(If you have not read my prologue or previous chapters, please do so now.)

Tales of Tanjia, Chapter 4 - An Unusual Encounter and a New Friend

   After sleeping for what felt like an eternity, my eyes finally flutter open. My vision is hazy at first and I can barely make out the room around me. The walls are dark, wooden I believe, and the ceiling is low. I can see a low square table, shelves on the far wall that hold bottles and jars of various sizes and shapes, and a hearth in the corner. There's a young man tending to the fire inside it!

   Startled, I immediately pull myself upright and discover that I have an immense headache. The pounding at the back of my head is intense, enough for me to lie back down despite my uneasiness. The young man turns back toward me, and a look of relief comes over his rather handsome face. He steps foward to the side of the couch that I lie on, and kneels next to me. His face is kind and his eyes are gentle. "It's good that you're finally awake. You had me worried for a while." I groan quietly as I put my hand to my head, trying to remember what happened before I fell asleep.

   "Where am I..?" I try to sound more demanding than confused, but I don't think I'm very convincing. His brow creases at my question.

    "I brought you to here after you collapsed outside. Those drunkards are a nuisance, and you're not the first woman they've harrassed.  You were asleep for quite a while, miss."

   Now I remember. How long was I out? It feels like so long ago... "I see. I owe you my thanks, then. Thank you," I pause for a moment "I'm sorry, I don't know your name." I try to sit up again, more slowly this time, but he stops me.

   "Please don't sit up just yet, you hit your head hard." He gives me another gentle smile and sits back, "My name is Kii'jah, I'm a healer from the Eastern Mi'Lyam. Well, healer in training at least." 

   A healer..? Now that I look around, those are jars of herbs on the shelves, and he has the mark of a healer on his chest. My tension eases slightly now that I know he's a healer. "Being a healer is wonderful. A very noble profession."

   Healers use only natural things to treat wounds and ailments. And training to be a master healer takes much time. Learning about the Tanjiian body, studying all of the plants and herbs used in creating the medicines and the methods used to make them can be very difficult. Most work for little or no profit, but there are always exceptions.

   A light flush of violet comes across his cheeks "Oh, I'm not that great. I have a long way to go before I'm as great a healer as my great grandfather." He says as his U·jiik comes up and puts its head in his lap. The U·jiik is a strong, wolf-like creature and hunts mainly in the trees high in the mountains. He scratches behind its ears, "My great grandfather is the healer on the Grand Council." A look of pride in his heritage come across his face, and it's understandable. To have someone in your family have a position in the Grand Council is a great honor.

   "My grandmother was on the Grand Council." My chest heaves with grief. He looks at me, a bit confused.

   "Was? She isn't any more? There are very few reasons for a person to be removed from the Council." His words were so innocent, yet they stirred my sadness even more.

   "She passed away a few hundred years ago. Her absence still stings my heart."

   "I'm so sorry to hear that..." He returns to the hearth, stirring something inside a large pot suspended on a hook. Whatever it is has a slightly sweet, fishy odor to it. He ladles a thin soup into a carved wooden bowl and hands it to me. Small pieces of fish and root vegetable rest in the clear broth. "You should try and eat a little." His voice was firm and kind, deep enough to sound mature but not so deep that it was intimidating or strange for his age. I sit slowly to take a sip of the soup. "I'd like to take another look at where you hit your head."

   "Of course." I turn so that my back faces him. I feel his hands brush through my hair, the back of my head stings with pain as he looks me over.

   "There's a good sized cut where the knot on the tree struck you." He goes to the shelves on the far wall, picks up a short, round jar and twists off the lid. He moves my hair again, reviving the stinging sensation, and smears something cool across the wound. "I'm putting a salve on it that will help it heal. It doesn't smell very good, but it works, I promise you that."

   "I'm sure it will, thank you." I take another sip of the soup. The flavors are so simple, but they mingle wonderfully. I can feel the salve working as well, the cooling sensation quelling the pain at the base of my skull. "When you brought me in, did you happen to bring my things in as well? I have some important things in my bag." He reaches behind him under the table,

   "I took them in as well, don't worry. Your horse is tied out back." He hands me my bag. "It isn't very heavy, what's in it?" he asks as I take my bag.

   "Not much, just light travelling supplies. Thank you for helping me," I say as I pull out two of the Ku'ubrri fruits that I had picked out of my bag and put them on the table. "For your trouble. I'd give you money, but I don't have any with me."

   He stares at the fruit, utterly shocked and his mouth gaping slightly "How did you get these? These are fruits from the Ku'ubrri trees. They're extinct! How did you--?" He's completely bewildered, and I can't help but giggle at his expression.

   "I have my ways." Looking toward the door, I take another sip of soup before placing it on the table in front of me. "I should be heading back home now. Thank you very much for helping me, Kii'jah. I hope that our paths cross again and I can thank you properly." I pick up my bag and walk slowly to the door, but open it to find that rain is pouring down in torrents. Had I not been paying attention? The sound is so obvious, how did I not notice?

   Kii'jah gets up and stands next to me, just in case I were to collapse again. "It's been like this for hours, and it doesn't look like it will let up soon. Its late now, too, lots of the nocturnal beasts will be out on their hunts as well." I let out a sigh and look out toward the rainy sky. I suppose I could use my power to wave away the storm, but I shouldn't use my power in front of anyone. Raining or not I have no weapons with me, so I couldn't do anything about the animals outside.

   "What should I do?" I mutter under my breath.

   Kii'jah seems a bit hesitant to speak, but his expression is anything but doubtful. "You should stay here until morning. That way the rain will be gone and your path home will be clear." Uneasiness overtakes me once more, and my knees go weak. "Whoa." Kii'jah scoops me up and sets me back on the couch. "Besides, I don't think you should ride just yet. You're still unsteady." He hands the bowl of soup to me, and I take another sip. This time I get a piece of cod large enough to chew.

   "Thank you. I suppose this can't be helped." I can't help but hesitate, though. To be an unmarried woman and stay with a man overnight would be looked down upon to say the least. Kii'jah glances over at me and places a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

   "I wouldn't do anything dishonorable. Yu'uka will make sure of it, right girl?" He pets his U·jiik affectionately and she lets out a strong bark to affirm his question.

   I'm relieved a little bit by that. "What will we do about sleeping arrangements? There seems to be only one bed." I ask.

   "You can sleep in the bed. I don't mind sleeping on the couch for a night." He carries me to the bedroom and sets me on the bed. "I'll be right back." I lie back on the bed and wonder if anyone at the palace has noticed that I've been gone. I had told Rii'ei that I didn't need her help for the rest of the  day, so she probably hasn't come back to my room. Ma'olu, Koa and my parents hardly ever come to see me, but what if today they had decided to come and see me? My worried thoughts are interrupted by Kii'jah's returning to the room. He returned with blankets, the salve and bandages, and a pot of tea. 

   His manner is so gentle and confident as he applies another layer of salve and a bandage over the wound. He's already a fine healer, I'm sure he'll be so even more so when he finishes his training. He pours two cups of a sweet-smelling tea, giving one to me and taking to other for himself. "It'll help you sleep. I know it can be difficult to sleep in a strange environment." He takes a gulp from his own cup of tea. "You should finish your tea and get some sleep. I'll be in the next room if you need me." He places the blanket across my lap and I drink the tea. It's a calming tea with a good flavor and the blanket is a good, soft wool. I feel very comfortable here, much more than in my own home.

  I finish the tea and lay back down in the bed. Kii'jah had already gone to sleep and Yu'uka sits at the foot of the bed. Her strong silhouette is comforting as she dutifully stands watch. Pulling up the blankets, I turn on my side so I don't hurt my head any more than it already is. I close my eyes to sleep, but my heart and head wont rest. I can't help but worry about what awaits me tomorrow at home. Though, soon enough, the herbs in the tea relax me and my mind quiets enough for me to sleep. Tomorrow will be what it will be.