Hello all,

Now I am back with more Secrets of Healing. Both Amanda and Alexander have to cope with emergencies in this. I can reassure you tha all will end up well,though.

My sincere apologies for the very long Chapter Six I posted before. I managed to save the wrong file and press the wrong button. Many thanks to my dear 'net friend Zophiel Lagaze for telling me. :)

All the best wishes, Read and enjoy,

/ NorthernLight

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Hazards Of The Healer, Chapter Six

Secrets of Healing, Part Two

Alexander had not been so tired since the aftermath of Chareronea. Not long ago he was the Crown Prince of Macedon, now all of a sudden he had been reduced into a woodland wanderer. His proud horse had not enough to eat and his dear friend had hurt himself badly when they hunted a fierce boar on their way to their new woodland home.

Hephaestion did not complain, but Alexander knew that he was in pain. He had been moaning and tossing to and fro all night long, waking Alexander time and again with his fretful turnings. Alexander had held on to him and comforted him. Sometimes he gave him a sip of cooling mountain water. Now he was sleeping calmly, and Alexander would leave him to it. Hephaestion needed his rest but Alexander was very tired after his vigilant watch. He rose in a stupor and lit the fire. The dry wood and cinder quickly went up in flames, filling their cave with a warm and friendly orange red light. Hephaestion stretched and yawned and then fell asleep once more in their makeshift bed of furs, straw and moss. He was so beautiful. His auburn hair spread like a feathered fan around him and his features were calm and controlled, even in sleep.

Alexander gave him a comforting caress before he put water in the kettle and filled it with chamomile and mint for their morning tea. He had eagerly wanted some mulled good red wine instead but they had long since drunk it all up.

Alexander wondered whenever he would enjoy a good flagon of warming red wine again ?

There was much left of the boar and he roasted some slices together with some juicy roots and herbs. He was fortunate that Hephaestion had picked them on the road. Soon they would have to go foraging again. Autumn had been mild, warm and sunny but soon winter would come and they needed an ample supply of food to survive its rigours.

Up here in the Illyrian mountains winter was a cold, hard and trying time.

When the food and morning tea was ready Alexander went to wake his friend. He gently shook Hephaestion.

"Wake up, Phai. Breakfast is ready. You always have a hearty appetite! "

"Not today, Alexander. I am not hungry."

Now Alexander was truly worried. He went to his friend and felt his brow. It was hot and clammy and he saw that Hephaestion was unnaturally red in his face. He was running a very high fever.

"Oh no! You are ill. I must take a look at your foot!"

He removed the warming furs. His friend shivered.

"No! NO! You must not take the furs away. I am so cold!"

Alexander had to put them back and just uncovered his friend's right foot. He unwrapped the bandages and carefully inspected the injury. It was not worse, but no better, either. The foot was blue and swollen and very tender to his touch. He put his hands around it and held on to it for a long time.

"Aaah! That feels so good. Your hands are so warming. Do not take them away! "

"I am glad that you like the warmth in my hands. It must be something strange with that. You are often feezing and I am always warm, "Alexander mused. "Well, now I must serve us breakfast, or else it will become cold."

Before he put the bandage and splints back on his friend's injured foot he anointed it with more of the ointment from the clay jar. Then he served them the hearty breakfast he had prepared. Hephaestion ate slowly and not very much but he drank all the chamomile tea. Alexander ate the more since he was very hungry because of all his worries. After the meal he helped Hephaestion to go outdoors for a short while. Then he put him to bed again and fetched some water from the creek. When he carried the water skins back to the cave he suddenly was aware of curious eyes watching him. He looked up at the thick rose hip brambles at the mountain side. There was a slit in the branches. Through it he saw the tiny fair haired woman, now surrounded by five puppies and a big black she dog looking like a ferocious black panther.

The Forest Nymph was still there. She must live close nearby. Alexander once more hoped that she was friendly. He mumbled a charm against all Evil to himself. When he looked up to the rose hip bramble once more the woman was gone.

Perhaps she had not been there at all. She might just have been an illusion brought on by worries and weariness. The horses were grazing peacefully at the meadow. They were prudent and wary animals. If something dangerous had been afoot they sure would have warned him.

He entered the cave with the water skins. Cold mountain water splashed onto the stone floor like a curtain of diamonds. Hephaestion woke up from his fitful rest, looking at his friend with great curiosity.

"You will not like this, Phai, but I have to give you a cooling rub down, Alexander stated. "You are running a very high fever and that will have to go down!"

He poured some water on a rag and started to give his friend a most vigorous and cooling rub down. Hephaestion protested most adamantly.

"No! NOOO! Don't do this to me! I am already freezing."

He shivered and writhed away under Alexander's well meaning ministrations.

"Stay calm, Phai. You will feel much better when I am ready. "

Alexander went on with splashing cold water on his friend and rubbing him down with the cooling liquor. Afterwards he rubbed him with dry straw and moss and wrapped him well into the furs.

"You were right, Alexander, strange enough, "Hephaestion consented. "I feel a little better now."

He shivered and Alexander put the furs more closely around him. He sat at his side until he fell asleep once more. Then he went outdoors and looked around. He soon found what he looked for, willow bark and elderberries. Inside he prepared the ingredients into a Healing concoction against fever. He did not know that he was closely watched from afar.

/ Well, this Golden One has some Healing abilities, Amanda mused to herself. "He cannot be that dangerous. He takes care of his friend in quite a gentle manner. " /

Hephaestion slept for a very long time. When he woke up he was still feverish. Alexander gave him the concotion he had prepared. It was helpful but not nearly enough. Hephaestion fell into a fretful slumber, tossing and turning around in the makeshift bed of furs. He had very bad dreams and he often called out from fear and anguish.

Alexander sat down at his side, futilely trying to calm him down. He held his hand, he gently stroke his fevered brow and when he was most anxious he embraced him and rocked him to and fro as one should have done with a crying baby.

"Hush, hush, my Dear One, "he told him. "There is nothing to be afraid of here around, just the two of us, Phai, just the two of us. "

He sat at the bedside, feeling very worried and even talking to himself.

"Oh, what am I to do? I have done all that I can and still he is not improved, "he worriedly stated. " What if he will not get better at all? I cannot go on without him! I need a better concoction. I even wish that Mother was here! SHE would sure know what to do!"

Alexander did not know it, but his worries were being overheard by Amanda. She was very curious now when she had realized that the auburn haired one had taken ill. She wondered over the mother of the Golden One. This woman must be a most astonishing Healer! Amanda wanted to reveal herself and be of help - but she was so very afraid of men that she simply did not dare. She went to her grotto and fetched a satchel of Healing herbs mixed into a most potent powder intended to ward of all kinds of fevers and ailments.

When she came back to the young men's grotto Alexander had fallen asleep, resting over his auburn maned friend. Their golden and auburn hair mixed like a warming mantle. Their features were strong and fine at the same time. They looked gaunt and pale, as from long time worries and hardships. Amanda knew that they needed all the help they could get. She quietly went inside their grotto and lit the fire. Then she put the Healing powder in the kettle, stirring it into a potent concoction. When it was ready she pulled it away from the fire. The Golden One moved in his sleep. She gently caressed his pale cheek.

"Sleep on, my new friend, "she whispered to him, "and when you wake up you must give this concoction to your friend. It will make him well again real soon."

She went away to her grotto, taking an ample supply of dried mushrooms and fine golden and red apples in a bundle. When she returned Alexander was still asleep. She left the mushrooms and apples on a stone shelf. They would come to good use soon she knew.

Alexander woke up finding that their grotto was filled with the most remarkable fumes. The cauldron stood well away from the fire. It was filled with a shimmering green concoction smelling like the medicine Queen Olympias used to boil for him when he was ailing as a child. Blue green fumes filled the cave making him breathe easier and even making him feel more confident and reassured.

"Oh my, have I managed to boil THAT in my sleep, "he asked himself. "Well, it looks just like the thing I was praying for!"

Alexander tasted the concoction for the reason of safety. It was quite like his childhood medicine, strong, tasting of mint and Healing and Calming herbs, making him feel substantially less of his worries. He poured it in a clay bowl and woke Hephaestion up. His friend warily sniffed at the contents of the bowl.

"Alexander, whatever is THAT?, "he asked. "It smells like something that Queen Olympias might have brewed!"

"Perhaps it is, my dear, perhaps it is, Alexander answered. "Just drink it down now. It will sure make you feel better."

Hephaestion drank it all. Afterwards he fell into a salutary sleep with Alexander vigilantly watching at his side.

Outside the cave Amanda and her dogs watched them with great satisfaction.

"Well, my concoctions never fail, "she prudently mused to herself. "My new neigbours must not succumb to any illness at MY doorstep, me a Healer and all!"

TBC

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