The Lieutenant's Woes

I could hear Matilda’s voice echoing through the walls, along with the sounds of the city guards arresting people. Soon I heard the room door burst open, in came Matilda running with tears and snot dribbling down her face. As expected, she tripped on herself, when she lifted her face there was a newly added lump to her head. That didn’t stop her though, she saw me pinned to the wall and immediately barrage me with questions.

“Lieutenant, are you okay? Are you hurt? Who did this to you? Are you cold? Do you need warmth? You need warmth don’t you!?!”

Matilda started to pull up her shirt, but before it could make it past her belly button-

“Wait, wait, I said wait dammit! I’m fine!”

“Oh, why didn’t you say so? Also, are you sure? Your nose is gushing right now.”

Crap she noticed my nosebleed, damn you hormones! After clearing the air, Matilda grabbed the ice that pinned me to the wall.

“What are you doing? Are you trying to catch frostbite?”

“How dare someone pin my superior to a wall, not to mention bring harm to a lady!”

Matilda snapped the pillar in two, and threw it at the wall. The hole she made in the wall made me shudder, how strong is this girl? Matilda dusted her hands, then turned to me and hugged me. She held me so tight I felt my broken ribs pop.

“Please stop, my ribs are-”

“No, this is punishment for worrying me. I thought you’d be killed! Lieu-No, Kesandra you dummy!”

I paused and thought about it. In return for that slap from earlier, I get a warm hug. I really am the worst superior ever, I started to drift off as Matilda bear hugged me.

“...Eh, oh no, Kesandra wake up!”

She began to violently shake me awake, and afterwards she explained what happened from her side of things.

****

It was only until she exited the room.

“Waaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!”

I started crying profusely, dammit I messed up and now the lieutenant hates me. I can’t just leave her like this, there’s got to be something I can do. I decided to run to the city garrison for help.

“Pwease delp phe(Please help me)!”

“...Please slow down girl, you’re not making sense.”

I showed them my knight badge, and the faces of the city guards became stiff. I may be a pledge, but I’m still a kingdom ordained knight. That grants me the ability to mobilize troops as I see fit. With the city garrison at my back, we rushed to help the lieutenant. I thought of all the places she could be heading to, I didn’t know who her target was afterall. That’s when fate sent me a bone.

“Hey did you see that?”

“Yeah, the minister was drunk off his arse. He marched right into that shabby brothel too.”

A minister? Heading to a brothel? We went to the building in question and heard a struggle from outside. We already knew what came next.

****

“You pieced all that together with no information?”

“Yep, I hope this doesn’t upset you in any way.”

Upset, you ran in to save my life and even administered first aid to me. I looked at the splint around my torso and the sling my right arm was in. Matilda, you saved my life, I swear when we get back I’m gonna-

Before I could finish my thoughts, there was an explosion from outside. I began hearing voices, the voices of those goons.

“Hurry up dimwit, the boss wants this place burned down!”

“I’m on it!”

Crap, they're trying to destroy us and any evidence with it. I gestured towards the table at the center of the room, Matilda ran over and grabbed the documents that were there. As she did, flames erupted from the wall. We tried to run through the corridor, but I tripped. As I fell, the pain of my wounds started ringing. I knew right there I wouldn’t be able to stand back up.

“Kesandra-”

“Leave me Matilda, you need to run!”

This is what I get for digging too deep, I should’ve listened to Matilda. Now look at me, I can’t even stand. Matilda, you need to run with the evidence, otherwise this would all be for nothing. Please Matilda, you’ve got to-

“I’m not gonna leave you!”

As she said that, the ceiling above me cracked. I closed my eyes and awaited my fate, but it never came. I heard the ceiling fall, so why am I-

“A-are you okay, Kesandra please respond to…”

My eyes shot open, the documents were at the end of the corridor and strewn around at that. They were clearly thrown, and as for the person who threw them.

“Matilda, what are you doing!”

Matilda was standing above me, holding the ceiling up. She looked like she was struggling, I yelled at her to stop but she returned my words with a smile.

“Kinda too late for that, if I drop this stone we’ll both be crushed.”

“Matida…*Sniff* Then why, why the hell would you do this!”

“To save you dummy…”

A piece of the ceiling stone broke off and cracked Matilda in the head, she began bleeding from a head wound and could barely see past the blood. Despite that she stood strong and held the ceiling pieces up.

“Please Kesandra, you need to go…”

“Matilda, I can’t my wounds-”

“I said go!”

I pushed myself and started moving, as for Matilda, she began trembling under the weight of the ceiling. Despite that, she held it up for me and protected me from harm. I wasn’t gonna leave her, I fought my pain and stood back up.

“Matilda, don’t worry I’m-”

A dreadful sound echoed behind me, I turned to see Matilda laying there. Her eyes closed, blood pouring from her head wound and with rubble crushing her back. Blood started seeping through her clothing, my body filled with dread. I grabbed a discarded support pillar and tried to pry the collapsed stone off of her.Her eyes were twitching, she’s still alive!

“Gods, Matilda, stay with me. Matilda please-”

Her skin began to pale, I frantically beat at the stone until blisters formed on my hands. Matilda heard my efforts, and sheepishly opened her mouth.

“Kesandra…”

“Don’t talk, I’m gonna get you out. Don’t you dare die on me!”

“...I’m so happy I could save you. Sorry I was usele-”

“*Sniff* Shut Up! Not one more word, I still need to take you on a date. I was gonna make it up to you for mistreating you, I was supposed to be the one who was crushed right now. *Sniff sob* I swear if you die I’m gonna-”

I looked down at her, and the color drained out my face. Matilda laid there, and she was smiling. I screamed, tears ran down my face as I fought to break those damned rocks. The pillar I used broke, so I punched it with my hands. My fingers cracked, but I kept going. Images of earlier flooded my mind, and then I saw an image of Matilda waving goodbye at me. Soon the door leading to the club crashed off its hinges.

“Sir, we- What are all these papers?”

“Dame knight, did you find your- Gods, what happened!?!”

They looked at the scene before me, but I didn’t care. With tears falling from my eyes, I begged them for help.

“Please…Please save her. I’ll give you my life, just please…”

****

It’s been two weeks since the incident, they managed to pry the ceiling pieces off of her. However, Matilda’s heart stopped and she needed a lot of blood. They were able to restart her heart, but she needed a lot of blood. I happily gave mine, the guard corps asked why I didn’t order them to give theirs. I answered that taking care of their juniors was the superior’s job. As a result of the blood transfusion, my body has changed. The physician told me I shouldn’t be a knight anymore, that’s how much blood I needed to give to save her. I laughed him off and told him to mind his business, but after that I asked how she was doing. Matilda was in a coma, the doctor told me I could see her. When I walked in, my heart nearly broke. Matilda laid there, her skin slightly pale and her body seeming malnourished. Such a sweet young lady, and because of my ignorance…

“Matilda, my sweet sweet junior. What have I done to you…”

I walked to her bedside and fell to my knees, I couldn’t take it anymore. I broke out into a guttural wail as I saw her condition. Matilda, please wake up…

…I’m so sorry. Please come back…