I know not that many people are interested in this kind of FanFiction for this book, as it is one of a kind for this website, but I still want to write it. So too bad! You are going to have to put up with me. And judging from the lack of response for this story the feeling's mutual. That's fine with me! But if you like it, review!
~EmiStone
The next several days were normal for me. In the morning I awoke at the hour before dawn with the servants, changing into my city clothes and headed out to the city. I helped the people as much as I could, setting up base in the small house I had taken over. At 12 marks I would eat supper with the guards in their tower before practicing my archery and heading over to the Healing Wing. My position there was that of the main assistant, I really just stopped the surgeon from inflicting too much damage and healed everyone he didn't want to expend energy on. Basically, I healed everyone while he sat in his office room and drank tonics designed to make him immortal. I did that until 7 marks when I would distribute dinner to my patients if there were any and change into my state clothes to eat dinner in the Great Hall. After dinner I would do a last check on my patients and go outside and practice my archery in the dark. I would retire at 10 marks, to do the same thing again. My schedule was only interrupted by the occasional lesson, which I could skip as I pleased due to Maggiore not really caring.
The routine was broken several days later. I stepped into the Healing Wing to see the surgeon and several guards standing there looking impatient.
"There you are! Pack up! The king has ordered that we attend a man hurt in a hunt. He is staying at some filthy hovel in the woods with a backwards idiot as a doctor." The surgeon ordered. I quickly packed everything into the saddle bags he indicated and, pulling up my hood, we headed off. An hour and a half later I heard horses galloping towards us.
"Sir, why are there horses?" I asked the surgeon, hoping he would be in a good mood.
"I would have thought even a little chit like you would know that. You are completely incompetent, I swear." He said, acting all high and mighty before hearing them too. "Oh, the Princess has requested to accompany us." I gulped, this was going to end badly.
Thirrin caught up without a word, only looking at me somewhat strangely.
"Who is that?" She asked imperially. I started to panic.
"The surgeon's as-" One of the guards, Fedrik, started trying to cover.
"My assistant, Genna. She is in charge of the parts of my work that I don't enjoy, such as manual labor. Completely unimportant and idiotic in every way." The surgeon cut in, trying to make sure he got all the credit and recognition from the royalty. I bowed in my saddle to Thirrin, pretending to go off balance at the end so I seemed bad at riding. I then clutched my coat closer to my body and shivered, as an explanation for my hood hiding my head.
"Are you cold?" Thirrin asked. Darn her sense of kindness!
"Oh, your highness, ma'am, I'ma so sorry! I'ma just nah used ta ridin' is all, your highness!" I said, making my best effort to sound completely unlike myself.
"Ah." She replied, uninterested. We arrived at a small cave entrance soon after, a tall boy waiting in the doorway. Thirrin blushed fiercely, which caused me to raise my eyebrows. Hmm...
"Your man is healing well." The boy said politely as we dismounted, bringing me back to reality.
"I'll decide that, thank you, young man." The surgeon said stiffly, "Where is the patient?" Oskan led us into the cave, me carrying both the surgeon's and my bags easily. I looked around the cave in awe, before setting the surgeon's bags near the door and mine near the cot with the man on it, who recognized me immediately and sighed in relief. He raised himself on one elbow and would have gotten up if the surgeon hadn't pressed him down. "Before you go anywhere, I want to examine your wounds." I waited patiently, looking over his shoulder at the neatly stitched wound. "I heard rumors you'd done this! What gives you the right to endanger the man's life?"
As soon as he said this I started my examination of the man's wound, which didn't go unnoticed by the boy and Thirrin.
"He looks fine to me." I heard Thirrin say.
"...Even my chit of an assistant knows that this isn't how to heal a man!" I heard, causing me to groan. He looked over at me. "Girl, put your hood down! You're near royalty!" He shouted, sounding embarrassed I slowly pulled down my hood. Ignoring Thirrin's gasp I turned to the boy.
"He seems to be healing well. I assume you used garlic to cleanse the wound?" I asked professionally. He smiled.
"I threaded the string through some." He replied.
"The stitches are holding up well. The wound is uninfected and should continue to heal well. I want him to stay here for another three days, then I'll come to help cut the stitches. In the meantime, please give him this twice a day when he wakes up and before he goes to bed. That should speed up the healing process." I pulled the four bottles I needed out of my bag, careful to pick the right ones.
"What's in these?" He asked, curious, as the man on the bed groaned.
"I don't want any of your witches brew!" He said, I looked at him hard before recognizing him under his beard.
"Of course, Gerad. I'll just tell Miri that on my next visit into the city, you see how well that goes over!" I threatened He looked scared.
"This is absurd! You, girl, know nothing of healing and should not be giving anything to anyone! Your majesty, I am very sorry for what the chit has done here today, I assure you I will have her out on her ear as soon as we are at Frostmarris. See how well you do then, you idiot girl." He said, I just raised an eyebrow and waited for the volcano named Thirrin to explode.
"Just who do you think you are talking to?" Thirrin said in a voice dripping with ice. He looked surprised.
"My stupid chit of an assistant. Born in a whore house if I ever saw one. Bet your mom was drinkin' up a storm when she had you, huh, girly?" He asked, leaning in close enough that I could smell the alchohol on him. Shame this had to happen when he might not remember.
"Like you are now?" I mumbled, causing Gerad to laugh.
"Are you implying that I was born in a brothel? And that my mother, the Queen of the Icemark, sister of the Basilea, was a drunkard?" Thirrin asked with a voice filled with ice.
"Of course not, My Lady!" The surgeon said in shock.
"Then why are you saying so about my sister and twin?" Thirrin replied icely. He spun around to me in shock, I waved my hand lazily and smiled slightly.
"Hi." I said awkwardly. He stared in shock.
"You are kidding, right?" He asked Thirrin, laughing. "I'd sooner believe that the squirrels outside were. She's just a stupid chit of a girl from the city. Practically worthless."
"A stupid chit of a girl who's been doing all of your work for years?" I asked coldly.
"You shut your mouth before I smack it!" He shouted pulling his hand up to do so. I calmly stared at him, before spitting in his face. He moved his hand forward, but Fedrik caught it, pushing him against a wall of the cave. I moved forward until I was in front of the surgeon, who had his hands pulled behind his back.
"Now, you listen here. You are going to go to the King. You are going to ask to resign. You are going to say that you are going to leave the Healing Wing in the hands of your perfectly trained assistant, who has already been taking care of it for years. If asked for a reason say that you miss the weather in the South. Then you are going to tell him that your assistant, named Genna, is already aware of the situation, and everything is in order. You are going to leave, there is a boat waiting for you in Sea Haven to take you to your precious Southern Continent. You are going to board that boat and I will never see your face again, understood?" I said pleasantly, as Fedrik twisted his arms behind his back and the rest of the guards looked menacing.
"And... if I don't?" He panted with the pain. I smiled.
"Half of the guards follow my lead... Take your pick of fates but they all end in death." I said sweetly, as Fedrik twisted his arms even more before letting him go, he ran outside and we could all hear hoof-steps galloping away. I straightened up and smiled at Fedrik.
"I've wanted to do that since he nearly killed Miri!" He said, smiling.
"Wish I'd been closer..." Gerad said, to various nods of agreement.
"No threatening idiots until you're healed, you hear me?" I said sternly, wagging my finger at him. He laughed, as well as the rest of the guards, which snapped Thirrin out of her stupor.
"You aren't allowed to give orders like that!" She snapped.
"What orders?" I asked, looking curious, the guards did the same.
"The orders you just gave to the surgeon!" She said stubbornly.
"Did anyone hear me give any orders?" I asked, everyone shook their heads, even the boy next to Thirrin until she threw up he hands and sighed.
"Fine. What are you doing, Bri?" Thirrin asked in exasperation.
"Well, I decided to accompany you on your trip, after all my horse needed the exercise. And you decided to follow me on my daily routine before passing judgement." I said sweetly.
"Then why do you have saddle bags?" She asked, smiling. I thought for a minute.
"I wanted to collect some mistletoe berries." I replied.
"I saw a grove outside." Thirrin challenged me.
"Really? Brilliant! Thanks, Thirri!" I said, grabbing my bag and pulling out some jars.
"I hate that name!" She shouted after me. "Why does she want mistletoe berries?"
"They have some healing properties, specifically this time of year. Wait..." I glanced over as the boy looked at the bottles I gave him. "Of course."
"Hey, weirdo!" He shouted out, causing me to almost drop the bottle of mistletoe berries I had collected.
"Great Gods... Is that you Oskan? You shot up like a weed. Oh, Goddess, I can't believe I didn't recognize this cave!" I shouted back, I was such an idiot!
"I stayed after my mom died, wondered why you never came back!" He said, coming out of his cave towards me.
"I thought you would've moved on, way she made it sound."
"Nah, I stayed." He said, nearing me. I pulled him into a hug before smiling.
"Good to see you, Oskan." I said, laughing.
"You too, Gen. Can't believe I didn't get it sooner!" He said, I smiled.
"Same here, bro." He laughed, which was interrupted by Thirrin.
"Bri? How do you know Oskan?" She asked, the guards looked confused as well.
"Any healer worth their poppy comes out here for a bit to study under White Annis, I did so for several years. During which time Oskan and I became friends." I said, smiling.
"Oh, we, um, have to go... I'll return in three days for my man. Come, Brigenna." She said, imperially slipping into her "Princess Persona".
"Yah, Yah. See you in three days, Oskan." I said, still smiling.
"See you, Gen." He replied, smiling back. I mounted my horse and talked with the guards until halfway to Frostmarris, when Thirrin melted.
"Um, are you... interested in-"
"Nope. All yours." I cut her off quietly, knowing she didn't want to admit to liking Oskan. I pulled my hood up as we entered the gates, riding behind Thirrin as the crowds tried to touch her.
"Genna! Please, please help!" A voice shouted from the crowd. I swung off my horse, grabbing my saddle bags in the process. I ran to where the voice was, the crowd parting for me quickly as Thirrin stopped. It was a little girl, clutching a small toy.
"What's wrong, sweetie?" I asked nicely, crouching down and examining her.
"Not me! Me mommy! She felled down the stairs and there was a big crack and she can't move and no one will help cause we can't pay and Auntie Laly said I should get you, cause you'd help. But mommy's real sicky looking! And I got no one to take care of me and the big crowd was all around me and..."He voice trailed out as she started to hug me and sob into my shirt.
"Ok, sweetie, it's Ok. Do you think you can show me where your mommy is?" I asked, standing up. She started to sob. A man detached himself from the crowd.
"I can show ya where the youngin's from." He said. I followed him smoothly, carrying my bags and the child. We headed into a small house, where a woman was lying on the floor with another woman wringing her hands next to her. I put the child down on one of the chairs as the woman, I was guessing Auntie Laly, came flying up.
"Genna! Thank the goddess you're here! Tanta just fell and she can't get up and-" I shushed her before sitting next to the woman on the floor, Tanta.
"Where does it hurt?" I asked.
"My shoulder. My shoulder!" She gasped. I pulled it this way and that until she gasped.
"You're in luck! You just popped it out. I'm going to pop it back in, but I need you to bite down on this first." I said, showing her the small mouth-sized leather covered stick I had for this exact purpose. She nodded and did so, as I pulled her arm back until a pop was heard. She sighed and fainted. I picked her up carefully, turning to the door to see Thirrin, all of the guards, a gigantic crowd, and Laly standing in front of the door looking impossibly stubborn.
"No. I'm sorry, your majesty. But you can't come in while Genna's workin'. That's one o' dem rules o' hers and I need my sister fixed." I cleared my throat to get her attention. She whirled around.
"I healed her, she's just going to want to rest that shoulder for about three to four days. No strenuous activity. Is there a place I can put her before my arms fall off?" I asked, readjusting Tanta. Laly nodded, gesturing to the stairs. I turned to go up them until Thirrin's voice stopped me.
"Surely you need some help with that?" She asked, sounding somewhat awed. I turned towards her and bobbed the best curtsy I could while holding another person.
"I'll be back in just a minute, your majesty." I headed up the stairs and put Tanta into the first bed I found, arms on fire. I came back down to see Thirrin in the house with the door closed, Laly taking care of the little girl. I nodded to her as she smiled at me, showing me to the door along with Thirrin, the crowd still outside.
"Thank ya so much, girly. May the goddess bless ye!" She said, I smiled and nodded, gesturing Thirrin in front of me.
"I am honored your majesty would take such an interest in my work." I said loudly, to the crowd more than to Thirrin. She caught on.
"With you now being our principal Healor in the capital I thought it prudent to observe your work. I think I may follow you in your work tomorrow, in truth." She said, with the perfect cover as we returned to the horses.
"As you wish, your majesty." I said, bowing on my horse as we headed towards the castle gates.