Nothing would of prepared me for the event that took place last night. I think it was safe to say that since the passing of Kamshad, this is the most I’ve felt dread in the longest.
I could be petty, I should be, however now is not the time for words of lecture to cross my parched and fear drawn lips. She was pale, the sun kissed skin of hers was flushed and ready to meet the grave. She was a miracle…praise the Cogs for not claiming her as they should of. She should of known better. A pathetic man with such gal whose mother…’avaz-e zaa’idan ridi…
I didn’t even realize my fist met the wall of Wilde Hospital until I felt the sharpened pain enter my knuckles, and was thankful no one came by. My eyes scanned the door, the woman I loved so much, moments away from me…moments away from eternity as well. I hope I am the luckier one this day.
I must of nodded off, the sound of the tall odd looking man, Dr. Kristos Sonnerstein I believe, and his fur covered nurse, ah…Arnold where before me and I didn’t recall when they arrived. I gave them one I, and they both gave me greetings. “An update on her health” I stated without hesitation. The men exchanged glances before Dr. Sonnerstein spoke clearly.
“She awoke last night for a short time and spoke with Dr. Sonnerstein., but she has been unconscious since,” he spoke. I could only nod in understanding, and shortly rose to my feet.
“I wish to see her.” I do not believe my words where slow, but it caused Arnold to look to Sonnerstein in question.
Dr. Sonnerstein spoke after a noticeable moment, “When she wakes next.”
“She may never wake again…you and I both know that and I do not wish to take good fortune for granted,” my reply was firm, and sharp informing them both this was not open to negotiation.
My point was clear. Dr. Sonnerstein moved towards the emergency quarters and said with a heavy sigh, “As long as you’re quiet, and keep it to ten minutes.”
“Twenty…” I replied.
Dr. Sonnerstein did not budge too much, but gave me “Fifteen” instead.
I nodded and walked towards the bed breathing in slightly in case who I saw, wasn’t who I wished to see. Bianca was silent, and the room equality so save the echoing of her shallow breaths. They were certain her lungs weren’t punctured, but no one in this town is certain of anything if it doesn’t deal with their damned fashions, or alcohol. I scanned her over again before taking a seat in the chair nearby. I…I was worried, and rubbed my hands together as if trying to figure out words to tell her. To encourage her. To bring her back to me.
Her color was back…and from discussion further I learned she actually woke briefly through out the night from the pain settling. More words with the doctor taxed at me until there was a conclusion that we both could agree on. If Bianca survives, whoever had at her, may want another go to finish what they had started. She would need help…and for once, I felt my sense of purpose return but more so, my sense of repentance. I would show her what I wanted to show her all along, but never did it properly. What those who claimed adoration, those that I had to stand by and watch play with the broken marionette of life and shatter her again, and again.
A man is as strong as a mountain against the world…but at the touch of the one he adores, he is nothing but clay in their hands.
It is my turn, to do the holding from here on out.
Last night Maddox had come in screaming for Arnold to prepare a bed and supplies to help a gunshot victim. He’d done his duties dispassionately, cleaning the wounds, applying a touch of morphine, wrapping her in a blanket and assisting with Dr. Sonnerstein’s attempts to save the woman’s life. The waiting room on the other hand had been filled with many concerned individuals, such as Christine Pearse and Maddox who had waited for the results tentatively.
The patient had lost a lot of blood, and with the water from the canals there was always the chance of infection in the wounds and her lungs. Saving her life from blood loss could only be delaying the inevitable. Her breathing was also particularly too shallow.
Arnold hadn’t slept at all that night or into the next afternoon as he sat by her bed on call to make sure that she was watched over, checking her temperature and breathing regularly and looking for signs of infection, and the truth was he had no intention of going back to the asylum last night anyways. He felt more drained doing an hours work in there than he felt pulling an all nighter here. If anything he actually felt healthier for staying here, if still tired in the normal way.
Maddox had slept upstairs, also intent on keeping an eye on the situation, but he’d let her sleep since it had reminded her too much of Metier’s attacks. He had jumped to attention when he heard the crack in the other room, but there was no point to inspecting anything. After the display of emotion he’d seen last night and Miss Pearse’s testimony he was starting to doubt the random rumors he’d heard about Mr. Swift. Not that he’d trust the man with her alone just in case there was some merit to them.
Later when Dr. Sonnerstein came down and entered the waiting room Arnold joined him, and Akidimi awoke. He wanted a status report that Arnold provided, “She awoke last night for a short time and spoke with Dr. Sonnerstein…” Though Arnold had spoken Akidimi had been looking at Sonnerstein as if he was the one who was speaking at the time but it didn’t really matter. He wanted to see her, and Arnold looked to Dr. Sonnerstein to see if he wished to allow it. The doctor told the man to wait till she was awake, which wasn’t good enough for Mr. Swift who demanded to be let in. Arnold still waited for Dr. Sonnerstein’s okay however, but was mores suprised when he was told to come wait by the door to give the man some time alone with her.
Arnold was uneasy with this decision, they could still move quickly from the door but not as quickly as their patient may need. Still rumors were hardly the most reputable source for any information, and Christine had said that Bianca had never told her Mr. Swift was her enemy. That would seem like something she’d mention, like when Maddox and he had told everyone what Metier was there to do.
Soon enough the two went into the other room to talk about personal matters and Arnold returned to his vigilence. He was growing tired however and he hoped someone would come relieve him. Come to think of it he should have asked Dr. Sonnerstein to do so, although he had seemed busy, but for now he had to just hope he didn’t fall asleep…
Erehwon blinked, shook her head and wished fervently for a cup of coffee.
The Caldeon libraries did not permit beverages in the reading rooms, so she faced the stack of engineering texts without fortification.
So far she had found several candidate means of sabotaging the Mondragon generator house, but none that could be completed by a single person.
She sharpened her pencil and continued making notes, requiring the liveried telegraph runner to clear their throat several times to get her attention.
“Miss?” They handed her an envelope. She tipped the runner, then read it.
NEW BABBAGE, WILDE HOSP.
BIANCA GRAVELY WOUNDED. RECOVERY UNCERTAIN. GET HERE SOONEST.
ARNOLD
Erehwon closed her notes, gathered the books to return, and checking her watch, saw she had time to get a cup of coffee and a sandwich before catching the airship for Babbage.
There were questions that she feared that her Sultana knew the answers to, and prayed she’d survive to share.