Chapter 6-6

Garkhen froze. “No, sir,” he murmured. 

“Why did you do so without my orders?”

“Sir, he was dying.”

Lt. Ailill spoke more quietly now, “And do you think I didn't know that when I examined him?”

“No, sir.”

“So why do you think I didn't heal him myself?”

Garkhen was silent for a moment. “I do not know, sir,” he answered finally.

“Do you know what time it is, Private?”

Garkhen glanced at the nearby window. “Just after midday, sir.”

“Which means that we have several hours left in the day. Several hours in which many more men will be injured, many of whom will require divine healing to survive the night. There are five of us here, and then the healers in the main room, most of whom are already exhausted. We do not have the resources to save everyone. The energy you just spent in healing that soldier could likely have saved two less sorely-injured men, and if I were incorrect about the paucity of our resources, he would live until this evening when I would have order him saved.”

The elf gave Garkhen a hard stare. “Do you understand now, Private? Will you await my orders in the future?”

Garkhen bowed his head slightly. “Yes, sir.”

“Good. Now go bandage that patient. If we can stem his blood flow, he will live without magical aid.”

The room slowly filled with wounded and dying soldiers as the day wore on, until no more empty beds remained. Soon enough rough arrangements were being made on the floor for more injured men, and Garkhen gathered from what he could hear from the main room that the same was being done there. He and the other Company healers worked quietly but intently, doing all they could to save as many as they could. 

Lt. Ailill did not order Garkhen to use a spell-prayer until late in the evening, but when he did, it was not for one but several soldiers. The half-dragon Warder went from one bed to another, calling upon Bahamut to mend the men's wounds. By the time he was done, he felt exhausted from channeling his god's power through himself. Looking about on the other healers, he could see they felt the same.

The sun had been down for some time when they finally retired for the night, two other healers coming in to relieve them. As they headed for their beds, Lt. Ailill spoke once more.

“It will only be worse tomorrow, Private. Get all the rest you can.”

****

See, Lt. Ailill's not a total jerk. He has reasons for some of the things he does. Though he probably could have brought this up before...