Chapter 5
The summer since Luna had come to Lindel since long passed and the air was even chillier than before. Luna was shivering up a storm as she came back from having a bath. The water had been nice and warm until she left the spring area and warmth. Lindel saw her rush up and the woman whined, "Please dry my hair I'm freezing!" Lindel laughed and placed a hand on her shoulder warmth enveloped her and she sighed in relief before saying, "Thank you that feels good…" Lindel suddenly broke out laughing as Luna's hair frizzed out and she whined, "Hey now that's not funny!" Merituuli laughed and handed Luna her comb as she tried to tame her unruly hair and Lindel led her over saying, "You need that mane trimmed let me do it." Having her sit down he grabbed a pair of scissors before getting to work. Luna fiddled with the charm bracelet she had made that was on her wrist as she sat there while he worked.
Lindel combed her hair saying, "You have beautiful hair that's for sure very thick as well. I won't take off too much since it's your best feature that brings out your eyes." Luna blushed and hid her face in her hands the woman was not used to such kind words and treatment. "All done it seems I removed enough to stuff a pillow literally," Lindel said and Luna stood up not realizing her hair had become that thick and top-heavy. Though the pile said otherwise and the woman said, "I'm going to the village for a bit there's something I want to get." Lindel smiled and nodded as Luna stood up and called out, "Let's go Merituuli." Merituuli followed after the woman and Lindel saw them off before he went to go tend to the chores. Luna had grown used to riding Paulina at this point and the woman was shivering as they flew and eventually they landed.
Walking up to the village Luna was prepared to do a little more shopping but as she approached something felt off she walked the streets and noticed hardly anyone was out if not at all. Merituuli kept close to Luna as he looked around and said, "We need to leave now. This place has been hit with some kind of pandemic." Luna turned around and headed toward the market worried and Merituuli said, "Luna!" Luna didn't get far when coughing caught her attention and a man staggered out toward her. Moving back with a yelp the woman had seen enough and she turned tail and ran back to the entryway of the village with Merituuli.
The two of them got onto Paulina and after that head back and Lindel had not expected them back so soon. Luna was in tears a bit freaked out and Lindel looked at Merituuli. "Illness has struck the village we might have lingered too long thanks to her not listening," Merituuli said and Lindel sighed softly. "I need you to strip immediately and we're to burn your clothing to avoid contamination." The man said calmly. Luna just nodded and peeled off her outer layers as Lindel returned with a blanket and averted his gaze handing it over. The woman had shed everything and hugged the blanket around her as she hurried to their tent to get a clean change of clothes on. Lindel took care of the clothing she had shed and Luna came back out still quite emotional.
Lindel patted the seat next to him by their fire and he offered her a hot drink which she gladly took. Sipping it down it tasted like cider and the woman didn't care as she leaned against him wanting some comfort. The man rubbed her head and said, "It's okay these things happen due to bad goods coming and going. It's quite common in places like this." Luna blushed but sipped down her cider saying, "I'm sorry I didn't listen Merituuli." "Don't worry about it I have always known you to have a stubborn streak if we stayed any longer it could have been dangerous," Merituuli said.
Luna tried to blink away her tears and was failing horribly. Lindel softly started to hum and Luna set her to drink down her head resting against his lap as she lay there listening. His voice as usual was calming and carried across the wind. Luna felt sleep overtake her and Lindel spent a few more minutes humming out his melody. Seeing Luna asleep he slowly got up and picked her up carrying her to bed. The woman would be out for a few hours. During that time he saw to it the tent stayed warm and lit some incense sticks.
Coming out feeling rested she saw Lindel working on something as he sat by the fire. "Didn't know you crocheted Lindel what is it?" Luna asked walking over and Lindel stood up and draped it around her neck saying, "It's perfect the color suits your eyes well." Luna blushed and hugged it around herself as Lindel finished off the ends and snipped it knotting it. "I love it it's so warm," Luna said softly as the shawl covered her quite a bit. Lindel smiled and said, "Good I wanted to replace that old one you've been wearing." "Well I like so there is that now I should make you a charm bracelet. I'm going to grab my kit." Luna said standing up. As she walked off Lindel said, "Charm bracelet... Merituuli, do I look like a girl to you?" Hearing his familiar just laugh Lindel flushed and Luna returned with the kit she had been gifted and saw her teacher's red face. "Nothing with too much flair now," Lindel said and Luna nodded. She took his wrist measuring enough string. "Amethyst to promote good health, and an eagle feather for good luck," Luna said smiling as she held up the special beads.
Soon she got to work and it was times like these that Lindel enjoyed the most. After all, he didn't want to rush her training she had a lifetime ahead of her and was still just a teenager. "Oh so pretty you work quick Luna!" Merituuli said and Luna was truly quick with her fingers as she made up the bracelet and soon she had it on Lindel's wrist saying, "Perfect it suits you well." Lindel looked at the handy work and he saw it was flawless as he placed his head on Luna's head saying, "Thank you I'll treasure it always." "Sorry, it's not as elaborate though…" Luna said blushing. "But it's the thought that counts and I'm glad you're taking my advice and not pushing yourself hard to learn magic all at once. I do believe by next spring you shall be ready to take on a familiar but until then we train you in what we can." Lindel said smiling.
Luna's face lit up and she tackled the man in a hug knocking the wind out of him. He laughed ruffling her hair as she hung off his waist.
Luna pulled away only to sneeze with a loud squeak and she rubbed her nose sniffling. "Sorry about that…." The woman whined softly as she rubbed her nose. Lindel got to work making up some more warm cider and they sat there enjoying it. That was until the breeze blew through and Luna shivered. Hugging the shawl further around herself she felt herself become comfortable again and Lindel said, "Winter is upon us it seems soon Yule Season will be here." Luna seemed lost in thought of what to even get Lindel for Yule and with the village under lockdown due to the epidemic there wasn't much she could do now. She made a mental note to ask Merituuli if he'd go with her to the nearest city later.
Things were quiet most of the day and the two had dinner and went to bed but in the middle of the night, Luna started coughing. It got to the point that Lindel got up to check the woman and he felt her neck only to flinch feeling that she had a bad fever. Lindel left their sleeping space and soon returned with the things necessary to quell a fever. He went to work starting the fire and then boiling some water. Once he had mixed the powder into the kettle and was done he poured some into a mug. Lindel lifted her in his arms and was worried that he could feel her fever even by holding her. The man tried to get the liquid down but Luna moved around in her fevered state and he nearly spilled it.
Merituuli came in yawning as Lindel was trying to get the medicine down Luna and his familiar rubbed his eyes saying, "What's the matter Lindel I've never felt you this panicked before…" Though seeing it was because of Luna he said, "Oh let me help you hold her." Lindel handed the mug over and held Luna in the right position it took some time but they got the medicine in her. "This girl gets sick so easily," Merituuli said as Lindel lay Luna back down. "You're right maybe it's a good thing she doesn't live in civilization. It's like raising and nurturing a child with Luna here but then at times I look at her I see her as a woman and not as a child." Lindel said his cheeks slightly pink just thinking about it.
Seeing Merituuli grin he shook off the red tint on his face and plucked his familiar saying, "Hush it's not like that." Luna squirmed and whined softly, "It's hot…" She curled up against Lindel as he sat there and he placed a hand on her head gently cooling her off. Luna went quiet and fell back asleep and she woke up the next morning with a sore throat and stuffy nose. Lindel was there across from her warming up a soup for her to eat. Seeing her awake he went over and touched her forehead and felt his own and said, "My goodness your fever picked back up you had me up since early morning." Luna looked guilty and she said, "Is it because I went near that sick village yesterday?" "I'm not sure but I'm giving you some strong medicines just in case now drink this down in one shot and try to not spit it out," Lindel said handing her a vial.
Luna took the cap off and took it in her mouth only to gag at the taste and she spit it out coughing loudly. The vial fell from her hand and she grabbed the water container nearby them and managed to drink some down. She looked at Lindel expecting to be scolded as she had made a bit of a mess. But he said, "You need to try again I made a few of these." Lindel pulled another vial out and Luna said, "Please dilute it…" "It'll be less effective Luna you need to not think. Just take it down and force yourself to swallow it as fast as you can." Lindel said firmly. Luna took the vial and Lindel had a towel ready as she popped the cap off again.
The woman just stared at it and she said, "I can't do it I'm sorry…" Taking the vial Lindel said, "Let me help." He pulled her close and Luna was in frantic tears as she cried, "Please d-!" Lindel moved quickly and got her to take the vial down as he caught her off guard. Luna nearly gagged at the horrible taste but with him holding the cloth against her mouth she swallowed as fast as could unable to spit it out. Lindel pulled his hand away and held Luna close as she went for the water and started to take it down.
"You got two more of those so if need be I'll assist you again it's going to be okay," Lindel said as she lay back down. "You still need to eat now come on." He said. Luna sat up again and took her soup from him. Eating as much as she could Lindel looked at her and said, "You need a sponge bath or would you rather change? You practically wore the last vial of medicine." "I'll just change after this…" Luna said as she coughed slightly. "Tell me did you get sick easily as a child you seem to be catching a lot of colds," Lindel said pulling out some clean clothes for her. Luna was quiet and she finally said, "I was born premature so I was told… Because of such, I tend to have weaker resistance during the winter I'm sorry I'm such a problem."
"Now then I never said that I was just concerned that explains why you're so small in terms of body frame. As any child would be coming into this world with such difficulties. Focus on getting better because you want to resume lessons and I can't have you hacking up a lung while spellcasting." Lindel said. Luna finished her soup and set her bowl aside. "Can you please leave?" The woman asked and Lindel realized why and stood up. Leaving to go handle some stuff left Luna to get out of her clothes and the woman was relieved to be in fresh sleepwear. She put her dirty stuff aside and sighed laying back down.
Staring at the tent roof she groaned saying, "Why am I such a burden to him." "Luna, are you dressed?" Lindel was heard asking from outside the tent. "Yes, you can come in now," Luna said the tent flap opened and Luna squeaked when he came in bringing the chill with him. The man had snow flurries in his hair and he smiled saying, "We got our first snow of the season." A pillow slapped his face as Luna said, "You brought the chill in with you dummy." Lindel sat down and warmed his hands after depositing the pillow on Luna's face. "Can't be helped it is cold out there and you made me leave while you changed." The tent flap burst open and Merituuli came in shaking the snow off himself Luna cried, "That's cold!" She proceeded to bury herself under the blankets and Lindel just shot his familiar a look. Merituuli just laughed and said, "Sorry about that!"
"I find that hard to believe if you'd done that without me having my flannels on I'd have flung you back out there," Luna grumbled. Lindel sighed saying, "I swear it's like handling children with you two. Anyway, you need to rest Luna go to sleep."
Luna sighed knowing she had no choice and she settled down among the wool blankets and her eyes closed. Merituuli settled down by Lindel and the two of them kept quiet as they saw Luna had fallen asleep. Feeling her forehead the fever had been taken down a notch thanks to the medicine. He laid an extra blanket over her just in case and the three would wait out the snowstorm. A week later Luna had bounced back and was back to training in more magic. In between breaks while Lindel made lunch the woman was bored so she did some ice sculpting after asking Lindel to make her a block of ice. Lindel has returned after some rounds and with some clean dishware only to freeze and blink seeing Luna's handiwork. The woman had used Paulina as a model and had replicated the dragon in the ice.
"You're so good with your hands Luna that's amazing," Lindel said. Luna stifled a laugh and said, "Yes well I sort of cheated and used magic to do most of the work." Lindel just stared at her and she said, "What I'll never get better unless I practice on random things and it was some wind spells okay? You taught me how to use the wind so I just had it slice off some areas to get the initial form." Lindel sighed saying, "Just be careful okay don't overwork yourself and get sick again." "I know my limits and besides its harmless recreational work," Luna said going over and taking the dishware from Lindel. The two head back to their tent and Luna set everything down. Popping her shawl off she said, "Oh it smells good I'm starving." Lindel readied her bowl and he said, "Did you practice your fundamentals as of late Luna?" "I got wind and water down of the two elements but I seem to struggle with earth and fire and I'm afraid to push it with those," Luna said blowing on her food before taking a bite.
"That's alright I'd rather you not practice something you're not good at to be strong with wind is good for travel and water you can heal as needed. Maybe I'll try and teach you my healing hand technique since you have a strong affinity toward those two. I have a feeling you'd have a strong affinity for water and air because the two go hand in hand." Lindel said. "I think I know why because air cannot exist without the moisture water is right. Thus the two complement each other as a result." Luna said. "You are learning that was a good answer Luna but yes the very air we breathe cannot exist without moisture and now that we know your strong points we can focus on training you in those." "I'm looking forward to those lessons," Luna said as she finished off her meal and set her bowl down.