Meli stared at Kestrel's back as he left. She knew Sert's anger had been stirred up by witnessing this atrocity. Kestrel's refusal to allow him to accompany him to punish the ones that escaped would not sit well in Sert's heart. Her gaze returned to the mortar and pestle in her hand as she mixed and crushed leaves to help the dozen girls. She would mix the crushed herbs with water to make a drink to help the girls sleep and heal.
“Do you think he sees me as unready to face others in combat?” Sert asked suddenly. He remained on the far side of the area giving the girls a wide berth. “Like I am still a child.” he added annoyed.
“At a hundred and eighty, you still are a child Sert.” she replied. “I may need your help to set bones in place on some of them.” she continued. “I will also need a fire to boil water.” she added. She held back tears that stung her eyes while she worked.
“A man is the last thing they will want help from.” he returned angrily. “I'll gather debris to make a small cooking fire.”
“Best they see a man helping them early to prove not all of them are monsters.” she returned in mock casualness. “Grab the kettle from my gear, please.” she added without looking.
Sert collected piece of broken fences and furniture in a pensive silence. He had already pulled the kettle out before Meli had requested it. He carried everything clutched to his chest to Meli noting how the girls gaze shied away from him as he moved between them.
“Am I unsure they want a man anywhere near them.” he whispered to Meli.
“What they want does not matter right now.” she retorted. She looked up at Sert with eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I need your assistance if I want to heal their bodies properly.” she added gentler. He nodded back to her in silence before setting the bundle into a quickly dug fire pit.
The only sounds in the village was the rhythmic pounding of the pestle in Meli's hand and the soft whining of the girls as they lay in a close circle by the fountain. As the wood snapped in Sert's hands, some of the girls cried out in shock. He nearly stopped after the third yelp of fear. The throbbing of the pestle had ended without him noticing until he felt Meli's hand on his shoulder.
“This would never happen on Atlantis.” he growls under his breath. “Why are people in the other world so cruel to each other?”
“Because they do not have others teaching them to be good.” Meli answered quietly. “Nor do they have a Holy Living Heart like we have to lead by example.” she continued slowly. “But they have Lord Kestrel to rescue them.” she added. A sadness had entered her voice.
“The world is immense compared to our Island.” Sert replied. “They would need a small army of Lord Kestrels to save the world if this is normal.” he continued. “Plus I believe that Her Holiness would not allow him to leave Atlantis forever.”
“I believe you are right Sert.” she remarked. “She has the Royal Guard Captains seeing him off when he leaves and greeting Kestrel when he returns.” she continued with a giggle. “Nearly treating him like Atlantian Royalty.” she added in a whisper.
“I better finish making the fire and get the water boiling.” he replied. He place the last pieces on the pile trying to ignore the shrieks and subsequent whines from the dozen girls. Once the fire lit, he filled the kettle with water from the fountain hooking it over the slowly growing flames. Meli scooped the crushed herbs directly into the kettle as Sert prepared to move away.
“I will still need help here Sert.” she stated at his back. She watched as he straightened and turned to face her. His face was set hard proving he was fighting the urge to run from the eyes of the girls. “Your arm is misplaced at your shoulder.” she told the nearest girl in Egyptian. “My friend must help me place it straight again.” she explained. “Her shoulder is dislocated and must be set.” she told Sert. He moved to the girl's side and gently took a hold of her elbow and fore arm.
“This will not hurt me?” the girls asked softly.
“It will hurt but the pain will lessen faster once it is done.” Meli whispered to her in Egyptian. Sert felt the girl tighten under his hands before she grasped onto his forearm. She turned to look at him to nod her acceptance before nodding to Meli. Meli placed her hands on the girls shoulder and upper arm. With a a quick nod to him, Sert yanked the arm outward as she aligned the bones. The girl screamed drawing the attention of the others. She gasped as the bones slipped in place and the pain seemed to recede. “Try to not use that arm for a bit so it heals properly.” Meli whispered to the girl. She was binding the arm tightly to the girls body. Sert had moved to gather a cup with some of the liquid from the steaming kettle.
“Must it be so tightly bound?” she half complained. He handed the filled cup to Meli as she tied off the ends of the wrappings.
“Must keep the arm from moving so it will not pop back out of place.” she explained. She took the cup from Sert's hand with a thankful smile. “Drink this and it will help you feel better.” she added with a smile. The girl took the cup and drained it slowly. She kept looking pass Meli toward Sert.
“Thank you sir even if you had to hurt me to help me.” she called out. Sert glanced over as the girl finished her cup to hide her smile. Meli translated the words to him causing a smile to replace the sour look he had worn since reaching this village. He bowed in Atlantian fashion making the girl giggle and smile brighter.
“I think Kestrel left you behind where you could do the most good and guard us until he returned.” Meli told Sert. He blushed slightly as he nodded to her. “We have two more that will require your assistance and we must make sure they all drink from the draught.” she continued. Neither noticed that the first girl they had found followed their movement while remaining silent.
After splinting a broken leg with Sert's assistance, they near the last of the girls that bore more than simple bruises of being deflowered. The girl sat with her legs curled under her. She looked up as Sert approached with Meli at his side. She signalled to Sert in quick motions of her undamaged hand to knell at her side. He obeyed quickly to her request. She place one arm across her back firmly setting his hand on the opposite shoulder. She snaked her injured arm under his other arm burying her face into his chest.
“Her wrist is wretched out of place with some of the bones forced tight against the skin.” Meli explained to Sert. He was still leery as her other arm grasped around his waist. “It will be very painful and she knows it Sert.” Meli continued. “You understand what is wrong with your wrist?” Meli asked in Egyptian.
“She is daughter of the physician that visits monthly.” the eldest stated from her bed. “She cannot talk but is very wise in the healing arts like her father was.” she added quickly.
“This will take a a bit of time to fix.” Meli stated. She had the wrist in her hands as the girl tightened her grip on Sert.
“She is ready.” the other girl answered. Sert had nodded his readiness as he held to the girl that clung on him. She screamed in silence against Sert's chest as the first few bones were forced into place. He felt the tears soaking through after the third silent scream escaped her.
“Give me another minute to wrap it tightly.” Meli muttered in Egyptian. Sert felt her nod in his chest as she remained clinging to him. He nodded to Meli as he held on to the girl gently. “Done.” Meli added. As she rose to move to the next patient, The girl still held tightly to Sert leaning against his chest.
“She wishes you to remain near her until she sleeps.” the first girl stated loudly. Meli turned slowly to gaze down at the bewildered Sert. “She knows by his actions that he is good.” the girl added.
“Stay with her Sert.” Meli stated with a half smile. “She needs the comfort of someone she trusts near her until she sleeps.” she explained. She focused on Sert missing the look she received from the other girl. “I will get a cup of the draught for her.” she added.
“Explain to her what it is please.” the other girl stated. Meli turned to look at her. “She will want to know what it truly does before she will drink it unlike the others.” she explained. “She is a very wise healer like yourself and may have ideas to help it work better.” she added softly.
“That can wait until she is better.” Meli returned. “I will explain to her the full effects as she wishes.” she added quickly. She moved to collect a cupful from the kettle before returning to the girls side. The girl finally pulled her tear streaked faces from Sert's chest to look at Meli seriously. Meli explained slowly the full effects to the girl who nodded after each item was listed to her. She drank down the cupful down in one gulp before returning to latch onto Sert. He stared from the girl to Meli in confusion and fear.
“Why is she doing this?” Sert whispered.
“Repeat my words that are hers to him.” the first girl they had found screamed at Meli. Meli looked at the determined glint in the young girls eyes as all the other turned as best they could to watch the event. Meli nodded without knowing if she would state the words as truthfully as spoken to her. “She has seen your honour as you helped even knowing they would fear you.” she told Meli. Meli repeated the words in Atlantian while the girl remained blank faced. “She chooses you to help her slip into peaceful sleep at this time.” she spoke as Meli translated for her directly. “Please stay with her until she sleeps as her thanks to your kindness to all of us.” she concluded. Sert looked over at the other girls after Meli completed her translation to him. A slow nod was given by him to the girl as he sat more fully upon the ground.
“I think you have been forgiven for being a man Sert.” Meli remarked with a smirk. “I think I can hand out cups of the draught without your help for the rest of them.” she continued. She went from the kettle to the next girl with a filled cup in her hand explaining it was meant to help them. The hour passed slowly while Meli feed each of them a cupful of draught and Sert simply sat holding the one silent girl. The original girl they had found took the cup and drank it quickly before laying on her side to watch the others through half closed eyes.
Sert felt the girl in his arm slowly go limp in his arm but as he attempted to lay her to the ground she awoke clinging tighter to him. After the third attempt, he simply let his body shift to the ground with her laying on her side still at his chest. He listened until her breathing slipped into a slower pattern before slowly pulling himself away from her. The rest of the pattern of feeding them draught repeated itself twice more as they waited for Kestrel's return. Dusk was coming on as Kestrel returned. He was coated in blood and both Sert and Meli avoided looking at him as he made his way through the injured.
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