Chapter 22

Waking up was a gradual, enervating process. Kyminn couldn't recall the last time he'd slept in a real bed and he luxuriated in the comfort while he blinked the sleep from his eyes. As his vision cleared, it became clear that he was in some kind of sickroom. A well-sealed window admitted warm sunlight while the lanterns placed around the room ensured light even on the darkest nights. The Healer in him envied the clean, whitewashed walls, free of any grime or stain. Even the astringent tang of antiseptic added a layer of reassurance – clearly he was in good hands here.

He lay still for several minutes, wondering where the others were and if he should be looking for them. He was torn between the need to check on his patients and uncertainty as to his standing here. Was he a recovering patient? Guest? Where Randen and Derris still in his care? Should he remain in the room and wait for information or go in search of it?

Eventually, his bladder made the decision for him and he levered himself upright, determined to find the nearest suitable place to manage that need. Perhaps he'd find some information in the process. His mouth quirked a bit when he saw the loose felt slippers resting neatly beside his bed. Someone had clearly been anticipating!

As he slipped them on, he saw a pile of clothing, neatly folded on a nearby chair. A puzzled frown flitted across his face as he realized that he had absolutely no idea where his own clothes were. He was wearing a comfortable, if generic, loose tunic and drawstring trousers, suitable for an invalid. A mental shrug – he was decent and that would have to do for now.

He pulled aside the heavy curtain and peered up and down the corridor beyond. Other doorways, twins to his, marched along both sides, some with curtains drawn, others tied back. There being nothing to suggest that one direction was better than the other, Kyminn randomly selected the left turn and ventured down the hallway. Two of the curtains were drawn and he refrained from peering at the patients within, although he had to admit to a twinge of professional curiosity. Presumably one of the rooms here housed Randen and while Kyminn was determined to find him at some point in the near future, the Healer put 'searching every sickroom' at the bottom of the list in terms of acceptable approaches to that problem.

Kyminn had only just made his way to the end of the hall when footsteps told him he had company. A figure in green rounded the next corner, face breaking into a smile on spying Kyminn.

"Ah! You're awake! I was afraid I'd have to rouse you on my own! How are you feeling?"

Kyminn blinked in surprise, a bit nonplussed as he regarded the apparition before him. A young man, just a few years older than Kyminn himself, wearing the dark green robes of a full healer. Blue eyes twinkled from a face well marked with laugh lines, even for one so young. The entire package was topped by an extraordinary mass of tightly curled, blonde hair that brushed the fellow's shoulders. It was the most outlandish hair Kyminn had ever encountered.

The fellow either didn't notice Kyminn's surprise or he was used to it. "Healer Evin at your service." The laughter in his tone said that he knew full well the effect his appearance had on the unwary and that he found it funny. Evin hefted the tray in his hands meaningfully and grinned. "Can I interest you in food?"

Kyminn's stomach growled so loudly at this that he flushed.

"You've been here for two days now. Crathach insisted we keep you under, said you were mind-exhausted and just plain run down. No surprise you're starving!"

"Two days?"

Evin nodded as he led the way back to Kyminn's room. "You arrived here around the second hour of the afternoon on third day. It's now mid-morning sixth day. So, closer to three days than two." He pushed the curtain aside with practiced ease and set the tray on a small table. "I imagine you want to clean up first." He swept up the pile of clothing and passed them to Kyminn. "Let's get you to the bathing room, shall we?"

Kyminn ruefully ran his hand through his hair, skin suddenly twitching as he realized how long it had been since he'd been able to do more than clean up in a cold stream.

Aside from the small miracle that was an indoor privy, the bathing room itself was a miracle in its own right. A clever system let one pump water directly to a large copper kettle, which was in turn piped into a bathtub large enough to immerse oneself completely. A second pump let you add cold water directly to the tub so you could bathe in as hot or as cool water as one wanted. The tub itself drained directly into a pipe in the floor.

"Towels there," Evin pointed, "soap, scrub brushes. When you're finished, the wet towels go there," a hamper in one corner, "and please refill the hot water kettles when you're done. Take as long as you want. Any questions?"

Kyminn shook his head and simply said, "With this set up, why on earth would anyone ever want to leave this place!"

Evin laughed. "Why do you think I didn't feed you first?"

Kyminn ended up filling the tub three times. The first two were simply to finally scrub the last of the road grime from his body, although he admitted he was probably clean enough after the first time. The notion of knowing he was clean was enough that he didn't mind doing it twice!

Much as he would have loved to indulge in a long soak, his stomach was insistently reminding him that there were certainly other priorities. And now that he was up and moving, he definitely wanted to know how the others were.

The Healer had provided a practical meal, something that would have kept had Kyminn still been too tired to eat it immediately. Fresh bread (heaven!) and butter mixed with honey to slather on it, two kinds of cheese, one hard and another soft and spreadable. A bowl of fresh berries and melon, some hardboiled eggs and an oaten biscuit that was sliced and filled with a creamy nut butter. Kyminn goggled in surprise at the amount of food and gestured to Evin to join him. The healer shook his head, "No thank you, I've eaten. Do you feel up to talking while you eat?"

Kyminn nodded, his mouth full of oat biscuit. It was, quite possibly, the best thing he'd ever eaten.

"Normally I wouldn't discuss the condition of one patient with another. However, Herald Jannen made it very clear that you have been Randen's primary Healer for quite some time and that as such, he is your patient as well, until and unless Randen himself says differently."

Evin gathered his thoughts. "Physically, Randen is doing very well. Healers Pell and Anya sent detailed case notes and we've had a chance to review them. In addition, Jannen has added information on the treatment and therapies that you were doing over the past few months. When you get a chance, we'd like you to add your own thoughts to those, if you don't mind."

Kyminn nodded, surprised, popping a piece of fruit in his mouth to avoid the necessity of responding to this startling request.

"Mind-healer Crathach has also spent a good deal of time with the Herald. He reports that Randen is making good progress. It will take a few weeks yet, but Randen will make a full recovery."

Kyminn's throat tightened at this news, the fruit suddenly hard to swallow. He bowed his head, fighting back tears of relief.

Evin let him compose his emotions before he went on. "Crathach wanted me to convey to you that you – the three of you – did an excellent job, given the situation. The relaxation exercises, the focusing drills, all of the things you did were a tremendous help and kept Randen on the path to recovery."

"Healer Evin," Kyminn was somber, "Can you tell me – is it possible for a Herald to go mad?"

Evin sighed. "Yes and no."

Kyminn's somber tone vanished with a huff. "Now you sound exactly like a Companion!"

"Really?" Evin was delighted. "I've never talked to a Companion so I wouldn't know. Anyway, to answer your question – no, Heralds cannot go completely, irretrievably insane, their Companions won't let them. If one were to go beyond that point of no return…I'm not sure the bond could withstand it."

Kyminn thought back to what Randen had told him about the Companion who had repudiated her Chosen. No, the bond would not withstand madness. He decided that if Evin didn't know that story, it wasn't Kyminn's to share.

"Anyway," Evin went on, "that doesn't mean that Heralds can't suffer injuries to their psyche, whether through mischance or enemy action. There are a number of cases in the histories of Heralds suffering quite severely and needing help to recover. Heralds are also prone to suffer various kinds of survivor guilt, or fits of self-doubt." A wry smile, "Carrying the expectations of a kingdom can be a heavy burden sometimes. There's a reason we need Mind-healers."

"That is…good to hear," Kyminn breathed in relief. "Can I see him?"

"Certainly. I checked the case notes before I came. He is in with Crathach right now but should be free about the time you finish breakfast. Now, the Companion Derris…"

"Oh?"

Evin's look was reproving. "Apparently, you've been using your Gift to ah…boost his strength, yes?"

A guilty nod.

"Strictly speaking, that's not good practice. It's a dreadful waste of your own strength and makes it much, much easier for the patient to overwork the injury." Another wry smile, "However, the senior Healers all concur that in this case it was absolutely justified. You did a good job of balancing the critical needs of both your patients, even if you overdid it alarmingly."

Kyminn debated apologizing and decided against it. It had been necessary and he knew he'd do the same thing again if required. An insincere apology seemed pointless.

"The senior Healer to the Companions looked at Derris and questioned Jannen, Randen and the other Companions."

Kyminn boggled a bit at the notion of anyone trying to "question" a Companion who didn't feel particularly forthcoming. It made his eyes want to cross. "Oh?" was all he said.

"Derris is also doing very well. Apparently Healer Delassia also wants to sit down with you and have you update the notes on his case. She says you do excellent work."

"I…ah…certainly…I guess." Surprise tied his tongue again, so he popped in another piece of fruit, just in case he was expected to say more.

"Finally," Evin rapped the table to get his attention, "the third patient. Kyminn Danner."

"Uh.." Kyminn quickly swallowed the bite, gulping in surprise.

"Aside from an understandable exhaustion, following an apparent attempt to work yourself to death, how are you feeling?" The question had an odd weight to it.

"I…" a dawning surprise washed across Kyminn's face. "I feel…fine." He was determined not to mention the dreams which had haunted him, the persistent sense of something he should be noticing or doing. Besides, it was gone now.

A nod. "I'm not sure you knew this, but you are not particularly well shielded. You were leaking all over the place. It's the first thing Crathach noticed, so he immediately threw a shield up. I'm told, "it was dry, "the results were dramatic."

Considering the effect his collapse must have had on the gathered Healers, Kyminn agreed that "dramatic" was no doubt a fair assessment.

"Herald Jannen indicated that you've had some training in your gift, and your success with Derris certainly bears that out. However, it's a very high priority that you learn how to properly shield, particularly given your rather unique form of Foresight."

"The Foresight? What do you mean?"

"Foresight has always been one of the more difficult gifts to manage. No one is quite sure why it comes when it does, why it shows the things it does or why it's so often unclear. Every other Gift can have at least some control applied and can usually be used at will. Foresight…is a bit of a wild child."

"I'd certainly agree on you there," Kyminn averred.

"Your shields, while adequate in your familiar environment, are actually not well grounded at all. We strongly suspect that your Foresight 'leaks' through your shield sometimes. Tell me, have you ever been completely blindsided, knocked off your feet by something you've Seen?"

Kyminn's jaw dropped. "How did you know? That's exactly what happened when Derris got injured!"

A nod of affirmation. "That's what we thought. I'm guessing that being bludgeoned over the head by your Sight is extremely unsettling. Someone once described Foresight leaking through weak shields as being like a hundred nagging ghosts, all trying to tell you something. Pretty dreadful, really. If we can get your shields properly grounded, you should be able to prevent that from happening."

"I…would like that, yes. It sounds like a good idea." Kyminn clamped his jaw shut.

"Good. Now, I've been assigned as your Gift teacher in this. We can start right away if you'd like."

Kyminn froze. He wanted, very badly, to not be at the mercy of his Foresight. Almost as strong was his reluctance to blindly embrace the Healer's Collegium. True, he had been treated well so far, but equally true was the fact that he'd met only one other person here and he really had no sense of what was going on outside his little room.

"Would it be possible," he had to say something, lest Evin wonder at too long a silence, "for us to start tomorrow? I'd like to check on the others first and find my things. I gather that I'm not to stay here?"

To his profound relief, Evin seemed to find this request perfectly reasonable. The Healer's eyes lost focus for a moment before he nodded to himself. "The shields that Crathach put up seem to be holding. He tied them into your own Gift, so unless something happens to upset the balance, you should be fine for the rest of the day. But," and he focused back on Kyminn, "It really shouldn't wait longer than that. It wouldn't surprise me if you're experiencing all kinds of leakage."

Since Kyminn was now quite sure that this was precisely what was going on with his dreams and visions, he opted to keep his mouth firmly closed.

"As soon as you're done eating, we'll see about getting started, alright?"

Kyminn nodded and concentrated on finishing the superb breakfast.