Gift- Book 1

Chapter 27

Leiea blinks and holds her pack even tighter, since it might as well be the last thing left in her life. She flies out the tent without another word, without Ryn not bothering to stop her, knowing how bad it is and how bad it makes a person feel.

Now newly being in that sad miserable haze, she doesn't know where to go. In such a tiny place, it should be easy to find everything. Yet, nothing is identified besides the vague tent sizes that Ryn pointed out. The graveyard, the spot that should be the most startling on the landscape, isn't even visible. Plus, who knows what looking for Sheyric would lead to? Probably stuck someone else's tent that didn't want visitors in the first place.

Hovering in place for a while, she settles on going back to the medical tent they found first. The grisly sights inside are horrible and disgusting, but it might give her more empathy as a person. The only people she's seen aren't injured badly, and it's only right to see the reality of it.

She crosses over to the field with their horses first, digging more packs of crackers, grain, and water, stuffing it into her smaller bag and immediately setting off for the medical tent. Technically, she could go to any of the large tents for the same job- she might start rotating about them after a while- but having given her medical pack to that woman, it's a good bet to go back.

Crossing through a few paths, more people emerge from their tents. Most of them are disfigured somehow, but carrying around materials or supplies and contributing. They all acknowledge Leiea, whether it's because they know her, know she wasn't here before, or completely physically healthy. The one bad thing about not being all burned like Sheyric is standing out so much. She should be used to it, having red hair and going against the usual womanly attire, but it's a horrible feeling she can't shake.

Leiea takes a deep breath in front of the medical tent and opens the flap. The stench of blood, sweat, and excrement makes her want to recoil, but she stands her ground, waiting for a nurse to come to her first.

One of the patients near her, one with his entire abdomen burned to below the skin, makes a gut-wrenching noise and points in her direction. The one nurse in the room- a short woman with yellow hair- groans and calls over her shoulder for someone. From a hidden door in the back, the black-haired woman comes out and her eyes rerigester surprise at Leiea being back. The injured man grunted again and his stomach leeches further blood. The nurse snaps out of her realization and rushes over to the man clutching scraps of cloth. She glances at leiea again before cleaning the gore and wringing the sopping strips in a bucket.

She knots the fabric around her hands and walks up to Leiea with a hopeful air but a very annoyed or tired expression. "I need every break opportunity I can get." She says, setting her hand on her hip.

"I understand," Leiea gulps and folds her hands behind her back. "I was hoping to help around her, at least for the day. I'm physically well and I don't think it's right to be walking around aimlessly when I am."

The woman nods slowly and inspects her. "How old are you?"

"17, almost 18."

"And I'm guessing you're a new graduate? Went trading for a while?"

"Yes, I had nothing better to do and it pays well. I have experience working with people. I'm not too accustomed to healing, but I know good plants and supplies for the job. I've always been good at healing surface wounds."

She holds her hold up and shakes her head. "I don't even care about experience in healing. All that matters is you're willing. Stay as long as you want. I'm Vaeic." Vaeic holds her calloused hand out and Leiea accepts it.