Good morning one and all and welcome to a very frosty Monday morning. The grass is crispy white. The breath fogs up in the air and in short, it actually feels like December. For some reason that feels a bit like an accomplishment. As much as I would like to linger curled up in the warm blankets it won’t make my to do list any shorter. There are so many things to get done before time can be taken off for the holiday. In addition there is always the end of the year looming. The time between Thanksgiving and New years is always madness. So the coffee is brewing and instead of lingering with the snooze alarm, let’s jump into the week with a bright and shiny new writing prompt. Are you ready? Fabulous. Let’s go.
That was interesting. Not at all where I would have expected it to go. Don’t you just love when your brain surprises you?
Monday, December 13th: It was an odd combination of colors.
It was an odd combination of colors. There was the darker purple and the slight yellowing as it aged. The darker parts were more tender than the yellowed ones, but the yellow ones were still a little on the sore side. I suspected they would be worse before the day was ended.
This wasn’t my first bruise, but it was the largest I sustained in quite some time. I studied it, trying to forget the circumstances of its arrival. Was the darker purple patch getting smaller, the yellow patch enlarging? If so I would be fine. It would remain a discomfort but likely not one that would kill me. It the black was increasing, not going down or if there was any swelling I would need to consult one of the healers.
As that would bring all sorts of questions I was not prepared to answer, it would be best if that could be avoided. I studied the reflection of the bruise in the glass. Yes, the black was receding and the yellow growing. I poked it experimentally. There were no swelling or anything Healer Greggs would call pus filled nodules. I felt I was safe on that account. I took a deep breath, swelling my lungs. I held it, then expelled it in a slow and steady stream. The ribs were sore, but there was no sharp pain warning of broken bones or damaged lungs.
I wasn’t the most comfortable I had ever been, but I felt I was fine. Relieved that no healer would be needed, I lowered the cloth back over my side and tucked in my shirt. I reached for the jerkin and slipped it on, buttoning it over the shirt. The leather was a little stiff from disuse. Perhaps it would provide at least a little support.
Despite my study of my side, I was dressed and ready before many of the others. My promptness in the courtyard, earned me a smile and an extra sausage roll from cook. I ate while I waited for the others to arrive and make themselves ready. I finished my breakfast, wiped off my hands and was sitting in my saddle as the others began their preparations.
A day in the saddle was not likely to make my side feel any better. At the moment I couldn’t imagine many activities that would make it better. But just as I couldn’t afford to go to the healer to make my injury known, I couldn’t exempt myself from duty for fear of that knowledge being spread as well.
‘And at least we are on the more civilized roads today,’ I consoled myself. Today we would be riding out from the capitol city. The roads hereabouts were well maintained and shouldn’t prove too troublesome to me. With luck it would be a long boring day of riding over tolerably smooth roads.
I could use a long boring day.
The fact that the cause of my current pain was staying behind in the capitol, was also pleasant to contemplate. Of course that contemplation led to other thoughts. There was the distinct possibility I would not be returning. While the journey itself was safe, at the other end of the road was an offer of a position. The offer was made three days before the bruises to my body. I was given the length of the road to think about whether I wanted to accept or not. The bruises were unrelated to the offer, but they did lend weight in its favor.
Ten til Midnight 