New short story - The Hospitalarian's Destiny

 

The Hospitalarian’s Destiny

Following his habits, Jeggard spent the evening hours writing in his diary. Its pages not only contained his memories but also different statistics from over the years. His calculations showed that six out of ten wounded patients that arrived in his hospital did not leave it alive. The last individual to be a part of those numbers was a man brought to him some weeks prior. It was Jeggard who closed the patient’s eyes after a long struggle and covered him with a blanket to watch how somebody took him away. The healer sighed, after which he resumed his writing while talking to himself. — Name unknown. Vocal cords damaged. Irreversible injuries in vital organs. Did not respond to known healing methods. Number eight hundred and sixty. — That very same number specified how many people died in his hospital located in Gate to Paradise, where Jeggard tried to access the resources of the clan Ragen at the beginning. His arrival in town caught the attention of an anonymous benefactor after which he received regular gold shipments without the necessity of parleys with the Ragens. The only condition put out by his unknown helper was to send him victims of the monster of Kai, which Jeggard accepted without hesitation. As a matter of fact the healer lost his family to an attack headed by the «the most infamous human in History». As it was written in his memories, Jeggard started to take healing lessons just because of that. Thanks to those shipments he could buy an abandoned warehouse near the port and transform it into a hospital. It was not long before he received the visits of people willing to help, some of those with talents matching his very own. After that townspeople started to call them «the Hospitalarian Order». Even if Jeggard joked about «this name meaning nothing to him» he ended up accepting it. Someone went as far as creating an emblem for the Hospitalarians, which helped the order to get known in places far away like High Point. A page in his journal showed the symbol drawn by a young man who was waiting for a ship in order to leave Gate to Paradise.

The only person which remained close to the healer was his personal helper. It was this very female who showed the exit to the last patient saved by Jeggard. The man in question thanked them up to twenty times, repeating that «he would never forget the Hospitalarians». The young woman did not have knowledge in healing, but in helping with papers and administering the gold that came to Jeggard within the years. In her hands she had a letter which she was set to send to the anonymous benefactor following Jeggard’s orders. The healer wrote that «he did not need more money» and that «he would close the hospital». The young female pushed away some of her red hair which she chose to leave loose. This supposed a big difference compared to other female Hospitalarians in contact with the patients who had to wear theirs tied up as requested by Jeggard. After blinking for a couple of seconds the helper looked at her boss, who she was watching with her blue eyes. — You really want to break up the Hospitalarians? I know that the monster of Kai has disappeared for some months, but I can still shred this letter. I know for a fact that everybody would return if…

Jeggard shook his head as his answer after which his helper shut her lips. The healer looked at the tools used by the Hospitalarians, some of them recently. — Watch that bowl over there. — Seconds after requesting this the woman took a look at the mentioned receptacle. Both could see a pair of scissors in sanitized liquid as well as a bandage which ending was almost touching the ground near it. Jeggard took it away from the last person whose life he saved. After that he just left it there without disposing of it nor coiling it again. — Do you know how many times I washed my hands today? — Since he did not receive an answer to his words, the healer left his feather in its ink. It was not long before Jeggard responded to his own question while he looked on his hands with tears in his eyes. — Thirty. Thirty times and they are still red. They always are…

Those words were not much more than whispers, after which the young female noted her cheekbones getting humid. Since she had been in charge of the correspondence of the Hospitalarians, she knew that the Ragens asked Jeggard to visit them at their fortress. They were yet to receive an answer to the invitations signed by Allistair, even after the redheaded woman asked Jeggard to write one. It was also her that suggested to «not turn down such a proposal». — What will you do about the Ragens? They want to know you and they will probably ask you to stay in Gate to Paradise as a healer. They will surely take it as an insult that you are not willing to meet them…

Seconds after blowing on the last written page in his diary the healer closed the journal. The white wall in front of him still showed red spots, stains which he remembered of one moment in particular. I could have painted this, but it wouldn’t have mattered anyway. That very day someone brought in an injured man, who Jeggard was forced to treat in his private room since there were no beds available. Occurrences like that were very common in the years he healed in his hospital. — I do not care about the clan Ragen or what they want from me. They could have met me here anytime if they were that interested. I just want to rest…

Those words were followed by a tear moving down the woman’s right cheek. The young helper started to sob, while Jeggard remained in the same position. It was not long before the female got up from her chair in order to hug the healer from behind. She felt a kiss on her left hand right after that as well as the founder of the Hospitalarians resting his head on her forearm. — I am sorry, Jeggo. Please forgive me… — The helper noted how Jeggard closed his eyes while she caressed his right ear. The tickles made the healer smile, a gesture replicated by the woman known as «Hannah». — I understand that you want to retire, Jeggo, but I always wanted to ask you something. You do not have to answer me if you do not want to… — After watching the healer moving his head in agreement, she asked in whispers directed only to her lover. — Do you hate the monster of Kai?

Jeggard swallowed spittle and soon after that he sighed. He remembered well how many patients of his wished the man known as the most infamous human in History the worst. Some of them went as far as hoping for him to «see his own children die before his very eyes». Jeggard opened his mouth for a second, but closed it immediately after that. Only after a minute he found the strength to answer his lover. — I just want to leave. I… I am so happy that you are willing to stay by my side after everything that happened here.

With a smile illuminating her face Hannah kissed her man on his black hair. After starting her romance with him, she witnessed plenty of women approaching Jeggard, who rejected them all after stating «he did not want anyone else». — I already told you that I will be at your side for thick and thin. We came through some very bad times together, so now let us life the good ones. I will go with you wherever it is you want to be. — Those turned out to be Jeggard’s last hours in Gate to Paradise. The clan Ragen would send a patrol to check on him only to find the hospital empty. No one in Gate to Paradise would discover where Jeggard left to or who smuggled him out of town.