Faerling

Book 1, Crystal Mirrors

Part V

"Block. Strike. Block. Block, dammit!" Alec stomped into the area he had cleared for Genna's training and roughly separated the two combatants. "Hold." He turned to grab one of the staffs, now held loosely as Genna gasped for breath. "Genna, when I say block, you *block!*"

She weakly tugged at the staff, still not turning to look at him. "'Tis true I am no warrior, like yourself. 'Tis also true I should have blocked, I know." She turned slowly to face him, and Alec could see a heavy bruise spreading across her bared right shoulder. "But I am not a warrior, and I didn't block. And I am tired." She released the staff into Alec's hand. Reaching up to brush her sweat-damp hair off her forehead, she announced, "I'll be in the room." Walking in as dignified a manner as her aching body would allow, she headed back to the inn.

"Genna! *Genna!*" Alec turned to the boy who was watching interestedly. "What's wrong with her?"

The young man brushed a sweaty lock of hair out of his eyes and handed his own staff to Alec. "You've had her working all day, sir. And it's nearly dinner. And she's doing well, but she's still been hit a lot. She got a couple good strikes in on me, too." He rubbed his leg where Genna had gotten a particularly hard hit through his defenses.

Alec glanced around, finally noticing how late it had become. "I suppose its a good enough time for a break, Jamie," he admitted. "Go on in and clean up. And thanks."

The lad grinned at him. "My pleasure, sir. The lady's pretty and she's been fair to work with."

A clatter of hooves distracted both men and they turned to see a horse and rider pull up swiftly in front of the inn. Jamie ran to take the horse as the rider slid off and collapsed onto the ground.

Alec saw blood seeping from under the stranger and quickly ordered, "Jamie, get your father now. Then ride for the cleric who was here last night. And do it fast!" The boy turned and ran.

Alec gently turned the stranger over, and loosened his leather vest. The vest was mostly destroyed, anyway - a few hard strikes of a sword had split the leather, striking deep into the man's body. As soon as the innkeeper came out, Alec shouted to him to hold the door open, carefully picked up the stranger, and carried him quickly up to his room.

"Genna, open up!" Alec kicked the door, having no hand free to open it.

"What?!" She opened the door roughly and turned away, not really seeing him. "Can't I rest?" She stormed back to the other side of the room.

"I don't care if you rest or not," Alec informed her in measured tones, "but I have a very injured man here and I would appreciate it if you would hold the door open long enough for me to get him inside and onto the bed."

Genna spun around, and finally seeing the bleeding body, ran to open the door wide. "What happened?" she asked quietly.

Alec shrugged. "No idea. He just rode in, and I don't think he could have made it much farther anyway." As he talked, Alec hastily stripped away the vest and tunic, baring the wounds. "Get me some water." Taking the water from Genna, he began to clean the wounds, talking as if to himself. "These strikes were made by a rough edged sword - not a warriors sword. Not any sort of knife or dagger, either. The cuts are too deep and long for a small blade. No, I'd guess some sort of goblin pack roaming the woods, and this man had the luck to find them."

Genna took a strip of the cloth which she had cut from her tunic earlier, dipped it in water and placed it on the injured man's forehead. "Will he live?"

"The cleric is coming, and then we'll have to trust to Aylia."

The cleric of Aylia knelt by the bed, laying a thin hand on the stranger's forehead. "Aylia, let this man rest comfortably while You and I heal his wounds." The stranger visibly relaxed, and the cleric turned to Alec and said, "He should remain asleep through the pain of our probing his wounds."

Alec glanced around to make sure Genna was no longer in the room, then quickly stripped the stranger. The wounds were centered on the chest, as Alec had already observed, except for one minor slice down the left leg. Alec then stepped back to allow the cleric space to work.

The cleric stepped up, placed his hands on the body, and closed his eyes. "Aylia, guide my hands." A soft glow surrounded the cleric as his hands passed lightly over each wound. As his fingers grazed the edges of the wounds, the glow intensified at his fingertips and, as Alec watched, the flesh seemed to knit together. Alec had never seen a healing before, and unnatural sight of a body repairing itself made him feel slightly queasy.

After about ten minutes, the cleric fell back into the chair, the glow fading immediately. "That is the best I can do. Now I must rest." The cleric grinned weakly at Alec. "I would warn you, sir, against further injury. Between your Faerling friend last night and this man his this morn, I fear I have taken much of Aylia's time this day."

Alec smiled back. "Perhaps a few more bruises, but no real problems, I assure you." He glanced at the sleeping stranger. "How long till he should wake up?"

"A couple of hours, perhaps. Sleep does Aylia's work." The cleric braced himself against the chair and slowly stood. "I shall now take my leave and return to my home for rest." Bowing slightly, he said, "May your stay in this town be without further incident and need of me."

"May your rest be good and your future remain in Aylia's hands," Alec responded automatically.

"Faerling!" Alec looked around the common room, searching for Genna. Finally he spied her, deep in conversation with the innkeeper's son, Jamie. Grabbing an ale on his way by the bar, he strode over to her. "Greetings, Faerling, Jamie," he nodded at both.

Genna glanced up at him, then back down at the food in front of her. Pointedly ignoring him, she continued her supper.

Alec glanced at Jamie, "What, may I ask, did I do this time?"

Genna looked up, glaring at him. "How did you rate my performance this day?" she asked. "Was my pitiful attempts up to your usual standards, or do I get to be beat upon more on the morrow?"

Alec paused, looking her over. Aside from the bruise on her shoulder that he had seen earlier, and which he had to admit looked painful, he could see no further signs of injury. "I think another day of practice would do you good."

"Oooh!" Genna stood up, knocking the table, upsetting Alec's ale onto his lap and the floor. "Good!" she stated emphatically, as he stared at the mug in his lap. "Enjoy your drink."

Alec watched as she walked slowly out of the room, favoring one leg over the other. Setting the mug back on the table, he hurriedly got up to follow.

"Faerling..."

"Don't call me that!" she snapped. "Is that man still in the room?"

Alec sighed. "Yes, in fact, he's not awake."

Genna stopped outside the door. "Okay, then *you* can share the room with him tonight. I'll go ask for another one."

Alec chuckled. "Planning on running away?"

She had opened the door and was halfway into the room before he spoke. When she heard his voice, she stopped and turned, facing him, "No, I am *not* planning on running away. However, I *am* planning on locking my door so that I may sleep the morn away and so I can take a nice warm bath and hopefully heal my bruises." She had lost some of the bite to her voice when she admitted, "I think I have bruises *everywhere.*"

"If you don't work out tomorrow, it'll be worse the next day."

Genna sighed. "I know, but for now, just let me rest."

The figure on the bed groaned, and both Alec and Genna hurried to his side. His eyes flickered open and he glanced around the room. "Where...?"

"Laughing Bear Inn," Alec supplied. "In Zamir."

The man glanced at the chair, then tried to sit up. "Where are my bags?"

Alec pushed him back down. "Your bags are with the innkeeper, and *you* are not going anywhere. You need your sleep."

The man sank back onto the pillows and closed his eyes. "I was set upon by kobolds..."

"I figured as much."

His eyes flickered open again, focusing on Alec's. "My name is Tirbald, and I am a footman to the Lord of Ellesmere, but five miles north of here. I was returning to him with an important message from his sister to the east."

As Genna watched Alec, she thought she saw a flicker of recognition at the lord's name. "I know of him," Alec admitted, "and I also know where his manor house is located. I can deliver this message, if you would like."

Tirbald simply looked at him. Alec took his sword from his scabbard and held it by the blade, pommel towards the messenger. "If I should lie, you have my solemn oath that you will run me through with my own sword."

Tirbald nodded. "Please."

Alec made a motion toward the door with his head, and Genna followed him into the hallway. "Go down and arrange for another room. I'll gather our things and get Tirbald's pack and meet you in the room. We'll be off early in the morning."

"Who is this Lord of Ellesmere?" Genna asked quietly.

"Someone I've once met." Alec reached into his belt pouch and took out a smoothly rounded stone of a deep green shade and handed this to Genna. "Keep this in your pocket. That way, if you need to contact me ever, you just hold the stone tightly in your palm and concentrate on me. I'll be able to hear you."

"Why?"

"Don't ask." Alec placed the stone in her palm and folded her fingers over it. "Just do it." He grasped her shoulders and turned her towards the stairs, giving her a slight push in their direction. "And don't forget - you're getting the day off from practice tomorrow!"

Genna turned to face him. "'Tis true at that, but will I get my own horse to ride this time?"

Faerling is copyrighted by Deb Atwood.

Copies may be kept for personal use but may not be redistributed without the expression permission of the author.

Tryslora Eloran (deb_atwood@fac.com)