The next morning found Sara staying as still as she could while trying to breath as shallowly as possible. When she heard their front door swing open and muffled voices drifted her way she attempted to sit up. She fell backwards with a loud whimper before even making it up half way.
Lettie walked in with Anne and W.D. behind her. She quickly made her way to Sara and leant down to help her sit up when Anne placed a staying hand on Lettie's arm.
"No, keep her laying down," Anne said as she and her brother gently scoot the brunette down towards the foot of the bed. "For what we're going to do, it's best to keep her down and if one is lucky she'll pass out before we're done."
"But what are you here to do?" Lettie asked as she moved to her side of the bed and climbed in to grasp Sara's hand.
As Anne placed herself at Sara's head W.D. only went to her waist. They both looked Sara in the eye as they answered. "You put yourself out there at great risk for us, it wouldn't be right if we didn't also share what we've been taught." With that Anne placed her hand butterfly light on Sara's cheek while W.D. placed one hand on each side of Sara's ribcage.
The siblings started to chant together under their breath as they did so Sara grew pale and as they continued the paler Sara got. By the time they got to the middle of the chant Sara's eyes rolled backwards and fluttered shut causing Lettie's anxiety to skyrocket. Soon though they were finished and removed their hands from her and backed up. Anne gently took Lettie's hand from Sara's and as W.D. left the room Anne led her out with them.
"You never said what it was that you were doing." Lettie said anxiously as she looked back into the bedroom.
"Lettie dear, we healed her broken bones. Sadly, there's no way we can keep the person out of pain as we do so, she lasted longer then either one of us before passing out. And we had to leave the bruises, so it wasn't obvious that she was healed abnormally." Anne said softly taking the shorter woman into her arms as Lettie broke down in tears. W.D. watched on before rubbing her back as his sister held her.
"What? How?" Lettie sobbed out.
"Our grandmother was a shaman and she taught us all she knew before she passed. Especially her healing arts because of our love of acrobatics. So, we're shamans as well and it's only right that we heal our Sara." W.D. said gently. "Now she'll still be in quite a bit of pain, so she'll still need the laudanum when she wakes up, but she probably won't wake up until well after supper. And she'll be able to get up and about in three days instead of the seven."
As Lettie calmed down she pulled a little away from the siblings to look both in the eye. "Why would you risk exposure by helping us?"
"Like we said sweetheart she risked her own exposure to help all us how could we Not heal her when we were capable." Anne said wiping Lettie's tears away.
"Thank you, both of you! I just hate seeing her in such pain and not being able to help her. Add in her tenacity against doctors and her hatred of all pain killers, laudanum especially, and you have a recipe for extreme amounts of pain for long periods of time with very little relief in sight."
"Well you are more than welcome we were just glad we could help. And you're not the only one who can't stand to see her in pain. Before Sara transferred her memories to us we were scheming ways to get in here with her alone to heal her. But since she let us into her most dangerous secret we figured we'd no longer hold ours back either. It's time this family let go of all our secrets at least with each other." W.D. said as he hugged Lettie tightly.
Laying her head on his strong shoulder she replied. "With that in mind, you guys should know that I'm a mage as well, though my focus of studies was in music and dance while my luv's was focused on fighting and enhanced senses."
"So, she really did hear me last night?" Anne inquired with awe.
"She most definitely heard you," Lettie pulled away grinning.
"If her training sorcery was focused on her fighting and enhanced senses how was she able to transfer her memories?" W.D. looked confused.
Lettie gestured for them to have a seat on the couch, which they did quickly while she sat in one of the chairs by it.
"What do you know about mages?" Lettie asked.
"Not much, just that they use sorcery and they use it frequently for nefarious reasons." W.D. answered.
"Sadly, some of them are like that not all but quite a few. But that's neither here or nor there, what makes a mage a mage instead of say, a witch or a shaman such as yourselves is that each mage has one spell or ability that is unique to that person. Also, we're not limited to ingredients, rituals or chants. Sara's is transferring or retrieving memories, mine is when I feel something strong enough I and others around me burst into song and dance. With Sara's she's able to remember details that most don't even realize they are there. Mine's a bit more obvious you all have felt it at one point or another since P.T. brought all of us together, I've an affinity for song and dance. And that is what makes us mages."
"Okay that makes sense. So, since Sara's mage training has been focused on fighting, so she uses it to remain undefeated?"
Lettie quirked an angry yet knowing brow at W.D. "Never!" Both he and Anne looked sheepish.
"But I noticed you didn't mention the fights outside the ring." Ann pointed out carefully.
Lettie took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, but that's a bit of a sore spot for the both of us." She sits back in her seat. "And you're right she doesn't use her spells in the ring, but outside? All bets are off, that's when she uses her mage training. Outside of the ring it's win at any cost, so she uses all the advantages she has. Like the night I got kicked, did you notice none of the rest of the thugs intervened between that man and Sara? That's just one of her spells, one of her subtlest spells. And I know for a fact that is she could, Sara would give you all the abilities to use her spells."
There was a sharp rap upon the door. Lettie looked to the siblings confused they returned the look and shrugged.
Upon answering the door Lettie saw Constantine and the albino twins in the lead so she stepped back and to the trio's astonishment all the oddities marched in and made themselves comfortable around the small room. With the three lead oddities sitting down around Lettie's chair.
Constantine stood up and looked toward the group that came in with him and they all nodded towards him. "Alright it's come to all of our attention that our Sara is a mage and that she used her powers to better our lives not to mention make them as safe as she knows how. Are we in agreement with this?" Everybody nodded though Lettie, W.D., and Anne looked intrigued by where he was going with his speech.
"Now, we all know she endangered her life by letting us discover this about her, and we all have our own secrets that shall be divulged this morning. But to a more important note, she also exposed herself to death by doing so. Not in the sense of someone killing her but by her own hand" He held his hands up to keep everybody calm as it looked to be a mass of questions were going to come his way. "How I know is simple, my mother was a mage and she had over forty years of training which she imparted to me so that should I ever run into a budding mage I might help them harness their abilities."
"And if I had known this about her I would not have allowed her to do so in her condition…"
All could hear the disheartened sigh from Lettie. "You wouldn't have been able to stop her, when she feels something needs to be done and she's the only one who can do it, she does it right then and there. All else be damned."
"That's a good possibility Lettie honey. But I could have at least guided her in a way that wouldn't have drained her natural energy stores like she did last night." Constantine countered. "Sadly, what's done is done and once all is shared maybe one of us can help her. But that's not why we're here. So, all now know my mother was a mage and we've talked with everyone except Anne and W.D. here…."
As Constantine sat down Imelda stood up and continued where he left off. "And with everyone's permission we can now tell you that all of us are either magical ourselves or there's someone in our close family who is magical. So not one of us need fear reprisal"
Lettie chuckled. "Thank you all, you just proved our mage trainer right."
All looked curious, but it was Isla who asked. "How?"
"She had a rule that magic ran strongly through families that had anomalies in them. And after what I've learned today I must agree with her though there are always exceptions to the rule. Such as my beloved Sara…"
"And us," Anne said as she gestured towards her brother. "We're shamans and have healed her broken bones."
"Oh good, I'm good with poultices and tinctures, but healing outside of those is out of my comfort zone." Walter said as he came forward to Lettie with a jar of cream. "Here, spread this all over her bruises and rub it in, it will help with the pain but won't get rid of them. It's best to let those heal naturally."
Lettie took the jar with tears in her eyes, she looked around her family and felt her heart swell. "Thank you, every single one of you. You've no idea what this means to me, especially with telling me about the magical parts of your family and the like. It's only fair to let you know I'm a mage as well but my spells are more for music and dance."
"Ah so you're a bard mage!" Richard called out. "That explains why I'm finally able to sing and dance!"
All laughed at this.
"If she can make it so I'm able to sing then she can do so for anyone!" A raspy voice came from the doorway to the bedroom.
They all turned towards the voice only to see Sara leaning against the doorframe holding her ribs and wincing at the pain in her face it was obvious that Sara was swimming in Lettie's robe. Lettie got up and made her way swiftly to her. They murmured between them for a little bit before Sara with Lettie's help made her way to the water closet.
Constantine got up and moved to wait by the door. He looked to see Anne and W.D. look at each other incredulously. "Why are you two so surprised to see Sara up and about?" He asked them.
"Well, with all the healing we did for her she should have been passed out until after dinner." Anne answered.
Constantine tilted his head in concession. "Needing the water closet is a good motivator to waking up."
"We hadn't thought of that, we thought we came late enough that she had already used it." W.D. said abashed.
They heard a light chuckle. "No, you made it just in time for her to wake up and that's it. And no worries, she's headed back to bed to pass out once she's done in there." Lettie responded next to Constantine. "Would you mind carrying her back into the bedroom when she's done?" Lettie asked him.
He leaned down and hugged her. "Was already planning on it, that's why I'm here."
She returned the hug. "Thank you, hun." Lettie made her way to their bedroom with the jar of salve and called lightly to Isla. Who responded hastily and met her in the bedroom.
They all watch her go in the bedroom then exit and head into the kitchen where they could hear her rummaging. When she came back out she had a small bag of ice prepped, as she made her way back into the bedroom the water closet door opened, and Constantine turned towards it once it was open all the way. Carefully he scooped up the tiny woman and carried her to the bedroom where he deposited her by the bed then took his leave.
Isla helped Lettie get the robe off Sara, tossed the robe on the foot of the bed then took her leave as well. With Lettie's help Sara got back in bed, but before she laid back down Lettie stopped her and held up the jar of salve.
"Let's get some of this on you then you can sleep again." Lettie said.
"What is it?"
"It's a poultice to ease your pain."
"Alright, let's do this, it's got to be better than that damn laudanum."
"You'll be drinking that too," when it looked like Sara was going to fight her on it, Lettie gave Sara her best puppy eyes.
"Fine, I'll take that too but just this once today." Sara conceded Lettie leaned down and kissed her delicately.
"I can live with that my luv." Lettie proceeded to smear the slave all over all of Sara's bruises trying to get it done quickly so that she could lay down again. Lettie winced every time she had to put pressure to rub in the balm. Sara drank her water down in one go while Lettie did so, once she was done she set the glass down with a grimace.
"There all the way down." Sara growled.
"Good, now let me see your face. I'll be as quick as possible, my luv." Lettie said as she dipped once again into the jar. And Lettie was true to her word, she was soon putting the jar on the nightstand.
Without a word Lettie helped Sara lay down then kissed her softly. "Sweet dreams, my Sara."
Between the cream and the laudanum Sara only mumbled out a reply already under Morpheus's sway.
Lettie made her way out the bedroom shutting the door behind her. All turned towards her, she went to her seat and sat down before she responded to their unasked question. "She should be good now, she got her dose of laudanum for the day and I used the balm on her. So, she should be getting a restful sleep now."
Everybody relaxed at that.
"We," Isla gestured between Constantine and her twin. "Knew you were a mage dear Lettie but finding out that you're a bard mage just means that much the more to us."
"How so?" Lettie looked confused.
"We knew you were emotionally putting a little bit of yourself into every song of ours as well as each dance. But finding out that you're a bard mage means you are literally putting some of your soul into the songs. And since you're choregraphing our dances you are putting a little bit of your soul into us. Not just your faith." Imelda answered her.
"P.T. saw our worth while we were in the shadows and brought us out of them, but you and Sara have been putting your souls into us from the very day we met. Unwaveringly you two have helped us stand in the bright light that Barnum is shining on us. Be it working an extra hour with us, so we truly understand what your asking of us in our dances, to be an ear to listen to or a shoulder to cry on." Isla added seamlessly after her sister. "Even to just believing in us in a way Barnum simply can't."
"All those mysterious baskets of food that show up on our doorsteps when we've run out of food and haven't the time to get more? We know those are from Sara and don't bother to deny it. An excellent fighter and strategist she may be, but she needs to work on her stealth more." Constantine raised his hand to silence anything Lettie might have said. "The majority of all that the two of you do always ends up in some way or another bringing all of us closer together. You call us your family which we are honored to be, but we're a much tighter knit family because of all that the two of you do."
"And it all ends now- "
At Lettie's stricken look Walter quickly intervenes. "No, not like that sweetheart definitely not at all. The one sidedness of it all is what ends, we're going to start giving instead of just taking. It's a two-way street and it's time we start giving as much as you two do."
Lettie smiles as her tears start to fall. "But you guys do help us more than you realize. And you can't sit there and say we do more for you when for us you guys do just as much for us. You accept the two of us together in a loving relationship, you don't look twice at Sara running around in men's garb, not once have you all put Sara down for being a prizefighter. Those are just a few of the major things you do for us, so please quit comparing what we do for you to what you do for us. It's not necessary though I'm sure you all disagree let's just say we all help each other in ways that are immeasurable."
There were murmurs of agreement throughout the room.
"Though I do have a significant favor to ask of y'all." Lettie asked with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.
"Anything for you Lettie dearest." Charles gestured for her to continue.
"Don't let Sara know that you know she's behind the food baskets, she thinks she's being quite clever about it. Hell, I'm not even supposed to know, so let's let her have "her" secret."
That brought a room full of chuckles and agreements all around.
"Now I've a question for you Lettie. How much mage training have you and Sara have had?" Constantine asked.
"Maybe seven years, if that." Lettie winces.
Constantine sighs. "So, you never really made it out of the basics, no wonder Sara did what she did last night. She never realized the deadly risk she was taking."
"Hey now, we may not have learned all the basics, but we've practiced all we've been taught in those years." Lettie said indignantly.
"I'm not saying you haven't, but neither of you were aware of the true risk she took last night doing that spell with all of us. One of the main ways you can tell a mage from any other magic user is that they use their own natural energies while the rest channel, in some way, shape or form, energy from outside themselves." Constantine sighs while running a hand through his hair. "I'm not trying to say anything bad about what she did for us but doing that spell with us while have been beaten so badly could have drained all her natural energies to the point of death.
Like with everyone wounds of any sort draw form a person's personal store of energies to heal, the bigger the wounds the more energies needed to heal. And as we all witnessed last night she took one hell of a beating," Constantine shudders. "And it's not necessarily the fact that she did that spell it's the number of times that she did it that has me scared and worried. Now knowing that Anne and W.D. helped heal two out of three major wounds- "
"That's not quite accurate Constantine, Anne took care of both the broken cheekbone and skull while I took care of her ribs." W.D. interrupted.
"Ah alright, now with that knowledge I'm not so worried. But it will still take time to replenish those natural energies and we've got to find a way to keep her abed while they do so." He got up, knelt next to Lettie and took one of her hands in both of his. "She may not be a physical oddity like the rest of us, but she is an integral part of this family and I do my best not to think what would happen to us, and you especially, should something happen to her. But I'm the only one who truly knew the risks that she took last night, and I'll be damned if I or anybody let's her do so again.
I used to think of all the time my mother taught me what she did as a waste of time, but now, now that I can pass all that knowledge onto the pair of you. It's a blessing and with your permission I'd love to pass on that knowledge to you two." He looked earnestly up at Lettie.
"We would be honored to learn, we never wanted to stop our lessons, but some stuff came up and we had to abruptly end them." Lettie replied. "But now we've got to find a way to keep Sara in bed so that she can recuperate from both the beating and the spell."
"Well, the next few days will be easy. All she will be able to do is eat, sleep and use the water closet." Anne threw in.
"How do you know that?" Lettie asked. "I'm just curious."
"With the extent of the breaks we healed it always took us a few days to recuperate from similar breaks ourselves. Though her bruising is far beyond the bumps and bruises we received while training in our art." W.D. answered.
Lettie sighs deeply. "Well, that takes care of the first three days, but the next four are going to be hell keeping her abed. Anybody have any ideas?"
"Actually, the poultice that I made for her bruises will keep her tired so that should help." Walter said.
"With that and her stores of energy being so depleted should help keep her in bed." Constantine added.
"Oh, they'll definitely keep her in bed, but she'll get restless after a while. And that's when we're going to have a problem. Because none of us myself included can afford to skip out on that many performances." Lettie looked down at Constantine holding her hand. "And that's assuming Phineas will allow us to skip some of the performances anyway."
"You let us deal with P.T. I'm sure we can get him to understand, plus with help of Anne and W.D. that gives us three more days to come up with ways to keep her in bed." Charles spoke up. "So, no need to stress yourself out, Lettie dear. If nothing else, we can all take turns keeping her company and occupied while the others are doing their acts."
"Thank you, all of you. It means the world to me that you're helping me out like this. And while she might not agree right away I know it'll mean the world to Sara as well." Lettie started crying again. Soon after she found herself engulfed in an extremely large group hug.