CHAPTER THREE
The Remedy
I had chosen to wear a high necked dress, in hopes that it would keep the mark covered. I sat by a patients bed, wooden Doppler in hand, listening to his heart beat. I made a mark on my clipboard.
“You're heartbeat is as it should be, I will check your bandages now," I said. The man nodded. I unwrapped the bandages traveling down his arm. Large burn blisters covered his arm from shoulder to hand.
“Do you know what salve the last nurse who bandaged you put on your arm by any chance?"
“It was in a green bottle," he said. I nodded.
“I believe you need a stronger ointment for these burns." I pulled out my bag, and dug around for my burn salve remedy. Finding it at last, I opened the lid and applied a heap of bright yellow salve onto his arm. I took some chamomile water from my bag and put a little on his arm so the salve could spread.
“This may sting," I said, and spread the salve across his arm. The man's face tightened at first, then began to relax.
“Is that better?”
“Thank you," The man said. I smiled. The infirmary doors opened, and a guard came in, and walked towards her.
“You're book, Nurse Ellasis," He said, and placed it on the table.
“I thank you." I said before he turned and left. I washed my hands, and bandaged the patient's arm, then went to find Kalina.
“Kalina?" Ellasis said.
“Yes Ellasis?" I turned the corner and found her in the medicine pantry.
“Kalina, I need you to send for someone to take this to the King's scribe. I need copies made of all the salve recipes for stab wounds, and infections. I need whoever you send to arrange for the book to be brought back to me when he is done. In the mean time, I need to go check on the herbs Agatha is growing before the sun sets and it's too late"
“Right away," Kalina said. I thanked her and left through the infirmary doors. I had been struggling to keep the mark out of my mind as I worked. What had started out as preparing the kingdom for war, had turned into preparing the kingdom to be able to handle the war when I was dead. I had been put almost entirely in charge of all healing efforts, and didn’t have time to ready someone to take my place. I would do my best to make what preparations I could, and the rest as simple as possible. The first task I had to do, was track down an herb that could make Peter forget what had happened last night, or at least make him believe it was a dream of sorts. Otherwise the kingdom would die with me. Our situation was to desperate to afford him giving even a little of attention to my situation. I turned the corner around the infirmary and ran into a large figure. I looked up to see Aron looking back at her. He had survived.
“Aron." I said in greeting, and began to move around him. He grabbed me, and shoved me against the wall.
“Let go of me! Guards, Help! Let go of me, Aron." He shoved his hand over my mouth with one hand, and secured my hands with the other. I tried to push him away, but he wouldn't budge.
“It's really a shame I met your sister before I met you." His finger traced around me neck, at the top of my shirt. I screamed through his hand. He pulled the neck of my dress down a little further, then he froze.
“The mark. So it is you..." Just then, a guard came up behind him, and he was pulled off me. He struggled with the guard, until the guard landed a blow to his jaw. Aron went down and stayed there until they dragged him off. Peter came and knelt beside me.
“Are you okay?" he asked. I nodded.
“Did he see your mark?"
“Yes." Peter swore.
“I have a way that I can make him forget,” I said.
“You do?"
“Come, we must talk with Agatha."
The Wind In the River Page 4