~ Chapter Eight ~
Life and Death
Alanna breathed deeply, her eyes shut tightly. Cole lay there, his eyes closed and his breaths short and faint. His chest barely moved, and although there was no apparent damage, Alanna could feel with her Gift all the pain he was in.
Alanna stroked Cole's temple, saying sacred words to the Mother Goddess. Please! She begged. Please oh please!
Violet Gift surrounded Alanna and Cole. Jonathan backed away. He was afraid of the look on Alanna's face, and afraid of the large purple cloud closing in on Alanna and Cole. It grew every second, and looked menacing in every way. Jon probed it with his Gift, and found nothing but pure, solid, very powerful magic.
Alanna concentrated, trying to put every last bit of her Gift into saving Cole. She screamed. The pain was immense. Every muscle and bone ached, and her head was pounding. Alanna screamed louder. Jon stood, helpless, as he watched Alanna, who still had her hands on Cole's temple, scream and sweat. The purple cloud around Alanna grew bigger and bigger. Alanna glowed an amethyst colour, and screamed yet again.
Out of no where came a yowl. A black cat hurled itself at Alanna, biting her arm viciously. Jon moved towards to pull him off, but then remembered the amethyst cloud. He sensed it would not be a good idea for him to touch it.
Cut it off! A voice screamed at Alanna. Pain in her arm made her concentration disconnect from her powerful spell. The violet cloud vanished, and Alanna stopped screaming, only to whimper. Her right arm was thick was blood and bits of skin, a mangled mess. Cole lay there, stone cold, his face white.
Alanna sobbed and sobbed. She'd lost him. She's failed as a healer. She had lost him. She cried and cried. Jon moved towards her to help her stand up. Alanna rose quickly, and fast regretted it. Her head spun, and she knew she had used too much of her Gift than she could afford. A pain grew in her temples, and her stomach dropped and her ears roared. When will I learn? She asked herself as she fell on Jon in an exhausted faint.
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Alanna woke, her head still aching and her muscles still screaming. A black cat paced the side of Alanna's bed, up and down, up and down. Alanna watched, curiously, until the cat turned and looked at Alanna square in the eye. Alanna almost gasped – the cat had purple eyes, just like her own.
Hmph, the cat said haughtily. You've a mind for trouble.
Alanna rolled onto her back. She didn't want to deal with talking cats right now.
"So what if I do?" she replied.
The cat looked at her. You've been asleep for almost a week. Five days to be exact.
"Five days!" This time Alanna did gasp. "That can't be true!"
"Alanna!" Alanna looked towards the room of her bed in the Healer's Wing. Thom was there, looking exceptionally worried.
"Oh Alanna, I'm so glad you're ok!" he cried, enveloping her in a huge hug. I haven't seen you for ages, even though we've been in the same building!" (A/N Just a quick thought – should Thom actually become a knight?! Or should he like, Master in sorcery or something? Just an idea! Anyway…)
"I'm ok," Alanna said. Now was the time to ask the question that had been annoying her. "But, what about Cole…" she asked.
Thom's eyes lowered. "He – he," he stammered, trying to get the words out. "Alanna, he's – he's dead."
Alanna looked away, tears in her stinging eyes. "And what about –" she indicated to the cat. "My 'friend'?"
Thom grinned. "Wouldn't leave your side," he replied. "He's stayed with you for the past five days, and hissed and spat at anyone who came near you except me, Jon, and Duke Baird, who he seems to like, realising he helps you, I guess. He especially went off at Duke Roger when he came in here. He wouldn't let the Duke in your room, let alone near you. He spat and scratched, and I think the Duke finally took the hint he was being warned away." Alanna shivered at the mention of the Duke – she still had a funny feeling about him – and silently thanked the cat.
"… He's been quite a faithful pet!" Thom continued. "What will you call him?"
"It's really a him?" Alanna asked. Thom nodded, grinning. "I checked," he answered.
"Well, I like 'Faithful'," she said. "After all, that's what he's been."
Faithful yowled in encouragement at Alanna, obviously pleased with his name. Alanna grinned. She liked the look of her new pet.
Alanna looked towards the door. Elisia stood there, her face pale with worry. "Oh Alanna!" she cried. "I've been so worried!"
She rushed in, her skirts rustling, and gave Alanna a huge hug.
"What were you thinking?" she asked furiously. "You were glowing by the time His Highness bought you in. What on earth were you doing? Were you thinking?" she embraced Alanna in another huge hug.
"I'm fine," Alanna said, hugging her back.
"Huh hm," someone said at the door. Roaul and Gary stood there, along with Prince Jonathan. Elisia rushed to Gary's side and gave him a hug. "She's ok," she said. He hugged her back. "I told you so." He smiled.
Alanna hid a grin. Faithful yowled. "Who's your pet?" asked Roaul.
"He saved my life," Alanna answered. "If not for him, I'd be dead." She looked away, remembering Cole.
Jon came over and gave her a hug. "I guess he was the one who mangled your arm." He glanced at the thick bandage on her arm.
"Yep," she grinned. "Thanks," she murmured to the cat.
"Come now, what's all this commotion?" Duke Baird asked. He looked over at Alanna. "I see," he said. "You're awake at last! But you'd better be getting some rest!" he ushered the others out. Alanna groaned quietly. She'd had five days' worth of rest, she didn't want any more! Alanna sat up stiffly when the Duke had his back turned. Her stomach lurched when she moved her arm – it hurt so much! – but she gritted her teeth and moved it up and down slowly. When Duke Baird turned and saw her moving, he turned pale.
"You shouldn't be doing that!" he cried. But when he saw she was fine, his expression turned from worry to respect. "You're brave," he told her. "And strong. Most ladies would have fainted doing that."
Alanna smiled. "I only usually faint when I use too much of my Gift, after a huge spell or something," she said.
She began to unwind the bandage. She looked at Duke Baird. "It'll heal better if I used my own Gift," she said. The Duke took the hint and left.
Alanna finished unwrapping her wounded arm. She screwed up her face. It was really a mess. Most of the skin had come of it, and the rest was blood and scab. Alanna concentrated, and formed more scab with the help of her Gift. She smiled, satisfied. Tomorrow she would help develop the replacement skin.
She yawned. She was suddenly very tired. A lot had happened in the short hours that she had been awake in. She wanted to push everything aside – including Cole's death – until she could think without her head pounding. She turned over, and went to sleep.
Life and Death
Alanna breathed deeply, her eyes shut tightly. Cole lay there, his eyes closed and his breaths short and faint. His chest barely moved, and although there was no apparent damage, Alanna could feel with her Gift all the pain he was in.
Alanna stroked Cole's temple, saying sacred words to the Mother Goddess. Please! She begged. Please oh please!
Violet Gift surrounded Alanna and Cole. Jonathan backed away. He was afraid of the look on Alanna's face, and afraid of the large purple cloud closing in on Alanna and Cole. It grew every second, and looked menacing in every way. Jon probed it with his Gift, and found nothing but pure, solid, very powerful magic.
Alanna concentrated, trying to put every last bit of her Gift into saving Cole. She screamed. The pain was immense. Every muscle and bone ached, and her head was pounding. Alanna screamed louder. Jon stood, helpless, as he watched Alanna, who still had her hands on Cole's temple, scream and sweat. The purple cloud around Alanna grew bigger and bigger. Alanna glowed an amethyst colour, and screamed yet again.
Out of no where came a yowl. A black cat hurled itself at Alanna, biting her arm viciously. Jon moved towards to pull him off, but then remembered the amethyst cloud. He sensed it would not be a good idea for him to touch it.
Cut it off! A voice screamed at Alanna. Pain in her arm made her concentration disconnect from her powerful spell. The violet cloud vanished, and Alanna stopped screaming, only to whimper. Her right arm was thick was blood and bits of skin, a mangled mess. Cole lay there, stone cold, his face white.
Alanna sobbed and sobbed. She'd lost him. She's failed as a healer. She had lost him. She cried and cried. Jon moved towards her to help her stand up. Alanna rose quickly, and fast regretted it. Her head spun, and she knew she had used too much of her Gift than she could afford. A pain grew in her temples, and her stomach dropped and her ears roared. When will I learn? She asked herself as she fell on Jon in an exhausted faint.
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Alanna woke, her head still aching and her muscles still screaming. A black cat paced the side of Alanna's bed, up and down, up and down. Alanna watched, curiously, until the cat turned and looked at Alanna square in the eye. Alanna almost gasped – the cat had purple eyes, just like her own.
Hmph, the cat said haughtily. You've a mind for trouble.
Alanna rolled onto her back. She didn't want to deal with talking cats right now.
"So what if I do?" she replied.
The cat looked at her. You've been asleep for almost a week. Five days to be exact.
"Five days!" This time Alanna did gasp. "That can't be true!"
"Alanna!" Alanna looked towards the room of her bed in the Healer's Wing. Thom was there, looking exceptionally worried.
"Oh Alanna, I'm so glad you're ok!" he cried, enveloping her in a huge hug. I haven't seen you for ages, even though we've been in the same building!" (A/N Just a quick thought – should Thom actually become a knight?! Or should he like, Master in sorcery or something? Just an idea! Anyway…)
"I'm ok," Alanna said. Now was the time to ask the question that had been annoying her. "But, what about Cole…" she asked.
Thom's eyes lowered. "He – he," he stammered, trying to get the words out. "Alanna, he's – he's dead."
Alanna looked away, tears in her stinging eyes. "And what about –" she indicated to the cat. "My 'friend'?"
Thom grinned. "Wouldn't leave your side," he replied. "He's stayed with you for the past five days, and hissed and spat at anyone who came near you except me, Jon, and Duke Baird, who he seems to like, realising he helps you, I guess. He especially went off at Duke Roger when he came in here. He wouldn't let the Duke in your room, let alone near you. He spat and scratched, and I think the Duke finally took the hint he was being warned away." Alanna shivered at the mention of the Duke – she still had a funny feeling about him – and silently thanked the cat.
"… He's been quite a faithful pet!" Thom continued. "What will you call him?"
"It's really a him?" Alanna asked. Thom nodded, grinning. "I checked," he answered.
"Well, I like 'Faithful'," she said. "After all, that's what he's been."
Faithful yowled in encouragement at Alanna, obviously pleased with his name. Alanna grinned. She liked the look of her new pet.
Alanna looked towards the door. Elisia stood there, her face pale with worry. "Oh Alanna!" she cried. "I've been so worried!"
She rushed in, her skirts rustling, and gave Alanna a huge hug.
"What were you thinking?" she asked furiously. "You were glowing by the time His Highness bought you in. What on earth were you doing? Were you thinking?" she embraced Alanna in another huge hug.
"I'm fine," Alanna said, hugging her back.
"Huh hm," someone said at the door. Roaul and Gary stood there, along with Prince Jonathan. Elisia rushed to Gary's side and gave him a hug. "She's ok," she said. He hugged her back. "I told you so." He smiled.
Alanna hid a grin. Faithful yowled. "Who's your pet?" asked Roaul.
"He saved my life," Alanna answered. "If not for him, I'd be dead." She looked away, remembering Cole.
Jon came over and gave her a hug. "I guess he was the one who mangled your arm." He glanced at the thick bandage on her arm.
"Yep," she grinned. "Thanks," she murmured to the cat.
"Come now, what's all this commotion?" Duke Baird asked. He looked over at Alanna. "I see," he said. "You're awake at last! But you'd better be getting some rest!" he ushered the others out. Alanna groaned quietly. She'd had five days' worth of rest, she didn't want any more! Alanna sat up stiffly when the Duke had his back turned. Her stomach lurched when she moved her arm – it hurt so much! – but she gritted her teeth and moved it up and down slowly. When Duke Baird turned and saw her moving, he turned pale.
"You shouldn't be doing that!" he cried. But when he saw she was fine, his expression turned from worry to respect. "You're brave," he told her. "And strong. Most ladies would have fainted doing that."
Alanna smiled. "I only usually faint when I use too much of my Gift, after a huge spell or something," she said.
She began to unwind the bandage. She looked at Duke Baird. "It'll heal better if I used my own Gift," she said. The Duke took the hint and left.
Alanna finished unwrapping her wounded arm. She screwed up her face. It was really a mess. Most of the skin had come of it, and the rest was blood and scab. Alanna concentrated, and formed more scab with the help of her Gift. She smiled, satisfied. Tomorrow she would help develop the replacement skin.
She yawned. She was suddenly very tired. A lot had happened in the short hours that she had been awake in. She wanted to push everything aside – including Cole's death – until she could think without her head pounding. She turned over, and went to sleep.