Thane and Jne.
Kat was just finishing up with wrapping a child’s arm when he approached. He noticed her quick scan of his immediate area as if she were looking for someone else before her face broke into a warm smile. “Dor,” she cried, “It warms me to see you—alone.”
He blushed at the obvious show of affection. Though he knew that Kat was aware of his feelings for Tam, the healer still displayed her unabashed feelings for him whenever they were together. It made him uncomfortable which seemed to only please Kat that much more.
“And you, Kat,” he answered without directly looking at her. “We need to talk. Where is Bren?”
Her demeanor changed instantly to one of ice. “And what is it that requires him more than just me?” she snorted.
He raised his hands in defense. “It is not like that, Kat, I would just rather say this once to you both then have to seek him out on my own and repeat myself.”
She glared at him briefly as if trying to decide the validity of what he’d said and then just shrugged and pointed behind her. “He’s this way. Come, I’ll take you to him.”
Pushing through the throng of refugees that slowly pressed on toward the capitol city in a slow moving mass, they veered slightly to the right, darting between the ragged and weary people of Haykon. Shuffling along in silence, for an extended length of time, Dor was becoming convinced that Kat was just leading him about. But finally he caught a glimpse of the tell-tale brown robes, worn by all healers, draped around a person bent over in the back of a cart that was being pulled along by a woman and her daughter. Bren jumped from the cart and walked toward the woman just as they approached.
“Your husband’s fever has broken,” he said to the woman whose face clearly showed her relief and gratitude. “He is still weak and will need to rest more but as soon as he is up you should feed him as much as you can get into his belly to give him back his strength.”
Dor could see the tears of joy slipping down the woman’s cheeks as she thanked the healer profusely. Bren just nodded and turned away addressing the approaching pair. “What news Master Dor?” he said, clearly pleased to see the young Chufa. “And what of Master Thane, will he keep our meeting tonight? I am anxious to know whether or not I have the gift of the wind.”
Dor smiled slightly while his own face paled. He remembered all too well his experience with Bren when the healer tried to teach him to pull fire from a piece of wood. He’d never felt so wrong in his life. Though Bren had pushed again and again, insisting that he could learn the gifts from other Tane, Dor wanted nothing of it. In his mind it wasn’t natural. Nor, as his reaction had proven, was it to his body.
“If Thane promises something,” he finally said, “then you can count on it. My errand deals with something of greater import.” Pulling the two healers aside where others would not hear, he quickly went over the previous day’s meeting and the decision that had been reached.
“It is a long journey, Master Dor,” Bren said. “But we see the wisdom in it. There are many healers in Calandra and many more that can be gathered quickly from other towns. We will assemble all we can and give what aid we are able.”
Dor bowed his head slightly in acceptance. “Your help will prove of great worth I am certain.”
Bren grinned. “Especially if Thane and I are successful tonight.”
Dor didn’t respond. Instead he merely turned into the crowd and forced his way against the current of people back toward Thane and Tam. He wanted nothing to do with the healer’s plans to “expand” his gifts. As he went he thought he could hear Kat’s voice rising above the noise accusing Bren of chasing him off. He sighed. Not for the last time he longed for the innocent days of the past that were filled with nothing more than mundane activities mixed with the occasional bout of mischief. Even
Kat was just finishing up with wrapping a child’s arm when he approached. He noticed her quick scan of his immediate area as if she were looking for someone else before her face broke into a warm smile. “Dor,” she cried, “It warms me to see you—alone.”
He blushed at the obvious show of affection. Though he knew that Kat was aware of his feelings for Tam, the healer still displayed her unabashed feelings for him whenever they were together. It made him uncomfortable which seemed to only please Kat that much more.
“And you, Kat,” he answered without directly looking at her. “We need to talk. Where is Bren?”
Her demeanor changed instantly to one of ice. “And what is it that requires him more than just me?” she snorted.
He raised his hands in defense. “It is not like that, Kat, I would just rather say this once to you both then have to seek him out on my own and repeat myself.”
She glared at him briefly as if trying to decide the validity of what he’d said and then just shrugged and pointed behind her. “He’s this way. Come, I’ll take you to him.”
Pushing through the throng of refugees that slowly pressed on toward the capitol city in a slow moving mass, they veered slightly to the right, darting between the ragged and weary people of Haykon. Shuffling along in silence, for an extended length of time, Dor was becoming convinced that Kat was just leading him about. But finally he caught a glimpse of the tell-tale brown robes, worn by all healers, draped around a person bent over in the back of a cart that was being pulled along by a woman and her daughter. Bren jumped from the cart and walked toward the woman just as they approached.
“Your husband’s fever has broken,” he said to the woman whose face clearly showed her relief and gratitude. “He is still weak and will need to rest more but as soon as he is up you should feed him as much as you can get into his belly to give him back his strength.”
Dor could see the tears of joy slipping down the woman’s cheeks as she thanked the healer profusely. Bren just nodded and turned away addressing the approaching pair. “What news Master Dor?” he said, clearly pleased to see the young Chufa. “And what of Master Thane, will he keep our meeting tonight? I am anxious to know whether or not I have the gift of the wind.”
Dor smiled slightly while his own face paled. He remembered all too well his experience with Bren when the healer tried to teach him to pull fire from a piece of wood. He’d never felt so wrong in his life. Though Bren had pushed again and again, insisting that he could learn the gifts from other Tane, Dor wanted nothing of it. In his mind it wasn’t natural. Nor, as his reaction had proven, was it to his body.
“If Thane promises something,” he finally said, “then you can count on it. My errand deals with something of greater import.” Pulling the two healers aside where others would not hear, he quickly went over the previous day’s meeting and the decision that had been reached.
“It is a long journey, Master Dor,” Bren said. “But we see the wisdom in it. There are many healers in Calandra and many more that can be gathered quickly from other towns. We will assemble all we can and give what aid we are able.”
Dor bowed his head slightly in acceptance. “Your help will prove of great worth I am certain.”
Bren grinned. “Especially if Thane and I are successful tonight.”
Dor didn’t respond. Instead he merely turned into the crowd and forced his way against the current of people back toward Thane and Tam. He wanted nothing to do with the healer’s plans to “expand” his gifts. As he went he thought he could hear Kat’s voice rising above the noise accusing Bren of chasing him off. He sighed. Not for the last time he longed for the innocent days of the past that were filled with nothing more than mundane activities mixed with the occasional bout of mischief. Even
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