<b>As chaos erupted around them, Allassiel placed herself between Pegawen and the attacking orcs, swinging her sword even as Thorgan cleaved a path through them. She could hear her cousin chanting in the background, knowing she was doing everything in her power to keep them safe. But even Pegawen couldn't focus on all of Thorgan's men and several of them fell to the orcs before they managed to turn them away temporarily. <br/>
<br/>
At Thorgan's command to recall, Allassiel swung her steed around and raced with him towards the gates where the dwarves had positioned themselves to defend the fortress. As soon as they'd passed beyond the gates into safety, Pegawen was down from her horse, running to where the first injured soldiers were being staged. <br/>
<br/>
Allassiel shook her head and turned back to watch Flagdon with his kinsmen, a brief smile playing on her face before she peered over her shoulder. “How long will we be able to hold here?” she asked Thorgan. </b><br/><br/><b>Battle was never easy for anyone. For the healer, that was often doubly so. Not only tasked with their own protection, the healer had to deal with the aftermath, the care of those injured, some grievously so. And, more often that they wished, they were left to sit with a soldier and convince them everything would be alright. <br/>
<br/>
Such lies were the hardest for Pegawen. As she went from man to man, checking them, she came across a soldier working feverishly to stem the flow of blood from another laying on the ground, that appeared barely out of his teens. She crouched next to him to see what she could do, but one look told her that this young man's battling days were behind him. Working diligently, she stopped the bleeding, using the magic she knew to close his wound as best she could. <br/>
</b><br/>“<b>Will he live?” The soldier asked her.</b><br/><br/>“<b>He will,” she replied, sitting back. “However it will be doubtful that he ever walk again. Someone will have to care for him.”</b><br/><br/>“<b>I can do that,” the soldier responded, his voice raspy as he turned to the now sleeping young man. “He's my brother. I didn't want him to join, demanded he stay behind … but I never could get him to listen.” As he spoke, he brushed his eyes and reached down to take the young man's hand. “But he'll live, and I thank you for that much.”</b><br/><br/><b>Pegawen gave the soldier's shoulder a squeeze, before standing and returning to her duties. The injuries had be low, considering the vicious battle just a short time ago. Exhausted from the days of riding and from tending the wounded, she stumbled, barely catching herself before she fell, and looked around for Lotharn. </b>