Cursed Ch. 02

The birds continued chattering, a goat bleated in the distance––udder full and yearning to be milked. The priestae would be back soon to complete their chores.

Sighing, Lena moved to perform her toilet, stripping off her soiled vest and washing herself in the basin on the bench, cringing as the cool water tightened her nipples. At the same time she kept glancing over her shoulder to make sure the patient was asleep, feeling self-conscious in her skin in a way she hadn't in a long time. There was never a need for modesty amongst the other women. Yet here was a man and suddenly she had to be careful of herself. She pushed down her breeches and dealt speedily with her lower half.

Keeping an eye on the slumbering man she retrieved clean clothes and quickly dressed. Then she threw herself into her chores as a distraction.

Josta ducked in through the door just as Lena finished cleaning the room. "How is he? Eula said something about a fever?"

"I think I caught it in time."

Josta crouched down next to the man, sniffing the air. "Bramble oil. Good work."

Lena prepared the older woman a mug of tea, which she accepted, joining her at the freshly scrubbed table. "Mmm, just what I needed, thank you."

"I asked him his name," Lena said.

"Oh?"

"He couldn't remember it, or anything else, in fact. I wondered if it might be the lump on the back of his head."

"A lump?" Josta drummed her fingers on the tabletop. "Hmm, that is a problem. I've only seen it once before. The memory came back in fits and starts over a period of months." Her lips thinned. "I'll never convince the Council to let him stay that long. You'll have to concentrate on getting him mobile. We'll decide what to do after that. At the worst he can work for my sister's husband in the village until he regains his senses."

They sat silently for a time but the air between them felt tense to Lena, as though Josta wanted to speak. They'd spent so much time together over the years she could sense when her mentor was troubled. "Was Nerris very cross I wasn't there this morning?"

The crow's feet at the corners of Josta's eyes deepened. "I've seen her happier."

"What can she do?"

"Here, nothing more than burn my ears with her moans. But if she takes her grievances to the Council of Elders I could be in for a rough ride. Allowing a man into the village during Moontime could arguably justify my expulsion from the Order."

"What?"

Josta patted the air. "Be calm. I've been thinking about it and you were quite right; we had no choice but to take him in. The idea is not to allow him to linger." She looked pointedly at Lena.

"I understand."

"Good. I knew you would." Josta drained her mug. "I just wanted to check how you were. I'd rather keep visitors to a minimum. Don't want to provoke Nerris. The entire Priory is buzzing like a beehive with the idea of a man in our midst. Do you need anything before I go? Is there anything you wanted to talk to me about?"

For a second Lena opened her mouth to speak then snapped it shut. She'd been about to ask Josta's opinion on the way she was feeling about the man but something made her keep her own counsel. Josta might arrange to have him removed. "No. I'm fine."

Josta studied her carefully. "You know you can always talk to me."

"Yes, I know." Lena watched the older woman go and for a moment wanted to cry out that she stay, feeling uncertain and afraid. Come on, grow up. She's always telling you you're not a child. Try acting like it for a change.

Forcing aside her misgivings she set about making a broth but soon after she began a strange prickling sensation made her look around and suck in a sharp breath.

Nerris stood inside the doorway of the hut.

The cold expression on the older woman's face made Lena's skin tighten.

Nerris's flinty gaze remained glued to the sleeping man. "He lives then?"

"It was a close thing but I think he'll make it."

Nerris crossed and hunkered down next him. "More's the pity. Junen might have been appeased if he'd died. As it is we can be sure of a catastrophe."

"I'm sure Junen will rejoice in the giving spirit of Her servants."

Nerris looked around sharply. "Who are you to lecture me on our gracious Goddess? You might be a healer but you are yet a novice, and a poor one at that. I noticed your absence at Morn Prayer."

Lena's cheeks grew hot. "He took a fever. I had to sit with him."

"He has only been here a few hours and already the correct order of things is suffering. And you can ill afford to slip further." Nerris huffed and turned her attention back to the man. "I don't see what all the fuss is about. One less man in the world can't be a bad thing."

Like a cat on hot coals Lena hovered ready to pounce should the older woman do anything to harm her patient.

He stirred then and groaned, prompting Lena to shift in front of Nerris and tug the skins up to his chin. "If he's to get well he must be left to rest."

Nerris's eyes narrowed but she said nothing as she stood up and stared hard at Lena. Without another word she left the hut.

Her departure caused Lena to breathe a deep sigh of relief until a noise made her look around to see the man weakly casting back the covers. "Stop!"

"I shouldn't be here." He tried to roll onto his side to stand but came out in a sweat and grew pale. "I should go."

"You must lie down. Your body is still in shock. You had a fever." Lena touched his shoulder but barely had to apply any pressure to make him sink back against the pallet. "How long have you been awake?"

"Long enough to know I'm only causing trouble here."

"Oh pay no heed to that old witch." Lena tucked the goatskin around him with brisk efficiency. "She's hard to please at the best of times."

He fired her an agonised look. "I still don't know my name."

Lena rested her hand on his arm. "You will."

"How can you be so sure?"

"The other case we know of was healed in time."

"Really?" He appeared to take some consolation from that. "How long did they have this...condition?"

Lena thought about telling him what Josta had told her, but decided it wouldn't benefit his healing. "A month."

"A month?" He looked aghast. "I can't stay here that long!"

"You won't. As soon as your leg heals my mentor has a safe place you can go to in the nearest village until you recover your memory."

He absorbed this information silently and soberly.

******

When the broth was ready Lena filled a bowl and let it cool. Then she sat down next to her patient. "Here, try a little of this."

"Have you always been a healer?" he asked after a few

mouthfuls, having to lie back and rest from the effort.

"I'm not a healer yet, I'm a novice with some knowledge of herbs and I can stomach the sight of blood. A healer in training, if you like."

"A novice...is that like a nun?"

"Sort of. But we worship Junen, no other gods."

"Junen?"

"You might know her as Mother Nature."

Understanding washed over his face, followed by a grimace. "Why do I know some things, and not others?"

"The mind is a curious thing." She noticed him bite his lip. "Still in pain? Come on, you don't have to be brave with me."

He exhaled a deep breath through gritted teeth. "A little."

Sensing this admission was only partly the truth, and admiring his stoicism, Lena began stroking his face with a cloth soaked in a tincture of valerian. "This should help."

It seemed to. The exertion of trying to get up had put him to sleep again.

Seeing him so vulnerable caused a sudden unfurling of tenderness in her breast.

Eula arrived back at that moment. "How is he?"

"Better, I think."

"Good. Shall I do your chores for you?"

Lena knew she needed to get herself back together, get some routine back in her life before she completely lost perspective. She felt like she'd suddenly walked into sinking sand. Something was dragging her down, and the scariest thing was she wanted to give herself up to it. Whatever 'it' was. "I need to collect some herbs anyway. Perhaps if you could sit with him? Give him a drink if he wakes up. Just little sips."

"Rightio."

Standing outside the hut Lena felt a tug of reluctance to leave, but after a few deep breaths forced herself to head in the direction of the garden.

After an hour of weeding Lena's basket was full of fresh herbs. The physical activity had helped ease some of the tension in her body. She straightened and stretched as thudding footsteps made her look over her shoulder.

Eula skidded to a halt, cheeks blazing red. "Come quick! It's Nerris!"