I huff a breath out, half in humor at the title he insists on using, and half in exasperation. “Honestly, I’ve had worse.”
“Not something a mender likes to hear, I don’t think,” Hojat mutters before he walks over, eyes scanning me as he steps in close. Fortunately, his gaze is clinical, nothing leering or intimidating about it. “How did you get this?” he asks, motioning to my cheek.
My eyes flick away. “I was struck.”
“Hmm. And any pain when you speak or chew?”
“No.”
“Good.” Brown eyes move down to my swollen lip, though I can feel that the split is scabbed over.
“And this here, any aching or loose teeth?”
“Thankfully, no.”
“Good, good, good,” he says. “Any other injuries?”
I fidget on my feet. “I fell and landed on a rock. I think it pierced me on my shoulder, but I can’t see it to know for sure.”
He hums in his throat and moves to my side, but I hesitate. “Umm, only look. Don’t touch it.”
He pauses, but nods and stays where he is. Keeping one eye on him, I pull the collar of my chemise down to expose the back of my shoulder. He leans in close but, thankfully, doesn’t try to touch. “Yes, there’s a small wound here. Let me get something for it.”
He goes over to his satchel and digs around, pulling out some kind of tincture. I watch, standing awkwardly as he tips the glass vial over onto the corner of a cloth, grabs another vial, and then walks back over.
Hojat reaches up to put the cloth against my skin, but I instinctively jerk back. He stops with wide eyes. “Sorry, my lady. I forgot.”
I clear my throat. “It’s fine. I’ll do it.”
He passes it over, and I take the cloth, pressing the damp material against the wound. It stings instantly, and Hojat tips his head at my hiss. “It hurts a bit, but it’ll get it clean.”
“Thanks for the warning,” I say dryly.
I finish dabbing it, and with a nod from Hojat, I hand the cloth back to him. “Let it dry a bit before you cover it again,” he instructs.
“Okay.”
Hojat turns to put the cloth away, but he accidentally steps on my ribbons. I suck in a breath as he unintentionally pulls them taut, sore lengths crushed under his heel.
At the grimace on my face, he immediately jumps back. “Oh, apologies, lady, I—” Eyes dropping, he notices what he stepped on, and his words cut off. “What... What’s this?”
I grab my ribbons and push them behind me. “They’re just the ties to my chemise.”
His expression tells me that he doesn’t believe me at all, and honestly, he shouldn’t, because they’re obviously too thick and long.
A shift of his eyes has me stiffening, as he no doubt notices that the ribbons are poking out from beneath my chemise, not over. I quickly wrap the fur around my body to cover my back, but I know it’s too late.
“Is that all?” I ask, hoping that I can get him to leave.
Hojat clears his throat and jerks his eyes away. “Ah, no. The commander mentioned an injury on your ribs.”
I shake my head. “It’s fine, they’re—”
“I’m afraid I must insist. Commander’s orders.”
I clench my teeth. “And I’m afraid I must insist. I said it’s fine, and it’s my body.”
In order to see my ribs, I’d have to lift up my chemise way higher than I’m comfortable doing, or I’d have to take it off completely, and I’d be even more vulnerable than I am now. He’d be able to see my body and my ribbons, and that’s not something I’m willing to allow, mender or not.