Cure
by Sharlene
"The princess of Saillune is dying." The burly man paused to take a long pull from his tankard of warmed ale, nodding appreciatively as the barkeep refilled it. There was little contact with the outside world in this tiny mountain village and so the traveler was drinking for free as long as his news and gossip held out. Neither noticed the sudden stillness of the figure at the table behind them, a figure still wrapped tightly in a tan cloak despite the spreading warmth of the fire.
The traveler wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and heaved a sigh of contentment. "That's right good ale you've got there." The barkeep nodded at the compliment, then leaned against the bar and urged the traveler to continue.
"Where was I? Oh, yeah, the princess. I actually saw her as they were bringing her home. Poor thing was pale as death and looked like the wind would blow her away. She was trying to walk but her friends were pretty much carrying her." He stared into his tankard, the memory making him somber.
"Everyone around Saillune is grieving for the girl. I heard that the bandit gangs near the city even sent a representative to the palace to tell the princess's best friend that all of their activity on the roads would be halted until she was able to leave the princess's side." The traveler leaned towards the audience he was aware of, his voice lowering as he continued. "Not only did the Bandit Killer let him live, she said "Thank you"! Did you ever hear of Lina Inverse THANKING a bandit?!?"
The two men at the bar looked up, startled by the noise of the cloaked man's chair hitting the ground behind him. A glimpse of blue amidst tan was all they saw as the figure stumbled out into the howling blizzard.
Zelgadis could hear his heartbeat, the sound of his blood thrumming in his ears not managing to drown out the worst words in existence. The princess of Saillune is dying.
Absently he looked around, the snow swirling around him as he realized night had fallen as he walked,. He pulled his cloak tighter, a fresh determination quickening his step. He had started this evening anticipating his cure; Now anticipation was too weak a word. When had she become so precious? Why had he not realized she meant the world to him before?
He reached his destination, a depression barely worthy to be named a valley, covered in snow and containing a single, leafless tree. Years of hints and whispers of legends that had surfaced in his research had led him here and he prayed to whatever gods might be listening that this time the legends did not speak falsely. He sat down at the base of the tree, leaning against its wide trunk as his thoughts whirled and danced, circling endlessly in an attempt to acclimatize to the foundations of his world being shaken. The princess of Saillune is dying.
It was at midnight that the miracle happened, exactly on schedule. He whispered a prayer of thanks that this time, this time when it mattered more than ever, his search for a cure had been successful. He stood, his face bathed in moonlight reflected from the silver leaves of the tree above him. He reached up as if in a dream, his hand stretching towards the lowest branch, breaking off a portion that held the only fruit of the enchanted tree.
He stared at the small branch in his hand, the leaves glinting silver, the single apple shining like a jewel, iridescence seeming to swirl on its perfect peel. He looked up to see the leaves on the tree shrivel and fall, the night seeming emptier without the moonlight reflecting from the silver branches. The only gleam of silver left came from the branch in his hand, still whole and perfect and shining as only a last hope could.
Carefully he removed the cloth he used to conceal his face from around his neck, using only one hand because he did not dare to allow the precious branch to touch the ground. He wrapped it with care and reverence, then opened his tunic and placed it carefully within, over his heart. He hoped the his stone body would provide enough warmth to keep the precious cargo from freezing.
He left the valley as fast as he dared, using his astral vision to guide him when the snow was falling too thickly to allow him to see. His feet skidded on hidden patches of ice but he pressed on, the blizzard's fury being no match for his determination. After what seemed like an eternity, the snow lessened, the ground grew less steep and he knew that he was leaving the mountains. As soon as his feet touched ground not coated with snow he paused, reaching into his tunic to reassure himself that his only hope was still there, still perfect and whole. Then, taking a deep breath, he began to run, using every ounce of speed his chimeric body could produce to run towards Saillune, trying to outrun the fear that he might be too late.
The apple from the Tree of Life could cure any ill and bring the dying back to rosy cheeked health, but it could not restore life where it had fled. What he had hoped would be his cure he now prayed would be his salvation. The princess of Saillune is dying and this is something that must not be.
______
by Sharlene
"The princess of Saillune is dying." The burly man paused to take a long pull from his tankard of warmed ale, nodding appreciatively as the barkeep refilled it. There was little contact with the outside world in this tiny mountain village and so the traveler was drinking for free as long as his news and gossip held out. Neither noticed the sudden stillness of the figure at the table behind them, a figure still wrapped tightly in a tan cloak despite the spreading warmth of the fire.
The traveler wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and heaved a sigh of contentment. "That's right good ale you've got there." The barkeep nodded at the compliment, then leaned against the bar and urged the traveler to continue.
"Where was I? Oh, yeah, the princess. I actually saw her as they were bringing her home. Poor thing was pale as death and looked like the wind would blow her away. She was trying to walk but her friends were pretty much carrying her." He stared into his tankard, the memory making him somber.
"Everyone around Saillune is grieving for the girl. I heard that the bandit gangs near the city even sent a representative to the palace to tell the princess's best friend that all of their activity on the roads would be halted until she was able to leave the princess's side." The traveler leaned towards the audience he was aware of, his voice lowering as he continued. "Not only did the Bandit Killer let him live, she said "Thank you"! Did you ever hear of Lina Inverse THANKING a bandit?!?"
The two men at the bar looked up, startled by the noise of the cloaked man's chair hitting the ground behind him. A glimpse of blue amidst tan was all they saw as the figure stumbled out into the howling blizzard.
Zelgadis could hear his heartbeat, the sound of his blood thrumming in his ears not managing to drown out the worst words in existence. The princess of Saillune is dying.
Absently he looked around, the snow swirling around him as he realized night had fallen as he walked,. He pulled his cloak tighter, a fresh determination quickening his step. He had started this evening anticipating his cure; Now anticipation was too weak a word. When had she become so precious? Why had he not realized she meant the world to him before?
He reached his destination, a depression barely worthy to be named a valley, covered in snow and containing a single, leafless tree. Years of hints and whispers of legends that had surfaced in his research had led him here and he prayed to whatever gods might be listening that this time the legends did not speak falsely. He sat down at the base of the tree, leaning against its wide trunk as his thoughts whirled and danced, circling endlessly in an attempt to acclimatize to the foundations of his world being shaken. The princess of Saillune is dying.
It was at midnight that the miracle happened, exactly on schedule. He whispered a prayer of thanks that this time, this time when it mattered more than ever, his search for a cure had been successful. He stood, his face bathed in moonlight reflected from the silver leaves of the tree above him. He reached up as if in a dream, his hand stretching towards the lowest branch, breaking off a portion that held the only fruit of the enchanted tree.
He stared at the small branch in his hand, the leaves glinting silver, the single apple shining like a jewel, iridescence seeming to swirl on its perfect peel. He looked up to see the leaves on the tree shrivel and fall, the night seeming emptier without the moonlight reflecting from the silver branches. The only gleam of silver left came from the branch in his hand, still whole and perfect and shining as only a last hope could.
Carefully he removed the cloth he used to conceal his face from around his neck, using only one hand because he did not dare to allow the precious branch to touch the ground. He wrapped it with care and reverence, then opened his tunic and placed it carefully within, over his heart. He hoped the his stone body would provide enough warmth to keep the precious cargo from freezing.
He left the valley as fast as he dared, using his astral vision to guide him when the snow was falling too thickly to allow him to see. His feet skidded on hidden patches of ice but he pressed on, the blizzard's fury being no match for his determination. After what seemed like an eternity, the snow lessened, the ground grew less steep and he knew that he was leaving the mountains. As soon as his feet touched ground not coated with snow he paused, reaching into his tunic to reassure himself that his only hope was still there, still perfect and whole. Then, taking a deep breath, he began to run, using every ounce of speed his chimeric body could produce to run towards Saillune, trying to outrun the fear that he might be too late.
The apple from the Tree of Life could cure any ill and bring the dying back to rosy cheeked health, but it could not restore life where it had fled. What he had hoped would be his cure he now prayed would be his salvation. The princess of Saillune is dying and this is something that must not be.
______