Page 81 of The Knucker King

Avice tossed the rag over her shoulder and fiddled with the tie of her breast band. Releasing herself, she wiped away the remaining grime. She touched her pendant, unable to restrain her grin at the thought of the King on his knees before her.

I know. It is not… completely intolerable, that you two have a fondness for one another.

That was as good as an approval she would ever get from her familiar.

Ashling chimed in agreement.

Avice chuckled. She stepped over to her coffer, pulled out a fresh chemise and stockings, and dressed herself. The heat from Trewoofe’s touch and tongue had chased the cold away from her bones, and she hummed contently as she reached for her jar of moisturising lard to apply to her chapped scars. She rubbed it in, before finally releasing her hair from its braided bun. Just as she reached for her comb, a crack shook the ground beneath her. In shock, she steadied herself against the wall.

“Trewoofe!”

Had the ward collapsed? Was he under a mountain of snow?

Avice dashed to the door and threw it open. Blind with worry, she stepped out and slammed into him with a teeth-rattling thump.

“Ooof.”

She patted his torso, checking him for injuries.

“Lord, are you well? What happened? I heard—”

“I knocked over a tree,” he blurted. “Accidentally.”

She frowned up at him. “How did you—”

“I also broke another stitch.” He tapped his lower belly. “That is three now.”

Avice rolled her eyes and pointed to the pallet. “Go and sit, I will check your wounds.”

He scanned her. “You have washed and changed.”

“Yes.” She gestured again. “Pallet.”

A line appeared between his eyebrows. “I would like you to rest and eat before you do anything else.”

She dug in her heels. “I cannot do that until I know your wounds are fine.”

They were at an impasse.

Avice stared Trewoofe down until he finally glanced away and slunk over to the pallet. She noticed how he hunched himself over so he could move through the room. The cottage was far too small for him, and Avice knew he would not be comfortable in her home for the long term.

The thought of him leaving made her chest hurt, and to help ease the melancholy that threatened to bubble over, she grabbed her medical satchel and busied herself with the task at hand.

Obediently, Trewoofe sat on the bedding. Ashling floated up from the flames and hovered by his chest. At the same time, Bramble ambled over to the Well King’s side of the pallet, offering his head for a pat.

Avice smiled at the trio. She made her way over and gestured for Trewoofe to hold his arms up so she could pull his shirt off. She now understood why he had cut the neck of his tunic wide, so it would just about squeeze over his horns. She flapped the garment and folded it neatly to the side.

“Very well made,” she complimented as she began to unwind the bandages from his middle and arms.

“Thank you,” he rumbled, his lips plucked upwards.

“I brought more cloth. I may have to put you to work,” Avice teased.

His face brightened. “I would love to! Perhaps I could make you something? Knucker’s like to give gifts to their…” He trailed off, and Avice arched an eyebrow at him. “Knuckers like to give gifts,” he stated.

She nodded and unwound the final wrap. The crystals dropped to the bedding with soft thumps, each singing after they fell. She rolled up a blanket and helped him lay down on his back. She tucked it beneath the arch of his neck to ease the awkward angle caused by his horns.

Avice was pleasantly surprised as she knelt beside him. Except for the three sutures that had snapped towards the bottom of a wound, he was healing magnificently. She fiddled with the broken threads, tugging them free of the wound and tossing them aside. Small drops of silver blood oozed sluggishly from the miniscule holes, and she pressed them with the edge of a bandage until they stopped.