Mistress Helane enters your tent before the sun rises. “Get up, sleepy head. You’ve been resting long enough and should be able to do your shift.”
You blink your eyes at the lantern light. For a second you want to say, “My Chest…” You stop yourself before finishing the comment about your chest and the healers’ recommendations. You realize those are Kerry’s thoughts. Apparently, you both were dreaming together. You cough loudly to clear your throat and sit up.
Helane holds the lamp to your face. “Look at me.” She pauses as you focus your eyes. “Who am I?”
You look at her the best you can with the glare of the lamp, “You’re Helane, one of the three senior healers assigned to this field station.” Your voice has a little edge of frustration to it.
She grabs one of your storage chests and uses it as a seat. “How are you doing?”
You shake your head for a moment, making sure that the thoughts are yours and yours alone. Then you let out a slow exhale. “Lanie, I’m sorry. Give me a minute. I’ll be dressed and ready for my shift.”
She places her lamp down, and reaches for your hands. “Marge, are you really ready?” She asks in a quiet tone.
You take a slow, deep breath. Feeling echo pains in your chest from Kerry. You take another breath, thinking “My chest wasn’t pierced by arrows. My muscles weren’t cut. My skin wasn’t broken.” As you slowly release that breath, the echoes fade. “I’m okay.”
Her hands are still holding yours. “Should I ask, or just scold you?” The tone of her voice is soft but still firm.
You look into her eyes, “I should have known better.” You pause for a moment. “We train specifically for those kind of emergencies.” For a second you think of both Kerry and Tomas. The scout leather armour, the arrows in the chest, and their bodies lying on a table. Their images shift and blur in your mind.
“Why did you do it then?” she softly asks. “You knew the dangers and the risks. What if an artery had severed while you were Merged? You could have gone into shock or worse.”
You nod your head. “One almost did. I repaired it before we removed the arrow.” You pull your hands free from hers. “Let me make an official report. The alarm was sounded as the scout was brought into the tent. I used the Seeing spell to look inside. He had two hobgoblin arrows, one cleanly pierced his lung and the other cracked a rib, his breast bone and sliced an artery. I stabilized him before we removed his armour. When the breastplate was removed, the arrow near the heart shifted and instead of using a pleasure charm to counter the pain, I used Merge. I felt like I was better able to control the situation from within.”
Helane slowly nods. “Yes, Georgie and I already took statements from everyone and added them to the chronicles. But the question that we can’t answer is ‘why’.”
You take a moment and tell her about Tomas. You also realize at that point how much Kerry physically looks like him. When you finish, she places a hand on your shoulder. “I’ll leave the ‘he looked like my dead lover’ part out of my report. I’ll write that you made a judgement call. One, that you would reprimand a younger healer for doing.”
You both stand up. She gives you a reassuring hug. “Marge, I have one last question. Have you thought about how much older you are than him?”
You are struck by that for a moment. You release the hug and look at her. “What? No. We’re similar age. I left the Collegium and he joined the Scouts at the same time.” You pause. “Dammit. That’s Tomas.” You close your eyes and look carefully at Kerry’s memories. He was just becoming a man. Gabriel was a teen. He’s only been a scout for a few years. You are 10 or more years older than him. “Oh Lanie, what have I done?”
“You’re my peer. You taking a younger lover isn’t a problem, if that is where the Merge leads. But I caution you, make sure you both actively choose each other outside of the spell.” She picks up the lamp, “Clean up, get dressed, and go to work. We can talk again over breakfast. Georgie will have a few questions too.
You stifle a groan at that thought. “Great. I can imagine it now. ‘So what did it feel like when you both ejaculated? How badly do you want to be Merged when he fucks a camp follower?’ or something equally blunt and embarrassing.”
Shortly you are walking through the Healing Tent as the sky lightens at the horizon. There are a couple less patients than you remember. You review the chronicles, and see that no one had died, and a few were returned to their units for either duty or medical release.
A sliver of the bright edge of the sun is on the horizon as your stomach grumbles. It’s time to ‘break the fast’ and have a little something in the dining tent. You make sure that the younger medics have all had food first. The field cooks have large pots of porridge. It’s nutritious, but not what you are in the mood for, so you fill a bowl with sliced fruit, and a piece of travel bread. Mistresses Helane and Georgina are sitting at the small round table near the edge of the tent. A third seat is empty and waiting for you. An empty earthenware mug is marking your place.
You give a formal nod and say “Greetings and Good Morning, Mistress Healers, how fare you?”
They respond with “We are doing well, but have much to discuss.” Using the code phrase that you will be talking official business at the table. They both nod and motion for you to take your seat.
A cook’s assistant brings a tea pot. “Do you require anything else Mistresses?”
Georgina takes the teapot. “No thank you. That will be all.” You set down your bowl as she fills the empty mug. The younger medics at the nearest tables quickly finish and leave, to give you privacy. You give a sly smile to your fellow Mistresses who cover their smiles with their steaming tea mugs. You close your eyes and offer a prayer to the Source of all healing power, and thanks for the strength that food provides.
When you open your eyes both Lanie and Georgie are looking at you. “Marge, are you just you?” Helane asks.
You nod. “Yes. I was just praying for a moment.” You take a bite of fruit. “Is there really something we need to discuss or did you just want to clear the area for a bit?” you ask in a low tone.
Georgina leans in. “I have so many questions.”
You chuckle and slowly shake your head. “Of course you do. But can you keep them unrelated to sex?” you reply with a grin.
She gives you a mock shocked expression. “I’d never…It’s simply out of medical curiosity, and to add to the chronicles.”
You chuckle at that. “Of course Georgie, its so important to write down that, ‘during the mutual orgasm that occurred as the arrows were thrust through the body, the healer’s clitoris felt as though semen was spurting out of it as it throbbed in time with the patient’s erection.’ Or should I make it sound even more clinical?”
Her eyes widen at that. She moves her chair closer. “Is that really what happened? You are the only one of us to have used a Merge spell like that.”
You sip your tea and nibble on your travel bread, trying to think how you want to answer. You look around and then lean in. “The emotional Bonding spell that we’ve used during sex is similar. But Merging is not just the matching of heartbeats and emotions, but also full joining of memories and physical sensations.”
Helane slowly nods, “I know. I’ve been watching you as you recovered from the spell. Does your chest hurt?”
Georgina waits in anticipation for your answer. You square your shoulders and slowly rotate them. Just under your breasts there is a slight echo pain. Less intense than this morning. “There’s still something, but less painful.”
Georgina raises her hand just over your chest. “May I?” She asks. You nod and wait as you feel her hand lightly press on your chest. Even through your robes you feel the tingle of magic as she peers into you. “It’s there but it’s not.” She mutters. “Physically there are no marks or scars. But…” you feel a gentle finger of power probe the muscles. Pain echoes flair along your breasts and back.
Your hands tighten around the mug of tea and you bite your lower lip to stifle a moan. You almost instinctively start thinking “Not my pain. Not my body. The echoes are not real. I’m me, not him.” You are so focused, you don’t feel Georgie when she withdraws her spell.
“Oh.” You softly hear as you maintain your focus until the echoes are gone. When you open your eyes again, she says. “I’m sorry. Lanie said they were there. I had to see for myself.”
“It’s okay Georgie. It is a reminder that I need to find Kerry and teach him some exercises that will help with recovery and rebuild his strength. I knitted things back together but there’s more to do.” You have another mouthful of fruit.
The rest of breakfast is spent just talking about what you missed while not on shift. Georgie keeps hinting that, maybe while you teach Kerry exercises, he repays you with some personal time and pleasure sharing. “Young men have lots of stamina and need to be properly taught by an experienced hand.”
“And how many herbalists and surgeons hands have you been guiding after shift lately?” You ask with a sly smile.
“Well if you really must know there are a couple of them. One with a nice piece…” she hold her hands up leaving about gap about the diameter of a lunch plate.
You place your hands over hers. “I thought you were interested in mentoring young women while we’re supporting the military.” You notice that Helane gives a nervous cough at that. You look at her. “Oh, really Lanie. I thought your sorcerer lover was enough for you.”
“He’s been occupied with the war, and there is a young healer who I’m giving special lessons to.” She says in an almost conspiratorial tone. “She’s eager to learn and helps me after a long shift.”
You push your empty bowl next to the empty teapot. “So apparently while I’ve been focused on coordinating healing and recovery efforts, both of you have found some ‘after hours’ entertainment.” They both start to protest but you respond with a broad smile. “Good. Just don’t let it interfere with operations. If things get serious on any front, then end things and focus on the mission.” They both nod. “I’ll have to figure out to do with my scout.”
“If you need some suggestions. I know half a dozen positions..” Geogina says with a sly grin.
You sigh and shake your head. “I’m on shift until tonight. Go rest. I’ll get either of you if I need.” You head to the Recovery tent. In there, you take time to visit each patient. You take a little magic power and strengthen each person you visit. It’s just a general, laying of hands. As you ask each one feels, you send a trickle of energy to aid their natural healing whether it is to help with wound closure, assist with fracture repair, or just boost the immune system. You want to give lessons on gentile healing to some of the younger healers, but are interrupted.


