The Healing Touch(open to one)

Kingdom of Robar

25 years ago

"Are you sure this is the wisest course of action, husband?" Queen Noel asked her husband as she cradled their infant son to her breast, the young heir's birthmark standing out on his thigh for the entire world to see. It was not nearly as shocking as the thick streaks of gold that ran through the infant's black hair. By themselves they were innocuous, but together they were an ill omen. King Victor's adviser, and brother had come upon an old and dusty scroll amongst the family library. The scroll had contained a prophecy stating that within their line a boy would be born with the colors and the mark of the Gryphon upon him. They would mark him for death so long as the creatures lived. Peytor of course acting like any loving uncle and brother had urged his brother to send more than enough men to wipe out the Gryphons that lived upon their lands. In the dead of winter the creatures preferred to stay on the ground, making them vulnerable and open to attack.

"Of course my love. When has Peytor ever led us astray? I will not let any harm come to our son." Victor reached out to run his hand down her cheek. "He will be safe."

Noel sighed and looked away from the man she loved, "I want him safe as well, but there must be some other way. To destroy all of them? Just for him? It just isn't right!" Stefan fussed in her arms but settled back down and resumed nursing.

"Do you not think I know this Noel? This has tormented me from the moment Peytor told me what must be done to ensure our son's safety. If there was another way, I swear to you Noel I would gladly do it. There is no going back now. The men have already been dispatched." King Victor rose to his feet and went to stand beside the mantel. The wood in the fire crackled and popped silently. However the silence of the moment was broken when young Stefan suddenly pushed away from his mother's breast and let an ear splitting wail. Queen Noel did her best to calm the child but it took nearly an hour for his cries to finally cease.

Little did either noble, know that the source of the babe's discomfort was the very action his father was under the impression would save his son's life in the end. When the blade had fallen, spilling the blood of the first Gryphon, the bond the creatures had with the young prince pulled tight. Their anguish was his anguish. The only small mercy was that the slaughter was brief. Miles away Peytor sat upon his mount with a smirk. All the pieces were falling into place, with the Gryphons eliminated, only one thing stood between him and the crown. His nephew,Stefan. It would be easy enough to be rid of the boy between now and future. First however his fool of a brother and his simpering wife would have to be dealt with. Grabbing the reins, the King's adviser and and brother turned his horse and headed home. What Peytor didn't see though was that one of the soldiers set about skinning one of the large males they had brought down. The pelt was black and gold, like the hair of their future king. It and one of its large claws would make an excellent present for the prince. If any knew that their actions would set in motion the near downfall of their kingdom, they would have turned their sword upon the Regent. Instead they set about piling up the bodies to burn.

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Time passed however and Stefan would grown into a strong and brave young man. A young man who had grown up with the pelt of a Gryphon upon his bed and its claw hanging around his neck. Sickness and serious injury always seemed to pass him by. When other were taking a break, close to exhaustion, Stefan was pushing himself further and further.

That all changed when on the night of Stefan's 25th birthday, the prince fell deathly ill. Peytor's plan was starting to blossom. 12 years ago, Queen Noel had tragically died when her dragonsteed had bolted, started by a large hawk, and threw her. Her neck was broken instantly. Victor without his wife was near inconsolable. It left the opening for Peytor to practically run the kingdom through his brother and to sit back and wait for the chance to kill both him and Stefan. What he did not count on however was Stefan being gravely injured while out in battle. Stefan was brought home with a wound that would not heal, but he would not perish either. The pelt on his bed kept him alive, but it was no longer enough. During the battle the claw that hung around his neck was torn from his throat, leaving him vulnerable.

It was an opening Peytor was willing to exploit and might have, had not one of his brother's men mentioned that he had heard of a young healer woman, about Stefan's age who could reportedly heal any wound. Victor had been almost rabid as he sent his men out to find this healer. To find her and to bring her back by force if need be.

A day and half later they returned with a very frighted Gyda, her amber eyes wide with fear as she had no idea why she had been taken from her home, by force. The men all but dropped her in front of the king, her cloak falling about her in a thick red cloud. Gyda had the sort of face men would die for, with soft full lips that looked like Rose petals. Slowly she looked around the throne room, trying to figure out why she was there and what would happen to her. Gyda had been out gathering herbs when the men had taken her.

"Do you know why you are here?"

"No my lord."Gyda shook her head, plae blond almost silver locks bouncing about.

"I have heard you can heal any wound. Stop any illness in its tracks. My son lingers at death's door. You will heal him or your will die." This was not the King the villagers had loved and supported for so many years.

"Now brother we have only heard of her skills, should we risk Stefan's life on a rumor?" Peytor stared at her carefully. There was something about the girl, he just couldn't put his finger on it.

"You are right brother. Kalvin, come here," Victor waved over one of the knights who had brought her to him. In the bright torch light it was clear to see his wrist was badly broken. "Heal him," the king's words left no room for her to refuse and so Gyda rose to her feet and walked over to the man. Taking his left hand in both of hers, Gyda closed her eyes. Her hands began to glow as the young woman drew in a deep breath. She didn't hear the gasps and oaths around her as the cloak feel from her shoulders, as her golden wings spread. Without her cloak both her wings and and the very lion like tail that hung at her waist were visible.

There came a soft sound as flesh and bone adjusted and moved back into their proper place. Dropping Kalvin's hand from her warm grasp, Gyda nodded softly. "It is done."

"And better than it was before, my King." Kalvin held his hand up for inspection, going so far as to pull his sleeve up, showing that all bruising was gone as well. "My lord, it was no rumor. She can heal Stefan."

"No!" All eyes went to Peytor. "My king, brother, look at the girl. She has Gryphon blood in her. those wings, that tail. She cannot be allowed near Stefan. Think of the prophecy."

"Damn the prophecy. It was not she who dealt the blow to my son. Silence yourself Peytor. This girl will heal my son AND she will keep him alive. Or she will join her long dead kin." Rising from his chair Victor stepped down from the dais. "Bring her," Gyda's arms were grabbed and she was lead behind the king to Stefan's room. His nurse sat beside his bed, washing the sweat from his brown as he lay upon the bed. His normally tanned skin, looking pale and sallow. Gyda's nose curled slightly. The smell of death hung about the room. "You will heal him, girl or I swear on his mother's grave I will slit your throat myself."

Gyda swallowed, she believed every word from him. "I shall do my best, but this, this is more than I have handled before my king." The hem of her dark green dress swept over the floor, as she moved towards the bed. For the moment she took no notice of the pelt covering the lower half of the bed and Stefan's body. Now that she was closer, Gyda knew she could not heal Stefan all at once. "My lord, he is weak. I cannot heal him all at once, but I can break his fever. The wound will take time though. The blade that struck him was poisoned," She reached out and pulled the bandage back showing where the veins under his flesh had turn black. The smell was stronger as well from the wound, it almost made her recoil. She would need to heal him over a long period of time and would need many herbs as well to draw the poison from his body.

"Do it."

Nodding Gyda, replaced the bandage and laid her hand over Stefan's forehead. As before her hand glowed, her healing ability pouring into his body to break the hold of the fever on his body. When she dropped her hand, the color had returned to Stefan's skin and his breathing had evened out. He would live, for now, but Gyda knew her freedom was long gone. Stefan's eyes fluttered and he moaned softly as Gyda began to return to her feet. Unexpectedly his left hand rose from the bed to grab hers, preventing her retreat. Green eyes opened and locked up her. Gyda was going nowhere.

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ooc: Looking for someone to play Stefan. Its your choice to pick things up from this moment or days later after Stefan has begun his road to recovery and is getting used to the daily healing sessions with Gyda. Stefan is a good guy at heart and would rather see her free, but knows his father will not allow her to leave.

Stefan lay dreaming on the bed as the poison coursed though is body, spreading with every beat of his heart. His dreams were of his mothers death and how he felt after she died. A feeling of dread and sadness overcame his body, though it didn't show on the outside. On the inside though he was weeping for her, wanting to see her again, wanting to just hold her one more time, to tell her he loved her. His soul was heavy with greif and then...then it disappeared.

A warm feeling coursed though his body, momentairly replacing the pain of the poison killing his cells, but it returned but the heat of his body did not. He was able to stop dreaming, and his soul stopped reliving the death of his mother. As he started to come back to the present he felt a hand pull from his head and he reached out to take a woman's hand. His eyes opened weakly but his vision was blurry.

"Who...who's there" He said weakly still holding the girls hand. His vision kind of cleared and he saw the outline of a stunning girl standing next to his bed, her hand in his. "Did...did you just...touch me" he said a fit of coughing disturbing his speech and then he cried out in pain, the wound on his body leaking a little blood as his body spazumed with the coughs.

OOC: (Sorry it took me so long to post)

Gyda slowly sat back down on the bed, careful not to jostle him. "I broke your fever. My name is Gyda." She slowly twisted her hand out of his grasp as she picked up the rag from the bowl of water beside the bed and peeled back the bandage over the wound. The blood oozing forth was still dark, but not as dark as before. At least with his fever broken, his body could rest and heal. "This may hurt a little." As much as she hated to hurt her patients, Gyda knew sometimes healing was a painful process. She pressed the wet cloth to the wound firmly, forcing the water into the wound to flush the old and fresh blood out.

Turning her head she turned and looked at the King, father to the man beside her."The poison has done much damage to his body. I am surprised he has lived this long. This is will take days and I will need my herbs. Your men wouldn't give me time to collect my things." As she turned back to Stefan she could hear Victor directing the men back to her home.

"Will he live?" It was now that she could hear the true concern, in the older man's voice. There was much pain between the pair, she could feel it and for the moment she was willing to forgive the rough way she had been brought here.

"He has managed to live this long, so yes. I cannot promise that he will be up and back to full strength in just a day though. I need fresh bandages, as well." Looking back at Stefan, she brushed the hair back from his brow. "How do you feel?" Gyda knew he probably felt as bad as he could possibly get, without the fever.

Stefan groaned loudly as she pressed on the wound but he knew it had to be done. "Thank you...you ended the dreams" He says and then coughed a little, blood coming out of the sore. The rag she pressed to his wound was now soaked in blood and more seemed to be coming out. He smiled at her and put his hand over her's on his side. "Thank you for your help, it hurts a lot but I hope I shall make it" he says and then turns and goes back to sleep. This time no dreams haunted him and he slept somewhat soundly though his

The king looks at the rag and grows worried "Are you worried about the bleeding, I mean can't he bleed to death?" He asked, his words hurried. He was worried he was going to lose him. First his wife and now his son...his family lay shattered, his soul broken with them. On the outside he presents an hair of confidence, as his subjects needed him to, but internally he was tearing apart with the death that seemed to surround him.

"Lord, we will return with the supplies by nightfall" Kelvin said and then ordered his men to follow, taking his place as head knight now that his wrist was healed. The men followed out of the room and left the King there alone with his brother and the healer.

"Most of this is old blood, that needs to be cleaned out. As I said if he was going to die, he would have by now. For some reason he's been holding on between life and death. At least now he can actually sleep. In the morning he will be hungry. Nothing heavy and no wine." Gyda rinsed both the rag and her hand on the blow. Her palm looked almost gray from the slight coating of black blood. "Once the veins are no longer black I can close the wound, but the bad blood must come out first."

Gyda continued to flush the wound until it was nothing but fresh, inky blood oozing forth. Stefan's nurse brought over fresh bandages and together the redressed the wound. Gyda sighed softly and looked at the two men. While the king's stance had relaxed somewhat. Peytor though was still looking at her as if he wanted to toss her from the very balcony.

"How is it that you are half Gryphon? Every last one was killed 25 years ago. Or see we though," His words were cold and even.

"My mother was human. She had for a time been mated to a Gryphon. He never returned from his clan one night and my mother raised me as best she could." Gyda didn't want to dwell on that part of her life. Her mother had struggled to raise her daughter and more so when she had come into her heritage. Looking down she finally did take notice of the pelt on the bed. She swallowed softly and curled her fingers into her palms, so badly did she want to reach out and run her fingers through the short fur.

"Fair enough young lady. Marta will be at your assistance should you need her. There is an adjoining room to the left, for now you will share quarters with my son."

"Yes, my lord." Gyda nodded to them both as both men left, though King Victor took the time to lay his hand on his son's shoulder briefly. Once they were gone Gyda rose from the bed and went to stand beside the window. Pulling her cloak tightly around her she sighed. Never before had her life been not her own to do as she wish, but for however long, she was to be healer to the Prince. And the prince alone it seemed.

The nurse walked over to her and smiled "I know this is going to take some getting used to, I to was brought here by force, but you will see its really not all bad. The king is rather kind once you get to know him...he's just been out of sorts since his wife died...and now Stefan..." The nurses words stopped and she covered her mouth a little and held back some tears. "But your here to help him, and I know you will. Is there anything you will be needing? As his majesty said I am here to assist you."

Meanwhile Peytor marched off to his room, knowing his idiot brother wouldn't mind him not reporting to duty. He was outraged that they had missed this offspring of the gryphins and that she was now here, healing the one person he needed to die. "What am I going to do" He said to himself once he was in his room. "I need to think....think..." he said as he hit himself in the head. "She can not succeed...but how do I stop her..." He had no idea's right now but he knew he would soon come up with a great plan.

The kings men road long and hard though the fading afternoon hours and into the night to get the girl her supplies. They knew that they to would end up in the gallows if they didn't do everything in there power to see that prince Stefan was well. They all knew what happened to the men that brought the king the news of his wives death...they heads still hung on pikes at the entrance to the castle. It was long after sunset when they arrived back in the princes room with all the herbs and supplies they could find in Gyda's simple hut.

"This is all there was, if you need anything else, we will be glad to bring it to you, just let us know" Kelven the healed knight spoke as he handed her the basket full of supplies and then him and his men took there leave from his room, though he took up guard outside of the doors of the room.

(OOC: Hope you don't mind me controlling these people, but I didn't know what else to post...lol).

Gyda nodded softly to the nurse before returning her gaze to the window. She didn't look at Stefan because of the pelt. It was the only thing about the room that disturbed her, but it wasn't her place to try and remove it. when the men returned with her basket she nodded to them, "Thank you." Once they left Gyda moved over by the fire and sat down. Thankfully nothing was ruined, and they had collected anything that had fallen from the basket as well, obvious from the dirt on some of the items.

As she went through everything, Gyda realized that without knowing what poisoned was used,she wouldn't be able to go too advanced with anything for him to eat or drink. Turning to the nurse she said, "Could you bring me a fresh bowl of water please?" The woman nodded and went to fetch it while Gyda worked on a quick poultice. It would numb most of the pain from the wound as well as work on drawing more of the poison from him.

Using the mortar and pestle she always carried with her and the water once the nurse returned, Gydra ground up several fresh and dried herbs together until she had a thick paste. Once that was ready she spread it over a pile of bandage that she folded together. As gently as she could she pressed the poultice to the wound and then re-wrapped the bandage around Stefan's body. Sighing softly she made sure his fever had not returned before she said, "I think I will get some sleep. If he become feverish again, come and get me." With one more nod towards the other woman, Gyda headed for the room she had been told was hers and laid down upon her stomach, since sleeping on her back was difficult do to her wings and the size of them.

The morning sun was low in the air when Stefan woke up, groaning with the pain of the poison starting to leave his body. He layed there wondering what perminant damage to his organs was done. He noticed he hadn't gone to the bathroom in a while, and felt no urge to do so now and that worried him slightly. Though he also couldn't remember the last time he had anything to either or drink either so the lack of waste kind of made sense to him. He laid there trying to get used to the pain but it was still almost unbearable.

The nurse was the first one to notice he was awake, having fallen asleep at his bedside. She smiled at him "Glad your awake, do you require anything my lord" she reached for a cloth and dipped it in the bowl of water that sat by his bed and then applied it to his head, though his fever hadn't returned.

"No other than for this pain to go away" he said and then another coughing fit came over him and he doubled over in pain, now being able to move that much to double over. His eyes watered as the pain coursed over him, first from the coughing and now from moving the muscles around the wound. He slowly moved back into his normal laying position and took a few deep breaths, the pain taking his breath away earlier.

"Okay...coughing is not a good idea" he said. The nurse got up and tried to wake Gyda, shaking her shoulder. "Miss, come the prince is up" She said as she shook Gyda awake.

Gyda woke almost instantly, nodding to the nurse she stretched and yawned before slipping from the bed. She pulled her cloak around her shoulders a bit more tightly, simply because not everyone reacted well to the sight of her wings and tail. They were clear reminders that she wasn't fully human. Stefan was in the middle of a coughing fit when she entered the room. Walking over to the basket that she picked it up and went to his side. "Good morning your highness," sitting in the chair she sifted through its contents before pulling out a small vial. Pulling the stopper out Gyda held it out to him, the scent of honey and wild flowers wafting out gently. "This will help with the cough and the pain."

He looked infinitely better that when she had seen him last night. Of course last night he was trapped between life and death as well. "How do you feel this morning?" Gyda of course had no clue that Stefan had been as she found him last night for nearly a week. If he was up to it she would work on purging more of the poison from him, otherwise she would work on the rest of him that needed tending.

Stefan continued to cough for another minute before he reached up and took the vial and took a swig from it, coughing a little and then smiled at her "thanks, that fit was much shorter" he said and then added "I am feeling a little better, my side still hurts and the stuff you put on it seems to be burning now" he said "But I think I'm up to a little more treatment if you are up to it."

The nurse comes over and puts her hand on his cheek "Good his fever hasn't returned, is there anything that I can get either of you?" Stefan looked at her and smiled "yes I could use something to drink thanks, its been a few days on just ice chips I think I'm ready for something more" he said.

Gyda nodded, "Bring him some broth as well. I'll have whatever is in the kitchen." Taking the vial back she replaced the stopper and moved over onto the bed, and proceeded to check his wound. "The burning means its working," pulling the bundle of gauze away, her lip curled a bit as she shook her head. What had been green and blue last night was now coated in a black film. " A couple more days of this and we should be able to close the wound."

Grabbing her bowl Gyda began to make up a fresh paste while Stefan's nurse went to fetch their breakfast. "How did you come to have the skin of a Gryphon? They've been dead for about as long as we've both been alive." Stefan of course had no clue about what she was, so Gyda new her question came off as simple curiosity. As she ground the herbs up , she rolled her shoulders, wanting so badly to stretch her wings out. The bed had been soft, but being away from home always stressed the half breed.

(SORRY live has been crazy lately but things are calm now)

He hissed a little as the gauze stuck to his skin a little, the dried blood holding it to him. "Well thats good" he said turning his head and smiling weakly at her.

"It was a present from one of my dads men, when he ordered that all the gryphon's killed, one of his men made this for me." Stefan then pushed it down a little and watched as she made the paste to put on his side, and he hissed again as she gently applied it to his wound.

The nurse came back a few minutes later, having a bowl of broth for him and a plate of eggs for Gyda. "I hope you like eggs" She says and waits for her to be done treating the wound before handing her the plate of eggs and a glass of freshed squeezed berry juice. She then sat on the other side of Stefan and started to feed him the broth.

Gyda just nodded as she secured the gauze pad against his side. No one really knew why the king had ordered the destruction of the Gryphons but it had been done and everyone went on as if it hadn't mattered. To them maybe not Maybe for them, but for her mother it meant living without the male she loved and the father of her child and for Gyda it had meant learning about herself with nothing but her mother's memory to rely on. Once she was done with Stefan for the moment she turn her attention to the plate of food and set about eating.

She wanted to ask the prince if he knew why it had been done, but she doubted he knew. Or rather knew the truth of it anyways. Once she was done eating Gyda drained the glass of juice down and set everything to the side. Careful so that she didn't jostle Stefan she ran her fingers along the remaining black veins, "The poison is receding. Two more days and it should be gone from your system completely. I still do not understand why you aren't dead. Something this strong would have brought down an army of men."

He ate his soup and smiled at his nurse as Gyda finished threating his wounds. He ate all of the broth and when Gyda was done eating the nurse took the dishes back to the kitchen. Stefan stiffened as he felt Gyda's fingers running over his blackened vains and he smiled weakly at her "Well I guess thats good news" he said and then the nurse returned.

She saw Gyda running her fingers over Stefan and felt a quick rush of jelousy run over her but she soon ignored it. "He is an extrodinary man with the strength and wisdom of an entire army and it helped that he had be by his side" the nurse spoke, a hint of her jelousy lingering in her words. Stefan blushed as the nurse spoke "I am not that powerful and if you were that great then why is Gyda sitting here" he said teasing the nurse a little. She just rolled her eyes and returned to sitting beside him on the bed, being careful not to josle his body.

"So what now" The nurse asked Gyda.

Gyda could hear the jealousy in the woman's voice, it was clear she felt something for the prince and didn't like the way Gyda had made her comment. Taking a breath she smiled at the other young woman, "I meant no disrespect to your own skills. I only meant that for whatever reason Fate has sought to spare the Prince where others would have been dead before they could leave the field of battle. As for now, now we try and get Stefan on his feet."

She turned and nodded to the prince, "I don't think you will be fighting any battles soon, but I am sure you would at least like to get out of this bed and into some fresh clothes. " A part of her was rather surprised that his father had not been by yet, but who was she to judge? Being in the home of the man responsible for her father's murder was unnerving. The Gryphon inside of her wanted to be far from this place, but also revenge. The human half however wanted to know why he had felt the need to slay those who had never been a threat to him or the kingdom.

Lost in though her hand had began to slowly stroke over the pelt on Stefan's bed. The wings had been removed but the softer fur and feather fluff still remained near the shoulders. Her own wings itched for a stretch, tired of being restrained by her cloak. With a sigh Gyda undid the tie of the cloak as she stood and stretched. "I think some fresh air would do us both some good." Sooner or later both would have found out about what she was, so sooner won out. The feathers were black with gold and bronze tips, they were also rather small, more suited to letting her glide at low heights rather than being able to take full wing like her dead kin. When she sat down her tail curled into her lap, the fur just a few shades darker than her own light blond hair.

*bump*