The Maid and Her Princess

Substance in All Things (Fall 4)

IV.

Madoka drew away from Elise's embrace, realizing a sharp pain nicked her hand. She was bleeding. She must have grabbed the table at the wrong angle and sliced it. Elise wiped her tears away and as soon as she noticed Madoka's hand was bleeding she panicked.

"How did that happen?" Elise looked for something to wrap it up. "A healer's on the way. You're okay, right?"

"I'm fine," Madoka whispered. It was not even a deep scratch. Elise frowned and looked at the table. She noticed the sliver of wood protruding from her hand and deduced it must have been that. Elise reached for Madoka's hand but instinctively she pulled it away.

"Nope," Elise said, pulling Madoka's hand back to her lap. "Your hand is belongs to me now."

Madoka was not in the mood to fight her off so the two of them waited for the healer to show. Elise plucked the sliver out and the sting barely affected Madoka.

"I am hearing..." Madoka trailed off. "Dark thoughts unlike any animal I've come across. Everytime I see your brother the thoughts grow darker."

"Oh, with that strange ability of yours?" Elise asked. She lowered her voice to a whisper. "I see dark mana all around this place. But you still glow, Madoka. That brother of mine and those particles must be connected somehow."

"Dark mana?" Madoka pondered.

"Like, it's creepy," Elise said looking up at the ceiling and the corners. Despite the ordeal, Madoka noticed how dirty and neglected they were. Ugh, she thought and considered cleaning this place would be in order the next chance she gets. "Normally it's just speckles of light but this Palace just contains... Anyways. We're in this together, so do as I say, okay?"

"Yes, Your Highness," Madoka nodded. Elise was about to protest but they were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Excuse me, Your Highness," Squash-face's armored hand tapped the door with heavy raps. "I've brought my father, er the healer."

"Come in! Come in!"

The door fully opened as Jacob and the healer entered, bowing. Elise recognized the healer although Madoka did not. The crest on his green robe matched that of Elise's Brother's army.

"You...!" Elise said, her voice shaking with suspicion. "Whatever, heal my servant's wound!"

"Please," Madoka protested. "You don't have to do this for me."

"Father, go ahead," Squash-face persisted, letting the healer get closer. The healer chuckled.

"It's been some time since I last saw you, dear," he said, pulling out a strange wooden talisman. Madoka remembered who he was. He healed her palm. "Let me take care of this wound."

"It's just a little scratch," Madoka started again but Elise looked at her assuredly. The look in her eye told Madoka that she wanted to witness this healer's magic and take notes. "What is that?"

"Oh? This is an object blessed by the Gods," the Healer began humming. Madoka realized that he was not humming, but the talisman was.

"There are mana strands in all things. Helical strings and Substance shifts in all living beings. These verdant strands, well, they make you feel a little less lonely, wouldn't you think?" He continued, then breathed in and out. A hint of green spiral filaments seemingly delicate as spiderwebs exited his mouth as breath. And like the spider weaves its web to another surface, the strands untangle and connect to the talisman's own Substance strings. Madoka realized she could only see the strands if someone activated them.

She shuddered at the thought of Elise being able to see them all the time. Elise was observing the healer's channeling before scribbling things inside her book.