Dragon Fire - Book 2 [discontinued due to rewrite]

Chapter 11

"She knows er stuff ill give er that, but I don't ave ta like er"

"No ones askin yea ta ma."

"She must be hungry, imma get er some beet bread"

The voices drifted up to Marcie as she wiped sweat from her patients brow.

Already the woman was looking better. The mid morning sun could have shone through her skin still but she was definitely recovering.

Marcie smeared more spikle root paste onto her wounds with one hand while keeping another on the woman's stomach, feeling for the baby. She felt the occasional pressure against her hand but kept it there just in case.

She had slept briefly but well and would welcome some beet bread, whatever that was.

Thankfully she did not have to wait long before Liem appeared, his young son tottering behind him, one small hand clutching his fathers trouser for comfort. Liem deposited a plate on the floor next to her and she removed her hands from her patient to test this new food. The bread was sliced thick and was heavy and moist. Her eyes closed after the first bite and she made a sound of appreciation. After two slices she was stuffed and left the last slice for later.

"Its delicious" she said, brushing crumbs from her shirt,

Liem smiled, "Ma's always wanted to out do Gwinn with her fruit bread"

"I think she has" Marcie mused, "I feel one whole loaf wold feed me for a week!"

"I shall tell er you said that" Liem said with a wink,

He stooped to stroke his wife's clammy cheek then left, his son trailing behind him, staring at Marcie with wide curious eyes.

A while later, Liem's Ma came to see her. She was so focused on listening to Yeena's shallow breathing she did not hear the woman climb the stairs, but only became aware of eyes staring into her back.

She turned and tried to smile that the older woman but was repaid with a steely gaze so she turned away.

"Hows she doin?" Ma said after a while, then, somewhat reluctantly, "She got more colour to er now"

"She lost a lot of blood for someone who cannay afford to lose a drop" Marcie said, "The doc nearly killed her!"

"Aye" was all the older woman said,

"Why did you let him?" Marcie asked, disbelief colouring her voice,

"He the only healer we got in these parts girl. Aint much choice"

"Doing nothing would have probably been better. She is strong, it was most likely a mild infection before he cut her open!"

Ma said nothing but Marcie felt her seething.

"Fear not", she said, pulling the sheets over the woman, "I have done all I can, she should recover. If you wish me to remove myself from your house I will" she busied herself so Ma would not see her face, her cheeks red with petty embarrassed anger at this strangers distrust while she tried to save her sons wife.

There was a pause, then "That would be best"

"Make sure to clean and reapply the paste to her wounds every day until they scab and then leave out in the air. Make sure she remains rested right up until the babes birth, in case anything should distress it and don't let that Doc anywhere near her" she instructed, then walked out the room,

"Liem will take yea to yeas lodgings, LIEM, TAKE THE GIRL BACK TO WHERE SHE CAME FROM YA HEAR" Ma shouted behind her.

Liem responded in kind and within a very short amount of time, Marcie was back on the wagon, with Liem and few crates of beets for Gwinn and some loafs of that lovely bread in her pack, watching the small farm house disappear into the distance.