People gasped! Zheien, anyway. Via waved, and every Esta Faho Zheien immediately yawned, and fell asleep! Wasa Mai leaned against Via, and another him carried him into the yellow mud. The ones on their feet had an Ishah healer to scoop him up and put him in the muds. Everyone got a leisurely mud bath, and got carried into the yellow building.

I was shocked that a good many of the Ishah also went to sleep. So it works on anyone. As he said, another Ishah healer came to work in his place before he laid down, often where he was, even on a cael. Animal tenders seemed to just walk by the cael until a healer came. Some went in the festival, that was still going.

An Elshar near us also got zapped. He wore a diplomat’s uniform. His healer put him on a cael, put a long, white tunic on him, and the cael walked to an Elshar lady carrying a tray. She gave it to another lady and climbed up beside him to hold him.

Several Elshar artisans—red robes—carried sleeping people to healers with confused looks, and Ishah healers carried them in, too. Some just looked sleepy until a healer picked ‘em up and they went to sleep, too.

I laughed. “This is like something out of Sleeping Beauty!” Then I had to explain the fairy tale about the princess cursed to die if she pricked her finger on a spinning wheel’s spindle, but the fairy’s blessing just made the whole kingdom sleep until true love’s kiss woke her.

One of the diplomats got a mischievous look and kissed his sleeping wife’s forehead. “Ah, she is immune to the True Love’s Kiss! Or perhaps, my love is nae true enough—”

She laughed and pulled him down, then fell asleep again.

“O! He works! I am true love!” He laughed and held her. Then he, too, fell asleep.

I was pretty tired by this time, so I pulled Farley close and put my head down.

I am unwell!

I almost missed that bare whisper from Farley’s mind! “Love, it’s safe here.”

A diplomat put his hand on Farley’s forehead. “Dear friend, I am Fespa, Diplomat Of Par Vu, Parveia, and I am rested, and well. Sleep long. I am here to watch, in Galarsmen’s Chambers Of Rainbow.”

“Rainbow?” He struggled to open his eyes, and his healer hummed. His body went limp, but I felt that humming in his mind, too, and he didn’t want to listen. So I sang. When he heard me, the panic faded and he relaxed.

Another girl came over and sang. This one could sing opera! She looked a little like Sarah Brightman with black curls and light blue eyes.

I learned quite a few Zheien songs in Rainbow, but when I ran out of them, I sang a little Ode To Joy, and he relaxed more. But there was one that I liked that Molly sang a lot, when she wasn’t singing stupid commercial jingles.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Sunshine and butterflies

Free wings under blue skies

Listen to my heart rise

It sings for you.

She knew all the verses and I learned ‘em. When I got too tired to sing, I laid down and went to sleep.

I startled when his healer sat him up. “Oh, don’t worry. I’m just going to feed him and let him wake briefly. Zheien get scared when they sleep too long.” This fella was Elshar.

Farley looked at him and got teary. “Siasch? Why are you here?”

He laughed. “Oh, one of his clones liked learning healing, and I’m his brother! If you’d rather have a Zheien, I have plenty of friends.”

“I wish nae to offend, but I nae see Kono or Konomai.”

“They are on this bed. Milly, is Konomai ready to eat?”

A clone of Molly sat sleepy Konomai up. He reached for Farley and she helped him hug. “Wake me! I have to watch Farley!”

“Dear friend, if you need rest, I have healing if I need it.” He stroked his head.

Konomai barely touched his arm. “O, nae sweat on you, dear friend?” His head nodded.

“I feel mostly well, though sleep pulls.”

“Want me to sing a blessing? You need a lot more sleep—”

“Must I?” Konomai wept.

Farley stroked his head. “O, sleep can be a trial, but did you ever rest so well as we did? Ella’s singing is very well. Sing, dear wife, sing us a blessing!”

Zheien sing blessings. That seemed really weird, but I gave it a shot. Used the tune from “A Child’s Prayer”. I’m not good at poetry, so I didn’t try to rhyme but just sang the words that I would’ve just spoken. I asked Heavenly Father for healing for all of Esta Faho, and comfort for everyone who was scared. But I used Zheien words so people who didn’t know ‘Areonian’ would understand. Zheien is naturally poetic.

I saw smiles on a lot of ‘em when I lifted my head. We had festival pastries. Siasch knew how they tasted, for Elshars, which worked for me, and for Zheien, which surprised Farley! We all shared Farley’s faves until he wheezed and Siasch made him stop.

“O, let him eat. Some heating heals a body.” Konomai’s remark made Siasch frown.

“If his body heats, it’s a sign that his absorptive chambers are damaged, and it’ll damage them more! This isn’t a mission, my sons. Stop when there is discomfort and ask for healing! I’m bringing Pirad.”

Konomai got upset. “I am his healer, and know what is well for him!” He kept nodding.

Pirad just appeared on the bed, without a portal, kneeling in front of us. “Farley, if you have discomforts, ask for me. I often need easier work!”

“I need nae healing, Pirad, is only a little discomfort—”