Chasing Shadows - Tales of Artera

Chapter 15

It was surprisingly easy for Binn to get used their two new guests. The first week was a struggle. Neither Callan nor Evangeline could leave the shack, so Binn had to be the one getting supplies for all three of them. On top of that, Binn needed to get supplies for Callan's injuries and cough. With the way they'd dealt with his injuries he was at risk of infection.

Thankfully, that's been the first thing on their list of errands. They'd left the shack quite abruptly, a bag stuff full of soiled clothes and another with the two waterskins. Heading to the lower market in the slums, they'd had to navigate through crowded streets to the closest apothecary.

Chronic coughs were common, especially for those who worked in the mines—a job usually filled by those from the slums—so it wasn't hard to find medicine for it. Binn listened intently to the apothecary's instructions. The medicine was portioned out, one portion to be taken at each meal, steeped in hot water—not boiling, they instructed. Another medicine to be steeped in boiling water and the steam inhaled, done once daily after a coughing attack.

Medicine for infections were harder, as most medicines targeted specific types of infection, usually given at the behest of a doctor or healer. Which wasn't useful to Binn at all. After some back and forth, eventually they got a general wounds medicine, to be applied on the wounds between dressings. Finally, they got a large bottle of surgical spirits and left with haste.

Back into the crowded streets, they deliberated one what food their guests could even eat, before settling on some root vegetables and salted meats.

And off they went again, this time to a wash house. Walking in, they heard the gossiping of people going about their business, accompanied by the slosh of water in the basins—square dips in the ground flowing with water—and the slap of clothing against stone as people wrung the water out of their laundry. As usual, Binn chose a basin closest to a corner. They lay the bags of food and medicine and the still empty waterskins by the wall and got to work.

Their own clothing, they did first, as they were the easiest. The blood-soaked cloths were much harder. Though Binn managed to make sure they no longer wreaked of blood, though couldn't see whether the blood was all washed out. Once done they put wrung out their clothing until damp and then stuffed them in their designated laundry bag—waterproof courtesy of Aoife—along with their soap.

Finally, they could head to the well closest to their home and quickly fill the waterskins. Reaching their shack, they made quick work of hanging up their washing on the line shared with their neighbours below, before tiredly entering their shack.

When they collapsed through the door, Callan had been quick to greet them, though confused when they handed him the bag containing his medicine. When they managed to communicate what the contents of the back were, he grew shocked before thanking them gratefully.

It hadn't taken long for Callan to warm up to them after that. Evangeline had been tougher though. It wasn't until they were well into the second week that her caution abated.

The only time Evangeline got close to them was during their lessons. The three of them would spend hours—whenever Binn had the time—learning new words and going over Arteran grammar. It was difficult, with Evangeline having to speak the word to Callan, then Callan try and explain what the word was and then Binn had to guess from that what the word was. It was slow. Made slower by the grammar, which they just couldn't wrap their head around.

Binn couldn't deny the envy that burned in their chest when they heard Callan and Evangeline conversing so effortlessly. There was so much they wanted to ask and say and no matter how hard they tried, they just couldn't!

One day had been particularly vexing. During a lesson, Binn had become so frustrated, they screeched, grabbed their blanket and curled up on their mattress—which they hadn't slept on for nearly a week. Callan had asked them if they were okay, but their head had been too muddled, and they'd been unable to even form a word. They'd lay on their bed for a few hours, before deciding to go out foraging.