And so it goes....

[Goldie]

"I told you that you had to listen to me." the healer told his patient as they made their way into the inn.  Andwyad was breathing heavily while the healer pressed some cloth over the wound in his side that had begun bleeding again.

"Well ya coulda bloody heal'd me." growled Andwyad, wincing as each step sent waves of pain through out his torso.  He hated being incapacitated like this.  Not only did it make him feel utterly useless, but he didn't like depending on others, and he abhorred being treated like a child.  Right now, he felt as if Loeard was pretending to be his father.  It sure as hell sucked.

"We've been through this." Loeard snapped, slipping the man's good arm around his shoulders to help him up the last stair leading to the taverns enterance, "I'm a healer, not a miracle worker, and you'd best learn to accept it.  I won't do you any good if I die from overuse of my magic."

"Bloody bastard..." he muttered under his breath, the pain making him more irrate that normal, but he stopped complaining.  Andwyad understood that Loeard could only do so much, and he had already made sure that he didn't die flat out...so that was probably a good thing.  He had been lucky that it had missed his heart and merely pierced his lung.  Although, without a healer that wound would have been fatal...gyah...he hated being a debtor....and the bloody healer certainly had saved him, even if he couldn't do everything.  At least not yet.

His side flared with a fiend-like fire as Loeard helped him into a chair at one of the back tables.  Closing his eyes he tried to focus on something else, anything at all that might take his mind off of things.  At this rate he would never be able to do his job again.  What with an arm that hung uselessly in a sling as the same dagger that had almost taken his life, had cut through all of the tendons and muscles in his right arm.  If allowed to heal without a healer's aid, he would never be able to wield a sword again.  Not to mention that chances of getting its full use back, even with Loeard, were slim to none.  He wanted to curse which ever God gave a damn, let them know that his life was ruined, all because they had decided to give him a conscience.  If he hadn't tried to save that bloody gal things would have turned out differently.  Now he felt like shit and couldn't even do anything to help her!  The trail was getting cold even as he sat here, taking deep breaths to keep still as Loeard unwrapped his side to take a look at the stitches that were beginning to tear from their fleshy prison.

"Ow!" it took all of his will power to keep from jumping and tearing open his side again, "Damnit, why d'ya 'ave t'do tha'?" he cried, taking a few deep breaths  as he blinked away tears that pricked the edges of his eyes, "Tha' bloody hurt!"

Loeard didn't say anything, just glanced up at Andwyad, his eyes were reprimanding.  Looking back at his side, he fingered the wound again, causing his patient to suck in a deep breath and rest his head against the back of the chair.  It hurt like shit and made him realize just how stupid he had been to push himself harder than he should.

"Chew this."

Andy blinked, eyeing the leaf the healer held up with apprehension, "It's gonna taste foul isn't it?" he asked, but took the leaf with his good hand and shoved it in his mouth.

UGH

It was all he could do to keep from spitting the damn thing out.  It was possibly the worst thing he had ever tasted in his entire life.  It tasted like a piece of dung and made his eyes water.  Damnit he knew he shouldn't have eaten that thing!  It had looked almost as terrible as it tasted and now he was going to have to spend hours just getting the shitty taste out of his mouth!

"Don't swallow it." Loeard advised him without looking up, threading a needle to patch up the stitches that had torn

As if he could swallow!  If he even tried he was sure that he'd just throw it up again.  Ugh, but it was absolutely terrible.  He couldn't focus on anything other than the sheer disgusting flavor that one leaf could secrete into a mans mouth!

"Done." Loeard stood and wiped the blood off of his hands before holding it out, "Spit it out on this." he told him, and Andwyad was quick to oblige.  Eventhough the leaf was gone, the taste was still there and he chugged the glass of water that the inn keeper had placed on their table at Loeard's prompting.  Without waiting, the healer started wrapping a new bandage around his waist, this time much tighter than before to keep the sutures in place and also hinder Andwyad from moving too far, too quickly.

"Wha' was tha' thing anyways?" he asked, throwing down another glass of water.

"Well....nothing really." replied Loeard with a sly grin, "It doesn't do anything but taste terribly foul, and it made you drink two glasses of water without my having to prompt you.  Not to mention, you were so focused on the taste that you didn't flinch or even move when I was cleaning and rebandaging."

"Th' hell?!" Andwyad cried, "Ya gave tha' t'me knowin' tha' it didn' do anythin/!?"

"It served it's purpose."  He took his seat opposite of the other man, "And now we will not travel anymore today.  I don't want to get in the habit of re-sewing that wound every day simply because you won't stay put."

"Yer 'orrible." he glared.

"Tomorrow I'm going to start treatment on your arm.  It's going to take a while, there's quite a bit to mend, but the sooner we get started the sooner you'll be able to wield a sword again, if all goes according to plan."

If all goes according to play...that was the ticket wasn't it?  It all depended on luck now...he just hoped that Loeard was good to his word...and his craft.

[Anonymous]

Stay here I want to get you something, Death spoke firmly his voice filled with anger as she knew he was going off to assassinate someone. She had seen the letter and he had been receive some cash but only half. Life stood in the middle of the inn really unsure of what to do as Death looked back at her before leaving out the door.  She could go up to her room, or get some fruit for herself with the money Death had given her.

Her Direction was soon turned away toward two men entering the Inn. One appeared seriously injured and the other a Healer like herself. Just looking into the hurt man’s eyes gave her pain and she wanted to comfort him. Life glanced away looking around at the few people in the Inn lobby and some were starring at the two and other’s just kept on going about their business. Why? She did not know and wondered.

Slowly her eyes began to drift back to the injured man and she soon found herself stepping closer to the man. She stopped. Death would not approve me talking to a stranger! Life reminded herself. But he never said I could speak to others while he was gone. Life just stood and watched and the Healer work his magic on the man. She had learned something new that night, the leaf trick. She watched and almost wanted to giggle when the Healer told the man about the leaf. It wasn’t that she wanted to giggle; it was the man’s reaction to what the healer had said that made her want to giggle.

Just as the Healer began to speak his departing ways to the man, or so Life thought. Life broke out the courage to walk over to the man. She held her head down forcing long white hair to hide her face. Life did not speak to the man, but simply forced her head up little by little to let him see her face. She dared not look into his eyes but instead her eyes kept intensely on his injured arm. With a slight movement in her right hand she placed her hand slowly on the man’s arm as light as possible, and with that her hand began to glow. Although she could not do much with a wound like that, she could little by little heal the area where the stitches lay, only enough to take away his pain for a few minutes.

Life always put others before her. She wasn’t even over the huge cut on her back from when a beast attacked a week ago and already she was trying to rid someone else’s pain. It wasn’t much but maybe enough to keep the man from being mad that she had touched him. Quickly her hand left his arm and fell to her side, and just as quick she lowered her head hiding her face.

Death would be furious and already he was wondering if she was okay without him. The kill wasn’t to far for him but still if something ever happened to Life. Death couldn’t think about it. She was his only company, and others only wanted to abuse her. Death was the only one who cared about her.

[Goldie]

He couldn't bloody believe it!  The damned healer had actually had enough guile in his system that he had convinced Andwyad to put the leaf in his mouth!  Not to mention, he knew that it wouldn't do anything!  It was the foulest tasting thing he had ever...and just...gyah!  He didn't want to admit that it was a good trick, and he hated the fact that he couldn't help but admit to it!

It was because he was injured...yeah....he'd go with that one.  He was injured so he wasn't thinking clearly.  If he hadn't been stabbed by the bloody bastard, he would have been able to identify the herb....yup...he would have been able to figure out that it didn't do anything....

Man...who was he kidding?  He couldn't tell an oak leaf from a maple...how in the nine levels of hell would he be able to know that that particular green leafy thing wouldn't do anything.  He wouldn't.

Instead, he decided to glare at the healer from across the table, chugging glasses of water to get the terrible after taste.  It only made him more frustrated to see that twinkle in the man's eyes.  He was clearly enjoying himself..jokes at other people's expense.  It was not cool, being on the receiving end of this joke that Loeard was enjoying so much.  Blah...he hated being injured, feeling useless...constantly trying to ignore the throb of healing wounds.  He just wished that healing wasn't such a complicated process, as the healer constantly reminded him, it would be so much better if they could just touch a scrap and POOF!  No thought necessary!  Wouldn't that be the best thing ever?  But no...only flesh wounds could be healed like that, all of his took great concentration and a lot of magic.  One wrong move and the healer could mend the wrong veins together, and leave their patients terribly deformed and in worse shape than if they had just healed naturally.  He understood that...even if it made him even more impatient.

Andwyad was so engrossed in his own thoughts that he didn't even notice the woman walk up beside him, until he felt her fingers brush his arm.  Or, rather, felt the pain that it caused, even though she had taken great care not to hurt him.

He yelped, jumping out of his skin and nearly falling out of his chair.  He felt his newly bandaged side strain against the sutures, but they stayed in place, merely causing severe discomfort.  Thinking quickly, he was about to stand when Loeard intervened.

"What are you doing?" He cried, moving faster than his patient and pulling the woman away, not ungentle, but with enough force that whatever she was about to do he stopped it before it went too far.  Andwyad felt the warmth that had filled his arm when she touched it, but it had disappeared the moment he jumped and broke contact.  Now he was simply trying not to wince as each breath sent pain shooting across his side.

"You can't heal him, just like that, without thinking." Loeard's voice was low, but it was shaking when he thought of the damage that she could have done if she had been able to do more than she had.  "You have no idea the extent of his injuries, and any haphazard healing will make that arm useless in his future."

Andwyad closed his eyes and leaned back on his chair, focusing on his breathing.  Even his heart beating seemed to be hurting his side.  He just hoped when he slowed his breath that the pain would go with it....ideally that's how it would work.

"W...wha' th'ell...." he muttered.  It seemed as if everything that could happen, would happen.  Gods he wanted to be better...part of him wished that Loeard had let her finish...but the more sensible part of him didn't want to risk it...especially with the healer's reaction....he needed to be able to use that arm...it was his life, his livelihood...every future he envisioned for himself depended on being able to use that arm.

[Anonymous]

I wasn't healing his wound, I was healing the pain it caused him. A Wise Old Elf taught me. I'm not good at healing the wounds Life had been looking over to Healer but had kept her head down. She was a mere teenager or and looked to be only 15. Life didn't like the man pushing her way nor did she liked to touched unless she was doing so or it was Death touching her. Life didn't mean to worry the Healer but didn't want him to be mistaken on what she was doing either.

Lifes long full hari began to tangle are her legs as she moved from side to side. She should have never spoken a word to anyone. Nor should she have walked up to complete strangers in the first place. Life became frightened quickly at the thought of Death being upset wil her and it showed. She began taking a few steps back still facing them and her right hand began to shake alittle. Forgive me Sir She spoke her voice become lighter and soft as she almost trip over her long hair.

Death on the Other hand had just arrived at his destenation and had been stalking his prey at a far distance. It was no one special, Just someone who made others' lives a living  when possible and Death didn't like those people. It was time to make his move. The was now alone on the shore drunk, and what an easy target he was. Death moved in quick his hand grazing his beautiful sword, and with one whick motion of Death's blade, the man's head was cut off and lying on the shore. Death was gone just as quick as he came and was now off to buy his Life a special gift for putting up with the one thing she hates.

[Goldie]

Loeard looked skeptical as she explained how she had healed his pain and not his wound.  It sounded like a load of bull shit to him, but hey, he couldn't honestly say that he knew of every type of healing power out there.  For all he knew, the girl was telling the truth....but even healing the pain could be dangerous.  If someone felt like they were healed they could do more damage to the unhealed wound because the pain wouldn't hold them back anymore.  But then...it could be a good thing because then he could stitch someone up and they wouldn't be afraid of feeling the thread pulling through their skin....or cry out when they broke a bone and it needed to be set....

He didn't know what to think!  It was a battle of pros and cons in his head!

Andwyad on the other hand, was flabbergasted.  His sable eyes grew round as he listened to her, and his mouth felt as if it was hanging down to his chin.  Like Loeard he had never heard of anything like that in his entire life.

Holy Hells.

This gal was fantastic!

"Ya....ya can actu'lly do tha'!?" he exclaimed, catching himself before he jumped out of his chair to hug her.  That would be the stupidest thing he could possibly do.  Pain or no pain, those stitches would rip again if he tried anything other than simply sitting.

Gyah....he didn't know how invalids did it.  Honestly.  To live you life sitting on your ass wishing you could move about like normal people.  He didn't envy them.  Not one bit.

"From a wise elf?" Loeard asked, the skepticism clearly emphasized in his voice, "Tell me.  How is it that you can heal pain without actually healing the wound?"

"Who cares!?" cried Andwyad, a big lopsided grin splitting across his face as he beamed up at the gal, "Anyone tha' can heal pain is flippin' amazin'!" He eyed Loeard with mock seriousness, trying to hide the smile of a joke from his features and failing miserably, "She doesn' need th' leaf thing ya gave me.  Maybe some 'ealers are better than others."

"Leaf or no leaf, it worked." replied Loeard, "And seeing your face when I told you what it did was enough enjoyment to last a life time."

"Ah...go an' boil yer 'ead, 'ealer." he joked, before turning back to the girl, taking a good look at her.  He had never seen anything quite like the creature that stood before him.  Her hair was ungodly long and white...jeez....if it wasn't for her baby-doll face he would have thought she was an old crone.  Eh, not that it mattered.  Whether she was old or young, her power was the shit.

"So....ye can jus' 'eal pain?" he asked, "'Cus I wouldn' mind if ya go right ahead and get rid o'th' rest."

"I wouldn't advise it."

Of course the healer would find a way to completely ruin the beauty of the moment.

"And why th'ell not?" Andy demanded.  If his arm wasn't injured he would have crossed them over his chest, now he just contented himself with glaring at his new traveling buddy.

"Because, the pain limits your mobility.  If you can't feel it, you could tear your stitches out again, or do something stupid that gets the wound infected."  He bowed politely to the girl, "I apologize for acting with force, I was concerned for my patient and did not mean to frighten you.  And I do thank you for trying to help.  A kind heart is rare to find these days."

Andwyad couldn't help but roll his eyes, making a face behind Loeard's back.  The man was terrible.  All formality and no attitude.  Maybe he would find his personality before they parted ways.  After all, that leaf trick did prove that he had promise.  Even if slim.

[Anonymous]

Death had found it. It was a small music box that could fit in the palm of his hand. It had designs for white wolves and a small little girl oddly enough with white hair as she held a hand up with a butterfly on it. The song it played was one Death had heard as a child and thats what drawled him to the box, just hearing the music it played. He hand to get it and so with alittle more money he bought it and was on his way back to the inn.

Life inside the inn who had been talking to two strangers hadn't spoken a bit as they both began to talk, one asking her questions and the other defending her. They made her nervous. She began to think of how she used that power and why they couldn't do it. After the elder showed her, she had been seperated from her family and hadn't seen them for a long time. Although she could heal pain she had a really hard time healing a wound and began to wonder why she took to the other so easily and why not the other.

The apoligized for scaring her anmd no one ever apoligized to her before. Her hand stopped shaking and she stopped moving. The two seemed quite different and Life hesitated but took a few steps back forward to the two. I may heal pain but I have difficult time with healing the wound Life spoke as she pictured the wound on her back and wondered why it hadn't healed yet. You two are oddly funny She gave a half giggle like a little kid which soon disappeared when she heard Death's voice.

Life what do you think your doing Death's voice was filled with anger seeing her talking to two complete strangers and wondered who spoke to who first. Life jumped back with her head half down. Ah..ah she began to studdered. Death glared at the two men before looking back down at life. Your worthless no wonder you family never wanted you Life eyes immediatly teared up as the image of her family leaving her behind entered her mind. Sorry Death Life cried with no noiseless tears. Don't cry Life, I didn't mean it Death picked her up and held her in her arms. He didn't know what to do or why she was speaking to the strangers.

After putting on a show in front of the two men Death turned to face his face angered. He put life back down on the ground and told her to buy herself a fruit salad and leave him be. Immediatly Life left to the bar keep asking for one. Death just looked at the two men unknowing of what to say. Why speak to a mere child? What were your intensions? He asked calmly and angery at the same time.

[Goldie]

He couldn't help but feel sorry for the girl, after her companion showed up and started berating her for doing something wrong.  Talk about being on a short leash.  How was she suppose to get any kind of social skills if that guy was keeping her locked up inside of herself?  He may not understand a lot about people, but one thing Andwyad could appreciate was the necessity of freedom.  It sucked when that was taken away.

"Now, look 'ere." his voice was calm, but the bite made it evident that whatever the hell his name had offended him.  He wasn't paid to hate the gal, and he wasn't paid to like the guy, so for now his conscience was allowed to feel whatever he wanted.  Even though he liked it better when he didn't need to have a conscience...it hurt his head.

"There's no reason t'yell at 'er."  If his arm wasn't bandaged and splinted, he would have crossed his arms over his chest.  Hell, he probably would have stood and used his height to try and intimidate the other.  He wasn't a hired assassin simply because he was good with a sword, it was all in the attitude, being able to remain unobtrusive in a crowd, and being able to intimidate others when there was a need.  He had been doing this for too many years for it to leave his system just because his right arm hung uselessly by his side, and his chest screamed every time he took a breath.  Ah, so was his life.  He was bound to get hurt eventually.

Be that as it may, he was in no condition to stand and intimidate anyone, and the warning glare from Loeard kept him in his seat.  He had felt the stitches rip out of his side once, and that was enough for him.  Better to just stay sitting and heal faster so he could go and kick some bastards ass...whoever that red-haired man was who had taken Megan.

"I beg your pardon." It was Loeard who was offended now.  The last question was enough to strike a nerve in anyone, and it certainly had gotten to the cool headed doctor.

"Neither myself or my patient appreciate what you are insinuating.  We do not go around praying on young girls as you have come to believe and if you must know, she approached us first, offering to help my charge." his eyes narrowed, "Or are you so blind that you can't see he is in no position to do anything, especially to that girl."

Andwyad was forced to disguise his laughter behind a fit of coughing, covering his smile with his good hand.  It hurt, but all of this was too funny.  If he was any kind of decent, he would tell Loeard to stand down and just let them be...but the humor was too much to pass.

"If anything you are the one to be questioned.  After all, it wasn't myself or my charge who made your friend cry."

Oh gods....so there was something that got Loeard riled up...being accused of being a pedophile....haha....oh man...Andwyad would have to play on that after he was better.

"She wasn' doin' anythin' wrong." Andwyad put in after controlling his features to a relative state of calm, "She watched Loeard 'ere stitchin' up me side an' couldn' jus' stand there an' watch withou' doin' anythin'.  Ya should be proud o'her."

[Anonymous]

Whoa she approched you first? His voice filled with anger. Death turned toward Life who was accross the rom and glared at her with anger before looking back at the two. That's enough reason to yell, a child must learn their place He spoke at first with anger but toward the end his voice had calmed. He could remember little pieces of his life and strict rules on him that made him who he was. Just as fast as the memories had come, they left and the music box in his coat pocket came to memory as he pulled it out and looked back over to see the said little girl he promiced to protect.

I am proud of her but that shall not be expressed toward her, Her safety is all I will express toward her and I will break her till she understands what this world is truly like. He really did fear losing her and though he'd never admit it he loved her so and hated her tears shown, but it was the only way to keep her safe. He needs her as much as she needs him. Someone to keep him sane and tonkeep him alive spiritually.

The men would never knows and probably thinks of him as a jerk but he didn't care it was his job. He had no doubt the men were telling the truth but he had to be strict in case that might ever change. After all she was a child. You want me to not yell at her? They stay away from her and I won't have to. He gave attitude but just slightly enough to show he wouldn't stand for anyone harming her anyway.

Death looked back down at the beautiful music box and back at Life. She reminded him of summer rain, so beautiful, and filled with love, with tears like soft rain. He couldn't help crack a slight smile toward her which soon disappered with a call.

Life Come He said aloud and firm. With her fruit salad in her hands she came quickly and obeyingly. She didn't say a word, she justed nodded toward in a motion of asking what He wanted of her. I told you I had a surprise for you. He handed it to her and she smiled softly turning the ring on it. The melody so rare yet beautiful from Death's past filled the air and Life seemed lost in it. She looked back up at Death thanking him with a hug and stood at his side facing the other two gentleman she had spoken to before with the music flowing through her elf ears.

[Goldie]

Andwyad was liking this guy less and less as he opened his mouth to justify his actions.  Who the hell did he think he was?  Yelling at a girl to try and commission her?  She was a fucking human being, not some dog who was learning how to drool at the sound of a bell.  However a sweet gal like her had ended up with a prick like him was beyond both himself and Loeard.

"Ye should count yer blessin's that I'm no' in good shape," Andwyad growled, his eyes expressing his anger more than his body language.  After all, he couldn't very well do anything extravagent without having the wounds re-open.  Again, "Otherwise ye'd wish tha' yer pain could be healed by yer lil' friend."

"Andwyad...." Loeard cautioned.  He understood that the man could take care of himself when he was in full health, but it would not do well to get into a brawl right now.  The other man would win, no matter which side had the Gods' favor.  It just wasn't humanly possible for Andy to beat anyone up.

"Don' ye 'Andwyad' me." He snapped, "Yer jus'as pissed at him as me."

It was true too.  But Loeard wasn't a fighter, and he wasn't stupid.  The man smelled of death, he reeked of it.  Perhaps it was the keen sense of a healer that told him, or maybe he was just so use to the smell, but he could smell blood on his hands, even if nothing was visible.  Maybe if he was healed, Andwyad would stand a chance, but this guy would mutilate them in a second if given the right reasons.  It seemed as if that girl was reason enough for him to start killing.

Andwyad, however, hadn't really figured that out.

"--Sure, go ahead.  Give 'er tha' lil' trinket.  Wut, are ye so 'orrible tha' ye have t'buy her affection with gifts before ya hurt 'er too much?  Good riddence to any'un comin' yer way.  I hope tha' karma turns around an' kicks yer sorry a--"

"Shut up" Loeard hissed again, doing the only thing he could think of to get the man to stop digging his grave.  With his free hand , the healer slapped his wounded side, sending waves of incapacitating pain racing through Andwyad's system.

With a yelp he bit his lower lip, glaring at the healer as he tried to take even breaths, focusing on ways to ignore the pain, but he had gotten the hint.  Perhaps it was stupid to argue with a guy who could easily kill them in the blink of an eye.  But gods he was angry!

One thing was for sure.  Nothing in the nine levels of hell could make his apologize.