Somatosensory
Chapter 2
Kahlan snapped her head up as she heard a sound near the ladder to the pit. Nadine had just dropped off the final rung of the ladder, and after she let out a renewed gasp at the sight of Cara, still shuddering in agony, she took a few rushed steps toward Kahlan and fell to her knees at her side. Cara was still convulsing, still smacking her limbs off the ground as she thrashed, and Kahlan making continuous, but futile efforts to soothe her.
Nadine began rifling through her medicine bag in an attempt to find anything relevant and appeared victorious as she pulled out several pieces of sheep's horn and bottles with stoppers and small markings on the side. She yanked out the stoppers and tested them one after the other until she looked up at Kahlan briefly, and shuffled closer, still wary of flailing limbs, as she made her way to Cara's head.
Kahlan found herself feeling increasingly terrified and useless, as she felt Cara's heated skin, and switched her eyes up to Nadine nervously as she felt the intense heat emanating from the blonde.
"What is that?"
"Oil of Lavender. I don't have much that can help but this might calm her down. It's worth a try." She shrugged, applying the oil either side of Cara's throat and then returning to digging through her bag.
Kahlan stroked Cara's face lightly with her free hand. Her holding the blonde was accomplishing barely a thing but she knew Cara might have a few less bruises if…when…she survived; not that a Mord'Sith would be grateful for something so insignificant, she knew. She began musing on what kind of lasting effects might be left from this ordeal, just setting onto the potential brain damage Cara could suffer, when Nadine gasped sharply. She'd found something. Kahlan looked up at her, resting her hand on Cara's cheek and gave Nadine a wordless look.
"Tincture of maypop. It's a strong sedative and painkiller. It should stop the paroxysm at least, stop her thrashing around; offer some relief to the pain she must be feeling."
They were starved for time and every moment they spent considering potential effects could be moments Cara needed recovering.
Kahlan looked back at Nadine and nodded.
"Alright, what do we do?"
"She needs to swallow this." She stated as she made her way over to Cara's head again and removed the stopper of the small bottle.
This was magic; very powerful, dark magic. Kahlan had no idea what could stop something a man as powerful as Jagang had inflicted on Cara. She didn't know if there would be anything that could. He had wanted to torment Kahlan, and he knew this would do it.
"It'll help." Nadine offered quietly, as she moved the small bottle nearer Cara's mouth. Kahlan stared at Cara's damp, pale face as they wrestled against the muscles in her jaw, forcing it open again. The tremors wracking her body showed absolutely no sign of stopping. They didn't have a choice but to try.
"I wouldn't do that."
Both women whipped round in shock as they heard a man's voice. A broad, tall man in reddish robes, complete with a hood shrouding his face in shadow, had made his way silently down the ladder and was striding calmly towards them.
"Give it here."
He spoke evenly, but with authority, and Nadine didn't hesitate to hand over the small bottle, despite frowning at the man.
"Who are you!" She barked, clearly indignant at her skills and knowledge being taken into question by this stranger.
"My name is Drefan. But that is of little relevance right now. Let's see what we can do here." He pondered Cara's shivering form below him, and walked around to Kahlan's position behind her head. "Excuse me." He said, as he touched Kahlan's shoulder slightly with his open hand as if to announce his intent to have her move out of the way. Kahlan glanced at him, briefly, but moved anyway.
For all she knew, this man was going to save Cara from whatever forces were fighting their way around her body. Then again he could do more damage.
In a moment of suspicious clarity, as she surveyed the large man beside her, she realised he reminded her a lot of Richard…
TBC