Of the Fells

[KieranSoares]

Just as Valentina finished, a light knock sounded on the door. "Val, love," Theo said softly. "When yer done, I need ya in the village." Someone must've woken him with an eme rgency.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Saddle Raul. I'll be right there." Valentina called as she glanced towards Sarin. "He should sleep for a while longer. If he wakes and he seems strong enough to drink something, he can have some more beef broth or a mug of tea. If his breathing seems labored, send for me right away. Do not wait."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'll keep a close eye on him. Go, many more people need you." Sarin ushered her on, remaining close to Shia. Theo had already hurried down the hall to get Raul. He'd taken a moment to put Alex in Ian's care once more.

 

[heartofcourage]

"He won't stay very long with Ian. We'll have to be quick." Valentina said as she met Theo at the stables, knowing that Alex was head strong enough to try and follow them to the village if he was given the chance. "Hopefully I will not have to do any more surgeries while we're here, but I'm not confident."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Neither am I, love. Looks like some're able t'get over it alright if they can breathe, but others' throats close up completely. I told th' tribal healers t'use those reeds you use as breathin' tubes t'keep a few people alive til we can get there."

 

[heartofcourage]

Valentina nodded as they kicked the horses into a gallop towards the village. She hopes for the best, but prepared for the worst. She visited the very critical as soon as they made it. Some were children, simply too small to fight. She could have to fight for them. Some were elderly, too tired to continue. She showed those that were willing how to care for everyone.

 

[KieranSoares]

By sunrise, Valentina had found two healers able to operate on patients confidently, and there had only been two deaths; an elderly couple whose age meant they simply couldn't hold out long enough for Valentina to get to them. Children came first among the Hirim, elders second and everyone else last. But thankfully most of the tribe had been moved away for their safety and less than thirty had been infected. By dawn, only a handful were still waiting for treatment, being the least severe cases. Theo finally got Valentina to stop and take a rest for a bit.

 

[heartofcourage]

Valentina sat under a shade tree, drinking from a water skin and eating a hunk of bread and cheese. She wasn't hungry, but she knew she needed to keep her strength up. She was just resting against the broad trunk of the tree when she heard the sound of a horse approaching. Opening her eyes, she saw Ian with Alex in the saddle.

"Bounjorno, bambino." Valentina said with a smile at seeing her little boy

 

[KieranSoares]

Ian helped Alex down and the boy quickly scampered to Valentina's side. "Mama, you forgot this." He laid a small box in her lap. It was a box of rolls of extra bandages. At the rate she was going through them, she'd need them

 

[heartofcourage]

"Thank you, bambino." Valentina said as she drew Alex in to kiss him. "Would you like to help me this afternoon? I'm sure Ian has better things to tend to and I think you could handle holding my satchel."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I wouldn't be in the way?" He asked softly.

Ian smiled down at Alex. "That's a lovely little lad ye've got there, Miss Val. Polite as can be."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Not if you are an extra good listener." Valentina said as Alex asked her about being in the way. "And I know that you are always a good listener."

Valentina smiled at Ian as he complimented Alex. "Thank you. He is certainly the brightest spot of my life right now."

 

[KieranSoares]

Ian let them be and Alex looked up at Valentina once more. "Shia's doing better, I think. I saw Sarin, and she was smiling."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Mama had to do surgery this morning on him. He should be much better now." Valentina said as she pulled Alex into her lap and offered him some of the bread and cheese that she had. "Did you eat lunch, bambino? I have some sweets in my satchel if you would like one."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'm okay," he assured her, nibbling on the bread and cheese. He hadn't shown much of a love for sweet things like other children. "Ian says the werefolk are getting sick... Why?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"There's a nasty illness that makes them very weak. Sometimes even I can't help them when they are that ill." Valentina said softly as Alex asked her a difficult question. "A healer sometimes can't solve everything, even if we really wish that we could."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Is it what Ma had?" Alex asked quietly after a long pause. His mother's death was probably what made him so interested in Valentina's work.

 

[heartofcourage]

"No, amore." Valentina said softly as Alex inquired about his mother. "Your Ma had cancer, which is a nasty beast entirely different from this. There was nothing we could do to help her. She hung on for you, though. She obviously loved you very, very much."

 

[KieranSoares]

Alex nodded and looked at the ground for a moment, thinking. "Will I get sick from being around them? Will you or Da?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"No, love. Only were folk can get sick from this." Valentina said as she let Alex voice his concerns. "Papa taught me long ago how to treat people in a safe way. I hardly get sick from the people that I take care of. This is certainly something that won't take me or your Da away from you."

 

[KieranSoares]

Finally soothed, Alex curled a little closer against Valentina. He didn't have to say it for her to know it had been his greatest concern when he'd learned they were going to treat a plague. But thanks to the immune werefolk's quick reaction and Theo's aid in making a quarantine, it hadn't become an epidemic and no new cases had sprung up since their arrival.

 

[heartofcourage]

When Valentina returned to the keep that evening, she made sure to give Alex all of the attention that he needed and wanted. With Theo, the trio walked towards the loch on the rolling hills. She saw Alex's imagination running away with the possibilities of what he saw around him. He clutched his wooden dragon close, eyes peeled for a glimpse of the great green monster that might be awaiting them.

"Haven't seen one yet, bambino? I've heard they are hard to find." Valentina said with a smile towards Theo.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Are they real?" Alex asked.

"Sure they are," Theo encouraged. "Jus' because y'haven't seen one doesn' mean they aren't real. Th'stories had t'come from somewhere, right?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"They might just be shy...like a certain little boy that we all know." Valentina teased gently as she leaned in and kissed Alex's brow. "We would have to be quiet and hopeful that one would come out to see us when we get to the loch."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Y'know if one did, it'd probably scare you t'death," Theo teased Valentina. He seemed to genuinely believe in them. After all, if there were still weredragons in the world, why not wild dragons or sea serpents?