Verdantia: Chapter Three

Chapter Three: The Healer

Makoto woke in a bed she instantly recognized as not her own. Where am I? Wherever she was, she could tell it was late afternoon due to the waning sunlight streaming through the window near the bed. Sitting upright, she absently noted she felt a little sore in the mid-section but her attention was really on her surroundings. The large room, if it could be called a room, was a combination of bedroom, living room, kitchen and eating area. She could see the exposed low wooden beams and rafters would not have provided much room for a second floor had there been one.

The bed she sat in, along with a simple wooden dresser was located in the corner of the room furthest from the door. From the door her eyes were drawn to the kitchen. Dried plants in various stages hung from the low rafters of the kitchen area. They're herbs, she realized.They left a curiously pleasing aroma. Pots and pans also hung down from the rafters. A medium sized pot sat over a low fire in a rustic looking stone fireplace. Makoto's stomach rumbled as her nose detected a delicious scent wafting from the pot. Furniture was sparse but it, like the wooden window frames and door, gleamed softly as if someone had taken time and care to lovingly polish the surfaces.

There was one long wooden table covered in a woven white cloth in the middle of the room. Makoto noted two places were already set with simple mugs and spoons. A small wrapped bundle was placed in the middle of the table and she had a strong suspicion it was probably a loaf of bread. Instead of chairs, two long benches served as seats. The rest of the space in the remaining corner of the room contained two well-stacked bookcases as well as another table. However, this surface was neatly covered by bottles and flasks and items she could only compare to what would be a chemistry set with liquids of all colors.

She looked around once more and noted just like the psuedo-chemistry set, all furniture and items of use had been neatly organized in the home. It was cozy, comfortable and Makoto immediately felt at home. It's like someone's house from a storybook. Except for the mad scientist set-up in the corner. Whose place is this anyway?

Makoto could clearly remember she had been at Margie's, and then she had woken in some strange place with those weird stones. Then there was Ami. Cold sweat broke out on her skin when the memories jumped forward; running from the Muur-Kami and their struggle with it. Goosebumps dotted her skin when she clearly recalled the monster's red eyes. Is Ami okay? No matter how hard she tried she couldn't remember anything after that and she wondered, was all of that a dream?

But how can it be a dream? She was not at home, she was in some strange place. Am I still dreaming then?

A pounding was rising behind her eyes and she looked down into her lap. The ache was quickly forgotten when she noticed her left hand covered in bandages a little past her wrist. What happened to my hand?Flexing her fingers experimentally caused a dull throb of pain to strike and Makoto winced.

The door swung open then and surprised viridian eyes met blue. "Ami! You're okay!" Excitement was apparent in her voice; Makoto was happy to see a familiar face. Even if it might have been a face she thought she had dreamt.

The woman carrying a pail of what looked like water set it down gently near the sink. "Oh good, you're awake!" Her expression was one of pleasant relief. "How are you feeling?" She came over to the bed and gingerly sat on the edge.

"Okay, I suppose," Makoto said. "I thought this was all a dream."

"I'm afraid not. You are still in Verdantia," Ami replied, smoothing out her skirt. Makoto could see the woman was no longer wearing a cloak, only a creamy beige short-sleeved tunic and flowing knee-length brown skirt. The looseness of either piece of clothing did not hide the slender form underneath. Coupled with the pretty face consisting of blue eyes, naturally pink lips and pale skin, Ami painted an attractive picture indeed but Makoto had other thoughts distracting her.

"Verdantia?" she asked curiously.

"Yes. That is the name of this land." Ami glanced at Makoto before looking away.

She seems nervous, the tall woman thought.

"I've never heard of such a name before."

"I suppose you haven't. I very much doubt I've ever heard of the place you came from, either," the woman supplied.

"New York. I'm from a place called New York, in a country called America." The talk of places never heard of scared Makoto. She became aware of the pounding ache behind her eyes again. It was starting to annoy her.

Ami looked puzzled. She carefully pronounced the words, "New York? America?"

"Nevermind that! I want to know how to get home..." Makoto's irritation was now apparent. She lifted the sheet to climb out of bed only to notice she wasn't wearing her jeans, just boxers and her shirt.

"Wha-"

Ami blushed bright red as Makoto threw back the sheet and exposed her under-dressed lower half.

"Where are the rest of my clothes?" Makoto demanded.

Averting her gaze, Ami answered, "I washed your breeches-there was dirt and blood, among other things on it. A-and I'm not sure how you are supposed to get back home. According to my mother, not until Verdantia is back to normal."

"Back to normal? What's going on here? This is too bizarre. I plan to get the hell out of here!"

Makoto stood up. Wooziness overtook her but before the blackness could rush in Ami was there, steering her back into bed.

"It looks like you still need a lot of rest." Ami pointed to the bandage on Makoto's hand. "When you cut your hand on the Muur-Kami's teeth you were affected. It seems it will take more than a couple of days for you to recover."

Makoto paled. "Days? How long have I been here?"

"It's been four days since I found you by the Speaking Stones."

"Four days! It can't be!"

"It is. There were times when you regained consciousness but you were not quite as lucid because of the poison."

"Poison? This just keeps getting better," Makoto growled. "What did I say?"

"You called out some names a few times. Margie, Ran, and you kept mentioning Riku especially." Ami neglected to mention Makoto had called out her name was well.

Disgust presented itself on Makoto's face at the last name. "Ugh. Her."

-x-x-x-

Ami was not sure what to make of the disgusted expression on the tall woman. Every time Makoto had called out the name she had wondered what kind of relationship the Traveler had shared with Riku. It came as no surprise to her that someone like Makoto probably already had a lover. She did not know much about the woman but every little bit she learned fascinated her. Not to mention the brunette seemed to be a walking example of a fine specimen of womanhood. Ami's cheeks burned at the thought but the color drained away quickly when she recalled their meeting followed by their harrowing trek through the Forests.

But even with the debilitated Traveler they had made it propped by a will-power Ami had not known she ever possessed. The moon lingered on the dark horizon by the time she caught a glimpse of the cottage. Tears of relief ran down her face when they finally made it to the lone structure. Makoto had kept walking somehow, and that feat alone amazed Ami. Along the way the brunette kept uttering odd phrases that would have given her pause, ordinarily. Exhausted, she carry-walked Makoto to her bed and they both dropped into it, no other thought but sleep pressing down upon her.

Bells later, Ami had woken to find Makoto's arms wrapped around her. The woman was clutching at Ami's cloak and tunic, her face contorted in pain as she breathed in a labored and harsh manner. Quickly slipping out of the tall woman's grasp, Ami limped towards her medicine table and lit two candles. As the candle flames sputtered and came alive she hurried towards the fireplace and lit the kindling and wood she set for a fire earlier that morning.

To Ami, the fire seemed to take an interminable amount of time to catch. Once she was sure the kindling was burning, she removed her cloak and hung it on one of the pegs protruding from the wall near the door. She removed her moccasins and inspected her right leg. It was bruised but otherwise fine, she decided before limping back to the fireplace. Taking a small pot hanging from the rafters she filled it with water from a large earthenware container that sat near the door. The brunette thrashed on the bed, whimpering, and Ami urged the fire to start throwing heat. Setting the small pot over the flames she went back to the medicine table and drew her stone mortar and pestle close along with three five-inch bottles from among several lined up neatly.

Grinding the ingredients together she limped back over to the fire and added three spoonfuls of hot water into the paste. Eventually she would have to clean and wash Makoto's wounds but first she needed to get the woman to drink the antidote. The smell that drifted up from the mortar was foul but Ami knew the thick liquid would do its job and fight the poison spreading through the Traveler's veins.

It had been surprisingly easy to get Makoto to drink the antidote once she shifted the brunette's head into her lap. Makoto had settled into a deep calm sleep right after and Ami set to work taking care of the wound on the woman's left hand and binding it with clean strips of cloth after. She had also undressed the woman down to the underwear and wiped her clammy skin with a cool, wet cloth all while sporting a fierce blush. The thought that Makoto was currently a sleeping, sick woman did nothing to stop the blood from rushing to Ami's cheeks. The near naked state of the brunette had been a sight to behold, the long and leanly muscled form attesting to a strength and beauty Ami had never witnessed before.

The four days passed quickly and quietly, with Ami tending to a mostly sleeping Makoto. Whenever Makoto did gain consciousness she referred to Ami as Riku, and the Healer knew no matter how strong Makoto was, the poison had affected her deeply. Now that the woman was awake, Ami felt a quiet joy stir within her at Makoto's recovery. She heaved a sigh of relief, unaware the brunette was staring at her from the bed.

-x-x-x-

Makoto stared at the woman standing near the bed. Despite Makoto's apparent disgust and displeasure at the situation, Ami had remained calm and Makoto couldn't quite decide whether she was glad or annoyed at the fact that the woman kept her cool. Blue eyes glanced her way and Makoto stared back in an unabashed fashion until the woman colored prettily before turning towards the fireplace.

"I-I'm sure you must be starving. I'll get you something to eat," Ami said, stepping away.

She tends to blush a lot. Cute, Makoto thought. Wait, what? But the idea of food took precedent and she stored the thought for future analyzing, for a time when it felt like her belly wasn't going to cave in on itself.

The brunette was drooling by the time the smaller woman came back with a tray carrying a bowl of the most delicious smelling stew along with thick slices of fresh bread and cheese. She straightened up so Ami could place a second pillow against her back and immediately dug into the meal with gusto. She moaned in pleasure at the first spoonful of stew, the savory herbs, spices and bits of meat doing a tarantella on her taste buds. Redness crept into Ami's cheeks at the sound.

Makoto grinned in joy, the food in her lap hoisting her into high spirits. "This is excellent!" Patting the edge of the bed, she said, "Come, sit. Can you tell me what happened after I passed out. Please?"

It was the 'please' that made Ami do as she was asked. Perching on the edge of the bed she told the tale simply to a rapt but still eating, Makoto.

Ami lay on the forest floor among the rotting leaves while she tried to regain her breath. Makoto had fallen face forward onto the Healer's chest and Ami worried about the state of the woman. The Traveler had clearly exerted herself until the last of her strength was gone. The calf of her right leg stung painfully where the Muur-Kami had grabbed and squeezed moments ago but that already felt like years.

She could hear the yowls of the beastly thing as it receded into the forest and she was glad it had not stuck around to do further damage. With Makoto losing consciousness there was nothing Ami could have done to protect them and she felt quite helpless at the thought. 'Don't worry about that now,' a stern voice spoke in her mind and it sounded eerily like her mother giving instructions. 'There is no time to be lying about,' the voice said. And it was right, Ami agreed, they still needed to leave the forest. The Muur-Kami was gone for now but there were still plenty of nocturnal predators roaming under the trees once the sun set.

Cautiously she sat up, shifting Makoto's head to her lap. Except for the pained leg, and various aches Ami could tell her own body had not suffered any broken bones. Appraisal of her body quickly over, she turned to the Traveler. Immediately the nasty gashes on Makoto's left hand caught her attention. The skin around the area was already discolored; a blue-black that looked like it would spread up her arm and to the rest of her body if it wasn't tended. Ami had seen similar cases of poisoning with the same symptoms. Only, those cases had been caused by venomous snake bites.

Intuition told Ami whatever fluids had seeped forth from the Muur-Kami were bound to be poisonous for humans. She brushed the woman's bangs aside and placed her hand on Makoto's forehead once again. The woman was burning up and Ami's next worry was how they would get home. She patted the brunette's cheek.

"Makoto," she called gently. Calling out once more she was not surprised when the woman did not stir. Ami had to wake her up, somehow. They would have to walk out of the forest under their own powers. People rarely came into the Forests, especially the Inner Forest; there would be no forthcoming assistance. She checked her belt and found through some miracle the herb pouches were still attached. But the only helpful herb she had was saffron which would reduce the fever but she doubted it would have any effect on the poison seeping into the brunette's blood.

The Healer suddenly felt exhausted. The arrival of the Traveler had brought more excitement in a few bells than Ami had felt her entire life. She had been content simply living outside the Southern Forests, tending to sick visitors and the occasional trip into the nearest town. Her mother had told her it might be several lifetimes until a Traveler appeared and although Ami had prepared herself she had not expected anyone to show in her own lifetime.

She sighed as she brushed her hair back from her brow. She could only hope to wake Makoto because she certainly couldn't carry the woman back to her cottage. Makoto towered over her and most definitely outweighed her. The woman suddenly groaned and Ami looked at the brunette's face with hope.

"Ami," the Traveler whimpered but her eyes were still closed, her brow furrowed.

"I'm here, Makoto," Ami answered with relief in her voice.

"Riku..." The name was whispered this time.

'Who is Riku?' Ami wondered.

"Makoto!" She gently shook the woman in hopes on waking her once more and was rewarded by the brunette opening her eyes. That hope rapidly dwindled however, when Makoto appeared to not recognize her.

"Riku?" Makoto's hands rose to touch the side of Ami's face. "What are we doing in Central Park in the dark? It's not safe here."

Disconcerted by the caressing nature of the touch, Ami had no idea what or where Central Park was but she nodded, "That's right, we have to leave, it isn't safe."

"O-okay." She tried to sit up first and Ami helped her. "Ugh, my head is killing me! Remind me to never drink again!"

"Can you stand up?" The Healer asked disregarding the statement.

"Yeah..." The Traveler answered absent-mindedly before starting to rise. Fortunately Ami stood with her too, otherwise the brunette would have lurched to the side before falling over. To prevent the woman from crashing to the ground Ami quickly ducked under Makoto's right arm. She slung the limb over her own neck and took as much weight she could handle from the taller woman onto her own frame.

"Let's blow this pop stand!" Makoto slurred and started forward drunkenly.

A cold sweat broke out on Ami's forehead and she hissed as pain slithered upward from her right leg the moment she stepped on it while carrying Makoto's weight. Considering the state they were both in it would be well past sunset before they made it to the cottage and the thought almost overwhelmed and dismayed her.

'One step at a time,' the inner voice which had been quiet for a while spoke again and Ami nodded, gritting her teeth. They would do this, because she refused to sit around waiting for the Muur-Kami to come back and kill them.

The Healer, in the midst of her tale, marveled to the brunette how amazing it was that in spite of being weak with poison and other things, Makoto had been able to carry on. But as the tall woman listened to the story, she thought to herself, Ami's wrong. I'm not sure just anyone would have been able to make it back here and nurse me back to health on top of that.

She's the one I find incredible.