Delphinium, or A Necromancer's Home (TCoLaD Book 2)

Blood

~ Hexday, 29th of Maius 11831 ~

With the good gossip about the clinic fresh in the people's mind, the stations to donate blood and help curb this new plague were full. Patients who had been treated, family and friends of former patients, and general well-wishers all lined up to donate blood. Aimé was among the first as well, along with each of the advisors (though Vivien did not participate), and Pierre himself (Wolfram manipulating the spirits in Pierre's blood to rest and not appear so as to avoid coloring his blood dark). Both Rhianu, Elwin, and even Síofra donated after. The news that the fay blood would be important in helping solve this, and that the fay gave it willingly after being treated so unfairly as of late, helped to ease tensions.

In two days they had enough blood to mix and administer, bleeding the patients almost to the point of death before transferring the new blood into their systems. Pierre was present at every instance, using cræft to monitor their health and to be certain that the bad blood would not overtake the new good batch. All eight of those who had become infected with this new strain, two more after the first night, were now mending.

On Hexday Elizabeth and Pierre went down to the hospital together, wanting personally to check in with the patients who had received the donated blood. Vivien was left in charge of the clinic while the other advisors were writing letters to be sent to other doctors about the treatment and, if things kept up, cure.

They were greeted warmly at the hospital, Elizabeth being given a quick tour as she had yet to see the facility with her own eyes. Yvette, now on staff as a healer and nurse, offered to come have tea with Elizabeth on one of her days off to discuss being a blancwitch specifically.

"I am glad you are still learning," Pierre said to her as they were returning home. "And that it makes you happy." Another warm sunny day had them strolling along the path up to the château together. Pierre had even taken his gloves off and stuffed them in his pocket, the small cut he had made earlier to use cræft healed by Elizabeth's touch before she even realized there had been an injury. A few of his scars, that she had already healed before, were even thinner. It was possible with more time, and more of their touching, they would disappear entirely.

Their trip had been a success. The good blood was flowing strongly in all of their patients and Pierre felt he could officially give his word as a doctor that this was a cure. If they spread this about the realm quickly before autumn then, hopefully, it could be stamped out. The political implications of the vampires causing the illness was another matter, and why it was happening now, and had not before when Clandestina was always an ally of Italaviana...

"Thank you for encouraging me," Lizzy replied. She squeezed Pierre's hand and tugged at his arm. He had begun to hit the ground in a rhythm with his cane as he walked, a sure sign he was distracted. "My dear, you are beginning to overthink again."

"Oh? My apologies. Just politics."

"And I am glad you are doing so well as the duc," she said, staving off the frown that she had seen beginning to mar his face. "You have handled so many things just this summer!"

"And all the while it was to be time spent with you!" He picked her up, cane dropped to the side in favor of her in his arms, and kissed her as they came up over the edge of a hill.

"Oh, put me down!"

"Oh, oh, last time you told me to do this you were upset I would drop you in the river!"

"We are not near a river right now!"

"Then shall I drop you onto the road?"

"Pierre!"

He set her down, holding her by her shoulders with a grin. She narrowed her eyes. "What are you doing."

"Trying to make sure the surprise is all set up before you look," he said, and spun her around.