- Chapter 7 -

Afiona tried to move to look up at the men kneeling around her. 

"Don't, you'll only make it worse."  Medren placed his hand on her back to still her.

Tears poured down her cheeks.  "I am a coward."  Her voice barely reached the men kneeling next to her.

"Nonsense."  Tashir assured her gently.  "If you had fought he would have killed you."

"He escaped."  Her voice quavered.

"Is she actually talking?"  Someone asked.  "She isn't a halfwit?"

Tashir quelled the speaker with a glare.  "Where is that Healer?"

"Here sir."  A female, clad in green, said as she hurried down the stairs.  "Go turn down her bed."  She ordered the assembled men before she reached the ground.

Everyone but Demon moved away as the Healer knelt on the scarlet stained ground.  "Easy dear.  Well, he missed everything vital, you are very lucky.  Given time, you will be alright." 

Afiona closed her eyes and remained silent despite the pain.  Carefully the Healer withdrew the knife and placed a pad of fabric on the wound and bound it tightly.  "I need one of you carefully pick her up and carry her to her room."

Tashir started to reach for her when Demon bared his teeth just inches from his face.  "Medren, I think you get the honours."

Medren and the Healer carefully manoeuvred her into his arms.  Demon growled deep in his chest but refrained from baring his teeth.

"What is your honest opinion?"  He asked as he followed the Healer.

"She'll be fine."  The Healer assured her.  "Poor little thing."

In her flowery room Medren set her carefully on the bed.  "What else do you need?"  His voice held obvious concern.

The healer removed a bag of medicines from around her waist and removed its contents.  "Bring me more bandages and find me a large, loose nightgown."

Demon took up a post beside her bed, his massive head on the edge of the bed.

"And get the dog out of here."  She said with exasperation.

"No."  Afiona contradicted. 

The Healer looked at Medren for some support.

"She is an animal mindspeaker, she is the only one who could send him out with losing an arm."  He shrugged helplessly.

"Very well, but tell him to move farther away, I don't want this wound to get infected."  She said briskly.

Afiona obliged her and Demon reluctantly moved to the window seat at her silent command, where he could watch everything.

The healer quickly cut away the gown to expose the wound.  Afiona remained motionless, her mind running through the old memories of other times she had lain before a Healer.

"Poor little thing.  Just hold still and I'll have you patched up in no time."  The healer gestured to Medren to have a seat next to Afiona and hold her hand.  He manner softening for the first time as she saw the girl's wound was indeed not as bad as it could be.

"Don't worry, they'll catch your brother."  He held her hand and stroked her hair out of her eyes.

"Giry?"

"We'll deal with her too."

Afiona nodded slightly then winced as the Healer cleaned the wound.

Silence reigned as the Healer first cleaned and stitched the wound.  The Healer didn't dare sedate her after losing so much blood.  "You've lost a great deal of blood.  The only medicines I have for pain would just slow your body's ability to replace it."  Finally she sat back.  "I wish I could say the worst was over, it is going to be a while before you are back to normal."

Afiona nodded slightly in understanding.

Using a pair of scissors the Healer cut away her gown and helped her out of it.  Medren stared at the lattice of scars across her back.  All were old except for her wound but it was still horrifying to think a little girl had been tortured so heartlessly.

Shaking off his horror he helped her into the nightgown. 

"I want you to give her this in about a candlemark or so."  The healer gave him a small vial.  "It will help her heal faster and get some rest.  Come get me if there is any change.  Don't let her roll over and call me if she starts to bleed again."

"I will."  Medren promised.

"I want you to stay here with her tonight, if you don't mind.  I've noticed that she trusts you.  Don't let her stand or sit up.  And keep her relaxed.  I'll bring a painkiller for her around dawn, it should be ready around then."

"Thank you."  Medren stared down at the frail looking young woman pinned under the covers of her bed.  Her face was pale and she kept her eyes closed tightly, as if holding back tears.

The Healer glanced at Afiona one last time before she left. 

Afiona relaxed visibly when the Healer vanished; she opened her eyes and looked up at Medren.  "I shouldn't have chased after Demon but I didn't want him to hurt Giry…"

"She would have deserved it.  I think she was the one who let your brother in."  Medren pulled a chair next to her bed.  "It doesn't matter.  Just rest."

"Will you still take me to Haven?"

"Of course."  He stroked a lank of hair out of her eyes.  "Even if I have to kidnap you to get you out of here."

She smiled slightly and grasped his hand again.  "Thank you."

~ * ~

Afiona leaned out the window of the carriage as far as she dared to see the sprawling keep.  It had obvious been renovated many times in recent years, one wing looked like it was still under that last stages of construction.

Medren pulled his horse next to her window.  "What do you think?"

"I think it is very big."  She answered.  "How many people live there?"

"Not including servants?  There are eighty or ninety I think." 

"So many?"  She said is awe and fear.

"And many are relatives."  He warned.

Afiona's eyes widened in her disbelief,  "Incredible."

Demon poked his head out the other window, his tongue lolling out the side of his mouth.  :Rabbits!:

"Demon says there is rabbits."

"I'll take him out in the forest tomorrow if he likes.  For now you should sit back before you strain your wound again."  Medren urged.

Afiona obliged with her now familiar small smile.  "Will your grandparents welcome me?"

"I have no doubt grandmother will adore you on sight but I doubt grandfather will even notice your presence."

"I'd like it that way."  She admitted and pulled the blankets tighter around her body.  She had lost a great deal of weight she couldn't afford to lose while recuperating.  At first Demon had refused to leave her side until he was certain she was fine and then he had allowed Medren to escort him about the gardens.  Medren had finally become his second trusted human.

:We smell more of us.:  Medren's horse commented eagerly as he scented the famous Forst Reach horses. 

:We run to them?:  One of the carriage horses asked.

:No.:  Afiona said firmly.  :We go slow.:

She could feel the disgruntlement of the four harnessed horses.  Above she could hear the coachman snoring contentedly.  The horses had never behaved so well as they had for this trip.

"They smell the horses."  She warned as his gelding pranced happily.

"I figured as much.  Oh, I should warn you, Midwinter can be chaotic here."

"Why?"

"With so much family everything is chaotic.  Tell me if it gets to be too much."

"I will."  She promised.  "Or I will just escape to the stable."

Demon barked happily as a rabbit sprinted from the side of the road.  :I get it!:

:No.  Get it later.:  Afiona leaned forward to scratch his head, ignoring the pain that radiated out of her back.

A child waved from his post beside the road before sprinting for the keep.  Before they even reached the gate people were bubbling out of the ancient building and hurrying forward to meet them.

"Brace yourself."  Medren warned as he rode forward.

"Medren, who is this?"  An elegant, silver haired woman greeted him as he swung to the ground and kissed her cheek. 

"You are looking younger every time I see you, grandmother."  Medren smiled down at her.  "This is Afiona, Tashir's cousin.  She is traveling to Haven for training as a Healer."

A young man hurried forward to open her door, allowing Demon to bounce out.  Four days of being trapped in a carriage had him ready to run after nothing but the wind given the chance, he was even willing to overlook the crowd of people.

Afiona carefully manoeuvred herself to the door and forced herself to face the crowd all staring at her.  Medren hurried to offer her his hand to help her to the ground.

"She was injured a couple of weeks ago."  Medren explained as she leaned on his arm.

Lady Ashkevron glanced between the pair before smiling at her guest.  "Poor little dear."

Afiona's eyes widened and Demon quickly returned to her side. 

"What happened to you?"

"She was stabbed in the back."  Medren answered for her.

"You poor little thing!"

Afiona was fairly certain she was going to grow sick and tired of being called a 'poor little' anything quite quickly.

Soon she was seated in the most comfortable chair in the solar, with Demon at her feet.  The women were arranging themselves around the room with embroidery hoops and at the looms.

"You must tell us how you met Medren."  Lady Tressa took a seat next to her.

Medren sat on a bench not far from Afiona.  "She doesn't speak."

Afiona glanced at him.

"She is a Mavelan."  He warned

A twitter of concern swept through the gathered women. 

"And Tashir took her in?  He was always a sweet boy."  Lady Tressa gifted Afiona with a smile.  "Can she hear?"

Medren debated what to say.  "She can hear.  She was traumatized as a child and prefers not to speak."

Afiona suppressed a desire to run to a safe place. 

Lady Tressa patted her hand and smiled fondly at her.  "You are safe here."

"Is she going to, you know, make everything fly around?"  A woman asked in a hushed tone, obviously remembering the last Mavelan guest that they had had.

"No, she doesn't have fetching."  Medren assured them.

Afiona bent over to stroke Demon's head, more for comfort to herself than anything else.  A gasp escaped through her clenched teeth as she pulled the wound.

"I am a healer."  She said softly.

Medren's eyebrows nearly joined his hairline.

"A healer?  How wonderful."  Tressa gushed.

Afiona sat upright and smiled at Medren.

After all, If she was gong to become a healer she couldn't feign silence.