A History Through Blood

Chapter 23 - The toughest choices

Waiting for difficult news is hard on even the strongest of men, restraining loved ones trying to protect your child is even harder. Both Lord Orvyn and the young Dustin Hurst, knowing the doctor's unspoken credentials, tried their best to assure Lady Hurst that their guest would surely save their beloved Godiva. Even their loyal adviser Richard Smith, a man sympathetic to their plight, also tried to aid in their collective efforts to calm down the lady of the manor. Unfortunately, their combined efforts fell on deaf ears as her initial assessment of the doctor's character was too much to be overcome.

A sharp knock on the door from the attending guards announced the return of the divinely bestowed doctor and her religious assistant, carrying his child in their arms. The pair were let in without much disturbance, placing Godiva between her parents and setting themselves in front of the fire. "I have some good news and some bad news regarding your daughter's condition" began the doctor, her now uncovered face remaining pale in the fire's warm glow. "Knowing my conclusions and the rumours prevalent around your estate, you may wish to excuse anyone who cannot be trusted to hold their tongue." Both Oryvn and Richard knew the implication of the statement and signaled to the few guards inside to wait outside the doors and away from earshot.

Now free of any talkative observers, the family and their confidant were left alone to hear whatever news this woman brought. "The cause of your daughter's condition is supernatural in nature." This bold announcement was met by gasps from everyone present, their outbursts and anguished cries for salvation were tolerated for the brief moment, as would be considered appropriate. "If you touch the back of her head you can feel a small bump, that bump is likely a broken shard of some supernatural trinket which has somehow become lodged inside her head. The fragment in question still has latent magical power and is interfering with her control over her body. Her mind is still present and, by asking Yes and No questions, you can still talk to her. For our tests, any deliberate movement meant a positive answer and no response relates to a negative answer. Feel free to talk with her later as this is only the good news." Lord Hurst could not bring himself to celebrate this breakthrough, as the notion of a supernatural presence still hovered over the now emotionally brightened room.

"Unfortunately, the young lady's condition is not the biggest problem we have." Her voice wavering as a series of knocks came on the door, almost as if timed by the doctor herself. "My lord, a man and girl have arrived with a delivery for the doctor." A nod from the woman was enough for Oryvn to confirm their authenticity. "Let them in." The door guards let in a rough looking mercenary and a small girl, carrying a small wooden barrel between them. While they placed the box down securely, the doctor pulled out her ornate herbal censor and began to carefully fill it with various powders from her assorted supplies. "The particular mix of components I am about to burn will enable those without supernatural sight vision of natural spirits. It will last for about an hour. If you wish to step out to not see what is contained with-in the box, I will not stop you. That being said, Lord Oryvn I suggest that you and any advisers inhale the incense."

No one remaining in the room took up the young doctor's offer to remain ignorant of whatever damn creature they had captured. Everyone remained on their chairs as the odd scent wafted around the room, blurring their vision as the substance took effect. The mercenary and the pastor both began to unseal the crate, exposing the liquid with-in to the open air. From the depths of its wooden container a mud-brown fish* stuck its head above the water, it's spiked visage absentmindedly staring at everyone gathered. The creature raised itself from the water using three vividly green, glowing tentacles that originated from behind its fore-fins and its pelvis. The creature simply watched from above its former cage, seemingly unaware of its surroundings. Oryvn guessed that this creature was about 4 feet in length (121 cementers,) with its currently flattened spined dorsal fin likely reaching a quarter of that. The sight of the creature was ultimately too much for his unsettled wife, whose consciousness left her when the second luminous appendage came to rest on the barrel's rim.