The Healer

Chapter 5: A Knight and A Snake

I breathed and started walking. Luckily, I wore a jacket. I didn't remember this city to be this cold. The canopy of the trees was so dense that it looked thrice as dark underneath them. I had a hard time walking on thick roots too. If this forest was dangerous, Levi and Luca should've warned me or didn't permit me to even go here in the first place. 

A few more strides and I reached the wall and indeed, naroon nga ang mga halamang hinahanap ko. Once the greenhouse is up, I will plant a whole bunch of these. I started picking up the plants I needed using the small knife I had. 

I was putting the plants on the basket I had when I heard a snap of a twig. Agad akong napalingon sa aking likuran. If there are wild animals here, Levi and Luca should have warned me about it. Or they have a sick sense of humor that they think it would be funny if I get chased off by some wild animal. I hate to think about the latter. But it would be impossible for wild animals to roam in this forest. I mean, this forest is big but not big enough for wildlife habitat. What I heard earlier must be a rodent or something.

Nang itapat ko ang flashlight, sa kung saan ko narinig ang tunog, there was nothing but the trees and the dead leaves. I was about to continue what I was doing when I heard another snap. I don't get scared easily but being alone in a dense, dark and unfamiliar forest is another thing. I really hope that was just a small, harmless rodent.

Napatingin ako sa basket na dala. This should be enough. I can always get another tomorrow.

Dali dali akong naglakad pabalik sa dinaanan ko kanina. My footsteps were hurried and noisy against the dead leaves and twigs. I was about to step onto a huge root when someone grabbed me from behind and covered my mouth. 

I thrashed but the man is unbelievably strong. His grip on my arm was very tight but his hand on my mouth was enough to let me breathe.

"Quit moving too much. You'll get its attention." His voice was like the night—quite and dangerous. And I don't know this man and I don't know what he's talking about. Kaya naman gamit ang buong lakas ko, I stepped on his feet dahilan para mawala ang hawak niya sa kamay ko. I used my elbow to hit his face and I succeeded. He went off-balanced and I used that opportunity to run but he was quick. He grabbed my arm so hard and threw me into the nearest tree. The momentum caused him to fall down.

The next thing I heard was his groan and something hissing. I stood up from where I fell and grabbed the nearest stick I could find and pointed it at him, hoping it would be enough against a man as strong as him. It was a futile effort, I know but I have to at least try defending myself.

But he was not paying attention to me. He was rummaging through his clothes. I heard the sound of clothes tearing. He tore his sleeve and tied it on his arm.

"Who are you?" I demanded ngunit abala ito sa pagtali ng tela sa kanyang braso.

Don't tell me ...

"You're bitten by a snake." So that was the hissing sound I heard earlier.

He did not answer. Did he grab me earlier because he was trying to save my life?

"Damn it," I threw the stick away. Strangers be damned. I don't know this man but he saved me earlier and get bitten because of it. Kinuha ko ang tela na nasa kamay niya at itinapon iyon.

"I am a healer. Using that clothe will not, in any way, stop the blood flow. It's useless. The snake was probably scared of us too and was trying to defend itself so there should be a little venom injected or none at all."

"I think it was a Black Mamba."

I gave him a blank look. "This is not South Africa." I said and continued tying the clothe."Can you stand?"

"It only bit my arm, not my legs."

I ignored his remark and get the basket full of the flowers I collected a while ago.

"We have to get to the manor over there. I have to treat you immediately. We don't know if the snake is venomous or not. Do you work here?"

I said as I maneuvered over to giant roots. My companion, however, walked over them easily.

"I sometimes work as a gardener or a sword trainer. It depends on who needs me."

I wasn't sure if he was kidding or not but I don't have time to entertain any thoughts right now.

When we, at last, reached the mouth of the forest, I brought him to the infirmary.

"Lily of the West," I stopped rummaging through my vials when I heard him.

"You are the healer.  A pleasure to meet you. I am Davis Black. I am a member of the Duke's house."

"Yes, yes. Lie down and keep calm." I said as I got the vial I was searching for. I haven't been able to use this extract. It was from a plant only found in Sandovia which can be perfect for a painkiller.

I put three drops of the extract on a glass and added water. An undiluted solution of the extract can also be lethal.

"Here, drink this." I handed him the glass of water and he obediently drank it.

"That tastes terrible."

"Medicines aren't desserts. Give me your arm." Agad naman siyang sumunod. The wound is swelling a little.

"It was not a venomous snake. You've been walking earlier and you are still fine. If it was venomous, walking could have spread it on your bloodstream. I have no enough materials to check you properly. You must go to any medical facility so they can give you antitetanus. The wound may get infected."

He nodded.

"I am sorry. It was my fault why you were bitten anyway. If I just listened to you back then this shouldn't have happened."

"It's not your fault. It was my fault for tripping on the root. I'll go to the doctor immediately. Thank you for your service, Lily of the West. Have a pleasant evening."

I was about to tell him to just call me Lily but he already went out of the room.

"Lily of the West, huh?"

Since when did I have that name? And I was supposed to go with him to a hospital but when I chased after him, he was already gone.

How in the world did he disappear so fast?

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