“How was your first lesson then?” Lucia asked as her apprentice began to walk towards her from the centre of the lawn.

“Different.” Was Nicola’s reply, as she walked past her mistress: into the shadows of the arcade.

Lucia looked back towards the lawn as a man in his thirties approached.

“You seem to have a very inquisitive apprentice white healer.” The green healer commented.

“Thank you; it is only her first day here.” She replied.

“That is surprising: miss?”

“Lucia Vitririus. And you are?”

“Harold Caecillius.” The man replied. “So you say that it is her first day here?”

“That and her first full day of her apprenticeship: she has only been apprenticed to me for two days now.”

“Two days?”

“That is correct. I know that other healer ranks prefer to train their apprentices more before actually agreeing to take them on. In my case she just seemed to be the best candidate that I came across.”

Harold looked at her darkly. “There is talk of witchcraft in the White healers, beyond the usual healing charms and spells practiced by the rest of the order. I wonder how much of that is true: especially with those horns that your apprentice has.”

Lucia smiled before replying offhand “You should not worry: we are on your side, just not quite one of you: if you understand what I mean by that.”

“I think I do.” He replied.

Lucia began to move off before realising something. “Before I forget: Harold, would you be able to take Nicola on should anything happen to me?”

“Possibly. There is word that you white healers are few and far between, so it is something that I would consider.”

“Thank you. I am indeed indebted to you.”

“It would be my honour to be granted a possibility such as this. Good day miss Lucia.”

Harold moved off towards the chapel of the Chapterhouse.

Lucia watched him go before heading off towards the Chapterhouse dormitories.

Nicola knelt by the hard stone ledge: studying the array of bottles and vials: slotted snugly into the roll of pocketed fabric before her. In turn she removed each and studied the symbols on every one until she found the last three. These were the standard panaceas used in most healing situations, either alone or as part of a larger concoction. She slowly replaced them in turn back into their respective pockets. Nicola leant back to view the array laid out before her. The roll contained thirty different potions and chemicals: each with in quantities of four.

She turned when she heard the door to the cell open.

“Hello Nicola. Are you ready for your next lesson?” asked Lucia with optimism.

“It would be interesting what you are going to teach me mistress: is it something that the others know?”

“Not all: only white healers and blue healers really know what I am about to teach you.” She replied darkly, before barring the door closed.

“Mistress is there a reason?” began Nicola.

“Strip.” Lucia ordered.

“Pardon?”

“You heard me: strip.” Lucia replied: whilst removing her own clothes and placing them on her bed.

Cautiously Nicola followed suit. Whatever her mistress required her to do, it would be wise to do it: the memory of the previous night in the street quickly returned to her.

She glanced at Lucia, catching a glimpse of her now naked mistress reach for her roll of vials from her bag, before reaching in and retrieving a second roll of vials. It is this second roll that she quickly located what she was searching for: a vial and two needles.

“Come and sit down.” Suggested Lucia: seating her nude form cross-legged upon the cold stone floor of the cell.

Nicola slowly moved to her mistress, sitting opposite in the same cross-legged pose. Carefully, Lucia opened the vial of liquid, placing the cork stop beside them.

“This is very difficult to obtain: but only a small amount is required for what we need.” She explained, passing one of the needles to Nicola.

“What we need to do is dip the tip of the needle into the vial: and pierce each other’s foreheads in the centre.”

“Yes mistress, I think I understand.” Nicola replied as Lucia carefully dipped her needle into the liquid, before allowing her apprentice to follow suit.

As Nicola rose slowly with her needle coated in the unknown drug, she noticed something dart past her eyes and sting her precisely in the centre of her forehead.

“Do not touch it; instead do the same to me.”

Nicola looked suspiciously at her mistress, holding the needle unsteadily in her hand, trying to line it up with the middle of her mistress’ head. She felt the pressure of the woman’s flesh as the needle pushed through the skin. She held it briefly before withdrawing the needle and placing it carefully by her side. Nicola could feel blood building up on her forehead, also seeing a small red dot beginning to grow on her mistress’s head as well.

“Now place your hands on my shoulders.” Instructed Lucia; calmly.

Nicola obliged silently: placing her small dainty fingers over the athletic shoulders of the woman before her. She felt something brush against her own arms, as her mistress placed her own strong sinewy fingers over the apprentice’s shoulders.

Nicola watched as her mistress moved her head closer, until their foreheads touched. A wave of coldness flowed over Nicola and her eyesight was engulfed in mist.

“So this is what you look like.” Mused Lucia jollily.

Nicola turned, only now realising where they were as the meadow grass brushed over her feet.