The Night Watch | The Nocturnal Chronicles {Book One}

Chapter 23 - The Struggle

"There is always a struggle in surviving. Always a struggle in winning. Always a struggle in everything we do. We must overcome the struggle to move forward."

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The Blood.
It was flowing from her stomach without end. Edwin cradled her unconscious body in his arms. She looked so lifeless. He pressed his hand on her stomach, but he knew there was no way she would survive unless he managed to get her to Leno. Leno would know how to help her. He would save her her. Edwin just needed to get her to him.

So, Edwin picked Erudessa up into his arms and made his way out of the cottage. He was starting to feel dizzy. Gwaine had managed to get the upper hand at one point and gave him as nasty cut on his forehead. Blood trickled down the side of his from the cut. He also had a cut across his arm which was bleeding more seriously. But none of that matter as much as Erudessa. She would die if she wasn't cared for.

He limped along, going as fast as he could. A trail of blood followed in his wake. It was a mix of his blood and Erudessa's blood. Her dress was a darker red than intended now as her blood stained it. Edwin wished he had a way to stop the bleeding until he got her to Leno, but all he could do was carry her. He only had two arms.

The city lamps came into view and Edwin struggled to remember where Leno's house was. The streets where empty as everyone was at home sleeping or celebrating in the castle. Edwin found it hard to think of that. People celebrating while so much was wrong in his own life. He shook the thoughts away, focusing solely on where he was meant to go.

He found Leno's house and knocked on the door with his foot. A few moments later, Leno opened it. His eyes grew wide at the sight before him. "Come in."

Edwin carried Erudessa where Leno led him and placed her on the bed Megara had been laying in just the day before. Leno was already prepared. He cut away the fabric of Erudessa's dress around her stomach. There was a large gash around her stomach. Edwin paced back and forth despite the increasing rate of dizziness he was feeling.

"What happened to the two of you?" Leno asked as he pressed a cloth down on the wound to slow the flow of blood.

Edwin rubbed his head, stopping beside the bed. "There was a guy in our house when we got back from the wedding. He had a knife and was threatening Erudessa saying that she needed to help him get his life back or he'd kill me. Erudessa agreed to do it, but the man wasn't okay with it for some reason. So, he tried to kill me anyways. Erudessa stopped him and then, everything got out of hand."

"How so?" Leno asked, glancing over at him.

"I managed to get the knife away from him, but he also had a sword. As he tried to strike me with it, Erudessa pushed me out of the way and that happened. He also said that Head Councilman Gregor sent him," Edwin explained and started pacing again. "Is she going to be okay?"

"I'll do my best, but I think you should go out into the waiting room. Try and get some rest until I can take care of your wounds," Leno instructed.

Edwin nodded, glancing at Erudessa. "Okay... okay."

Edwin walked out of the room, rubbing his hands together nervously. He slowly made his way into the waiting room. He rubbed his face as he sat down on the couch. If had he'd been tried alright, he would have been awake worrying, but exhaustion quickly pulled him into sleep.

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Pain. She could feel pain. It course through her entire body and woke her from a sleep she didn't want to leave. She kept her eyes closed in the hope that she could fall back asleep, but then she would never wake again. What had happened the moment before she fell asleep hit her like a brick. Her eyes shot open but quickly close as she adjusted to a blinding light. It was the light of a lantern above her. She felt fear. Fear of where she was. Fear of where Edwin was.