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A Measure of Obediance

TaLi63372

Adventurer
Faeryl has a bloodied body in her arms. The child stopped in her tracks. Faeryl muttered something under her breath and then shouted at the girl, "Find John." The child hesitated as she translated the meaning of Faeryl's words. "GO!" she snapped. The child bolted down the cobblestone road.

Go John. She needed to find him.

So she ran up and down the sandstone streets. She stopped only to check the shop doors which had already closed for the day. She kept looking down alleys, on the docks and next to buildings. No John.

She was breathing heavily now. Her chest expanded as she sucked in air to fuel her legs. No John.

She ran through gardens and into the buildings that were unlocked. She startled people in the tavern and ran through the barracks and up to the walls. No John.

She felt her stomach churn as she rounded a corner. She threw up as she ran. The sandstone streets had several short trails of vomit in random locations. No John.

Vomit coated her chin and down the front of her beloved robe. She continued to run with arms clutching her stomach. Wheezing desperately as she struggled to suck air into her tortured lungs. No John.

She stumbled to her knees. She crawled a few feet as her mind still hadn't caught up to her body's exhaustion. She dry heaved a few times and then collapsed upon her vomit-soaked robe. No John.
 

TaLi63372

Adventurer
The innkeeper came into the girl's room in the morning. Last night's tray of dinner offerings was sitting untouched on the bed. Puzzled, he put the new tray of food and drink on the bed and looked under the it. There was the nest of blankets, sheets and treasures. Nothing in the makeshift nest resembled anything looking like a little girl. He frowned a bit and picked up the old tray and quietly left. He wasn't ready to raise an alarm quite yet. There were still reasonable explanations why she may not have come back last night. He'd watch the lobby and check the room throughout the day.

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The sun rose and its light began to warm the sandstone of the city. As if that kiss of warmth brought life, the city began to wake. Smoke began to percolate out of the chimneys as breakfasts were made. Fresh guards traded places with weary eyed ones who had watched the posts over night. A paladin came upon a lump of blue just past the bridge to their isle. It was so small and unassuming that he almost walked by. The tavern was just across the bridge and it wasn't uncommon to find loose articles or passed out drunks who had gotten lost. He considered passing off the problem to a groundskeeper, but something coaxed him to take care of it himself.

He approached and almost immediately regretted his selfless decision. The smell of vomit and urine hit his nose like a hammer enough that a metal gloved hand instinctively lifted to shield his face. He stood back as far as he could physically could while being able to reach the lump. He reached down and grabbed a handful of the blue robe and lifted up sharply. He almost fell forward having expected simple light cloth and being met with the weight of a few sacks of potatoes. He immediately released the suspicious package as his hand with to his sword hilt. He circled the lump cautiously, watching it. Drawing his sword, he used it to lift the bottom of the soaked robe to look inside. Inside curled into an almost inhuman looking ball, was an emaciated girl.

It was probably would have been one of the last things he had expected to find inside. He sheathed his sword and crouched. He removed the platemail glove from his right hand. He lifted the bottom of the robe again with his left and placed his bare hand on her side. Although the girl felt lukewarm he waited for a stronger sign of life from the body. It felt like forever when he felt her ribcage push against his hand as she took a quiet breath. That was all the sign he needed. He pulled off his other glove and put them quickly in his bag. He reached in and gently slid the girl-lump towards him. He frowned as he scooped her up. She was incredibly light and her arms and legs seemed very thin. He noticed the holes in her arms, but saw no blood. He cradled the still curled-up child against him with one arm as he reached down and pulled the foul soaked robe over his shoulder along with the girl's satchel. He then supported the girl's body in his arms and began a brisk walk towards the healers. The girl was still unconscious, but he had faith the city's healers would do all they could for the child.
 

TaLi63372

Adventurer
The door to the healer's was thrown open and a paladin walked in with a tiny bundle of a girl in his protective embrace. Kelsey the Healer gasped a bit in surprise and quickly motioned him to the bed nearest some hanging herbs. The floor was still covered in pools of coagulated blood from whatever trauma they had dealt with recently. A sickly sweet metallic smell saturated the air inside. The paladin laid down the loaf of a girl as Alex the Healer came over and began checking the girl's vitals. The paladin put the girls satchel and the filthy robe in a pile against the wall. He then took a few steps back towards the sweet smelling herbs and watched.

Kelsey brought over fresh water and rags and began undressing the girl. The paladin immediately turned around to advert his eyes. Kelsey's horrified gasp brought him right back around. He sucked air in as he saw what had distressed the healer. The girl had a thick scar from her ribcage to below her belly button. Below the girl's right shoulder was a tube coming out of the girl's chest that split into two ends. Both ends appears to be capped with some thick black substance. He could see residual traces of blood reflux in the tube. There was another pair of holes below the girl's knees. They weren't just holes into the flesh, but clean through it. Her bony protrusions were obvious and she appeared quite gaunt and skeletal. They rolled her briefly to her side so that Alex could check her back. The inked brand stood out against the girl's pale skin. "What is... did someone brand her like livestock... " the paladin started to say as Alex quietly shushed him. The paladin's shocked eyes were quickly adverted again from the appalling scene. In all his years, he had never seen anything like it. The dirty clothes were tossed in a pile and would be taken out to launder.

Kelsey then set about cleaning the emaciated girl as Alex listened to the girl's breathing and expert fingers timed her pulse. As Kelsey washed the vomit and urine from the girl's skin, she checked for any signs of blood or injury. She found nothing aside from the presence of filth, some minor bruises and the horrific discoveries made earlier. Alex picked up a candle and used his thumb to open the eyelids of the girl. Her pupils reacted evenly to the light although she didn't appear to be conscious. He performed several more tests as Kelsey finished up sponging the filth from the girl. Then Alex covered the girl's nakedness with a blanket as he cleared his throat as if to give a signal to the paladin. Kelsey picked up the soiled garments including the blue robe and left for the washing women. The paladin turned around and Alex motioned him over to the other side of the room so as to not disturb the girl.

"Healer... what happened... is she going to recover?" the paladin asked, stealing a glance over at the girl.

"I think she just collapsed from severe exhaustion although from what ordeal, I don't know. Her lungs and heart sound good. Her eyes react to light. She shows some dehydration,but considering she apparently expressed her stomach that isn't out of the ordinary. I have no knowledge of her old injuries or even how they could be caused or why. I think if we can get water in her and let her sleep, she'll wake up. She just needs rest. " Alex said with his voice low as if consciously attempting to avoid waking the child. "Do we know where the parents are?"

"No, but I think I've seen her wandering around... but in that big robe, I had no idea... " he paused for a moment before continuing, "I'll stop by our scribes and ask them to post up notices to see if anyone is missing their daughter. I'll direct them to come here."

"Thank you for bringing her in. We'll take good care of her. She'll be just fine until we can find her parents." the healer reassured the paladin. The paladin headed out the door as the healer set about getting fluids into the girl and on the path to recovery.
 
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