They ended up leaving Tanning and Wayland in charge of the camp, but it still took two more weeks before Chenzhou and Mingzhe were comfortable enough to leave, and Eirian was physically capable of making the journey.
She wasn't really healed enough, but she was far enough along to take pain and sleep potions strong enough to keep her out for the entire journey.
They returned to the Camelia with minimal fanfare. They arrived late at night, or very, very early in the morning, and Chenzhou sent word ahead not to wake anyone. He was determined that Eirian was going straight to the healer's care, and she was equally determined to return to her own bed, with both of them alongside.
Mingzhe had been staying carefully neutral, except to assure both of them he would stay with them after checking in with his family.
Since Eirian ended up sleeping for the entirety of the trip, she woke up in the hospital a few hours after they arrived, and she only had the energy to glare weakly when she realized where she was.
Chenzhou and Mingzhe had the grace to look apologetic as Healer Akari entered.
Chenzhou's face immediately turned to stone when he saw who it was, and Mingzhe and Eirian glanced between them warily, her anger temporarily forgotten.
"I see you're awake." Akari ignored the two men and focused on Eirian.
"Obviously," she croaked, throat sore from sleep and annoyed at everything.
"You'll need to stop with the potions for several days. Clearly, whoever gave them to you needs remedial training. You should never have been given so many." Akari sounded like her father whenever he'd lectured her as a child.
Eirian rolled her eyes. "We knew that. It was just for the journey back." The Crimson Army healer who'd given her the potions had stayed with her for the entire trip, along with Vitali, watching to ensure there was no adverse reaction.
And Eirian herself was hardly a fool, even when she was in extreme pain. She'd seen far too many addict-riddled people in the capital to ever allow herself to become one of those pockmarked twitchy things. She would never let something else control her that way, not after working so hard in this world to keep her freedom.
Akari didn't seem to hear her, or he just didn't care enough to listen. He nodded along as he wrote on the charting scroll on the small table at the end of her bed.
Eirian shared a frustrated look with Mingzhe, while Chenzhou sat silently, furious.
"I want to return to my apartments." Eirian decided, glaring at Chenzhou for sticking her here. He had the decency to flinch.
"That would not be wise." Akari frowned.
"I don't care." Eirian snapped. "I can rest better in my own bed."
"Unsupervised?"
"We can stay with her," Chenzhou offered. His only intention in bringing Eirian here was to ensure she would heal well by making sure the army healers hadn't missed anything. He had no intention of forcing her to stay any longer than absolutely necessary.
But Akari scoffed. "Hardly appropriate. You have no training. Eirian was a little amazed at his gall. "Family is not preferable either. To concerned with your comfort and happiness."
"Are those not required in healing?" Eirian snorted. Why had Yuze ever married this man?
"They are inconsequential in the face of proper medication, nutrition, and care. All of which can be unpleasant at times, but are required nonetheless. If you wish to return to what you were before." He paused, casting a critical eye over her. "Or as close as possible."
The only thing stopping Eirian from levitating right out of the bed and beating him senseless was the fact that she was in so much pain she actually couldn't, no matter how much she wanted to.
It must have shown on her face because Mingzhe clamped a hand onto Chenhzou's shoulder to keep him in place and stood. "What about Lord Rong? He was brought back over a week ago, and we have yet to receive an update."
Akari blithely moved onto the new subject as Eirian simmered in her rage. "Yuze has not yet woken, though his physical injuries have been healing nicely." Something that might have been care flashed across his face, but it was gone too quickly to be sure. "Whatever he suffered was significant. His mind needs time to heal, same as his body."
Which wasn't unheard of, though Chenzhou's shoulders slumped at the news.
"Where is he?" Mingzhe demanded. "We would like to visit him."
Akari frowned, clearly disliking the idea.
"Or perhaps he and Lady Ye could be moved to the same room," Mingzhe suggested, latching onto the idea.
Akari's lip curled, clearly unhappy with it, but struggling to come up with a reason to say no.
"I will pay for a private room for the two of them to share," Chenzhou announced. Typically, soldiers of the Camelia didn't have to pay for treatment, especially for wounds sustained in service, but more comfortable rooms could be purchased by those who wanted to spend the money. There weren't many, but the hospital maintained a few, since the noble families liked to pay the healer's extra to come treat them for anything too embarrassing for their reputation at home. "It's a perfect solution." Chenzhou continued. "It will give Lady Ye and Lord Rong the privacy and comfort they need to heal properly, and will allow us to visit them at the same time. Plus, when he wakes up, it will comfort him to have Eirian close." Chenzhou smiled triumphantly, pleased to make Eirian happy, take care of Yuze, and get one over on Akari all at once.
In her bed, Eirian rolled her eyes but didn't disagree. It wasn't a terrible idea, and she did want to check on Yuze.
~ tbc