The Queen & The Mountain Man

He'd chuckle, shaking his head a bit after watching her reactions and taking another sip of his coffee. "Oh, is that right? Well, there don't happen to be any servants around here. Maybe, if you ask realllyyy nicely.. just maybe.. I'll bandage you up."

With a sneer fading from her expression, her eyes looking back to the medical supplies and then back to him. Her side really hurt.. Hell, she was scared to even know the extend of the damage.. afraid that if she found out it was much deeper than she expected, that tonight may be her final night.. She had made it this far through perseverance. It was time to face her fear. Closing her eyes and gulping hard, she made up her mind. Once again, she held back her pride and forced out her request.. "Could you.. please.. provide me with medical aide... sir?"

His smugness only elevated upon hearing her inquiry, that slight curl in his lips only raising higher. Putting down the mug on the table, he stood and grabbed a stool he had near by. He would even drag the table over to a preferred place for easy reach as he sat the stool next to her. While standing right next to her, as she sat there, he towered over her and it was now apparent just how much larger he was than her in close proximity. Plus, he grabbed a metal bucket that had been sitting next to the fire pit and had water it in and placed it in front of him and then a couple rags near by within reach as well. She was like a housecat next to a large breed of dog. As he sat next to her, her eyes became more of fear and anxiety than her once strong composure as before.

But his eyes were softer now, as he looked her in the eyes and smiled warmly. "Just relax. I am going to clean and sanitize the wound first, which will hurt." Even his voice had become softer, still deeper in tone but less growly and standoffish than before. This would surprise her, not expecting this sudden.. shift in his demeanor. His large hand first gripped her wrist gently, lifting her arm all the way up to rest upon his should as he leaned in close enough for her to do so. Giving him full access to her side without obstruction. Then, he began reaching for tools on the table and cutting away at her dress, causing her to suddenly inhaling and tensing up, pulling her arms back to cover herself. "H-hey!"

"Listen, princess. I cannot clean the wound with your torn up, dirty, bloody dress in the way. So you can either take off the dress completely, which I doubt you'll do. Or you can let me cut a piece away to access the area. Don't flatter yourself, either. I have fucked far more attractive women than you, in my day." The annoyance dripped from his voice as he just held the tools in both hands, eyes full of impatience.

She would just look at him for a long moment just flabbergasted. He.. was.. the worst man to be alive. He should have been hung long ago for some crime he's committed. Like... insulting royalty! To their faces, no less! Huffing forcefully, turning her red angry face away, and extending her arm back out to rest on his shoulder reluctantly. "...we will see what kind of reward you're given once all this is said and done."

To which, he ignored her, simply going back to begin cutting away at the dress and being careful not to cut her as he did so, while she trembled as he exposed more and more of her naked side. Within a couple of minutes, he'd cut off large circular sections of layers from the dress and tossed it into the fire. He had cut dangerously close enough to exposing a bit of her chest but he hadn't gone so far, perhaps not being a pervert she expected while he had had the opportunity. Moments later, she could hear the sounds of cloth being soaked in water and ringed out. Wincing, she felt the warm damp cloth wiping gently away at her side and across the wound, bringing about a loud whimper from her as she reeled a bit in the pain.

He stopped for a moment, giving her a second before going back to slowly dabbing and wiping the area clean. She kept looking back to the wound and then away, obviously overcome with fear for how badly it really was. But as the man examined further, while rinsing the cloth to continue cleaning, he would slowly begin to smile. "Well, princess-"

"Oh will you stop calling me princess~!" She'd suddenly spit out and then reel in pain again, the wound even bleeding a bit as she did. She would groan softly as she sat back in the chair and resisted the urge to touch her side.

"Will you quiet down and quit being so dramatic. You've upset your wound enough, as it is. Assss I was saying, princess-" He'd stop and smirk at her for a moment before continuing "-Looks like you're gonna make it. It's not deep, but it is long and the wound is beginning to fester as well but nothing that I ain't prepared for." He'd soak the cloth further and then squeeze out a large amount of water along her wound before dabbing and wiping further, the water being hotter without giving it a moment to cool.

She ignored him now, listening to his diagnosis of the injury. A great relief washed over her as she relaxed the most in the chair than she had since arriving, even he felt her arm relax completely on his shoulder. Sighing to herself, she'd even smile slightly and look to him. She had no reason to doubt the man's abilities and knowledge, he was a game hunter, he had likely survived out in the wilds most of his life. Hell, she barely even heard his insubordinate words after hearing the good news.

Reaching for a couple of the wax paper fold ups and beginning to dab his fingers and then apply them to ointments to the wound. He gave her no warning that it was going to hurt as she sharply inhaled and tensed again, grabbing his shoulder and neck area tightly and squeezing, biting her lip but holding in a scream that she muffled. He held back a smirk of his own, continuing to apply the sterilizing paste in and around the wound. "Now, it appears your wound is in need of stitching. So.." He reached for a cabinet, opening a bottom door and pulling out a green bottle wrapped in a thin rope netting. Popping the cork with a thumb, he'd extend the bottle to her. "I suggest you drink a few good gulps before we begin. It ain't the best tasting shit but it'll get the job done."

Slowly pulling her arm from over his shoulder and gently so not to 'upset' her wound, she hesitantly took the bottle, eyeing him as brought the mouth of the bottle just under her nose and took a whiff. She winced hard and coughed, pulling her body away from the smell. "Oh goddess! That's the most vile stench.."

"Bwahaha! Yeah, it's got quite a kick. But the taste is better than the smell... Now, remember, the more you drink, the less you feel." He smirked as he assembled the required tools necessary for stitching her up on the medical roll out kit.

She would give him a skeptical glare as she then took a swig, quickly, and oh how she nearly hurled the second the liquid touched the back of her throat. Forcing herself to gulp it down, she let out a loud gasp for air and disgusted sound as she reached for the coffee mug that had been next to her the whole time, quickly gulping down a bit of the cooled liquid and then coughing. "Oh my goddesses! Tha-ugh!" she nearly hurled again, covering her mouth and coughing while resisting the purging of her stomach. "-That... is hor-hor-" She gagged for a moment before recovering and completing her sentence. "-Horrid..." as she was hunched over, trying not to touch her now slighting bleeding side from the movement and coughing.

He only watched for a moment, smirking through his amusement at the scene before him. She was most definitely royalty, he thought, this poor woman couldn't even handle a common liquor. Shaking his head with a smile, he'd then nod to the drink in her hands. "Not enough. Drink more."

Her eyes widened as she glanced to him, half hunched over, still holding the bottle in her hands. "Are you disturbed?! You're feeding me poison-" suddenly, he grabbed the bottle from her with one hand and took a couple of gulps before placing the bottle back into her lap, with his cheeks puffed out full of liquor and exhaling slowly, before winking and smirking proudly as he gulped down the mouthful.

Her words, having been cut off so rudely, as she sat there... unsure of how to react. He.. was such an asshole.. Narrowing her eyes, she quickly took another swig of the bottle with both hands and then placed it onto the table with a slam. But this time, she gulped down the large amount of vile liquid with more stride in herself, resisting the urge to gasp or shudder too much in the aftershock of taking the drink. Once through the initial struggle, she straightened her back, met him in the eyes with a sneer and with a hoarse voice that she was struggling to maintain as she lifted her arm back over his shoulder to rest upon it so he could work. "Come then, do what I have asked of you."

Now he was the one to be surprised, crooking an eye brow and evening leaning back a bit to check her out fully. This little princess did have some gawl, after all. Taking it all in for a moment, he would then gather the needle and string from his kit and begin setting up. Her wound had bleed a little, so he quickly cleaned it off a bit and began the work. It took a few minutes but she remained surprisingly quiet and still during the whole procedure, despite making small little winces and whines occasionally. Within a few minutes, he'd had her patched up and wound closed. Too which, he'd begin wrapping a primitive gauss around her waist, even reaching through the once tight dress and around, making her jump a bit as he got dangerously close to... sensitive locations, but never took the opportunity. She'd turn her head away, hiding the flush in her cheeks.

"My name is Travis Lowry." He would say, upon completion of the task and slowly sitting back in the chair.

Once the ordeal was over, she was finely able to relax and sit back comfortably into her chair as well. But she was wincing as she did, the stitches being fresh and her wound feeling very tender. But she was able to relax finely and take a deep breath and slowly exhale. But it had taken it's toll on her. She was exhausted psychically, mentally, and emotionally and it had all just caught up with her thanks to the alcohol. This was the first time she could truly let go of her tense muscles, always alert, and relax completely. But she was able to force a smile and nod. "Thank you, Travis Lowry. I will not forget your kindness.."

Travis smirked a bit as he looked her over. It was rather astonishing that this woman, a spoiled rich noble, was able to survive for as long as she has. He was no fool, he had gathered enough details of the situation to believe that this woman had nearly been assassinated. Her will to live is pretty strong. He admired that trait in her. Standing up slowly and then walking through the single room cabin to a bed that had already been made and began pulling back the sheets and quilt to reveal a couple of pillows. Additionally, he pulled out a bed pan from below the bed and then walked over to the fire where he acquired a few coals and placed them into the pan to eventually slide back under the bed. Then he walked past Milo and reached down and gave him a gentle pat before going back to sit at the chair.

"You're exhausted, 'Queenie'. Go rest in the bed, you've earned that much, at least. Just don't go bleeding on my sheets, they're expensive."

Her eyes watched his movements and then hearing his words, she'd lightly chuckle. She was beginning to learn this jerk's ways. Seems he did kind actions but his words were bitter, he lived alone in the wilderness and seemed to keep a distance from his own kind. But other details hinted to him being an ex soldier. But perhaps not from her kingdom, which might explain the lack of respect for her authority or maybe he really was just a total asshole.

She'd let out a light whimper as she struggled to stand, her muscles so relaxed and her wound now sheering pain through her as she moved. Her arms trembling as she pushed up from the arms of the chair, her legs weak as she attempted to plant them properly. But then she let out a louder whimper as she struggled far more than she has before. Suddenly, one large arm slipped behind her and pressed to her back just under her arms and then another swooped at her knees and caused her to literally get scooped up into his arms effortlessly as he stood straight up and looked down at her. She gasped a bit but was unable to do anything else but get taken up without a fuss but she did glare at him.

"I-I could have done it on my own, thank you very much..." She'd say as she turned her head away, looking away from him, secretly hiding a blush.

"Ya-huh." Was all he said as he slowly walked towards the bed and gently placed her into it. For as big and gruff as he was, he could be very gentle. The bed was already getting warmer from the several warm coals underneath. He even pulled the blankets and quilt over her before stepping back. "Is there anything else you need? Want some water?"

After feeling the warmth and coziness of the bed, she was being overtaken by comfort once again. It was as if the bed brought sense of security to her that she had not known since before her journey to leave the palace. It was completely and utterly intoxicating to her.. but then she heard his voice and shook her head lightly. "..No, thank you.." But her eyes were already closed by this point and her voice was that of a fading echo. She was out like a light a moment later.

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