by Jo Fontana
"I'm a healer. I’ll tend to him with you," Morgan insisted.
When the other healer pulled back the bandages, Glynn began to bleed profusely again. Reyden winced, as he had never seen a wound so grievous.
"I believe your friend's injury is beyond my skill," the healer told Morgan mournfully.
"Leave us," Morgan commanded.
Once he left, Morgan whispered and tears began to fall. "I wish there was more that I could do. If only I knew of another way.”
Reyden put a hand on Morgan’s shoulder. “Tend to him the best that you can.”
Morgan stemmed the blood flow from the wound again. He seemed at a loss and Reyden knew they would be sitting with Glynn until he died. While Morgan began administering medicine for pain, there was a shimmer of light above Glynn's head. Morgan stared at it in disbelief. The light formed into a strange symbol. The symbol started to shimmer and hovered over Glynn's injury. Reyden stood there with his mouth gaping. Morgan glanced at Reyden.
“Don’t look at me, I don’t think this is something I could do, even if I had my egg,” Reyden told him when he found his voice.
Morgan tentatively put out a hand and touched it. The symbol never wavered. He then took a finger and traced over the symbol. The symbol sank down into the wound and traveled the expanse of Glynn's body, appearing to illuminate Glynn from the inside. When the light dissipated, they both watched with wonder until another symbol manifested. Morgan repeated the process two more times. When it was clear that there would be no more symbols, Morgan peeled back the bandages. They were shocked to discover there was no sign of a wound anywhere on Glynn's body. While they watched over Glynn, Morgan carefully wrote down the symbols.
“I’m going to have to research this later. This is a magic I’ve never heard of,” Reyden said with awe. “I doubt magic workers could perform such miracles.”
“Not knowing what that was, I can’t rule out anyone else being able to do it,” Morgan replied wearily.
Then Reyden placed a hand on Glynn's shoulder and whispered, "Wake up soon friend.” To Morgan he said, “I’ll tell the others.”
Reyden walked out to the main temple area. It looked like the rest of the men had set up defenses in case Rafe showed up with company. When he was sure he had everyone’s attention, Reyden announced, “The wound is healed. We’ll see what the morning brings.”
Reyden’s friends, as well as the healers, shared looks of cautious hope at Reyden's announcement. Reyden discreetly pulled Illithor aside.
“There weren’t any maps or books in the room at all. It was very strange. I think Rafe may be holding onto them.”
“Thanks for checking anyway,” Illithor said looking disappointed.
Reyden gave Illithor a rare look of sympathy, then headed back to the sick room. On his way, one of the healers stopped him. The older man handed Reyden a clean shirt and said, "You may want to change. I can show you where you can clean up.”
"I'm fine," Reyden replied shortly.
"I think it would be best if your friend did not wake up to see his own blood all over you."
Reyden opened his mouth to argue, before conceding the healer’s point. "Lead the way then."
Reyden followed the healer only a few doors down from the sick room. The healer placed a bowl filled with water in front of Reyden and placed a towel next to it. "Give me your soiled shirt and I will make sure it's cleaned. It will be ready for you by morning."
Reyden hesitantly removed his shirt, making sure he faced the healer as he did so. He hurriedly cleaned up and slid the clean shirt on before handing his blood-soaked attire to the healer. Reyden unceremoniously left the room with the older man still standing there and went to join Morgan who was napping upright in a chair by the bed. Glynn was still unconscious.
Reyden woke to stirring next to him and opened his eyes to find Glynn looking at him.
“I dreamt that you came in here last night and called me your friend.”
Reyden’s mouth twitched a bit. “You must have been delirious.”
Glynn nodded with a smirk. “Yeah, that must be it. Are you sure that egg was a decoy?”
Reyden actually smiled. “Yes, but it saved our hides. It hit Rafe’s skull with a nice loud thud.”
“Good. But can you tell me how I’m still alive? When Rafe stabbed me, I thought I was dead.”
“I haven’t quite figured that out yet. When I do, I expect everyone will want an explanation,” Morgan answered, startling Reyden.
Reyden glanced sharply at Morgan, but held his tongue. He didn’t blame Morgan for holding back because this type of healing was unheard of.
"Well, whatever you did, thank you for that," Glynn smiled at his friend.
"I’m just glad I was able to help you. Do you feel well enough to walk?” Morgan asked as he helped Glynn to stand.
"Surprisingly, yes. I feel like I could run all the way to Nava Asari if I had to.”
"Good because we have to plan now and find out what Rafe’s doing. I want my egg back,” Reyden said curtly as he dragged Glynn out of the sick room. He figured the sooner he acted like himself, the less uncomfortable Glynn would feel.
“Agreed,” Glynn choked out.
One of the healers stopped them before they got to the main temple room and handed Glynn a note.
“What is it?” Reyden prodded.
Glynn opened the note. “It’s a note from Ralid. He’s heard that Rafe has left Nonju with the egg! Word has it that he’s heading back west!”
“Then we’re leaving now. I’ve had enough of this place anyway,” Reyden said.
When they entered the main temple room, Reyden noticed Gil and Emory pacing, Illithor was reading, and Omaric, Deverick, and Yoshi were playing cards. When he saw the others gaping, Reyden barked, “Well, what are you all waiting for? Do you want to risk meeting all of Rafe’s cronies? It’s time to head out.”
The others were too busy hovering around Glynn to listen to Reyden. He barked the orders again, this time mentioning that Rafe had already left the city with his egg. It was only then that they began packing up their things while expressing their relief at Glynn’s miraculous recovery. While he was distracted, the healer handed Reyden his tunic. It looked like it had never been soiled.
A few hours outside of Nonju, Omaric said, “Can someone tell me what happened to Glynn?”
Reyden looked stunned. He looked at the others who also looked confused. He stopped his horse and gaped at Omaric. “You found us with the rest of them!”
“What do you mean?” Omaric asked obviously confused.
"You were there when I explained what happened. You saw everything! Did you get hurt too? Morgan! Check him out.”
Morgan dismounted and began to assess Omaric, who patiently allowed it.
“I can’t find anything physically wrong with him.”
"I was never outside the tunnels. I went to the restaurant with everyone else then we…” Omaric paused for a moment, looking completely horrified. “I don’t remember anything until the temple!”
Reyden suddenly had a terrible thought. Maybe the powder Omaric was given had something to do with this. "Have you taken the powder that Medicine Woman gave you?" he asked suspiciously.
"When I remember, I take it. Sometimes we're so caught up or in such a hurry that I forget to. I didn't take it yesterday or today.”
Reyden was very surprised and the group exchanged worried glances.
Gil muttered, "This doesn't bode well."
“He needs to see someone,” Reyden stated.
“I think a trip to Medicine Woman is in order, that is, after Nava Asari,” Morgan suggested.
“That would be best, and the sooner the better,” Illithor implored.
“Why do we even need to stop in Nava Asari?” Reyden asked impatiently.
"I told you that my father isn't well. It doesn’t look like he has much time left," Gil told him.
"I suppose it won't be that much of an inconvenience un
less you get us all thrown in a cell," Reyden replied sarcastically. He ignored the dirty looks he got from the others.
“I’m sorry, Gil,” Emory said after sending a look of pure contempt at Reyden. “We should hurry then so you get to see him.”
"I don't intend to get anyone thrown in jail Reyden. If it makes you more comfortable, you should wait for me outside the city—or continue without me and I'll go alone. I can always catch up later," Gil proposed.
“I’m just saying that it’s well known throughout the lands that the king and the crown prince are how we shall say it…not on the best of terms. I would hate to have to destroy your kin in an attempt to free you,” Reyden replied.
"I would hate that as well. In any case, my sister has always supported my decisions. Please, at the very least, be cordial to her.”
Reyden threw his hands up in the air in frustration. "As you wish, sire."
“We will be cordial to everyone,” Illithor assured Gil.
Reyden pulled a face at the elf’s peacekeeping gesture because it was beginning to border on brown-nosing.
“I might be able to help,” Yoshi added.
They turned to Yoshi as one.
“I can come in the guise of an emissary. I doubt tales of my dishonor have reached the city yet.”
“That might work,” Gil admitted. “At the least, it should assure that you won’t be thrown into a cell for aiding me.”
“Especially since I’ll be there as well. My jurisdiction overrides all but a king’s council or city council,” Emory added.
"I knew it would be handy to have a Postulate around," Reyden muttered to himself.
Gil smirked at Reyden’s comment.
“Yes, even I can be useful on occasion,” Emory responded in a wry tone.
"Well, since time is of the essence, we should hurry," Illithor suggested.
"That's right, elfling. That also means no bed for you until Nava Asari," Reyden merrily reminded Illithor.
"Yes, I know. I was trying to forget that," Illithor sighed.
Reyden took the lead and urged his horse forward at a faster pace.
“I wish we could get there faster,” Omaric complained.
“We’d need turtles for that,” answered Deverick.
“They’re too expensive,” Gil grumbled.
“We can get turtles in Acridona, but that would mean stopping,” Glynn suggested.
“Great, but we still don’t have enough for them,” Deverick pointed out.
Reyden smiled to himself because he knew they did, but it wasn’t his place to mention it.
“Don’t be so sure of that,” Glynn grinned as he shook a sack he had tied to Emory’s horse. “I figured we might need some extra resources so I took a little bit more than just the egg out of that vault.”
“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that,” Emory stated.
“You finally had a good idea, Glynn. Yes, Postulate, consider it interest for them borrowing my egg,” Reyden smirked.
Glynn rolled his eyes. “I know Reyden; I’ve just been tagging along all this time.”
"It would be an advantage to distance ourselves from Nonju that much faster, considering the circumstances. No one will expect it," Yoshi noted.
“You’ll get no arguments on that from anyone here. I’m interested in arresting Rafe, not battling his minions,” Emory agreed.
“Do we ride through the night or stop?” Reyden called back to the rest of them while urging his horse to ride faster.
No sooner did Reyden voice his question, then they came around a tight curve in the road. He saw a young elven girl right in his path who was intently studying the road. He pulled hard on the reins and Bubbles reared up, narrowly missing her. Reyden lost his balance and landed on the ground with a hard thud. At the same time, a boy who seemed a little older than the girl did yanked her out of the way.
"What were you thinking just standing there? Didn't you hear the horses? I swear Cris, you have no common sense sometimes. That guy could have killed you and he got thrown off his horse because of you!”
"I know Khel! I didn't mean to do it," the girl answered with tears in her eyes as she angrily jerked her arm out of the boy’s grasp.
"That man looks really mean too," Khel whispered to her nervously.
"Cristania! Are you alright?" exclaimed a woman with the same black hair and cornflower blue eyes as the little girl while she came running over to the child.
Reyden rose slowly from the ground and wiped the dirt from his clothes. He looked over at the other people and frowned. He noticed a man join the woman and girl and watched him put a protective arm around them both.
“I’m sorry Mama!” the little girl cried. “I was trying to find the weed that helps Toby’s bellyache.”
Reyden approached the elves slowly in an effort to conceal his injuries.
“Everyone here all right?” he asked gruffly.
“I’m sorry my daughter caused your fall. Are you hurt? Do we need to get you a healer?” the woman asked him.
Cristania looked up at Reyden with tears in her eyes and her lip quivering. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to make you fall off your horse."
"I’m fine," Reyden told the woman curtly. He looked down at the child. "As long as you’ve learned from your mistake. What were you doing in the middle of the road?”
"Our carriage wheel broke and Toby has a stomach ache and I was trying to find the weed that makes it feel better. Toby is our turtle. Do you want to see?" she took Reyden’s hand and led him to a disabled carriage.
“I have a friend who can help him,” Reyden told her as he waved Deverick over.
"You do?" she looked at Deverick and held up a fistful of green. "This is what I give him.”
Deverick looked impressed. "That's what I would use, too."
She smiled at the praise. "One of Papa's friends told me about it. Is this enough?"
Deverick reached into a pouch and produced a few mint leaves. "You might want to add this to the funnel weed."
Cristania took the mint leaves. "Thank you. Now Toby can feel better faster."
While Deverick spoke with Cristania, Reyden took the little boy aside. "A little piece of advice kid, don’t ever yell at a woman that way.”
"She almost got herself killed!" the boy exclaimed, but kept his voice low.
"There’s a better way to handle it, even when they frustrate you," Reyden said.
“How?”
“Handle the issue first, and then later talk to her in private.”
Khel thought about this a moment and then nodded. "Okay, but she really scared me. Girls. I just don't understand them."
"That won't change as you get older, so get used to it kid.”
"Khellan you better not be bothering that man," warned his mother.
"I will," he promised Reyden. Then he called back to his mother. "I'm not, we're just talking."
Reyden turned back to the group and saw that Emory and Yoshi were assisting the families in repairing the carriage wheel. The woman they assumed was Cristania's mother addressed the group.
"We’re planning to make camp here since the broken wheel is preventing further travel. We have more than enough food to share if you would like to join us.”
"I'm in," Deverick announced immediately.
Reyden looked to the others for a consensus. Gil nodded.
“I suppose that would be acceptable,” he replied.
Cristania cheered and skipped over to Reyden. "You can sit next to me," she cooed.
Reyden desperately looked to his friends for help but they all just smirked at him. Reyden hung his head and followed her in a resigned manner.
“Do you like apple cider?” she asked him as she led him by the hand to the fire.
"Sure," Reyden replied unenthusiastically.
"Good, I’ll get you some.”
Cris poured everyone at the campsite some apple cider and then served herself as Khel worked to get the campfire going. Eventually dinner
was cooked and Reyden endured a meal with Cris and Khel sitting on either side vying for his attention. Reyden realized Omaric made a nuisance of himself too because of the children’s interest in him.
Glynn chuckled and joked to Morgan, "I didn't know the rest of us were invisible."
"You can always trust a child to know an ally. Apparently, our prickly friend really does have a soft spot, even if he doesn’t care to admit it," Morgan grinned.
“I heard that,” Reyden called out grumpily to Morgan.
Morgan laughed.
Reyden started to get up and winced, then stopped and frowned when he noticed the children were still sitting next to him watching his every move.
Morgan had apparently noticed this as well and stood up. “Sorry kids, I need to speak with Reyden for a moment. Reyden, can you come with me please?"
Reyden shrugged, gingerly rose to his feet, and followed Morgan.
“How bad is the pain?” Morgan asked him when they were far enough away.
“Tolerable,” Reyden responded curtly.
“Right. Where does it hurt?” Morgan prodded.
Reyden shrugged.
Morgan sighed. “This will go quicker if you just tell me.”
“Everywhere!”
Morgan looked like he suspected this and began checking Reyden. He found a huge gash on Reyden’s back. It had bled through but since his clothes were dark, it was hard to notice. Morgan shook his head and began to bandage it.
"I wonder," he muttered to himself.
“Wonder what?” Reyden asked sharply.
“Shush, you’ll break my concentration.”
Reyden quieted and let Morgan do whatever he was going to do. Reyden watched as Morgan began to trace each symbol in the air over the wound. The gash on Reyden's back began to fuse on its own. He winced a bit but a minute later there was no evidence of a wound where one clearly should have been.
"I don’t feel any more pain," Reyden exclaimed.
"I tried the symbols again. I'm not sure how its working and I don’t know that it always will. Give me a little more time before I share with the others. I want to be certain about it first.”
