The shadows were lengthening towards dusk as Fitheach walked
slowly back towards home. It had been a long day settling the last of the
refugees from the Citadel into the rooms above the tavern. There were seldom
visitors since few succeeded in penetrating the mists that protected Taibreamh.
Only a few desperate souls had dared the mists that had obscured the bridge to
Taibreamh from the Citadel but all of them had been allowed to find their way
as if the land understood their need. A number of wild and domestic animals had
crossed as well but animals had never been stopped by the mists. Now all of the
newcomers were settled, either in one of the abandoned houses or above the
shops or tavern in the rooms there. Even the solitary sorceress had taken in the
lone female warrior who had fled the guard unit stationed in the citadel after
becoming separated from her fellow soldiers.
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| The Sheep Regarded the Unicorns with Distrust |
Fit headed towards the Lady’s grove, she needed the peace
after the hectic days now behind her. A sylph flitted up quickly and whispered,
“Lady there are those needing your help in the grove”. Fitheach quickened her
steps, just now beginning to hear soft bleating sounds ahead. As she entered
the grove she saw four sheep wandering about and regarding the unicorns and the
wolf with distrust. With a quick pat for her wolf friend, Fit approached the
sheep slowly, seeing that one had a scorched coat and was limping. Laying her
hand on its head she felt the pain from the wrenched leg and slid her hand
along it trailing a blue-green healing mist and moving it back into place
gently. The sheep sighed and nuzzled her hand, all pain gone.
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| Healing the Sheep |
Then soft whimpers made her turn towards the Lady’s well and
she saw the dog lying there panting; its eyes glazed with pain. The sylph
fluttered ahead and looked back at her beseechingly: “He is badly burned and
has laid here for two days with no food, my lady. I just found him a little
while ago. Please help him.” Fit crossed quickly and sat on the ground next to
the dog. “I see you have escaped from the fires in the Riverlands, my friend. Let
me see if I can ease your pain.”
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| The Dog is Healed |
Fit rummages in her bag for her small bowl of silver and
dipped it into the well to fill it with the clear water. Bowing her head to the
statue that guarded the small well, she murmured thanks. Fit set the bowl of
water on the ground between her and the dog and began to breathe deeply,
concentrating on the water in the bowl. Slowly a blue-green mist formed above
the bowl and began to swirl about, rising and spreading to slowly cover the dog
from nose to tail. This mist began to glow and pulse and the dog let out a sigh
and rested its head on its paws; the whimpering ceased. Fit allowed the mist to
fade slowly and ran her hands over the dog to be sure all burns were healed.
He
raised his head and licked her hands, thumping his tail on the ground. Fit sat
back, a bit lightheaded after the exertion and pulled some lembas and jerky
from her pouch; eating the lembas, she placed the jerky in front of the dog who
gobbled it immediately. “I see you are better, my friend, I will send
your sylph friend with more food. Rest here until you feel like moving, nothing
can harm you in this place. You and your ovine friends may stay until we find
your home. Surely someone is missing you.“
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| The Peace of the Lady's Grove |
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