The Healer Pt. 02

Coral wakes up the following morning after feeling Quell rise to his feet. She rubs her eyes, looking up at the handsome creature, somewhat content until she sees a slight frown on his face.

"What is the matter, Quell?" She asks tentatively.

"You should get cleaned up and dressed; there is something to attend to before we leave." Without further explanation he backs out of her room, leaving her alone.

She sits up, keeping the blanket wrapped around her to ward off the cool morning air. Her womanhood feels tender, having been rubbed vigorously the night before but she pushes those thoughts aside while she pulls a fresh shift, pair of socks and a dress from her bag. When the knife falls out onto the rug she looks at it for a moment, before grabbing it as well.

Pouring the water into the basin she soaks a towel in it before reluctantly discarding the blanket. The skin on her torso feels tight; a dried, shiny slick of Quell's seed is still covering her. Knowing that the centaurs have a good sense of smell she rubs her skin red trying to clean it off. Washing the rest of her body she is covered in goose bumps and freezing by the time she has finished and makes short work of pulling on her shift and faded green dress. Pulling on her socks, she buckles the knife higher on the outside of her upper calf, the top of the hilt barely visible after she pulls her boot on but making it much more accessible than where Piers latched it the day before. Finally she unties the ribbon, shaking her thick curls free from the braid only to braid them back again for the day long journey to the land of the centaurs. Her body still feels a chill, now being deprived of the heat that Quell provided her all night; she shivers, fishing out her grey wool cloak from her bag and throwing it over her shoulders before stuffing her dirty clothes inside.

Out in the main part of the tent she is surprised to see Reid, not Quell, waiting for her. When he sees that she is dressed he holds the flap open, exposing her to the dark, early morning light. She walks outside to find a group of centaurs standing around, all of them looking unhappy.

Coral, unsure what is going on, starts to get nervous, feeling like she did something wrong. She wraps her arms around herself underneath the cloak trying to rub warmth back into her flesh. Slowly she approaches Rainer, who stands with Quell, Wistan, and two other large centaurs she does not know. When one steps to the side she sees a large post that has been driven into the ground; tied with his hands behind his back, Tobias sits with his back to the post, feet bound, mouth gagged.

Her face crumples and she starts to walk towards him only to be stopped by Quell, who moves to stand in her path. She looks up at him, then to Rainer, "What is going on?"

Rainer speaks quietly, "He was caught sneaking into our encampment last night. Had you not been under protection, I shudder to think what he would have done."

Looking between the centaurs again she sidesteps them both and approaches Tobias; his eyes are shut, his head down. He has some dried blood coming out of his nose and a fat lip.

Coral crouches down, placing a hand on his shoulder to shake him, "Tobias," she says. When he does not respond she removes the gag and shakes harder, "Tobias!"

His eyes blink open as he wakes up. He sees her but looks past her to Rainer and Quell; Tobias spits on the ground to the side, "Filthy fucking half breeds," he snarls.

Aghast, Coral snaps at him, "Watch your tongue!"

When he looks at her it is different than before; there is no more soft kindness in his eyes, just a dark irritation, disgust and hatred, "Don't speak to me like that, Coral, I came here to rescue you last night. I looked for you—but you were nowhere to be found. Perhaps I should have looked underneath all of those beasts, apparently you have a soft spot for them."

Coral hears some movement behind her; she restrains from slapping Tobias, instead reaching out and shifting the gag back up to his mouth.

"You are a foul mouthed fool Tobias," she whispers harshly, "too smart for your own good but too stupid to know when to give up. Your arrogance—your pathetic pride puts this entire town at risk! You want to be in charge? Ha! By the time you get the title you're conceit will have gotten everyone killed and you'll be bossing spirits around! I did not ask you to try to rescue me, nor do I want to be! If what remains for me in this town is to become your bride then I bid it a hearty farewell."

She rises and walks away from him, hearing his muffled yells as he strains against the post. Her anger and rage warms her blood finally shaking off her chill. Approaching the centaurs she can see that two of them had restrained Quell; he did not take kindly to the way Tobias spoke to her and had every intention of making the boy apologize. Only when she stops in front of the centaurs and it is clear that she gave him a lashing of her own, do they release Quell.

"What will happen to him, master centaur?" she asks Rainer.

"Well, our law dictates that a human who attacks a centaur will be indentured. He will be bound and taken as a prisoner. We have notified his father and he is on his way to the camp right this moment. In fact, it appears he has arrived," Rainer nods in the direction behind her.

Coral turns around, seeing the quick walking speed of the Governor. He stops before his son but makes no move to free the boy or no motion towards him in general, as if he is afraid of the repercussions that his love could bring.

She leaves the centaurs, approaching the Governor; still enraged she grabs his sleeve and pulls him further away from Tobias so that their words cannot be overheard by the boy.

"They said he broke into camp last night looking for you," the Governor's eyes remain on his son.

"Your son is an idiot. He is a condescending, violent, arrogant, hateful pathetic excuse for a man," Coral lashes out, "and you are just as guilty for raising him to be one."

His wide eyed shock turns to her, "How dare you—"

"Shut your mouth and listen, Governor," she growls, "they intend on taking him prisoner. That means that he will leave here in chains and never return—and you know just as well as I, that he is fool enough to try to escape. He will get himself killed."

The Governor clenches his jaw, not denying her statement, "I don't know what it is you think I can do about it."

She thinks on it for a moment, "If I can get them to agree to leave him in your custody—he will have to remain in confinement for a stretch of time—you must promise that you will keep him reined in. If you fail," she pauses, trying to come up with the one thing that he would regret losing the most, "if you fail, your family gives up the rights to the Governor title and you leave, west. Far west."

His grinds his jaw slightly, chewing on the proposition. Not wanting to lose his son nor his title, it is a hard choice; finally he nods to her.

Coral returns to the centaurs. Looking up at Rainer he confirms that he overheard their conversation, "It is against our law to release him back to his own people, Coral. You know that."

She nods, taking a deep breath to calm herself, "I was told a story about a woman who was in a similar situation as I but she...had her maidenhood stolen by the man; is it true?"

Quell shifts uncomfortably as Rainer responds, "Aye, that is why we kept you close last night."

"And you think that fool capable of doing the same to me?" She looks up at the large, black skinned centaur.

"If I gambled I would put money on that possibility."

"Then, master centaur, it seems like bringing him with us means you put my virtue in danger. If he was brazen to break in here once, you don't think he'd come after me again? Taking him prisoner is simply providing him with a better opportunity and an easier reach. If he were to remain here, locked up, while we journeyed far to your homeland then not only am I removed from his daily routine but a vast distance is put between us to discourage his foul behavior."

Rainer frowns down at her, his hands crossed over his chest. He looks up at his sons, to the guards, before looking back down on her in silence. Finally he nods, "You make a compelling argument, maiden. I concede." It is just a tilt of his head and the two guards leave to pick up Tobias, each tucking a hand under his arm to lift him up and carry him from the camp. As the Governor nears them Rainer continues, "You will keep him locked away for two months. After that his behavior directly affects you. If I hear that he steps out of line again or if he makes an attempt towards any of my people, then you will be banished."

"I understand, Sir Rainer," the Governor says; looking briefly at Coral, all he offers is a small nod in appreciation before disappearing out of sight.

Rainer looks back down at Coral, studying her. "You are an odd one," he simply says before walking away and deeper into the camp.

She stands there, her boiling blood slowly cooling; glancing around she sees that the humans have woken and are now packing up the wagons. Thinking she should help she starts to head towards the nearest one only to be stopped by Quell's hand on her shoulder, "Come, maiden."

He leads her back into the tent and stands in front of her, looking at her, "I have never heard a woman speak as you did, let alone to a man."

Almost instantly her anger dissipates, leaving behind her embarrassment at having stepped so far out of line that she can hardly bring herself to look at him. She stares, instead, at his palomino legs, catching a glimpse of his swishing tail.

"I apologize for my insolence, Prince Quell. I should not have said what I did to Tobias, nor his father," she replies before adding under her breath, "even though it is the truth."

He chuckles; reaching out he cradles her cheek with his hand, "Aye, you should do well to watch your tongue, maiden; not because you don't deserve to have your voice heard but because I fear the day the man on the other side of such a verbal lashing will retaliate against you."

When she looks up at him and their eyes meet, he stares deep into her soul as if searching for something. The way he looks at her, so kindly, so adoringly, causes her to flush. She thinks that perhaps, she loves him.

"Quell," she says softly, "About last night..." Her heart races, almost choking her.

He presses his lips together drawing in a breath through his nose; his cheeks start to redden ever so slightly, "I must apologize to you, Coral, my actions were far from gentlemanly...I should have left you alone." He starts to pull his hand back but she stops him, wrapping her fingers around his and brining them up to her lips.

"Be that as it may, you did nothing that I did not want," she can feel her heart swoon.

Quell draws her close, wrapping his arms around her back, "I never expected you to affect me so greatly," he says softly, "I want my intentions made clear—I want you as my mate," when she draws a breath in to respond he cuts her off, "Please listen carefully, Coral. I am not going anywhere nor will my heart change. Do not decide on this, just yet. Wait until we arrive at the castle, until you have time to learn about our ways. It is not an easy path for a woman to become mate to a centaur—I want to make sure that you know all that it is you are getting into before you decide. I do not want you to be caught by surprise." He gently pushes her away from him but grasps her shoulders, staring down deeply into her eyes, "It would...destroy me, if you said yes and then came to regret it."

"As you wish," she says. She reaches up, her fingers gently brushing his cheek, slipping around the back of his neck to pull him downward to her. He comes willingly, their lips melding with a tender love that neither has felt before.

...

The afternoon sun beats down on the caravan, the warmth almost stifling, with little relief offered by the gentle breeze that drifts across the road. Around midmorning the centaurs had shed their vests and shirts, almost all are bare chested and comfortable about it, while the human men remain clothed in their baggy white shirts, a bit more reserved about being half naked around women. Coral had removed and folded up her cloak long ago, choosing to sit on it as a cushion against the hard, bumpy seat of the wagon she was told to ride in. Aside from the men driving the wagons and a few children, most of the human party are walking; she protested but Reid shut her down, stating that there is no one to heal a healer should she take ill.

Coral does not like the special treatment—she supposes she should be happy about it, having people wait on her and tend to her but she finds it awkward. She feels a bit of an imposter having been raised in a poor simple life, no doubt with less than most of the kin in the caravan. Marcus, who is driving the wagon she rides on, told her that they would arrive in the land of the centaurs shortly before sunset, which means there are still several hours of the grueling quick pace to endure.

She hears the pounding of hooves and turns in time to see a centaur galloping up from the end of the caravan, "Please hold for a moment," he shouts to the people as he runs by.

Marcus eases the wagon to a halt; leaning to the side she can see the centaur reach the front of the procession, talking to Rainer and Quell. The three of them, along with Reid turn and gallop past, towards the back of the caravan. She hears Quell as he zips by, "Come, Coral."

Surprised, she slides out of the wagon seat and grabs a hold of her skirt; hiking it up a shade she runs quickly to follow them. She hears the screaming of an injured ox as she approaches.

Several men and a few centaurs have managed to get the beast free from the wagon it was pulling. They have managed to get a rope around its horns but the centaur holding the other end is struggling to keep the animal from getting away.

Quickly she runs over to the wagon, shouting at one of the men trying to help, "Get the wheel chocks!"

He does, securing them in front of the wagon wheels to stop it from moving. Coral snatches a rope from the hand of another man much to his surprise before calling up to the centaur, "Tie off your end low to the wagon." The centaur looks down at her, confused at being ordered around by a human woman.

"Do as she says," Quell shouts. The centaur nods and secures his end of the rope. The wagon wood creaks from the weight of the animal.

"All of you please back off, you are frightening him," she shouts to the gathered crowd, motioning for them to back away into a larger circle around the animal.

She quickly ties a large slipknot in the rope, holding the rope steady before tossing the noose out low at the beast, catching its hind leg before pulling it tight; she flicks the lead of the rope behind the beast's other hind leg. Bracing herself, she heaves the rope back and trips the animal, causing it to fall to the ground.

Coral races forward, wrapping the rope around both of its hind legs to prevent it from rising again before she presses her weight into the ox's shoulder, quickly seeing that one of its front legs is broken. She makes short work to cobble the able leg with the rest, immobilizing the frantic animal. Coral strokes the ox's muzzle, cooing to it. Looking up she sees the driver of the wagon, "What happened?"

He shakes his head, "He stumbled and fell hard; managed to get back up but...well, you heard him screaming."

Gently she runs her hands down the broken leg, softly squeezing to feel the bones. The animal whines at the pain; she shakes her head, looking up at Rainer, "It is shattered. A human would have a hard time coming back from this with a working leg. There is nothing that can be done to save him."

Rainer nods, glancing at Reid. Reid draws her sword, moving towards them, "Best return to your wagon, maiden."

"No," she says holding up her hand to stop him, "that is not how to do this." Reid stops, glancing to Rainer.

Coral continues to talk softly to the ox, gently rubbing its nose and ears to calm it down as much as she can. Pulling her dress up to expose her boot she draws the knife tucked in there, the slender yet robust twelve inch blade. She ignores the surprised movements of those around her, her free hand sliding down the ox's side to feel for the beating heart and the gap between its ribs. In one quick plunge she slides the blade in, twisting it; the ox makes one last cry out, before its dead body relaxes down to the earth.

Coral runs her hands over the ox, underneath its chin and tilts it back all the way before slicing her blade at the top of its throat, causing blood to gush out. As she holds its chin to keep the wound open, she looks up to the shocked centaurs, "The meat is still salvageable. If you have a butcher in the party, now would be the time to get him. If you don't, I will need a few strong men to assist me."

None of them respond, staring at her blankly. Finally Reid turns and slowly walks away, "I will find a butcher."

She rests her knife on the side of the bull, standing so that she can gather up the loose bottom of her dress to one side; she twists the fabric into a knot just above her knees, giving her legs freedom while also keeping her dress out of the bloody mud forming around the ox. She doesn't bother to ask or put on airs around the group but picks up her knife and slices the ox down the belly to the base of its tail. As the entrails pour out, several onlookers gag and disappear, both human and centaur alike. The King and his party remain, their faces booth horrified and in awe as she fearlessly reaches into the cavity to clean it out before the meat is spoiled.

By the time the butcher arrives with his assistant, she has the top half of the ox skinned, the side the ox is laying on still covered in its hide. The butcher looks over the naked animal, then to Coral, "What is your trade, lass?"

Coral stands, her hands and forearms covered in sticky drying blood. She stretches her back a little, "I'm an animal healer." It is the first time she has called herself such, usually making it known that she apprentices to Piers but as she is now alone, she decides she must own the title as her own.

He continues to look at her, "Ah...but you've done this before," he states, more than asks.

Coral looks down at the animal knowing that her cuts are all clean and sure. She glances back to the butcher and shrugs, "I'm from a small town and we do not have a butcher," she offers as an explanation.

"Aye," he says, walking to her with an oil skinned apron. He drapes it over her head, wrapping it around her body and tying it in the front; it covers everything but her arms and upper back, "Well, let's get to it then."

The butcher starts by taking off the head, Coral carves the hindquarters up; they hand pieces to the butcher's assistant who wraps them in leather and piles them into a nearby wagon. Once they have broken down the top side, the three of them roll the beast over onto its peeled back hide, exposing the unworked side of the ox. Coral and the butcher make short work skinning the rest of the animal and breaking it down, leaving the chest cavity for last. The butcher gets out a saw and while Coral and the assistant steady the meat he saws down the spine to separate the two halves into more manageable ones. By the time they are finished all that remains is the pile of organs sitting in the bloody mud, the cleaned hide and the head.

A woman comes to them with a few sacks of water, empting one into a bowl for clean up. As the assistant cleans what was left on the ground the butcher motions for Coral to wash up, standing next to her as she does so. She rinses her knife off first, setting it on the back of the wagon before scrubbing her arms free of the sticky darkened blood.