Chapter 23
Afiona checked her bag of supplies one last time before she started on her rounds today. There was a new Companion in her care now, a mare that had been burned on the Karsite border, which she need certain salves for.
Demon, sprawled behind her heaved a sigh and rolled on to his back. :Scratch now.:
Afiona paused to scratch his offered belly and was rewarded with several swipes of his tongue. :Are you coming with me today?:
Demon seemed to consider it for a moment. It was a cold, windy day-- his favorite kind to avoid, so she wasn't expecting it when he rolled to his feet. :Coming.:
Afiona scratched his ears and led him from her bedroom, which she privately referred to as a stable, out into the bright white light of the afternoon.
:She hurt you.: Demon grumbled, noticing the limp she had acquired from yet another lost battle with a weapon, this time it was a shield, she had dropped it on her foot. It was just one of dozens of bruises she had collected, most were from sharing her bed with a foal and a dog that kicked in their sleep.
:I hurt me.: Afiona corrected and pulled her cloak tighter. :Don't you dare hurt her.:
Demon paused to grab a few mouthfuls of the fresh snow as he plodded along next to her.
Afiona paid little attention to her surroundings as she considered her newest patient. The poor mare would be scarred for life, but the odds were good that she would survive. She had the salves to keep the healing skin moistened and to easy the pain, the powders she wanted mixed with the mare's water, a painkiller and a mild sedative. She had seen the mare the night before when she had arrived but she also wanted to do a more thorough exam in the full light of day.
Demon's growl alerted her to danger just as a shifting shadow caught her eye. Stepping back a crossbow bolt split the air where she had stood. Her first reaction was to freeze and pray she wasn't noticed. Fighting her first instinct she shifted her grip on the handle of the bag and quickly located her attacker.
"You bitch!" The handsome man snarled.
Afiona's heart quailed at the sight of her brother. Demon launched himself for Gelird, his teeth bared. Reacting faster than either Afiona or Demon expected Gelird swung the empty crossbow at Demon, connecting with his head with a horrible crack.
"You bastard!" Afiona growled as Demon collapsed. She didn't pause to consider her actions as she charged for him, dropping the bag of medicines on the ground. Before Gelird could react Afiona wrapped her strong hands around his throat. She saw true fear in his eyes but it didn't register. It was almost as if it was someone else's hands. "You bastard." She hissed again.
He swung the crossbow wildly and connected with her shoulder before he dropped it. Afiona's grip tightened. She didn't hear the shriek of equine rage as Daric galloped to the rescue, followed by Nico. She was oblivious to everything.
~ * ~
Jisa gasped and staggered at the first wave of fear, she had no doubt the source, she had been worried Afiona would have another panicked fit for several weeks now. The wave of anger had her grasping the wall for support. Someone was in a killing rage and they didn't care if they were broadcasting.
"Love?" King Treven quickly grasped her elbow, steadying her.
"Afiona." Jisa gasped out. "She is in trouble."
"The Healer who is raising the Companion?" Treven asked. "Is he in trouble?"
Jisa fortified her shields and straightened. Not bothering to answer her husband's question she ran quickly to the nearest exit.
Tavers met her at the doorway and let her swing onto his back before he charged off through the snow towards the disturbance.
~ * ~
Afiona froze when she realised what she was doing. Releasing her hold she stepped back quickly. Her brother stumbled, grabbed his throat with one hand and glared at her.
Pulling a dagger from his belt he grabbed her unresisting arm.
Afiona pulled back instinctively and barely avoided the arc of the blade. Taking the thin blade she carried with her she stabbed it into his upper arm and withdrew it quickly. He released his grip on her and she stumbled back farther, still holding her small weapon. Before he had a chance to recover she used one of the few moves Ricca had taught her that she had never mastered in the salle and kicked the blade from his hand. She barely had time to kick it out of his reach before a pair of silver hooves seemed to descend from the Havens above and crushed his skull.
:Bad man!: Nico cried as he rounded his father's enraged form.
Afiona hurried forward and turned him away from the damage the deadly hooves had inflicted as Daric landed a second and third blow to the now prone form.
"It's alright sweetie." Afiona crooned. She kept his head shielded by her chest and moved him farther away. :Stop it!: She screamed mentally at Daric, penetrating his rage like a knife.
His hooves slammed into the ground for the last time, clear of the mangled body, his entire body shaking.
She heard the thunder of more hooves as the other Companions, alerted by Daric's reaction, arrived. The pushed close around them, a mare thoughtfully placing herself between Afiona and the body of her brother.
"Afiona?" Jisa's voice reached her over the concerned Companions and almost immediately they parted to allow the King's Own passage. "What happened?"
Afiona realised she was still shaking as she stepped away from Nico. "My brother. He tried to kill me again. I nearly killed him."
"Nearly?" Jisa echoed. "What happened?"
"First I choked him, I think. Oh gods, Demon!" She pushed past Jisa to find the dark shape in the snow. She gathered the dog into her arms tenderly. :Demon? Oh Gods, please be alright.: She begged silently as she started Healing him.
Demon opened his eyes slowly.
"What is going on? We felt the—" A man clad in green pushed past the Companions. He didn't even glance at Afiona's huddled form but moved immediately to her brother. "What happened to him?" He demanded of Jisa.
"He tried to kill one of your own." Jisa said coldly.
:Mama-Afi?: Nico said tremulously and scurried to her side. :Demon?:
More Healers, alerted by the emotional blasts arrived, as did the Heralds alerted by their Companions. The Healers congregated around Gelird, trying to preserve the small spark of life.
"Leave him." Afiona ordered without looking up from Demon.
"How can you say that?" Geina, the Healer closest to her asked accusingly. "This man is dying and here you are trying to save some damn dog!"
Afiona stroked Demon's fur, ignoring the blood that stained her fingers that still seeped from his ear, more oozed from his nose.
Demon recalled the days when he had first met Afiona. They were fuzzy memories but they were some of his first good memories. Back then she had held him just as she did now. She had welcomed him when she was a shy outcast as well. She had given him love that he had returned with all his heart. He tried to lick her hand but lacked the energy, or the strength, to reach it.
She bade him to hold still and stroked his face.
Demon remembered the last time he had encountered this bad-man. He had tried to hurt his Afiona. Then he hadn't saved her, but this time he had been determined not to let him touch her. He might be an old dog but no one was going to hurt his Afiona.
He sighed--he felt so tired. He just wanted to close his eyes and sleep.
:Tired.: He said simply, but fought to stay awake. He could sense his Afiona needed him still.
:I know.: She said with sorrow.
Demon blinked again. It was strange, he could see two places now, one with Afiona holding him, the other a broad green field. He could smell the rich wildlife that teemed in the field, the rabbits, and the deer, even the mice. He wanted desperately to get up and run in the grassy meadow. If Afiona could only see it she would want to run there too.
:Field.: Demon tried to explain. :Rabbits. We get the rabbits? Hunt?:
Afiona buried her face in his fur. "Go get the rabbits." She urged as tears swept down her cheeks to mingle with his blood.
Demon tried to wag his tail as the pull of the field grew strong. It had been many days since he and Afiona had hunted together. :Come.: He urged.
:I can't: Afiona felt his growing weakness.
Demon's feet twitched with the urge to run but he didn't want to leave Afiona. :No go. I stop bad-man. I stay.:
:You stopped him forever.: Afiona assured him.
:I no bite him!: Demon protested quickly, his dim memories of the cages that had been his life before Afiona rescued him filling his mind.
:I know. You are free, no one will ever put you in a cage.: Afiona assured him.
:I go?: Demon asked. :You come tomorrow?:
Afiona knew he never understood exactly what tomorrow was, just that it was after a sleep. :You go. I will come too someday.: She urged as her fingers curled painfully in his fur.
She felt the moment he died. It seemed that his body had lost all spark.
"Did you hear me?" Geina demanded. "Instead of trying to save that stupid dog you could save this man from dying."
Afiona raised her head and glared at her. It seemed that everyone stilled as the pair faced off. "Why would I save him when I want nothing more than for him to die and leave me alone forever?" She asked coldly.
"You want him to die." Another Healer echoed, aghast at the concept of a Healer longing for someone's death. "Because he killed a pet?"
Afiona eased Demon from her lap and stood with her fists at her side. For a moment rage buried her grief as she listed off his past offences. "Because he would have tried to kill me again. Because he has tried to kill my cousin. Because he is a sadistic bastard who delights in causing pain. Because I have felt the pain he causes."
Nico pressed himself against her side, not understanding her rage and his attempts to calm her failing. :Please stop.: He pleaded.
Afiona threaded her fingers through his mane. "Perhaps before you go getting all righteous you should consider why a Companion thought it necessary to trample him in front of his own son."
"Obviously there was good reason." Mia said in Afiona's defence. "Afiona has good reasons for wanting him dead. His attack on her is enough reason for me to want him dead."
"If she says he is better off pushing up lilies that is good enough for me." Rissa agreed.
"We are talking a man's life here." A Healer pointed out gesturing to the crowd of Healers tending him. "Don't you care that he is dying?"
"I assume that is your brother." Jisa said before anyone else could leap to her defence.
Afiona nodded.
"He is a traitor and was condemned to death already for one attempted murdered of Afiona five years ago as well as the attempted assassination of her cousin, Lord-Herald Tashir." Jisa said loudly enough to be heard by all. "Bard Medren was witness to the entire evening if you wish to ask him. Tashir pronounced his sentence the day after the attack, while Afiona was still lying abed from a stab wound to the back."
Afiona winced at the memories.
"If he has tried to kill her in the past why haven't we heard of it?" Geina demanded.
"Because I didn't want to tell you." Afiona answered. "My own brother tried to kill me, do you think I am going to yell it to the world that my own brother hated me enough to kill me?" More tears coursed down her cheeks as she turned and pushed her way through the crowd.
Nico hurried after her.
The Healers gathered around the body of Gelird stepped back as their efforts proved fruitless.
"You idiots." Mia said succinctly. "You don't have any faith in her at all, do you? Perhaps if you had had some faith in her she wouldn't have rebelled against tending humans." She pushed her way through the crowd toward the Bardic Collegium. She made straight for the room she knew Medren was using, hoping he was there.
Pounding on his door loud enough to wake the dead she earned a quick response as Medren with his lute in one hand opened the door. "What on earth is it now?" He asked warily.
"Afiona needs you. Her brother just attacked her. He's dead but he killed Demon. And then the Healers turned on her." Mia explained quickly.
"Damn it." Medren swore as he placed his lute on his bed and snatched his winter cloak off a peg by the door. "Where was she heading?"
"I don't know. Towards the stable maybe." Mia said helplessly.
Medren led her back outside and instead of heading to the stable he headed for the gardens on the near side of the river.
"Do you have any idea of where she is?" Mia asked.
"Probably in a garden. They used to be her sanctuary." Medren explained then he thought of something else, "Was she hurt?"
"No, but as I said, he killed Demon. She looked so shattered." Mia hesitated. "At least I don't think the blood was hers, oh gods." Her urgency increased as she searched around them frantically.
"I hope this doesn't send her back to hiding in corners." Medren said ruefully.
The patch of bright green, stained black in some patches caught Mia's eye. Afiona sat deep in one of the ornamental grottos with her bloodied cloak pulled tight around her. She sat perfectly still-- they could barely tell she was breathing.
"Afiona!" Medren called and half climbed, half slide down to her after Mia pointed Afiona out to him. He wrapped one arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. "I'm so sorry." He whispered to her.
Mia took a seat on her other side. She stroked Afiona's hair comfortingly. "He's dead. They didn't bring him back."
Finally a sob shook Afiona's shoulders. "He killed Demon. I wasn't paying attention. I could have stopped him." She choked out.
A wash of snow hit them. :Mama-Afi, Demon won't wake up!: Nico said plaintively as he clambered down to them. :Why won't Demon wake up?:
Afiona raised her head and wiped the tears from her red swollen eyes. "I am so sorry baby." She stood and embraced him when he reached her.
Nico could feel the deep well of grief within her and decided it was best to save his questions for his papa or when Mama-Afi was feeling happier.
Mia glanced at Medren quickly. It was obvious that he felt the pain as sharply as she did. Once again she wondered what lay between the two. "Let's go inside." She finally suggested.
Afiona kept her arm draped over Nico as they started back up the slope. Daric waited for them and immediately fell into step on Afiona's other side.
"I can't believe that idiot tried for her again." Medren said quietly, only Mia heard him.
"The King's Own said something about that. I can't believe those pigheaded idiots." Mia shook her head in disgust. "Can you believe the Healers were giving her hell for not healing that prick? He tries to kill her and she is expected to just shrug it off? And I know there is more to the tale than just one incident. Stef told me her brother was still alive, I should have told the others. Then we could have watched for him."
"Stef told you?" Medren repeated.
Mia gave him a withering look. "Stef and I are friends. He told me only in confidence but when it became obvious she was trying to keep you from meddling by distracting you, he thought she should have someone who is aware of her past. Besides, he had lots of information on the Mavelans that you probably don't have."
Medren still did not look pleased. "I guess we will be going to visit Tashir soon. She was putting it off until Demon died."
"Actually, he is coming here. We wrote him; Lika and I that is. We prefer she stay here and if she needs Tashir's Companion then we will provide him." Mia carefully didn't mention that Afiona was Chosen. The Heralds were still pretending ignorance.
Up ahead of them Afiona leaned heavily on Daric's broad shoulder, her arm draped over his withers. She had gone from the soul wrenching grief to numbness in the last few minutes.
:We'll get you into bed.: Daric told her. :Unless you want a bath.:
Afiona shook her head. She didn't want either of them. She didn't want anything.
Daric wished he could take this pain from her. :Nico, Mama-Afi is very sad. Can you make her tired too? She needs to sleep to feel better.:
Nico was obvious surprised at the request. :I make Mama-Afi happy?:
:No, just tired. Some sads people have to muddle through on there own or they never feel really happy.: Daric tried to explained. :We will just remind her that even if she is lonely with Demon gone she is not alone, alright.:
Nico was obviously still confused about Demon's death and the other events of the day but he was willing to let the topic rest until his Mama-Afi was able to answer his questions.
Almost immediately Afiona yawned and slumped further against Daric before finally slipping to the ground, sound asleep.
"Afiona!" Mia and Medren both cried as they ran for her prone form.
:Nico made her sleep.: Mia's Companion, Lika, explained.
"Don't worry, Nico made her sleep." Mia quickly relayed. "Let's get her inside."
~ * ~
Afiona peered around the corner before hurrying down the hall to her room. Her chubby feet made little sound on the stone floors. She clutched her precious bundle against her chest praying it would remain silent.
Reaching her room she pushed the door open and quickly shut it behind her.
"Here we are, kitty." Afiona said as she put the tiny grey kitten down.
With it's tiny tail as erect as a flagpole the kitten surveyed his new domain before heading straight for the narrow bed against one wall.
Afiona grinned and hurried after it. One of the wanted children had grabbed the kitten by the scruff his neck and thrown it out a window, where Afiona had been digging in the dirt and planting a few seeds. He had landed upon Afiona's back, scratching her with his needle sharp claws and yowling like a demon.
Afiona immediately smuggled the kitten to her room, feeling a kinship with the small creature she could not explain.
The kitten hopped up on the bed and Afiona scrambled up next to him and gently stroked his velvety fur.
"I love you." Afiona whispered to it.
The cat turned his round, golden eyes on her and meowed then started to purr happily.
She giggled and nuzzled his fur. She had a dim memory of a story about a boy named Nicodimus. "Nicodimus, is that a good name?" The kitten purred all the louder and rubbed his face against her returning her love in full measure. Afiona giggled and stroked his soft fur.
Suddenly the room darkened, it seemed much larger and colder than it had been just moments before.
The door opened and a creature of shadows strode into her room. The half grown kitten, now larger than just a moment before, hissed at the intruder, situating himself between Afiona and her brother.
"What have we here?" One large hand picked up Nicodimus by the neck. He only managed to squawk as he was raised.
Afiona crept backwards, hunching her shoulders. Her eyes filled with fear. "A kitty." She whispered.
"Who said you could have a kitty?" Gelird sneered.
"No one." Afiona crouched down further against the wall. Gelird seemed to grow in height.
"That's right, no one. Because no kitty is bad enough to deserve you." He curled his lip in a harsh sneer.
"I'm sorry." Afiona whispered fat tears trembled on her eyelashes before making trails down her cheeks. "I don't mean to be bad."
Gelird's hand covered most of the cat's small head. He paused, relishing the fear he drew from Afiona. With a wrench the kitten's neck broke. He dropped it like a broken toy.
"No!" Afiona cried and rushed to the broken body.
She pulled it onto her lap and whispered to it, trying to make it awaken. "Nicodimus, wake up! Please."
"See what happens when you touch something?" Gelird asked condescendingly.
Afiona looked up at him, then back down at the kitten in her arms, only to find a large black dog. Her arms tightened around his body. "No."
With an internal wrench she found herself standing in the same room she had dreamed of. Now it was its normal proportions. The small bed in the corner no longer had a mattress. There was no longer a wardrobe in the corner.
Afiona sank to her knees and buried her face in her hands. It had been years since she had dreamed of the kitten, Nicodimus, but for once her nightmare did not end trapped in her brother's mind.
"I'm free." She whispered to herself. "I'm free."