by Fiona Faris
Though the wound wasn’t terrible, it did require some cleaning and more ointment. Sophia had the woman sit next to her and lift her leg. To distract her from the pain of the cleaning, she started talking to her.
“Do ye visit the estate often?” she asked.
The woman nodded. “Aye. Our farm was closer than other farms, but we came here often to sell some goods too. My husband is a fine tinker. But my, how the estate has changed these years.” She shook her head as she looked off into the distance, lost in the memories of how things were.
“How?” Sophia asked without looking up. The wound was now clean, and it came time to add the ointment. She moved slowly, focusing intently on her work.
“The laird, he was a fine one, and a great man when his wife was around, but nae much anymore.”
Sophia froze at the mention of Logan. She pushed herself to continue with the healing. “How has he changed?” she asked.
“Well, he was a vary kind man, never carin’ bout his power, or how much of it he had. Now he seems tae be lost in his grief. When his wife died, he lost himself, I daresay.” She shook her head, frowning at the idea of Logan in the present day.
“Mm. How did he lose his wife?” Sophia asked.
“In childbirth five years ago. His little one lived, but the wife dinnae make it through the night.” She looked down at her leg, waiting for Sophia to bandage it.
“How terrible,” Sophia said as she wrapped clean linen around the wound.
“Thank ye! It feels much better after that cleanin’.” The woman seemed to be past the conversation at that point.
Sophia couldn’t help but think about Logan, his suffering. All of these people seemed to think he had changed greatly, but few seemed to understand just how devastating the loss must have been. She wondered if perhaps he just needed to be reminded of that gentle part of himself, the part she was sure she got a glimpse of the night before.
After the woman came another patient, and Sophia recognized her as the woman who was with child. Her belly looked heavy and swollen, and given the blisters on her feet, Sophia knew she must be uncomfortable. Sophia rushed over to help her walk over.
“Yer a strong one, I see,” Sophia said, chuckling.
The woman laughed as well and replied, “Heavens, nae at all.” She sat on the bench near Sophia and started lifting her foot. “I dinnae see anyone else walkin’ over, so I thought I would.” The blisters on her feet had mostly burst, but the skin still lingered, so Sophia knew it would only be uncomfortable for a short while longer.
“Ye are doin’ very well. Ye just need tae be careful when ye move. Ye need the skin tae stay on tae heal faster. I shall put some ointment on ye, but all it needs is time. Alright?” Sophia said. The woman listened carefully as Sophia added some ointment to her feet.
When she was done, she called over some of the castle staff to help the woman.
“Please help her up tae her room. Make sure she goes slow.” The kitchen staff nodded at her and listened to her instructions. The woman thanked her as well, and walked off slowly.
Sophia watched her with her swollen belly and thought of her own. Now that she had no father and no dowry, she began to question if she would ever be like that woman, with a child of her own on the way. Sophia couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to marry her, given that she had nothing and was now dedicated to being a healer. She was most definitely not suitable for marriage, but a part of her craved motherhood. She wanted to be the kind of mother her own Ma once was.
In an effort to distract herself, Sophia turned to her table and began reorganizing her tools. She heard shuffling behind her, and knew another patient had sat down on her bench.
“I’ll just be needin’ a moment.” Her eyes were moist with the longing for a life that felt too far away. She prepared the linens on the table so she could grab them more easily. When she turned around, a man with bright blue eyes sat at her station. His eyes were framed by long, dark curls. He was shirtless, and Sophia immediately turned bright red. Her face was flush with heat.
“Oh, hello,” she stammered.
The man smiled and looked at the floor, clearly pleased with the fact that he caught her off guard. “I dinnae mean to surprise ye. I have a burn on my back, and knew the shirt would get in the way.” He turned slightly to show her where his skin was raw and red.
Sophia winced, knowing it must hurt. “Tis alright. I was nae surprised.” She started reaching for the bucket of water and almost knocked it over.
“Ye sure?” The man chuckled and laughed. He bent forward and grabbed the bucket, pulling it closer to both of them. But Sophia had already bent in that direction, and when she looked up toward him, their faces were only inches from each other. He was handsome. His eyes were like cloudless skies. But she had to focus.
“Ye can turn aroun’, an’ I’ll clean the wound and put some ointment on it. Dinnae worry.” She looked everywhere but at his broad exposed chest.
“Yer vary beautiful when ye blush, ye know?” he said, but he turned still following her directions. “What is yer name, lassie?” the man asked.
“Sophia.”
“Tis a beautiful name, Sophia,” he said.
“Try tae stay still, please,” she said as she began wiping down the wound.
“I dinnae think I have seen ye in the castle before,” the man said over her silence.
“Nae, I just moved in tae the keep. My farmhouse burned down.” She steadied her voice as she spoke.
“Oh, I am sorry, lassie. The fires sure did cause a lotta heartache.” He turned his head to look at her as he said these words. “I cannae say I’m not happy tae see ye here, though. Your smile is like a flower growing in these grim stone walls.”
Sophia felt herself blush. She giggled slightly in response. “I appreciate that.” After cleaning the wound, Sophia applied ointment, like she had already done for all of the other patients.
“I think ye will be fully healed in a few days. But if ye need more help, ye can come back to us,” she said, wiping her hands on her apron.
“Can I come back to see the smile though?” As he went to stand, his arms flexed pushing himself from his bench, and Sophia could not help but stare. He was muscular, probably a blacksmith or a carpenter, and much taller than she had realized.
“I cannae say I am much of a smiler, normally,” she said, but a smile worked its way across her lips.
“Well, maybe I can change that.” The man threw his shirt over his shoulder and walked off. Sophia tried to stifle her smile and cool her own blushing by looking down at her hands.
When she lifted her head, the man was gone, but across the great hall, she saw Logan standing, staring at where she stood. With a face red as a beet and fists clenched, he turned on his heel and stormed away.
Chapter Ten
The day passed in a blur for Sophia. Gilbert and Fanny were able to get some much-needed rest while she handled changing linens, cleaning wounds, adding ointment, treating stomach troubles, soothing the wounded, and providing any basic healing that was needed. By dinnertime, everyone was exhausted, and Sophia went straight to bed without joining the dinner meal.
The next morning, Sophia woke feeling ready to conquer the day again. The patients were lessening in number, and she was sure their routine was playing a part in it. She went to meet Fanny and Gilbert in the kitchen again, like they had grown used to doing in the mornings. When she arrived, she found them much more chipper than they had been the previous week.
“Hello, Sophia!” Fanny said as she entered the kitchen. Sophia jumped back at her cheery voice. It was not something she was accustomed to hearing just after sunrise. Gilbert looked over at her and gave her a wave. After Sophia treated many of the minor patients, he seemed to be warming up to her, and had even taken to actually greeting her each morning.
“Mornin’ Fanny, how are ye? How was last night?” The night prior was the last night the three of them would need to divide their work into shifts.
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Gilbert responded for the both of them. “Aye, there were nae many patients. Only a few badly injured, but I think we are finally caught up and out of the chaos.”
Fanny nodded in agreement. “We were able to get a wink a’ sleep last night as well,” she added. No wonder they had seemed in a much better mood.
Sophia plopped herself down on the bench beside the two and smiled. “Makes me so happy. Ah wis worried we wouldnae be able tae heal everyone,” Sophia said. Gilbert and Fanny murmured as if sharing the same sentiment. They ate their porridge in unison and sipped water.
“Oh! I near forgot tae tell ye,” Fanny jumped at the memory she needed to deliver. “Yer bedchamber is now yers again,” she laughed.
“Is it now?” Sophia sighed in relief. “I’ll be happy tae have a space tae call my own again.” The castle was slowly starting to become her home, and she was growing accustomed to her new routine. She woke, she healed, she rested. But without a space that truly belonged to her, it was becoming increasingly difficult to really think of it as home.
“I thought ye’d like that.” Fanny smiled, and little bits of grain clung to her lips. She and Gilbert finished eating and stood. “We will be headin’ down to the hall; we will see ye when ye get there.” Gilbert nodded and followed after Fanny.
Sophia ate quickly so she could join them and start helping their patients. She rushed out of the kitchen without saying hello to anyone else. As she made her way to the great hall, she thought back to the events of the previous day. The moment with the shirtless lad caused her to blush again. She was surprised to see Logan in the great hall. He seemed almost bothered by the lad, but in a completely different way than she was. She had hoped to talk to him, but he left before she could say anything.
* * *
Just above the great hall, Mildred and Diana prepared for the day as well. Mildred, worried that Logan had not spent much time visiting the injured and sick, decided she would spend the day checking in on everyone who had been badly hurt.
“Diana, can ye take little Ava out tae the courtyard fer the day?” she asked her younger sister.
“Aye Mildred, I will. Do ye need help here in the keep with anything?” she asked.
“Nae, I’ll be checkin’ in on the injured folks today. I’ll come fetch ye two when it is nearin’ lunch.” Diana nodded in response. Despite Logan being Laird, Diana had a natural inclination for directing the castle staff and her sister. She was a quiet kind of leader, one who knew the power she held lay in the ability to direct and not lead.
Diana and Ava left the common room. Ava ran off ahead of Diana, clearly excited to spend some time in the sun. With all of the chaos in the estate, she had been mostly holed up, but now that things were finally calming down, she could resume her playing.
Mildred made her way to the rooms where the most severely injured people were staying. These rooms were positioned nearest the great hall, so the healers could keep an eye on them. She walked into each room to check on the patients. One man whose arm had been badly burned was doing much better than she recalled. The day he arrived, he was faint from pain and moaning all through the night. Clearly, the healers were working night and day to heal the worst of the patients.
Another patient raved about the new healer, claiming she had hands of silk: gentle, but with great strength. Mildred had yet to meet the new apprentice, but she was excited to see they had someone who was treating the people well.
“And the ointment she has been makin’ alongside Fanny has been helpin’ make the pain fade,” the woman added.
“I’ll be sure tae tell the Laird the healers are doin’ well,” Mildred responded. “I’ll have the kitchen bring ye down some food, since ye are still havin’ trouble gettin’ ‘round.” The woman reached out and held Mildred’s hand. She gave a little squeeze of gratitude.
Once Mildred checked on the patients in the rooms nearest the great hall, she decided to go in and see if she could meet the new apprentice. It was the first time in days that the room was not overflowing with injured folks. She was happy to see only a few people who were due for linen changes and more ointment. As she walked through the room, she saw a young woman in the back corner tending to a little boy.
Mildred watched from afar as the woman helped the boy. Mildred could not help but notice that the woman was about the same age as herself. Most of the other young adults of their clan lived further away from the estate, and many of the other women who lived nearer were much younger. Normally, Mildred struggled to find anyone else to talk to. She did not expect the new healer to be about her age. Mildred stood nearby and waited patiently until the boy was done being treated. She then walked over to introduce herself.
“Hello there. I am Mildred, Logan’s sister. Are ye Fanny’s new apprentice?”
Sophia stood up and shook Mildred’s hand. “Aye, I’m Sophia. Thank ye for lettin’ me live here after all that has happened to our clan,” Sophia added. She moved around in her healing area, cleaning and removing dirty linens and setting them aside.
“Nae, dinnae thank me. Tis our duty, is all.” Mildred shook her head gently at Sophia. “Thank ye for all the work ye’ve been doin’ here. I heard from many a’ the patients ye have good hands for the work.” Mildred sat on the bench nearest Sophia.
Sophia glanced around, and seeing that no one needed her help immediately, she sat, too. It felt good to be talking, even if only briefly, with someone who was not a grouchy man or an old woman.
“Tis nothin’. I am glad Fanny took me as an apprentice. I am already learnin’ a great deal.”
“Are ye doin’ alright here in the keep?” Mildred asked after a few moments of silence.
“Aye; tis different than my small farmhouse, but tis nice,” Sophia smiled.
“Ye know, I once wanted tae be a healer too,” Mildred said.
Sophia’s eyes went wide. “Really? Why’d ye stop?” She asked.
“Well, the minute I had a patient who was bleedin’, I fainted!” Mildred laughed loudly, and Sophia joined in, too. “I just haven’t the stomach for blood or anything of the like.”
“Aye, I used tae be like that as well,” Sophia said as she thought back to her first healing experiences on the farm. “I once fainted when I saw one of oor horses give birth. Tis a strange thing tae watch!”
Mildred jumped as Sophia recounted the memory. “What! I havenae seen a horse give birth! What was it like?” She clapped her hands together, excited to not be talking about the castle’s business for the first time in a while.
“Vary strange! I still dinnae like it one bit. But it was also beautiful. That’s how I got me mare, Moon.” Sophia placed her hands in her lap and fumbled with her apron.
“Did ye bring her out tae our stables?”
“Aye, I did; she’s there now, being well cared fer.” Sophia smiled, thinking of how happy Moon must be to have more carrots and apples than she normally got back at their little farm.
“What did ye do tae help with the birth?” Mildred asked. Now that she had found someone roughly her own age, she wanted to keep the conversation going.
“Well, me mum taught me that yarrow and woad help tae stop the bleedin’. Moon’s mum was havin’ trouble, and struggled tae stop bleedin’. Me mum got right in there, gave her a poultice and everythin’. She always had gentle hands, hands even a skittish horse could trust.” Sophia lit up as she thought about her mother. She missed those learning moments with her.
“I dinnae know of those herbs, nae that they could be used fer horses!” Mildred was fascinated to hear about this. She had always enjoyed working near the animals. If it was a woman’s duty, she would have rather been in the stables—but it was frowned upon, so she limited herself only to short walks with the horses. “For someone so young, it sounds like ye know a lot!” she added.
“Aye, well I started learnin’ young from me mum. She and Fanny used tae get on real well. She was a healer tae. But she passed when I was a wee one.” Sophia’s eyes
became glassy, but she tried not to let the emotions overcome her. She was enjoying the conversation, and didn’t want to turn it into a sorrowful moment.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Ye must have had a hard time. But it sounds like she taught ye well.” Mildred reached out and took Sophia’s hand into hers. She gave it a soft squeeze.
Sophia had always wondered what it would have been like to have siblings. In that moment, she felt as if it would have been something like this, being supported and cared for in a time of need.
“Tas been many years, but I’m alright. It feels good tae celebrate her by learning her gift,” Sophia finally said after a few moments of silence.