Chapter 3 - Cheated Death
Merella finally found the place after a good hour of searching she found the house. She gently knocked on the small wooden door. An old man answered the door. 'Are you the healer, Arias sent?'
'Yes, I am Merella, a new healer hired by Arias.'
'Well you're too late.' He sniffed.
'Too late for what?'
'She's dead. My only daughter is dead because you showed up too late!' He screamed he was about to slam the door when she stopped him.
'Let me have a look at her.'
'What?!?'
'I might be able to do something for her.'
'No, you ain't using no magic to bring her back to life- it's unnatural.'
'No, I promise no magic.'
The man grunted and showed her in. She saw the daughter's body with a women sobbing by her side. 'Who is she?' Rasped the women between sobs.
'She says she can 'help our daughter''
'But she is dead!' The man shrugged his shoulders and helped the woman up.
'Come on pet, I trust this woman.' He led her out of the room and Merella nodded in appreciation. The dead girl was in her twenties; she had long brown hair and quite a tanned complexion but Merella could not see the colour of her eyes because they were rolled back. Merella carefully took off her gloves and checked her hands they were still glowing an eerie white. She placed them on the girl's chest and willed her live, willed her to breathe but nothing happened she tried harder focusing all her energy on the girl, giving her a part of her own essence. Pain shot up her arms but she continued, blackness started eating away at her vision so she closed her eyes tight. Tongues of white flame came out of her hands to engulf the girl, the force of the flames pushed Merella backwards forcing her to open her eyes. The white flames died down and the girl didn't move, Merella staggered over to her and the girl's eyes flew open.
'Where am I?' she whispered.
'You were dead but now you are living again.'
'You used magic?'
'No, I used my hands to resurrect you.'
The girl stared into space then her face lit up. 'Thank you, thank you so much. Mama, Papa come quickly!'
The man and women burst into the room both sobbing helplessly with happiness and embraced the smiling girl. For the first time in Merella's life she felt like she had made a difference, she had brought happiness into these people's lives. She didn't even want to be paid for it. But the family insisted and dumped a pile of nobles into Merella's hands.
'No really, I can't accept payment. I was the one who was late.' She said handing them back the money.
'You are a kind one. I will spread the word about the miracle today, so everyone will know how brilliant you are.um what's your name again?' Said the old man.
'Merella, I did say.'
'Well thank you Merella.' The old woman said and shook Merella's hand vigorously.
Merella waved and walked away. She took her time getting back to Arias. She wasn't in a hurry to undoubtedly get fired for not making any money. When she did get back Arias had a scowl on his face.
'Where have you been? You should have been back hours ago.'
'It took some time finding the place, Arias, remember I am new to Corus.'
Arias shook his head, 'Where is the money you earned?'
'They offered to pay but I didn't want to accept.' She said folding her arms.
'I'm sorry Merella but you're 'goody-goody' antics aren't what I'm looking for in a healer no matter how good you may be, I need money and need it fast. I'm sorry.' His face softened for a moment then went back to a scowl. 'Please leave.'
Merella bit the inside of her cheek and left. Now she was really angry. How dare he fire her! She was the best healer he was ever going to get! She was only doing something nice! She walked off anger swelling up inside of her. It was just after sunset and Merella was still walking aimlessly around, still furious with Arias when she heard fighting from behind her. Two men with daggers were in the middle of a personal little fight, hurling insults at each other.
'I'll 'ave your guts for garters, you filthy cur!' the smaller one sneered.
'Talking about garters you mother left them in my bed last night.' Merella winced, they were now onto insulting mothers; things were going to get ugly. She quickly started to walk into the opposite direction when both of them barged into her knocking her over. They didn't even notice her because they were too engrossed in their little fight. Merella pushed herself backwards up against a wall and got up. They were both dangerously close to her their daggers swiping everywhere, some swipes were inches away from her nose. Then she felt a blinding pain in her leg she fell to the floor as the two fighters continued their brawl. She chanced a look down to her leg there was a deep gash in her thigh which was bleeding heavily, tears were running down her face with the pain, she took off her gloves and placed her hands on the gash. The pain eased and the broken skin was healed within a minute and the fight had died down and the men had gone their separate ways. She sighed with relief and she suddenly felt so sleepy. 'I'll just rest my eyes for a minute.' And she fell asleep where she was sitting.
She was standing on the cliff's edge again staring out into the crystal blue sea and the aurora of the sunset. A man's voice spoke to her from behind. She turned round to see a man in a suit of armour talking to her. She tried to walk over to him but seemed rooted to the spot, she tried to speak but her mouth wasn't working. He then sighed and walked away.
Then for no reason at all she was back in the burning building holding the girl except there was no way out and the smoke was clogging the air making it difficult to breathe, covering her eyes; smothering her, painfully and slowly killing her.
'You shouldn't sleep on the streets, its very dangerous.' Said a woman's voice, she felt something nudge her. She blearily opened her bloodshot eyes and looked up at the woman.
'I had nowhere else to sleep. I haven't got any money.'
The woman walked off not caring. It was early afternoon and Merella had just woken up, but she felt no better. 'That's it,' she thought 'I'm never going to sleep.' For some reason these dreams were too real, in fact they scared her quite a lot. She didn't want to get up. She wanted to stay sitting where she was forever. She had no willpower any more she was just too tired to do anything. She felt her eyelids dropping, and struggled to keep awake.
Somehow she got to her feet and walked into the main street with all the stalls. She felt like people were smothering her. The feeling passed and she continued to walk out of Corus when some cutpurse tried to steal her bag. She held onto it with all her strength and suddenly a huge blast of pearly white flames exploded from her gloved hands engulfed the whole of the main market street. Everyone fell to their feet. Merella was the only one standing and she was still holding onto her bag. She checked the people they were all asleep.
She chewed her lip, 'Whoops.' And made her way past the sleeping bodies out of town. She looked back at the horde of sleeping people and saw a group of men coming her way. She started to run down the road, she didn't know where to exactly, but nevertheless she ran. She heard the distant shouts and the muffled thunder of horse hooves.
She ran out of breath quickly and started to jog. The thudding of hooves were getting closer she sobbed a little. Why horses? She hated horses ever since.no she wouldn't bring that back up. They were right behind her and they were going to catch her any second. Or even worse any second now she would fell the sharp pain of a sword piercing her shoulder. What was she going to do?
Merella finally found the place after a good hour of searching she found the house. She gently knocked on the small wooden door. An old man answered the door. 'Are you the healer, Arias sent?'
'Yes, I am Merella, a new healer hired by Arias.'
'Well you're too late.' He sniffed.
'Too late for what?'
'She's dead. My only daughter is dead because you showed up too late!' He screamed he was about to slam the door when she stopped him.
'Let me have a look at her.'
'What?!?'
'I might be able to do something for her.'
'No, you ain't using no magic to bring her back to life- it's unnatural.'
'No, I promise no magic.'
The man grunted and showed her in. She saw the daughter's body with a women sobbing by her side. 'Who is she?' Rasped the women between sobs.
'She says she can 'help our daughter''
'But she is dead!' The man shrugged his shoulders and helped the woman up.
'Come on pet, I trust this woman.' He led her out of the room and Merella nodded in appreciation. The dead girl was in her twenties; she had long brown hair and quite a tanned complexion but Merella could not see the colour of her eyes because they were rolled back. Merella carefully took off her gloves and checked her hands they were still glowing an eerie white. She placed them on the girl's chest and willed her live, willed her to breathe but nothing happened she tried harder focusing all her energy on the girl, giving her a part of her own essence. Pain shot up her arms but she continued, blackness started eating away at her vision so she closed her eyes tight. Tongues of white flame came out of her hands to engulf the girl, the force of the flames pushed Merella backwards forcing her to open her eyes. The white flames died down and the girl didn't move, Merella staggered over to her and the girl's eyes flew open.
'Where am I?' she whispered.
'You were dead but now you are living again.'
'You used magic?'
'No, I used my hands to resurrect you.'
The girl stared into space then her face lit up. 'Thank you, thank you so much. Mama, Papa come quickly!'
The man and women burst into the room both sobbing helplessly with happiness and embraced the smiling girl. For the first time in Merella's life she felt like she had made a difference, she had brought happiness into these people's lives. She didn't even want to be paid for it. But the family insisted and dumped a pile of nobles into Merella's hands.
'No really, I can't accept payment. I was the one who was late.' She said handing them back the money.
'You are a kind one. I will spread the word about the miracle today, so everyone will know how brilliant you are.um what's your name again?' Said the old man.
'Merella, I did say.'
'Well thank you Merella.' The old woman said and shook Merella's hand vigorously.
Merella waved and walked away. She took her time getting back to Arias. She wasn't in a hurry to undoubtedly get fired for not making any money. When she did get back Arias had a scowl on his face.
'Where have you been? You should have been back hours ago.'
'It took some time finding the place, Arias, remember I am new to Corus.'
Arias shook his head, 'Where is the money you earned?'
'They offered to pay but I didn't want to accept.' She said folding her arms.
'I'm sorry Merella but you're 'goody-goody' antics aren't what I'm looking for in a healer no matter how good you may be, I need money and need it fast. I'm sorry.' His face softened for a moment then went back to a scowl. 'Please leave.'
Merella bit the inside of her cheek and left. Now she was really angry. How dare he fire her! She was the best healer he was ever going to get! She was only doing something nice! She walked off anger swelling up inside of her. It was just after sunset and Merella was still walking aimlessly around, still furious with Arias when she heard fighting from behind her. Two men with daggers were in the middle of a personal little fight, hurling insults at each other.
'I'll 'ave your guts for garters, you filthy cur!' the smaller one sneered.
'Talking about garters you mother left them in my bed last night.' Merella winced, they were now onto insulting mothers; things were going to get ugly. She quickly started to walk into the opposite direction when both of them barged into her knocking her over. They didn't even notice her because they were too engrossed in their little fight. Merella pushed herself backwards up against a wall and got up. They were both dangerously close to her their daggers swiping everywhere, some swipes were inches away from her nose. Then she felt a blinding pain in her leg she fell to the floor as the two fighters continued their brawl. She chanced a look down to her leg there was a deep gash in her thigh which was bleeding heavily, tears were running down her face with the pain, she took off her gloves and placed her hands on the gash. The pain eased and the broken skin was healed within a minute and the fight had died down and the men had gone their separate ways. She sighed with relief and she suddenly felt so sleepy. 'I'll just rest my eyes for a minute.' And she fell asleep where she was sitting.
She was standing on the cliff's edge again staring out into the crystal blue sea and the aurora of the sunset. A man's voice spoke to her from behind. She turned round to see a man in a suit of armour talking to her. She tried to walk over to him but seemed rooted to the spot, she tried to speak but her mouth wasn't working. He then sighed and walked away.
Then for no reason at all she was back in the burning building holding the girl except there was no way out and the smoke was clogging the air making it difficult to breathe, covering her eyes; smothering her, painfully and slowly killing her.
'You shouldn't sleep on the streets, its very dangerous.' Said a woman's voice, she felt something nudge her. She blearily opened her bloodshot eyes and looked up at the woman.
'I had nowhere else to sleep. I haven't got any money.'
The woman walked off not caring. It was early afternoon and Merella had just woken up, but she felt no better. 'That's it,' she thought 'I'm never going to sleep.' For some reason these dreams were too real, in fact they scared her quite a lot. She didn't want to get up. She wanted to stay sitting where she was forever. She had no willpower any more she was just too tired to do anything. She felt her eyelids dropping, and struggled to keep awake.
Somehow she got to her feet and walked into the main street with all the stalls. She felt like people were smothering her. The feeling passed and she continued to walk out of Corus when some cutpurse tried to steal her bag. She held onto it with all her strength and suddenly a huge blast of pearly white flames exploded from her gloved hands engulfed the whole of the main market street. Everyone fell to their feet. Merella was the only one standing and she was still holding onto her bag. She checked the people they were all asleep.
She chewed her lip, 'Whoops.' And made her way past the sleeping bodies out of town. She looked back at the horde of sleeping people and saw a group of men coming her way. She started to run down the road, she didn't know where to exactly, but nevertheless she ran. She heard the distant shouts and the muffled thunder of horse hooves.
She ran out of breath quickly and started to jog. The thudding of hooves were getting closer she sobbed a little. Why horses? She hated horses ever since.no she wouldn't bring that back up. They were right behind her and they were going to catch her any second. Or even worse any second now she would fell the sharp pain of a sword piercing her shoulder. What was she going to do?
