The Wolf, the Butterfly, and the Kraken

Chapter 33

Hi readers. I hope you are enjoying this so far. Just a head's up, you might not want to eat anything while you are reading this chapter. Also, I am trying to edit as I go, but I'm afraid it's time for me to purchase reading glasses. So if you see an i, instead of an l, or something like that, I am sorry, so please comment, and I will try to fix it.
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Vam
I had no idea where Joann had gone. Normally I would speak with her, but something had to be done. Should I request medical supplies from the Venerans, or perhaps ask if some could be transported over from the Lyngaran camp? Maybe I should eat first while I mull it over.
The thought of taking some sort of action felt good. The chef in camp knew me by now, and warmly greeted me. “Well good morning, Vam. On a special mission today?”
“Always.”
“How’s Centris?”
I smiled. “It smells of fish by the docks, and flowers and pastries by the tops.”
He laughed, “Yup. That about sums up Centris. Enjoy your rice.”
I ate slowly, thoughtfully. If I went to the battlepack there would be immediate outcry, and animosity about how the valorous warriors are treated. Any peace would disappear. No, I would have to go to Lord Eureces. He might have the power to help.
Rice gone, I headed to my destination. As I approached the tent of Lord Eureces I could hear Captain Harris speaking to him. “-if they die of sickness and infection it will be on us. Finton is our biggest step towards peace so far. Especially with the ambassador for their country having been imprisoned by us for something. I don’t even know why he was imprisoned, do you?”
Lord Eureces heaved a sigh. “Captain, I know exactly what Finton is to this war. However, we are an army too, and we are strapped for supplies. Winter is here. We should all have gone home months ago. To be honest, I have been having a hard time figuring out how to stretch our supplies through till February. If we had supplies to take care of Finton I would supply them in a heartbeat, but we can’t.”
Harris said, “The Host can’t, you mean.”
Eureces sounded tired, “Isn’t that the same thing?”
He stood firm, “No, sir. May I have permission to send riders to gather supplies for us and Finton? There won’t be any more raiders coming across for a couple months, and my team can do this.”
Lord Eureces breathed deeply, seeming to think. “Fine, but you have 30 days, no more.”
Harris sounded happy. “Done.”
“You are dismissed.”
Harris came out of the tent looking hopeful. He saw me, and smiled. “Vam! Good news! Come with me.”
I followed him as he headed to the knoll, gathering up his men as we went. “I spoke with Joann already today. She took a boat to Finton, said she’s going to work as a healer. I am going to send runners for suppiies to Finton.”
I nodded. “How can I help?”
“Be there so that if needs arise you can communicate them to us, and we will at least be able to try and meet those needs. I’m going to be sending a lot of men out for supplies, maybe tents.”
I nodded, having a clear understanding of my goal now. “Communication. Yes, I can do that. Send supplies as fast as possible.”
He held his hand out for me to grasp. I did it, and he said, “Expect some supplies in a week or two. I will be sending all I can.” We shook on it, and he put me on a boat to Finton as he started organizing his men for a journey to round up the needs of my people. He would definitely be in my battlesong.
Finton looked even smaller from this side of the river. The dock wasn’t much more than a handful of planks a dinghy could approach, and it was guarded by a vigilant warrior. The warrior was baffled. “You sleep in their camp?”
I shrugged. “My mate and I work as communicators between the armies. We are mated to each other, and thus each others people.”
He snuffed that that made sense. “She arrived earlier, and has been trying to convince warriors to let her work her Veneran sorcery on them.”
I got out of the dinghy, thanking the rower, and told the warrior, “Well then, I better go save every warrior here. You should see her when she is determined.” The warrior chuffed a laugh, and let me enter Finton.
I could hear her by the inn saying, “At least let me examine your arm.”
“No. No sorcery for me,” a deep voice snarled.
I found the warrior it belonged to. He was very large, and not happy to have a bucket of water being shoved under his nose.
“Joann, what are you doing love?”
Relief spilled over her face. “Vam, maybe you can explain to these venerated warriors that I am not a sorceress, and am not trying to work magic on them like a priest.”
I chuffed a laugh, hugging her, “Oh, but you are most definitely a sorceress. You worked your Veneran magic on me.” I nuzzled her lightly.
She was angry, but not at me. She spoke in frustration in her native language about how she could feel pain seeping through Finton, and she could help, some of it anyway, but no one would let her. She seemed on the verge of crying. I held her, and patted her back.
I looked at the warrior, “Where do you hail from?”
“The Northern region, Black Mountain.” The Black Mountain clan and Red Moon Green Scythes clan had never truly gotten over feuds from the clan wars. But Joann knew none of that. She only knew his pain.
I nodded, “She can feel your pain, and maybe even heal you. If she can, will you repay our family by transporting, and possibly selling, mint at fair market value, and then returning those funds to my family in Harbortown? We would find it an immense favor.”
The warrior, hard as stone, softened by degrees as he realized this could be a trade deal. “What does she do?”
The priests were known for taking blood, or fur, to use against you later. “You lay in a tub of water. She puts her hand in the water, on you. Then she starts to heal you. It can be a slow process, and it can put her life in danger if something goes wrong. Sometimes it is simple, and fast, just an hour to mend torn skin, and cleanse an area. Our nephew had growths that even the priests could do nothing for. It took her a couple of months, but he is up and getting ready for warrior training.”
The warrior eyed Joann a long moment. “Why is it such a favor for me to sell mint?”
“I do not want my family indebted to Veneran aristocracy. I want to hold our heads high when we return to Harbortown. I want to purchase animals, and seed for our farm. I want my son to be trained as a warrior.”
The warrior twitched an ear in assent. “I will help fill the tub.”
There was only one tub in town, and it was in the inn. It took a bit to fill. Many watched curiously as water was being brought in. The warrior climbed in. It was still a bit small for a large warrior, but this did not deter Joann in the least. I could tell when she turned his pain off. His body relaxed. She spent 30 minutes on something before she told him, “You have an infection in your arm, and some bones that need to be knit together. Your leg has a gash I can quickly heal a layer of skin on, so you keep your scar, but have no risk of infection there. The bones take a bit longer. However, the infection can spread quickly. I will have to pull the blood out of that part of your arm.”
He eyed her suspiciously. “And what do you plan on doing with my blood later?”
She was thoughtful. “It depends on how sick the blood is. If I can draw the sickness out I will, then put put the blood back into you. If it is really bad it will be tossed out.”
“You don’t keep it?”
She shook her head no. “I am not a priest. I am a healer, a watercaster.”
The warrior grunted, “Do what you must.”
I left them to find the ranking warriors of Finton.