3 - Ambushed - Fav Photos 2023

New Beginnings, Chapter 3

A Bad Feeling

Back home after the party, Naomi tried to get back to working on her baby clothes...

But she had a very bad feeling...

...and try as she might...

..she couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible was about to happen.

Miho felt it too, but didn't want to upset Naomi...

"How are you doing?"

"I have this awful feeling....that something is going to happen to Baron..."

Miho tried to comfort her daughter-in-law....

"He's been out on the annual Winter Patrol many times, and nothing has ever happened before.."

But in her heart she feared Naomi had good reason to be worried.

Can't Sleep

It was getting late, and time for bed..

Unfortunately the bad feelings hadn't gone away. But, she knew that she should try and get some rest....

...so she went to bed...

But sleep would not come...

..as she lay tossing and turning....

...alone in their big empty bed.

Ambushed!

The attack came out of nowhere! Baron, Rex, and Fenwick had just left a small village, and were headed through a wooded area, when they were ambushed by a group of mercenaries. Baron bore the brunt of their attack, and as suddenly as they had appeared they were gone, leaving Baron lying mortally wounded, bleeding in the snow...

Rex held his friend as he started to lose consciousness...

"He looks really bad."

He's going to bleed out right here in the snow if we don't get him some help...fast..."

"You stay here with him..."

"...and I'll go for help."

"Make it fast..."

"I don't think he has a lot of time..."

Baron tried to speak...

"If... I don't make it....."

"Don't talk like that..... You're going to be okay."

"If....I don't make it....promise..."

"....promise me....that you'll look.........look after Naomi.....and the baby...."

Baron started to drift into unconsciousness....

"You have to stay awake! Look at me! Help is coming! You have to stay with me!"

"Tell.....Naomi...."

"No......you can tell her yourself...."

"Tell.....Naomi....I love her...."

Surgery

Help arrived quickly, and they rushed Baron to the village Doctor, who just happened to be a very skilled surgeon.

The Doctor removed all the arrows, cleaned and closed the wounds.

"There. I've done all that I can."

"Now it's up to him."

Baron started to come to...

"Take it easy, son...."

"You've just been through an awful lot."

"In fact you are lucky to be alive."

Prognosis

The Doctor had done all that he could...

"So, what are his chances?"

"It's hard to say. His injuries are very severe, and he's lost a lot of blood."

"He was lucky the arrows didn't hit any of his vital organs."

"But he also sustained some wounds to his head, and he has a concussion, and a broken arm."

"But he's young, and healthy, so now we just wait and see.....and hope that infection doesn't set in."

Rex went to sit beside his friend...

"I need you to fight this....to fight this, and get better....."

"Naomi needs you....and your baby needs you. So I need you to fight this."

Bad News

Monica was with Lawrence in his office...

...when Narin came in. "Excuse me for interrupting, Your Majesty..."

"Winston is here, and he says it's urgent that he see you right away."

"What is it Winston?"

"I have an urgent letter for you Sire."

"It's from Rex."

Lawrence opened the letter and started to read...."Rex writes that there's a group of mercenaries who have been terrorizing the countryside in the far north. They've been pillaging and burning...."

"...and....they have attacked the Winter Patrol, leaving Baron critically injured.....and fighting for his life. Oh no! This is terrible!"

He turned to Winston, "Did you have a chance to see Baron when Rex gave you this letter?"

"How bad is he?"

But Winston couldn't hold it together any longer, and broke down..."He looks terrible!

"I don't want him to die!"

Monica went to comfort Winston, as Lawrence read the letter again. He could barely believe it...

Baron had been his best friend ever since they were both little, and he couldn't wrap his head around the thought of losing him.

"Winston..."

"...maybe you can do something for me?"

"Would you be willing to fly up north every day to check on Baron..."

"...and then report back to us on how he is doing?"

"I...could.... do that."

Lawrence had been in shock at the news, and the seriousness of the situation was finally starting to sink in.
"This is all my fault. I should never have sent him."