As soon as she heard what had happened to Umbria, Pio excused herself once again from the pleasant company of Tarondo and Luinien. She picked up her small healer’s bag and followed Bebberyyn to where the Everdawn sat.
She was looking decidedly pale, and a small rivulet of blood had streamed down her face to stain her cheek. ‘Looking more like sunset than dawn.’ thought Pio to herself, noting the lackluster cast to her eyes. Pio cupped the small chin in her left hand, and turned Umbria’s face to the right and left. No other bruising, that was good. But it was a nasty cut and would need a small suture.
Pio numbed the site with ice and cleaned it thoroughly, then numbed it once again. Bidding Bebberyn to hold the fair Umbria’s hands for her, she cleaned a fine curved needle with some Dwarven spirits, and threaded it with a fine strand of silken spider web. Two small stitches brought the edges of the wound together neatly. She dabbed a small drop of blood from the corner of the wound, and applied a fair amount of salve to the area, covering it over with a small bandage.
‘Take her upstairs to one of the rooms, and have her lie down, and rest. Sleep and time will be the best healers for her.’ Pio watched as one of the serving girls took the pair upstairs, helping to support the frail Umbria as she walked.
Once done, she cleaned her hands and put her bag away, hoping no one else would come to harm before the turn of another day.
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Eldest, that’s what I am . . . I knew the dark under the stars when it was fearless - before the Dark Lord came from Outside.
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