Doctor Visit

A JP with Tahjerius and Ender

(Osilon, Karavoss)

“I’ve got her.” Asher said, picking up the still groggy Willa into a bridal carry. “Lead the way Lafayette.” he said, gesturing to the door. “She’s not heavy but ain’t easy to carry someone who keeps slipping.” he said, giving a gentle bump of adjustment so as to not hurt her.

"So we're stopping by the horned lady now, right?" V asked, trying his best not to get In Asher's way as he followed.

“Yeah.” Lafayette responded, “I’m sure Prespa’s camped out somewhere near the homestead.” he added. “We can drop her off then I’ve gotta do that shopping.” he rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I’m sure the two of them want it twice more now then they did when I left.”

"Then let's not waste time with this." V said resolutely.

Willa held the box close to her chest, the quiet beats within calming her. She murmured small words, "..snow… ice.. r-red.. loss... p-pain..." Her dazed mind was going through a strange dream-like state. It was a miracle she was even able to talk at this point, yet strangely enough, slowly her wounds were healing, at a faster rate than normal. However, it would not be enough for wounds so grievous.

After a short walk down a dirt path they arrived at the path to Lafayette and Kalena’s home. Flanked on the left by a small stretch of patchy woods. Lafayette noticed in passing by a break in the trees, Prespa’s mobile clinic. “This way," he said, turning off the path and heading into the clearing in the trees where Prespa had made camp.

Lafayette stepped up to the door and knocked hard. For a moment there was only silence. But soon the sound of heavy movements could be heard inside. The shifting of a chair across the floor, a few clinks of glass, before the door was opened.

“Another Lafayette?” Prespa said dryly, “Well get her on the bed.” she said, taking off her shawl and putting on an apron. “Now, tell me what has happened to this woman.” she said, washing her hands in a basin of water.

“Some of those church knights attacked her.” Lafayette explained as Asher put Willa on the bed. “And she says the box is keeping her alive..?” Lafayette added half as a question.

“Humans and their strange superstitions,” Prespa said, flicking the excess water off and grabbing a mortar and pestle. “Well, I will allow her to hold it until it impedes my treatment of her wounds.” Prespa turned to Asher. “I request you leave Asher. Lafayette I require you to assist me in prepping the patient.” she said. “Please, be trustworthy and remove those blood soaked clothes and then leave me to my work.”

"Uh, what about me?" V piped up, however the two went to work, completely disregarding what he had said. Lafayette gave V a knowing glance as he grasped onto the girl's clothes, simply holding up a finger, before returning to his task.

While Lafayette did what was asked of him, Prespa set to work mashing up something in the mortar. Adding tiny pinches of this plant and that herb, an aromatic smell filled the small space of the ‘clinic’. Prespa then took down another small clear jar, filled with crystals that looked like salt but light blue. In a second basin of water she sprinkled in a handful of those strange crystalline pieces. Dissolving them in the warmish water. Dipping several bits of white linen cloth in the mixture, letting them soak a moment before turning back. “Good, she is ready.” Prespa rang out one of the clothes. “You…” she looked to V “Take that box from her and the both of you leave.” she pointed to a towel on the bed rail. “And do use that to grab it. I do not wish to treat two pairs of injured hands today.”

"Oh, uh.." V said, snapping into action and grabbing the towel, before pausing only to carefully grip the spiked box. Willa death gripped the box for a moment, refusing to let it go, however as if listening to something, slowly released her grip. Once it was in hand, he looked up to the bovine-esque doctor.

"Kay, I have it, now wha-"

"Leave, allow me to tend to this woman you have brought to me."

"Well- alright, okay." V said somewhat dejectedly, before looking to Lafayette, who looked more than worn.

"Sorry for the trouble, Prespa. I appreciate it."

"Yes, now begone." Prespa said with a wave of her hand.

As the three stood outside Lafayette gave V a light slap on the back. “If you want to help that girl, the best thing you can do is stay out of Prespa’s way.” he said, “She knows what she’s doing and doesn’t need an audience.” he told V, “Trust me, she’s as good as a cleric. Just not as instant.”

"It's not that I don't trust her, I just don't love dropping her on Prespa and leaving like that."

"Me neither." He simply said, casting his glance into the distance.

V looked down at the box in his hands.

"So, we've got a weird box that we most definitely should probably not try to open, and Kalena still needs her medicine, right?"

“Well considering what it did to her hands I wouldn’t go playing with it.” Lafayette said, “Seems like bad luck, and I’d keep it wrapped up. Least till she can take it back. If someone is after it the less they can see it the better.”

As the three discussed among themselves, a quiet thumping could be heard, a heart beat, gentle and calm, coming within the box V was holding at the moment.

"Well, I guess we better…" V was saying, freezing halfway into a sentence.

"Wait a minute… do you hear something?"

"Me?" Asher said, looking up suddenly as if having been distracted by something.

"You… anybody. I'm hearing this sort of..."

thump… thump… thump…

Vs skin crawled as he looked down at the box in his hands, wrapped, however he had only been careful enough to cover up the spikes. He hadn't considered that the wicked and worn leather was making direct contact with the skin of his palm.

"Did it… did it do that back at the tavern? 'Cause I don't remember it doing that…"

“Now, this is going to sound like a wild idea…but maybe don’t touch it?” Asher suggested “It looks like it was made to not be touched.”

Before V could respond, a branch snapped nearby, as Shel pushed her way through the tree line, Pepper in toe. “Figured you were back. Pepper’s making a fuss, guess she could hear you talking so I let her lead me right to you. Did you get the pain medicine?” Shel asked, scratching Peppers neck.

Lafayette slapped his forehead. “I knew I was forgetting something… in the chaos I blanked.” he said. “I’ll have to get it later.”

After a moment Pepper stepped away from Shel and walked over to Asher. “Hey girl,” he said, patting her on the beak. “Sorry, don’t have any apples today.”

Curious of V, Pepper approached him. Tilting her head in chicken-like circles. Trying to figure out the weird behavior. Until she fixated on the box in his hands and began to hiss and flap her wings, doing a strange range of motions to make herself look even bigger hissing at the box, before she began to feign pecking at V’s face and neck. Hoping to scare him into guarding his face and dropping the box.

"Ah, um!?" V stammered at Shel in surprise, instantly launching into a backpedal, his attempts to escape only causing Pepper to engage even further.

"Hey! Hey! Control your bird!"

There was a soft shock from the box, not enough to hurt, but enough to make V drop it. The symbols on it pulse a light red, the thumping becomes relaxed, quiet. Slowly the red light faded, and the strange box was once more passive.

V took a full two or so steps back, horror on his face at what had just happened. He feared that Pepper might keep moving toward her, but he began to understand as the beast gravitated towards the box, seemingly equal parts enraged and perturbed.

"Yeah, so that's not normal…" He says, sort of grimacing at the thought of just having this strange object in his hands.

Pepper did keep moving to V, but not to snap at him any longer, she put herself between him and the box, her back to him unfluring her wings to make herself a large feathered wall. Keeping V away from picking up the box.

“Pepper.” Lafayette said in a calm soothing tone holding one hand out and walking to her slowly. Her attention split. Wanting to obey and be good, but also keep the box away from people. But eventually after the fourth time of Lafayette saying her name she relented and stopped doing her ‘danger’ dance, put her wings down and went back to Lafayette giving the box a wide berth.

“Sorry V.” Lafayette said, scratching Pepper’s neck. “She’s just protective, and I guess the box smelling like blood like that freaked her out.”

The heartbeats within the box finally fell silent, the runes stained on the ebony box slowly faded to their dark red color. It had become quiet, passive even, like a threatened animal had finally been left alone.

~~~

Meanwhile in the cart Prespa was tending to Willa’s extensive hand wounds. Taking delicate care of where she placed a hand as she gently cleaned off the cuts. Leaving only the exposed tears visible. The cleaning rinse also helped to stop the bleeding as Prespa set to work applying a strange thick salve. Wrapping each finger with strips of cloth bandage, then the palm tying each off, to the top layer of the hand giving her slight movement in her hands through some tasks would be a challenge for the next few days.

When she had finished she helped Willa to sit upright giving her a glass of strange looking water. Willa choked a bit on the water, coughing a bit, before forcing the drink back down her throat, slowly coming back to the living world, “Where am I? How did I get here?” She questioned the woman who patched up her wounds in utter confusion.

“Associates of mine brought you here after an apparent kerfuffle at the local tavern, as they told it, you wandered in, coated in a layer of sticky wet blood, slurring your words from loss of blood.” she said, placing another glass of the liquid down. “Drink.” she instructed, in a deadpan but commanding way.

She nodded at the woman and chugged down the liquid that the woman commanded her to drink. Once the glass was empty she carefully placed it down on a nearby table. “Where’s the box, I know I had a small chest in my hands, a black one. I need to know, please tell me it’s safe.” She pleaded with the woman, her voice shuddering in pain.

Prespa nodded. “It is safe.” she assured the woman. “They wrapped it in a cloth and took it away so I could work. “Believe me when I say they would not tamper with your property.” Prespa added. “I realize you are attached to that box but please do not undo my work. Salving and wrapping such damaged hands was a chore more than I had planned to do today and just grabbing it willy nilly again would surely reopen your wounds, I do not believe you have enough blood to go through that again.”

“Sorry, it’s just that box is the last thing my guardian gave me before his death. He told me in his dying breath to protect it.” Tears threatened to break from her face, sniffling at the memory of Kuz, the kind hearted orc who took her in when she was alone, then they fell.

“Stop crying.” Prespa said. “The box is safe. You are free to continue to protect it, though I suggest getting yourself a pair of decently thick leather gloves or keeping it tucked away somewhere safe. Whomever believed it a good idea to cover a box with metal thorns should be beathen about the head until the realize how truly idiotic that was. I do recommend my second option. Carrying it around like you are is just inviting another beating from the men who accosted you the first time, and I do not offer my services for free. This cost a favor of my associate, not something to be cashed in again.”

Willa sniffled, wiping her face, “You’re right, there is no point in crying. I’ll take you on your second option, and go find something to carry it. This associate, is he outside?” Willa attempted to get up from the bed. “I thank you for tending my wounds, I shall get out of your hair now.”

“Yes, my associates are outside. You have the red head to thank for my healing of your hands. His name is Lafayette.” Prespa paused before Willa reached the door. “Oh and do mind the bird.”

“I’m sure a bird won’t be a big deal for me. Thank you again, if there is any way I can repay you, let me know, even if your associates did this for me.” Willa picked up the rest of her things and slowly opened the door to the outside of the cart.

As Willa stepped down from the carriage she was greeted by two new faces along with Asher, V and Lafayette. Those being of Shel, the towering buff green half-orcish woman, and a massive bird, even not standing up was as tall as Willa.

She popped her head up and then stood to full height. Turning her head to the side and approaching Willa. Trying to figure out what kind of person Willa was.

Willa looked up at the giant bird in surprise, “Oh, that is what she meant by the bird.” Willa went to offer her hand for the bird to smell, “Wait, not a dog.” She slowly moved her hands away from the bird,and looked at the bandages now over her hands, “Um, thank you for taking me here to nurse my wounds, I didn’t mean to be a bother to all of you.”

Lafayette rubbed the back of Pepper’s neck. “It’s fine.” he said, “Don’t worry about it.” he said. “As for compensation.” Lafayette started, “What’s with the box, the cuts, the pommel bruises and running from Church Knights?” he questioned her.

“If we stuck our necks out for something we need to construct a tight alibi for I’d like to know no so I can start spinning.” Asher half joked. “Seriously though. I can’t go to jail. They won’t let me drink there.”

Willa looked around at the group, "I can't tell you. It's private business, well not really a business, more of a duty." She glanced at the bird, her eyes touched Willa's heart, "However you did save my life so, I can tell you a little. That box contains something that can control an ancient and powerful force. The knights want it, among others. Before I was the one tasked guarding it, my adoptive father was in charge, Kuz was his name….he was slayed by an old friend of his." She couldn't help but shed a few tears, so she wiped them away. "I've told you more than enough, can you please give me that box back. I'll leave so you don't have to worry, I appreciate the help. Thank you."

Lafayette looked at her. “I’m not going to stop you from leaving. I just don’t want to find out in the morning those bastards murdered you in your sleep over that.” he pointed to the box. “Trust me when I say this, if they want it they’ll get it. That is unless you make it impossible to get.” he added with a gesture of ‘poof’ “I’m just suggesting you hid it. Walking around with it just paints you with a target.”

Before Willa could respond Shel interjected. “I don’t mean to change the subject Lafayette but you should probably know Kalena ran off to get Solandriel when he ran off rambling about the woods or something.” she said. “I stayed to protect the others but she’s been gone for a few hours and had several drinks beforehand. You know her better than anyone so…should we go look for her?”

“And you didn’t stop her?” Lafayette asked.

Shel gave an ‘are you serious look’ tapping one of her feet against the ground. “You think I could stop her? I could grab her and keep sitting her in a chair like a misbehaving toddler and stand in front of the door but you know damn well as I do the moment I looked away for a second she’d jump out the window. And someone had to get that foolish man, if he dies then what’s the point in all the other problems we’re trying to clean up?”

Willa kept quiet as she stepped down the stairs, silently approaching the box on the ground. She watched and listened silently to the other people around her.

Lafayette scratched his jaw. “V, want to help me track down Kalena and Solandriel?”

“Yeah, sounds like a good idea. It shouldn't be hard, though.” The swarthy elf smiled. “I mean, they couldn't have gotten too far, right?”

“You’d think so.” Lafayette stretched his neck. “But Kalena is nothing if not unpredictable.”

Before Willa could bend down to pick up the box a hand grabbed the cloth between her shoulder blades, and with a matronly yank, she was pulled away but not off her feet. “Do you need ear drops as well?” Prespa said, in her characteristic monotone but it carried a motherlike anger. “Because I feel as though they need cleaning. I thought that I was clear. Your hands are in no condition to be grabbing a stick let alone that gods object. If you refuse to listen to reason I will assign you a babysitter.”

Prespa then turned to V, “And you. Are your eyes even in a condition to be running about? Did you apply the drops as instructed or is the only thing here that can take orders correctly Pepper?”

The young woman let out a surprised yelp at the tug by the doctor. “S-sorry.” Willa stuttered a bit, remembering the words she promised to Prespa. The box began to create the familiar heartbeat sound, “Thump-Thump, Thump-Thump” Willa flitched, “That’s uncalled.”

Lafayette waved Prespa off. “Just let her go. She’s too Hells bent on dying just let her go. I’ll pay you double next time.” he told Prespa who let Willa go. “I have more pressing matters.” he stood brushing his pants off. “Let’s go, you two.” he said to Shel and V.

Willa flinched a bit by Lafayette’s words however the box glowed, “What do you mean he’s right? My duty is to protect you. Bury you? Why would I do that, they could track you. Listen to his offer?” She seemed to have a one-sided conversation with it. She became silent for a moment, her expression that many have when listening to another. She went to speak, but quickly silenced herself. She faced Lafayette and the others, “What do you mean by making this disappear?”

“Yeah, we got a way of making things impossible to find. Unless you know where to look. Follow me.” Lafayette said, leading them back to the farmhouse.