Miradey

Shritingher's Dagger

"The sickness," Miradey breathed. "It worsens. Please get me...to...get me to Draco House." Hands shaking she loosened the jug from her waistband and drank deeply from it. Breaking the seal of her lips from the jug's opening, she gasped ragged breaths. She fumbled around for a piece of parchment from the pocket of her britches. She pressed it to her lavender-blue stained lips, then tossed it into the air where it flew swiftly away into the village, carried on it's own wind.

Ben helped her to her feet and walked her to the foot of Willowend Way Hill, again using wind apparition even though it made him a little queasy. One could not use magic to enter The Hill so he helped her up the dark path lined in willows until they reached the silver gate at the top.

The lanterns of Draco House lit the instant they reached the gate and, to Ben's great surprise, Grand Sorcerer Doria Draco The Third herself opened the front door. Ben would have taken Miradey through the gate and to The Third if the gate itself hadn't screeched at them and refused to open as if latched and locked closed. He jumped as a nasty shock jolted through his hand him when he dared to touch the stainless silver in an attempt to pry the gate door open.

Doria marched over, sweeping her eggshell gown and brown brocade robes out away from her feet.

"That's quite enough out of you, hateful old thing!" She tapped the gate hard with her wand, so hard the wood of her wand sounded a thunk. The gate jumped then stilled, a gleam of light racing along the enchanted metalwork. Doria swung the gate open, nodded to Ben, thn regarded Miradey with an assessing look.

"Your Grace," Miradey breathed, clutching at her chest. She was hanging onto Ben now and he was mostly using his strength to keep her on feet.

"Hurry, hurry, girl," Doria said as she hastened them through the gate. "You must be burning inside something awful by now."

She led them through the house and into the greenhouse off the foyer. Amid the profusion of plant life crowding the place, there was a stone bench large enough for a person to lie on.

"Here, help her up here."

Miraday coughed hacking breaths as Ben helped her over onto Doria's table. Ben did as she bid quickly, well of aware of the rumors of Grand Sorcerer Draco's temperament.

The older woman quickly moved about, grabbing this and that. Ben watched as she took a fistful of miradey and put it in an earthen yellow bowl. With one breath over the bowl, she froze the miradey. With a pestle, she ground the icy blue blossoms up. As they were broken and crunched into bits, they released fragrant, frigid mist.

Taking his cue from her, Ben went and got another of the bowls from a stack on the table next to Doria. He filled it with fresh miradey. He froze the flowering plants with a wave of his hand. Doria nodded her approval and handed him her pestle.

"Very good. You are observant and I see you are quite adept at ice magic."

"Yes, your Grace."

They placed a bowl on either side of her head and waited in the quiet punctuated by Miradey's slowly calming but still ragged breaths.

"You know of this illness, your grace, and of Miradey," Ben said.

"Yes, I've been treating Knight Miradey for some time." Doria smiled down at the knight. "Proud we are. She is a fine knight. Excuse me while I prepare for her other treatments."

"Other treatments? Is this sickness so virulent?"

Lady Doria looked sad but determined. "It is. Excuse me." With that, she left them together in the greenhouse for a time.

With each breath of the blue vapors coming out of the bowls seemed to bring Miradey strength until she opened her bewitching eyes and looked at him. She grabbed for his hand. Quite by accident, their fingers laced together. She didn't let go, seeming content to hold his hand like this.

"I want to see that book again," Miradey breathed hoarsely. She smiled a wavering smile. "Perhaps find yours."

Ben coughed. "Pardon?" She wanted to read his cupids ledger. It occurred to him that Miradey might possess more than one cupids ledger on the shelves and he felt a spurt of jealousy. Though he had no right to it, as they had only just met one another, he felt it.

"You read mine."

"Skimmed. Glanced, really." He held up his hands. "My life's dreadfully boring, I assure you."

"It's only fair I read yours," she said, an impish smile tugging at the corners of her lips at his discomfit.

Pushing his embarrassment aside, Ben could only smile back at her. Fair was fair after all.

Lady Doria returned after a few minutes with a salve which she rubbed over Miraday's chest. Disappointment dropped his shoulders when Miradey let go of his hand.

"Apply this by the hour, Miradey," Doria ordered. She wove her hands over Miradey's body in a series of beautiful flourishes and the other witch's breathing became even easier and some of the strain on her face faded away. "And don't forget to come back here as soon as you feel it flare up again. I've done some healing to make you more comfortable. You may leave but I expect you back at the first hint of trouble, not a moment later."

"I understand, your Grace."

"Are you certain she should be on her feet after a fit like that?" Ben didn't know what to do with his own hands as Miradey simply sat up and swung her legs over the side of the table like nothing had happened.

"I am almost certain she shouldn't be, muttered Doria, but try and stop her.

Miradey was smiling at him again. "You don't have to hover around me. I'm more than capable of standing on my own now. Now you'd best be off home now. I'll walk you to Ujijamaa."

Ben bowed to The Third and they left Dragones House. A shame, it was his first time setting foot in it's legendary halls. He would have liked to have seen more of it. All the same, another smile tugged at Ben's lips as they walked down the hill lined in willows once more.

"Shouldn't it be the other way around?"

Miradey laughed then, stopped, and swept him a bow. "I am a Knight. As a citizen, you are my charge until I am certain of your safety." She straightened and something fell from inside her cloak.

Ben frowned down at what appeared to be a dagger. The handle was made of either wood or bone, its nature unclear in the moonlit darkness. The blade was curved but otherwise it seemed unremarkable except for the oddest sensation Ben felt as he looked at it. It was a sinking, drowning. The smile left his face. He wanted to take the knife and...

Miradey picked the dagger up and held it in her hand. Ben flinched violently and backed away. It wasn't her. It was the thing in her hand.

"What is that?"

"Do you feel it? I discovered it in my travels," she said. "I'll not speak of where. It...unnerves me."

"Why?"

"Because I am afraid. I think it found me."

Ben shook his head and looked away from the thing. Miradey tucked it away at the small of her back. Gripping her sword's hilt seemed to relieve her because she took a deep breath and said, "I'm sorry about that."

Once the dagger was out of sight, it was like it had never been there and Ben cleared his throat and looked at Miradey again.

"Would you meet with me again? Tomorrow morning. For tea, at The Golden Saucer. I promise I won't be late," he said.

She hesitated. "I may not, er— That is to say I may have urgent business to attend—"

"Please."

He wanted to see her again. He wanted to know if there was a future for him and this noble knight like the cupids ledger he had sought suggested there was.

"Oh, very well," Miradey conceded.

A pleased smile crossing his lips, Ben liked to think just then that she wanted to know if the cupids ledger was right too.