Aleksandra worried that her efforts were all pointless. Maleki was injured, somewhat gravely, and it did not seem as if he had any ability to extend her any amount of kindness. Yes, maybe she bared some guilt that he was not toward the front of the caravan, but there was nothing to be done about that now.  All she could do was the job she was intended for here...she could try and heal him.<br/><br/>"Get the man's body off the wagon, we'll need to get this guard to the front of the caravan." Aleksandra said, not giving Maleki a retort. "Also, send for two of the front guards to switch positions.  Wrap the bodies of the dead.  I need to speak with Barnstorm."  The others that had come with her began to follow her orders easily.  Barnstorm had others who led under him, but Aleksandra seemed to have a sway beyond what most healers would.  Maleki hated her, he had his reasons, but most others were not in the same boat.<br/><br/>"Keep pressure on the wounds, I won't be able to properly dress them until we've got time to stop somewhere safe."<br/><br/>She walked away as the others helped Maleki into the wagon, they would bring him up and it was unlikely they would suffer another hit in the meantime.  Aleksandra got back on her horse and road to the front until she found Barnstorm, who seemed ready for the news.<br/><br/>"We're going to need to stop in Antra, you need more guards and another driver and one guard was gravely injured. It will be easier to treat his wounds in the safety of a tent near a city."  She reported.  Aleksandra was not sure if she would have asked for a full stop if had been another guard, but still, they needed more bodies to protect the caravan.  Another hit, more deaths, they could be in big trouble.<br/><br/>"Which one was injured?" Barnstorm asked.<br/><br/>Aleksandra sighed and it communicated all it needed to.<br/><br/>"Fine.  Antra is a good trading post anyway, and much of the people with us are weary.  We need the morale boost."  Barnstorm nodded.<br/><br/><hr class="bbc-hr"/><br/>There was a mesa just outside of Antra that overlooked the city. It was accessible by a land pathway and that was where the caravan stopped and set up their tents.  Barnstorm had offered Aleksandra and Storka one of his larger tents, though the older woman just grumbled that she would rather sleep in one of the wagons.  Aleksandra agreed and had Maleki brought to the tent once it was set up.  There was not much furniture inside, but there was a cot for him to lay on.<br/><br/>She was presented with a choice here.  Aleksandra knew how to provide basic healing, she could dress his wounds but they would take weeks to fully heal...Or she could use the skills Storka had taught her and expedite the process. The issue was, she did not know if she could trust Maleki and many in these lands still had a negative attitude towards magic users.  Still, she felt like she owed him more than just stitches and bandages.<br/><br/>"Do you remember the rumors about my mother when we were children?"  She asked.  Most people knew them, though her father had tried his damnedest to stamp them out.  "Some said she was a sorceress, that she ensorcelled my father and made him love her.  He could have had any princess in the neighboring kingdoms and he chose a common girl instead.  Most of the nobility were unsure how to process that..."<br/><br/>It was a soft probe, to see if he remembered.  If he did, maybe it would lessen his shock that she processed abilities as a healer beyond most normal folk.