Chapter 10
“Andrew, or should I say, Anthony Lucci? Tell me your story.”
“First, you are looking better. What happened when you knew who I was? You started to glow like an angel, but looked ill at the same time.”
“I am better so don’t worry. Now, tell me your story. I know you are a spy and still loyal to the Roman Empire.”
“I was the steward of the Primus Pilus, Markus Vibonna. He sent me to get close to King Ethelred. My instructions were to keep an eye on him, and to kill anyone I felt was a threat to the Roman Empire. The longer I was here the less I felt England was a threat to the Roman Empire. When King Cnut came, I was wary at first, but he treats all of his citizens and allies with such respect I cannot help but like him. Cezar Trajan is brutal, especially to those he feels are lesser than he. He doesn’t believe in the equality of people, beasts, and fae. I have seen how everyone is educated, treated fairly, and taken care of in this empire. I have not sent a message to Markus for over a month. I didn’t want him to know you were sick and England was without a true royal. I need to send him a message soon or he will get suspicious, but I cannot lie in them. He has a magical powder he can sprinkle over any missive, anything the writer knows is untrue will be highlighted. I would like to send a note that Laird Tokavaig has seemed to take an interest in Princess Erameya. It may hold him off longer. I fear he is going to try to sail a fleet up here and attack before King Cnut comes back. If I subtly let him know dragons are here, he may be cautious.”
“Can I trust you at all?”
“I have told you nothing but the truth. I use a flying seahorse and attach a waterproof tube with a note. The flying seahorse can both swim and fly at great speeds and will find him with the message faster than the pixie post could get from here to Rome. There is a bucket of them in my room. There is also a special pen with ink that turns invisible when dry, and waterproof tubes. If you would send someone for my things, I’ll write the letter and see if I can hold him off longer.”
“I,” Aunt Elfie said, “believe him and will have him escorted to his room. I will stay with him while he writes his letter and have him confined to his chambers.”
“When did you get here?” Erameya smiled at her aunt.
“When he started talking about Markus Vibonna, Duncan and I were just arriving. How are you dear?”
“Better, thank you. I am going to the healer’s tower to make potions with Master Gareth if you need me. Remember to trust but verify. Anthony Lucci, is a spy and assassin, if his Cezar told him to, he’d kill any one of us he likely would.”
“I’ll be careful.” Her aunt reassured her.
“Duncan, send someone for Abnor, have him meet me in the healer’s tower. I have a potion I think will heal him.” Master Gareth asked.
“Yes, Sir.” Duncan motioned for one of the servants to go.
“Duncan. Have the guard posted inside and outside of every possible exit. If Anthony makes the least misstep. Trank him.” Erameya commanded.
“Trank?” Duncan asked looking at her like she had two heads.
“Sorry. Use a sleeping dart or just knock him out. Only kill him if it is absolutely necessary. Keep him secure at all costs. If he has the names of more spies, have him give them to my aunt. He can also tell her everything he knows about Markus’s plans.
“Aunt Elfie, do we need Leon?”
“No, you know how overprotective he is. Go do what you need to do. I will have plenty of guards with me and placed around his room.”
Erameya, Laird Tokavaig, Master Gareth, and Angus, walked to the healer’s tower.
“May I join you?” Laird Tokavaig asked Master Gareth as they walked.
“I also would like to join you. I feel I have a lot to learn about healing. My mother is a druidic healer and my father a magical healer but I have never studied the arts.”
“That will be fine. Just don’t scare away my patients. Or flirt with them.” Master Gareth glared at Angus as he spoke. “I have a few patients visiting the tower and a list of others I need to visit. I have potions, poultices and teas that need made. If each of you children pick an item to craft, Laird Tokavaig and I will watch and make sure you don’t poison anyone.”
Erameya looked over the list of items that needed made. She chose a burn poultice. She started with the list of herbs Master Gareth gave her.
Comfrey:
Herb:
Uses:
Topical:
Sprains
Bruises
Strains
Breaks
Arthritis
Wounds
Burns
Frostbite
Pain relief
Internal:
Can be used in small amounts for pain
Mullein:
Herb:
Uses:
Topical:
Sprains
Bruises
Strains
Breaks
Arthritis
Wounds
Burns
Frostbite
Pain relief
Hemorrhoids
Skin infections
Ear pain
Gout
Internal:
Asthma
Bronchitis
Cough
Inflammation
Antimicrobial
Earache
Sour throat
Pain relief
Antioxidant
Gout
Gastrointestinal pain
Head aches
Garlic:
Herb:
Uses:
Seasoning
Topical:
Fungal infections
Psoriasis
Scars
Corns
Wounds
Burns
Internal:
Infections
High blood pressure
Anti-inflammatory
Antimicrobial
Bronchitis
Colds
Earaches
Sinus infections
Flu
Gastrointestinal infections
Worms
Parasites
Tooth and gum disease
Lowers cholesterol
Immune builder
St. Johns Wart:
Herb:
Uses:
Topical:
Wounds
Burns
Bruises
Muscle pain
Varicose Veins
Internal:
Mental illness
Nerve pain
Arthritis
Menstruation pain
Kidney pain
Lung pain
Menopause
Goldenseal:
Herb:
Uses:
External:
Skin disorders
Ulcers
Fevers
Infections
Burns
Antimicrobial
Internal:
Antimicrobial
Diarrhea
Urinary Tract Infections
Canker sores
Vaginitis
Yeast infections
Immune booster
Heart disease
Stomachache
Colds
Flu
Hay fever
Sore throat
Malaria
Respiratory problems
Ginger:
Herb:
Uses:
Seasoning
Topical:
Wounds
Burns
Pain relief
Headaches
Anti-inflammatory
Internal:
Nausea
Arthritis
Circulation
Toothache
Pain relief
Menstrual pain
“So many of the uses if these herbs overlap, how do you know which one to use?”
“Trial and error, history, training, intuition, and/or inspiration.” Master Gareth shrugged.
“Grind each of the herbs in the amount listed in the order listed. Mix as directed and seal in this pouch. Fiona will be here shortly. When she gets here, slather it on her burn and wrap it with this cloth.”
It took time to get used to the mortar and pestle but Erameya found the work relaxing. Soon she had the poultice made and decided to identify it to be sure it was made correctly.
Burn Poultice, Magical
Will heal most burns after several applications.
Apply liberally to affected area.
Wrap with cloth and then oil cloth.
Keep moist.
Reapply often and before it dries.
“Master Gareth? This poultice is classified as magical. Is that going to be a problem?”
“No, mana will leak into everything you do. You are focused on healing so you will have infused it with healing magic.”
“A lot of healing magic, I’m afraid.” Laird Tokavaig added. “Child you need to learn conservation. Once you got lost in your work, mana was infused into not only the poultice, but also the mortar and pestle and the table. You should feel better with that outflow, your mana should be about even. Check your screen.”
Demographics (extended)
Name Erameya
Title Princess
Class Royal
Race Human
Gender Female
Loyalty The Northern Empire
Height 5' 6"
Weight 110 lbs.
Eye color Green
Hair color Dark Brown
Attributes
Strength 36
Agility 37
Dexterity 37
Wisdom 37
Intelligence 37
Perception 37
Available Points 9
Statistics
Health 120/120
Stamina 188/198
Mana 558/699
Core 3
Skills
Languages Automatically be able to translate and speak any language.
Identify Identify any object or person.
Survival Acclimatize in your new environment, retrieve memories, and integrate host body skills.
Crafting Level 3 You have crafted a poultice.
Potion making Level 2 You have crafted a poultice.
Healing Level 2 You have crafted a poultice.
Sword craft Level 5 You can now defend yourself.
Archery Level 3 You can hit a target.
Spell casting Level 2 Feed magic into an object.
Horticulture Level 1 Know your plants.
Agriculture Level 5 You care for two boned animals.
Fan skills Level 1 Fans can be weapons.
Dancing Level 1 Don't fall on your face.
Dressing Level 2 You can choose your clothes with pride.
Hair Dressing Level 2 You know a good style when you see one.
Leadership Level 1 Example or fear, it’s your choice.
Charm Level 1 Everybody loves you.
Diplomacy Level 5 Make as many people leave happy as possible.
Stabbing Level 2 You can throw your knife.
Martial Arts Level 1 Acrobatic weaponless self-defense.
Meditation Level 8 Achieve a state of clarity of mind.
Sewing Level 2 You have designed a pattern.
Cooking Level 2 You thought up something for someone else to cook.
Magical Creation Level 1 Create solid objects from mana.
Magical Push and pull Level 2 Throw and retrieve objects using magic.
Magical explosion! Level 1 Blow shit up with magic.
Self-Defense Level 2 Don't let others pick on you.
Listening Level 1 Listen and learn.
Teaching Level 1 You can teach.
Life Energy Manipulation Level 1 You can use life energy to heal and help things grow.
“Very good your mana is more manageable and you have increased you core again.”
“Erameya, Fiona is here. Go greet her and apply the poultice. Once you have it wrapped in cotton, wrap it in this oil cloth. Give her the rest of the poultice and theses wraps. Tell her to keep it moist an reapply the poultice at least daily.”
“I’ll do my best.”
Erameya walked down the stairs and greeted Fiona, a flower pixie, in the bottom floor of the tower.
“I’m going to put this poultice on your burn. I need to see it.” The pixie took off her clothes and her left side from her arm to her ankle was covered with burns. “Wow. Lift your arm and I will do my best to get this all over your burn. Can you tell me how this happened?”
Erameya pushed cleansing magic into her hands so she wouldn’t spread anything to the poor pixie. While she applied the poultice and wrapped the burn, she listened to how the flower pixie was caught in a forest fire. She was too burned for her natural healing to help her so her father brough her here. He sent her brother to Master Gareth first so Master Gareth could find or make what was needed to help her. Fiona exclaimed at how much better she felt and her father and brother thanked her profusely. She gave them the supplies and instructions from Master Gareth, and, after they were gone, went up to start her next project.
This time she mixed up a tea to ease labor pains. After that she made a healing potion, an anti-viral potion and a rheumatism poultice. She made a headache powder to be stirred into tea, eye drops to help with an eye infection. Sleeping potions, stimulants, and a contraceptive potion. She made skin creams for beauty, skin creams for rash, and skin creams for discolorations. She was shocked at the amount of work they did between seeing the patients Master Gareth was expecting and a few he was not. One girl had a cut Master Gareth had to sew closed. Another person had been cut while practicing their sword craft. There was a father whose daughter had suddenly stopped breathing. It was overwhelming to see what Master Gareth did every day. Once they were done making everything Master Gareth thought they might need, they packed up the supplies and left the tower.
They walked down to the lower baily to visit the first person on the list. The butcher came running out of his shop. “Master Gareth, my Maggie is in labor. She needs help! She has been in labor for nearly a day now. I was on my way to get you.”
“I’ll be right in. Princess, will you finish my rounds?”
“Angus will join her. Butcher, send your apprentice to the keep for Lady Elfie. We are going to need her help. Master Gareth the situation is urgent.”
Erameya looked after the two older men as they hurried into the house behind the butcher’s shop. They didn’t let the butcher follow them and he was pacing outside the door. “Angus, you may need to stay with the butcher. He looks frazzled.”
“I think he needs a good mead and a friend. Let’s go to the tanner and ask him if he will take the butcher some mead and sit with him for a while.” They started towards the tanners.
“Sounds good. I have this mild sedative we could give him to put in the mead if the tanner thinks the butcher needs it.” Erameya smiled at the tanner’s son as they entered his shop. “Hello, again. Will you get your father?”
“Yes, M’lady.” He ran into the back and retuned with his father.
“Are you and the butcher friends?”
“Yes M’lady. His wife is my sister.”
“Good. She is having a difficult labor. Master Gareth and Laird Tokavaig are with her. They have sent for my aunt. This leaves the butcher alone. He needs a friend and a drink. If you feel he needs it this is a mild sedative. Will you go be with him?”
“I’d be happy to. Let me get my best mead and I’ll be off.” He took the vial.
“Are those your new trousers?” the tanners son asked.
“They are. Thank you. I love them.” Angus postured.
“I just finished mine. My sister did most of the sewing on yours and the princess’s. I did have been working on Hugo’s and my pairs. Hugo made the zippers and snaps. Da even wants a pair.”
“May we see the other two pairs?” Erameya asked. She looked at Angus with a mischievous and questioning look. He smiled and shrugged.
“Here they are.” He pointed to the trousers laid over a saw horse.
Erameya placed one hand on each and filled them with magic. They ended up with the same properties as Angus’s trousers. “There, now they will mend and clean themselves.”
“Thank you. My sister said most of the servants in the castle have ordered a pair and many of the people who have come into the shop today and have seen me sewing have ordered a pair. I just hope Hugo can keep up. The zippers are a lot of work. He will be excited that he has a magical pair. Nearly as excited as I am. We are neither of us easy on our clothing.”
“I haven’t been too easy on mine since I was healed, so don’t feel bad. If there is anything I can do for you let me know.”
“I will. Thank you again.” They left the tanners.
“Should we go say thank you to Hugo too?” Angus asked.
“We should. Master Gareth wants us to drop off the burn poultice he keeps in their shop and restock their emergency medicine cabinet. The butcher’s wife is a midwife. She helps with his patients when she can. It is too bad she is visiting her sister this week. I cannot believe how quickly they were able to make these trousers. The seamstresses made me a basic pair of leggings while we were talking patterns.”
“They are very good at their trades. I believe that is the beauty of cities. Even on my father’s land everyone specializes, but outside of Grandfather’s keep no one specializes. He has brownies that clean and cook in the keep. They have no other specialists. Everyone has to do everything from slaughtering their own animals, tanning, sewing, cleaning, cooking, to teaching their children. Grandmother tried to teach the village children but she is human and most everyone on the island are dragons or dragon kin. My grandfather’s first wife tried it but she has no patients for the hatchlings. His second wife is in Iceland with your brother, and the third wife died when they went to meet a challenge to his rule. Grandmother never met her. She is the fourth wife and, I believe, his favorite. The fact that she is human not a dragon shook the whole dragon kingdom.”
“In the world I’m from dragons are depicted differently in different parts of the world. Is this true?”
“No. Grand dragons are Grand dragons. There are lesser dragons all the way down to wyverns. Wyverns are not really dragons or dragon kin but are dragon like.”
“What about long skinny dragons with no legs or wings, or the skinny long Dragons with four legs and no wings?”
“Wyrms have no legs and no wings. They are elemental dragons. The air wyrms swim in air, the fire wyrms swim in fire, earth wyrms swim in earth, and water wyrms swim in water. I have never seen a fire wyrm, but there is an ice wyrm that lives north of the Shetland islands. As for Wyrms with legs. They are old wyrms that have chosen to grow legs. They can have anything from two to hundreds of legs. It depends on their choice.”
They walked into the blacksmith’s shop.
“Welcome. Hello!” Hugo smiled. “I it is good to see you two. I made molds like you said for the zipper parts and a teeth setter. It takes me only minutes to make a zipper now. I also made molds for the snaps. I think they are both going to sell very well. Do you like yours?”
“I do. I infused your pair with magic to make it more durable. It is now self-cleaning and self-mending.”
“Thank you!”
“Here is the burn poultice from Master Gareth. He said to remind everyone who uses it to put it in cold water until the burn is cool before applying the poultice. Here are several pots of comfrey salve, and some toothache powder for your cabinet also. We have to do the rounds today. So, we had better hurry.”
“Where is Master Gareth?”
“He and my grandfather are delivering the butcher’s baby.” Angus told him. “We sent the tanner to sit with the butcher but I am worried.”
“I’ll send my father to see what he can do. I’ll see you two later.”
As they left the blacksmith’s shop, Erameya asked, “Don’t you believe in patient confidentiality?”
“I don’t know. Does that mean not talking about patients?”
“Yes.”
“No. If I don’t talk to everyone about everyone else, they will believe I am hiding something.” He bumped her shoulder with his arm, “Honestly, the butcher and the smithy are brothers in law.”
