Taboo formerly Bleeding Heart

“My lord and love!”  Ma’ara exclaimed as she skimmed the ground, her hands immediately searching his body for the wounds that would have caused so much blood.  D l snorted in agreement before snufflng his master’s hair, searching for injuries in his own way.  Finding nothing to concern him, Dil trotted off towards the spring where the pretty mare was grazing along the bank.  She whinnied welcomingly to him as he plunged into the water to cool his hide.

“Where?  Where are you injured?” Ma’ara demanded urgently.

“Not I, my lady.  A poor soul I found in the wood as I hunted …”

Ma’ara did not seem satisfied with his words, tearing away the laces of his shirt to bare his chest to her view, her fingers touching every exposed surface, desperate to heal him; to assure herself that her love was well.

“Ma’ara!”  gasped the elf, his eyes darkening noticeably.  “Stop!  I have not felt your hands for so long and I cannot be distracted by this!  A life is at stake!”  He panted slightly, holding her shoulders with both hands to steady her.

“You are not injured?”  She stopped her exploration to hold his hips and pull him towards her, forcing him to peer down into her blue eyes.  She stared up at him, forcing the cowl of her heavy robes to fall backwards.  Her silver white hair spilled from its confinement.

“No, not I, my lady-love,” he whispered, trying to get her to walk towards his makeshift home.

“I have missed you for so long,” she sighed, fighting against him for a mere instant to steal a kiss from his lips.  “Where is this other?  Show me!”  Ma’ara commanded as she released him.  He motioned towards the small stone shelter built into a stone overhang.  She ran for the door, her cloak floating behind her.  She threw open the door, stripping her cloak as she moved. 

“A stór!” exclaimed Ma’ara.  “These wounds …” Her voice trailed off as her attention focused on finding the appropriate healing herbs from her kit.

“I know …” he answered softly, “Injured most grievously.  He would not let me touch all of the wounds, and they are so deep …”

“Wise to call for me, Ríu,” Ma’ara answered softly.  “This one teeters on the brink of forever,” she observed as she mixed a herbs. “Take these and brew a tea, quickly, love.”

Ríu carefully cupped the dried herbs in his long-fingered hand and stepped away from the small cot to his equally small hearth.  He swung an iron pot filled with water over the flames, relieved for the poor soul, knowing Ma’ara would be of more help than he himself ever could be.

Ma’ara pulled back the soft blanket that covered the wounded earth elf.  “So far from your home,  earth-elf, damaged, so wrong,” she muttered.  “Allow us to make this right.”

Ríu placed a soothing hand on her back. “From your lips to the gods’ ears,” he prayed aloud. 

“I need clean cloths, warm water, oh dear, Ríu!  This poor, poor Talamh.  No one deserves this treatment.”  Ma’ara began to trace the blade tracks on the injured Talamh’s chest, singing her healing song ever so softly, praying for the goddesses’ assistance.

“M’Ríona,” he interrupted her softly, placing a gently hand on her arm to still her motions.  “T’is not the worst of his wounds.”  The silver-haired elf shuddered involuntarily as he moved Ma’ara to one side to draw the coverlet away from the supine Talamh.

Ma’ara gasped in horror at the sight before her eyes, one hand reaching out, the other covering her mouth as if to quell the retching that dared to overtake her.  Tears sprang to her soft blue eyes, and her pale skin grew even paler. “Who?” she stammered.  “What?  Dear gods of all …” 

“When these wounds I found …” Ríu offered but Ma’ara finished.

“Wise to risk summoning me.  But even I,” she stuttered, shaking her head. “I do not know if this I can heal.”

“Quite distraught, indeed he was, when I tried to remove the leather,” Ríu explained as she knelt on the edge of the small bed to peer closer at the most gruesome of wounds.

“Still bound?” exclaimed the woman incredulously.  She was breathing hard.

“Tightly bound in leather that had been wetted and left to dry in the sun, if I recall Tine torture methods.”  Ríu paused to stir the steeping tea.  “He bears more wounds in …”

“Enough!” She nearly shouted, stopping him with a hand raised defensively. “I know enough of the Tine’s practices, myself.  We will feed him the tea as it is both analgesic and calming.  When it has taken effect, I will attempt to cleanse and dress the remainder of his wounds.”   She scrubbed her hands with the hot water Ríu offered her as well.  “Fire Elves … on our island,” she muttered angrily as she dipped a clean cloth into the water as well.

“Fire Elves on our island?”  Ríu asked, his brows knitted in concern.   “Do you believe they brought him here?”

Ma’ara gently wrapped the soaking wet cloth around the Talamh’s leather-bound cock.

“Permit the water to re-soften the leather.   I will require your sharpest knife, my love.” She cast her eyes up at him, her expression full of worry and sadness.  “Yes, we passed a camp of Tine on our way here.”

“Damnation and demons!”  he cried out, face clouding with concern.  “Did they see you?”

“No, love.  Díl responded more quickly than I.  He hid us well.”

“This is cause for great concern,” Ríu muttered as he stirred the tea. 

“Agreed,”  Ma’ara whispered while placing her cool hand against the Talamh’s fevered forehead. “But, not our foremost issue.”

“Why would they bring him here?”

“Certainly, all will become clear with time.  I expect accusations that we abused the poor elf.”

“Political ploy to turn the Talamh against the Uisce?”  Ríu mused.  “Would make some sort of twisted logic given current circumstances.”

“Dear gods beside us, Ríu!  I cannot think of politics now.  The tea!” she demanded sharply.  He passed her the mug and she tipped it cautiously against the Talamh’s nearly lifeless lips. 

“Bring me the scry bowl and crystals.  I will try to send word to my brothers to apprehend our esteemed guests,” her voice dripped with acidic of disdain.

She tipped a few more drops of tea past parched lips as Ríu gathered his scry bowl and went to fill it with fresh water once more.