Saerythra grumbled at the pile of darning, “Light,” she muttered, “I don’t know why Marric even bothers with socks; I wish I knew how me manages to rip up every pair so!” As she slid the needle into the fabric in her hands, a loud knock sounded through the door. Yelping as she accidentally jabbed herself, Sari put her labor back in the basket on the table and went to the door.
Upon opening the door, she found a disheveled young woman standing without. Blinking, Sari stepped back and gestured that the strange woman should enter. She shut the door, bemusement painted on her face, and returned to her seat, pointing to a chair at the table for the other woman. After the other woman lowered herself down and leaned upon the table, Sari spoke, “I’m Sari, the local Wisdom. And you are obviously not a local, so I can only guess that you need my assistance.”
She picked the needle up and gestured with it at the younger woman, “At least, I’m hoping you’re asking for help for yourself, and that you don’t have a friend stashed somewhere in worse shape; I’d rather not be out in this weather sewing someone up, and looking at you, I’m guessing you’re going to need a fair amount of sewing up yourself!”
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08 June 2008
Sari’s eyes widened as the girl went even paler (if that’s bloody possible!) and asked for water. Taking a deep breath, she took the young woman by the arm and helped her get up, “Yes, you may have some water, but how about you come lay down on this nice soft bed?”
The girl murmured under her breath, but didn’t fight it as Sari put the beaten-up woman’s arm around her shoulder and lead her deeper into the house. It wasn’t a big house, but she kept it sparsely furnished and maintained her children’s old rooms for patients to rest in. So it was with not too much effort that she had the peddler woman laid out on top of a coverlet before she began to lose conciousness.
The girl had had the right of it though, and was in need of water. The Wisdom went back into the main room to fetch the pitcher and a mug, and sat herself next to the patient. “Child,” she said softly, laying a hand on her shoulder, “Here is your water…” She trailed off, realizing that the girl had most definitely passed out. Sighing, Sari put the cup down and once again to go to the kitchen to prepare what she needed to treat her unexpected surprise.
~*~*~*~*~*~
“Altercation, she says. Minor, she says. Hrmph!” Sari thought to herself as she worked on her unconcious patient. The Wisdom had been working on her for some time, all while trying to coax some water down the poor child’s throat. Besides the numerous cuts, bruises, and the fever to attend to, there was at least one broken rib. The girl had moaned at being moved, but the plaster had to be set to keep those ribs from shifting!
Satisfied with her work, Sari allowed herself a moment to get a tea for herself before returning to watch the patient. She had already prepared a mug with the appropriate herbs for when the girl woke up, and had the pitcher on hand.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Some time later, the girl started to come to. She touched the wet rag on her forehead hesitantly, and weakly turned her head towards the Wisdom. Sari smiled and rose, “Well child, I dislike treating people without even getting their name, but you’ll mend with some rest. I am going to go put the kettle on, and will be back shortly.”
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11 June 2008
Shutting the door lightly behind her, Sari moved the kettle over the fire and made her way to her storage cabinet. As she waited for the water to heat, she checked her stockpiles of various things, ”I’m getting low on sleepwell root; I shall have to find time to harvest more after this girl is resting more comfortably,” she thought to herself, somewhat abashed to be running low on something so needed at this moment. ”But isn’t it always like that, running out of what you need when you need it the most?” she mused rhetorically, chuckling softly to herself.
Closing the cabinet doors, she turned her attention back to the kettle. Smiling in satisfaction, she grabbed the toweling hanging near the fireplace and carefully lifted the hot kettle.
Pushing the door to the patient’s room open carefully with her ample hip, the child croaked out her name. “Dilora Fashelle”, she said, trailing off and turning her attention to a bit of sunshine breaking through the clouds, “I cannot begin to thank you enough.” Saerythra smiled at the girl as she sat down next to the bed and carefully poured the steaming hot water into the cup of herbs she had prepared earlier.
“Have you given me something to make me sleep?” the girl Dilora queried. Sari put down the kettle, “I realize that I asked your name and forgotten the courtesty of mine. I am Saerythra Al’Thorin, and I am obviously the Wisdom, as my mother and her mother were before me.” Gesturing to the cup, the Wisdom spoke again, “I’ve not given you anything to help you sleep yet; your body already knew that it needed the rest and did the job itself this time. This cup contains sleepwell root, as well as a few other things to help speed your healing. When you wake again, we’ll see about getting some food in you – I don’t think you’re quite up to a meal yet!”
She smiled, took the cup from the table, and proffered it to Dilora.