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Healing
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RETSI (MAY) 26, 1538
Eighty-five days into Prince Terosh’s Kireshana journey
Governor Lord’s Estate, City of Resh
As Prince Terosh headed for Governor Darmon Zelene’s office, he fought a surge of nervousness. He was so distracted that he got lost twice, but finally, he knocked on the correct door.
“Enter!” thundered a voice from within.
Terosh did so, feeling like a kamria about to face down a viper.
“I’m sorry to distur—”
“Forgive me, Dulad Prince, I did not—this is certainly a welcome surprise!”
Terosh had carefully considered how to approach Governor Zelene with Akia’s request. Straightening his shoulders, he decided to go with the formal approach.
“My Lord, I have heard about the Ashasten facing Ritand and her people.”
The governor’s features turned neutral, but traces of his initial expression, which mixed irritation and helplessness, remained.
Terosh analyzed the expression and decided to further aid both Akia and the Ritand people. Though technically submissive to House Minstel, Ritand was a poor, fiercely independent island province. They had no representation in the Senate or the Governors Council—unless one counted Darmon Zelene. To Terosh’s knowledge, the tension between Rammon and Ritand had its roots in his own family. In 1311, Prince Edeen accepted a commission from his brother, King Tarel, and became Ritand’s ambassador. They disagreed on nearly every issue, and eventually, Tarel had Edeen exiled to the island. Since that time, the kings and queens have been cold in their care for Ritand.
We know how to hold a grudge. Perhaps it’s time to end this nonsense.
“I doubt my father will send them aid from Fort Riden, but as Governor of Resh, you possess the authority and duty to care for the people,” Terosh said.
“Do I have your blessing to evacuate the island?” The governor smiled hopefully.
“You do, Governor Lord, and I have a request.”
The man’s smile faltered, replaced by a wary expression.
Terosh hesitated, still gathering his thoughts.
The wary expression morphed into a sad frown.
“She sent you, didn’t she?”
Terosh plucked up his courage, considered all the diplomatic advice Sedir had ever pounded into his head and discarded most.
“My Lord, I do not know the depths of pain caused by separation from one’s child, but Lady Akia seems determined to go.”
“Will she defy me?”
“Will she have to?” Terosh returned, meeting the man’s gaze. Silence ruled until Terosh continued, “Let her go, Governor.”
“Do you know what you ask?” the governor demanded. “Do you know what it’s like to love someone so deeply it hurts?”
“I ask much, Governor, but I am only a mouthpiece. Let your daughter go and retain her love. Deny her and keep her and you might lose her.”
Where did that come from?
You’re welcome, said the anotechs smugly.
Terosh almost laughed but knew it would be inappropriate.
“You’d make a fine ambassador, Prince Terosh, and you are wise.” The governor’s frown turned into a grin. He sighed and rubbed his forehead. “I will let her take supplies to Ritand.”
“Thank you, Governor, and if you can get enough people to take extra supplies, I will get some from Fort Riden,” Terosh offered.
“Let it be as you say,” Governor Zelene said.
When he reached the door, Terosh paused.
“In answer to your other question, Governor, I think I’m starting to understand.”
***
RETSI (MAY) 26, 1538
Same Day
Throne Room, Royal Palace, City of Rammon
“Keldor is in the Court’s hands now. Justice will be done,” King Teorn Minstel shifted on the throne. One would think the chair held nothing but tacks instead of the plush cushion that paired well with the dais’s carpeting.
Anger coursed through Prince Taytron with each pounding heartbeat. A petty part of him relished his father’s discomfort. Tate’s flushed face made him look ready to spontaneously combust. The anger almost covered the sting of his father’s indifference. He had waited days for something to happen, but the king had done nothing with the prisoner acquired in Azhel.
“You never loved her.”
The king jerked as if Tate had struck him, but he didn’t deny it right away. Instead, he clenched his jaw and searched for words.
“You fail to understand many things.” The king’s declaration rumbled, but his next statements came out softer. “I loved her. Not at first, for I hardly knew her when we married. But I learned to love her.”
“Then do something!”
“What would you have me do?”
“Kill him.” Tate stood his ground before the throne, feet planted shoulder width apart. “It is your right and duty to avenge her!”
“Right. Duty.” The king spat the words like poison. “They stay my hand.”
Confusion slapped Tate.
“What are you talking about?”
King Teorn looked at him with an expression of profound sadness.
“Her father has claimed her killer.”
Most of the fight drained from Tate. A small measure of peace and a strange uneasiness battled within him. His grandfather was not a man to cross, and Gardanian executions were famously brutal. King Padric Creston probably had his entire Central Council working overtime to determine a proper execution for his daughter’s murderer. A steady procession of sobering thoughts marched through Tate’s head. Bowing to his father, he turned and exited the throne room.
***
RETSI (MAY) 26, 1538
Same Day
Governor Lord’s Estate, City of Resh
As Lady Akia Zelene watched, Reia Antellio spread the contents of her caydronan sack across the floor. She laid out twigs, stems, leaves of various sizes and shapes, pieces of bark, flowers, dried insects, and several tiny vials containing tree sap. She chuckled as Akia’s expression shifted from excitement to trepidation.
“You’ll learn quickly. Master Ekris says there are six-thousand and seventy-two ingredients to healing teas, broths, and patches, but I never deal with that many. The first thing you need to know about healing is that you can. Most people are already healers.”
“They are?”
“Do you not comfort your father when you see him frustrated or hurt?” Reia asked. “That is a form of healing. Master Ekris says the best forms of healing are preventative.”
“Your master must mean a lot to you,” Akia commented. Curiosity crossed her countenance. “What’s it like to be raised as a Ranger?”
“I’ve never known any other life,” Reia replied, shrugging.
“Forgive me. That was an awful question.” Akia’s cheeks reddened.
“No offense taken,” Reia assured her. “As Master Ekris says, ‘All life is learning, and all learning starts with questions.’”
“All right. What can you teach me?”
The question launched a long tutoring session in the healing arts. Lady Akia Zelene readily absorbed the herb names and their functions. The lessons proceeded for almost three hours before she finally held up her hand for a respite.
“I think that’s enough for now. My brain hurts.”
Reia smiled and agreed it was time for a break.
“Need some corlia?”
“That’s a painkiller, right?” Akia asked. “I thought you treated wounds with that.”
“You can. Corlia’s a powerful painkiller. It’s great for headaches or open wounds, but it doesn’t work well on poisons or diseases. Its main use is healing physical wounds. For emotional wounds you’ll need mintas tea or cormea and radon combined.”
“What will that do?”
“Paralyze you,” Reia answered, trying to keep a straight face. She failed and burst into laughter as Akia’s expression switched from amused to horrified and back again.
“I suppose that works on all pains then.”
“It’s only a temporary cure,” Reia reminded. She shook off the somber mood threatening to take over. “Most of these plants—corlia, astera, ristal, ira, and so on—can be bought in any city and most villages, but if you don’t know how to use them properly, they’re useless or even dangerous.”
On that sobering note, they took a break for lunch.
Afterward, Reia had Akia order hot water in four separate bowls, and the practical lessons began. Reia taught her pupil how to properly make mintas tea, comosal, and finally mendaid. She started with the one she would teach last by throwing several herbs into the smallest bowl of hot water and letting the ingredients soak. As she slowly added the ingredients she studied the small porcelain bowl, admiring the flower pattern on the side. Picking up one of the two medium-sized bowls, she added mintas to the tea and held it up for Akia to see.
“Most people drink mintas or wuzle root tea, but the trick is to first make a strong mintas tea and add a wuzle root for about a minute.”
“What does the wuzle root do? Why not add more than that?”
“Both mintas and the roots have a relaxing effect, but they’re not as effective if combined improperly.”
Reia made both the ineffective and the effective forms of tea and let Akia try them. The lady nearly choked on the ineffective one.
“The taste’s a bit stronger if you mix it improperly. Some people do that on purpose. Just be grateful I’m not going to make you try comosal.”
“What’s that? What’s it for? What’s it taste like?”
Akia’s tone reminded Reia of Kiata discussing a new weapon.
“Comosal’s the cure for cornada. It’s probably a good one for you to know. People caught in storms are susceptible to it. The cure’s made by combining ira petals, mesta shoots, and ristal leaves.” Reia checked the temperature of the water in the largest bowl by sticking a finger in it.
“Um, isn’t that a bad way to check water temperature?”
“Not when it’s been sitting out this long and there’s no steam hissing off of it,” Reia replied. “Here, I want you to feel this though. It’s a good temperature.”
Akia obediently dipped her finger into the water.
“Briefly soak the ira petals and ristal leaves in the water then wrap a mesta shoot around it.” Reia demonstrated by tying a quick knot in the shoot and holding the package out to Akia. “You’d then stick this under a person’s tongue until it dissolves in about six hours.”
Akia made a face.
“I agree, and after the first hour, it tastes like rancid cannafitch.”
“That’s disgusting.”
Reia shrugged.
“Don’t get sick,” she advised. “But if you do, comosal can probably cure you of it, if not by healing properties, then by fear of its taste.”
Akia grimaced and nodded. Her eyes fell upon the smallest bowl.
“What’s in this one?”
“That will be mendaid, a combination of cormea, sannin, corlia, water, and deklov. Do you remember what those do?”
“Corlia’s the painkiller and deklov has something to do with healing speed,” Akia ventured. “I don’t remember the others.”
“Cormea also dulls pain but too much can cause paralysis. Sannin acts on aches,” Reia said. “You’re doing fine. It took Master Ekris over two years to teach me the healing plants.” Reia had more to say, but she stopped upon seeing her student’s attention had wandered.
Akia sighed and stared into nothing.
“Am I doing the right thing? Maybe my father’s right, maybe it is too dangerous.”
“I won’t tell you what to do, but I will say danger is everywhere,” said Reia.
Both young women slipped into their own thoughts.
***
RETSI (MAY) 26, 1538
Same Day
King’s Private Chambers, Royal Palace, City of Rammon
“What do you want?” King Teorn Minstel asked, not bothering to hide his irritation.
“Can’t a sister make a social call on her baby brother?” Lady Mavis Altran inquired. Her rich voice held the usual hint of mocking.
“You could, but you don’t.” Teorn didn’t particularly like his sister. She had a knack for discovering harmful secrets. Though he had been spared most of her machinations, he had witnessed enough of her cruelty over the years to make him wary.
Mavis placed a hand over her heart.
“You wound me.” She appeared hurt until she grinned. Letting her hand fall to her side, she drew herself upright, and asked, “You received my son’s gift, did you not?” She purred the words.
Teorn swallowed and tried to loosen his tongue.
“Taytron delivered him, but it’s not much of a gift if you can’t keep it. I’m not pleased that the incident almost made a murderer of my son either.”
“You are right, of course—on both accounts. I am sorry it has to be this way,” Mavis said, sounding regretful. “But that incident aside, I have come on further family business.”
Fear gripped Teorn.
“Is it Terosh?” A hundred terrifying thoughts crowded his head. Mavis had resources that kept her very well informed. It wasn’t impossible to imagine her hearing a report of something befalling his younger son before his own men could share the news.
Surprise flitted across her face.
“He is fine. Last I heard, Terosh and the Ranger had reached Resh.” She brushed at an invisible imperfection in her silk dress. The deep red fabric wrapped closely around her. Precious gia gems winked at him from her fingers, wrists, ears, and neck.
Teorn nodded, relieved to have the confirmation. That had been the last report given to him as well. He shook his head at the thought of Terosh traveling alone with a Ranger—and a young female at that—but everything had gone well so far. By all reports, the boy was doing fine without the Royal Guards. Teorn forced himself to relax.
“I apologize for unnerving you.” Mavis’s voice, though penitent, still held a mocking note. “I actually came about your elder son. Some time ago you asked me to seek suitable matches for Taytron. I believe I have found one.”
