Cursed

15. Daurien's Progress

15. Daurien's Progress

"How is this possible?" came the voice of an angel. Even I can die by the fangs of beasts, and I would do it again if it was to save her. But I couldn't bring my answer to life as the angel caressed me with her delicate hands.

"It is magic," came another voice. It sounded like Candleholder. What was Candleholder doing here? Wasn't I dead? Suddenly it felt like something stabbing me in my side and I yelped, finding myself on my feet. I was in my room, standing by my bed in only my trousers. The most beautiful creature in the world was at my feet soaking up water from the floor and wringing it into a large ceramic bowl. I wasn't dead.

"I don't believe in magic," she said calmly without looking at me. She placed the cloth into the water and handed it to Coat Hanger who poured it into a cauldron. Teapot refilled it with steaming water and the girl took it back.

"What is going on?" I asked. No one seemed alarmed at all that I was standing. Maybe they couldn't see me. Could I be a ghost?

"You've been hurt badly, now lay back down," she commanded. My pride threatened to argue but her voice tasted so sweet to my sensitive ears and the thought of her having tended to me was too much to bare standing anyhow. The pain in my side only grew as I was helped onto the bed by Coat Hanger.

I watched as she tested the water with her little finger before pulling out the cloth and wringing it a little. She brought it to my side and I clenched my jaw in pain. The cloth came away red. She put it back in the water, swashed it around a bit and wrung it out again. She was wearing a cotton shirt and denim trousers. Her wardrobe must have seen the clothes she came with and learned to make them for her. A silk nightgown lay in tatters on the floor. That must have been what she had been wearing when we were outside. How I was able to miss this most crucial fact of her wearing so very little, even in the state of anger and later panic that I was in, was beyond me. I became suddenly aware that she had probably changed right there with me unconscious in the room with her.

I braced myself for the sting of water but what came was far worse. I yelped again but the excruciating pain did not subside and she did not pull away. She must have added something to the water while I was distracted.

I pushed her from me angrily and yelled for her to stop.

"It needs to be disinfected," she reasoned as she came back to the bed.

"But it hurts!" I growled at her.

"Let me finish!" she yelled.

"No! I'll heal in a few days, just get me something to put on it." She reached for me with the damp cloth and I swatted her hand away protectively.

"Ouch! What the hell was that for?" she snapped and held her arm. I must have hurt her. I hadn't been around people for so long I had forgotten how fragile they were compared to me.

"For going against my wishes and causing all of this!"

"How is this my fault?"

"It would have never happened if you hadn't run off into the woods!"

"Then you shouldn't have frightened me!" she cried.

"You should have never been in there!" I roared. She was silent and just melted me with her furiously wide eyes. I laid back again and sunk my head into the pillow submissively.

"How are you healing so fast?" she wondered aloud.

"I told you, it's magic," repeated Candleholder.

"But I-" she began to argue.

"How can you not? Can I be explained by modern technology?" he said and her hand hesitated with the cloth in hand before she sighed and placed it back into the bowl.