Farangis inhaled deeply, taking in the fresh air as she walked from a shrine back to the temple. She raised an eyebrow at the Jinn stirring and softly blew her whistle, focusing on their words. She turned at a rustle in the bush and drew her dagger, pointing it.
"Whoever is there, I know you are injured. Step out now and reveal yourself."
An axe pushed the brush away and a man stepped out, blood matting his red hair in clumps. He stared at her with striking brown eyes and panted softly, gripping his side. "I need, I need help."
She eyed him for a moment and nodded once the Jinn informed her he could be trusted, sheathing her dagger. "Fine. The temple is just along this path, I'd prefer if you walk without my assistance. These are my finer robes."
He stepped forward and softly grunted, more blood dripping between his fingers. "Fine, lead the way princess."
She resisted the urge to roll her eyes and continued her walk, keeping her pace slow. "I am a priestess, not a princess. Though I am sworn to support the crown prince if he shall need it."
He trudged after her, using his axe as a makeshift walking stick. "Parsians with their princes and princesses."
She narrowed her eyes, glancing back at him. "You will not speak ill of the prince while in my presence. I am sure you have your own traditions I will dislike."
He tightened his grip as his step faltered and lightly smirked. "Sure, princess."
She turned to correct him and blinked when he fell over, faceplanting in the dirt. She softly sighed and continued on, fetching some guards to pick him up and carry him in. She watched as they stripped off his fur-lined leather armor and motioned them to place him in the healing bath, thankfully void of any visitors. Typically, the elders used it to soothe their joints or when they had a pregnancy and weren't sure if the mother would survive. Very rarely did they have any serious injuries that required the healing water.
She changed into her casual robe and carefully put away her formal robe, rolling up her sleeves. She ignored a few odd looks on her way back to the bathing area and grabbed the doors, closing them firmly. She glanced at the pile of bloody armor and walked over to the man propped against the edge, his head laid back against the flooring.
She kneeled beside him and grabbed a wash cloth, scooping up water to clean the dirt off his body. She bent over to clean off his chest and examined the wound on his side which had thankfully stopped bleeding; but had still tainted the water pink. What a shame, really.
She softly sighed; knowing it would be her duty to replenish the water. At least his injury wasn't overly serious, it looked like he had gotten into a fight with the local wildlife but they had only managed to bite his side. He must be a great fighter, she silently mused as she cleaned off his chest, examining the old scars on his chest.
She tilted her head and raised one of his arms out the water, gently cleaning off the grime to reveal more scarring. She eyed the faded scars around his wrist and moved around him to lift his other arm, looking over it. Sure enough, there was a matching faded scar around his other wrist. More than likely from slave shackles, but they were not fresh.
She softly grunted when she pushed him to lean up some and gripped his shoulders, looking over his back. Thankfully the moving water had washed away most of the grime and she could see almost-invisible whip markings criss crossing his back. That confirmed it, he must have been a slave in his early years.
She stood and walked out, getting the guards to carry him to the healing ward. "If he awakes before I return from cleaning the water, keep him in place. I will see to him once I'm finished."
They nodded and carried him off. She turned and glanced up as the Jinn whispered to her. She ignored their words for once and walked back to the healing bath. She will not feed their teasing.