Tangled Visions, Part One
Chapter Three
"Hope is the simple idea that the world can be a better place if we try to make it so."
- Shalyn Bailey
Brigit ran, and didn't stop.
She ran as if the very demons of the Lower Planes were on her heels. She ran as if her life depended on it.
Someone's life did depend on it.
Mouse rocked gently on Brigit's shoulders, head bobbing with her fast gait. He was draped across her back, and the human held the halfling pressed against her neck, trying not to push on his wound. The blood from the hideous gash flowed freely now, draining out of Mouse's small body and seeping through his armor. The red liquid drenched Brigit's neck. It had long since soaked through the makeshift bandages she had wrapped around Mouse.
Brigit didn't feel her weariness, or the small cuts and bruises forming all over her body. She jumped from ledge to ledge, avoiding moss and other slippery plants with an ease she had never known before. Sweat poured from her, soaking her clothes and armor, but Brigit didn't notice. She was intent on the brightening horizon in front of her. Her eyes never strayed away from it. It had begun to drizzle now.
Not again, Brigit thought over and over again, not again. Please, Moradin, not again.
The sun was sinking steadily in front of her, brightening the ground ahead. Brigit needed to run faster, catch the sun before it fell entirely from the sky. Brigit didn't know how much time Mouse had left, and she knew that if the sun sank before she reached Farley, then she would have to slow her pace in the darkness.
And that was something Brigit couldn't let happen. Mouse didn't have that much time.
Suddenly, Brigit stopped, her knees almost buckling under her. The human's calves felt like they were stretching to the point of breaking. Mud, fresh and watery from the drizzle splattered Brigit's cloak, staining her already dirty clothing. She put her hand against a tree and panted, her face pointing downwards. Her knees gave, and she sank to he ground. Carefully, she lowered Mouse off her back, and inspected him.
What she saw frightened her. The halfling's usually ruddy skin was ashen, with green tinting his cheeks. He breathing was shallow. Brigit lifted him into a sitting position, and pulled her waterskin off her back. She tipped it into his mouth, and waited for him to drink. Mouse coughed, and sipped the water. Then, almost painfully, the halfling opened his eyes. His gaze wandered for a second, before settling on Brigit's face. He smiled weakly.
"Don't speak," Brigit said quickly as the halfling opened his mouth, "Save your energy. We have another half mile to go. Farley is within sight."
Mouse closed his eyes.
"Mouse!" Brigit hissed, putting a hand to his cheek, "Stay awake! You cannot pass away now!" Brigit looked around desperately. "Nod if you understand me, halfling!" Her voice sounded furious.
Mouse opened his eyes, and inclined his head once. He kept his eyes open, though it looked as if that was a hard task.
Brigit put away her waterskin, and stood up. She bent over, and gently picked up Mouse's limp form. Draping him over her shoulders, she took off again.
It was a run unlike anything Brigit had ever done before. Her strides were longer than they had ever been, eating away at the ground beneath her. She was off the mountain now, and far away from the hateful Plains. Trees in the forest lashed at Brigit, scoring minor scratches across her already scarred face. Rain fell, mixing with her blood, making it stream down her face like tears. Her stormy, hawk like gaze was fixated on the dark spire roofs ahead of her. She paid no attention to other things around her.
She fought and ran relentless, anger and hatred fueling her onwards.
Adrenaline was nothing compared to the focused rage that Brigit had learned to control.
The rain began to pound now, hitting the earth with more force than it had before. Brigit could see the sky ahead of her darkening as the sun sank, but she was unable to give her legs anymore power. She was drained, and she knew it.
Brigit pressed on harder.
She was beginning to feel the soles of her feet slam against the sloppy ground, and feel the shudders run up through her legs every time her foot hit a root or stone. She wasn't looking down anymore-she didn't have the energy left in her to focus on anything else. A branch came out of nowhere- Brigit ducked fast to save Mouse and herself from a cracked skull each. Twigs slapped her. Leaves felt like razors slicing across her skin. Brigit leapt over a stump, landed, and kept running.
Not again.
Suddenly, the forest was gone. Brigit blinked in the glare of the sun's rays as she bolted out of the forest. Panting, she stopped, and wiped the sweat off her face. Brigit stood on top of a hill now, overlooking the valley below. Nestled comfortably between Brigit's hill and the next was Farley, its buildings turned red and pink in the setting sun. Orange striped the sky.
Brigit paused, her body thankful for the break in her pace. She surveyed the area. Farley, set in the valley below her was surrounded on all sides by a wall, which probably stood about eight feet high. There was a gate below Brigit, with two men pacing in front of it. Brigit's eyes narrowed. Mouse was wheezing on her shoulder. He would probably pass out in minutes. If he did, Brigit knew he would not wake up. Brigit looked over the guards again. They were barring the entrance to town with spears, and stopping anyone who came by the gate, inside or out. Brigit felt her stomach churn. She didn't have time to argue with the guards about letting her in.
Mouse didn't have time.
Brigit stepped back, and took a deep breath. She looked down the hill again, inspecting the wall with a keen gaze. Sharp metal spikes came off its top, which could easily skewer anyone foolish enough to attempt to jump the wall from the outside.
Brigit took a step back, then charged down the hill.
The ground slipped away under her feet, and she plunged downwards. The wall was ten feet in front of her. The spikes grew larger.
Five feet.
Two.
The spikes were enormous now.
Brigit leapt.
Her momentum got her easily off the ground and right over the front of the wall. The spikes passed away inches under her feet. There was a dizzying moment where Brigit felt as if she were flying over Farley, watching the people below her look up and point at the soaring human. Then she was falling.
Brigit screamed.
There was a loud thump as she landed and flipped over, feet flying over her head. Mouse toppled away from her. Brigit rolled on her side, trying to moan in pain but too out of breath to do so. Her legs throbbed, and a burning pain traced its way up her thighs and into her chest. Brigit gasped for air. She was on her stomach now, in the slop and mud of the streets.
Lucky thing the ground had been there to catch her when she fell.
Or perhaps not.
"Unngrgh." Was all Brigit could get out. Somebody in front of her gasped, and she heard people shout out around her.
"Hey! She's alive!"
"She cleared the wall!"
"Did you see that?!"
"Lookit that! She's trying to get up!"
The speaker didn't lie. Brigit clenched her hands into fists, digging trenches in the mud with her fingers. With agonizingly painful movements, Brigit managed to push herself to her feet slowly. The crowd surrounding her pulled back, frightened.
Brigit wondered hazily about why she was attempting to stand on legs that felt as breakable as rusty steel, when her eyes fell on Mouse. He had not fared well in their little jump. He seemed to have landed some feet away from Brigit, on his stomach. The human couldn't tell whether he was breathing or not. His face pointed towards her, and she could just make out his features, although they were covered in mud.
His eyes were closed.
Panicking, Brigit ran forward and tried to pick Mouse up. Her knees gave under her. She didn't have strength left to carry the slender halfling anymore. Brigit's hands dropped to the ground in front of her, and she looked down at the mud. Rain slid off her, and she gasped for breath. Her hair hung down, shielding her face from the villagers. Then suddenly, she looked up, and turned to face them. They backed away even farther.
"Help me!" Brigit cried, her mouth hanging open slightly as her breath escaped her chest. Nobody said anything. "HELP ME!!!" Brigit cried again, her voice breaking in her frenzy. The villagers backed up, frightened away. Brigit turned, and looked down at the ground again, her mind swimming.
Something burst from the wall of people in front of Brigit, and ran to her. The person crouched in front of the exhausted human.
"Here," said a distinctly feminine voice, "Give him to me. I will carry him."
Brigit looked up from Mouse's prone body, and found herself staring into a pair of vast, emerald green eyes. Strands of short blond hair fell into the amazing eyes, partially hiding one of them. The face was slightly round, with a small, perfectly shaped nose and full mouth. Brigit nodded, tearing her gaze away from the other woman's.
"Yes," she said, trying to lift her own aching body, "you take him."
Painfully, Brigit brought herself to her feet. The woman stood up too, Mouse wrapped up in her arms.
"Where…is…Where is the nearest doctor?" Brigit managed to get out.
The woman gestured towards the city with her head.
As she turned, Brigit's keen eyes notice the way the woman's ears seemed to come to distinct points, though Brigit couldn't quite tell because her cropped hair covered the tips.
"This way," the woman said, turning back to Brigit, "I'll take you to the Healer's Hall."
With that, the woman set off. The crowd parted, making a path for the two women and the halfling. The two ran, with Green Eyes in front. Brigit was exhausted, but somehow, she felt a little bit of new energy in her body.
Perhaps it was the hope that somehow the doctors here could help her. Help Mouse.
People in the streets turned to look at the three, but neither Brigit nor the woman paid them any heed. Mouse still didn't look like he was breathing, but the woman had him tucked against her chest, and Brigit was too far away to tell anyway. Suddenly, the woman they turned a corner, and saw a formidable looking building rose up in front of them. There was a metal fence around it, and a large courtyard inside the fence. Green Eyes slammed her fist against the gate three times, and yelled out,
"Good healers! Help us! We have need of your services!"
There were a couple of men and women walking through the courtyard at that moment, and they paused when they saw the three people outside. When Green Eyes yelled out, they came rushing over. They took one look at Mouse, then opened the door. An old man with a long gray beard and crisp white robes snatched the halfling out of Green Eyes' arms and rushed away, trailing at least eight others behind him. The two women followed.
Brigit tried to push her way past the doctors, but they blocked her path to Mouse. They spoke rapidly to each other in another language Brigit didn't understand. She looked over the men's shoulders, trying desperately to catch a glimpse of the small body. One of the healers shifted slightly to the side, and Brigit jumped in behind him.
Mouse lay in the man's arms still. His old wound was bleeding freely now, and a new gash on his head trickled blood into his left eye. Mouse looked as if he had passed out. His skin was so pale it almost looked translucent, and the green on his cheeks seemed to stand out hideously. Brigit tried to reach for him, but the other people pushed her aside. They were all walking down a hall, but now they stopped suddenly at a door in front of them. One of the doctors opened it, and went inside. The others followed quickly.
They slammed the door in Brigit's face.
Adrenaline flooded her system, and Brigit slammed her fist against the door, pounding on the wood and stone.
"Damn it all! Let me in!" she screamed. She beat her fist against the door. The sound echoed in the marble corridors. Nobody answered the door. Suddenly, all Brigit's energy was gone. The adrenaline wore off, and whatever had been spurring her on before disappeared. She sank to the floor in a miserable heap, chest heaving, her breath coming in short gasps. She ducked her head, letting it rest on her arms and knees. Her various weapons clanged on the ground, but she didn't notice. Nothing mattered. She couldn't think straight. Fatigue had her now, and she couldn't get free. Her body hurt like it had only once before in her life, and now…This was worse. Brigit knew this was worse.
Everything hurt now. Everything. Her body, her mind, and her chest. Her throat closed painfully. Brigit shut her eyes when the corners began to sting. She didn't look up.
Brigit didn't know how long she sat there for, but it didn't really matter to her. She had the crushing feeling that somehow she had failed to do something very important. She felt dead. Something in her had closed off again, shutting out whatever little piece of the world she experienced daily. She wanted to sit here now, and never move. Her stomach seemed to moan. She felt nauseated.
Let them forget me, she thought, let it all slip away. Like it always has. Like it always does.
Time passed unknown to Brigit. Nothing mattered. Then, she heard soft, almost inaudible footsteps coming towards her. Cloth swished. The footsteps stopped. Brigit felt a soft touch on her bare arm, but didn't look up. Silence.
"What?" she snapped finally. Brigit was surprised at how croaky her voice was. She swallowed, trying to wet the insides of her mouth and throat. She heard the sound of rustling cloth again.
"Do you need any help?" said a soft voice from above her. Brigit didn't bother looking up.
"Only if you have the key to that door," she said, pointing. "Otherwise, no."
"I'm sorry, but I don't. That's a restricted healing ward. I don't have enough authority to go in there."
Brigit sighed, and looked up. She blinked once or twice in the bright lights of the hallway, waiting for her blurry vision to clear. It did.
Standing up in front of Brigit was a man, dressed in the same white robes that everyone else around here wore. He was looking down at her quizzically, head tilted slightly to one side. His longish brown hair was combed back, though pieces of it seemed to be considering falling into his face anyway. His hazel eyes were warm and friendly.
Brigit tried to stand, but groaned and fell back again. She hated when people loomed over her. The man offered his hand, and Brigit accepted it doubtfully. He pulled her to her feet easily. Brigit grabbed the sides of her head as she moved. Her mind swam, and a headache formed out of nowhere. The man caught her as she fell backwards. A look of concern crossed his face.
"Miss, you seem ill! What happened?"
Brigit mumbled something, still trying to figure out why the lights had suddenly gotten so very bright.
The man put an arm around her shoulder, and another across her stomach, trying to balance her.
"Come with me." He said. He began to walk without waiting for Brigit's protest.
Brigit had no choice but to follow, trying to keep up with the man's long strides. He was tall, this man, much taller than Brigit was. He must have been over six feet. He smelled nice, too.
Brigit almost slapped herself.
Obviously, she was even more tired than she had originally thought.
"Where…Where…Where are we going?" Brigit managed to get out finally.
The man slowed his stride, and turned and looked down at his little companion.
"Somewhere where I can get you cleaned up, miss. You look like you might collapse any minute now."
"You have keen eyes, Master Healer." Brigit said sarcastically. Unfortunately, her tired voice killed some of the sarcasm, and turned it into a weak joke instead.
The man smiled anyway. His grin was slightly crooked, which made him look very cocky.
"You need not speak to me so formally," he said, still walking with Brigit almost glued to his side, "I shouldn't mind you calling me by name."
"Than what is it?" Brigit asked, looking a little uncomfortable.
"It's Shalyn Bailey. But perhaps Shale would be easier on your tired mouth." He looked at Brigit's mouth. He turned away quickly, though, before she could return his stare.
The new hallway they had passed into looked very much like the last one- all white marbled and clean, like the robes that the healers wore. But Shale did seem to know where he was, because he turned and opened a door near them. They walked inside the dimly lit room. Shale led Brigit over to a cot, and sat her down on it. Had Shale not leaned her against the wall, Brigit might have collapsed onto the floor. Shale walked over to the wall, and removed the long stick on it. Brigit had never seen anything like that stick, and watched interestedly. Shale took the stick out of its holder, and smacked it gently against the wall. Suddenly, a comforting yellow glow began to come out of the strange little stick. The light filled the room, chasing away the shadows.
"It's something called a sunstick," Shale explained when he saw Brigit's face. "We use it to light up rooms like this."
Brigit didn't have the energy to nod. Instead, she leaned back against the wall, and closed her eyes.
Shale sighed, and turned back to the cabinets he had been opening before. He rummaged around inside them, pulling out bandages, salves, and other things he thought he would need. Putting the things on the counter next to the bed, he pulled up a stool and sat down in front of the woman. She opened her eyes slowly, but didn't move.
"If I'm supposed to put you on the mend, miss, then I must ask you to sit up for me."
Brigit nodded, and pushed herself into a sitting position with her hands. She swayed for a second, her eyes glazing over. She righted herself, though, and braced herself against the wall to make sure it didn't happen again.
"Here," Shale said, handing Brigit a cup, "Drink this. It will help."
Brigit accepted the cup gratefully, and drank from it.
Her eyes widened in surprise.
"It tastes like water!" she said, surprised by the medicine.
Shale smiled his crooked smile again.
"That would probably be because it is water. The headache you're getting is from dehydration- lack of water. The best medicine for that is just to drink something." Shale refilled her cup.
Brigit drank again, and smiled, this time a little less weakly.
"Huh," she said appreciatively, "I think my family back home would be very interested to know that. It is not every day you find the cure to such an ailment as headaches and lightsickness. Of course, knowing them, they might substitute ale for water."
Shale smiled, and turned back towards Brigit. He had been dunking a piece of cloth in some liquid, and now began to apply it to Brigit's forehead. The cut began to sting as soon as the liquid touched it, but Brigit didn't complain.
"Does your family often have headaches?" Shale said amiably. He pressed a little harder on the wound.
Brigit flinched.
"Yes," she said finally, "Yes they did."
"Did?" Shale ventured.
"Yes, did," Brigit snapped.
Shale looked up from the wound he had been trying to clean, and stared at Brigit's face. She had on a very sour expression.
"Has it been long since you saw them last?" Shale said, hoping against hope that he hadn't touched on a very sore subject with this woman.
He had.
"Yes, it has been a very long time since I saw them. And it will probably be a very long time since I see them again," the woman snapped impatiently. Obviously the water had healed more than the woman's headaches. It also seemed to have given her back the sharper edge of her tongue.
For a moment, Shale was quiet, and then said softly, "But perhaps it will not be so long. Only the Fates can see all ends. It is always good to have hope. That is the only thing that we good people can take with us wherever we go."
Brigit snorted. Shale was not quite sure what that meant, so he didn't say anything back. He was quiet, but he did not remove his hand from her wound.
There was a silence between the two of them for a while. As her vision cleared, Brigit could get a clearer view of Shale's face. She much preferred him sitting next to her. At least then their heights were somewhat level, although she knew if he sat up straight he would still be a good two inches higher than the top of her head. Brigit studied Shale's features. She noticed the dark circles under his eyes, and the lines at the corners of them. This man was older than he seemed to be. And, when she flicked her eyes upwards, Brigit noticed the gray strands that mingled with the warm brown of Shale's hair.
Shale raised an eyebrow at Brigit, and pulled his hand away.
"What?" he said uncomfortably. The woman's gaze was very unnerving. Her eyes were a shade of blue somewhere between stormy gray and deep blue, and they had a piercing, unwavering, and narrow look about them. Shale had the discomforting feeling that, somehow, this woman could see into his mind.
Brigit blinked and turned away. She didn't want this man to see her blush.
"Nothing," she said gruffly. She looked back at him, but did not meet his eyes. Instead, she watched his hands as they bandaged her arm. Minutes passed, and Shale slowly patched Brigit up. Finally, Shale sighed, and ran his hands through his soft brown hair.
"All right, then," he said. He rubbed his hands together. "If you would lie down for a minute, I'll go get some extra materials for when these bandages are dirtied."
Shale turned away, and began to put away the things he had been using. He did it quickly, because he had often been scolded by the Masters for taking too long on the menial tasks of healing. But Shale liked to take his time putting away his things- it made him feel like he had completed something, and the time he spent organizing the things made him feel like everything would be exactly where he needed them when he came back.
He did the job fast, though, as he did not want to get into an argument with the healers again. Shale didn't particularly like any of them very much.
Shale turned back to the woman now, about to mention the fact that he still didn't know her name, but closed his mouth when he saw her. She was fast asleep on the bed, curled up tightly.
She couldn't have been lying down for more than a minute, Shale thought.
Smiling to himself, Shale walked quietly out of the room, and closed the door behind him.
