Healers

by Laurence Dahners

  A man and a strong looking youth were working at a barrel behind their little stall. Francis suspected they were fermenting something, though she doubted it would be wine. Eva called something, and the young man stepped over to take a tray of pizzas out of the oven and carry them to the front of the little booth. He put the pizzas on big broad leaves for the dark-haired girl who started handing them out to the customers who had already paid.

  Francis stepped forward to get her pizza, but took the opportunity to say, “May I talk to Eva?”

  The young man studied her for a moment, “What about?”

  “Um, she treated my son yesterday.” When the boy simply stared at her, Francis continued, “For a kidney stone.”

  The boy shook his head, “We do healing in other towns, but not here. It’s too dangerous. You must be mistaken.”

  “No! Really! She made him better.”

  The young man shook his head emphatically, “She didn’t. She was going to give him some poppy for the pain, but then he got better by himself.”

  “Nonetheless, I’d like to talk to her.”

  The boy studied her another moment, then said, “Maybe if you come back after the rush.” He turned and took the tray back over to Eva.

  Francis turned and looked back at the line. It appeared to be even longer than it had when she first joined it. She supposed she wouldn’t want to be interrupted either, if she had a crush of customers like that. I’d just as well shop the market while I’m waiting. Maybe I’ll find something else interesting.

  To Francis’ dismay, several hours passed before the line at Eva’s booth shortened to an occasional customer in mid-afternoon. When she returned, they’d taken down their sign for pizza. Presumably they’d sold out, though the dark-haired girl still had beans, bread and some kind of tea for sale.

  Francis had expected to see them resting. Instead, they all seemed to be working away. Eva looked like she was making bread dough. The man was cutting up chickens and the girl was dredging the pieces in flour. Francis thought the young man was gone, but then he appeared with two bundles of wood for the fire.

  The boy gave Francis a resigned look, “You came back.”

  Francis nodded, “I’d really like to talk to her.”

  He rolled his eyes, then said, “I’ll see what she says.”

  The boy went over to Eva and spoke to her. She turned and looked at Francis for a moment then spoke to him. He washed his hands in a bowl and started kneading the dough Eva had been working on. She turned and walked to Francis. “May I help you?”

  Francis took Eva’s hand in her own. “I’d like to thank you for caring for my son yesterday.”

  Eva said, “The man with the kidney stone.” She looked down at Francis’ abdomen, as if considering what conditions Francis might have. Francis couldn’t know Eva had sent her ghost in to check Francis’ kidneys.

  “Yes,” Francis said. “I have the same attacks. But the pains Joe had yesterday, though they sound much the same as mine, ended much more quickly. Do you think he will have more attacks in the future?”

  Eva chewed her lip, then said, “Yes, people who have kidney stones, especially if they run in the family, tend to have problems on and off. Has anyone advised you to drink more water?”

  Francis drew her head back, startled by the suggestion. “Is that supposed to help?”

  Eva said, “So they say.” She didn’t mention that the “they” she referred to were the authors of her ancient medical textbooks. “Think of it this way. If you have a bowl of salty water and you let it dry up, the salt will crystallize into lumps. If you keep plenty of water in the bowl, there isn’t any crystallization. Kidney stones are much the same.” She paused for a second, then said with a grin, “Not that I’m telling you what to do, or suggesting a treatment. Not here in Realth.” She winked, “I’m just telling you what ‘they’ say.”

  Francis studied her for a moment. “And you think I have these ‘kidney stones’ as well?”

  The woman’s eyes darted down to Francis’ abdomen, then back up to her eyes. “Oh yes. Both kidneys.” She shrugged, “The pain begins when they start trying to pass down and out of your body. It stops once they’re gone.”

  Francis narrowed her eyes, “Do ‘they’ say anything about how to make them go away once they’ve formed?”

  Eva said, “The ancients had ways to make them go away. They used very complex machines to do it, or sometimes they even cut people open to get them out.”

  “I can see why someone would be willing to be cut open. When a stone’s passing, I swear it feels like someone’s ripping me apart from the inside!”

  Eva nodded, “They say passing a kidney stone hurts worse than practically anything else. Worse than childbirth.”

  Francis snorted, “Yes, I’ve done both and I’d rather birth a child.” Speculatively, she lifted her chin, “Let me ask you this. Is Joe’s kidney stone gone?”

  Eva said nothing, just staring into Francis’ eyes for a moment, then smiled, “Yes.”

  Giving Eva a calculating look, Francis said, “And did it pass down and out of his body?”

  Eva’s eyes darted side to side, then she whispered, “No.”

  Francis considered for a moment the stones sitting like unlit fires in her kidneys. Quietly, she asked, “Could mine be gone as well?”

  “You’ll probably just form more.”

  Noticing Eva hadn’t said “no,” Francis said, “I’ll drink more water.”

  Eva looked into Francis’ eyes for a moment. Apparently she was reassured by the look Francis gave her because she said, “Step back here with me,” and led the way back into the tiny stall. She picked up a small glass jar

  Francis saw the other members of Eva’s family glancing furtively and uncomfortably at her. The man looked a little frustrated. She raised her hands in a placating gesture, “I mean no harm.”

  “Doesn’t mean you won’t cause some,” the man grumbled.

  Handing the jar to the effeminate looking boy, Eva said, “No harm here. Dauss, you sit on the little stool.” The boy sat on a small stool. Francis looked at him intently, wondering if he could be a girl dressed as a boy, but then Eva took Francis by the arms and turned her so she was standing with her back to the boy and could no longer see him. Eva leaned down close to the boy and spoke quietly enough Francis could barely hear it. Francis thought she said, “Big ones, both kidneys.” She stood back up, smiled at Francis and spoke to her, “And now, we’re just going to stand here for a while, thinking good thoughts.”

  Francis, despite having been told differently by Joe, had still expected Eva to do something. Massage her back, sing a song, shake a rattle, invoke some deity. Francis didn’t know what it would be, but certainly expected it to be something more than just standing there with the boy sitting behind her and Eva standing in front of her. As near as Francis could tell, neither Eva nor the boy even touched her. Instead, after standing there for a while, Eva said, “Okay, that was a nice little pause in our day, wasn’t it? I hope drinking water helps you a great deal Mrs. Lee.”

  Startled at this apparent dismissal, Francis turned and looked at the boy. The boy was rubbing his temples as if he had a headache. To Francis’ astonishment, he still held the small glass jar, but now it had a mound of little wet pebbles in the bottom of it. Rather than displaying it to her and claiming that the pebbles had been removed from Francis’ kidneys as Francis expected, Eva immediately covered the jar and put it out of sight. As if eager to have done with the entire episode, Eva quickly ushered Francis out of the stall.

  Francis walked slowly towards her home, deep in thought. As she got to the city gate, she realized that the chronic mild aching in her flanks—a pain she had always thought to be a residual from her attacks, a pain she’d thought she’d live with for the rest of her life—was gone! Francis turned to look thoughtfully back out over the merchants’ plain.

  Walking the rest of the way through the city back to her home, Francis barely r
egistered the appalled looks men gave her as an unaccompanied woman.

  ***

  As the caravan’s dinner line died down, Tarc took his fried chicken and bowl of soup and wandered off looking for a place to sit. With some disbelief he saw Lizeth sitting by herself. She was leaning against the wheel of the guard wagon near the Hyllises’ wagon. He glanced around for Sam, then continued that direction. Sitting down near her, but not close enough Sam would think Tarc was intruding, Tarc said, “What’d you find out about Mr. James this morning?”

  She gave an amused snort, “Yep, drunk and obnoxious. Got in a fight and got the worst of it. Spending two days as a slave.”

  Tarc frowned, “I thought drunk and disorderly was one day?”

  She nodded, “So’s starting a fight. So he got a day for each. He’s lucky, they’ve got him hauling garbage. They could’ve had him paving streets, that’s some hard work.”

  Curious, Tarc asked, “What’s to keep you from being a lazy worker? Say you’re supposed to be paving streets, but you only put down a few stones?”

  Lizeth smirked, “Whips.” She winked, “I’m told they only have to tell you once.”

  Tarc grimaced, “Ouch.” After a pause, he said, “What happens to women? Do they have to pave streets too?”

  “That’s… not so funny,” Lizeth said, frowning into the distance. “Older ones, they do unpleasant stuff like clean the palace. Younger, good-looking ones… we don’t really know, but the rumors are unpleasant.”

  “Doesn’t it worry you… going into town?”

  “Yeah,” she said slowly, “though I’m not a lawbreaker. However, rumor is you don’t have to do much to be found on the wrong side of the law if you…” She stopped, blinked, and turned to grin at Tarc, “Hey, did you just manage to say you think I look good without putting yourself out there?”

  Tarc felt himself blushing, but hoped it wasn’t visible in the dim light. “Um…” Now’s your chance! he said to himself. “Yeah. I think you’re, um, beautiful.” To his tremendous embarrassment, his voice came out all raspy and freighted with emotion.

  Lizeth turned to stare at him, her eyes widening with the realization of just how serious Tarc was.

  Sam walked up then, completely unaware of what’d just happened. “Hey Lizeth, wanna go in and check out the tavern that has the guitarist?”

  Lizeth’s eyes stayed on Tarc for a moment, then swung up to Sam. She shook her head as if coming out of a trance, smiled and rose, “Sure. You’d better stay sober though. I don’t want to have to cover your shift if you’re hauling garbage with Mr. James tomorrow.” She put her hand around Sam’s elbow and they started toward the city gates.

  Tarc sagged back, feeling like someone had just punched him in the gut.

  ***

  Joe sat back from his dinner and sipped his wine. His mother looked at him over the top of her wine cup. “I went to see your healer today,” she said.

  “What?! The one out at the market?”

  His mother nodded.

  “Why? I told you she really didn’t do anything.”

  “I know, but I could tell you thought she might have. When I teased you about them praying a stone out of your kidney, you were offended.” She tossed her head, “Anyway, I told you I wanted to meet your healer.”

  “Well, yes, but I didn’t really think you’d do it. Who went with you?”

  “I went by myself! I don’t need to be shepherded by a man. I grew up taking care of myself.”

  “Mom! You know it isn’t safe.”

  “Nothing happened to me. Well, I mean the guards didn’t do anything to me. That healer lady though…”

  “What did she do?!”

  “Apparently nothing. However, the chronic aching I’ve had in my back for years is gone!”

  Joe blinked, “They didn’t pray over you?” He grinned, “Shake a rattle? Nothing?”

  “Nope. Had me stand still for a while, with the woman in front and the boy sitting on a stool behind me. Then they sent me on my way.” Francis didn’t mention the little pebbles in the jar, something like that would be too much for Joe to believe.

  “Just sent you on your way? Didn’t ask for payment or anything?”

  “Nope. Drink your water, I brought you an extra cup.”

  “Nah, this wine’s enough.”

  Francis grinned at him, “There was one other thing. She said we should drink more water. Says the stones form when we don’t have enough water.” She picked up her large cup of water and held it up as if for a toast. “If a few extra glasses of water will keep me from having those pains, I’m going to drink a few extra glasses.”

  Joe stared at her for a moment, then winced at the thought of another episode. He picked up his own water.

  ***

  Eva snuggled up to Daum in the bedroll they shared. “Do you know what’s gotten Tarc down?”

  Feeling oblivious, Daum said, “I didn’t know there was anything wrong. What happened?”

  “He’s been moping around, looking like… Well, I don’t know what he’s been looking like. Sad, I guess.”

  “You think he’s sick of being on the road?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t think it’s the road, though I worry…”

  “Worry about what?”

  “Our kids are the only ones their age in the caravan. Maybe they’re just lonely.”

  Daum grunted, “I’ve been worried about the same thing. I see Daussie watching Arco. He’s… dashing, I guess. But he’s much too old for Dauss.”

  Eva didn’t sound put off by Arco’s age. “Women sometimes marry much older men, but I hope she doesn’t marry someone who fights for a living. Too much chance he’ll come home in a box someday.”

  “Arco’s far too old for Daussie! I can’t believe you’re even thinking about it!”

  Eva shrugged against him, “It’s not so different from your son mooning after that girl guard. She’s too old for him.”

  “Lizeth?!”

  “Uh-huh, haven’t you seen him looking at her?”

  “No! She’s at least a couple years older than he is, surely he doesn’t think…”

  “You know young people, they don’t think.”

  “Well,” Daum said, “she’s been hanging out with that other guard, Sam. Tarc’ll realize it’s a lost cause pretty soon.”

  “Yeah, maybe he already has. Maybe that’s why he’s been looking so depressed.”

  “Maybe?” Daum said, dubiously.

  ***

  Kazy looked up and frowned, recognizing the woman who’d come by yesterday wanting to talk to Eva. Tarc had made her go way, but she’d come back later in the afternoon when things were quiet. Kazy wondered if she should be trying to send the woman away herself. The lady said, “I’d like another one of your wonderful pizzas.”

  Relieved it seemed to be simply about food today, Kazy said, “Would you like some tea as well?” The woman nodded, so Kazy poured a cup of tea and handed it to the woman. Then she slid one of the pizzas Tarc had just put on a big leaf out to the edge of the counter. The woman dropped a coin in Kazy’s hand and picked up her pizza, turning and walking away.

  Kazy glanced down at the coin. It was gold! “Ma’am!” She called, stepping from behind the counter and trotting after the woman. Catching up to the woman she said, “Sorry, but you paid with this!” she held out the coin.

  The woman looked at the gold coin, but didn’t reach for it. Lifting an eyebrow at Kazy she said, “I didn’t pay you with that coin…” she winked, “just like Eva didn’t make my kidney stones go away.” She took a bite of her pizza and, with a satisfied smile, continued walking.

  Kazy stood staring after her, conflicting emotions pouring through her. Being paid a gold for a pizza was amazing, but learning Eva was still doing her healing business in this town made her sick to her stomach. Why would she do that when it’s so dangerous?! They make plenty of money on the food they sell!

  Kazy turned and saw the people waiting in line
staring at her. Tarc had stepped up and was doing Kazy’s job. He threw her an irritated looking glance. Still feeling unsettled, Kazy went back to the counter and took over.

  When things quieted down later that afternoon, Kazy stepped over to the rest of the Hyllises and showed them the gold coin. “A woman gave me this for a pizza today.” She looked sharply at Eva, “Said something about you making her kidney stones go away.”

  Eva eyed the coin bemusedly. “Well… that was sweet of her.”

  Exasperatedly, Kazy said, “I can’t believe you’re still working as a healer! What if you get arrested?! You could be a slave for… I don’t know, a long time!”

  Eva said, “I’m not working as a healer. I’ve healed a couple of people, but I haven’t charged them for it.”

  Kazy shook the gold coin at her, “What’s this then!”

  Eva lifted an eyebrow, “Someone tipping you really well for your extraordinary service handing out the pizza?”

  “That isn’t funny,” Kazy said exasperatedly.

  Eva took Kazy’s hands and looked her in the eyes, “I know it isn’t, and you’re right to be concerned. But, we can’t let people suffer, people who we can help. There’re enough people in this world we can’t do anything for.”

  “Even if you’re enslaved?” Kazy whispered, feeling desperate.

  “Even if…” Eva said sadly.

  ***

  Tarc started into town, leading their black horse to get supplies. As he walked out of the area where the Nortons were camped someone fell in beside him. A glance out of the corner of his eye told him it was Lizeth, but he turned his eyes back to the front. After his disastrous confession that he thought she was beautiful, he’d been avoiding her. He had absolutely no idea how he would ever be able to speak to her again. Now she was walking beside him!

  Heart thumping like he’d just run a race; he prayed she wouldn’t say anything to him. Then he prayed she would say something to him. Instead, she gave him a shove. “Are you trying to ignore me?! Yeah, I saw you look over. I know you know who’s beside you!”