The bronze elf’s eyes barely stayed open as she skimmed the elegant script of the note. The candle light dimly lit her meager study. She looked at her candle to see if she had dozed off in her clerical business. With over half of it melted away, she groaned. Nara scrunched her nose in disgust at the words. Reports bored her more than staring at the ink that dried on the paper.
As she reached to dip her quill in the inkwell, frantic knocks erupted at her door. Her hand knocked over the inkwell and black ink spread across her desk. She quickly grabbed the source and rubbed her hand down her face. She prepared herself for bad news. If anyone came to get her at this time of night, something went terribly wrong.
Nara cleared her throat, “Who is it?”
“High Priestess,” A meek voice replied from beyond the door, “A cart has entered the town. It’s rushing towards the temple.”
“Who is it?”
“The guard saw red hair. We think it is Mira.”
“Oh!” Her pointy ears perked up with her smile, “Let me get changed. Irae, please grab the –”
The voice on the other side of the door cleared her throat, “She has… an elven man with her.”
“Well then,” Nara’s happy face twisted into an unladylike scowl, “Call for Sunodagh and the guards. Prepare yourself. We might need to get everyone—”
The woman hesitated to interrupt, “It looks as if she also has the two children with her.”
Nara tapped her chin thoughtfully. If the girl’s master demanded to go to the temple, why would he have Mira take the children as well? That didn’t make sense. She didn’t think her master knew of the two. Still, Vimgraunt temple’s High Priestess wanted to be on high alert.
“That does not change my statement,” She sighed, “Irae, grab the guards and have them prepare to fight.”
“Right away!” Footsteps fled down the hall.
Nara tried calming breaths to ease the tension in her chest. She opened the wardrobe in her personal room and took out a more official garment. If Mira had brought her master, he may find more sophisticated garments from a fellow elf as a common ground. The silky white dress gracefully flowed over her bronze skin. She pulled the tight sleeves up to her shoulder and reached for her jewelry.
Nara was a simple elven woman that did not care for the pampering a high priestess usually demanded. For temple and festivities, she absolutely dressed up and was adorned with the jewels and gold that were available for her position. Right now, she did so in case she had to appeal to the wicked man that kept Mira hostage.
She grabbed her blond hair and hoisted it above her bronzed shoulders to create a simple updo. Once she pulled the face paints out and started to apply them, another knock at the door signaled the guards’ arrival. She opened the door and six heavily armored guards knelt before her. Nara smiled softly and waved for them to stand.
“I’m sure Irae informed you of the situation,” She nodded curtly and looked over the men, “We will follow the girl’s orders. If it does not go well, escort the priestesses to a safe location.”
“Is young Mira come to visit again?” The older orc yawned, “I wanted to get to bed early today.”
She rolled her eyes, “Sunodagh, I’m terribly sorry our temple’s safety is low on your priority list.”
“I’m sure she could kill me in my sleep as easily as fighting me.”
As she walked down the long hall to the temple’s perish, Sunodagh grumbled behind her in his native tongue. She chuckled at the aging man’s attitude and prepared for what could be the final moments of her life. Nara knew that Mira’s master could bring her here to kill them. She spent the last few years sneaking away to spend time at the temple and with the children. If Mira’s master found out, there would be consequences.
Nara prepared for that scenario. That’s why she created two separate protocols for Mira’s arrival: with and without an elven man. The bronze elf did not know the master’s name, color, or anything other than he was an elf. Mira never shared more than that.
“High Priestess,” A pink half-elf ran up to the back of the group, “Can I accompany as well?”
“Irae, I’m sorry but I can’t allow it. Mira may need a moment to speak with us. If things don’t go smoothly, we cannot risk our temple’s healer,” Nara shook her head, “As soon as you’re allowed, you’ll see her.”
The woman nodded and the group walked towards the exit. Nara sighed and stepped into the temple’s grandest room. The white marble floors and pillars held up a gorgeously painted roof. The dark, wooden walls contrasted nicely as a backdrop to the shockingly white marble. Nara wanted it exactly as her mentor Renda dreamed of it.
At the large archway entrance, she stood with the temple guards arranged behind her. The day’s storm blew all of the courtyard lanterns dark. The grey sky flooded the air with heavy rain and static. On the other side of the courtyard, she saw a crudely made cart pulled by a horse. She wouldn’t have believed anyone was in the cart if she hadn’t seen the drenched patchwork cloak covering someone’s head. The hood of a cloak lowered, and red hair caught Nara’s attention.
“Hello and welcome!” Nara waved regally from the temple’s entrance, “It’s been many months since your last visit.”
Nara felt a hand fall on her shoulder. She turned to see Sunodagh squeeze her subtly. The yellow orc had been with Nara since she lost the Prophetess. He was one of the last ones alive that had been assigned to protect them that night. His faithful service was something she always noticed. In that moment, he probably felt exactly what she did: immense anxiety.
“It’s not easy to know tonight be your last,” He chuckled, “But, if she was going to attack us, I feel it would be different.”
“I think you’re right,” She nodded.
Mira swung herself from the cart and grabbed the horse’s reins. Nara swallowed the lump in her throat as she pulled the horse closer to the temple. Pallik and Tella held the blanket above themselves and covered a man laying at the floor of the cart. Mira stopped the horse and carriage at the bottom of the temple’s steps. She swept the water off her face as she examined the group of guards.
“Apologies for the late intrusion,” Mira bowed, “May we stay here? I have enough to pay.”
“Is he your master?” Nara pointed to the elven man.
Mira shook her head without standing, “No. He is a Travel Knight –some sort of mercenary group, from what I’ve gathered.”
On further inspection, Nara noticed the yellowish tint to his remarkably pale skin was not his natural coloring. She turned and grabbed a shield from Sunodagh and held it above her head as she ran down the stairs. Nara looked to the unconscious half elf and winced. Mira moved to her side and motioned the children to move closer.
She pulled Jonen to the edge of the cart, “He’s injured and may also have an infection. Tella put him to sleep.”
“That can’t be good,” Nara placed the back of her hand against Jonen’s forehead, “He’s extremely cold. Get Irae ready!”
Her order sent the guards back into the temple. Mira lifted Jonen from the cart and took him up the stairs towards the entrance. His feet bounced off each step as she carried the larger man. Nara walked beside them as the children scurried up behind her. The elf tried to move the shield to block the drizzle of rain from Mira as they walked.
“Don’t worry about it. I’m already wet.”
“How did he get injured? Never mind, don’t tell me,” Nara paused, “What injuries does he have?”
“Crushed Ankle. Broken ribs. Large skin gashes I stitched, and Tella restitched. Fractured arm, maybe?” Mira listed everything she could think of, “This is our third day traveling. He’s been injured for nearly two weeks know. I did everything I learned from Irae’s books, but it may have only slowed the infection.”
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“Two weeks?” Nara dramatically rubbed her face, “Well, I will put on tea and prepare myself for last rites, if needed.
“He is a fighter,” She grunted and sat Jonen against a pew, “If he isn’t already dead, I think he’ll make it.”
The elf grabbed Mira’s cloak and swept it from her shoulders. She noticed the torn edges and holes from the arrow. The woman wrang her curly hair out and looked down at the knight with a hollow expression. Tella and Pallik chatted as they dragged in their bags and sat on the pews nearby.
“What do you need?” Nara asked Mira.
“I have minor bruises from traveling. I am fine,” Her amber eyes looked back at the elf. I just need dry clothes and somewhere to put the horse.”
“The horse?” She blinked.
“Delpho lent me one to take the children here.”
“I will make sure someone shows the horse to the stable,” She stood up and reached for her, “Let’s get you warmed up and in dry clothes.”
“I insist that Jonen and Pallik receive attention first.”
“Pallik is injured?” Nara’s head whipped over to see the teen.
“Yeah. I got stabbed,” Pallik winced and grabbed his side, “I’m growing up fast, huh? I should be fine. Tella stitched me up.”
Nara rolled her eyes and shooed the boy to the healers. She looked to Mira and planted her hands on her hips.
“Mira, darling, do you also need to be healed?”
“No.”
“Are you hungry? Thirsty?”
“No.”
Nara looked at the quietly stubborn woman and rubbed a hand down her face. Mira looked over to her and pointed casually.
“There is ink on your face.”
“What?” She pulled her hand back and saw the stain, “Goddess above, I can’t catch a break.”
“Do you need me to clean?” Mira looked around, “I do not see a source.”
“I need you to relax, Mira,” She sighed.
“I am relaxed.”
Nara hated how the woman always seemed on edge. She knew why, but the shell of a woman lurking over the unconscious man worried her.
“You are soaking the aisle runners with mud and rainwater,” She teased the woman, “I can watch your acquaintance. When the healers get here, I will make sure they have the information.”
She looked down at the mess she made. Muddy boot prints from her own boots, as well as her companions, stomped across the floor. She met Nara’s emerald eyes with another stoic gaze.
“I can clean this before I go to sleep.”
“You’re my guest,” Nara waved the thought away, “Trust me to watch over, um –”
“Jonen.”
“Yes. Trust me to watch Jonen. You’ve done quite enough,” She looked over to Tella, “I’m sure Tella would love a hot bath too.”
Tella grinned, “That does sound nice! Food too. We haven’t eaten since this morning.”
Something in Mira’s body would not let her stray too far from Jonen. When he collapsed earlier in the rain, she did not feel well. Something was off and she felt responsible. The man said he trusted her. She wanted to keep that trust.
“I will wait for the healers,” Mira said sternly, “Then I will take my leave.”
“Do you know the man well?” Nara used the hem of her sleeve to clear water from his face, “Is he from the village?”
“No,” She shook her head, “He was kind to me. He is kind to Tella and Pallik.”
Tella broke the awkward silence, “He let me practice on him. And he tried to help me read.”
“Well, then,” The elf nodded, “He is welcome here as long as he needs.”
A group six women ran into the rom. All in various stages of dress due to the sudden call for healers at a terrible hour. Each chatted away frantically as they approached Jonen. Mira bowed to the pink half elf as she approached.
“This stitch spell is looking lovely, Tella,” Irae smiled at them, “Mira, your stitches are… less traumatic to the skin. You’re doing great.”
“Irae, I trust you to take care of this,” The stoic woman focused her amber eyes on the half elf, “Do not hesitate to ask questions.”
Mira walked into the hall without another word. She found Nara’s office and pilfered through the elf’s wardrobe to find a simple dress to wear until she washed hers in the morning. She took off her muddy boots and left them next to the high priestess’s basket of dirty clothes. She would do all the laundry to make up for the sudden appearance this late at night.
Mira snuck further down the hall to grab a few stale loaves of bread from the kitchen until a yellow orc stepped in front of her. He smiled proudly and his ivory tusks poked out from his bottom lip.
“Mira! What a surprise!” He chuckled, “Welcome back.”
“Sunodagh,” She bowed, “I grabbed some snacks for the children. They haven’t eaten since this morning.”
“What about you? Do you want me to make a quick meal for you all?” He raised an eyebrow and grabbed the bread from her hands, “You look worse than a drowned rat. I’m sure some food and good sleep will help out with that.”
“I have not earned—”
“You don’t need to earn your meals here, Mira,” He lightly tapped a fist against his shoulder, “If you feel like you need to, there will be some contracts to take tomorrow. Take one for me, deal?”
She lowered her head, “I can do that.”
“Just don’t get sick or Irae will never let me hear the end of it.”
“Your secret is safe with me, Sunodagh.”
“Go hit the baths and I’ll send some food in with the girl. How about that?” He chuckled, “I’m sure she’ll try to sneak into the infirmary tonight anyway.”
Mira smiled softly, “I assumed as much as well.”
She turned to walk opposite the kitchen. Back across the main area of the temple, the healers carried Jonen towards the infirmary. When she approached to offer help, many of the women gasped and tried to stay out of distant from her.
“Mira is not going to harm you. We need to focus on the patient!” Irae barked, “Get it together. We’ve got to carry him.”
“I can—”
“Mira, you need to let us handle it,” The pink half elf nodded, “Relax, okay?”
She pursed her lips and nodded curtly. She stepped further down the hall to the bathing chambers. As she opened the door, she tried to find any women inside. Once it was cleared, she placed the borrowed dress on a nearby bench and pulled her shirt over her head. She didn’t feel comfortable leaving her clothes so far away, but she could kill anyone that got too close to them if she needed to.
“No. No killing at the temple,” She whispered under her breath, “High Priestess is master of the temple.”
The room’s marble floors cut away to different sized pools of the swirling water. She wanted to learn how this magic worked one day to give herself this comfort more often. Perhaps her master would enjoy a swirling bath as well.
After Mira stripped, she stepped into the smallest pool of steaming water, she let her muscles relax and took in the scent of the herbal water. It wasn’t very wide, but the pool was deep enough to come to her waist as she stood. She squatted down to let her hair float as the water hit her chin. After a day of frantic travel in the cold rain, the bubbling water felt angelic against her skin. Her clenched muscles relaxed as she allowed herself the mercy of a hot bath.
It was nearly relaxing. She dunked her head beneath the surface. She scratched her jagged fingernails against her skin to remove the dirt and grime.
“Mira!” Tella threw the door to the women’s bath open, “Jonen’s awake!”
She breached the surface of the water to take a breath, “Thank you for letting me.”
Mira soaked her shoulders in the bubbly, scented water. She much preferred these warm baths over the cold creeks she typically bathed in. Instead of heating the water herself, the already pleasant pool eased her aches from traveling and fighting. The closed wound on her shoulder no longer tugged incessantly at her muscles.
As she floated towards the edge of the pool, Tella dipped her muddy feet into the bath and watched the dirt swirl away. The girl sighed heavily and looked at Mira.
“I don’t want to be a healer anymore. It’s too hard. I can’t fix bones. I can’t keep my one spell long enough,” She crossed her arms, “How am I supposed to heal if I can’t do basic things?”
“It’ll be easier the more you practice,” Mira playfully splashed water at the girl, “Besides, it would be a waste of your gifts. You make a wonderful healer.”
“Maybe I’m supposed to use my magic for something else,” She scratched at her scalp, “I could be a warrior too.”
“Little one,” The woman stared at her, “No. You do not need to see what I have. You’re still too young to properly control your magic. You will make a fine healer.”
“Pallik is training with the guards tomorrow,” Tella frowned, “Why can’t I learn battle magic like you?”
“I forbid it,” Mira stood in the bath.
Tella uncomfortably squirmed as she looked away. Deep scars, burns, and old wounds covered most of her torso. Mira strained the water from her hair and waited for Tella to continue arguing. She pulled herself from the pool of water and walked towards her towel. Tella lowered her head and Mira knew she made her point.
“You know what it looks like. You see how I am,” She wrapped the towel around herself, “You do not need to risk yourself that way. Many would not have lived through any of these wounds.”
She walked over to the girl and tussled her hair playfully.
“I look to your future,” Mira smiled as the girl looked at her, “Healers can always find work. You can master mundane and magic arts of healing. You’d never have to worry about food or housing again.”
She nodded, “I understand.”
“Besides,” Mira patted her shoulder, “Someone is going to have to stitch up Pallik, yeah? We both know he’s not going to practice enough to stop someone from hitting him.”
The girl giggled at the thought and waited for Mira to get dressed. After she closed the last clasp on the simple green gown, Tella grabbed her hand and dragged her towards the sleeping quarters. She was exhausted but did not expect much sleep with her young friend as excited as she was.
“Can we share a cot tonight?” Tella asked.
“We hardly fit in one together,” She chuckled at the smiling girl, “But yes, we can.”
Tella flung the door to the women’s sleeping quarters open with an infuriating audacity to the already sleeping women. The groans of displeasure from the others did nothing to phase the young girl’s happiness.
The pillows and blankets covered the darkened room. Mira enjoyed the comforts that the temple provided. After all, their goddess emphasized comfort and good will. She often dreamed of feather-stuffed pillows and plush blankets in the bed her master allowed her to sleep in. In this room, multiple mattresses littered the floor to sleep on. Tella claimed one such mattress at the entrance of the room.
“We cannot stay up talking,” Mira whispered, “We both need our rest.”
“I know,” Tella pulled the blankets off their mattress and swung them over the pair, “I still get nightmares sometimes. It helps if you’re here.”
Mira nodded and tucked her into the blankets. The girl rested her head on Mira’s arm and yawned. Even though the child would squirm and cry in her dreams, Mira knew this would be the best rest she would get in a long time.
“Will he come back?” Tella whispered, “The glowy eyed man?”
“Not unless he needs to,” The stabbing guiled echoed in her heart.
“Is he really a good man?”
“I don’t think so.”
“I don’t trust him.”
Mira thought of Pallik’s rage when he found out she was the wraith. He recovered much quicker than she imagined. She knew the young girl would find out one day and wondered what her reaction would be.
“If he does, I will do my best to protect you from him,” She brushed her fingers through the girl’s hair.
“Thank you, Mira,” Tella mumbled, “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, little one.”