Destined

"Save Our Child"

I was happy, living with my grandfather again. He needed me. Not only, because he was getting frail and ill. Gordan needed a healer. There were many, who pretended, that they had healing powers, but at the end most of them were only charlatans, misusing the pain of the people for fame and wealth. Grandfather was a real healer - a doctor, as our ancestors called it. He learned from his father, studied the old books of a science, our forefathers and mothers called "medicine". 

In the old times humans were able to practice complicated surgery: they cut people open with very sharp knives and repaired illnesses, organs or other damages. Today, we Daonnachd were able to practice simple surgery, not the complicated things they did man summers ago. In Desa nobody practiced surgery except us. We never did it on the other creatures, only on our own, because we would risk to be called a "kjerring", a person with magical powers. This would cost us our life. The other creatures called everybody with skills they didn't understand or practice a kjerring and killed them. They feared the power of such beings. My grandfather only made surgeries when the patient was a Daonnachd. They knew that no magic was involved but pure knowledge and skills. Granddad wanted to retire, so he needed an heir, a successor - ME.

When I was at the Laidir, I learned their ways of healing. They didn't know anything about the Daonnachd medicine, but they knew a lot about the power of nature. Knew about herbs and animals, how to use their knowledge to heal inflammations, open wounds and mental problems ... I was astonished, what herbs could cure. And I absorbed everything like a sponge. It was aspiring to see, what wisdom they kept a secret in their unic and isolated world, what knowledge survived and was refined. Life always seeks for survival.

At the moment I was visiting a Creachadair family whose child had high feaver and a sore throat. They had called for my grandfather, but he didn't feel well, so I came instead. After examining the boy, I knew he had purulent tonsils. They waited too long, had one of their own healers treat the boy and now he was in a bad place. He developed an abscess at one tonsil that would spread which would lead to a blood poisoning. There was no way to treat him without surgery. His tonsils had to be removed ... otherwise he would die. As I watched the suffering child I had to make a decission: to save the child ... or my own life. My soul was hurting, but I couldn't risk to die, I had my grandfather to think off. With an aching heart I decided to leave, to give the parents a lie and some harmless vitemin pills and to flee the scene. It broke me, as I saw the hope and relief in their concerned faces.

With a lowered head I left the house, only to be welcomed by my destined and his companions, waiting outside of the house. Our eyes met. Gaisgeils forehead furrowed instantly. With a few steps he was in front of me, grabbing my elbows, examining my face. "I was at your house and your grandfather told me, that you are here. What's happening, why are you so worried and sad?" 

I was astouned, how easily he could read my mind and facial expression. Sighing deeply, I closed my eyes. "In this house .. there's a child that will die ... if I don't do something, that could kill me", I croaked. Gaisgeil searched my face uncomprehending at first, but than I saw recognition. "So ... it's true what they say...", he muttered lowly in a hushed voice.  I turned my head the other way, avoiding to look into his eyes. I was conflicted. Should I ask for his help in order to save that child? Could I trust him? The Protos of Desa? My destined? 

Tender fingers on my chin turned my head carefully back. "Can you save this child, you are talking about? Can you practice ...what only you Daonnachd can?" He watched me, waiting.  Slowly I nodded my head. Gaisgeil took a deep breath. "You may go, I'll stay here", he commanded in the direction of his men. They only bowed, and in the next moment disappeared in the narrow streets.

 "Come!" Gaisgeil took my hand leading us back to the house again, knocking on the same door, left several minutes ago. It opened after a few seconds and the shocked face of the mother gauged us. "My Lord", she cried out, bowing her head. "You may rise", Gaisgeil ordered. Her surprised face was spreechless. Gaisgeil had his focus on her. "Do you love your child?", he shot at her. The mother's eyes widened. "Yes, my Lord, to the moon and back." My destined smiled a little, his eyes softening. "Good!", he said with detemination. "Is  your husband here?" She only nodded with big eyes. "Call him", he demanded. 

"Reagar?", she shouted. We heard footsteps approaching. "Yes, my ...", the man stopped, what he intended to say, too shocked by our presence. But than he remebered to bow. "My Lord, what an honour to welcome you in our humble home". Gaisgeil waved him off. "Please rise, we don't have time for formalities", he said surprisingly friendly. 

Both parents watched each other with a helpless expression on their faces, than us. I, myself, was at a loss. What was his intention? "My destinded told me, that your child is really sick." Their eyes widened. "Your... your... destined?", the mother stuttered. Gaisgeil only nodded. "Your child will die, if Callida doen't perform something, that could lead to her death." You ccould hear a needle drop. The parent's eyes never left mine. 

"Is it true? Did you lie to us", the mother asked with a hurt voice.  I left Gaisgeil's side to approach the mother who was one foot taller than me. "I took her hand in mine. "Please, believe me, it broke my heart, but I can't risk to be denounced by you." Suddenly I saw determination in her eyes. "Please, come with me." We followed her lead to a nice living room, where we all sat down.

"Now, please explain, what's happening to our child...please, have mercy on us." To see their pain was heart wrenching. Parents are parents - we all love our children and want the best for them. I searched my words carefully to make them understand. "Your child will die , if we don't put his tonsils out. They build an abscess and if we don't remove the tonsels and the abscess, it could spread until it reaches the heart of the child." 

The mother started crying, her husband embraced her in his arms." He watched me with watery eyes. "The boy is our only child, we love him so much", a lonely tear leaving his left eye. It was shoking to see a big Creachadair man at a weak point. "Please, please help us, my wife couldn't recover if we lose our child." I stood up, walking in their direction, kneeling in front of them on my heels. "I'll help, if you promise, not to betray me and keep my skills a secret. I am no kjerring, I don't have magic in me." 

I spread my hands in a surrendering gesture. Now both were watching me. "We Daonnachd are not powerfull or magical ... we only have our traditions, our knowledge we inherited from our ancestors. We lost a lot of that knowledge but not everything. We don't deserve to die, because people are afraid of things they don't understand." I turned on my heels, looking at Gaisgeil, who watched the szenario silently. He noddded at me, giving his approve. I turned around again, locking eyes with the couple. "I can ... perform surgery. I'll cut the tonsils out and your son will survive without further problems. It's not dangerous nor a high risk. In three weeks he'll be fine again." 

The silence in the room was suffocating. I stood up again, Gaisgeil followed my movements. In the next second I found myself in the arms of the mother. "I trust you, my Prota. I was never somebody who followed blindly what people gossip. I'll keep your secret but I beg you, save our child." Her husband only nodded with pleading eyes.

I rolled up my sleeves, turning to my destined with a smirk. "Well, my Protos, are you ready to assist  as my apprentice?" As I notice his big anxious eyes, a relieved laugh escaped my mouth. 

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Kjerring= Norwegian= witch