Okay, I'm going to try really hard to start posting, b/c I'm working on Chapter 19 right now and I'm just now posting 8....
Let me know if you guys have any suggestions on anything. :)
Chapter 8
Outside Kit and Aaron followed the doctor to the hospital. The building itself was no different than any of the other buildings. But once inside beds were placed anywhere they could. Beds were also made on the floor, making a very narrow path between beds for nurses. Every single bed and pallet was filled with a fevered body, most with a red rash on their chest. Women ran around with bowls of water and towels to bathe the fevered heads.
Kit and Aaron wasted no time in helping. They asked for no permission to attend to anyone. Starting with the most advanced cases, they worked without a word.
Kit was running for more water when her cloak was pulled on. She immediately stopped and looked to fin a young boy, not more than eight, holding onto her.
“Can you help me? I’m cold,” the little boy said.
Kit looked at him with great sorrow. She knelt down and stroked his fevered forehead, brushing his tangled hair away.
“Yes, of course,” she said with emotion.
He released her and she rushed on to grab blankets along with water.
She quickly returned to the boy and covered him with a blanket. She also gave him the special powder. He started to shiver, so she again knelt beside him on the floor and stroked his head.
“What’s your name?” she asked, trying to distract him for a while.
“My name is Jacob. What is your name?” he asked curiously.
“My name’s Kathryn, but everyone calls me Kit.”
“I like the name Kit,” he said, smiling.
“Where are your parents?”
His face fell and Kit regretted asking.
“Maw died yesterday and Paw left with Michael,” Jacob said this as tears came to his eyes.
Kit hugged the thin form closely to her bosom, tears coming to her own eyes. She hugged him for a while longer before kissing him on the head and telling him to get some rest.
It was the end of the day and Kit had witnessed ten deaths, she could vividly remember each and every one. Tears clouding her vision, Kit made her way to the front of the hospital. She encountered Aaron on the way out, he tried intercepting her, but she budged by.
At the door, Kit felt as if she didn’t let the tears fall she would burst. She leaned over hospital railing and covered her face to try and hold them back.
This is the state Aaron found her in. He was a bit uncomfortable and didn’t know what to do. But he put his arm on her shoulder kindly. Kit turned to him with tears in her eyes and burst out in tears, burying her face in Aaron’s cloak. He understood her feelings…he felt the same way.
Kit started talking into his cloak. Not understanding her, Aaron lifted her chin and looked at her with raised eyebrows. She smiled weakly through her tears and told him about Jacob.
She stopped shedding tears and looked up at the sky.
“It’s time to go,” she murmured.
“Are you alright to go right now?”
She nodded sadly and followed Aaron into the night.
~***~
Kit was not overly excited about going to a city pub. She wondered why they were meeting there of all places.
It wasn’t too far from the hospital and soon enough they could hear the loud shouting of the pub and the bright lights were seen.
The small building was buzzing with activity as they walked in. Kit immediately felt uncomfortable being the only female. She wasn’t too afraid, but all the same stuck close to Aaron.
It took only a second to recognize Lawson in a dark corner with his hood over his head.
It got quiet as Kit and Aaron walked in, they must not have noticed Lawson, who had come in earlier. The people, who had been shouting and yelling, now stood gawking. This, however odd, made Kit feel more confident as they made their way toward Lawson.
They sat down at the beat up little table, gradually the talking of the pub came back.
“Perfect timing,” Lawson said in a quiet tone.
“Why did you want to meet here?” asked confused Kit in the same quiet tone.
“No one will bother us. And if this were a mission concerning enemies, unwelcomed ears wouldn’t be able to hear.”
Kit nodded.
“What’s your idea?” Aaron asked.
“I want to hear yours first. I assume the both of you came up with a plan together?”
“Yes, I thought on it on the way here. But I would like to know what you were doing,” Aaron continued.
“Nate, being one of the top commanders of the country, gets some of the most important new from the king first. Some very important discoveries have recently been found that we were discussing, but that is for when we get back.”
“I assume that’s where you disappear to every now and again?” asked Kit.
“Yes, but that’s enough. We need to take care of the matters that are now pressing.”
“By your lead, Aaron,” Kit said, nodding her head toward him.
He nodded and started on the plan they had composed on the way to the pub:
“Our idea is for Kit to stay here and help, well it was against my better judgment, but Kit insisted she be the one to stay. Anyway, you and I can track Michael as the tracks will be obvious. Honestly I think, and Kit agrees, that some of the men have fallen sick. They have to accept help. I’ve kind of thought on the idea if they don’t accept our help, but really haven’t come up with a good one,” Aaron finished.
“You have something to add to this?” Lawson asked Kit. He noticed her eyes had a rather deep thinking look.
Kit started to speak, but stopped for a moment.
“What if you just watch them? I know that sounds offal plain….” Kit trailed off.
“No, it was precisely what I thought. I don’t like the idea of leaving Kit behind, but she does have a point and she certainly did make it,” Lawson said.
“You can’t actually consider leaving Kit here!” Aaron protested.
Kit snapped her head toward him, eyes flashing.
“Now don’t get worked up!” Aaron said, putting up his hands defensively.
Kit started her tongue, but a sharp look from Lawson held it back.
Just then a few men came tumbling toward them. They had obviously had too much to drink.
“You…Rangers! Wats you talkin bout?” one of them said, his words slurring together.
“Now Jim, you’ve had a bit too much, I think you ought to sit down,” said a sober man who came walking up to the small group.
“I sinks yous right!” said Jim.
But then Jim got worked up again a moment later and cursed very loudly at the Rangers, mostly toward Kit, being a girl.
Kit wasn’t used to this kind of language and it took her aback. However, being a Ranger, she didn’t flinch.
“I’d like to give him a black eye,” Kit said under her breath, trying to resist the urge.
Aaron and Lawson had heard her and both looked at her warningly.
Eventually the same man, who had talked to Jim first, punched him in the nose. Jim fell to the ground with a thud, unconscious, but alive.
The man walked toward the group of Rangers.
“My name be Carl, this is my place. Now I ‘preciate your work, but I have to ‘gree with Jim over thar, that thar female ain’t fit to be a Ranger!” said Carl.
Kit looked away, face pink with rage. Her knuckles were turning white from gripping the tables.
Lawson stood up with a determined, set face.
“I’ll ask you to not demean my young Rangers, despite their gender,” Lawson said.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t like women-folk takin’ to wearin’ trousers. Why, I’d only believe she was a real Ranger if she knocked me out and, at the same time, pinned me to that thar post with an arrow!” he said laughing, however he started to look nervous when he saw Lawson stand up in anger. By now, the uproar had caused the entire pub to watch the commotion.
Lawson raised an eyebrow.
Kit looking at him with pleading eyes.
He sighed and let his eye lids fall slightly, consenting.
Her eyes glistened with fire and she smiled dangerously.
She turned around swiftly, punched Carl in the face, and drew and arrow almost at the same time. She shot the arrow and pinned his shirt to the post he had earlier pointed out. After he fell, she added another punch for offending her.
Kit turned and sat back down gently as if nothing had happened.
“Nobody messes with my pride,” she thought.
Aaron stifled a giggle and Lawson, sitting back down, had touches of a smirk on his lips.
The entire pub fell under a blanket of silence.
Soon enough someone came with a bucket of water and threw it at Carl’s face. Carl awoke, still groggy. It took awhile for someone to pull the arrow free from the post.
Lawson stood up slowly.
“It’s settled then. We’re going with your plan. Kit, you can go to Sir Nathaniel and explain the situation and spend the night wherever you like. Aaron, we leave immediately,” he added.
Aaron and Kit looked at him with disbelief, they couldn’t believe he was going to use their plan, but they consented.
“Kit, if we’re not back by tomorrow night, either something’s happened or most of the men are sick. If that happens, I want you to follow us…alone.”
“Spending the night alone…” Kit thought.
Kit was worried, but showed no signs of it. Aaron was obviously not happy leaving her, but turned and followed Lawson, leaving Kit sitting alone in the pub. | 
