodies.

There was the sound of a scream and the healers all looked up. "Cecily!" Jeanne shrieked and another woman held back the girl from charging towards her sister. The little black-haired girl stubbled into the medical area and Isabel gripped Margaret's arm. "We need to get out of here," Isabel hissed as the sobbing girl ran into Jeanne's arms.

"We shouldn't leave the wounded!" Protested Margaret and Isabel glared at her. "This isn't time to be heroic, there won't be time to heal these men if you're dead! Now move, take the others, and split up. You'll be harder to catch," commanded Isabel before she let go of the woman's arm and ran off.

By the time she reached the line of tents, she could hear the sound of horse hooves. She ducked behind a cart as four riders thundered past her. Damn it, what are they doing here? There's a battle going on and they're running in the wrong direction! thought Isabel furiously as she ran between the rows of tents.

She watched them and realized that they were heading towards the abbey. Her heart plummeted at the thought of them finding Arthur. Her son was too young to even talk and too weak to defend himself. Her feet were moving before Isabel's brain had thought up a plan. Isabel knew the layout of the camp better than them, so she was in front of them in no time.

Isabel grabbed a pot and threw it at the first rider. It hit his leg and he whipped around and found Isabel standing there, a furious look on her face as she gasped for breath. He looked at the other three who were with him and said something to them before one of them drew their swords. Oh how nice, all this attention for little ol' me? Isabel grumbled internally before doing the smart thing and running away.

Weaving through the English camp, Isabe had the disadvantage of not having four legs and a sword. Now that she had their attention, what was she supposed to do again? She skidded to a stop before diving into a tent and looking around. There was a walking stick sitting in the corner and Isabel grabbed it before she stuck her head out the front of the tent and swung it.

The stick collided with the horse's throat and she winced as it staggered backward. Isabel picked up an iron pan and threw it at the second man, hitting him square in the face and he promptly collapsed. She yelped and dropped to the ground when one of the men swung his sword at her head. A tremble of fear ripped through her and she scrambled away from him as quickly as she could before she threw the walking stick at him. It hit him in the chest and bounced off harmlessly, but it was enough to stun him for a moment.

She ran over to the fallen man's body and pried the sword from his hand. It was lighter than she expected, perhaps only five to seven pounds. Isabel turned and stabbed the horse's hind leg. The animal reared in pain and his rider came tumbling off, his leg getting tangled in the stirrup. Reaching up, Isabel hit the horse's side and it dashed off, dragging its rider through the dirt.