This was a miserable day for Kirn. He felt badly for Nia as she would be forced to stay her and not with the Prince, who was showing an uncommon kindness and acceptance of her being. That was something she would not- was not- finding among the soldiers and other Priestesses. It had shocked him when he had discovered that she was treated as badly inside the camp as she was outside of it. She had obviously saved many of these men's lives, and it wasn't exactly every day that a Sylph healed you. It meant that any other ailments that they had were going to be cured as well. Elves didn't have overly supernatural physiology, nor did they have superhuman strength. It was astounding the diseases that could run rampant throughout their population, different from Human diseases but no less devastating.
And for those to be helped was no laughing matter, for though Elves could be more resistant, their diseases were, too, and that made them harder to find cures for, and the cures were often more expensive and troublesome than the ones the Humans had. It was something that had often been spoken of in snatches among healers, but no one really said it out loud. After all, humans were humans, and they were... cattle. No real importance other than keeping people fed and clothed.
He slipped out of the tent at the Prince's dismissal. It would be safe for him, indeed, and he had felt the need to go looking for Nia. Certainly she was in some state of shock, or perhaps some odd sort of happiness- elatedness that she had been acknowledged. She would happily live with that sort of thing for the rest of her life, as it was rare enough in the kingdom.
That wasn't the case, though he didn't discover it until he found her. She was not in the Order's tents, and apparently knew a way through camp that involved seeing or being seen by as many people as possible. That wasn't a bad thing in and of itself, but damn... It wasn't easy for him to come to terms with. Kirn rather liked the Priestess. Something about her positing, helpless and powerless, made him think of a child that needed to be protected. With her half-blood, it was likely that in elf years she was still a mere child, though not by the human count. It wasn't exactly something that made it easy to determine her rights, as some that came as adulthood were determined at a certain age. Half-breeds could not really be determined to be adults at any age, as they grew and matured at whatever rate their heritage determined. Those with more elf blood grew more slowly, those with more human blood aged faster, and those of both... those of both could be adults at any time. The officials rarely bothered with it since it was such a pain, and so many just declared their adulthood whenever they looked and their physical appearance could support the claim.
Nia was obviously an adult, though, and one that was in a good deal of trouble if she was going to be dealing with townspeople. After searching the camp that was the only place he could think that she would go to. Certainly, she would not go outside the camp and into the wilderness! There were creatures and even though this was decently inside the borders, there were always the dangers of rogue scouts or troops, and they didn't treat the women with respect. At least, that was what he had heard. It made him shudder to think of some of the stories that had been told about some of the things that had been done.
Any case, he started on the path to the town. It wasn't a far distance, and it was one that was decently populated with some carts carrying things back and forth, and even a few guards and soldiers that had healed up well enough that they decided to visit. There were modest fortifications to the town as well, with a low stone wall keeping out both animals and providing a decent place to hide behind should someone attack. Flying arrows would have a harder time hitting their targets, for sure. Nowadays it was mostly for cows, though, to keep them and the sheep in. And beyond he could see the modest homes that filled the area. It was certainly nice enough, with few places that looked worn-down or from families that were poor. It was a rural place, with woodcutters and hunters, and self-sufficient enough that most would not have to worry about such things. But where in it would Nia run off to? Wouldn't the villagers be as cruel as everyone else?
A call came out from behind him, and he turned to see Nia running from the woods. She was waving a hand that held some plants. Kirn could hardly believe his eyes. She had been to the woods! He stopped until she was close enough to reach, a few more moments because she slowed down on approach. Then his hands went up and started shaking her vigorously. "That place is dangerous! If you needed herbs or medicinal plants, then I should be accompanying you! What is wrong with you?"
Nia was taken aback by his actions, jerking away from him with wide eyes and a scared look on her face. She looked like she was about to be hit, and with that shine to them, Kirn could assume why her reaction had been so violent. He ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm sorry, it's just that it really is dangerous, and I truly don't know why you were possessed to leave like that. I know that the things said by the Prince were wonderful, and I'm sure lifted your spirits a great deal, but still, that is reckless and I don't feel-"
"He said what? Oh, Kirn, I am fine after hearing all that. It was just the thanks of a patient. In the long run, it means nothing. After all, I am just a Priestess, and just a half-breed. Mixed bloods aren't thanked by anyone important." There was an odd, strained smile on her face that confused Kirn almost as much as her words had. Was there a problem in how the Prince had thanked her? Or had her wits been rattled by it and she would realize it later.
It seemed to be neither. There was a sharp jerk of her head, a twist of her face to the side, and Kirn could see blood welling from a cut on her forehead. The stone that caused it fell to the ground in front of him. He was speechless for a moment, but after that moment was moving. His hand lifted to her face as he turned his, looking for the perpetrator. He soon found the person he sought, a little human boy that was glaring resentfully from where there was a bend in the fence. "Hey! You! Come here and explain yourself!" His words were sharp and harsh, and his hands almost twitched on her skin as he brought her closer so he could see the wound.
"Son wanna, don haveta!" the boy shouted back at him. There were some giggles from the same area, and a few heads popped up from behind the curve. "She's a halfie! She's a dirty blood, gettin' higher than her station! That's what me momma said!" He turned and ran, the others following him, almost unable to because they were laughing too hard at Nia's misfortune.
"Damn brat." He moved so that his shadow wasn't in the way of his sight. "This doesn't look too bad. Stop twisting. You'll hurt yourself if you try to get away like that, you know."
Her little struggles to get away weren't that bad, honestly, but he had no desire to let go. If she were closer to him, then she would be a little more protected. As protected as she would have been if he had been with her in the first place, he thought darkly. Or perhaps had kept her hood over her head. Why had she been running around with it down? This was obviously going to be the result! "Agitating people isn't going to do you any good." His hand reached back to draw it over her head, hiding her face from view. "I don't have anything to wrap that with, and it's bleeding a bit badly. I think that there's something that's been cut. Other than the skin, I mean."
Her hand had reached up to put pressure on it. "No, that is just the way the face cuts bleed. Always worse than anything else, unless ya get an artery or vein." She shrugged. "Apologies. But I was running low on these, and then saw you coming to the town. I figured you might be... since you aren't watching the Prince, I thought you'd be coming to enjoy the town. I haven't been in, but I heard that there is a nice bakery and toy store in. I was hoping you would grace me and allow me to ask you to buy something from both places. The toys I use to keep children quiet. And I like the sour breads." She held out a hand, in which a small pouch was laying. "Please."
Her large eyes compelled him to say yes. It was something that he could do for her, since she was fool enough to risk her life outside the camp. He wondered where she had gotten the money, though, since Sisters were not paid for their work, and they were not given any through the Order itself. A lover, perhaps? The thought made him smile. The woman before him would be untouched if she were in the Order, no doubt about that. He couldn't be the only kind soul to take to her, Kirn suspected, and nodded his head to indicate that she would be receiving everything she asked for. He had to admit, it wasn't much or difficult to get. Practical, actually, and it impressed him a bit.
Then again, she didn't seem the impractical sort. The Order didn't breed those, and somehow he suspected that others wouldn't indulge that side of her if she had it. It had probably been stamped out long ago.
It wasn’t her fault, however, so he went ahead and nodded, watching her smile and walk away happily. Back towards the camp where she would be hidden away from sight, either by the other Sisters or by her own violation, not that he could blame her because of what had just happened. His eyes strayed towards the area where the kids had disappeared as he continued towards the village. It wasn’t difficult to find the main shops clustered in the center around an open green, where the local law would be carried out, and got what Nia had wanted. He had debated back and forth on what toys would be easier for her to carry around and wouldn’t take too much room, but he decided to go off her other paper toys and a small mechanical doll that pirouetted in place.
The small objects fit neatly into the money pouch, which was noticeably lighter after that visit. He frowned slightly, but then again, Priestesses weren’t paid much. Even so… The sweet shop took most of the rest of it, and he left with the small paper package tucked protectively into his arms. The villagers were friendly, and he made a plan to come back during the evening. A night here relaxing was just what he needed.
The dust between the roads had settled down, the carts no longer traveling over the short path. The day’s trade had ended. He heard a clamor arising from the camp, and his pace quickened from a stroll to a light jog, wondering what was happening ahead.
It soon became clear from the shouting and commotion that it was something important. Dangerous, actually, as a soldier stumbled away from the collection of tents and rough fences with a wound in his side. Kirn dropped everything and rushed towards him, knowing that it was safe to approach due to the sigil on his uniform that stood out starkly against the black of his uniform. It was a sad, sight indeed, as he grasped the gasping elf’s shoulders. “They’re a platoon for assassination! I don’t know who for… perhaps the Sylph…”
The Sylph? But the Prince had only left just a few… Oh, dear. He laid the soldier down to rest on the grass. They didn’t know it was the Prince. They couldn’t know. So it was only natural to assume that they had come for the next important thing that the Kingdom had- there were only 25 of them within the Kingdom, each the most highly skilled healer that the Kingdom had. In this war, that meant they were valuable, and would cripple the war efforts if taken.
His sword rested heavily on his hip. The differences between the uniforms made clear who was friendly and who was not. That was going to make all the difference, here. The Sisters had gathered near the fence, climbing over, their robes as stark against the green grass as flags of surrender. There was no way to tell which one was which as they all had their hoods drawn up around their faces. They were being guarded by a few who were fighting desperately. He saw one go down, as well as one of the sisters that failed to move aside from the too-strong swing of the blade. Cries erupted from the group. He rushed towards them, unsure if he would be able to help. His uselessness, after all, had been what had gotten him assigned to take the Prince here.
His approach brought him near the scent of blood that was making the ground muddy and difficult to balance in. Behind him, he could hear the town bell clanging. They were in no danger, most likely, unless the group decided that the Prince was in town for something. But how had they gotten this far inland? How did they KNOW? It was all too much for him to think about at the moment, as his sword met another weakly. He was pushed back by the brown-clad human. The idea that this had been a terrible set-up, the beginnings of a revolt, crossed his mind, but as his feet moved to bring him to a different angle, he could see the symbol of the kingdom that was attacking on his shoulder. He feinted, and then struck, sending the man to an early grave. The slice of his blade into flesh nearly made him sick, and the feeling of having skewered something was strong. He let the body slump to the ground, sliding off the metal blade. One of the Sisters was being carried off, but it wasn’t Nia. The tie around this one’s waist was orange and in a simple knot, denoting her inferior status. He made a move to come after her, regardless, but was stopped by a hit to his back. It threw him off-balance and nearly got him killed.
His guard was thrown off enough that in the next moment he had a sword to his own neck. “Where is the Prince?” was whispered dangerously in
Gone! Kirn snarled at him. The sword was pushed up even more against his throat. Lies! His attacked said. He can't be gone. We know that he's wounded, so where is he being held!
A call went out, a bugle, a melodious golden note that brought the pressure of the crowd against his throat away. He could feel a warm trickle of liquid running down as he breathed a sigh of relief. The other hadn't brought his attention away from him, but the look was furious and confused instead of outright murderous. "The soldier paused as if to say something, but nothing came of it.
Kirn slumped to the ground as they fled, all the attackers. He could hardly believe what had happened. The Sisters went to attend those who had been injured, scattering through the mess of fallen tents and scattered belongings. It was an ugly sigh indeed, but what was he going to do about it? One kneeled by his side as he nearly choked on the fear that built up in his throat, threatening to make him sick after all this. It hadn't even been a real battle, but that didn't matter.
Her fingers reached for him, but he recoiled. "Don’t touch me!" he snarled. Her voice got cross in turn/ "Then stop bleeding!" IF you can't then sit still and let me bandage it! He shrugged her off and kept walking, looking for Nia, knowing that this one wasn't her because she held the cerulean sash but the knot was as simple as any. She followed after. "If you're looking the mixed blood, she wasn't with us! She hadn't returned to camp yet! IF she's lucky, then she'll be far away in the woods, watching us clean up and not bothering her own head with all this, and if she's not she'll have been taken or killed. You'll find out soon enough, so sit for me! Her fingers latched around his arm, stopping him in his tracks, in the folds of a tent that had been knocked down in the scuffle. He couldn't bring himself to physically force her off of him, though he longed to. It was intensely dismaying to have himself like this, at the mercy of a Sister, one of the no-violent orders in the Kingdom.
Even so, he felt the smooth cloth of her robe wrapping around his throat, snugly but not so that it would cut of his breathing. Thank goodness, because he felt stifled as it was. She was surprisingly gentle. "Why are you so worried about the half-breed anyway? She's no good for small things like, this and will be tending those who got stabbed. You barely got a cut." The elf's face was flushed. "Besides, she's a damn half breed why should she be a sylph anyway? She hasn't got the skills-" That get her knocked off her feet, shoved away in a fit of anger. Kirn narrowed his eyes at the girl. "She has skills enough, I bet, for this camp. She's a half-breed. Think you that they let anyone get to this level and take care of soldiers unless they have the ability to do so? Sylphs are not made lightly! Think, you brainless halfwit! As bad as a halfie, perhaps worse, I think."
She glared up at him, tears in the corners of her eyes. A sharp voice from behind him defended the girl, though, much to his surprise. "And think you that she has no reason to distrust me? I would if I were the girl. Hilra, please see what herbs you can salvage from the medical tent. It's in a mess, but I need them. Please." The tone turned softer, but it didn't stop Hilra from nearly saying no. She wasn't happy with the order, but if there was wounded... the Superior would be furious with her if she didn’t obey at this point. Kirn couldn't hide his surprise that Nia had appeared. Seemingly out of nowhere, to be kind to someone who was clearly not being a friend to her.
"The girl is no different from the others, and I can't blame you. Halfies, indeed. I'm surely one of them, and the King surely hates them, and why should his subjects not, too?" She spat. Her eyes threw daggers into his heart. He felt badly for how he had spoken to the girl, since he had only been that kind to her a few days ago. "And you are not one to say anything." Her words echoed his thoughts eerily, and he thought back to some of the stories he had been told about them when he was younger. Those stories had been around for ages, and with few halfies around as there were, it wasn't exactly something that was unheard of for anyone to think.
He thought of the haunted barn that had been told about in his childhood. It wasn't exactly the same thing, since this concerned people, but Nirn could recall when it had finally caught fire and the villagers had been ever so relieved. It was saddening, but he knew that she was being treated in a similar way. How else was he supposed to feel about it? If she were burned, at this point he felt that only he would be the one to be sad about.
"I'll be given over to hell if I let you bully others for how they see me. Either they'll come out of their own ignorance or they won't but you can't force hate out of them. So leave her be!" She glared at him before turning to the soldier she had been attending before her defense of the younger Sister. He felt ashamed for behaving in such a way, but at the same time... What else was he going to do? Her honor had been at stake, and for what she had done, she had a lot of it. "Are you safe? Are you alright? I was worried when I saw the attack. Is there any way I can help you?
His voice trembled a little with concern. "Just get yourself to the tents and help clean up. Please." Her voice was still rough and condescending, but there was a tiredness in it, a sadness that he could tell where it had come from. It wasn't that he didn't understand why she was upset; it was that he felt bad for his own impulsiveness. "Yes, mam. My apologies. He moved to go help the soldiers that had come out unwounded and began to clean up what had happened.
It took most of the day, yet by the end of it he felt accomplished. These were things he could do- helping out others, getting them organized and doing things. Though his own superiors had delegated the tasks to him, and he had taken the punishment when things weren't going well, it felt good. That was the important thing. He went back to the spot where he had dropped Nia's things, her money and her toys. Te arrival of the villagers to help drive off the intruders had been far too late, but that hadn't stopped them from helping how they could/ didn’t matter much since they had ended up destroying what he had bought. Kirn felt guilty for this, and left the soggy package where he left it, only taking the bag of money back. The paper that spun was relatively unharmed, but the little dangling fall was done for.
Ah, well. He could see the tents more clearly from here, more dirty and ragged than before. It was funny that he could see some backup from a town father away in the distance, armor gleaming, though it was a small contingent. A dark chuckle escaped him. Too later indeed. They would be burning the dead soon.
All they had wanted was the Prince. It was sad and sick. But how had they known that he was here? That was dangerous information. It looked that there was a spy in the camp, but who? Probably a soldier. The King would be furious when he discovered this, as he had heard as he was helping others talking about how they had been interrogated for the information. Everyone was astounded. They knew that a general had been brought in but a Prince? THE prince? It was beyond belief. The commanders of the camp rode out to greet the other soldiers as Kirn watched starting back towards the camp because of exhaustion and the adrenaline of the entire affair wearing off. He was glad Nia was all right, and he could smell the scent of food cooking from this distance. The soldiers and townspeople that had come to back them up were getting along grandly, laughing and commiserating over what wounds had been had,
Nia was nowhere to be seen among them, which wasn't a surprise. With carious Sisters up and about, doing what they could, he slipped into their tent, calling her name out softly. A rustle from one of the sections alerted him to a presence there, and while he made to retreat, she poked her head out from a torn canvas. "Hello to you." Her eyes seemed saddened by his appearance. "If you've naught to say to me other than what you said earlier, then leave. I've not the time for this. I must rest for the morning rounds." "You have the evening ones tonight, yes? Then let me stay. We can talk."]
]
"Naught to talk about."
"Where were you? Did they take you while you were on the road? How were you safe?"
"I saw them and ran to the woods. Came out when I saw it was safe. I'm just glad they did not see me, for all the robes I wear make me seen far and wide." Her tone was wry, aware of how much of a target she was. Doubly so for her heritage. "Mayhap I should have let them take me. It would not have been a trouble."
"For the kingdom it would have been! Don't be so foolish!" He swayed with sudden tiredness. "You've been a help to..."
Another round of trumpeting rent the air. It was the announcement of some persons of importance arriving, not just the commanders of the camp. He peered out, but wasn't able to see who it was from here. A small hand brushed his shoulder, steadying him though he hadn't known that he had been swaying. "Sleep. You need it, so come and rest on my cot. It'll be much trouble to move you elsewhere. Understand?"
He nodded, his eyes falling closed as she pushed him into her own section, falling onto the mats on the ground that provided comfort and warmth. It was merely seconds before he fell asleep.
Nia had crept in with him to get some rest before the next morning. There was nowhere else for her to sleep if she wanted to get any, and it would be suspicious if she went out to the woods at this point. As it was, it seemed Kirn had some suspicions about her story of running to the woods. She would, too, but what was she going to tell him? The truth? As she had stepped out after he had fallen asleep, she noted the flag that had accompanied the soldiers. It was a bright horse galloping, bird's wings extending from its sides. A Pegasus, a creature that had been on this land once upon a time but had fled to warmer countries long ago. It symbolized the freedom that those who were in this nation had.
She had to scoff. That was something that had been lost long ago. There never really had been any, really. She knew that other nations had moved forward, finding peace between humans and elves, and even half bloods finding their place in the scheme of things. She had seen it so long ago, when she had lost herself across the border to the North. Her feet paused where they were, the night beginning to fill her eyes and bring back the memories that she had kept tucked away.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Revised "Chapter" 4
Our forces are waiting orders to the East of the Kingdom, awaiting news from inside. It seems our spies have had some luck inciting some anger from the inside, but simply not enough! If we should attack now, we should still have to fight the Kingdom, and that would be no good. We wish to conquer them as peacefully as possible. Keeping soldiers there for extended periods of time to keep the peace would be detrimental to our own borders.
-Note to the Head Advisor of the Shim Nation
The Prince’s recovery seemed incredibly long to both of them. Kirn was irritated by the sheer boredom of sticking around in one place and having nothing to do but silently mock his partner in vigil, while the Priestess was forced to spend her time with him and enduring the silent hatred that seethed from Kirn. The half-breed had the option of leaving once in a while, to get new bandages or check on other patients. The captain that had stopped Kirn checked up on him once in a while to ensure that he was doing his duty to the Crown.
The priestess had attempted some sort of piece once in a while, by bringing a book and placing it on the small table between them, or by bringing an amusement of some sort- there was a paper on a string that created the illusion of a dancing man when spun around quickly enough, or the magic ked glass that shone beads of colored light around the room when tapped twice. Kirn dismissed them like he dismissed the Priestess- something to be tolerated but not fully interacted with. Whether he hurt her feelings, though, he could almost never tell. Sometimes he got the feeling that she was inwardly mocking him for being so pigheaded. Other times she was like a brick wall, impossible to read. It was a relief in many ways, because the more stone-like she was, the less need he felt to try and bug her. Interaction was not in his plans.
Neither was it for anyone else, it seemed. His eyes caught the little trips and tugs she got as she entered and exited, if there were other people there. The little shine of metal clued him into her discretionary removal of a pin that had been placed in her robes. That had made him wince with a touch of sympathy. That hadn’t been an uncommon trick when he was a youth, and even now the occasional tailor’s pins made his life a little miserable. He quickly straightened his face, though, unwilling to let her know about his little sympathy.
It was amazing how tiring it was to keep it up, though. Kirn wasn’t skilled at being angry at others, and not for long if they did manage to get on his bad side.
The fourth day had him debating on what to say to her. A small something, a comment on the weather… His eyes left his own hands to glance over at the girl- no, woman, as he had discovered on the second day when she had pulled back her hood. Her features were youthful, but the signs of maturity were there in the lines of her lips and how her eyes seemed to bore into his soul with a strange insightfulness. And that was what he seen for a few mere moments, as she had brushed back her hair into a braid.
It made him feel strange to know that he had been mistaken about her in one way. Another thing he had come to realize was that she was somewhat pretty, despite the fullness of her face and nonexistent coloring. Ghosts made more of an impression, except for those deep blue eyes of hers. They made him think of the stormy ocean, almost gray and quite large for her face. If she hadn’t had those to give her an innocent look (marred by their blankness), then he would be quite happy to think she was no more than a handy decoration that would leave in the mist one morning and disappear from the thoughts of everyone there.
Disappearing, though, was not on the menu. She stayed firmly there as his eyes glanced from the wall across from him to her hood and the nose that was peeking out from underneath it. He cleared his throat, feeling a little nervous about what he was going to do. It wasn’t every day he spoke to one of these, after all.
She made no movement of any sort, and that both bothered and relieved him. Was he able to just pretend that he wasn’t… No. No, he wasn’t. Another throat clearing and he could see her eyes gleaning from underneath her hood like an owl’s in the night. Well, if he was going to be more accurate, like an owl’s during a snowstorm, but that was neither here nor there.
“I, uh, was wondering how the weather was out there.” Wow. So creative. Kirn frowned after it was out, thinking that it was a stupid question to ask. It wasn’t like he was going to be seeing it anytime soon, and he could tell what it was like, more or less, from the sounds outside and the light that managed to filter in. The second day had been ridiculously stormy, and the drizzle of rain on the tent had nearly driven him insane. Boots splashed in mud and various swears made themselves heard through the cloth. Even if it had been muffled, the flashed of light that streaked across the sky had had it obvious that the storm was raging until well into the evening when the Priestess had retired. It was nicer today, though he could still hear various things and people splashing, though the lightness inside where the Prince was made it obvious that it was sunny.
No wonder she looked at him oddly when he asked that- it was completely unnecessary.
It didn’t seem to stop her from hesitantly answering, though. “It’s fine.” Kirn noted a roughness to her tone that indicated she was from the Northern reaches of the kingdom. They all spoke a little oddly up there. No wonder, since it was closer to the Outer Kingdoms than it was the Capital City. Poor likthen. It was small wonder that such a place had popped out such a creature as she.
“When should the Prince be awakening?”
It seemed like the next logical thing to ask. No one had said a word about it, not within his hearing at least. Perhaps in hers, though, he mused, recalling a quiet scolding occurring outside when she had left the first night.
There was a pause as she turned to look at the Prince. It seemed a little odd, since she had the time to look her fill these last few days.
“Today or tomorrow.”
He waited for some elaboration, but none was forthcoming on her end. “Why has it taken so long?”
“Blood loss and shock.” This reply was far quicker than the last one. She had treated his injury, she would know that far more definitely.
“Was it really that terrible?”
“It was more difficult to treat than most of the injuries here. You came from father away, and he had been stabbed in a dangerous place. You see, the vein was-“
There was a deliberate and abrupt cutoff. Her hand had started to raise the blanket, but it promptly slipped back into her lap next to its partner. Kirn glanced at the Prince, then back at her. “It was important?”
“Yes.”
So she apparently wasn’t much of a talker? Kirn couldn’t blame her, not with the way he had been locking her out these last few days. It hadn’t been sporting of him. She probably received the same treatment with others, though, so it wasn’t like he had gone out of his was to make her miserable. Kirn felt the muscles in his check twitch with a frown. Why did she need to be upset and standoffish when he was trying to make some conversation? It was better than others were likely to do!
“And? We’ve been here for a few days. Aren’t you craving a little conversation?”
Her slight slump disappeared. Krin knew he had gotten to her. However, not a sound escaped her. It frustrated him even more. His mouth opened once again to spout something out, but she managed to beat him to it.
“I’m used to the quiet. I am a half-breed, as you have noticed- otherwise you would have started conversation with me two days ago. Not many would like to associate with me. I’m sure that you know that well enough.” Her voice was strained, making it more difficult to understand her through her accent. Kirn didn’t doubt that she was holding back great emotion, though whether it was tears or shouting or both, he could not tell. It didn’t really matter.
He was quieted, and looked back down at his hands, rubbing them together and examining the rough ridges of his fingernails. “Sorry.” It was short and probably very inadequate, but that was the best he could get out at the moment. Shame made his face flush slightly, giving his already dark cheeks a bluish blush.
The silence stretched on. It was like waiting for a pond to freeze. Perhaps they froze faster than this, Kirn mused, growing more uncomfortable and ashamed by the moment. What else was there to do but wait for her response?
Finally, a slight sigh relieved the silence. The borough that tinged the Priestess’ words touched on his ears, almost imaginary in their volume. “It’s fine. I do not wish to bother you, though, so if I stop and it irritates you, then please just tell me to continue.” It was cautious and hesitant, but a relief from the tension that had been between them the last few days. Preferable, even.
Kirn let his eyes slide back to her, not wanting to be obvious about looking. “So what is your name?” As much as it made him cringe to realize, he had been paying no attention to what others called her. Not that he had cared at the time, but she was somewhat important if she was taking care of the Prince.
“Nia, Sylph Nia.” Her introduction of her name first made him tilt his head a little at the humbleness she showed with that action. Probably necessary, considering it was hard for half-breeds to get around if they didn’t lower themselves. It was still disconcerting to hear that mixed with the title she gave. Sylphs were supposed to be the highest level of Healers within the Order, and thereby accorded great honor. He couldn’t hide the slight motion he made out of instinct, to create the sign of respect with his fingers. His hands had lifted in order to make it, and his fingers were twitching. At the same time, with her name first, it made him unsure of what action he should take.
He decided against any. “You look very young to be a Sylph.”
“I am. I’m apparently the second youngest ever accorded the honor.”
“The Goddess Mishta being the first.” Kirn nodded to himself. He was familiar with that. Mishta had been the youngest, at the age of twelve becoming a Healer of renown, and tales of her abilities had spread far and wide.
Nia tugged a lock of pale hair outside of her hood so that she could twist it around her finger. “We call her Nimara where I come from. My parents named me after her.” A slight turn of her head, and Kirn could see her slight but pained smile. “It seems they were right to do so, yes? Though she never aged once reaching her peak at sixteen, and I have gone beyond that, I’m sure.”
“Ever so slightly,” he acknowledged.
“I received it when I turned twenty, nimah, a special age back home. It wasn’t given lightly.”
Her words held a lot of meaning, from the mention of her home, to how hard it must have been for those within the Order to give her such an honor. It wasn’t exactly something that would go over well with the King or his government. The age gave him an idea of where she came from, though.
“Usually, aren’t girls taken by the age of three? It must have been longer than that before you were accepted. Six or Seven, perhaps? From around the Rullside Mountain?” It was a rough guess, since her accent was not strong enough to give him someplace definite, but the fact that she had it instead of the accent those in the Order usually had from the cloister where they grew up spoke ages.
“Six, when my mother was about to birth my brother. She died, and Father could not take care of me. So… I was received. With a donation, of course, to the Rullside sect of the Order, who kept me for a year or two until I could be taken to the main Cloister.”
“And… your parents…” It must have sounded quite prying, but Kirn was curious as to who would be audacious enough to bear and raise not one but two half-breeds. Unless the unborn sibling had a different father, of course.
She shrugged slightly. “Mom was the human, father the elf. And when mother was dead, he took my brother and left me on the doorstep.” There was no real clue to how she felt about it in her voice. “Don’t remember their names, now. Ach, it was long ago. I’m twenty-three now, and have a good life.” Her hands had reached for the cover over the Prince so that she could check the wound once more. It was about time for that, Kirn noted.
“Hey, I’ll get some lunch. I’m hungry.” He stood and stretched, hearing no sound of either approval or rejection from her. The Priestess tended to be like that, he had noted, getting utterly involved in taking care of her patient. It was good, it meant he really was getting good care, and that was more important than anything else at the moment. He figured that he could leave her with the Sylph with the Prince for a few moments. She would never dare to kill him, not with that level of skill.
The tent closure swept aside to let in the searing light of day when Kirn left. It was kind of him to offer to get her meal, she admitted to herself, unsure of why the elf was being so kind at the moment. After the days of silence, it was odd and put her on edge. The Sisters in the Order were very good at hating her all the time. They didn’t soften in the face of her pain or tears. Not all of them. She let a small smile grace her face as she thought of the few friends she had made in her travels. The pill she pulled from her satchel of herbs and medical tools slipped to the tips of her fingers as she placed it in the Prince’s mouth, over his tongue, then massaged his throat to try and get him to swallow. He did without chocking which relieved her.
After that she was able to unwrap the bandages without worry of him shifting, treating the stitches and washing of the medical paste, replacing it with a different set of herbs because of the healing that had occurred. The wound hardly looked visible, but the area would be dangerously tender and able to rip at a start. The same was applicable to his organs and muscles. She would have to warn his next Healer about it.
When she stepped back to sit down again, the smell of something tasty reached her nose over the scent of the herbs. She glanced over and saw a plate of spiced vegetables and roasted meat, along with an intrigued-looking Kirn. He gave her a slight smile, which she hesitantly returned. She hadn’t really believed he’d be back with anything more than some bread. Nia almost couldn’t hide her surprise, but dug in anyway, savoring how it tasted after missing breakfast to come here this morning. Her hunger nearly had her thanking Kirn over a mouthful of the greens, but she thanked her lucky stars that she hadn’t forgotten her manners like that. Her Superior would have been ashamed of her.
It marked the beginning of a new, amiable silence, occasionally punctuated with his questions about her and the Order. He never went beyond the superficial, such as favorite color, how she felt about the Order. It was pleasant and Nia welcomed the kindness with which he spoke and asked her things. Hope started brewing that perhaps she had made a new friend here.
The last two hours passed in a tired silence. She had changed the herbs once more, and her eyes drooped. “I will leave you to rest, now,” Nia noted as the bell for the 8th hour rang from the town. Kirn nodded tiredly, the cot he had been using catching his eye from the corner he had folded it up in. She slipped into the cool night air and headed straight for the Sister’s tent, feeling naked as she passed by the eyes of the few guards that patrolled. It was safer in the Prince’s tent, a haven from people that she had relished far too much. A vague feeling of sorrow filled her as she thought about how the Prince would be leaving soon enough.
Kirn had moved to the cot to open it the moment she had left, not wanting Nia to feel unwanted or rushed. The rustle of the cotton over wood almost masked the breathy mumble behind him. He turned, realizing what exactly that meant. The Prince’s eyes were open, but slightly glazed over as his lips moved. He moved to the Prince’s side to try and hear him, aid him how he could. Kirn’s ear almost touched the Prince’s mouth to try and catch the words properly.
“The ghost… Come for me? Am I dead?” He sounded worried, almost panicked.
Kirn lifted his head and shook it. “No, my Prince. She is no ghost, just a half-breed healer. She saved your life.”
“Ghost healed me? Breeding healers?”
“No, no, she… Sire, please, sleep. You are safe here, alive.” Kirn didn’t want to leave the Prince’s side until he was sure that he would not hurt himself accidentally, in a fit of fear. It didn’t look like it would take long, from the disjointed comments that were being spoken. Thankfully, Kirn was right. The Prince closed his eyes after a few more moments and fell back into the sleep from which he had awakened. Kirn took the opportunity to stick his head out and motion to a guard that the commander should be awakened and the head of the Order here notified of what had happened. Within minutes both had arrived. The head Sister fussed over the details of the awakening quietly, checking the state of his consciousness and sleep, while the commander informed her that he would begin transportation back to the castle on the morrow.
Without Nia as the healer in charge.
No fuss was made over this arrangement.
Kirn felt like making a fuss when he discovered that Nia was being left out of what was going on. She had been the one to heal the Prince- she was obviously the best for the job! Pride welled in his chest. He knew that the Prince deserved the best. The stories and tales of him were almost legendary, and that showed that there had to be some truth to them. Right? Whether or not, it did mean that he wanted Nia to go with him. Just in case something went wrong, or an incompetent healer happened to get close enough to ruin the healing that had happened. Thankfully, Elven resiliency won the day. The Prince was awake by almost mid-morning. Kirn had been up a while, waiting as the crew had gotten the wagon and small group of soldiers together to escort the Prince back to the capital. Orders had finally come in from the King to take him there immediately to finish his recovery. They had wanted to make sure that everything was as comfortable and safe for him, so both Sisters and guards were going over every inch of it, ensuring that it would not jostle too much and that there was enough padding where he would be laying.
It was unsurprising that the tail end of the activities would awaken him, when all was said and done. He was far more conscious and aware than before, his eyes roving around the room like a seasoned scout searching for troops. Finally, Kirn was addressed. “So, I am not dead. Was the ghost a hallucination brought on by the medicines, or fear? I must apologize if I alarmed you.” A kind smile played at the edges of his lips.
“No, Sire, you did not. The ghost was no ghost; it was the healer that attended you from the moment you arrived. She saved your life, Sire, more surely than I’m an elf, and no one else could have done it. She’s a Sylph, you see.”
He felt that he was rambling by the end of it. It felt like he couldn’t stop the explanation from tumbling from his lips, though, in the presence of someone he had heard so much about. It was an honor to even be addressed, let alone be able to hold a conversation.
“Then please, let me meet her before we leave for home. I’m assuming that’s where Father wants me to be, is it not?”
Kirn nodded, unable to say anything at this point. He stuck his head out and motioned for one of the young soldiers-in-training to get Nia. He wasn’t about to disobey an order from his Prince, but could not help fearing what would be said or thought when the half-breed met him. Kirn couldn’t imagine anything but the worst from the son of the king who had made laws regarding half-bloods even stricter than his predecessors had.
There was a bit of a commotion outside. Apparently, Nia had been stopped by the Superior, as their shadows on the wall indicated, and was being harshly scolded. He could hear the older woman’s voice sharply reprimanding Nia, though he could not hear what was being said. Superior entered, flushed with embarrassment and apology. She kneeled at the foot of the Prince’s bed. “Sire, forgive me for interrupting, but your healer is not fit to be seen at the moment or to travel with you- she is desperately needed here, for the soldiers, you see, and-“A quietly raised hand stilled her tongue. “I would like to thank the Sister myself.” It was both order and a slight plea. She could very much deny him in his condition, and claim that it was best for his health. The Order was above petty reprimands by the royal family. There was too much respect for them from the countrymen, and they held that much power in the kingdom.
That did not occur, though. Superior apparently thought it in her best interests to let the Prince have his way. The onus would be on him if he did not care for what he saw.
Nia’s hooded figure slipped inside on some unseen command. She kneeled at Superior’s left side, where the woman had not moved from. All Sisters looked the same in their robes, aside from some being thinner or taller than the others. If he hadn’t known who had treated the Prince, Kirn would not have known if they had exchanged Nia for some other, more appropriate, healer. As it was it made little difference. Not a bit of her showed under the lowered hood and lowered face. Her hand were hidden in the sleeves, and the robes were of course long enough to hide the shade of her feet.
It was a still figure that was no more than a silent spirit, more so than when she had her hood down. The Prince thought this to be unacceptable. “Rise, and come to my side.” A motion of his hand indicated where she should stand. It was uncanny how quickly she moved there. “Let me see the face of the woman who saved my life.”
There was a moment of hesitation, a stiffness of her shoulders that showed how scared she was to obey the order. Obey the order she did, though, and the rise of a pale hand proved decent foreshadowing to the look on his face when the hood slipped down. It revealed the funny crown of white hair that fell over a second, mud-brown layer, and the albino coloring that meant she could hide among no race in the nation. Her eyes had fixated on her toes, giving her an appearance of a marble statue.
The Prince’s eyes had widened, until they almost bugged out of his face. There was a tremble in his fingers as the hesitantly raised towards her. Kirn couldn’t believe the movement. Was he really going to…? Indeed he was! The Prince slipped his fingers over hers for a brief squeeze. They might have dropped to the bed immediately after, but there was no mistaking what had happened. “Thank you. I’m very fond of being alive, so this has given me a precious gift. I am in your debt.” The last words were customary, but the sharp intake of breath from Superior made it seem that it was a horrendous breach in the laws of nature.
It was no surprise that the Priestess found it to be no less than shocking, either. The Prince let his hand fall quickly to his side, intending for the hold to last no longer than that. It was something that had not really been done before in living history- a touch between a Royal and one of mixed blood. It was something that truly made everyone in the room worry a bit. The King would not care for this if he found out.
It didn't have to leave the room, of course. That was the thing- there was no reason to let anyone know, and Superior was not likely to say anything. Neither was Kirn, and the Priestess... she knew her place. She always had known her place, Kirn recalled. The Prince gave her a slight smile regardless, not worried about what was happening in the thoughts of those around them. It was a sad thing indeed, Kirn thought, that she could not be properly recognized by the Kingdom for her skills and her help in keeping it from losing its heir. That was the prince she paid for her parent's sins. Kirn could hardly believe it, though.
Regardless, it was to be ignored at this point. The matter was between the Prince and the Priestess. The Prince turned to look at the Superior. "Please, she will be taking me back to the palace and ensuring my health further?" There was no question in his voice, but why that was escaped Kirn.
"No, You’re Highness. She is the only sylph within miles of here. We could never spare her for all these men, now that you are on your way to health. We must beg your forgiveness, but please understand our situation..." The Prince cut her off with another raised hand.
"I understand the situation. I am glad that you made the right decision in allowing her to treat me. There is little doubt she saved my life, and I am grateful for it. I am sure that my father is grateful to the Order for having their best do so, too."
It was political at this point. The Prince was doing what he could for his savior by showing that he had her under his protection. At least, that she had his respect and that was as good as anything. Kirn was impressed. It perhaps would not help the girl much, but for the next few days she would perhaps be left alone from censure and cruelty, until the Prince was well away. His lip was bitten between his teeth. There had to be something he could do to help her situation as the Prince had, right?
Perhaps not. It was silly of him to think so. Kirn had no power here. He saw the Superior bow her head in acceptance of the Prince's words. It was astounding what the Prince could do, but that was why they were the True Rulers. Only the Order would obey them without question due to the pact between those of Royal Blood.
Nia kneeled by the Prince's side. "I thank you, Majesty." It was whispered in such a quiet tone that Kirn didn't hear it- he watched her lips move in the motion that indicated that she had said something. Of course, there was no guarantee that she had at this point. The Prince smiled at her rather gently. "Please help the rest of the soldiers as best you can. I'm sure that you are doing an excellent job, Sylph." The deep blue sash around her waist trembled as she did, the object that marked her out from the rest of the Priestesses.
"If that is all, I am tired. Please, leave me to rest until we are ready to leave." The address left no room for argument, and no healer would have objected to his request. Nia disappeared as quietly as she could, as quickly as she could, and Kirn was left with the Superior and the Prince. Superior narrowed her eyes at Kirn, perhaps knowing that he had been kind to the half-blood, but unable to say anything about it at this point. She followed Nia out after a few more moments. The Prince gazed over at him, observing him in his own right.
Kirn had not moved from his position. "I shall leave, too, if you so desire."
"No, that is not necessary. You have been guarding me for these past few days, yes? Then I thank you, too, though I doubt the job was terribly exciting." There was a smile on his face once more. "And I am sure that you will desire to get back to your post as quickly as possible, I am sure. I apologize for taking you out of your region and away from your fellows. I'm sure that the burden was not easy to bear, either, what with the warning about not letting me die. I'm sure that you would have been executed if you had failed
-Note to the Head Advisor of the Shim Nation
The Prince’s recovery seemed incredibly long to both of them. Kirn was irritated by the sheer boredom of sticking around in one place and having nothing to do but silently mock his partner in vigil, while the Priestess was forced to spend her time with him and enduring the silent hatred that seethed from Kirn. The half-breed had the option of leaving once in a while, to get new bandages or check on other patients. The captain that had stopped Kirn checked up on him once in a while to ensure that he was doing his duty to the Crown.
The priestess had attempted some sort of piece once in a while, by bringing a book and placing it on the small table between them, or by bringing an amusement of some sort- there was a paper on a string that created the illusion of a dancing man when spun around quickly enough, or the magic ked glass that shone beads of colored light around the room when tapped twice. Kirn dismissed them like he dismissed the Priestess- something to be tolerated but not fully interacted with. Whether he hurt her feelings, though, he could almost never tell. Sometimes he got the feeling that she was inwardly mocking him for being so pigheaded. Other times she was like a brick wall, impossible to read. It was a relief in many ways, because the more stone-like she was, the less need he felt to try and bug her. Interaction was not in his plans.
Neither was it for anyone else, it seemed. His eyes caught the little trips and tugs she got as she entered and exited, if there were other people there. The little shine of metal clued him into her discretionary removal of a pin that had been placed in her robes. That had made him wince with a touch of sympathy. That hadn’t been an uncommon trick when he was a youth, and even now the occasional tailor’s pins made his life a little miserable. He quickly straightened his face, though, unwilling to let her know about his little sympathy.
It was amazing how tiring it was to keep it up, though. Kirn wasn’t skilled at being angry at others, and not for long if they did manage to get on his bad side.
The fourth day had him debating on what to say to her. A small something, a comment on the weather… His eyes left his own hands to glance over at the girl- no, woman, as he had discovered on the second day when she had pulled back her hood. Her features were youthful, but the signs of maturity were there in the lines of her lips and how her eyes seemed to bore into his soul with a strange insightfulness. And that was what he seen for a few mere moments, as she had brushed back her hair into a braid.
It made him feel strange to know that he had been mistaken about her in one way. Another thing he had come to realize was that she was somewhat pretty, despite the fullness of her face and nonexistent coloring. Ghosts made more of an impression, except for those deep blue eyes of hers. They made him think of the stormy ocean, almost gray and quite large for her face. If she hadn’t had those to give her an innocent look (marred by their blankness), then he would be quite happy to think she was no more than a handy decoration that would leave in the mist one morning and disappear from the thoughts of everyone there.
Disappearing, though, was not on the menu. She stayed firmly there as his eyes glanced from the wall across from him to her hood and the nose that was peeking out from underneath it. He cleared his throat, feeling a little nervous about what he was going to do. It wasn’t every day he spoke to one of these, after all.
She made no movement of any sort, and that both bothered and relieved him. Was he able to just pretend that he wasn’t… No. No, he wasn’t. Another throat clearing and he could see her eyes gleaning from underneath her hood like an owl’s in the night. Well, if he was going to be more accurate, like an owl’s during a snowstorm, but that was neither here nor there.
“I, uh, was wondering how the weather was out there.” Wow. So creative. Kirn frowned after it was out, thinking that it was a stupid question to ask. It wasn’t like he was going to be seeing it anytime soon, and he could tell what it was like, more or less, from the sounds outside and the light that managed to filter in. The second day had been ridiculously stormy, and the drizzle of rain on the tent had nearly driven him insane. Boots splashed in mud and various swears made themselves heard through the cloth. Even if it had been muffled, the flashed of light that streaked across the sky had had it obvious that the storm was raging until well into the evening when the Priestess had retired. It was nicer today, though he could still hear various things and people splashing, though the lightness inside where the Prince was made it obvious that it was sunny.
No wonder she looked at him oddly when he asked that- it was completely unnecessary.
It didn’t seem to stop her from hesitantly answering, though. “It’s fine.” Kirn noted a roughness to her tone that indicated she was from the Northern reaches of the kingdom. They all spoke a little oddly up there. No wonder, since it was closer to the Outer Kingdoms than it was the Capital City. Poor likthen. It was small wonder that such a place had popped out such a creature as she.
“When should the Prince be awakening?”
It seemed like the next logical thing to ask. No one had said a word about it, not within his hearing at least. Perhaps in hers, though, he mused, recalling a quiet scolding occurring outside when she had left the first night.
There was a pause as she turned to look at the Prince. It seemed a little odd, since she had the time to look her fill these last few days.
“Today or tomorrow.”
He waited for some elaboration, but none was forthcoming on her end. “Why has it taken so long?”
“Blood loss and shock.” This reply was far quicker than the last one. She had treated his injury, she would know that far more definitely.
“Was it really that terrible?”
“It was more difficult to treat than most of the injuries here. You came from father away, and he had been stabbed in a dangerous place. You see, the vein was-“
There was a deliberate and abrupt cutoff. Her hand had started to raise the blanket, but it promptly slipped back into her lap next to its partner. Kirn glanced at the Prince, then back at her. “It was important?”
“Yes.”
So she apparently wasn’t much of a talker? Kirn couldn’t blame her, not with the way he had been locking her out these last few days. It hadn’t been sporting of him. She probably received the same treatment with others, though, so it wasn’t like he had gone out of his was to make her miserable. Kirn felt the muscles in his check twitch with a frown. Why did she need to be upset and standoffish when he was trying to make some conversation? It was better than others were likely to do!
“And? We’ve been here for a few days. Aren’t you craving a little conversation?”
Her slight slump disappeared. Krin knew he had gotten to her. However, not a sound escaped her. It frustrated him even more. His mouth opened once again to spout something out, but she managed to beat him to it.
“I’m used to the quiet. I am a half-breed, as you have noticed- otherwise you would have started conversation with me two days ago. Not many would like to associate with me. I’m sure that you know that well enough.” Her voice was strained, making it more difficult to understand her through her accent. Kirn didn’t doubt that she was holding back great emotion, though whether it was tears or shouting or both, he could not tell. It didn’t really matter.
He was quieted, and looked back down at his hands, rubbing them together and examining the rough ridges of his fingernails. “Sorry.” It was short and probably very inadequate, but that was the best he could get out at the moment. Shame made his face flush slightly, giving his already dark cheeks a bluish blush.
The silence stretched on. It was like waiting for a pond to freeze. Perhaps they froze faster than this, Kirn mused, growing more uncomfortable and ashamed by the moment. What else was there to do but wait for her response?
Finally, a slight sigh relieved the silence. The borough that tinged the Priestess’ words touched on his ears, almost imaginary in their volume. “It’s fine. I do not wish to bother you, though, so if I stop and it irritates you, then please just tell me to continue.” It was cautious and hesitant, but a relief from the tension that had been between them the last few days. Preferable, even.
Kirn let his eyes slide back to her, not wanting to be obvious about looking. “So what is your name?” As much as it made him cringe to realize, he had been paying no attention to what others called her. Not that he had cared at the time, but she was somewhat important if she was taking care of the Prince.
“Nia, Sylph Nia.” Her introduction of her name first made him tilt his head a little at the humbleness she showed with that action. Probably necessary, considering it was hard for half-breeds to get around if they didn’t lower themselves. It was still disconcerting to hear that mixed with the title she gave. Sylphs were supposed to be the highest level of Healers within the Order, and thereby accorded great honor. He couldn’t hide the slight motion he made out of instinct, to create the sign of respect with his fingers. His hands had lifted in order to make it, and his fingers were twitching. At the same time, with her name first, it made him unsure of what action he should take.
He decided against any. “You look very young to be a Sylph.”
“I am. I’m apparently the second youngest ever accorded the honor.”
“The Goddess Mishta being the first.” Kirn nodded to himself. He was familiar with that. Mishta had been the youngest, at the age of twelve becoming a Healer of renown, and tales of her abilities had spread far and wide.
Nia tugged a lock of pale hair outside of her hood so that she could twist it around her finger. “We call her Nimara where I come from. My parents named me after her.” A slight turn of her head, and Kirn could see her slight but pained smile. “It seems they were right to do so, yes? Though she never aged once reaching her peak at sixteen, and I have gone beyond that, I’m sure.”
“Ever so slightly,” he acknowledged.
“I received it when I turned twenty, nimah, a special age back home. It wasn’t given lightly.”
Her words held a lot of meaning, from the mention of her home, to how hard it must have been for those within the Order to give her such an honor. It wasn’t exactly something that would go over well with the King or his government. The age gave him an idea of where she came from, though.
“Usually, aren’t girls taken by the age of three? It must have been longer than that before you were accepted. Six or Seven, perhaps? From around the Rullside Mountain?” It was a rough guess, since her accent was not strong enough to give him someplace definite, but the fact that she had it instead of the accent those in the Order usually had from the cloister where they grew up spoke ages.
“Six, when my mother was about to birth my brother. She died, and Father could not take care of me. So… I was received. With a donation, of course, to the Rullside sect of the Order, who kept me for a year or two until I could be taken to the main Cloister.”
“And… your parents…” It must have sounded quite prying, but Kirn was curious as to who would be audacious enough to bear and raise not one but two half-breeds. Unless the unborn sibling had a different father, of course.
She shrugged slightly. “Mom was the human, father the elf. And when mother was dead, he took my brother and left me on the doorstep.” There was no real clue to how she felt about it in her voice. “Don’t remember their names, now. Ach, it was long ago. I’m twenty-three now, and have a good life.” Her hands had reached for the cover over the Prince so that she could check the wound once more. It was about time for that, Kirn noted.
“Hey, I’ll get some lunch. I’m hungry.” He stood and stretched, hearing no sound of either approval or rejection from her. The Priestess tended to be like that, he had noted, getting utterly involved in taking care of her patient. It was good, it meant he really was getting good care, and that was more important than anything else at the moment. He figured that he could leave her with the Sylph with the Prince for a few moments. She would never dare to kill him, not with that level of skill.
The tent closure swept aside to let in the searing light of day when Kirn left. It was kind of him to offer to get her meal, she admitted to herself, unsure of why the elf was being so kind at the moment. After the days of silence, it was odd and put her on edge. The Sisters in the Order were very good at hating her all the time. They didn’t soften in the face of her pain or tears. Not all of them. She let a small smile grace her face as she thought of the few friends she had made in her travels. The pill she pulled from her satchel of herbs and medical tools slipped to the tips of her fingers as she placed it in the Prince’s mouth, over his tongue, then massaged his throat to try and get him to swallow. He did without chocking which relieved her.
After that she was able to unwrap the bandages without worry of him shifting, treating the stitches and washing of the medical paste, replacing it with a different set of herbs because of the healing that had occurred. The wound hardly looked visible, but the area would be dangerously tender and able to rip at a start. The same was applicable to his organs and muscles. She would have to warn his next Healer about it.
When she stepped back to sit down again, the smell of something tasty reached her nose over the scent of the herbs. She glanced over and saw a plate of spiced vegetables and roasted meat, along with an intrigued-looking Kirn. He gave her a slight smile, which she hesitantly returned. She hadn’t really believed he’d be back with anything more than some bread. Nia almost couldn’t hide her surprise, but dug in anyway, savoring how it tasted after missing breakfast to come here this morning. Her hunger nearly had her thanking Kirn over a mouthful of the greens, but she thanked her lucky stars that she hadn’t forgotten her manners like that. Her Superior would have been ashamed of her.
It marked the beginning of a new, amiable silence, occasionally punctuated with his questions about her and the Order. He never went beyond the superficial, such as favorite color, how she felt about the Order. It was pleasant and Nia welcomed the kindness with which he spoke and asked her things. Hope started brewing that perhaps she had made a new friend here.
The last two hours passed in a tired silence. She had changed the herbs once more, and her eyes drooped. “I will leave you to rest, now,” Nia noted as the bell for the 8th hour rang from the town. Kirn nodded tiredly, the cot he had been using catching his eye from the corner he had folded it up in. She slipped into the cool night air and headed straight for the Sister’s tent, feeling naked as she passed by the eyes of the few guards that patrolled. It was safer in the Prince’s tent, a haven from people that she had relished far too much. A vague feeling of sorrow filled her as she thought about how the Prince would be leaving soon enough.
Kirn had moved to the cot to open it the moment she had left, not wanting Nia to feel unwanted or rushed. The rustle of the cotton over wood almost masked the breathy mumble behind him. He turned, realizing what exactly that meant. The Prince’s eyes were open, but slightly glazed over as his lips moved. He moved to the Prince’s side to try and hear him, aid him how he could. Kirn’s ear almost touched the Prince’s mouth to try and catch the words properly.
“The ghost… Come for me? Am I dead?” He sounded worried, almost panicked.
Kirn lifted his head and shook it. “No, my Prince. She is no ghost, just a half-breed healer. She saved your life.”
“Ghost healed me? Breeding healers?”
“No, no, she… Sire, please, sleep. You are safe here, alive.” Kirn didn’t want to leave the Prince’s side until he was sure that he would not hurt himself accidentally, in a fit of fear. It didn’t look like it would take long, from the disjointed comments that were being spoken. Thankfully, Kirn was right. The Prince closed his eyes after a few more moments and fell back into the sleep from which he had awakened. Kirn took the opportunity to stick his head out and motion to a guard that the commander should be awakened and the head of the Order here notified of what had happened. Within minutes both had arrived. The head Sister fussed over the details of the awakening quietly, checking the state of his consciousness and sleep, while the commander informed her that he would begin transportation back to the castle on the morrow.
Without Nia as the healer in charge.
No fuss was made over this arrangement.
Kirn felt like making a fuss when he discovered that Nia was being left out of what was going on. She had been the one to heal the Prince- she was obviously the best for the job! Pride welled in his chest. He knew that the Prince deserved the best. The stories and tales of him were almost legendary, and that showed that there had to be some truth to them. Right? Whether or not, it did mean that he wanted Nia to go with him. Just in case something went wrong, or an incompetent healer happened to get close enough to ruin the healing that had happened. Thankfully, Elven resiliency won the day. The Prince was awake by almost mid-morning. Kirn had been up a while, waiting as the crew had gotten the wagon and small group of soldiers together to escort the Prince back to the capital. Orders had finally come in from the King to take him there immediately to finish his recovery. They had wanted to make sure that everything was as comfortable and safe for him, so both Sisters and guards were going over every inch of it, ensuring that it would not jostle too much and that there was enough padding where he would be laying.
It was unsurprising that the tail end of the activities would awaken him, when all was said and done. He was far more conscious and aware than before, his eyes roving around the room like a seasoned scout searching for troops. Finally, Kirn was addressed. “So, I am not dead. Was the ghost a hallucination brought on by the medicines, or fear? I must apologize if I alarmed you.” A kind smile played at the edges of his lips.
“No, Sire, you did not. The ghost was no ghost; it was the healer that attended you from the moment you arrived. She saved your life, Sire, more surely than I’m an elf, and no one else could have done it. She’s a Sylph, you see.”
He felt that he was rambling by the end of it. It felt like he couldn’t stop the explanation from tumbling from his lips, though, in the presence of someone he had heard so much about. It was an honor to even be addressed, let alone be able to hold a conversation.
“Then please, let me meet her before we leave for home. I’m assuming that’s where Father wants me to be, is it not?”
Kirn nodded, unable to say anything at this point. He stuck his head out and motioned for one of the young soldiers-in-training to get Nia. He wasn’t about to disobey an order from his Prince, but could not help fearing what would be said or thought when the half-breed met him. Kirn couldn’t imagine anything but the worst from the son of the king who had made laws regarding half-bloods even stricter than his predecessors had.
There was a bit of a commotion outside. Apparently, Nia had been stopped by the Superior, as their shadows on the wall indicated, and was being harshly scolded. He could hear the older woman’s voice sharply reprimanding Nia, though he could not hear what was being said. Superior entered, flushed with embarrassment and apology. She kneeled at the foot of the Prince’s bed. “Sire, forgive me for interrupting, but your healer is not fit to be seen at the moment or to travel with you- she is desperately needed here, for the soldiers, you see, and-“A quietly raised hand stilled her tongue. “I would like to thank the Sister myself.” It was both order and a slight plea. She could very much deny him in his condition, and claim that it was best for his health. The Order was above petty reprimands by the royal family. There was too much respect for them from the countrymen, and they held that much power in the kingdom.
That did not occur, though. Superior apparently thought it in her best interests to let the Prince have his way. The onus would be on him if he did not care for what he saw.
Nia’s hooded figure slipped inside on some unseen command. She kneeled at Superior’s left side, where the woman had not moved from. All Sisters looked the same in their robes, aside from some being thinner or taller than the others. If he hadn’t known who had treated the Prince, Kirn would not have known if they had exchanged Nia for some other, more appropriate, healer. As it was it made little difference. Not a bit of her showed under the lowered hood and lowered face. Her hand were hidden in the sleeves, and the robes were of course long enough to hide the shade of her feet.
It was a still figure that was no more than a silent spirit, more so than when she had her hood down. The Prince thought this to be unacceptable. “Rise, and come to my side.” A motion of his hand indicated where she should stand. It was uncanny how quickly she moved there. “Let me see the face of the woman who saved my life.”
There was a moment of hesitation, a stiffness of her shoulders that showed how scared she was to obey the order. Obey the order she did, though, and the rise of a pale hand proved decent foreshadowing to the look on his face when the hood slipped down. It revealed the funny crown of white hair that fell over a second, mud-brown layer, and the albino coloring that meant she could hide among no race in the nation. Her eyes had fixated on her toes, giving her an appearance of a marble statue.
The Prince’s eyes had widened, until they almost bugged out of his face. There was a tremble in his fingers as the hesitantly raised towards her. Kirn couldn’t believe the movement. Was he really going to…? Indeed he was! The Prince slipped his fingers over hers for a brief squeeze. They might have dropped to the bed immediately after, but there was no mistaking what had happened. “Thank you. I’m very fond of being alive, so this has given me a precious gift. I am in your debt.” The last words were customary, but the sharp intake of breath from Superior made it seem that it was a horrendous breach in the laws of nature.
It was no surprise that the Priestess found it to be no less than shocking, either. The Prince let his hand fall quickly to his side, intending for the hold to last no longer than that. It was something that had not really been done before in living history- a touch between a Royal and one of mixed blood. It was something that truly made everyone in the room worry a bit. The King would not care for this if he found out.
It didn't have to leave the room, of course. That was the thing- there was no reason to let anyone know, and Superior was not likely to say anything. Neither was Kirn, and the Priestess... she knew her place. She always had known her place, Kirn recalled. The Prince gave her a slight smile regardless, not worried about what was happening in the thoughts of those around them. It was a sad thing indeed, Kirn thought, that she could not be properly recognized by the Kingdom for her skills and her help in keeping it from losing its heir. That was the prince she paid for her parent's sins. Kirn could hardly believe it, though.
Regardless, it was to be ignored at this point. The matter was between the Prince and the Priestess. The Prince turned to look at the Superior. "Please, she will be taking me back to the palace and ensuring my health further?" There was no question in his voice, but why that was escaped Kirn.
"No, You’re Highness. She is the only sylph within miles of here. We could never spare her for all these men, now that you are on your way to health. We must beg your forgiveness, but please understand our situation..." The Prince cut her off with another raised hand.
"I understand the situation. I am glad that you made the right decision in allowing her to treat me. There is little doubt she saved my life, and I am grateful for it. I am sure that my father is grateful to the Order for having their best do so, too."
It was political at this point. The Prince was doing what he could for his savior by showing that he had her under his protection. At least, that she had his respect and that was as good as anything. Kirn was impressed. It perhaps would not help the girl much, but for the next few days she would perhaps be left alone from censure and cruelty, until the Prince was well away. His lip was bitten between his teeth. There had to be something he could do to help her situation as the Prince had, right?
Perhaps not. It was silly of him to think so. Kirn had no power here. He saw the Superior bow her head in acceptance of the Prince's words. It was astounding what the Prince could do, but that was why they were the True Rulers. Only the Order would obey them without question due to the pact between those of Royal Blood.
Nia kneeled by the Prince's side. "I thank you, Majesty." It was whispered in such a quiet tone that Kirn didn't hear it- he watched her lips move in the motion that indicated that she had said something. Of course, there was no guarantee that she had at this point. The Prince smiled at her rather gently. "Please help the rest of the soldiers as best you can. I'm sure that you are doing an excellent job, Sylph." The deep blue sash around her waist trembled as she did, the object that marked her out from the rest of the Priestesses.
"If that is all, I am tired. Please, leave me to rest until we are ready to leave." The address left no room for argument, and no healer would have objected to his request. Nia disappeared as quietly as she could, as quickly as she could, and Kirn was left with the Superior and the Prince. Superior narrowed her eyes at Kirn, perhaps knowing that he had been kind to the half-blood, but unable to say anything about it at this point. She followed Nia out after a few more moments. The Prince gazed over at him, observing him in his own right.
Kirn had not moved from his position. "I shall leave, too, if you so desire."
"No, that is not necessary. You have been guarding me for these past few days, yes? Then I thank you, too, though I doubt the job was terribly exciting." There was a smile on his face once more. "And I am sure that you will desire to get back to your post as quickly as possible, I am sure. I apologize for taking you out of your region and away from your fellows. I'm sure that the burden was not easy to bear, either, what with the warning about not letting me die. I'm sure that you would have been executed if you had failed
Revised "Chapter" 3
Our forces are waiting orders to the East of the Kingdom, awaiting news from inside. It seems our spies have had some luck inciting some anger from the inside, but simply not enough! If we should attack now, we should still have to fight the Kingdom, and that would be no good. We wish to conquer them as peacefully as possible. Keeping soldiers there for extended periods of time to keep the peace would be detrimental to our own borders.
-Note to the Head Advisor of the Shim Nation
The Prince’s recovery seemed incredibly long to both of them. Kirn was irritated by the sheer boredom of sticking around in one place and having nothing to do but silently mock his partner in vigil, while the Priestess was forced to spend her time with him and enduring the silent hatred that seethed from Kirn. The half-breed had the option of leaving once in a while, to get new bandages or check on other patients. The captain that had stopped Kirn checked up on him once in a while to ensure that he was doing his duty to the Crown.
The priestess had attempted some sort of piece once in a while, by bringing a book and placing it on the small table between them, or by bringing an amusement of some sort- there was a paper on a string that created the illusion of a dancing man when spun around quickly enough, or the magic ked glass that shone beads of colored light around the room when tapped twice. Kirn dismissed them like he dismissed the Priestess- something to be tolerated but not fully interacted with. Whether he hurt her feelings, though, he could almost never tell. Sometimes he got the feeling that she was inwardly mocking him for being so pigheaded. Other times she was like a brick wall, impossible to read. It was a relief in many ways, because the more stone-like she was, the less need he felt to try and bug her. Interaction was not in his plans.
Neither was it for anyone else, it seemed. His eyes caught the little trips and tugs she got as she entered and exited, if there were other people there. The little shine of metal clued him into her discretionary removal of a pin that had been placed in her robes. That had made him wince with a touch of sympathy. That hadn’t been an uncommon trick when he was a youth, and even now the occasional tailor’s pins made his life a little miserable. He quickly straightened his face, though, unwilling to let her know about his little sympathy.
It was amazing how tiring it was to keep it up, though. Kirn wasn’t skilled at being angry at others, and not for long if they did manage to get on his bad side.
The fourth day had him debating on what to say to her. A small something, a comment on the weather… His eyes left his own hands to glance over at the girl- no, woman, as he had discovered on the second day when she had pulled back her hood. Her features were youthful, but the signs of maturity were there in the lines of her lips and how her eyes seemed to bore into his soul with a strange insightfulness. And that was what he seen for a few mere moments, as she had brushed back her hair into a braid.
It made him feel strange to know that he had been mistaken about her in one way. Another thing he had come to realize was that she was somewhat pretty, despite the fullness of her face and nonexistent coloring. Ghosts made more of an impression, except for those deep blue eyes of hers. They made him think of the stormy ocean, almost gray and quite large for her face. If she hadn’t had those to give her an innocent look (marred by their blankness), then he would be quite happy to think she was no more than a handy decoration that would leave in the mist one morning and disappear from the thoughts of everyone there.
Disappearing, though, was not on the menu. She stayed firmly there as his eyes glanced from the wall across from him to her hood and the nose that was peeking out from underneath it. He cleared his throat, feeling a little nervous about what he was going to do. It wasn’t every day he spoke to one of these, after all.
She made no movement of any sort, and that both bothered and relieved him. Was he able to just pretend that he wasn’t… No. No, he wasn’t. Another throat clearing and he could see her eyes gleaning from underneath her hood like an owl’s in the night. Well, if he was going to be more accurate, like an owl’s during a snowstorm, but that was neither here nor there.
“I, uh, was wondering how the weather was out there.” Wow. So creative. Kirn frowned after it was out, thinking that it was a stupid question to ask. It wasn’t like he was going to be seeing it anytime soon, and he could tell what it was like, more or less, from the sounds outside and the light that managed to filter in. The second day had been ridiculously stormy, and the drizzle of rain on the tent had nearly driven him insane. Boots splashed in mud and various swears made themselves heard through the cloth. Even if it had been muffled, the flashed of light that streaked across the sky had had it obvious that the storm was raging until well into the evening when the Priestess had retired. It was nicer today, though he could still hear various things and people splashing, though the lightness inside where the Prince was made it obvious that it was sunny.
No wonder she looked at him oddly when he asked that- it was completely unnecessary.
It didn’t seem to stop her from hesitantly answering, though. “It’s fine.” Kirn noted a roughness to her tone that indicated she was from the Northern reaches of the kingdom. They all spoke a little oddly up there. No wonder, since it was closer to the Outer Kingdoms than it was the Capital City. Poor likthen. It was small wonder that such a place had popped out such a creature as she.
“When should the Prince be awakening?”
It seemed like the next logical thing to ask. No one had said a word about it, not within his hearing at least. Perhaps in hers, though, he mused, recalling a quiet scolding occurring outside when she had left the first night.
There was a pause as she turned to look at the Prince. It seemed a little odd, since she had the time to look her fill these last few days.
“Today or tomorrow.”
He waited for some elaboration, but none was forthcoming on her end. “Why has it taken so long?”
“Blood loss and shock.” This reply was far quicker than the last one. She had treated his injury, she would know that far more definitely.
“Was it really that terrible?”
“It was more difficult to treat than most of the injuries here. You came from father away, and he had been stabbed in a dangerous place. You see, the vein was-“
There was a deliberate and abrupt cutoff. Her hand had started to raise the blanket, but it promptly slipped back into her lap next to its partner. Kirn glanced at the Prince, then back at her. “It was important?”
“Yes.”
So she apparently wasn’t much of a talker? Kirn couldn’t blame her, not with the way he had been locking her out these last few days. It hadn’t been sporting of him. She probably received the same treatment with others, though, so it wasn’t like he had gone out of his was to make her miserable. Kirn felt the muscles in his check twitch with a frown. Why did she need to be upset and standoffish when he was trying to make some conversation? It was better than others were likely to do!
“And? We’ve been here for a few days. Aren’t you craving a little conversation?”
Her slight slump disappeared. Krin knew he had gotten to her. However, not a sound escaped her. It frustrated him even more. His mouth opened once again to spout something out, but she managed to beat him to it.
“I’m used to the quiet. I am a half-breed, as you have noticed- otherwise you would have started conversation with me two days ago. Not many would like to associate with me. I’m sure that you know that well enough.” Her voice was strained, making it more difficult to understand her through her accent. Kirn didn’t doubt that she was holding back great emotion, though whether it was tears or shouting or both, he could not tell. It didn’t really matter.
He was quieted, and looked back down at his hands, rubbing them together and examining the rough ridges of his fingernails. “Sorry.” It was short and probably very inadequate, but that was the best he could get out at the moment. Shame made his face flush slightly, giving his already dark cheeks a bluish blush.
The silence stretched on. It was like waiting for a pond to freeze. Perhaps they froze faster than this, Kirn mused, growing more uncomfortable and ashamed by the moment. What else was there to do but wait for her response?
Finally, a slight sigh relieved the silence. The borough that tinged the Priestess’ words touched on his ears, almost imaginary in their volume. “It’s fine. I do not wish to bother you, though, so if I stop and it irritates you, then please just tell me to continue.” It was cautious and hesitant, but a relief from the tension that had been between them the last few days. Preferable, even.
Kirn let his eyes slide back to her, not wanting to be obvious about looking. “So what is your name?” As much as it made him cringe to realize, he had been paying no attention to what others called her. Not that he had cared at the time, but she was somewhat important if she was taking care of the Prince.
“Nia, Sylph Nia.” Her introduction of her name first made him tilt his head a little at the humbleness she showed with that action. Probably necessary, considering it was hard for half-breeds to get around if they didn’t lower themselves. It was still disconcerting to hear that mixed with the title she gave. Sylphs were supposed to be the highest level of Healers within the Order, and thereby accorded great honor. He couldn’t hide the slight motion he made out of instinct, to create the sign of respect with his fingers. His hands had lifted in order to make it, and his fingers were twitching. At the same time, with her name first, it made him unsure of what action he should take.
He decided against any. “You look very young to be a Sylph.”
“I am. I’m apparently the second youngest ever accorded the honor.”
“The Goddess Mishta being the first.” Kirn nodded to himself. He was familiar with that. Mishta had been the youngest, at the age of twelve becoming a Healer of renown, and tales of her abilities had spread far and wide.
Nia tugged a lock of pale hair outside of her hood so that she could twist it around her finger. “We call her Nimara where I come from. My parents named me after her.” A slight turn of her head, and Kirn could see her slight but pained smile. “It seems they were right to do so, yes? Though she never aged once reaching her peak at sixteen, and I have gone beyond that, I’m sure.”
“Ever so slightly,” he acknowledged.
“I received it when I turned twenty, nimah, a special age back home. It wasn’t given lightly.”
Her words held a lot of meaning, from the mention of her home, to how hard it must have been for those within the Order to give her such an honor. It wasn’t exactly something that would go over well with the King or his government. The age gave him an idea of where she came from, though.
“Usually, aren’t girls taken by the age of three? It must have been longer than that before you were accepted. Six or Seven, perhaps? From around the Rullside Mountain?” It was a rough guess, since her accent was not strong enough to give him someplace definite, but the fact that she had it instead of the accent those in the Order usually had from the cloister where they grew up spoke ages.
“Six, when my mother was about to birth my brother. She died, and Father could not take care of me. So… I was received. With a donation, of course, to the Rullside sect of the Order, who kept me for a year or two until I could be taken to the main Cloister.”
“And… your parents…” It must have sounded quite prying, but Kirn was curious as to who would be audacious enough to bear and raise not one but two half-breeds. Unless the unborn sibling had a different father, of course.
She shrugged slightly. “Mom was the human, father the elf. And when mother was dead, he took my brother and left me on the doorstep.” There was no real clue to how she felt about it in her voice. “Don’t remember their names, now. Ach, it was long ago. I’m twenty-three now, and have a good life.” Her hands had reached for the cover over the Prince so that she could check the wound once more. It was about time for that, Kirn noted.
“Hey, I’ll get some lunch. I’m hungry.” He stood and stretched, hearing no sound of either approval or rejection from her. The Priestess tended to be like that, he had noted, getting utterly involved in taking care of her patient. It was good, it meant he really was getting good care, and that was more important than anything else at the moment. He figured that he could leave her with the Sylph with the Prince for a few moments. She would never dare to kill him, not with that level of skill.
The tent closure swept aside to let in the searing light of day when Kirn left. It was kind of him to offer to get her meal, she admitted to herself, unsure of why the elf was being so kind at the moment. After the days of silence, it was odd and put her on edge. The Sisters in the Order were very good at hating her all the time. They didn’t soften in the face of her pain or tears. Not all of them. She let a small smile grace her face as she thought of the few friends she had made in her travels. The pill she pulled from her satchel of herbs and medical tools slipped to the tips of her fingers as she placed it in the Prince’s mouth, over his tongue, then massaged his throat to try and get him to swallow. He did without chocking which relieved her.
After that she was able to unwrap the bandages without worry of him shifting, treating the stitches and washing of the medical paste, replacing it with a different set of herbs because of the healing that had occurred. The wound hardly looked visible, but the area would be dangerously tender and able to rip at a start. The same was applicable to his organs and muscles. She would have to warn his next Healer about it.
When she stepped back to sit down again, the smell of something tasty reached her nose over the scent of the herbs. She glanced over and saw a plate of spiced vegetables and roasted meat, along with an intrigued-looking Kirn. He gave her a slight smile, which she hesitantly returned. She hadn’t really believed he’d be back with anything more than some bread. Nia almost couldn’t hide her surprise, but dug in anyway, savoring how it tasted after missing breakfast to come here this morning. Her hunger nearly had her thanking Kirn over a mouthful of the greens, but she thanked her lucky stars that she hadn’t forgotten her manners like that. Her Superior would have been ashamed of her.
It marked the beginning of a new, amiable silence, occasionally punctuated with his questions about her and the Order. He never went beyond the superficial, such as favorite color, how she felt about the Order. It was pleasant and Nia welcomed the kindness with which he spoke and asked her things. Hope started brewing that perhaps she had made a new friend here.
The last two hours passed in a tired silence. She had changed the herbs once more, and her eyes drooped. “I will leave you to rest, now,” Nia noted as the bell for the 8th hour rang from the town. Kirn nodded tiredly, the cot he had been using catching his eye from the corner he had folded it up in. She slipped into the cool night air and headed straight for the Sister’s tent, feeling naked as she passed by the eyes of the few guards that patrolled. It was safer in the Prince’s tent, a haven from people that she had relished far too much. A vague feeling of sorrow filled her as she thought about how the Prince would be leaving soon enough.
Kirn had moved to the cot to open it the moment she had left, not wanting Nia to feel unwanted or rushed. The rustle of the cotton over wood almost masked the breathy mumble behind him. He turned, realizing what exactly that meant. The Prince’s eyes were open, but slightly glazed over as his lips moved. He moved to the Prince’s side to try and hear him, aid him how he could. Kirn’s ear almost touched the Prince’s mouth to try and catch the words properly.
“The ghost… Come for me? Am I dead?” He sounded worried, almost panicked.
Kirn lifted his head and shook it. “No, my Prince. She is no ghost, just a half-breed healer. She saved your life.”
“Ghost healed me? Breeding healers?”
“No, no, she… Sire, please, sleep. You are safe here, alive.” Kirn didn’t want to leave the Prince’s side until he was sure that he would not hurt himself accidentally, in a fit of fear. It didn’t look like it would take long, from the disjointed comments that were being spoken. Thankfully, Kirn was right. The Prince closed his eyes after a few more moments and fell back into the sleep from which he had awakened. Kirn took the opportunity to stick his head out and motion to a guard that the commander should be awakened and the head of the Order here notified of what had happened. Within minutes both had arrived. The head Sister fussed over the details of the awakening quietly, checking the state of his consciousness and sleep, while the commander informed her that he would begin transportation back to the castle on the morrow.
Without Nia as the healer in charge.
No fuss was made over this arrangement.
Kirn felt like making a fuss when he discovered that Nia was being left out of what was going on. She had been the one to heal the Prince- she was obviously the best for the job! Pride welled in his chest. He knew that the Prince deserved the best. The stories and tales of him were almost legendary, and that showed that there had to be some truth to them. Right? Whether or not, it did mean that he wanted Nia to go with him. Just in case something went wrong, or an incompetent healer happened to get close enough to ruin the healing that had happened. Thankfully, Elven resiliency won the day. The Prince was awake by almost mid-morning. Kirn had been up a while, waiting as the crew had gotten the wagon and small group of soldiers together to escort the Prince back to the capital. Orders had finally come in from the King to take him there immediately to finish his recovery. They had wanted to make sure that everything was as comfortable and safe for him, so both Sisters and guards were going over every inch of it, ensuring that it would not jostle too much and that there was enough padding where he would be laying.
It was unsurprising that the tail end of the activities would awaken him, when all was said and done. He was far more conscious and aware than before, his eyes roving around the room like a seasoned scout searching for troops. Finally, Kirn was addressed. “So, I am not dead. Was the ghost a hallucination brought on by the medicines, or fear? I must apologize if I alarmed you.” A kind smile played at the edges of his lips.
“No, Sire, you did not. The ghost was no ghost; it was the healer that attended you from the moment you arrived. She saved your life, Sire, more surely than I’m an elf, and no one else could have done it. She’s a Sylph, you see.”
He felt that he was rambling by the end of it. It felt like he couldn’t stop the explanation from tumbling from his lips, though, in the presence of someone he had heard so much about. It was an honor to even be addressed, let alone be able to hold a conversation.
“Then please, let me meet her before we leave for home. I’m assuming that’s where Father wants me to be, is it not?”
Kirn nodded, unable to say anything at this point. He stuck his head out and motioned for one of the young soldiers-in-training to get Nia. He wasn’t about to disobey an order from his Prince, but could not help fearing what would be said or thought when the half-breed met him. Kirn couldn’t imagine anything but the worst from the son of the king who had made laws regarding half-bloods even stricter than his predecessors had.
There was a bit of a commotion outside. Apparently, Nia had been stopped by the Superior, as their shadows on the wall indicated, and was being harshly scolded. He could hear the older woman’s voice sharply reprimanding Nia, though he could not hear what was being said. Superior entered, flushed with embarrassment and apology. She kneeled at the foot of the Prince’s bed. “Sire, forgive me for interrupting, but your healer is not fit to be seen at the moment or to travel with you- she is desperately needed here, for the soldiers, you see, and-“A quietly raised hand stilled her tongue. “I would like to thank the Sister myself.” It was both order and a slight plea. She could very much deny him in his condition, and claim that it was best for his health. The Order was above petty reprimands by the royal family. There was too much respect for them from the countrymen, and they held that much power in the kingdom.
That did not occur, though. Superior apparently thought it in her best interests to let the Prince have his way. The onus would be on him if he did not care for what he saw.
Nia’s hooded figure slipped inside on some unseen command. She kneeled at Superior’s left side, where the woman had not moved from. All Sisters looked the same in their robes, aside from some being thinner or taller than the others. If he hadn’t known who had treated the Prince, Kirn would not have known if they had exchanged Nia for some other, more appropriate, healer. As it was it made little difference. Not a bit of her showed under the lowered hood and lowered face. Her hand were hidden in the sleeves, and the robes were of course long enough to hide the shade of her feet.
It was a still figure that was no more than a silent spirit, more so than when she had her hood down. The Prince thought this to be unacceptable. “Rise, and come to my side.” A motion of his hand indicated where she should stand. It was uncanny how quickly she moved there. “Let me see the face of the woman who saved my life.”
There was a moment of hesitation, a stiffness of her shoulders that showed how scared she was to obey the order. Obey the order she did, though, and the rise of a pale hand proved decent foreshadowing to the look on his face when the hood slipped down. It revealed the funny crown of white hair that fell over a second, mud-brown layer, and the albino coloring that meant she could hide among no race in the nation. Her eyes had fixated on her toes, giving her an appearance of a marble statue.
The Prince’s eyes had widened, until they almost bugged out of his face. There was a tremble in his fingers as the hesitantly raised towards her. Kirn couldn’t believe the movement. Was he really going to…? Indeed he was! The Prince slipped his fingers over hers for a brief squeeze. They might have dropped to the bed immediately after, but there was no mistaking what had happened. “Thank you. I’m very fond of being alive, so this has given me a precious gift. I am in your debt.” The last words were customary, but the sharp intake of breath from Superior made it seem that it was a horrendous breach in the laws of nature.
It was no surprise that the Priestess found it to be no less than shocking, either. The Prince let his hand fall quickly to his side, intending for the hold to last no longer than that. It was something that had not really been done before in living history- a touch between a Royal and one of mixed blood. It was something that truly made everyone in the room worry a bit. The King would not care for this if he found out.
It didn't have to leave the room, of course. That was the thing- there was no reason to let anyone know, and Superior was not likely to say anything. Neither was Kirn, and the Priestess... she knew her place. She always had known her place, Kirn recalled. The Prince gave her a slight smile regardless, not worried about what was happening in the thoughts of those around them. It was a sad thing indeed, Kirn thought, that she could not be properly recognized by the Kingdom for her skills and her help in keeping it from losing its heir. That was the prince she paid for her parent's sins. Kirn could hardly believe it, though.
Regardless, it was to be ignored at this point. The matter was between the Prince and the Priestess. The Prince turned to look at the Superior. "Please, she will be taking me back to the palace and ensuring my health further?" There was no question in his voice, but why that was escaped Kirn.
"No, You’re Highness. She is the only sylph within miles of here. We could never spare her for all these men, now that you are on your way to health. We must beg your forgiveness, but please understand our situation..." The Prince cut her off with another raised hand.
"I understand the situation. I am glad that you made the right decision in allowing her to treat me. There is little doubt she saved my life, and I am grateful for it. I am sure that my father is grateful to the Order for having their best do so, too."
It was political at this point. The Prince was doing what he could for his savior by showing that he had her under his protection. At least, that she had his respect and that was as good as anything. Kirn was impressed. It perhaps would not help the girl much, but for the next few days she would perhaps be left alone from censure and cruelty, until the Prince was well away. His lip was bitten between his teeth. There had to be something he could do to help her situation as the Prince had, right?
Perhaps not. It was silly of him to think so. Kirn had no power here. He saw the Superior bow her head in acceptance of the Prince's words. It was astounding what the Prince could do, but that was why they were the True Rulers. Only the Order would obey them without question due to the pact between those of Royal Blood.
Nia kneeled by the Prince's side. "I thank you, Majesty." It was whispered in such a quiet tone that Kirn didn't hear it- he watched her lips move in the motion that indicated that she had said something. Of course, there was no guarantee that she had at this point. The Prince smiled at her rather gently. "Please help the rest of the soldiers as best you can. I'm sure that you are doing an excellent job, Sylph." The deep blue sash around her waist trembled as she did, the object that marked her out from the rest of the Priestesses.
"If that is all, I am tired. Please, leave me to rest until we are ready to leave." The address left no room for argument, and no healer would have objected to his request. Nia disappeared as quietly as she could, as quickly as she could, and Kirn was left with the Superior and the Prince. Superior narrowed her eyes at Kirn, perhaps knowing that he had been kind to the half-blood, but unable to say anything about it at this point. She followed Nia out after a few more moments. The Prince gazed over at him, observing him in his own right.
Kirn had not moved from his position. "I shall leave, too, if you so desire."
"No, that is not necessary. You have been guarding me for these past few days, yes? Then I thank you, too, though I doubt the job was terribly exciting." There was a smile on his face once more. "And I am sure that you will desire to get back to your post as quickly as possible, I am sure. I apologize for taking you out of your region and away from your fellows. I'm sure that the burden was not easy to bear, either, what with the warning about not letting me die. I'm sure that you would have been executed if you had failed
-Note to the Head Advisor of the Shim Nation
The Prince’s recovery seemed incredibly long to both of them. Kirn was irritated by the sheer boredom of sticking around in one place and having nothing to do but silently mock his partner in vigil, while the Priestess was forced to spend her time with him and enduring the silent hatred that seethed from Kirn. The half-breed had the option of leaving once in a while, to get new bandages or check on other patients. The captain that had stopped Kirn checked up on him once in a while to ensure that he was doing his duty to the Crown.
The priestess had attempted some sort of piece once in a while, by bringing a book and placing it on the small table between them, or by bringing an amusement of some sort- there was a paper on a string that created the illusion of a dancing man when spun around quickly enough, or the magic ked glass that shone beads of colored light around the room when tapped twice. Kirn dismissed them like he dismissed the Priestess- something to be tolerated but not fully interacted with. Whether he hurt her feelings, though, he could almost never tell. Sometimes he got the feeling that she was inwardly mocking him for being so pigheaded. Other times she was like a brick wall, impossible to read. It was a relief in many ways, because the more stone-like she was, the less need he felt to try and bug her. Interaction was not in his plans.
Neither was it for anyone else, it seemed. His eyes caught the little trips and tugs she got as she entered and exited, if there were other people there. The little shine of metal clued him into her discretionary removal of a pin that had been placed in her robes. That had made him wince with a touch of sympathy. That hadn’t been an uncommon trick when he was a youth, and even now the occasional tailor’s pins made his life a little miserable. He quickly straightened his face, though, unwilling to let her know about his little sympathy.
It was amazing how tiring it was to keep it up, though. Kirn wasn’t skilled at being angry at others, and not for long if they did manage to get on his bad side.
The fourth day had him debating on what to say to her. A small something, a comment on the weather… His eyes left his own hands to glance over at the girl- no, woman, as he had discovered on the second day when she had pulled back her hood. Her features were youthful, but the signs of maturity were there in the lines of her lips and how her eyes seemed to bore into his soul with a strange insightfulness. And that was what he seen for a few mere moments, as she had brushed back her hair into a braid.
It made him feel strange to know that he had been mistaken about her in one way. Another thing he had come to realize was that she was somewhat pretty, despite the fullness of her face and nonexistent coloring. Ghosts made more of an impression, except for those deep blue eyes of hers. They made him think of the stormy ocean, almost gray and quite large for her face. If she hadn’t had those to give her an innocent look (marred by their blankness), then he would be quite happy to think she was no more than a handy decoration that would leave in the mist one morning and disappear from the thoughts of everyone there.
Disappearing, though, was not on the menu. She stayed firmly there as his eyes glanced from the wall across from him to her hood and the nose that was peeking out from underneath it. He cleared his throat, feeling a little nervous about what he was going to do. It wasn’t every day he spoke to one of these, after all.
She made no movement of any sort, and that both bothered and relieved him. Was he able to just pretend that he wasn’t… No. No, he wasn’t. Another throat clearing and he could see her eyes gleaning from underneath her hood like an owl’s in the night. Well, if he was going to be more accurate, like an owl’s during a snowstorm, but that was neither here nor there.
“I, uh, was wondering how the weather was out there.” Wow. So creative. Kirn frowned after it was out, thinking that it was a stupid question to ask. It wasn’t like he was going to be seeing it anytime soon, and he could tell what it was like, more or less, from the sounds outside and the light that managed to filter in. The second day had been ridiculously stormy, and the drizzle of rain on the tent had nearly driven him insane. Boots splashed in mud and various swears made themselves heard through the cloth. Even if it had been muffled, the flashed of light that streaked across the sky had had it obvious that the storm was raging until well into the evening when the Priestess had retired. It was nicer today, though he could still hear various things and people splashing, though the lightness inside where the Prince was made it obvious that it was sunny.
No wonder she looked at him oddly when he asked that- it was completely unnecessary.
It didn’t seem to stop her from hesitantly answering, though. “It’s fine.” Kirn noted a roughness to her tone that indicated she was from the Northern reaches of the kingdom. They all spoke a little oddly up there. No wonder, since it was closer to the Outer Kingdoms than it was the Capital City. Poor likthen. It was small wonder that such a place had popped out such a creature as she.
“When should the Prince be awakening?”
It seemed like the next logical thing to ask. No one had said a word about it, not within his hearing at least. Perhaps in hers, though, he mused, recalling a quiet scolding occurring outside when she had left the first night.
There was a pause as she turned to look at the Prince. It seemed a little odd, since she had the time to look her fill these last few days.
“Today or tomorrow.”
He waited for some elaboration, but none was forthcoming on her end. “Why has it taken so long?”
“Blood loss and shock.” This reply was far quicker than the last one. She had treated his injury, she would know that far more definitely.
“Was it really that terrible?”
“It was more difficult to treat than most of the injuries here. You came from father away, and he had been stabbed in a dangerous place. You see, the vein was-“
There was a deliberate and abrupt cutoff. Her hand had started to raise the blanket, but it promptly slipped back into her lap next to its partner. Kirn glanced at the Prince, then back at her. “It was important?”
“Yes.”
So she apparently wasn’t much of a talker? Kirn couldn’t blame her, not with the way he had been locking her out these last few days. It hadn’t been sporting of him. She probably received the same treatment with others, though, so it wasn’t like he had gone out of his was to make her miserable. Kirn felt the muscles in his check twitch with a frown. Why did she need to be upset and standoffish when he was trying to make some conversation? It was better than others were likely to do!
“And? We’ve been here for a few days. Aren’t you craving a little conversation?”
Her slight slump disappeared. Krin knew he had gotten to her. However, not a sound escaped her. It frustrated him even more. His mouth opened once again to spout something out, but she managed to beat him to it.
“I’m used to the quiet. I am a half-breed, as you have noticed- otherwise you would have started conversation with me two days ago. Not many would like to associate with me. I’m sure that you know that well enough.” Her voice was strained, making it more difficult to understand her through her accent. Kirn didn’t doubt that she was holding back great emotion, though whether it was tears or shouting or both, he could not tell. It didn’t really matter.
He was quieted, and looked back down at his hands, rubbing them together and examining the rough ridges of his fingernails. “Sorry.” It was short and probably very inadequate, but that was the best he could get out at the moment. Shame made his face flush slightly, giving his already dark cheeks a bluish blush.
The silence stretched on. It was like waiting for a pond to freeze. Perhaps they froze faster than this, Kirn mused, growing more uncomfortable and ashamed by the moment. What else was there to do but wait for her response?
Finally, a slight sigh relieved the silence. The borough that tinged the Priestess’ words touched on his ears, almost imaginary in their volume. “It’s fine. I do not wish to bother you, though, so if I stop and it irritates you, then please just tell me to continue.” It was cautious and hesitant, but a relief from the tension that had been between them the last few days. Preferable, even.
Kirn let his eyes slide back to her, not wanting to be obvious about looking. “So what is your name?” As much as it made him cringe to realize, he had been paying no attention to what others called her. Not that he had cared at the time, but she was somewhat important if she was taking care of the Prince.
“Nia, Sylph Nia.” Her introduction of her name first made him tilt his head a little at the humbleness she showed with that action. Probably necessary, considering it was hard for half-breeds to get around if they didn’t lower themselves. It was still disconcerting to hear that mixed with the title she gave. Sylphs were supposed to be the highest level of Healers within the Order, and thereby accorded great honor. He couldn’t hide the slight motion he made out of instinct, to create the sign of respect with his fingers. His hands had lifted in order to make it, and his fingers were twitching. At the same time, with her name first, it made him unsure of what action he should take.
He decided against any. “You look very young to be a Sylph.”
“I am. I’m apparently the second youngest ever accorded the honor.”
“The Goddess Mishta being the first.” Kirn nodded to himself. He was familiar with that. Mishta had been the youngest, at the age of twelve becoming a Healer of renown, and tales of her abilities had spread far and wide.
Nia tugged a lock of pale hair outside of her hood so that she could twist it around her finger. “We call her Nimara where I come from. My parents named me after her.” A slight turn of her head, and Kirn could see her slight but pained smile. “It seems they were right to do so, yes? Though she never aged once reaching her peak at sixteen, and I have gone beyond that, I’m sure.”
“Ever so slightly,” he acknowledged.
“I received it when I turned twenty, nimah, a special age back home. It wasn’t given lightly.”
Her words held a lot of meaning, from the mention of her home, to how hard it must have been for those within the Order to give her such an honor. It wasn’t exactly something that would go over well with the King or his government. The age gave him an idea of where she came from, though.
“Usually, aren’t girls taken by the age of three? It must have been longer than that before you were accepted. Six or Seven, perhaps? From around the Rullside Mountain?” It was a rough guess, since her accent was not strong enough to give him someplace definite, but the fact that she had it instead of the accent those in the Order usually had from the cloister where they grew up spoke ages.
“Six, when my mother was about to birth my brother. She died, and Father could not take care of me. So… I was received. With a donation, of course, to the Rullside sect of the Order, who kept me for a year or two until I could be taken to the main Cloister.”
“And… your parents…” It must have sounded quite prying, but Kirn was curious as to who would be audacious enough to bear and raise not one but two half-breeds. Unless the unborn sibling had a different father, of course.
She shrugged slightly. “Mom was the human, father the elf. And when mother was dead, he took my brother and left me on the doorstep.” There was no real clue to how she felt about it in her voice. “Don’t remember their names, now. Ach, it was long ago. I’m twenty-three now, and have a good life.” Her hands had reached for the cover over the Prince so that she could check the wound once more. It was about time for that, Kirn noted.
“Hey, I’ll get some lunch. I’m hungry.” He stood and stretched, hearing no sound of either approval or rejection from her. The Priestess tended to be like that, he had noted, getting utterly involved in taking care of her patient. It was good, it meant he really was getting good care, and that was more important than anything else at the moment. He figured that he could leave her with the Sylph with the Prince for a few moments. She would never dare to kill him, not with that level of skill.
The tent closure swept aside to let in the searing light of day when Kirn left. It was kind of him to offer to get her meal, she admitted to herself, unsure of why the elf was being so kind at the moment. After the days of silence, it was odd and put her on edge. The Sisters in the Order were very good at hating her all the time. They didn’t soften in the face of her pain or tears. Not all of them. She let a small smile grace her face as she thought of the few friends she had made in her travels. The pill she pulled from her satchel of herbs and medical tools slipped to the tips of her fingers as she placed it in the Prince’s mouth, over his tongue, then massaged his throat to try and get him to swallow. He did without chocking which relieved her.
After that she was able to unwrap the bandages without worry of him shifting, treating the stitches and washing of the medical paste, replacing it with a different set of herbs because of the healing that had occurred. The wound hardly looked visible, but the area would be dangerously tender and able to rip at a start. The same was applicable to his organs and muscles. She would have to warn his next Healer about it.
When she stepped back to sit down again, the smell of something tasty reached her nose over the scent of the herbs. She glanced over and saw a plate of spiced vegetables and roasted meat, along with an intrigued-looking Kirn. He gave her a slight smile, which she hesitantly returned. She hadn’t really believed he’d be back with anything more than some bread. Nia almost couldn’t hide her surprise, but dug in anyway, savoring how it tasted after missing breakfast to come here this morning. Her hunger nearly had her thanking Kirn over a mouthful of the greens, but she thanked her lucky stars that she hadn’t forgotten her manners like that. Her Superior would have been ashamed of her.
It marked the beginning of a new, amiable silence, occasionally punctuated with his questions about her and the Order. He never went beyond the superficial, such as favorite color, how she felt about the Order. It was pleasant and Nia welcomed the kindness with which he spoke and asked her things. Hope started brewing that perhaps she had made a new friend here.
The last two hours passed in a tired silence. She had changed the herbs once more, and her eyes drooped. “I will leave you to rest, now,” Nia noted as the bell for the 8th hour rang from the town. Kirn nodded tiredly, the cot he had been using catching his eye from the corner he had folded it up in. She slipped into the cool night air and headed straight for the Sister’s tent, feeling naked as she passed by the eyes of the few guards that patrolled. It was safer in the Prince’s tent, a haven from people that she had relished far too much. A vague feeling of sorrow filled her as she thought about how the Prince would be leaving soon enough.
Kirn had moved to the cot to open it the moment she had left, not wanting Nia to feel unwanted or rushed. The rustle of the cotton over wood almost masked the breathy mumble behind him. He turned, realizing what exactly that meant. The Prince’s eyes were open, but slightly glazed over as his lips moved. He moved to the Prince’s side to try and hear him, aid him how he could. Kirn’s ear almost touched the Prince’s mouth to try and catch the words properly.
“The ghost… Come for me? Am I dead?” He sounded worried, almost panicked.
Kirn lifted his head and shook it. “No, my Prince. She is no ghost, just a half-breed healer. She saved your life.”
“Ghost healed me? Breeding healers?”
“No, no, she… Sire, please, sleep. You are safe here, alive.” Kirn didn’t want to leave the Prince’s side until he was sure that he would not hurt himself accidentally, in a fit of fear. It didn’t look like it would take long, from the disjointed comments that were being spoken. Thankfully, Kirn was right. The Prince closed his eyes after a few more moments and fell back into the sleep from which he had awakened. Kirn took the opportunity to stick his head out and motion to a guard that the commander should be awakened and the head of the Order here notified of what had happened. Within minutes both had arrived. The head Sister fussed over the details of the awakening quietly, checking the state of his consciousness and sleep, while the commander informed her that he would begin transportation back to the castle on the morrow.
Without Nia as the healer in charge.
No fuss was made over this arrangement.
Kirn felt like making a fuss when he discovered that Nia was being left out of what was going on. She had been the one to heal the Prince- she was obviously the best for the job! Pride welled in his chest. He knew that the Prince deserved the best. The stories and tales of him were almost legendary, and that showed that there had to be some truth to them. Right? Whether or not, it did mean that he wanted Nia to go with him. Just in case something went wrong, or an incompetent healer happened to get close enough to ruin the healing that had happened. Thankfully, Elven resiliency won the day. The Prince was awake by almost mid-morning. Kirn had been up a while, waiting as the crew had gotten the wagon and small group of soldiers together to escort the Prince back to the capital. Orders had finally come in from the King to take him there immediately to finish his recovery. They had wanted to make sure that everything was as comfortable and safe for him, so both Sisters and guards were going over every inch of it, ensuring that it would not jostle too much and that there was enough padding where he would be laying.
It was unsurprising that the tail end of the activities would awaken him, when all was said and done. He was far more conscious and aware than before, his eyes roving around the room like a seasoned scout searching for troops. Finally, Kirn was addressed. “So, I am not dead. Was the ghost a hallucination brought on by the medicines, or fear? I must apologize if I alarmed you.” A kind smile played at the edges of his lips.
“No, Sire, you did not. The ghost was no ghost; it was the healer that attended you from the moment you arrived. She saved your life, Sire, more surely than I’m an elf, and no one else could have done it. She’s a Sylph, you see.”
He felt that he was rambling by the end of it. It felt like he couldn’t stop the explanation from tumbling from his lips, though, in the presence of someone he had heard so much about. It was an honor to even be addressed, let alone be able to hold a conversation.
“Then please, let me meet her before we leave for home. I’m assuming that’s where Father wants me to be, is it not?”
Kirn nodded, unable to say anything at this point. He stuck his head out and motioned for one of the young soldiers-in-training to get Nia. He wasn’t about to disobey an order from his Prince, but could not help fearing what would be said or thought when the half-breed met him. Kirn couldn’t imagine anything but the worst from the son of the king who had made laws regarding half-bloods even stricter than his predecessors had.
There was a bit of a commotion outside. Apparently, Nia had been stopped by the Superior, as their shadows on the wall indicated, and was being harshly scolded. He could hear the older woman’s voice sharply reprimanding Nia, though he could not hear what was being said. Superior entered, flushed with embarrassment and apology. She kneeled at the foot of the Prince’s bed. “Sire, forgive me for interrupting, but your healer is not fit to be seen at the moment or to travel with you- she is desperately needed here, for the soldiers, you see, and-“A quietly raised hand stilled her tongue. “I would like to thank the Sister myself.” It was both order and a slight plea. She could very much deny him in his condition, and claim that it was best for his health. The Order was above petty reprimands by the royal family. There was too much respect for them from the countrymen, and they held that much power in the kingdom.
That did not occur, though. Superior apparently thought it in her best interests to let the Prince have his way. The onus would be on him if he did not care for what he saw.
Nia’s hooded figure slipped inside on some unseen command. She kneeled at Superior’s left side, where the woman had not moved from. All Sisters looked the same in their robes, aside from some being thinner or taller than the others. If he hadn’t known who had treated the Prince, Kirn would not have known if they had exchanged Nia for some other, more appropriate, healer. As it was it made little difference. Not a bit of her showed under the lowered hood and lowered face. Her hand were hidden in the sleeves, and the robes were of course long enough to hide the shade of her feet.
It was a still figure that was no more than a silent spirit, more so than when she had her hood down. The Prince thought this to be unacceptable. “Rise, and come to my side.” A motion of his hand indicated where she should stand. It was uncanny how quickly she moved there. “Let me see the face of the woman who saved my life.”
There was a moment of hesitation, a stiffness of her shoulders that showed how scared she was to obey the order. Obey the order she did, though, and the rise of a pale hand proved decent foreshadowing to the look on his face when the hood slipped down. It revealed the funny crown of white hair that fell over a second, mud-brown layer, and the albino coloring that meant she could hide among no race in the nation. Her eyes had fixated on her toes, giving her an appearance of a marble statue.
The Prince’s eyes had widened, until they almost bugged out of his face. There was a tremble in his fingers as the hesitantly raised towards her. Kirn couldn’t believe the movement. Was he really going to…? Indeed he was! The Prince slipped his fingers over hers for a brief squeeze. They might have dropped to the bed immediately after, but there was no mistaking what had happened. “Thank you. I’m very fond of being alive, so this has given me a precious gift. I am in your debt.” The last words were customary, but the sharp intake of breath from Superior made it seem that it was a horrendous breach in the laws of nature.
It was no surprise that the Priestess found it to be no less than shocking, either. The Prince let his hand fall quickly to his side, intending for the hold to last no longer than that. It was something that had not really been done before in living history- a touch between a Royal and one of mixed blood. It was something that truly made everyone in the room worry a bit. The King would not care for this if he found out.
It didn't have to leave the room, of course. That was the thing- there was no reason to let anyone know, and Superior was not likely to say anything. Neither was Kirn, and the Priestess... she knew her place. She always had known her place, Kirn recalled. The Prince gave her a slight smile regardless, not worried about what was happening in the thoughts of those around them. It was a sad thing indeed, Kirn thought, that she could not be properly recognized by the Kingdom for her skills and her help in keeping it from losing its heir. That was the prince she paid for her parent's sins. Kirn could hardly believe it, though.
Regardless, it was to be ignored at this point. The matter was between the Prince and the Priestess. The Prince turned to look at the Superior. "Please, she will be taking me back to the palace and ensuring my health further?" There was no question in his voice, but why that was escaped Kirn.
"No, You’re Highness. She is the only sylph within miles of here. We could never spare her for all these men, now that you are on your way to health. We must beg your forgiveness, but please understand our situation..." The Prince cut her off with another raised hand.
"I understand the situation. I am glad that you made the right decision in allowing her to treat me. There is little doubt she saved my life, and I am grateful for it. I am sure that my father is grateful to the Order for having their best do so, too."
It was political at this point. The Prince was doing what he could for his savior by showing that he had her under his protection. At least, that she had his respect and that was as good as anything. Kirn was impressed. It perhaps would not help the girl much, but for the next few days she would perhaps be left alone from censure and cruelty, until the Prince was well away. His lip was bitten between his teeth. There had to be something he could do to help her situation as the Prince had, right?
Perhaps not. It was silly of him to think so. Kirn had no power here. He saw the Superior bow her head in acceptance of the Prince's words. It was astounding what the Prince could do, but that was why they were the True Rulers. Only the Order would obey them without question due to the pact between those of Royal Blood.
Nia kneeled by the Prince's side. "I thank you, Majesty." It was whispered in such a quiet tone that Kirn didn't hear it- he watched her lips move in the motion that indicated that she had said something. Of course, there was no guarantee that she had at this point. The Prince smiled at her rather gently. "Please help the rest of the soldiers as best you can. I'm sure that you are doing an excellent job, Sylph." The deep blue sash around her waist trembled as she did, the object that marked her out from the rest of the Priestesses.
"If that is all, I am tired. Please, leave me to rest until we are ready to leave." The address left no room for argument, and no healer would have objected to his request. Nia disappeared as quietly as she could, as quickly as she could, and Kirn was left with the Superior and the Prince. Superior narrowed her eyes at Kirn, perhaps knowing that he had been kind to the half-blood, but unable to say anything about it at this point. She followed Nia out after a few more moments. The Prince gazed over at him, observing him in his own right.
Kirn had not moved from his position. "I shall leave, too, if you so desire."
"No, that is not necessary. You have been guarding me for these past few days, yes? Then I thank you, too, though I doubt the job was terribly exciting." There was a smile on his face once more. "And I am sure that you will desire to get back to your post as quickly as possible, I am sure. I apologize for taking you out of your region and away from your fellows. I'm sure that the burden was not easy to bear, either, what with the warning about not letting me die. I'm sure that you would have been executed if you had failed
Revised "Chapter" 2
The Order of the Sisters is one great importance- for, as they are a religious Order, so they also tend to the Needs of the Nation. To incur their wrath is to incur the wrath of the People. For what doctor will treat without payment? What person will open their doors with trust and love and without discrimination? This has always been our honor and our joy.
-History of the Order, written in Year 746
The night was unusually dark. Clouds were rolling in from the West, and flashes of light emphasized the height and breadth of the approaching storm. Nia couldn't hear the thunder yet. It made the scenery eerie. The stillness of the camp combined with the odd weather made everything seem surreal. It was almost enough to make her lose herself within it. Almost- but not quite. There were murmurs coming from the tents behind her where the wounded were treated. Were the patients already getting ready for morning? It seemed unlikely. Dawn was still a few hours away, and even those in deep pain would be catching what little rest they could at this time of night.
Mainly soldiers were ensconced within the oiled canvas, but there were also a few villagers that had been caught in a rather nasty fire that had occurred a few days ago. Nia had been treating the worst of them. Thankfully, they were unconscious for most of it. The looks she got when they weren't were not easy to bear. Her cloak provided some protection when people didn't look too closely, but during the day it wasn't practical to have it up. She was exposed to everything.
The night afforded her protection in allowing her to draw the hood over her head and obscuring the more obvious details of her heritage in darkness. It didn't hide her from the others in her Order, though. Quickened breaths and pounding feet made Nia turn her feet towards the approaching woman. "Nia! We have a new arrival! Get in there and treat him!" The woman was Nia's superior, and the remaining moonlight gleamed off of the white robes that were revealed by the fluttering of her cloak. "As quickly and discreetly as you can, girl. Hear me?" The question was sharp but quiet, a concession to the time and the patients they were near.
A tip of Nia's head, and the elf disappeared into the tents to make sure the other patients were not disturbed by the commotion that was stirring on the other side of the camp. Various noises alerted Nia to the fact that this didn't seem to be an ordinary soldier. Why would the camp guards flock to see the newcomer? Her sandaled feet moved quietly over the grass, unwilling to anger her superior more than the woman already had been. Nia could feel guilt pooling in the depths of her stomach. She hadn't supposed to be out at this time of night. There were rounds to do, medicines to brew and mix, fevers to calm...
It mattered not at the moment. There was someone that needed her help. The idea of dithering around like a halfwit never occurred to her, unlike some of the apprentices assigned her. In retrospect, that perhaps had more to do with Nia herself than a lack of focus and drive on their parts, but because of the circumstances it was difficult to tell. She shoved back the hood that had protected her face as she approached the entrance to the surgery tent. Her hands wrapped themselves in the snow-white crown that capped her head, drawing back her hair back so that it wouldn't get in the way. The paleness that blended into her skin like snow into a spirit made her instantly recognizable to the two that guarded the entrance to the surgery.
They begrudgingly ordered the odd assortment of soldiers away so that she could pass. It wasn't that difficult, as once her presence was made known some stumbling back from her and others disappearing into their own quarters to avoid her. Her eyes merely flickered over them as she kept striding towards and into where her patient was now lying. Two of her regular assistants were slathering disinfectant cream over their hands as Nia dropped her cloak into a corner of the tent. They were unusually attentive but still couldn't help but slow down once they saw her, she noted. Her own eyes locked onto the man who had come in with the bleeder. "Out. You're going to be in the way, here, and you're filthy. There are baths-"
"I can't! I can't leave him until I know he'll be okay!" the elf burst out desperately. He took two steps towards her, but could not bring himself to come any further. "You don't understand. If I don't, I could... I'll be... Please. Let me stay."
She had tied back her own robes and began disinfecting herself as the man spoke. "Then you will sit in the corner, stay out of our way, and be quiet."
"I won't do what you-"
"Yes, you will!" Nia snarled, her face transforming into a fierce mask of anger. It was no less effective this time than the few others she had used it. The elf closed his mouth and sat in the corner, on top of her cloak. It was probably out a small measure of spite, but as long as he was out of the way then it didn't matter where he set himself. Her also made her snap at her assistants to begin undressing the elf that was lying there, his skin having turned from the normal bruise-color that indicated health to a sickly shade of grey. Her own hands went for needle and gut, knowing that the bleeding had to be slowed before any serious assessment of the damage could be taken.
The eyes of the god of healing, Jikki, gleamed red in the lamplight, the statue having been placed at the head of the operating table. Her fingers searched the wound, their movements a prayer to the god that the elf might be saved. One of the assistants placed a strip of leather between his teeth and monitored how conscious he was. A vial of draught was ready to be administered if needed, but Nia gave the order to stay it unless absolutely necessary. His breathing was starting to become erratic as it was, and the draught always had the chance of making it worse.
The wound in his side bled, more so when her fingers dipped into the flesh to search out the nicked vessel or artery that was keeping the iron solution flowing from his body. It smeared her hand and trickled over the side of the table. She had to pause for a moment to order the assistant who had belatedly entered to scrub up and get bandages. Another order went out to prepare a powder to stimulate blood production. The elf would need it when this was over, if he survived it. Thankfully it wasn't more than a minute after that, that Nia found the source of the blood. There was a small squirt that stained her white robe, and made the elf in the corner cry out, startled and with a hint of fear. Thankfully, Nia didn't flinch from the sound. It was as if she couldn't hear it with her own blood pounding in her ears, creating a dull ringing that it was difficult to make anything out over. It was a small blessing.
Nia was nervous enough as it was. Her slick fingers nearly lost their grip on the needle, so she wiped them on the clean snow-white cloth that covered her body. It created a vaguely macabre imprint that recalled a scene of a murder that she had been to once upon a time. It allowed her to steady her hand and her nerves ever so slightly. One of the assistants moved to wipe her face, making sure that their skin did not touch hers but providing relief from the sweat that threatened to blur her sight and fall into the wound. As painful as it already had to be for the elf, as still as he was in unconsciousness, Nia didn't want to make it worse for him. Her fingers slid into his body once more, moving the small, short needle deftly into his flesh, feeling the warm liquid continue to spill into the wound from the nicked vein as she sewed it tightly.
It was partly through the touch of the wound and the slowing to the gradual end of the major bleeding that Nia knew she was done. It was no small relief to pull out and set the surgery needle aside. She motioned for a lamp to be drawn closer so that she could get a better idea of what other damage had been done, now that there wasn't any immediate danger of him bleeding to death. The assistant holding the powder to help the elf's body recover faster administered it while she proceeded to clean the injury with all the care she could muster, repairing an injury to his intestine (a serious injury, to be sure, but one that could heal in the right circumstances), and making sure that everything was set right before finally suturing him up.
Snatches of discussion reached her ears as she finished. Nia only caught bits and pieces, not minding what was being said until she was sure that she had done the best job she could on the elf before her. Her shoulders ached from leaning over him and hunching down. The heat from everyone's bodies combined with the firelight made the room oppressively stuffy. She wanted to order people out, but at this point knew that she would be ignored. The elf would live if the right treatment was kept up and infection didn't set in. Judging by the small commotion that was outside, the sound of which was both tense and panicked, Nia didn't think that there would be any issue with that.
Nia supposed the elf was some sort of general, though he looked rather young for it. That had to be the case for her to be called on and for everyone else to be making a fuss. Her suspicion was only confirmed as a dark hand clenched her shoulder and turned her around. No one said anything about it- not the assistants, who were cleaning the patient up and preparing him for removal to a private healing room, not her superior who had entered the room at some point and was staring at her darkly.
The soldier, noted as a high ranking one from the insignia on his shoulder, glanced over her face for a few long moments, taking in who she was and obviously disgusted by it. Nia had to struggle to keep her face impassive; though she could tell her eyes had narrowed for a short time. It wouldn't do to anger this one. "And you're the best they have? If he dies, believe me, it will be your head. Kirn!" the soldier barked at the elf in the corner. "You'll be attending His Majesty and ensuring his healing and safety."
There was nothing else to be said. Nia's superior's eyes informed her that it was time to leave, and Nia obeyed. Kirn remained behind to watch over the elf that had been revealed to be His Highness, the Prince.
It seemed a little surreal. Nia could feel the blood making her clothes stick to her body. The smell of it was making her sick, suddenly. She parted the cloth walls of the tent, between the surgery and the entrance, where spare robes were kept. The attendant looked at her expectantly. "I need... I need two sets of spare robes."
"I'm sorry, but we can only spare one." The attendant had a suspicious gleam in her eyes, surrounded by robes and bandages as she was. Nia barely felt the sting of the snub and took what she was offered. As long as it was clean, she wasn't going to make a fuss. She slipped out the attendant entrance so that she could avoid the small crowd that was now around the regular entrance. The baths would be open and free this time of day- since it was now day. Almost. The sun was creeping over the town and casting long shadows over the camp. The surgery hadn't seemed like it had taken that long, but then again she was always a little surprised by the time it took. Nia could get lost in the work and the concentration it took to do surgeries.
The baths were nothing special, not in camp at least. She knew that some soldiers would go into town for the public baths, but this was fine for her. They were just part of the nearby river, with cotton canvas draped around and divided into sections for men and women. Chilled by the water as she stepped in, it brought her out of the tired stupor that she had begun to fall into. She had operated today on no simple soldier. He had been the Prince himself! No wonder there had been so many people wanting to see what was happening. Shock and surprise made her shake a little. That she had been allowed to even be in his presence was something, but with that wound it had been necessary. No wonder her superior had been upset. No wonder at all...
The fear of what would happen if the Prince died made her shake harder than the water did. The only thing she could do was reach for the soap left on a nearby rock, and began to wash herself clean of the royal blood that stained her, both her body and her mind.
--------
Kirn never said that he couldn't be surprised. It still didn't mean that it hadn't been a shock when the half-breed had entered the surgery. A half-breed attending soldiers! Elves! What madness was taking the world? He hadn't seen one in ages, assumed that there weren't any outside of the other kingdoms. After all, what with the caste edicts, who would dare a child with mixed blood? There was no mistaking it, from the crown of white hair that layered over a deep brown, to the albino paleness of her skin. Human and elf blood mixed oddly in their broods.
She had been fierce, though, he had to admit. For a moment he had been as terrified of her as he had been the commander who had held his life on the line. It disgusted him to know he was that fearful. It disgusted him to know the Order had let her touch the Prince, the darling of the people. What would posses them to do so, knowing how the King felt about tradition? It had to be that she was the best healer there.
Everything started clicking. They had sent the Prince here because there was a better healer. The half-breed. It was the only explanation! It also angered him to know that there wasn't anyone better. Half-breeds were filthy to begin with, unable to fit in any world, wildly varying looks and abilities... it made them stick out and hard to specialize in trades. They threw the world out of balance. Humans farmed and did rough crafts. That was their lot in life. Elves did fine crafts and ruled. That was the way of things. It was no small relief to know that this mixed blood female was somewhere out of the way, but worried him that she was doing something so important.
Especially since now, both their lives depended on the Prince's survival. His eyes strayed over the still body of the Prince, illuminated by the growing morning light that was making its way through the cloth of the healing tent. This was most certainly something that couldn't make its way to the King. He would be furious. It was doubtful that anyone would share, though. No one was that stupid.
He sighed and slumped in his seat. This was going to be a long vacation, in the end of things. Kirn's only job would be to make sure that the healer didn't commit murder, since there would be plenty of guards making sure there were no intruders who could do the job. That would mean a lot of sitting and waiting and being bored. His eyes closed as he decided to get some sleep, exhausted from the frantic night.
------
Nia has a small room to herself in the tent for the Order. It wasn't out of honor or respect. Her eyes cast downwards as she passed her Sisters, aware of showing them respect. The things that happened otherwise were not pleasant to deal with. Thankfully, they would not bother her in her room when she escaped there, and that was no small blessing. Her heartbeat sped up as the cloth closed behind her, hiding her from view and the looks like daggers. There was a small book and quill in her small pack which she retrieved. A blank page was torn out, and she scribbled the facts of the incident down. This would come in handy, indeed.
Kirn had stuck around, resting, until the half-breed priestess had come in and insisted that his stink was unfit for her patient- as respectfully as she could say it, though Kirn still noted a hint of annoyance in her tone. However, what she said was true. He could infect the prince with the filth that was breeding on him. Kirn was dismissed to the baths, however reluctantly he did so. Exhaustion and the disgusting feel of his clothing against his skin convinced him to take the girl up on her offer. It was a quick matter since he was unwilling to leave the Prince with her for a prolonged period of time. Not after the charge placed on him.
It was sick, indeed, he thought to himself as he reentered the tent. The bath had washed away the rough grime that coated his body and the dried traced of blood on his back. The half-breed sat where he had; peeling a droon fruit like some domestic servant. The bright yellow peel curled into her lap in one long ribbon of color, revealing the savory pink flesh beneath. Kirn hesitated, his stomach clenching at the sight of it. It had been over a day since he had last tasted any food. The girl seemed aware of his thoughts, though her face remained strangely blank. She held the now-peeled fruit out to him. Kirn ignored it. Hungry as he was, there were certain lines he would not cross.
The fruit was placed on a small table that had been brought in, a certain concession made to the rank of the patient. The Prince, Kirn said to himself, feeling the wood of the chair pressing the print of its grain into his back. There was no small amount of awe in his thoughts of having made such a journey with the royal. Even if his life ended here, it was something of an honor to have gotten the Prince here alive, and made Kirn's chest swell with a touch of pride.
His ears rang with the memories of stories that had been told about the son of the King. There were few he had met that did not hold a strong opinion of him- either as someone who was going to lead the nation to a new, enlightened era, or rip the nation apart. That was the political side, though. Few could find fault in his personal life. The most recent story that was circulating was that the Prince had gotten engaged to a lady of low-ranking noble birth. It endeared him to those of lower rank and commoners, like Kirn himself. At the same time, the King and most of the high0ranking nobles were infuriated. The opposition was strong, and doubts about the Prince's ability to lead were being amplified.
From the silver gleam on the Prince's finger, Kirn supposed the rumor to be true. His hand reached for the fruit absentmindedly as he pondered what it could mean for the nation. Kirn wasn't that involved in politics, if he was going to be truthful to himself, but at the same time he did know something about his own nation.
The almost pucker-worthy juice filled his mouth slowly as he bit into the droon. The ranks in the society were solid, the foundation for what they had right now. And what they had right now was... wasn't doing them much good. It was the Order that gave the country and power right now, and that wasn't much. Them and their herbs. "A bitter medicine to swallow," Kirn muttered absentmindedly as he glanced over at the half-breed. She hadn't made a move from her own seat. If he hadn't seen her moving earlier, then her stillness would have made him think she was some sort of doll, a sick approximation of what a person should look like but the maker having failed in the most important ways.
Pity stirred in his chest for the girl. She was a little off in looks, mixing the high Elven cheekbones with the small, dark eyes of the humans that made her look more like a ferret than anything. It made her face look a bit puffy, though he supposed that it could also be something of puberty at work- the girl didn't look more than seventeen at most. However, if she had stronger Elven blood, that didn't mean much. It was a sad fate that had befallen the parents that had borne her, since she didn't even have the looks to be accepted into what higher-ranking Human families there were. They sometimes had pity for the half-breeds, but only took the comeliest and most likely to give them children close to their own looks.
The Order was the option for the females. They took anyone, as long as they showed the proper piety. Kirn inwardly scoffed at their devotion to the Gods of the land- a fat lot of good it did the ones like this. If the Gods had mercy, they wouldn't have been born. Ah, well. There was no cure for the follies of love.
His eyes had fixed on the girl for some minutes while his thoughts had run through his head. Her robes had stirred slightly from her breathing, while her eyes had stayed rather fixed on the Prince. It seemed that his gaze made her slightly uncomfortable, Kirn noticed with a smile, as she turned her head to look just past him. The lack of eye contact made Kirn more comfortable than he was when she was turning to look.
"If I am bothering you, then please feel free to retire to the soldier's quarters for a while. I'm sure they have a spare cot for you to rest on." The tone of her voice made it unclear as to whether it was a suggestion or an order. "I can wait here until you have rested your fill."
"And leave the Prince when I was ordered to watch him? I think not." There was both challenge and censure in his reply. The vague suggestion that he should leave his post and duty upset him. "I was ordered to protect him, and protect him I will. Your duty is to heal him, so the better suggestion would be for you to make your own rounds if you feel I am uncomfortable in your presence."
Thinned lips clued him into the fact that he had upset her slightly, which gave him a glimmer of satisfaction. Half-breeds should know their place, after all.
-History of the Order, written in Year 746
The night was unusually dark. Clouds were rolling in from the West, and flashes of light emphasized the height and breadth of the approaching storm. Nia couldn't hear the thunder yet. It made the scenery eerie. The stillness of the camp combined with the odd weather made everything seem surreal. It was almost enough to make her lose herself within it. Almost- but not quite. There were murmurs coming from the tents behind her where the wounded were treated. Were the patients already getting ready for morning? It seemed unlikely. Dawn was still a few hours away, and even those in deep pain would be catching what little rest they could at this time of night.
Mainly soldiers were ensconced within the oiled canvas, but there were also a few villagers that had been caught in a rather nasty fire that had occurred a few days ago. Nia had been treating the worst of them. Thankfully, they were unconscious for most of it. The looks she got when they weren't were not easy to bear. Her cloak provided some protection when people didn't look too closely, but during the day it wasn't practical to have it up. She was exposed to everything.
The night afforded her protection in allowing her to draw the hood over her head and obscuring the more obvious details of her heritage in darkness. It didn't hide her from the others in her Order, though. Quickened breaths and pounding feet made Nia turn her feet towards the approaching woman. "Nia! We have a new arrival! Get in there and treat him!" The woman was Nia's superior, and the remaining moonlight gleamed off of the white robes that were revealed by the fluttering of her cloak. "As quickly and discreetly as you can, girl. Hear me?" The question was sharp but quiet, a concession to the time and the patients they were near.
A tip of Nia's head, and the elf disappeared into the tents to make sure the other patients were not disturbed by the commotion that was stirring on the other side of the camp. Various noises alerted Nia to the fact that this didn't seem to be an ordinary soldier. Why would the camp guards flock to see the newcomer? Her sandaled feet moved quietly over the grass, unwilling to anger her superior more than the woman already had been. Nia could feel guilt pooling in the depths of her stomach. She hadn't supposed to be out at this time of night. There were rounds to do, medicines to brew and mix, fevers to calm...
It mattered not at the moment. There was someone that needed her help. The idea of dithering around like a halfwit never occurred to her, unlike some of the apprentices assigned her. In retrospect, that perhaps had more to do with Nia herself than a lack of focus and drive on their parts, but because of the circumstances it was difficult to tell. She shoved back the hood that had protected her face as she approached the entrance to the surgery tent. Her hands wrapped themselves in the snow-white crown that capped her head, drawing back her hair back so that it wouldn't get in the way. The paleness that blended into her skin like snow into a spirit made her instantly recognizable to the two that guarded the entrance to the surgery.
They begrudgingly ordered the odd assortment of soldiers away so that she could pass. It wasn't that difficult, as once her presence was made known some stumbling back from her and others disappearing into their own quarters to avoid her. Her eyes merely flickered over them as she kept striding towards and into where her patient was now lying. Two of her regular assistants were slathering disinfectant cream over their hands as Nia dropped her cloak into a corner of the tent. They were unusually attentive but still couldn't help but slow down once they saw her, she noted. Her own eyes locked onto the man who had come in with the bleeder. "Out. You're going to be in the way, here, and you're filthy. There are baths-"
"I can't! I can't leave him until I know he'll be okay!" the elf burst out desperately. He took two steps towards her, but could not bring himself to come any further. "You don't understand. If I don't, I could... I'll be... Please. Let me stay."
She had tied back her own robes and began disinfecting herself as the man spoke. "Then you will sit in the corner, stay out of our way, and be quiet."
"I won't do what you-"
"Yes, you will!" Nia snarled, her face transforming into a fierce mask of anger. It was no less effective this time than the few others she had used it. The elf closed his mouth and sat in the corner, on top of her cloak. It was probably out a small measure of spite, but as long as he was out of the way then it didn't matter where he set himself. Her also made her snap at her assistants to begin undressing the elf that was lying there, his skin having turned from the normal bruise-color that indicated health to a sickly shade of grey. Her own hands went for needle and gut, knowing that the bleeding had to be slowed before any serious assessment of the damage could be taken.
The eyes of the god of healing, Jikki, gleamed red in the lamplight, the statue having been placed at the head of the operating table. Her fingers searched the wound, their movements a prayer to the god that the elf might be saved. One of the assistants placed a strip of leather between his teeth and monitored how conscious he was. A vial of draught was ready to be administered if needed, but Nia gave the order to stay it unless absolutely necessary. His breathing was starting to become erratic as it was, and the draught always had the chance of making it worse.
The wound in his side bled, more so when her fingers dipped into the flesh to search out the nicked vessel or artery that was keeping the iron solution flowing from his body. It smeared her hand and trickled over the side of the table. She had to pause for a moment to order the assistant who had belatedly entered to scrub up and get bandages. Another order went out to prepare a powder to stimulate blood production. The elf would need it when this was over, if he survived it. Thankfully it wasn't more than a minute after that, that Nia found the source of the blood. There was a small squirt that stained her white robe, and made the elf in the corner cry out, startled and with a hint of fear. Thankfully, Nia didn't flinch from the sound. It was as if she couldn't hear it with her own blood pounding in her ears, creating a dull ringing that it was difficult to make anything out over. It was a small blessing.
Nia was nervous enough as it was. Her slick fingers nearly lost their grip on the needle, so she wiped them on the clean snow-white cloth that covered her body. It created a vaguely macabre imprint that recalled a scene of a murder that she had been to once upon a time. It allowed her to steady her hand and her nerves ever so slightly. One of the assistants moved to wipe her face, making sure that their skin did not touch hers but providing relief from the sweat that threatened to blur her sight and fall into the wound. As painful as it already had to be for the elf, as still as he was in unconsciousness, Nia didn't want to make it worse for him. Her fingers slid into his body once more, moving the small, short needle deftly into his flesh, feeling the warm liquid continue to spill into the wound from the nicked vein as she sewed it tightly.
It was partly through the touch of the wound and the slowing to the gradual end of the major bleeding that Nia knew she was done. It was no small relief to pull out and set the surgery needle aside. She motioned for a lamp to be drawn closer so that she could get a better idea of what other damage had been done, now that there wasn't any immediate danger of him bleeding to death. The assistant holding the powder to help the elf's body recover faster administered it while she proceeded to clean the injury with all the care she could muster, repairing an injury to his intestine (a serious injury, to be sure, but one that could heal in the right circumstances), and making sure that everything was set right before finally suturing him up.
Snatches of discussion reached her ears as she finished. Nia only caught bits and pieces, not minding what was being said until she was sure that she had done the best job she could on the elf before her. Her shoulders ached from leaning over him and hunching down. The heat from everyone's bodies combined with the firelight made the room oppressively stuffy. She wanted to order people out, but at this point knew that she would be ignored. The elf would live if the right treatment was kept up and infection didn't set in. Judging by the small commotion that was outside, the sound of which was both tense and panicked, Nia didn't think that there would be any issue with that.
Nia supposed the elf was some sort of general, though he looked rather young for it. That had to be the case for her to be called on and for everyone else to be making a fuss. Her suspicion was only confirmed as a dark hand clenched her shoulder and turned her around. No one said anything about it- not the assistants, who were cleaning the patient up and preparing him for removal to a private healing room, not her superior who had entered the room at some point and was staring at her darkly.
The soldier, noted as a high ranking one from the insignia on his shoulder, glanced over her face for a few long moments, taking in who she was and obviously disgusted by it. Nia had to struggle to keep her face impassive; though she could tell her eyes had narrowed for a short time. It wouldn't do to anger this one. "And you're the best they have? If he dies, believe me, it will be your head. Kirn!" the soldier barked at the elf in the corner. "You'll be attending His Majesty and ensuring his healing and safety."
There was nothing else to be said. Nia's superior's eyes informed her that it was time to leave, and Nia obeyed. Kirn remained behind to watch over the elf that had been revealed to be His Highness, the Prince.
It seemed a little surreal. Nia could feel the blood making her clothes stick to her body. The smell of it was making her sick, suddenly. She parted the cloth walls of the tent, between the surgery and the entrance, where spare robes were kept. The attendant looked at her expectantly. "I need... I need two sets of spare robes."
"I'm sorry, but we can only spare one." The attendant had a suspicious gleam in her eyes, surrounded by robes and bandages as she was. Nia barely felt the sting of the snub and took what she was offered. As long as it was clean, she wasn't going to make a fuss. She slipped out the attendant entrance so that she could avoid the small crowd that was now around the regular entrance. The baths would be open and free this time of day- since it was now day. Almost. The sun was creeping over the town and casting long shadows over the camp. The surgery hadn't seemed like it had taken that long, but then again she was always a little surprised by the time it took. Nia could get lost in the work and the concentration it took to do surgeries.
The baths were nothing special, not in camp at least. She knew that some soldiers would go into town for the public baths, but this was fine for her. They were just part of the nearby river, with cotton canvas draped around and divided into sections for men and women. Chilled by the water as she stepped in, it brought her out of the tired stupor that she had begun to fall into. She had operated today on no simple soldier. He had been the Prince himself! No wonder there had been so many people wanting to see what was happening. Shock and surprise made her shake a little. That she had been allowed to even be in his presence was something, but with that wound it had been necessary. No wonder her superior had been upset. No wonder at all...
The fear of what would happen if the Prince died made her shake harder than the water did. The only thing she could do was reach for the soap left on a nearby rock, and began to wash herself clean of the royal blood that stained her, both her body and her mind.
--------
Kirn never said that he couldn't be surprised. It still didn't mean that it hadn't been a shock when the half-breed had entered the surgery. A half-breed attending soldiers! Elves! What madness was taking the world? He hadn't seen one in ages, assumed that there weren't any outside of the other kingdoms. After all, what with the caste edicts, who would dare a child with mixed blood? There was no mistaking it, from the crown of white hair that layered over a deep brown, to the albino paleness of her skin. Human and elf blood mixed oddly in their broods.
She had been fierce, though, he had to admit. For a moment he had been as terrified of her as he had been the commander who had held his life on the line. It disgusted him to know he was that fearful. It disgusted him to know the Order had let her touch the Prince, the darling of the people. What would posses them to do so, knowing how the King felt about tradition? It had to be that she was the best healer there.
Everything started clicking. They had sent the Prince here because there was a better healer. The half-breed. It was the only explanation! It also angered him to know that there wasn't anyone better. Half-breeds were filthy to begin with, unable to fit in any world, wildly varying looks and abilities... it made them stick out and hard to specialize in trades. They threw the world out of balance. Humans farmed and did rough crafts. That was their lot in life. Elves did fine crafts and ruled. That was the way of things. It was no small relief to know that this mixed blood female was somewhere out of the way, but worried him that she was doing something so important.
Especially since now, both their lives depended on the Prince's survival. His eyes strayed over the still body of the Prince, illuminated by the growing morning light that was making its way through the cloth of the healing tent. This was most certainly something that couldn't make its way to the King. He would be furious. It was doubtful that anyone would share, though. No one was that stupid.
He sighed and slumped in his seat. This was going to be a long vacation, in the end of things. Kirn's only job would be to make sure that the healer didn't commit murder, since there would be plenty of guards making sure there were no intruders who could do the job. That would mean a lot of sitting and waiting and being bored. His eyes closed as he decided to get some sleep, exhausted from the frantic night.
------
Nia has a small room to herself in the tent for the Order. It wasn't out of honor or respect. Her eyes cast downwards as she passed her Sisters, aware of showing them respect. The things that happened otherwise were not pleasant to deal with. Thankfully, they would not bother her in her room when she escaped there, and that was no small blessing. Her heartbeat sped up as the cloth closed behind her, hiding her from view and the looks like daggers. There was a small book and quill in her small pack which she retrieved. A blank page was torn out, and she scribbled the facts of the incident down. This would come in handy, indeed.
Kirn had stuck around, resting, until the half-breed priestess had come in and insisted that his stink was unfit for her patient- as respectfully as she could say it, though Kirn still noted a hint of annoyance in her tone. However, what she said was true. He could infect the prince with the filth that was breeding on him. Kirn was dismissed to the baths, however reluctantly he did so. Exhaustion and the disgusting feel of his clothing against his skin convinced him to take the girl up on her offer. It was a quick matter since he was unwilling to leave the Prince with her for a prolonged period of time. Not after the charge placed on him.
It was sick, indeed, he thought to himself as he reentered the tent. The bath had washed away the rough grime that coated his body and the dried traced of blood on his back. The half-breed sat where he had; peeling a droon fruit like some domestic servant. The bright yellow peel curled into her lap in one long ribbon of color, revealing the savory pink flesh beneath. Kirn hesitated, his stomach clenching at the sight of it. It had been over a day since he had last tasted any food. The girl seemed aware of his thoughts, though her face remained strangely blank. She held the now-peeled fruit out to him. Kirn ignored it. Hungry as he was, there were certain lines he would not cross.
The fruit was placed on a small table that had been brought in, a certain concession made to the rank of the patient. The Prince, Kirn said to himself, feeling the wood of the chair pressing the print of its grain into his back. There was no small amount of awe in his thoughts of having made such a journey with the royal. Even if his life ended here, it was something of an honor to have gotten the Prince here alive, and made Kirn's chest swell with a touch of pride.
His ears rang with the memories of stories that had been told about the son of the King. There were few he had met that did not hold a strong opinion of him- either as someone who was going to lead the nation to a new, enlightened era, or rip the nation apart. That was the political side, though. Few could find fault in his personal life. The most recent story that was circulating was that the Prince had gotten engaged to a lady of low-ranking noble birth. It endeared him to those of lower rank and commoners, like Kirn himself. At the same time, the King and most of the high0ranking nobles were infuriated. The opposition was strong, and doubts about the Prince's ability to lead were being amplified.
From the silver gleam on the Prince's finger, Kirn supposed the rumor to be true. His hand reached for the fruit absentmindedly as he pondered what it could mean for the nation. Kirn wasn't that involved in politics, if he was going to be truthful to himself, but at the same time he did know something about his own nation.
The almost pucker-worthy juice filled his mouth slowly as he bit into the droon. The ranks in the society were solid, the foundation for what they had right now. And what they had right now was... wasn't doing them much good. It was the Order that gave the country and power right now, and that wasn't much. Them and their herbs. "A bitter medicine to swallow," Kirn muttered absentmindedly as he glanced over at the half-breed. She hadn't made a move from her own seat. If he hadn't seen her moving earlier, then her stillness would have made him think she was some sort of doll, a sick approximation of what a person should look like but the maker having failed in the most important ways.
Pity stirred in his chest for the girl. She was a little off in looks, mixing the high Elven cheekbones with the small, dark eyes of the humans that made her look more like a ferret than anything. It made her face look a bit puffy, though he supposed that it could also be something of puberty at work- the girl didn't look more than seventeen at most. However, if she had stronger Elven blood, that didn't mean much. It was a sad fate that had befallen the parents that had borne her, since she didn't even have the looks to be accepted into what higher-ranking Human families there were. They sometimes had pity for the half-breeds, but only took the comeliest and most likely to give them children close to their own looks.
The Order was the option for the females. They took anyone, as long as they showed the proper piety. Kirn inwardly scoffed at their devotion to the Gods of the land- a fat lot of good it did the ones like this. If the Gods had mercy, they wouldn't have been born. Ah, well. There was no cure for the follies of love.
His eyes had fixed on the girl for some minutes while his thoughts had run through his head. Her robes had stirred slightly from her breathing, while her eyes had stayed rather fixed on the Prince. It seemed that his gaze made her slightly uncomfortable, Kirn noticed with a smile, as she turned her head to look just past him. The lack of eye contact made Kirn more comfortable than he was when she was turning to look.
"If I am bothering you, then please feel free to retire to the soldier's quarters for a while. I'm sure they have a spare cot for you to rest on." The tone of her voice made it unclear as to whether it was a suggestion or an order. "I can wait here until you have rested your fill."
"And leave the Prince when I was ordered to watch him? I think not." There was both challenge and censure in his reply. The vague suggestion that he should leave his post and duty upset him. "I was ordered to protect him, and protect him I will. Your duty is to heal him, so the better suggestion would be for you to make your own rounds if you feel I am uncomfortable in your presence."
Thinned lips clued him into the fact that he had upset her slightly, which gave him a glimmer of satisfaction. Half-breeds should know their place, after all.
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