Blood of the Righteous

Aunt Ann

Eleenia dabbed the cloth in some herb-scented water, wrung it out, and placed it across Liam Branvold's forehead. She was concerned for the fourteen-year-old boy, as he was said to have not spoken in a month. He ate, drank, slept, and took care of his bodily needs, but apart from that, he would just lie in bed staring off at something unseen.

Pulling her stool up next to his bed, Eleenia sat down and took his cold, clammy hand. Her own hands were becoming rough and dry from hours of working in the dish pits. "Liam, can you hear me?"

Liam turned his head slightly towards her and blinked several times. However, he did not speak.

Eleenia smiled. "Do you remember the time you and David were playing with my father's daggers? I remember you ran to my room and barged inside without even knocking. 'El! El! David cut himself!' Fortunately for you I was in a decent state of dress or the castle surgeons would have been stitching both of you up. You both begged me not to tell father. That was the first time I ever stitched up a person." El laughed. "I thought you were going to cry harder than David when I first pushed the needle through his skin."

The corners of Liam's mouth turned upwards almost imperceivably.

"Remember over Christmas when the three of us caught Alexander and Mareth kissing in your father's stables? I think your sister yanked out an entire handful of my hair when we threw the water bladders on them!" she said, rubbing her head. "Although I think you and David received worse from Alexander when he carried you both around the grounds by your smallclothes. But we sure got them back for that, didn't we?

"Or the time we covered ourselves with chimney soot and startled poor Angus McCracken? That was a stupid thing for us to do, him being a master swordsman and all."

Liam's smile had become more defined.

"How about the time we told Gabriel that we dropped father's signet ring into the manure pit and he..."

"Eleenia Ki Kalendeen!" a voice yelled from across the room.

Liam's smile faded as he focused his gaze back into the nothingness above him.

Another of the Bishop's aides, Brother Krennan stood in the doorway with his arms folded in front of him. "Mistress Wetherbee has informed me that you missed your work hours today."

El turned to avoid his gaze. "My apologies, Brother. Liam was brought into the infirmary and I thought..."

"You thought?" he said indignantly, walking into the room towards them. "You are to think in regards to your academic pursuits, not to your punitive measures! That will be another three unpaid work hours per week for the next year! Now go, or I shall make it five!"

Krennan was so close to her El could smell the alcohol upon his breath. "But I spoke to Mistress Wetherbee and..."

The Bishop's aide seized her arm and clamped his grip down, causing El to wince. "Do not talk back to me, child. You are a commoner now, and therefore have..."

"Brother Krennan, may I speak to you a moment?" a voice said softly but sternly.

Krennan turned to see Mother Superior standing at the door he had just entered. "One moment, Reverend Mother." He turned back to Eleenia, having never loosened his grip. "If you continue to..."

"Brother Krennan, I truly must speak to you this instant about a matter of great importance." The nun's voice was still as gentle as a summer breeze.

"Half a moment!" he said agitatedly.

"Please do not take that tone with me, Brother. I must speak to you immediately." Although she spoke more forcefully, Mother Superior did not raise her voice.