The Mirror Mage | ONC2022

40. Melissa to the Rescue!

"What do you mean, of course it's..." Ben's voice trailed away as he stared down at the Rider's leg. The wound was still there, but it looked clean, no longer red and angry. Best of all, there was no foul smell.

"I don't believe it," murmured Ben. "That's amazing. I could have sworn that gangrene had set in."

Evidently the journey from Rhillion to Earth had acted as a disinfectant, a sterilizer. Ben could only hope he hadn't lost any essential microbes at the same time.

"Well, it looks clean enough to me now," declared Melissa, turning to look up at him. "It should be safe enough for you to take him back, back where he came from," she added in firm tones.

The Rider groaned, startling them both and causing Melissa to jump away. Abruptly, the Rider sat up, as if pulled by a string. His eyes darted around the attic until he found Ben.

"Ben? Where are we? Did we make it to thy world?"

The Rider's black curls were damp against his cheeks, but his skin, though pale, no longer had that sickly greenish tinge.

Ben hurried to reassure him. "Yes, we did. We're in the attic of Wentworth Manor. And I have some good news for you. It appears our journey between the worlds has killed the infection in your leg. We only have the wound itself to deal with now."

The Rider and Ben both stared at the wound. The Rider didn't look as thrilled as Ben had expected. He guessed the wound still appeared pretty serious to someone used to primitive methods of treatment.

"And they can mend this, here on thy world? Without cutting off my leg?"

Melissa gasped audibly, unable to help herself.

"They were going to cut off your leg?"

She leant forward as she spoke and the Rider saw her for the first time. An odd expression, half wary, half hopeful, crossed his face.

"Who is this? A healer?"

"Sorry, I should have introduced you earlier. This is the present owner of Wentworth manor, Lady Melissa-"

"Just Melissa, please," interrupted Luke's mother. "We dropped the title a couple of generations ago." Her gaze locked on the Rider's, a faint blush colouring her cheeks. "And you are Rider?"

"The Rider," he corrected gently, holding her gaze.

"And do you have a name?"

"Not any more, not since I took over Rider's Keep. Now I am known by the office I hold."

"And are you really from another world? Not Earth?"

He frowned. "My world is Rhillion. I haven't heard of this place called Earth."

Ben looked from one to the other feeling slightly bemused.

"Well, this is all very cosy, but if we are going back to Rhillion, we shouldn't waste any more time."

The Rider's face fell.

"Thou are not able to help me?" he addressed Melissa.

She looked flustered. "It's not me, it's the horses," she attempted to explain. "I don't want any sicknesses from your world to pass into ours."

"Thou have horses? Here? In thy world?"

Ben rolled his eyes. He needed to nip this in the bud. "We do. But getting back to our departure," he turned to Melissa, "I need help to get the Rider upright and on my back without making the injury worse."

Melissa was chewing her bottom lip.

"Wait a moment. You said the journey you took to get here, caused the wound to become sterilized?"

"Yes, it certainly seems so."

"Well in that case, wouldn't it have killed any other bacteria you were carrying? What I'm trying to say is, that maybe it would be safe enough for the Rider to stay here after all."

Ben stared.

Melissa was smiling tentatively, looking from one to the other.

"As we agreed, the wound looks quite clean. I agree we don't want to risk a visit to the hospital, but I can probably handle this myself. If there's no longer any infection, it's simply a matter of careful stitching, which I can do, and then allowing the wound time to heal."

Ben felt confused. What had brought this dramatic change of heart? Then he took a second look at the expression on Melissa's face and comprehension dawned. Evidently, he wasn't the only one captivated by the Rider's handsome face.

His lips twisted in a wry smile. That was something the Rider would have to manage by himself. Still, Ben thought, staying here with Melissa would be a far safer option for him than returning to primitive Rhillion.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. If that is okay with you?" Melissa asked the Rider.

"I thank thee."

"Well, that's settled then," declared Melissa, standing and brushing off her trousers. "We should take him downstairs, to the room next to mine. It has an en-suite."

She studied the Rider's lanky frame, suddenly doubtful. "Do you think we can carry him between us?"

"Let me see." Ben cast his eyes around the attic. He pointed to a couple of old-fashioned kitchen chairs, stacked on top of each other. "One of those would help. I've seen it done on one of the shows I was in. You put the patient in the chair and then carry it between us, one holding the back and the other holding the front legs. I'm told it works well for going down stairs."

Melissa looked dubious. "I'll just get my Trauma Kit," she announced. "It contains an anesthetic. I think it will be best to give him a shot first."

She left the attic then reappeared carrying a compact case. The Rider watched intently as she prepped the needle.

"This is going to sting a bit," she warned, deftly inserting the point into the flesh of his leg. A few minutes later he was gazing at her in admiration. "What magic is this? The pain has gone!"

He stared at the wound, prodding the edge tentatively with one finger. "I feel nothing!"

"It's called an anaesthetic. I guess it is pretty magical, but it's modern medicine."

"Right, let's get this show on the road," encouraged Ben.

After much puffing and panting and more than a few rest stops, they managed to get the Rider safely into Melissa's guest room. Quick thinking on Melissa's part soon had a plastic sheet flung over the bottom half of the bed and they heaved the Rider onto it, as carefully as they could. He was pale and sweaty by the time they finished.

Melissa retrieved her medical kit and quickly went to work, first cleaning the wounded flesh and then repairing the gash with neat stitches. A waterproof dressing completed the job.

"We should leave you to rest now," advised Melissa, administering a final dose of pain-killer. "Try and get some sleep."

She turned to Ben. "What now? Can you leave him here? I'd like to be able to keep an eye on him, for a week or two at least, to make sure no infection reoccurs. Ideally a month. Is he likely to rest the leg if he goes back to Rhillion?"

Ben gave a wry smile. "Highly unlikely, I should say." He paused for a moment. "Actually, if it's okay with you, it might be for the best if he stays here to recover. I need to return to Rhillion now, but I could come back for him tomorrow... that would be about a month in Earth time. I think. Time flows differently between the worlds..."