Pure (COMPLETED)

Chapter 34: The Tarasque Sleeps

Finten was wrapped in a calm restfulness that he hadn't felt for years. He remembering becoming semi-conscious several times, aware that he was safe and able to sleep deeply without dreams. Each time he had sunk back down into the velvet darkness. This time he felt something pulling at him to surface fully. He was reluctant to leave this peaceful place behind, but whatever was drawing him up towards full consciousness was insistent.

His eyes opened. He was staring at a bare wall, drenched in the warm golden rays of the setting sun. He frowned slightly. It should have been morning, but something inside him insisted that his position was wrong for the rising sun to be peering through the window.

"Finten?"

His frown deepened. He knew that voice. He turned his head. Maigred was siting on the edge of the bed she was holding a bowl.

"Are you hungry?"

At that moment, the complaints his stomach had been making finally made an impact on his mind. He was starving. He nodded. He moved to sit up, but he found he was oddly weak.

"Don't try to get up, Finten. Just rest."

Finten nodded and allowed his eyes to slide shut again.

"Finten, don't go back to sleep yet. Try to eat this."

Finten opened his eyes again. Maigred was holding a spoon up to his lips. He opened his mouth. The spoon slid over his bottom lip and he drank the broth from it. The flavor spread over his tongue, rich and flavorful. His eyes slid shut again.

"Don't go back to sleep yet, Finten."

"Okay."

She continued to feed him broth and he obediently drank it all down. It filled his stomach with warm comfort.

Soon it became impossible to keep his eyes open.

* * *

"Finten."

It was a bit easier to wake up this time. He opened his eyes to see Conall leaning over him, a worried expression on his face.

"Are you alright?"

Finten blinked. I can't let them know how weak I am, was his immediate thought. "I...yes, I'm fine. I just needed to rest a bit."

"Are...you ready to come home?"

Finten nodded, wondering how in the world he was going to get up, at the same time Maigred said, "Not quite yet, Conall. He's had a lot taken out of him by Alvie over the years. He's going to need at least a few more days. Can you guys manage for a few more days?"

Conall straightened and turned to look at Maigred, who was standing in the doorway. "Of course, whatever he needs. We're here for him. Just let us know what we can do. If you need any special herbs or anything at all, just let us know."

Conall leaned back over Finten. "Just rest, okay? Everything will be okay, we'll take care of things." His hand ran roughly over the top of Finten's head.

"Conall," Finten breathed.

"Yes?"

"Don't let Alvie touch any of you, I'll take care of anything she needs when I come back, and," He lifted his hand, it felt like he was moving underwater, he motioned with his fingers. Conall leaned closer and Finten whispered in his ear.

Conall leaned back and grinned at Finten. "Of course." He patted Finten's shoulder and turned to Maigred. "Thank you for looking out for him, Maigred, and please if there's anything we can do for you or for Cara, or anyone here at the inn, please let us know. You have all been so kind to us."

They talked for a few moments, but Finten found his eyelids were too heavy to keep open, so he let them slide closed and began dozing off again. Then Maigred was sitting on the edge of the bed, touching his shoulder softly and calling his name.

Finten forced his eyes open again.

Conall was gone.

Fear squeezed his chest. "I need to go." He tried to get up. The deep throbbing ache in his shoulder had calmed. The hundreds of little lancing pains in his back were quiet. The achy, itchy pain in his arms was gone, but he was so weak that he couldn't even get himself into a sitting position.

Maigred gently pressed on his shoulder. "Finten, don't try to get up. You need rest."

"I need to...my men-" Then he remembered Conall saying they would be fine and let himself fall back in the bed. "What's wrong with me?"

"You had a bite on your shoulder. It got infected."

Oh.

"Do you know what bit you?"

"It was Ehir. In the fight." Infected? That's not good.

"Ehir? It looked like it was a snake bite."

Finten nodded. "Tarasque have fangs." He raised his head and opened his mouth to show her, before remembering that his were gone. He shut his mouth and brought his chin down.

Maigred met his gaze steadily, but she swallowed. "Hadeaon took those from you too?"

Finten gave a little nod. "It was part of our agreement."

"What did we get out of this agreement?"

"He wanted to kill all the women."

Maigred blinked. "What?"

Finten nodded. His eyelids drooped.

"Wait, I'm sorry. I didn't wake you up to ask you questions, I came to feed you. Will you eat for me?"

Finten nodded again.

"Good." She smiled. The way the tension around her eyes relaxed as her face lit up made Finten feel warm inside.

She held a spoon up to his lips and he drank the broth out of it. She brought the spoon back to the bowl.

"Maigred, am I going to die?"

"No. You're going to be fine."

He didn't know how she could sound so sure, but the firm tone in her voice pushed his fears away. He ate all the soup she fed him and went back to sleep.