Secrets of the Fae

4

It was a full 8 hours of tormenting myself before her breathing quickened and a small sound of panic began to rise in her chest. I had been pacing along the path in front of my door the last few hours, still debating and thinking, having come to hardly any conclusions, but highly attuned to what was happening inside. That first sign of panic had me rushing inside to calm her, concerned that she may move and cause further harm. Her eyes were still closed and moving rapidly back and forth beneath her lids. Her breaths were short and fast, and the panic was growing. I grabbed the bowl of water and herbs I had prepared nearly a day ago and took a mint leaf from it, placing it along her lips. The cool moisture and scent of mint, rosemary, and lavender worked their magik, easing her breaths almost instantly. After a moment her eyes slowed and her panic eased enough that her lips parted to accept the mint leaf and small moisture it provided. With that first sign of life, I slipped my hand beneath her neck and raised her head slightly, putting the bowl against her lips and tilting it enough to let her feel the water. She took a few small sips before starting to move on her own, I took the bowl away and laid her head back down to rest, “Shh,” I urged her quietly, “You mustn't move around.” I silently cursed myself for deliberating so long, suddenly thinking another drop of draught wouldn’t have hurt her, but a struggle on her end might. Keeping my voice calm and soft I continued, “You are hurt, and your ribs are broken. I had to wrap your chest tightly to let them heal, you’ll not be able to breathe deeply for a few days. Your limbs are just as injured as the rest of you, with stitches aplenty, too much movement could reopen what has barely begun to heal.” She grew still, which surprised me. I had thought she must be barely conscious, and in a mental fog after the sleeping draught, but that stillness showed intelligence and full consciousness.

I retrieved the kettle of tea I had made with my last meal, it was still warm and full-bodied. I tested it for heat and flavor, it was still hot enough to be soothing while the hint of mint would be familiar after her sips of herbed water. I took a mug over to her figure and let the minty vapors rise toward her nose. Her chest rose higher as the vapors woke her enough to inhale the scent. Her eyelids twitched open and I slid my arm beneath her again to raise her enough to drink. She grit her teeth against the pain of movement but didn't cry out, I took that for a good sign and encouraged her to drink, "It will help with the pain," I promised her. She shut her eyes tightly and drank timidly at first, but then thirst took over, and soon the mug was empty. She looked at me when I stood, and when I stood to refill the mug with water I heard her breathing quicken again as she took in her surroundings. I returned to her with the mug of water, raising her again to drink and taking the mug from her lips every few swallows. Her eyes darted everywhere, taking in everything in my dimly lit home. As she emptied the mug again she stared at me, her eyes flowing down my frame as I laid her back and stood a second time. I ignored her eyes as they followed me around, pouring the tea into her mug, gathering a bit of soft bread and fruits. She seemed both terrified and curious, though her wings stayed colorless her eyes were full of thought and emotion, enough for me to read with the practice I had with animals. Her terror spoke to me the most, she could not begin to heal if she continued to believe she was in danger. "It's alright little one, you're in my home where it's safe from all." I walked toward her softly and sitting down on my stool at her side offered her a piece of bread. "I won't hurt you, I only want to help you." The terror in her eyes lessened and she ate the bread I offered and a few berries. She emptied the mug of tea again before her eyes began to droop in exhaustion, I laid her back on the table again and let her sleep.

Her breathing was fairly even and I stepped back, cleaning up my supplies before urging the fire to a gentler heat and light. Suddenly I was feeling tired. I looked out at the sky, looking towards the Moon and seeing that I was a few days late in my sleep schedule. I monitored her awhile longer, needing to be certain that her sleep was peaceful and dreamless before I could try to rest. As the sun began to turn the horizon gray, I woke up to see her breath was fast again and her eyes rampant beneath her lids. I stoked the fire and put the kettle on again, before giving her another mint leaf from the bowl of water still resting on the window sill I left it on.

I examined her as I waited on the water to boil for tea. The swelling had gone down around most of the wounds on her limbs, with her torso still tightly wrapped in bandages I could check for nothing more than blood seeping through which I was pleased to see there was none of. Many of her lesser bruises had faded mostly away while the harsher ones had at least changed to the sickly brown and yellow color of slow healing. The tea I placed in the kettle now was a blend I made for pain adding the mint again to keep things familiar for her. As I let the new brew cool I changed a few of the smaller bandages along her limbs, applied the bruise salve again, and gently placed a cloth, damp with mint and cold water, on her forehead to soothe her. I checked the stitches on her limbs and added a new covering of salve and ivy leaves.

I offered the tea to her when it was ready, helping her into a sitting position which she managed to keep on her own. Pleased with my work so far I handed her the mug, letting her sip on her own. Her wings still drooped behind her and I suddenly wondered why she hadn’t sheathed them, but I pushed the question away. She drank with less need this time to which I was greatly pleased, and as she finished off the dregs I helped her lay gently back though she still winced in pain at the movements. “It's alright dear, you are safe here. I shall not let them do this again.” I don't know why I was so protective of my newest charge. Perhaps because she was the first Fae that I'd had any interaction with in the last few centuries. I shoved all curious thoughts to the back of my mind, there was no use speculating. As she rested again I went back to my pacing outside the door.