The Kingdom’s infirmary smells of antiseptic and damp earth. Seth sits on the edge of a cot, the silence of the room broken only by the rhythmic dripping of a leak somewhere in the rafters. His bandaged stump throbs in time with his heartbeat. He stares at the wall, his hand resting on the cold steel of the sheriff revolver Miller left behind.
Miller
He’s pushing himself too hard. The infection risk is high, but if I tell him to stay put, he’ll just end up trying to crawl to the walls on his own.
Seth
Every second I spend sitting here is a second Negan uses to sharpen his blade. If I stay in this bed, I’m just waiting to be slaughtered like the others.
The heavy iron door creaks open. Miller enters, his boots heavy against the concrete. He carries a leather satchel and a roll of fresh bandages, his expression tight with unspoken warnings. He stops, seeing Seth already standing by the window, peering out at the courtyard toward the shipping terminal.
Miller
Seth, you need to sit down before you pass out. The King isn't expecting you to be combat-ready for another two days, let alone ready for a trek to the terminal.
Seth
Miller — The terminal is where we hold the line. I’m done hiding in this room. We move at dawn, with or without the King's blessing.
“Then Sarah walks In asking about what happened to Abraham as I look down and miller explains”
SUCCESS (Good Diplomacy, rolled +0)
The infirmary door pushes open again. Sarah enters, her eyes darting between Miller’s stern face and the grim set of Seth’s jaw. She stops cold, her gaze falling to the blood-stained gauze where Seth’s hand used to be.
Sarah
Where is Abraham? He was supposed to be back with the supplies. What happened out there?
Seth
I can’t hide the truth. If she wants the reality of this war, she deserves to hear it from me, not whispers in the hall.
Miller
Sarah, stay back. We’re in the middle of a tactical briefing.
Miller
I shouldn't have let her in here. She’s going to break when she hears the details, and we need every soldier composed for the march.
Seth
Sarah, Abraham didn't make it back. The Saviors caught him near the sector line. He fought, but they... they made an example of him.
Seth keeps his gaze locked on the window, his voice steady despite the phantom pain radiating from his missing limb. The room falls deathly silent.
“Seth knows he lied for her mental state and mentality moving forth but it's a white lie he just want to protect her he tells himself she wouldn't wanna know what really happened to him”
FAILURE (Good Diplomacy, rolled -2)
Sarah
That is a lie. You were there, Seth. I saw the way you looked when you came in. Do not insult me with a sanitized version of his death.
Seth
She’s too sharp for this. My attempt to shield her has only made her suspicious, and now she’s looking for the rot I was trying to keep buried.
Miller
Sarah, enough. He’s wounded and he’s grieving. Walk away before you regret what you hear.
Sarah
I am not walking away until I know if he was left for dead or if he suffered!
Sarah steps forward, her hand slamming against the medical tray. The metal clatters violently, sending a sterile tray and a jar of gauze tumbling toward the floor. The impact draws a grimace from Seth, his stump throbbing in rhythm with his rising frustration. He tries to stand, but his balance falters, and he hits the edge of the cot hard, the sudden movement causing his stitches to pull.
“Seth knows he lied for her mental state and mentality moving forth but it's a white lie he just want to protect her he tells himself she wouldn't wanna know what really happened to him”
FAILURE (Good Diplomacy, rolled -1)
Seth
Sarah, listen. Sometimes the truth is a luxury we cannot afford. I did what I had to do so you wouldn't have to carry that image with you.
Sarah
He thinks he is shielding me. He treats me like glass while he bleeds out in front of me.
Sarah
You didn't protect me, Seth. You just made me wonder if you’re hiding the truth because you were too afraid to fight back.
Seth tries to mask his wince, but his jaw clenches tight as the pain from his shoulder surges. He lunges to grab Sarah’s arm to steady her, but his hand slips on the slick floor where the jar shattered. He collapses back onto the cot, his weight uneven, causing the heavy wooden frame to groan and tilt sharply against the floorboards.
Seth
My balance is trash. I can’t even stand to deliver a simple lie without falling apart.
Miller
That’s enough! Both of you! Do you want to bring the rot right to our doorstep?
“Seth knows he lied for her mental state and mentality moving forth but it's a white lie he just want to protect her he tells himself she wouldn't wanna know what really happened to him”
FAILURE (Good Diplomacy, rolled -1)
Seth
You think I’m afraid? Sarah, the Saviors don’t play by rules. If you knew the details of his end, it would break you. I’m the one who has to be the monster so you don't have to be.
Sarah
He sounds just like them. Cold, detached, and utterly convinced his way is the only way to survive.
Sarah
You’re not shielding me, Seth. You’re just becoming what you claim to hate.
The air in the room turns frigid. Seth’s attempt to reach out for her only draws attention to his missing hand and his lack of coordination. As he collapses, his torso slams into the cot frame, sending the rickety wood buckling under his weight. He hits the floor hard, his head whipping back against the iron leg of the bed with a sickening thud. The room spins, and for a moment, the only sound is the ragged hitch of his breath and the settling dust from the fallen medical supplies.
Seth
Dammit. I’m bleeding out on the floor like a wounded animal. I look pathetic.
“Seth knows he lied for her mental state and mentality moving forth but it's a white lie he just want to protect her he tells himself she wouldn't wanna know what really happened to him”
FAILURE (Good Willpower, rolled -1)
Miller
Stop! Both of you, enough! Seth, you’re in no shape for this. You’re going to kill yourself before the Saviors even get a chance to finish the job.
Seth
My vision is tunneling. Miller is hovering, his shadow blocking out the lantern light. If I don't stand up, I'm just a cripple waiting for an executioner. I need to get to that terminal. I have to.
Sarah
You think I’m fragile, Seth? I watched them take him. I don’t need your lies. I need you to stop acting like you’re the only one who lost someone today!
Seth tries to push off the floor, but his missing hand makes his balance useless. His fingers scrape against the shards of glass scattered near the cot, slicing his palm. He heaves, but his weight shifts wrong, and he slams back down, his shoulder colliding with a supply crate. It tips, sending bandages and antiseptic bottles cascading across the room like confetti.
“Seth knows he lied for her mental state and mentality moving forth but it's a white lie he just want to protect her he tells himself she wouldn't wanna know what really happened to him”
SUCCESS (Good Willpower, rolled +2)
Seth
I have to keep her focused, not broken. She can't know the specifics of how he died. If she knew... she'd give up. I'll carry the weight of that truth alone.
Seth
Sarah, look at me. It wasn't clean. It wasn't easy. But you being here, screaming in this infirmary, helps no one. I didn't tell you the details because I need you ready to fight, not mourning the dead while the living are still in danger.
Miller
That's enough! Both of you, look at the mess you've made. We’re bleeding out our supplies and our sanity. Sarah, get out. Seth, stay down or I will pin you to that cot myself.
Seth
My head is spinning, but Miller is right. The floor is covered in medical waste and my own blood from this hand, but I can see the flicker of hesitation in her eyes. I’ve reached her, even