He had to be Strong
Carrying the young soldiers body caused the Legionary to wince from the pain of his stab wound, as he made his way from his horse Drummer, to near the lake away from everyone else stationed at Quel’Danil Lodge. Stopping between the lake and a small building, he glanced over his shoulder and noticed Hollins was still with him.
“What do ya want?”
His voice was colder than he expected as he spoke to the Aspirant, bending to place the body on the floor, gently as he removed his blue cloak from over the young man, according to his dog tags, his name was Samuel Vimes from the 4th Regiment of Foot and he was only just eighteen.
Hollins said something about wanting to report into the Commander and the Legionaries mind reeled, did he seriously think that all of the scout team reporting in was more important that burying a Soldier of the Alliance?! He rose to his full height as he dropped his bag down next to the soldier. Hollins even offered to help, scowling the Legionary responded, coldly.
“You report in, let the Commander know what I am doing… he will understand.”
Watching Hollins leave, Raiyen let out a shuddering sigh, his hand moving to his stab wound again as he cursed softly pressing on the wound, knowing his blood was soaking into the bandage he had hastily wrapped around it earlier. Unstrapping his shovel from his burgen, Raiyen began to dig, as he did so his thoughts flicked through what had occurred, trying to make sense of it all.
Recon, that was what they had been sent to do, Raiyen had found a camp, it seemed to be old, unused… the smell… he scowled a little pausing in the digging taking a moment for himself before resuming. “Shoulda known better…” he muttered to himself, the wound on his lower stomach a lovely reminder that he had acted without knowing how sick the Forsaken truly were.
The smell that came from one of the tents in the camp, still lingered on his clothes, he had thought the body was just a victim, truly dead, it had a sack over it’s head for goodness sake… but it had moved, it had lashed out, stabbing Raiyen, had Crowton not been there… He paused again, wiping dirt across his now sweat covered brow as he checked the depth of the grave, not deep enough. Not yet.
That was how this body now lay next to this grave, they had pressed on and Crowton had found the body before anyone else, to protect the scout team he led, he had stabbed it before the body could stab him, a decision that had to be made. How was he to know… he didn’t… he couldn’t have known that that particular body was an Alliance Soldier, disguised as a forsaken body. Raiyen had checked the body… he had to check…
He felt a tear run down his cheek and wipes more mud across his face to rid himself of it. He had a job to do, he could think about it more later. For now, Samuel deserved a burial. He yanked his shoulderguards, gloves and the hood and mask that hung around his neck off completely, growing more warm as he continued to dig. He checked the depth again, making sure he could get out of the hole before nodding, it was around 5’6” deep, if not slightly deeper.
Clambering out of the hole, Raiyen carefully picked up Samuel, sliding into the grave again, he placed him in, resting his hands across his chest and placing a silver coin on each eye, he hooked Samuel’s dog tags around his own neck, they clinked against his own. He would take them home, to the poor boys family. They deserved at least that. Faltering for just a moment, Raiyen draped the body in his cloak, he had one spare, he could leave this one with him.
Back out of the grave, Raiyen stood there for a moment, zoned out, thinking of his younger brothers, how would he feel if this had been them? What would happen if it had been one of the Legion? His friends? His brothers and sisters in arms… His stomach twisted and he felt instantly worse, fear settled into him and then sorrow before he crouched next to the grave, slowly and carefully allowing the first of the dirt to cover Samuel.
When the grave was covered again, he rested his hands on the top layer of dirt, pain seared through his lower stomach but he couldn’t stop there, he couldn’t leave this grave unmarked. Moving back to camp he asked Croft for a piece of the wood she had cut down, when pointed in the correct direction he moved to take a piece, settling down away from everyone else so they would not notice his pain from the wound and the sorrow for the boy he had buried.
Slowly and carefully, he carved the Alliance Lion into the wood, when he had finished he added his name and age to the lower half. Taking Kel’shara back to the grave site with him, he placed it at the head of the grave and felt himself letting go, he had to stop himself as he smeared more mud across his face where his tears ran freely down his face. He had to be strong. He had to make sure that this boy’s family got their closure.