Chapter 42: 41. Complicated

Kelly shook her head, a deep frown on her face. "I'm calling for Muireann."

I couldn't argue. I didn't want to make a fuss, but the pain was as bad this morning as it had been when I went to bed last night. Maybe even worse, it was aching even as I lay still in bed.

Kelly gave a few tugs on the bell cord, then quickly pulled on some clothes.

When a maid came to the door, my girlfriend stated "Please fetch Muireann at once. Lady Tegan requires her immediately."

I hadn't really heard her use that tone with anyone else before. Even without her spell on me, it gave me some little flutters to hear her sounding so in-charge.

The maid bowed, "Yes m'lady, at once!" She turned and hurried from the room.

While we waited for the healer, I asked Kelly "Would you please bring me a night-shirt or something? I don't want to be nude when the healer's checking out my leg."

She smiled, "Ok babe."

It was about ten or twelve minutes before Muireann and Aoife arrived. They knocked then let themselves in, and the older woman moved to stand next to me.

"What is the trouble, Lady Tegan?"

I winced in pain as I explained how the aching had gotten worse again, that it was hurting even now just laying here keeping still.

She did the thing with her fingers lightly running over my leg while she worked a spell, the magical x-ray vision or whatever. This time she frowned, clearly she didn't like what she'd seen.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Kelly asked. She was standing on the other side of the bed, watching everything like a hawk.

Muireann replied, "The healing spell has failed before its work was complete. I will cast it again." She looked to me and asked, "Did you do anything to strain yourself recently?"

"Not really," I shook my head. "I mean, we did go up and down some stairs yesterday, but Kelly helped..."

The healer frowned slightly. "To be safe, it would be best if you spent another two days resting in bed while the spell runs its course."

Without waiting for an answer, she placed both hands on my thigh and worked her magic. I felt it this time, a deep comforting warmth settled into my leg and the pain quickly faded.

I sighed slightly and I'm sure I looked more relaxed now that I wasn't feeling the ache.

"Thanks," I said as Muireann straightened up.

She just nodded and replied, "I will return to check on you tomorrow morning."

Kelly thanked her as well, and after that Muireann and Aoife left.

I sighed and looked at Kelly. "Two more days in bed... I'm going to be very bored and grumpy."

She gave me a concerned look, "Better grumpy from boredom than from pain. Or worse."

"Good point," I grimaced.

With the healer gone and my leg taken care of, Kelly summoned the maid again and asked her to bring us breakfast.

I ate in bed of course, while Kelly ate at the table. Then we had an hour or so where we both just read some more, until the next visitor arrived at our door.

It was Maeve, she'd heard from the healer about my condition and she was worried.

"Tegan," she asked sounding concerned, "How are you feeling? Muireann told me your healing had faltered."

"Better now," I replied. "She redid the healing spell, but I'm stuck in bed for another two days." I tried not to sound too unhappy, but I'm sure Maeve could tell I wasn't pleased.

My fae-mom sighed, "I know it must be frustrating, but it's for the best. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked you to attend the dining hall last night. I let my excitement for our reunion cloud my judgement. I forgot you needed more time to complete your recovery."

I shook my head, "Don't blame yourself. It's fine. I'll be fine."

She nodded slowly, but she continued to look concerned.

After a few moments she frowned again, her mind now on a different matter. "I owe you both an apology, for Connor's behaviour last night. Had I known he'd planned on acting like such an arse, I'd have put a stop to it before he had a chance to insult you."

I sighed, but didn't respond to that. I wasn't sure yet what to say.

Maeve added, "I believe he thought he was protecting me. He worried that you were some sort of opportunist, attempting to deceive a distraught mother into believing you were her long-lost child. Had he spoken to me of those concerns I'd have told him immediately that there was no doubt in my mind who you are, Tegan."

She sighed and shook her head, "At any rate, he has been thoroughly chastised and I hope his foolish mistake hasn't soured things between the two of you."

I took a deep breath and thought for a few moments, then just shrugged. "It'll take time, I barely know the man." Then I added, "I really appreciated you coming to my defence last night though. Thank you for that."

I'm sure she recognized the sincerity in my voice, and I figure she already knew I'd been gradually warming to her in the time me and Kelly had been here. I still wasn't ready to call her 'mom', but I might call her 'fae-mom'. I'd already been thinking of her like that for a while, anyways.

She gave me a warm smile and nodded, "Of course, Tegan. You're my daughter, I will always stand for you."

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She stayed with us a few more minutes, before she excused herself. "I'll leave you to rest now. If there's anything you need, let me know."

I thanked her, and reminded her I wanted to speak with captain Siobhan today. After Maeve left Kelly and I just settled back to some more quiet reading.

It was nearly noon when our next visitor came knocking at the door.

Siobhan bowed after she'd entered, and stated "Lady Maeve informed me that you wished to speak with me?"

I nodded, "Is it possible to have Liam brought here so I can reverse the spell on him?"

The captain's expression immediately told me she didn't like that idea. "It would be a significant breach of protocol, to allow a prisoner into the residential wing of the castle. Especially a dangerous traitor who's already done so much damage to your family."

I hadn't really expected her to agree, but I figured I'd ask. "In that case, would you deliver a message to him for me?"

"Yes m'lady, that I can do." she nodded.

Kelly brought me some parchment from the desk, and the pen and ink. I wrote a quick note to Liam, explaining I was recovering from injury and couldn't come to dispell the magic for another few days. I promised that as soon as I was able, I'd come and fix him.

Once the ink was dry I folded the sheet and handed it to the captain, "If you could take that to him at once, I'd appreciate it Siobhan."

She bowed slightly, "Yes m'lady." She didn't turn and leave though. Instead she hesitated, then asked "May I speak openly, Lady Tegan?"

I glanced at Kelly, wondering if I was about to get a lecture about coddling the prisoner or something. So far I still had no idea if anyone in the castle would go along with my peace-plan. It was entirely possible some of them would rather just execute Liam then go after Eileen.

Kelly's expression showed she was curious but also a little wary. I finally looked back at Siobhan and nodded, "Very well captain. What's on your mind?"

To both Kelly's and my surprise, she didn't want to discuss Liam at all. "I understand you've experienced some complications with your healing. Respectfully, I suggest that miss Kelly start learning healing magic as quickly as possible, so that she may take over your treatments."

We both sort of blinked at her in surprise.

"You think Muireann is botching the spells?" Kelly asked, sounding nervous.

Siobhan shook her head, "Not at all."

She took a deep breath then explained, "When the beast attacked at Imbolc two decades ago, in addition to the dead there were seventeen wounded. Of those, fifteen healed quickly and completely thanks to Muireann's magic. Two however, did not. One of my soldiers, and one servant. In both cases, their injuries refused to heal. Both suffered ongoing complications, and were ultimately forced to retire from their duties."

By now Kelly's face had gone pale. She gulped, "You think that's what's happening to Tegan? Is she going to be crippled?"

I tried to keep my voice calm and level as I asked, "What became of the two fae who wouldn't heal?"

The tall captain replied quietly, "I cannot say if Lady Tegan's complications are similar to those which happened twenty years ago. The two fae in question required healing spells on a regular basis for about a dozen years. In that time they suffered ongoing pain and weakness from their injuries. Eventually they healed enough that they no longer required magic to keep the pain away." She hesitated, "Neither returned to full health, I'm afraid."

I was quiet for now, just staring down at the sheets over my legs as Siobhan's words sank in.

Kelly was still pale, and now she looked scared. "Why haven't Maeve or Muireann told us about this themselves?"

"Lady Maeve may not recall the details," Siobhan replied. "She was understandably distraught in the years following the loss of her child and husband. I'm certain Muireann remembers the complications and is likely aware of the possibility that Lady Tegan is so affected. She may be keeping that information to herself until she knows for certain."

I could think of another reason to keep that information from us. If I required ongoing healing treatments for some mysterious reason, it would be an excuse to keep me here. Perhaps for a decade, perhaps indefinitely. I didn't believe Maeve would do that, but I was still leery of Connor. And for that matter, I didn't know Muireann at all, so I couldn't begin to guess what motives she might have.

We were all quiet for a few moments. Finally I looked up and said "Thank you Siobhan. I appreciate your sharing this with us." I gestured at the parchment in her hand and added, "I'd also appreciate if you would deliver that note to Liam now."

She bowed "Yes m'lady, of course."

As soon as the captain left, Kelly was at my side with her arms around me as she pulled me into a hug. I think she was more upset at the news than I was, as she looked like she was on the verge of tears.

I hugged her back, then asked quietly "Kelly? You were reading about healing magic a few days ago. Are you still studying up on that?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "I haven't been trying to learn the spells though, just reading about it."

I gave her a gentle squeeze and said "That's ok. Though maybe you should start trying to learn some of the spells too. But in the meantime, could you do me a favour? Could you go to the study and grab me that book I found that had information about vargurs? And grab any other books on healing magic you can find?"

"Of course!" She straightened up and nodded, "I'll be right back!"

I smiled, "I'll wait here."

She rolled her eyes and deadpanned, "Ha ha, miss comedian."

I settled back on the bed as she hurried out the door.

Being stuck in bed for a couple days with nothing to do can suck if you're bored. But now I had a project, a mission. I was going to try and figure out what was up with my leg, and why some vargur injuries wouldn't heal.

Then with a little luck, I was going to try and figure out how to fix it.

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