Elaina The Warrior

Chapter 9

Two days passed without incident and without any word from Brother Isaac about the elders possibly agreeing to have an audience with Elaina.  

With her leg still hurting she was unable to train the way she had wanted to, and she refused to attempt meditating.

Instead she stayed locked in her room watching the storm raging outside.  It had rained for three days straight and didn’t seem like it was ever going to stop.

The lush green grass outside turned to nothing more than puddles of standing water.  The sky above still held an angry black glow as the walls of the temple shook with every clash of thunder.  

One of the brothers had been bringing Elaina her meals since she had refused to leave her room not wanting to see anyone, afraid that word had already gotten around the temple about her being attacked a second time.  

Again the thought of running away crossed her mind, but she squashed it remembering the look of anger and hurt Charise had held when she had asked about it.

On the third day of her self isolation Elaina finally decided to wander downstairs into the dining hall for breakfast.  

Her hair stuck to her face in greasy waves.  

She hadn’t bathed, instead she had just simply sat in her bed staring out a window.  

Shoving strands behind her ear she entered the hall.  

It was late morning and most of the warriors were there talking amongst themselves.  

She kept her eyes straight grabbing a cup of coffee and nothing more, then found a table in a secluded corner and took a seat.  Sipping her coffee she kept her eyes fixed ahead not wanting to look outside too worried that maybe there would be something out there waiting for her again.

“I see you didn’t run off.” Elaina flinched and looked at Charise as she came and sat down across from her.  Not far on her heels was Chase.

Elaina looked from one to the other, noting that they had apparently become real good friends since most of the time when she ran into one she ran into the other as well.

“You look like hell.” Charise noted now wrinkling her nose.  “Were the brothers keeping you locked up for doing something?”

“No.” Elaina said her voice flat.  “I just wasn’t feeling very well.”

“I told you pushing yourself that hard to train wasn’t good.” Charise said sympathetically.  “You must have exhausted your immune system.”

“I guess so.”

Beside Charise Chase just watched Elaina with narrowed eyes, maybe Charise was buying her lie, but he wasn’t and she was sure that as soon as they were alone she would hear about it.

“What's wrong with your leg?” He asked instead conversationally.

“What leg?” Elaina lied, underneath her sweat pants her leg throbbed in agony. She was beginning to think that she might actually be getting an infection. 

“The one you are nursing under the table.” Chase said simply.  

Elaina glared, “My leg is just fine, I fell and bumped it last night.  That happens all the time.”

“Not with you.” Charise countered knowingly.  “Even that time I convinced you to get drunk you managed to avoid falling.”

Leave it to Charise to state the obvious.

“It was dark and I didn’t see the book on the floor.”

“You aren’t fooling anyone Elaina.” Chase said now dropping the pretense.  “What happened?”

“I told you I fell.” Elaina continued gritting her teeth.

“Let’s see the bruise then.” Chase pushed.

“I don’t have to show you anything.” Elaina retorted annoyance flaring.

“Because you didn’t fall something happened didn’t it?”  The dude wasn't giving up.

“Back off Gregory.” Elaina growled now. “I told you I didn’t have anything to prove to you.”

“I thought you two were past all this hostility.” Charise finally spoke up. 

Chase sighed, “It seems I rub Elaina here the wrong way, it could be the fact that I am the superior fighter.”

“Because you’re an arrogant ass hole.” Elaina spat slamming her coffee cup down.  Lifting her leg she put it on the table ripping up her pant leg.  “Is this what you wanted to see?  I’m sure you’ve already heard all about how I got it.”

On Elaina’s leg were three angry swollen gashes.  Pus slowly seeped up from the edges.  She winced looking at it.

“Have you had a healer look at that?” Charise asked eyes wide.  “It looks infected.”

“You think.” Elaina spat shoving her pant leg back down.  “I don’t need to see a healer; I’ve had much worse than these that I’ve let heal on its own.”

“Charise is right.” Chase piped up.  “You really need to have that leg looked at by a healer.”

“No.” Elaina said an air of finality to her words as she stood up.

Tired of their worrying and of everything Elaina began making her way out of the dining hall.  

She could hear Chase and Charise following closely behind her.  They waited until she was out in the hall before Chase scooped her up throwing her over his shoulder and heading towards the medical wing of the temple.

Elaina began punching him on the back demanding to be put down, but he kept his hold and deposited her on a bed unceremoniously.  Crossing his arms he stood in front of the door making sure she didn’t try to make a run for it while Charise fetched the healer.

Rosa entered soon after a smile on her face.  She watched Elaina with amusement.

“In all my years of healing warriors I’ve never seen one that actually needed an armed guard to keep them in place.” She quipped.  “What seems to be the problem?”

“Nothing at all.” Elaina responded crossing her arms.  “I was brought here against my will, but I’m fine thanks.”

“Drop it Elaina.” Charise snapped.  “Rosa she was scratched by a beast a few days ago, it looks like it might be infected.”

Not giving Elaina the opportunity to correct Charise, Chase ripped her pants leg up showing Rosa the injury.

“Oh my that does look nasty.” Rosa frowned.

Not speaking she disappeared into her office and reappeared with some cloths and an ointment.  

Kneeling she cleaned Elaina’s wounds then applied the ointment.  

Elaina bit back a scream as her cuts began screaming in agony.  Not wanting to seem weak she kept her face neutral.

“Use this for the next week it will pull the infection out.” Rosa ordered handing the bottle to Elaina.  “If you had waited much longer you might have actually lost that leg.”

“Heaven forbid.” Elaina said wincing again unable to completely ignore the pain.

“Yes, it most certainly should, where would you be without a leg?” Rosa asked c*****g an eyebrow.

“Hobbling around somewhere with a prosthetic leg I assume.” Elaina answered truthfully.

“ELAINA!” Charise's eyes blazed with anger.  “Drop the attitude, I know you usually aren’t the most pleasant of people to be around, but even this is too much for you.”

Rosa looked from Charise to Elaina gauging exactly what was going on in her office.  Frowning she excused herself leaving them to talk.

“What is going on with you?” Charise demanded placing her hands on her hips. “What are you trying to hide?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Elaina said trying her best to look confused.  “I’m not hiding anything.”

“Yes you are.” Chase said from his place against the far wall.

“You don’t know anything.” Elaina laid down on the bed getting comfortable, she figured she was going to be here for a while.  “I have nothing to hide.”

“You seemed to be opening up, up until three days ago after you got attacked that is.  Now you’re back to acting nasty to everyone.” Chase pointed out.

“He isn’t wrong there.” Charise agreed.  “What are you trying to keep from everyone Elaina?”

Elaina let out a growl.  “I’m not trying to hide anything, you two are the ones who think I am so why don’t you tell me what I’m hiding so I know.  Apparently I’m hiding it so well I’ve managed to keep it from myself.”

“She’s scared.” Chase said out of nowhere causing both girls to look his way.  “That’s what’s wrong with her, she’s scared.”

“I’m not scared, I have nothing to be scared of.” Elaina said quietly, but she knew that he had managed to figure her out.

“You’re scared because you’ve been attacked twice and you don’t know why.” Chase continued putting it all together.  “You know that something big is coming this way and you don’t know if you are going to be able to survive it.”

Charise watched Chase with wide eyes while Elaina continued to try to act casual, but her whole body had gone stiff.

“He’s right.” Charise said now.  “You’re afraid.”

Not speaking Elaina sat up again throwing her legs over the side of the bed.  

Chase had removed himself from in front of the door leaving her the perfect opportunity to make a run for it.  She weighed her chances of getting away before she was grabbed again and deciding that they were pretty slim she slouched resting her head in her hands.

Nobody spoke, there wasn’t anything to be said anyway.  Chase, who barely knew her had figured out what was going on inside of her.

“That’s why you’ve kept yourself locked away the past few days isn’t it?” He continued to push.

“You’re wrong.” Elaina tried to convince herself that he was.  “You’re wrong.”

“Elaina you’re going to be alright.” Charise said soothingly.  “You aren’t going to have to go through any of this alone.”

“But I am.” Elaina whispered so quietly that she wasn’t sure if they had actually heard her.  “Brother Isaac sent word to the elders about my vision.”

Chase flinched while Charise continued to look confused. 

“He thinks it is that serious?” He asked quietly.  “The elders are only consulted when things are serious.”

“Well, I guess my imagination is something worth looking into.” Elaina said with a shrug.  “Brother Isaac seemed like he didn’t thinking much of it, but then he told me that he would be sending a message to the elders to see if they could help me determine whether it was a real event or not.”

“I’m lost.” Charise said finally holding up her hands.  “Who are the elders?”

“They’re the highest power there is in the brethren.  They live in isolation trying to develop higher clarity.  When things go wrong or a warrior is to be questioned for doing wrong they are consulted.  They are thought to have mystical powers that connect them to the gods.” Elaina started.  “They are also capable of looking into a persons true self and determining whether it is good or evil.”

“So they’ve got powers?” Charise asked still confused.

“That is what they say, usually no one ever actually ever meets the elders.”  Elaina continued.  “I’ve heard about them before when I used to live with the monks.”

“This is serious.” Chase said shaking his head.  “This is very serious.”

“No kidding.” Elaina snapped pushing her hair out of her face.  “Have neither of you even attended any of the meetings that have been being held?”

Charise shook her head, “No, I’m not a huge fan of politics.”

“I’ve been to a few but they hadn’t mentioned anything about the elders possibly making an appearance.  They’ve mainly discussed a merger with the warriors just incase larger numbers were needed.” Chase admitted.

“Well, that’s a comfort.” Elaina rolled her eyes in annoyance.  “Wasting all that energy to discuss coming together and forming a big happy family.”

“Drop it.” Charise warned.  “You’ve been attacked twice, I think the dark warriors are making themselves known.”

“But they're only picking on me.” Elaina added.  “Which still doesn’t make any sense to me.”

“Did you ask Brother Isaac about what you saw in meditation?” Chase asked.

“Why do you think they are calling on the elders.” Elaina felt like she was talking to a child who couldn’t quite understand what she was telling them.

“He said my parents were good people and would never have anything to do with the darkness.”

“I don’t think he believes that.” Chase pointed out. 

“Well, good to know I was raised by double agents who were actually bad instead of good.  I wonder what that says about me.” Elaina mused more to herself than the others.  “That could be why I’m intolerable half the time.”

“Oh shut up Elaina, no one is going to feel sorry for you.” Though Charise said the words she still looked sympathetic.

“Trust me Charise the last thing I want is for anyone to feel sorry for me, I don’t even feel sorry for me.” Elaina was growing bored with this conversation and wanted nothing more than to escape to the comfort of her room.

The sound of a door opening and Rosa reappearing brought a sigh of relief, until of course she noticed what the woman was carrying.  

Sitting on top of a silver tray were medical instruments that looked like they couldn’t be too pleasant.  Frowning Elaina wondered what exactly she had them for.

“I spoke with my higher up and he thinks it is best to reopen the wounds, drain them and then close them back up.” Rosa explained noticing Elaina’s curious look.

“Is that really nessecary?” Elaina asked quickly jumping up off the bed.

Rosa smiled, “Yes, to ensure that you heal properly Elaina dear it is.”

Charise and Chase both snickered before being shooed out of the room.  

Now alone Elaina did feel scared and cringed away from Rosa as she approached.

“Don’t worry, you won’t feel a thing.” Rosa assured her pulling on a pair of gloves and then lifting a syringe from the mix.  “Just one shot in the calf and everything will be painless I promise.”

Sucking in a breath Elaina let Rosa inject the numbing medicine.  Immediately her leg began tingling.  She tried to move it, but it stayed where it was hanging off the bed.  

Rosa busied herself lifting Elaina’s now dead leg and placing it over a pad specifically made for absorbing blood.

Turning she lifted a scalpel and placed it just above one of Elaina’s cuts.

“Now, you are going to feel pressure while I’m doing this.” Rosa explained seriously.  “But,” She continued now.  “You won’t feel any pain.”

True to her word Rosa cut open the first cut and there was no pain.  She busied herself spraying some type of solution in the wound and then with quick hands sewed it up.  Moving to the next she began humming under her breath.

Elaina watched with interest as Rosa methodically cleaned each wound and then sewed them up, finished she wrapped a bandage around them making sure to keep germs from getting in.  

“Can I go now?” Elaina asked once everything was finished.

Rosa frowned, “I’m afraid not, you won’t be able to use that leg for at least an hour.  The numbing medicine takes a bit to wear off.”

“Fantastic.” Elaina grumbled slumping back on her bed.  This was exactly how she wanted to spend her day, stuck in bed healing.