Scars worth Bearing (2)

--Gatix--

She can't stay here, and you can't stay there...

It took four hours to answer all of Boss' questions, but those words kept mulling in my head. What did I expect? I knew I wouldn't be in that world forever. All my previous relocations were temporary, so why did this one bother me? Did I subconsciously hope for a longer time? In a world that has only insulted and damaged me since I arrived?

And yet, I can't state that I've had a bad time.

Get in, get the trisortium, and come home.

I shook my head to blow through the whirlwind of thoughts, knowing I wouldn't get an answer in the immediate future. The current moment called for something else. A delicate touch, support, and possibly a touch of humor. A moment that started with a beep of a scanner.

The quicker, the better.

The door opened, but I remained in the doorway, committing the scene to memory. “You took your time to show up.” Ms. Queen beamed a smile in my direction. It was quite the difference. She was bleeding to death the last time I saw her, but right now her horned visage was staring back from a hospital bed. The redness of her diamond-patterned skin shone through the white linen covering her.

“Gatix? Are you okay?”

“Yeah. Sorry, took a nap.” The door closed as I took a seat next. Her eyes followed my every step. “How are you feeling?”

“I'll heal, but it will take some time. Your doctors have re-stitched me, and I'm applying some of my own magics as well. I'll be all right.”

“I'll be sure to thank them.”

“I would like to do so myself, but they flinch whenever I try to speak to them.”

That brought forth a grin. “Forgive them. They're not used to dealing with royalty.”

“Right, that's the intimidating bit.”

“At least you didn't throw some fireballs. Right?”

“I was tempted when one started to prod my horns. Those are sensitive, in case you're wondering, but I'm doubtful whether I could have. There is significantly less magic in this world. I didn't feel any until they rolled in that container over there.” She gestured towards a gray drum featuring a familiar fellow and black icon.

“Yet you're healing yourself?”

“Healing might be the incorrect term. It would be more accurate to say I'm numbing the pain. Your healers may have saved my life, but the procedure was not painless.”

“With a wound as big as yours, I can't blame them. I'm told your anatomy is rather different than ours. Everything they did was based on guesswork and Nev's assistance.”

“I did find it odd that your colleagues understood me from the start. I'll be sure to thank your spirit guide.”

“You are welcome, Ms. Queen,” Nev spoke from my visor. “I am glad you are on the road to recovery.”

“Oh, he's here? Hold on...” She narrowed her eyes. “Why are you still wearing your armor? Are we not back in your world?”

“That barrel, for starters.”

“Ah, now I know why all the mages who visited me wore strange clothing.”

“Other than that, the teleport to my world was not as smooth as I hoped. The process damaged something in my head. I'm told it would be difficult to walk without it.”

“Oh... oh no...”

“Relax, Ms. Queen. I will recover with time.” A lot of time...

“Does teleporting always hurt you?”

“No, only the trip here.”

“But that's happened thrice already.”

I could only shrug in return. “A knight with undamaged armor has not had his metal tested.”

“But a knight with a damaged head is sent to the tannery or tells folk tales in the tavern.” I heard something scratch against metal before a new-found pressure formed over my hand. “You need to take better care of yourself, Gatix.”

“It's not like I'm-”

“Gatix. Promise me.”

It'd been a while since I've seen such persistence in her eyes. “I'll do my best, Ms. Queen.”

“Gatix...”

Get the trisortium, and come home.

“Sorry, Ms. Queen. I can't give you more than that.”

“Fine.” She smiled, still not letting go of my hand. “That will have to do, for now.”

***

“So that's how it is.” I stopped my hand before it reached the scanner.

“Sorry, Boss?” Dax inquired next to me. “Are we not going in?”

“No.” I let my hand drop, taking one last look before turning away and signaling for Dax to follow me. For once, I was glad I was wearing my armor. “We have something else to do. Come.”