CONTENT WARNING: Talk of kidnapping, fairly-serious injury, blood (pictured)
on a quiet afternoon in the inn...
"So you're saying you saw the witch that's been healing people?"
"And that it was definitely the same person?"
"I saw someone outside the back of the Peteran monastery the other night. Only a silhouette and some blue light, but whoever she was, she wasn't very tall."
"And you're sure they're a she?"
"Well, not quite. It's an assumption. She was short, with long hair - longer than any man I've ever seen, anyhow."
"Well, hark at him! He's a genius! He's found her! Now all we have to do is find a female witch with long hair!"
"Surely it's as easy as ambushing her outside of a Peteran monastery one night?"
"Of course not."
"What do you mean, 'of course not'?"
"Witches are smarter than we think."
"Are you serious?"
"If the witches weren't smart, Jowan, then Lord Volpe would still be alive. Dr. Annorin managed to successfully manipulate the least malleable man I've ever known. Say what you will about the witches, but you have to admire their ways around people a little."
"Right. But a silly little girl isn't going to be anywhere near as meticulous as Dr. Annorin was. Easier target as well."
"Not necessarily. I've been keeping an eye on the place the past few nights and I've seen nothing. I reckon she's at least smart enough to not keep performing her miracles in the same place every night."
"I suppose. So, what, we just keep an eye on different parts of Finchwick every night?"
"No. We need something more...targeted. I must say, I've been thinking constantly about the rumours surrounding Dr. Annorin. It's given me a little inspiration. He didn't immediately go after Lord Volpe. Convinced a man like him that he was constantly in control for years, and then at the last minute, Lord Volpe paid with his life for falling for his tricks."
"We need to try and play into the witch's favour instead of immediately going in with swords and torches. We may need to stage something. How about this - one of us doffs the uniform, gets badly injured, and then we can only hope the witch with the healing magic will show herself. Someone aligned to some extent with the Peteran monastery must have a level of compassion about them beyond helping other witches."
"And if she doesn't show herself? What, does one of us just die?"
"You expect one of us to just get badly injured for a stunt?"
"She has healing magic. She'd clean you up in no time at all, I'm certain."
"We don't even know that for certain yet!"
"She wouldn't be trying to outfox us if her abilities were false or useless, Jowan. Besides - the other reason we shouldn't kill her outright? She might be useful to us - it'd definitely save us some Simoleons if we didn't have to keep paying Mrs. Annorin, after all..."
"What, you really think the girl that's just been kidnapped is going to do as we tell her?"
"She might - at the threat of her life, or that of her loved ones...we'll see what we can do. Every witch has her breaking point, after all."
Róisín
I make my way back to the mansion. Hopefully these clear skies keep up so I can show Lydia what I'm capable of.
Valravn is perched atop the roof again. She's so majestic and beautiful. It makes me wish I was a gryphon!
Good morning, Valravn!
Hello there, Róisín.
There's a blast of cool air as her powerful wings lift her off the roof. She lands in front of me, covering me in cold snow again. She lowers herself a little, as if not to intimidate me. She looks like a dog begging me for a sausage.
Are you sure you're ready to help Lydia with her work?
I'm certain. If anything, I'm looking forward to it.
I understand, but please be ready for it - Lydia's patients are not always pleasant, and neither are their injuries. Owen and Lydia are old enough for the world to bother them quite as much.
I'll be fine. I've fled conflict. I've seen people with terrible injuries as I fled for my life as a child - only this time, I'll be able to help them.
Well, I admire your tenacity - but do not be afraid to take time away if you need to. Lydia will understand. Anyhow, I shan't delay you further - I'm sure she is waiting for you.
* * *
Lydia greets me inside the main hall. She looks exhausted, the poor woman.
"Róisín, my dear, I want to reiterate that I can offer you a room here if you'd like. I know you said you'd be okay, but I worry for your safety coming and going from here - can I convince you to reconsider? Valravn is here, and I'm here."
Lydia is right - it would probably be better to stay here, and maybe it would be nice to have some time to myself. Dare I say it...I bet a room in the Annorin mansion would be quite luxurious.
"I don't have a huge deal of money."
"Money? Pfft. You'd be working for me. I'd be paying you."
An Annorin? Paying me? Oh, just think of all the wonderful things I could buy for my family! I bet we could decorate our home, get a horse, and maybe I could even afford a lovely dress from that luxury tailor in Willow Creek! What a wonderful thought. I could do so much for my family with that money! And some treats for myself, of course.
"Oh, well that said - May I please see it?"
Lydia walks me to my room. The hallways are a little daunting around this mansion, but everything here is so ornate and beautiful.
"I apologise, sweetheart - it's not very big, but..."
Not very big? It's huge! And so, so gorgeous! The botanical wallpaper, the artwork on the walls, the decor...it's incredible!
The whole place is so opulent and colourful - there's even a little wolf figure by the table and on my bedside table. A whole bed like that? The covers look so soft - I would never want to wake up! There's even a majestic dragon at the end of it - I assume for good luck.
"This is wonderful, Lydia! Oh, it's so lovely!"
"I know you're probably a little old for soft toys, but I thought they were a cute tou-"
"PleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasecanIstaywithyouLydia?"
I beg as hard as I can - I really want to stay here now!
"Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease?"
"Oh, you don't need to beg, my lovely! It was my offer! I know you're nearly a woman grown, but I would feel a lot more comfortable talking to your family about this. Do you think you could bring your mother or father h-"
"Yes! I'll be straight back!"
Reynold
My daughter practically dragged me all the way back here. She asked if she could stay with Lydia. I allowed it - it seems safer that way. Lydia wants a word with me first off.
I notice the gryphon eyeing me from the roof. It's a lot more daunting than I expected. I could have sworn she greeted me in my mind, but I'm not sure.
When I introduce myself to Lydia, she seems relieved; she remembers me as being friends with Owen, who is away in Glimmerbrook with Áine at the moment.
The room is elegant; I have no doubt Róisín would absolutely love to stay in here.
"Lovely, isn't it? Since me and Owen re-decorated the place, it's been quite wonderful. I appreciate you coming, Reynold - I wanted to have a discussion with you about everything before your daughter starts helping me. First off, she'd be paid handsomely for the trouble - so you can be sure to live out your elder years in comfort," she says, laughing. "I did want to ask how this magic works, though."
"We can only use it when the Moon is out, but the lunar energy seals flesh wounds, minor and severe. It usually takes a few seconds, and the only symptoms is it might feel strange and tingly for a while. Other than that, it'll heal like nothing ever happened most of the time - no scars or anything like that."
"Fascinating...it's a medical miracle. Just imagine what that could do for my surgeries - if I have to cut off a leg or an arm, she could seal the wound right up, potentially. That's an enormous breakthrough, Reynold! It would raise survival rates through the roof! What about pain, though?"
"Every time I've done it, the 'patient' has never complained of pain. Just an odd sensation sometimes."
"Fantastic! There's very little I can do for the pain of surgeries, Reynold - you have no idea how excited this makes me!"
I don't quite know if it would work on something so major, but so far, it seems it will heal anything that doesn't affect internal organs. Maybe Lydia is right - maybe our magic is the key to some kind of major advancement in medicine.
"There's something I ought to explain to you, Lydia."
"We're affected quite strongly by full moons, as you can imagine. Róisín can't turn into a wolf yet, but her tantrums can be a little...unbearable."
"I have a husband, Reynold. She can't be more unbearable than he is. You've seen it when he gets up on his soapbox about disproven medical theories. Makes me wish there was a silence spell."
The two of us chuckle together.
"I ought to warn you that I cannot be fussy on what patients Róisín will be dealing with. They aren't always kind nor understanding, but you must understand there's not much in the way of pick and choose in this job. Admittedly, the witchfinders know not to cause trouble here or I will refuse to give them any treatment, but other than that - I can't guarantee who she'll be dealing with. I will also have to be open about her use of magic, or I risk ending up the way Owen did."
This is the part that worries me a little - but I try to think of the way Owen had changed a lot of people's minds, and how the conversation around the area was changing in terms of magic. More people were speaking openly about what good it could do, and more people were realising that Volpe and his witchfinders were full of it. Róisín's healing magic could really make the difference Henford needs.
"I will support her in any way I can, Reynold, and I'm so sorry that things have gotten this desperate. Those with less severe injuries are falling through the cracks since all of my apprentices left, and now all I have left is your daughter - and you, if you ever have the time."
"Right now I'm taking care of my sister, but if you need me for anything, feel free to pay me a call. I'll give you my address and that of my father. Though I must ask, Lydia - how are you coping?"
Her smile droops into something a little more desperate. I imagine no-one has asked.
"It's been incredibly difficult without Owen, Reynold. I know I'm more than capable of doing things myself, but Josiah is rushed off his feet, he's exhausted, I'm exhausted, meanwhile Owen is having a brilliant time in Glimmerbrook, I bet. He got away with everything, Reynold, and I don't know if I will. I will do everything I can for your daughter, but I can't one-hundred-per-cent promise everything will go without issue."
"She's safer here than she would be anywhere else, Lydia. She wants to be like me, her mother, her grandfather Oskar - I don't want her to be like us. I want her to focus on helping others without others getting hurt. When she's older, then I can teach her about her wolf when it emerges. Right now, I am just doing all I can to nudge her towards using her powers for these kinds of means."
Róisín rushes back into the room. There's a strange smell on her that I can only describe as animal-like. Has she been playing with that gryphon?
"So? What's the answer?"
"Yes, but always do as Lydia tells you. You may get away with disobeying your parents, but you won't get away with disobeying Lydia, okay? No running off, no trying to be the hero outside of using defensive or healing abilities. Do you underst-"
"Yes! Thank you, Father! Thank you, Lydia! I won't let either of you down - I promise!"
Róisín
A mumbling sound outside my door wakes me from a lovely sleep. Such a shame - this is the best sleep I've had in so long!
A figure materialises in the room, calling my name. For a moment, I forget whose home I'm in.
"Róisín, I need you - we've got a patient outside. He's been attacked."
* * *
The midnight air is freezing. Lydia leads me to a tent outside. The gibbous moon shines brightly above, and I can see a small glow of blue on the roof from where it's reflecting off of Valravn's eyes. I may have a chance to show Lydia what I'm capable of.
"He's bleeding quite heavily from his wounds. We'll need to act as fast as we can."
"All you need is the moonlight and to be outside, yes?"
"More or less. It should work."
I try not to panic. If I worry too much, it won't work at all.
Lydia's patient is lying bloodied in the tent, sheltered from the winter cold. He holds up his hand, magic crackling through his fingertips before dissipating.
"Please, don't try to cast anything."
He's a witch - that settles my nerves a little. Lydia remains completely calm, almost as if she's looking straight through the man.
"Tonight, we're going to try an experimental treatment on you - using lunar magic to seal your wounds. It should be less painful and less prone to infection than my own methods, if my assistant is correct. Are you-"
"Please, Watcher anything!" he cries, clutching his chest. "I don't want to die!"
Lydia gives me a determined look that makes my settled nerves quiver for a moment.
Lunvin... I know you're counting on me, but I'm counting on you, too. Please, grant me the power I need to heal this poor man's wounds... At least no-one will see us past the high fences.
I put my hands towards where he's cut the worst - there's deep slashes all over him, likely from a sword. I'm sure he will much prefer my methods to surgery, at least.
I focus tightly on them, thinking of the Moon, thinking of Lunvin, and feeling the moonlight radiate through me. My sense of empathy for this man multiplies, leaving a fluttering sense in my chest. My hands glow so bright that both the man and Lydia try to shield their eyes.
"Are you okay, sir?" Lydia asks the man.
"I'm alright - I can feel it working," he replies, his voice struggling. "It's a little tingly and warm, but other than that..."
The magic begins to seal his wounds shut, stopping most of the bleeding and leaving practically no marks of an injury behind.
My forehead begins to burn and my vision begins to blur a little. It's taking all of my concentration to try and heal every wound. There's so many - how could anyone inflict this upon him?
When I'm finally finished, my head is searing, and I feel a tingling sensation in my fingers. Euphoria, anger and love all burn throughout my veins. Lydia looks at me with a kind of surprise I would never expect to see from someone at her level.
"How are you feeling, sir?"
"I'm - How! How did you-" - he starts patting himself on his arms and legs - "They're gone! I feel no pain. There's no scar, there's - it's - it's a miracle! A little tingly, but that's all!"
"You're still exhausted. You should rest for now."
"Róisín, I am nearly lost for words. What I've just witnessed is a sight to behold. What you've done - it could completely revolutionalise surgery. No pain, no stitching, no bleeding, no open wounds to get infected. I can't tell you how I'm feeling right now, other than ...amazed. Hopeful. Angry - angry that I can't share your knowledge with the world."
"Both of you, thank you - you saved my life, as well as the friends that left me on your doorstep. I'll pay you as soon as I-"
"We don't need the money, sir," Lydia interrupts. "Please. It's our pleasure."
He takes deep breaths to steady himself before he continues talking. I can't believe it myself - he's sitting up already, and he was dying some minutes ago! Lunvin's genius is like no other.
"Young lady, I'm going to need you to do me a favour - I bet ol' Dr. Annorin has made you really want to tell people about this, hasn't he? Please, don't. Help people here if you must, but don't let your abilites become common knowledge."
"With a power like yours, I dread to think what kinds of nefarious deeds people might want from someone like you. Please, please, go careful."