Eban

5 - Elaine

Ignoring the growing pit in her stomach, Elaine stared at the pot simmering at her fireplace. The liquid within, pale grey and scented of freshly turned earth, was starting to spit.

This step was crucial.

Any second now and the pot would boil. The moment the first bubbles appeared, seven dassil leaves had to be added. Added too soon and the resulting concoction would be poisonous, the heat not enough to moderate the toxins of the leaf. But added too late and the mixture would congeal and be useless. However, if the timing was right, the potion would become clear, with just a hint of the green of the leaf remaining.

Timed correctly, Elaine would have a potent treatment for the relief of fever. With the current rate of rust rash outbreaks, Elaine was going through this particular potion at an alarming rate. The problem was, no one seemed to want her to replenish her stocks. This was her third attempt today.

She stirred the pot slowly, once clockwise, twice anti-clockwise, once more clockwise. As she completed the motion, the liquid turned translucent for a moment, before returning to its pale grey colour.

Heat and steam reached for her unprotected hands as the pot simmered. Pain registered at the back of her mind, but she ignored it. Her hand flared, pale blue tendrils of light appearing in her skin and spreading across to form a network of thin, bright lines. It would do nothing to stop her from being scalded - healing magic did not work that way - but there would be no lasting pain or damage from the pot's heat.

She stirred again, watching the liquid simmer. Any moment now...

A knock sounded at the door.

"Oh, for the fate's sake, what now?" Elaine's eyes stayed on the pot as her free hand gathered the dassil leaves. Raising her voice, she said, "Whoever's there, unless this is a medical emergency, come back tomorrow."

"Sorry, Healer," a thin, familiar voice called, "My ma sent me. There's an injury at the inn."

"Of course there is," Elaine muttered. Louder, she added, "Come in, girl."

The potion had started spitting, the trembling surface struggling to contain the urgent energy of the heated liquid.

Behind Elaine, the quiet click of the latch and soft footfalls told her that the girl had entered.

"How bad's the injury?"

"Ma wouldn't let me see, but she said to tell you that there's a lot of blood and that you'd best come quickly."

"Remind me to call in for a chat the next time your Ma is at a critical point in her baking. I'm sure she'd appreciate the interruption."

"I'm sorry, Healer."

The apology was barely audible, forcing Elaine to glance at the girl. Rosa was barely ten years old, shy and reserved, and right now looked like a puppy who had come to play only to be dumped outside. The flash of guilt at hurting the child did not improve Elaine's mood, but she swallowed, forcing her temper down.

"No, I'm sorry, Rosa. You're not the idiot who has gone and gotten himself injured right when I'm busy."

Pop pop pop

Faster than thought, Elaine's hands, poised and ready, acted. While her left stirred, slow and steady, her right darted forward, releasing the dassil leaves one by one into the pot.

One...two...three....

On twenty, the liquid lost its pale grey colour, immediately replacing it with a crystal clear green tint.

Elaine breathed again.

Grinning, she said, "Thank the gods. I'm not sure I'd have had the patience to try this a fourth time today."