Purity, Sin, and Witches

Chapter Twenty-four

ċѧıʟʟєѧċһ

Her tone was somewhat cold as she said my name. Perhaps she was mad at me? Maybe she thought I was the one who burdened her with the fate of unconsciousness. Had her friends told her so? Had they manipulated her to then be against me? Were they all against me?

These thoughts of doubt were silenced when Glenn turned in my grasp and hugged me back, the side of her face pressing to my chest. I noticed the blonde medic-soldier named Metri eyeing me, and what at first I thought was uncertainty, as I looked more closely, was rather recognizable as jealously. I felt a throb of triumph in my chest, and I tried to convince myself it was for angering the human child, but my subconscious felt obliged to remind me it was because Glenn held me back.

After a while, Ivy reeled me back into reality with a clearing of her throat, and I stepped away from the green-eyed lass, my hands on her shoulders. "You're alright," I huffed, my neck falling limp on my shoulders, and my head sagged. "You're all alright." I faced the others, as I sought not to have them think Glenn was my favorite, or that I had developed a deep rooted feeling of compassion for her. I hadn't! "I'm glad you've all come unharmed. Metri," I addressed the blond who glared up at me through gleaming glasses lens. "Our magic has ebbed the pain and stopped the bleeding of our wounds, but it does not work as a disinfectant. If we gave you the supplies, could you hastily treat everyone?"

"Not on my own," Metri replied in a dry, hardened voice. He noticed his sibling about to interrupt when he hastily finished, "If Hazel helps me, though, I'm certain I can."

"Ah, nonsense. Glenn should rest. I'll help you," I said insistently, shaking my head slowly.

"I don't mind it," Glenn interjected with a soft smile, and I noticed Metri smirk momentarily. "As long as I know I have somewhere to sleep afterwards, I'll be fine."

"Ah, good then." I felt a bit defeated, but didn't show it as I turned back to the blond. "The medical supplies are there," I pointed to the den parallel of Jeb, whom was snoring contently by the stew pot. I moved towards him after Metri and Glenn head off, and hoisted the old man into my arms, carrying him towards his den. "Rells, are you tired as well?"

"If I was, I could get to my den on my own," the young kid grunted, and I furrowed my brow in frustration.

"Y—"

What I began, Henrietta interrupted in what was a more calm approach, "Cailleach knows you can carry your own. He wouldn't have hired you into our army otherwise, hm?" She looked to me and I nodded gratefully, continuing towards Jeb's den. She proceeded as I head off. "He worries about all his soldiers, you and I, and everyone else. That's what makes him a great leader."

The Brit continued to speak, but Jeb's den was the farthest from the pot, so I could no longer hear. I heard a lighthearted laugh, and after making sure Jeb was comfortable, I resurfaced. Ivy was now nose-to-nose with me, a stern expression on her face.

"Everything alright?" I inquired with a tilt of my head, and she grabbed me by my shirt collar, yanking me across the clearing and into our den. She built up a wall at the opening, and closed her palm afterwards to seal her magic, facing me. She sat up against her wall, crossing her legs over another. "I ask again, ev—"

"You've got feelings for the Glenn spawn," she stated bluntly. When I contorted my face, she continued, "You haven't even been calling her such anymore."

"Since battle, I've a newfound respect for her. Can I not?" I scoffed, quirking my brow. "Why've you gotten riled over the likes of something this damn petty?"

Ivy frowned, and deep in her eyes I saw a glint of hurt. "We have priorities," she argued, blinking it away. "Now's no time to be falling head over heels. Besides..." She trailed off.

"Ivy," I mumbled empathetically, standing and walking over to her, sitting at her side and placing my arm around her shoulder. "You're the closest friend I've ever had, and though you define our relationship as nothing but professional, I know you don't believe that anymore. Even if I did have feelings for Glenn, it wouldn't distract me. I know our priorities, and the dream I'm fighting for isn't just mine, it's yours as well." She didn't look convinced, so I squished her cheeks together and whipped her head towards me. "Listen Fishy, I know things are getting tough... or, more so, getting real. That doesn't mean I'll forget you, or forget what we're fighting for. You're my royal advisor after all."

A single tear rolled down her cheek, and she reached over and pulled on my ears, causing me to squeak. "I know monkey, and you'd better not forget where I stand."

"Ouch, how can I? You're constantly reminding me," I teased, letting go of her cheeks and pulling her into a tight hug. "I meant it, when I called you my best friend."

"Cailleach, you know I'm not one for hugs..." After a moment of silence, she relented and hugged back. "But I see no other suitable ending to this conversation."

We hung onto each other for a very long while, only interrupted when we heard knocks on the outside of the wall, and people questioning where we'd gone. The pair of us untangled ourselves and stood, and Ivy collapsed the wall, startling Glenn and Metri on the other side.

"There you two are," Metri observed, turning towards the fire pit. "We've sufficiently cleaned Rell's wound, though, we'll need to repeat the process daily until his wound finally starts to close. That's when a peppermint and comfrey mist can be applied to it."

Ivy seemed to be taking mental notes, and I nodded. "We'll have to renew the bandage daily too, I'm assuming?" He replied with a nod, and I huffed. "We should have told Harriet to pick such supplies up on her raid."

"If ya need, I can travel out once more, tomorrow, though, as the journey's weakened me once today," Harriet mumbled, ambling out of her den. "Abby and Ruby are finishing up invent'ry, then we'll head to sleep. I'll blast us a new den first, as our old is now cluttered with stuff."

"Move it to the pantry den," Ivy suggested. Before I could remind her, the look on Harriet's face said that her magic was weakened. "I'll do it." She head across the clearing, and Harriet waited outside of her den, knobby knees struggling to keep from buckling as she stood. The elder just wanted to sleep.

"Everything's been moved, and still orderly," Abby reported after peeking into the pantry. "You can sleep now, Harriet."

"And we will, too," Ruby stated, taking her sister's hand.

"Keep me company tonight, eh, girls?" Harriet asked in a croaky tone. The girls nodded gleefully, and dove into the den. "Night, y'all," the elder mumbled. "C'ted folên wer, skai tre cluddit eve."

I dipped my head, and she walked off. I looked off, and Glenn came up beside me. "Metri's decided to let me rest, let's talk."

I blinked at her. Talk?