Hi, guys, it's solka! New chapter, as you see.
And one favour to ask: could you please say what you think after you read it? The feedback is almost invisible so far. I love this story (well, duh, its mine), and I have so many ideas of how to develop it, but I don't see sense in putting it here if I'm not sure if you even care.
That would be all.
- s.
"The first thing you must do when it comes to healing is to ease the pain. Of course, it isn't the case if there is any other lethal injure; if you see that the patient is bleeding from his chest for example, first of all you stop the bleeding, that is obvious. If there is no direct threat to life, however, stopping the pain is the most important step, because it lets the patient communicate successfully with the healer – of course, as long as the injured person is able to communicate or is not unconscious. To do that, you must firstly get the information about the kind of pain, its strength and precise position… Yes, Aki?"
"Wouldn't it be simpler to figure out these things by magic?" the boy named Aki asked the teacher.
"Naturally, you could simply send the thread of power into the person's body to find the source of the pain. You should be able to recognize the pain, nevertheless, you would also feel it in your own body. It is highly distracting for a young healer, that is why it is always better to ask without going into magical diagnosis. Now, today, we will concentrate on the ways of easing the pain and later on if the still have time, we will start with healing undemanding cuts."
Leara scribbled down Lord Marin's instructions about the different kinds of pain and ways to ease each of them. Secrets of healing was one of the main, if not the main reason, for sending her to the Guild. She carefully and with fascination studied the complicated techniques of threading her power to be useful in healing the magicians and she did it with being very aware that she may be the first Sachakan person in centuries to acquire this knowledge. And she decided to use the opportunity to learn as much as possible in her years spent in Kyralia.
She obviously realized that the knowledge about healing was not only a crucial element of the political scene between the two nations, but also a valuable treasure. And knowing all that, she still couldn't get rid of the thought that healing, besides being so important, also bored her to death. She appreciated and respected the complicated aspects of the art, but couldn't really put her heart into it. It didn't stop her, however, from putting effort into studying it, if only for the national business' sake.
When Lord Marin stopped to answer some more question, Leara relaxed a bit and looked outside the window. She still had some slight problems with getting used to closed classrooms and regular pauses between lessons. It was so different from the private tutoring she has received back at home.
"And now, please divide into small groups or pairs," Marin's voice rang over her head. "And I would ask one person to take the small knife and cut his or her finger. You don't have to cut it very much but enough for it to sting a little. Then the other person will try to follow my instructions and stop the pain. I will heal all the cuts at the end of the class. Is everything clear? Good."
Leara looked to her right. There was a tall Kyralian girl, sitting silently and with a small frown upon her face. It deepened when she realized who her partner would be. Leara was used to such situations that's why she didn't hesitate before moving herself closer to the girl.
"Looks like we work together. I'm Leara," she introduced herself.
"I-I know. I'm Triesa."
Lord Marin stopped by their table and put the small knife between them. He moved on without a word. Leara looked at the metal object and noticed Triesa also threw her an uncertain glance. She sighed heavily and took the knife in a swift motion.
"Oh, come on!" she murmured slightly irritated with the girl's behavior. Without faltering, she cut her finger. A red drop appeared and the cut stung a little, but that was all. "I don't bite, you know?" she said sarcastically. "And I do not know higher magic. I thought Lady Sonea told you all that. But you act like I was carrying a lethal disease."
"Of course she did," Triesa replied in somewhat offended tone of voice. "But you are not the most social person I have ever met, so forgive me for not being an extrovert when it comes to interacting with someone unknown to me."
Leara's eyes widened at her words and face filled with determination.
"And to be completely honest, I don't care about your origins." Triesa continued in similar manner. "As long as you are in Kyralia, you fall under the direct law code of the Guild and our King. If you tried anything here, you'd be constrained and arrested, we both know it," she smiled a little and when Leara answered with a uncertain smile, she added: "So now give me that hand of yours and let me ease the pain."
Osen observed Leara from some distance. A few minutes earlier she emerged from the healing classroom, talking with a girl from her class. Her body language screamed carefulness but otherwise she seemed pleased with the girl's companionship. The two girls split as soon as they approached the great doors of the University building; Leara made her way to the Novice Quarters and the other girl joined a group of girls who were waiting for her.
The magician's lips crashed into smile.
It was in fact the first time Osen has ever seen Leara in anyone's presence. Willingly and actually talking to the person. Little steps, he thought, little steps.
"Administrator?"
Osen turned around to see Lady Vinara approaching him.
"Yes?"
"I need you to check upon those spending plans for…"
Osen's attention was brought suddenly back to the sight outside the window. He heard some shouts and screams and then a quick move in the area where Leara's been seconds earlier. He and Vinara instantly moved to the right to see how one of the old – and not yet repaired after the Ichani invasion – column's element fell down, aiming with incredible speed towards a place where a novice sat on a bench, blissfully unaware of the threat.
Before any of the people present in the place could even react, the boy who read the book was thrown off his spot by an invisible force. He cursed loudly but his irritation was replaced by the utter terror when he realized what almost happened.
The boy jumped upwards and as far from the place as possible. But Osen didn't focus on him anymore; he scanned the square in search for the anonymous savior. Everyone's faces were filled with shock or relief but only Leara looked really distracted when she glanced around her cautiously. But when she met Osen's gaze from the window, she only bowed her head and walked away.
"Another boring day, huh?" a voice asked Leara.
The girl turned her head to the left. She saw a young man standing next to her bench. She has never seen him before.
"My name is Natan."
She remained silent, waiting for him to explain his odd behavior. Odd? She thought. Well, coming up to an unknown person and stating one's name was rather odd.
Natan winced under her glare. Why was he bothering her, anyway? Almost at down, she was woken up by a messenger from Ashaki Kashiro and the lack of sleep affected her mood making her somewhat cranky that day. A foreign boy disturbing her day off wasn't improving the situation.
"I just wanted to thank you." When she still didn't react in any way of said anything, he let out a sigh. "My friend told me that it was you who pushed me off that bench yesterday, when the rocks fell from the destroyed wall. Thank you."
Finally Leara understood. He was the boy. She acted instinctively when she did that. It was nothing, for her at least. But he now wanted to express his gratitude and it because of her incredulousness, it came out awkward.
"You don't have to thank me," she said.
"Why, of course I do!" he exclaimed. "You saved my life."
Leara took a breath and looked at him. He interpreted it as an invitation to sit, much to Leara's discomfort.
"I want to repay you for it. Would you like to go to the races in the afternoon? My uncle is the owner of the best stallions in town. Do you like horse racing?"
Leara gave up her dreams about a lazy morning in the gardens with the book in her hand. Instead she once more wanted to say something to scare him off or discourage him but changed her mind. She's heard that those races are the most favorite way of spending the days free from studying. Maybe it was a good idea to accept the boy's invitation. For the sake of developing new friendly contacts with young Kyralian magicians.
"What is your name, again?"
"Natan, Family Geden, House of Daron."
Leara instantly linked the name to the face she'd seen before she came to Imardin.
"Are you a relative of the Guild's Ambassador in Arvice, Lord Norn?
"I am his son."
"Oh, it is nice to meet you, then, Natan. I would love to see the race."
The boy's face brightened immediately. Before Leara had time to react, they began to talk about the Guild and Kyralia. Leara realized that she actually enjoyed the conversation and her initial irritation melted. She chuckled internally at the thought. I'm in Imardin for two months and until this week I hardly opened my mouth to anyone; now I ended up chatting friendly with two novices on two days in a row.
Does it mean that she would be more accepted from now on? That would be a big step forward.
"Have you ever been to Arvice?" she asked Natan.
"No, my father wants me and my family to visit him on the winter break, though. He only needs to obtain a formal approbate from your king." Natan smiled softly. "I heard it is a beautiful city. I would really want to see it one day."
"Who knows?" Leara said. "Maybe one day you will."
Natan looked as if he wanted to say something else, but they were interrupted by a servant.
"Excuse me," the boy said. "It is a letter from my mother. But I will see you in few hours and we can go together to see the races. By the University building?"
"Of course," Leara smiled.