Chapter 25
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Aramis acts…normal, his usual smooth and gentleman self.
And when he doesn’t bring it up even a week later, I’m certain he’s dropped the subject.
But it is me who is struggling. I feel like I need to explain myself, but I know he doesn’t expect that from me and I wouldn’t know where to begin either.
It occupies my mind nearly every waking day and night, but training with Conláed is certainly distracting enough.
The only running I currently do is to warm up my body, the rest of time I work with weights or fight one on one with him.
Although I can’t really call it fighting, more me trying to punch him and keeping my balance when I miss.
Siri is currently taking me to the Sanctum. Arlo is finally stable enough for a visit. She was a bit hesitant at first, but I can be persistent if I want to.
I would’ve asked Aramis, but I didn’t see him this morning at breakfast and I was planning on spending my afternoon with Siri anyway, so it made more sense I asked her. “Will you join me?”
“Oh, uhm, no. I need to get back to the greenhouse as soon as possible. There is a flower that needs my attention. Maybe next time?”
I give her a hesitant smile. “Sure, I understand.”
The Sanctum is at the northern side of the building. We’ve been walking for a while now and I’m about to ask her if she is lost when she suddenly stops and I nearly bump into her. “Here we are! Do you want me to show you the way?”
“No, that’s alright. You can go back to the greenhouse. Thank you for bringing me. See you at dinner?”
She makes a funny regretful face, and I know she’ll decline. “I’ll try, but the blossom only grows a couple of hours and I know it’s set for today, but I’m not sure of when exactly.”
Only she can be so passionate and dedicated to plants. But I understand, of course I do. It is who she is. “Don’t worry about it! I’ll be fine.”
She gives me a quick kiss on the cheek, something I still have to get used to. “See you later, Mai!”
I wave her goodbye, watching her long blond locks sway as she walks the same way back. My hair has grown a little since being here, but it’s not near as long as hers.
I sigh and push open the wooden door, hearing the wood groan softly as it swings open, the scent of aged cedar and fresh herbs wash over me. A breeze of warm air blows my hair back and it feels like a greeting.
As I walk underneath the embrace of carved wooden beams, the Sanctum opens up to me. There is a small slope winding down opening into a big room. The curved walls are etched with complicit designs and light filters through the roof, giving everything a golden glow.
I start my descent, slowly taking everything in. In the centre of the room stands a ginormous tree, roots spreading out like a spider’s web and the top branches seem to support the roof. I don’t know how old this tree is, but it feels ancient.
As I take in the tree, a silent hum sounds in my ears. My hair lifts up again, but on a stronger breeze this time. My name sounds on the wind, a low rumbling voice calling out like a plea. I start walking towards the tree, unable to withstand its call.
It’s even more impressive up-close, I reach out my hand, my fingers nearly touch the bark.
“Maily.”
I nearly jump out of my skin. Someone stands next to me, and I didn’t even hear them coming.
It’s hard to pull my gaze away from the tree, nearly painful even, as if it doesn’t want me to look away.
I must have inhaled some incense that makes me see and hear things that aren’t there, because trees that speak to me, well, that would be a whole other level of crazy.
With a little restraint I turn my head to the right and see Althea standing next to me, her hands folded in front of her. “Oh, hi Althea! I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there.”
“I’m sure you didn’t,” she says. I can’t quite decipher the look in her eyes. “What brings you here?”
I look back at the tree. What brings me here? Excellent question. Why did I… “Arlo!” I almost shout, making Althea’s brow furrow, my voice disturbing the silence. “My apologies, I’ve heard Arlo has improved enough to have visitors and I would love to see him.”
“I see… I shall bring you to him then.”
“Perfect, thank you.”
“How are the headaches?”
They have been growing worse as the days pass, but I won’t say that, she has other, more urgent patients to take care of.
“Manageable.” It’s not a lie, I am managing through them.
We walk around the tree and an almost sad feeling settles in my bones the more distance grows between us. On the other side of the tree, a long hallway awaits with multiple doors on each side and at the end of it, enormous double doors stand open wide.
Althea explains that they lead to different kinds of storage rooms; for linen, sterile equipment, sheets and so on. She halts in front of the double doors and turns back to me.
“Beyond these doors, people are suffering. You will hear screaming, see and smell people vomiting and some might call you names.”
“I volunteered at the medical bay at my previous stay as well. I think I can handle it.”
Some admiration slips into her gaze, but it’s gone within a second. “That is good to know, we could always use an extra pair of hands around here. Especially since Aramis has a personal matter to attend to.”
Oh. “He isn’t here?” I really want to talk to him and apologise for my behaviour. And bring back the sweater I…borrowed from him. “Can I help?”
She observes me once more, before she nods once. “That would be very welcome.”
She hands over an apron and gives me an encouraging smile. “If it’s too much for you, please walk away. There is nothing more unfortunate than someone being sick in front of an unwell patient.”
The doors open up to an aisle where individual patient rooms sit on both sides and a beautiful coloured artwork stands on the opposite of the room.
The first room on my left is empty and I quickly poke my head in it only to see a sanctuary of comfort.
The wall across from the entrance has a window with dark green curtains, soft light casting a golden shine on the wooden floor.
On the right side of the window stands a plush bed with soft looking sheets and a small nightstand next to it.
A crystal light hangs on the wall and a smaller version is placed on the nightstand as well.
Althea doesn’t stop walking, so I hurry after her just in time to see her enter the last room on the right. The closer I get, the more I pick up the sharp, sickly-sweet tang of blood. It brings me back to when I found him and I know for certain that this room belongs to Arlo.
My suspicion is confirmed when I peek from behind Althea’s back, who is taking in his bandages before turning back to me. “Do you know how to change bandages?”
I nod and she gestures for the pile of cloth and some bottles and jars that stand near the entrance. I sniff the bottles, trying to recognise the ingredients and grab everything I think I need.
She moves away and gives me space so I can begin. I see Arlo fully now, and although he looks better than the last time I saw him and his eyes are open, there is a feverish glaze in them and sweat covers his face. “Hi Arlo, my name is —”
“Maily.” His voice sounds hoarse, probably from lack of use.
“You remember.” I wasn’t expecting him to, especially not with the blood loss at the time.
“I will…always remember…my saviour.”
I don’t know what to say to that. It’s not like I’ve done that much, but I give him a soft smile either way. “It was my pleasure. I’ll go wash my hands first, I’ll be back in a second.”
He closes his eyes and I wash my hands thoroughly before I return and unwrap the bandage around his leg.
I expected an ugly, gaping wound based on how I found him in the woods that day, but to my surprise it looks healthy.
Don’t get me wrong, the edges are still a little swollen and red, but it doesn’t look like he's about to lose his leg any time soon.
I place my hand on the skin around the wound, gently feeling for hard, though skin or inflammation. “How’s the leg?”
“Never been better,” he hisses between clenched teeth and I raise a brow. The corners of his mouth tip up, he can smile, that’s good. “The pain has decreased and there is some improvement, but I still feel miserable.”
“That is to be expected, your injuries were severe to say the least. The wound isn’t ready yet to leave open, but if the healing continues like this, it will be soon.”
Another half-smile. I start working. When he manages to keep his eyes open, he observes every move I make.
I explain what I am about to do, which seems to calm him.
When I move to his abdomen, the wound looks a little the same - rough edges and slightly red skin, but no green puss to be seen - and I go through the same motions as before.
As I end up bandaging the final wound, one question keeps spinning in my head. His eyes are closed again, so now might not be a good time to ask.
“I don’t assume you can read minds, Maily, so ask the question that is burning on your tongue. I promise I won’t bite.” He shows his teeth for a joke and I can’t help but notice the slightly sharper tip of his teeth, but when I blink it’s gone.
“I-I’m sorry Arlo, I don’t mean to be noisy.”
“You’re not, go ahead and ask.”
Well, if he insists. “Do you know what attacked you that day?”
His body tenses, but relaxes shortly after. “Probably a bear or a wolf maybe? I don’t really remember much. I only know you were there all of a sudden.”
Severe blood loss and trauma can cause amnesia. “Do you remember why you were in the woods?”
“I …” He pushes himself up to sit a little straighter.
“I was on my way back from gathering a special sort of herb in the woods. All of a sudden, wood cracks behind me and not the small twitch of a twig. I slowly turned around, moving the herbs towards my back and grabbing my knife, but I was too slow, or the animal too fast. I don’t know.
” A frown contorts his handsome features.
“What I do know from that point on is pain. My leg was on fire and it couldn’t carry my weight.
It attacked again, my abdomen this time, I tried to run away, but didn’t make it far.
I fell or it pushed me down. The next moment you were there and the animal was thankfully gone. ”
The story seems to be similar to what Aramis told me. “I’m happy to see you’re doing better and that I found you that day.”
“So am I, truly. You have my endless gratitude.”
He bows a little while saying that, and little drops of sweat land on his sheets.
“You can show me all the gratitude later. First focus on your recovery, alright?”
He gently eases back into the pillow and closes his eyes. I stand up to grab a cloth to dab away the sweat. I swipe it across his face and neck, ending on his forehead. His skin burns through the cloth, the fever burning higher again. I quickly search for something to bring his temperature down.
“That feels nice.”
He grabs my hand and pushes it against his burning skin, some of the tension disappearing. I go over the same motion for a couple of minutes until his breathing deepens and he’s sound asleep.
I grab the antipyretic and some painkillers. I don’t want to wake him so I leave them on his nightstand. I rewet the cloth once more and when my finger touches his skin, a warm burning sensation travels up my arm.
I leave his room and go help with the other patients that need my aid. The afternoon flies by so fast that when I finally look outside, I’m surprised to see that the sky changed colour and is getting ready to say goodbye to the daylight. Tiredness seeps into my bones as the adrenaline leaves me.
When I’m certain I’ve done all I could, I sit down in one of the chairs, stretching my neck and stiff shoulders, hearing a small pop and feel a little bit of relief that goes with it.
Footsteps near me, and Althea’s tall figure moves closer.
Although I’m certain I look like a mess, not a single hair on her head looks out of place, no stains to be seen on her blue robes. She looks impeccable as always.
“You look good for all the work you did. How are you feeling?”
“Tired…but in a good way.”
“Good. I’m glad to hear that.” She gives me a gentle tap on the shoulder, a small shock running through my body from the point where she touched me. “If you still have some energy left, I’d like to show you something.”
Curiosity beats my tired body and I follow her to what I first assumed was a work of art. But it's actually a big arched opening with a tunnel in coloured glass, the play of light creates its own art on the tile floor. Plants climb their way up alongside narrow pillars, upholding the ceiling.
After about ten feet of walking in a rainbow, the hallway ends and we enter a big hexagon shaped room that is a dream woven from twilight and nature’s embrace. Elegant arches stretch skyward, their intricate stained-glass tracery let in the last shines of light.
I walk towards the edge, taking in the breathtaking view of distant snow-covered mountains and a glistening lake cradled between them. The horizon burns in hues of fire and amethyst, the sky an ever-shifting masterpiece of colour and light. “This feels like magic.”
“It might be,” she says with a wink. “People come here to relax, think about life, clear their head. You should try it some time.”
“I will.”
“You can come whenever you want or need to.”
“Thank you. I think I’ll go find Aramis now, do you have any idea where I might find him?”
She stares in the distance for a moment.
“Try his room, it is one floor above yours, you’ll find him there.
” Her eyes seem to glow when she looks back at me.
“You have a talent for healing and caring for others. I meant what I said earlier. We can always use help here, if you’re up for it, please stop by. ”
“Count me in.”
She smiles and wiggles her fingers at me. Some white lines on her hand catch my eye, maybe it’s residue of some type of ointment.
I leave the sanctum behind and head up to Aramis’ room. Never thought I would say this, but I really can’t wait to see him again.