Jeffrey Quyle - The Healing Spring

“Have you received the two elves from Green Water?” Kestrel asked, thinking of the men he had sent hobbling towards Center Trunk from Firheng only days before.

“Who? Where’s Green Water?” Alicia asked.

Kestrel tossed her more of the empty water skins as she finished filling those she had with her, then he told her an abbreviated version of his story about saving the elves from slavery.

“Silvan will be beside himself at the opportunity to question them about the humans,” Alicia commented when the story was over. “You did a wonderful thing to give them their freedom back.”

She looked up at him and saw his eyes studying her closely. “I guess you noticed I was sleeping alone,” she said as she finished filling the last of the skins.

“I did,” Kestrel commented.

“We are husband and wife, and we do sleep together from time to time,” she told him. “I love him so much, but perhaps I was too young and ignorant when I set my sights on him. He’s a very good man, and a very brilliant one, you know,” she spoke in a defensive tone. “I’d do anything to help him.”

“Even seduce another man, get him drunk, and operate on his body without his agreement,” Kestrel said grimly.

“Oh Kestrel, I know. I’m guilty, and it wasn’t fair to you, but it was for a bigger cause. I’m sorry; that’s the worst thing I’ve ever done,” she spoke in a pleading tone. “I wouldn’t do it again, knowing how you think of me because of it,” she added in a lower voice.

“I’m sorry, Alicia, I’ve forgiven you, mostly, and when Termine and Hinger arrive in Center Trunk you can treat their feet with some of this water so that they recover completely, and we’ll all agree that it was worth chopping my ears to set them free,” he leaned back on the grass, starting to feel exhausted. All the sprites but Dewberry had curled up asleep on the lawn, he realized, while the worried bride sat, and looked down at her injured husband.

“He’s going to be okay, Dewberry,” Kestrel told her. “Alicia thinks he’ll just need to soak in the spring water a lot for a while,” he said, as the elf maiden climbed up out of the water and put her robe on again.

“Thank you honored elf healer,” Dewberry said.

“If there’s nothing else for you to do here, we can take you home to your own bed so you can get some sleep,” Kestrel suggested.

“That will be fine, in a minute,” Alicia agreed. She sat down next to him. “So what are you doing in Estone? I know you’re just passing through, aren’t you?” she asked.

“I’m going to go to a reception in the Doge’s palace tomorrow night, in my honor, and then I’m going to take a ship to North Harbor the day after that, to start my journey to my assignment,” he told her. “Have you ever heard of a place called Uniontown?” he asked.

“I haven’t,” Alicia answered. “Why? Where is it?”

“It’s a city that has sent an ambassador to Estone, for no good reason. I was briefly in the same room as the ambassador from Uniontown, and it felt creepy. I don’t know why that seems important, but I think Silvan should know,” Kestrel answered.

“I’ll tell him,” she assured him. “Anything else?”

“No, that’s all for now,” he said. “Go on home and get warm. I’ll see you again in a few months.”

He paused. “I have forgiven you Alicia, just so you know; I felt we could trust you — I sent Dewberry to your room because I knew we could count on you,” he told her. “Dewberry,” he called, “you can take the doctor home now.”

The sprite roused her companions, and they gathered around the elf woman. “Take a water skin back and use it to heal Termine and Hinger,” Kestrel reminded her, handing her the strap for one of the skins in the pile.

“Be careful, Kestrel,” she answered, just as the sprites surrounded her. It seemed she was ready to say more, but instead she disappeared, and a minute later the sprites were back.

“Where are we going to take Jonson?” Kestrel asked Dewberry.

“We can take him to our quarters in his father’s palace,” she answered.

Carefully, Kestrel reached over the waterline and grabbed hold of Jonson’s hands, then lifted him from the water and laid him on the shore line. “Here,” he gave a pair of water skins to each of the sprites, “take these to the place he’s going to stay, to your quarters,” he instructed Dewberry. “You’ll need to use this water to bathe his legs as they grow back, and give him some to drink each day.”

Each of the sprites flitted away, and then returned moments later. “Are we ready?” Kestrel asked.

“We’re ready,” Dewberry and the others agreed. Kestrel picked the still sleeping Jonson up, and then was transported to the palace of the imps.

When he arrived he immediately crouched down; his head just barely avoided hitting the ceiling of the room. He saw an expansive bed, by sprite and imp standards, and gently laid Jonson on the mattress. “His care is in your hands now,” Kestrel told Dewberry, “and I know he’ll be well tended.” He yawned.

“Let us take you home, dear,” Dewberry said, looking up from where she sat on the bed next to her husband.

“I left a couple of skins of healing water at the spring. Can we go there first and get them?” he asked, and so he was taken first to the side of the healing spring, and then back to Merilla’s bedroom.

“Leave us,” Dewberry said to the other sprites. “I’ll be back in a minute,” she said, as Kestrel looked at Merilla’s sleeping form, lying on her mattress beneath a thick cover.

“You have been such a good friend,” Dewberry told him, floating in the air directly in front of him, whispering in his ear. “If there is ever a way I can repay the debt I owe, even if it means giving up my own life for you, please let me know.” She leaned in and kissed his cheek lightly, and then she was gone.

“Who’s there?” Merilla’s voice called sharply.

“It’s me, Kestrel. I’m back,” he said wearily.

“Is everything okay with your friend?” she asked in a sleepier tone.

“His condition was grave, but I think he’s going to be okay now. It took quick action to save his life,” Kestrel answered. He walked over to the bed and sat down on the mattress, then picked up his shirt that had remained on the floor in his absence. Merilla had changed into a warm nightgown, one that covered her from neck to ankle, it appeared.

“We can never expect to be a couple,” Kestrel said as he pulled his shirt over his head. “As much as we care for each other, fate has decided to keep us apart.”

“I know Kestrel,” Merilla said softly. “But I hope we can still be friends.”

“I hope so too,” he answered. “Will you still go to the Doge’s palace with me?”

She appeared to hesitate, then answered. “Why not? Why not go with the hero of the city? Yes, I’ll go. Come pick me up at my father’s shop at the proper time.”

Kestrel bent and kissed the top of her head. “I’m going to leave now,” he told her, “and I’ll pick you up in the afternoon. He couldn’t see her face, but he knew she was crying, just as he felt a tear run down his cheek and drop on her head.

“Kestrel, here,” she pulled a paper-wrapped package from a bedside table. “It’s your shirt for tomorrow. Now travel safely on the way home, and make sure you close the door tightly when you leave!”

Kestrel gave a quick chuckle, then took his leave, walking through Estone’s blustery cold night on his journey back to his inn, a journey that came after a much different experience than he had anticipated. Four men were leaving the inn when Kestrel came within sight of it finally, travelers getting an early start on their day’s journey, while he had yet to get to sleep. He reached the main door, went inside, and wearily climbed the stairs.