{SEARCH PARTY MEMBER'S POV}
All of us are gathered around Jun, except for General Ito. His focus is on Hikari-sama. She fainted after hearing Ageha exclaim that Jun is alive.

I double-checked. He's unconscious, but is breathing weakly and has a faint pulse.

It's a miracle. He's lying on top of a dead man, who I can only assume absorbed just enough of the impact so that it wasn't fatal for Jun.

General Ito picks up Hikari-sama and carries her over. He looks pissed.

First thing, he hands her off to me as the second strongest knight. It's not often that one hands you a sleeping princess to carry, but she's lightweight for a fourteen year old, so she's easy to hold.

Then he spins on his heel and, to all of our shock, grabs Ageha by her armor chest-plate.

"Why would you say that?!" He growls menacingly.

"What?" Ageha looks scared and confused. I would be too if a seven foot tall man grabbed me.

General Ito points sharply at the girl in my arms. "Look at her. That girl isn't built for war. She's soft, she's kind, she's compassionate, she hates death, she's so damn fragile that she can't even breathe without it causing her problems!"

General Ito snarls the word breathe like it's an expletive, causing all of us to take a step back. Oh man, he's seriously pissed off.

"The princess memorized the names and faces of all the knights, only to have those names and faces keep disappearing." He continues angrily. "It's worn her down every single day. And yet, she's stood tall and composed as our leader. She hardened her heart and straightened her back to march forward and keep protecting those remaining."

I look down at the princess with newfound respect. She's been a source of pride and comfort for the knights, but I never realized how much she was going through. She's one tough cookie.

"Hikari-sama has never dealt with the loss of someone as close to her as Jun." General Ito pulls Ageha closer. "And it nearly broke her just now."

"Shouldn't you be glad that he isn't dead then?!" Ageha squeaks, her tip-toes barely able to touch the ground, let alone find purchase.

"My relief is the only reason you're still conscious!" General Ito roars, shaking her. "Think, Ageha! Look at the state Jun is in! As much as I wish it wasn't true, his chances of survival are slim to none. You shouldn't have announced that he's alive in front of Hikari-sama. You gave the princess false hope! Now, if he dies... if we can't save him... then she'll have to loose him all over again!"

General Ito shoves Ageha away in disgust, kneeling beside Jun. He begins an emergency assessment, checking Jun's ribs, spine, and other bones for damage. He also assesses Jun's skin for wounds which he might be losing too much blood from.

"Spine is safe. That's incredibly lucky. Most of his ribs are broken or bruised. Left arm and leg are also broken. I reckon he landed on that side. Skin is bruised, no lacerations. There's dangerous tissue swelling in his left thigh. I need a clean knife."

"I've got one." I chime in.

Ageha shakily approaches and unsheathes it for me, since my hands are full with the princess. I don't want to jostle Hikari-sama. She hesitantly returns to General Ito, also kneeling beside Jun.

General Ito nods approvingly, instructing her to hold his leg still. "Don't be shy. Hold him steady now. This is gonna hurt, and I can't have the lad jerk around and make all his injuries worse."

Two of the guys brace Jun's upper body. General Ito prepares all the materials he needs from the emergency first aid kit, and then cuts into Jun's thigh. Jun's eyes flutter and he grunts weakly, but everyone keeps him from moving too much.

By cutting the firm tissue sheath beneath the muscle of Jun's thigh open and giving the swelling tissue inside his leg room to escape, General Ito decreased pressure buildup in Jun's leg, which could cause it to stop functioning if left untreated.

General Ito presses a clean bandage onto the bleeding wound, applying pressure and a fresh bandage every time it bleeds through the previous one, until the bleeding is well-controlled.

He looks Ageha dead in the eye. "We're gonna get this lad back to his momma, and you're gonna make damn sure that he's alive when we get there."

She swallows hard. "Understood."

"Let's move." General Ito orders. He takes Hikari-sama from me, so I can help transfer Jun onto a tarp and carefully carry him to the medicine tent.

Ageha keeps a watchful eye on Jun, making sure we don't hurt him worse. She also makes everyone gets out of the way so we don't have to stop or worry about bumping into rowdy citizens celebrating.

General Ito is already there when we arrive, talking to Lord and Lady Kirigawa. Telling them about their son, I suppose. They're both crying. Hikari-sama is sleeping peacefully on a cot nearby.

When we enter, every staff member descends upon us like moths to an open flame.

The lord and lady of Tai gently transfer their son to the central table, where surgery is performed. Lord Kirigawa strokes his face while Lady Kirigawa checks his pulse and breathing.

Still present, but very weak.

According to the staff, Jun needs to be opened up and assessed for internal bleeding or damage and have the bleeders cauterized. Lady Kirigawa is the only surgeon. The rest are just pharmacists or hired helpers. She's the only one qualified to do it.

The helpers begin the process of sterilizing the equipment and cleansing Jun's skin, while Lady Kirigawa leaves to get dressed in her surgery gown.

Lord Kirigawa sits at the head of the table, refusing to leave. No one pushes the subject.

"We're ready to begin." A helper announces.

We all look around. It feels like everyone in Tai is in the tent, except for the surgeon who needs to be. Where in the world is Lady Kirigawa?