Gilly led the way to Benia's rooms, as the Ranger followed close behind with Benia in his arms. Once inside the sitting room, he laid Benia gently on the mat.
"My ways of setting are crude but effective," he said. "But Vanwe has a gentler way that will get you healed."
He examined Benia's ankle once more before turning to the elflady who had followed them up the stairs. Benia recognized her from their earlier encounter in the kitchen. Oddly, the elflady had also been the first to assist Benia on the stairs after the Ranger. Vanwe, is it? Benia remarked to herself, casting her a hopeful glance. She had heard great things about the healing abilities of elves. Maybe this lady could help her, maybe not, but either way, Benia was pleased to see her. Perhaps now the elflady had gotten over her fears of Benia.
"What is it that you require to ease this. m'lady?" the Ranger asked Vanwe. Silently, Gilly slipped out of the room to collect Benia's scattered parcels at the bottom of the stairs.
Before Vanwe had a chance to answer, a rather sour-looking young woman stomped into the room, pushing past both the Ranger and Vanwe, without so much as a good afternoon or a by-your-leave. She was a good deal younger than Benia, yet she marched up to her as though she were a sulky child. She took hold of Benia's ankle and, in the process of examining it, gave it a slight twist which caused the rough edges of the bones to grind together. Benia bit back a cry of anguish.
"What is your name?" demanded the girl.
"Benia," Benia managed to choke out through a cloud of pain. The girl didn't answer, but took out a bottle of something, poured it on a cloth, then wrapped the cloth around Benia's ankle. When she let go of Benia's ankle, Benia's face showed a visible sign of relief. At least, the stranger would not be twisting it anymore.
The girl stood and headed for the door, but stopped halfway there. She turned and pointed an imperative finger at Benia. "Next time, be more careful," she ordered. With that, she left, passing Gilly on the way out. Benia, Gilly, Vanwe, and the Ranger each looked at each other from face to face, not sure what to make of the intrusion. Benia's ankle certainly did not feel any better, although the girl had seemed confident that what she had done had helped.
"Well, that was rather rude," Gilly said softly, having come in right about the time when the girl had pointed her finger at Benia. "Don't they teach manners where she comes from?"
Looking down at her ankle, Benia laughed nervously. "I wonder what that was she put on to the cloth. When I was little, my father used to always say rub a little dirt on it. You'll be fine. He was joking, of course."
"But does the ankle feel any better?" asked the Ranger.
"Not really," answered Benia. "I am still waiting to see what Miss Vanwe is capable of." She turned her eyes toward the young elflady, who still looked a bit skittish, but pleased to be of assistance.
[ June 17, 2003: Message edited by: Ealasaid ]
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