Chapter One: The Monster in the Woods
Kimialva, no longer a Weatherbane, woke in dark, unfamiliar woods.
She winced as she felt the back of her wounded head. “H-Hello?! Is anyone there!?”
She heard a familiar voice calling back, “Sweet buns!? Is that you, dear?”
“Karo!”
Kimi tried to shove herself off the ground, but failed as her arms buckled beneath her. She saw Karo and Jem before her.
“Can you stand, dear?” Jem asked, worried.
“I-I don’t think so…”
“Let me see, where are you hurt?”
“M-My head, t-the back of i-it.”
Jem and Karo stepped closer and pushed her head down to get a better look at it.
“Oh Helano, that’s bad. Karo, get some water so we can clean the wound.”
Karo ran over to a nearby stream and pulled up some water in a metal cup. He ran back and handed Jem the water. Jem poured the crystal clear water over Kimi’s head, gently rubbing it in until almost no blood remained in her night-black hair.
“It’s rather large… We should find a doctor. Karo, do you think you can carry her?”
“Of course!” he said, scooping up the tiny girl.
He and Jem walked to the stream, following it as other streams and rivers converged into it. Kimi had a hard time staying awake, due to the gentle rocking of Karo, the calming noise of the river, and the amount of blood she had lost. It seemed as though every time she blinked, five minutes passed.
Soon, they found themselves in a small village. The pale villagers whispered as soon as they saw the three.
Karo hugged Kimi closer, causing her to stir.
“Uh…? Karo?”
“You’re alright, Kimi,” He spoke, before shouting to the townsfolk, “are there any doctors here? This girl is badly hurt.”
“I’m a doctor!” one voice shouted back, “Bring her here, I’ll help!”
Karo and Jem brought Kimi over to the doctor, who signaled for the two to follow them. They brought the three into a plaster and stone building.
“Sit down there,” they signaled to a couple chairs nearby, before hurrying off to grab a rolling bed, brownish-blond hair falling gently down their face. “Place her on here, okay?”
Karo placed the half-asleep girl gently on the bed. The doctor smiled, rolling her into another room.
What felt like hours later, but really was only about thirty minutes later, the doctor walked back into the front room.
“She’s concussed, but not that badly. I’d like to keep her here, so I can keep an eye on her, but she should be fine.”
“Oh, thank Helano we found you! Is she asleep?” Jem asked.
“Yes. She’s resting.”
“Thank you, doctor, um…”
“Kiran. Doctor Juno Kiran,” they said, extending their hand for a handshake.
“I’m Karo Jonhelm and this is my wife Jem Misiki.”
“Oh, is the girl your daughter?”
“No. Her name is Kimialva Weatherbane.”
“Sounds like the name of some noble family, are you two servants then?”
“The Weatherbane’s are the royal family of the Ioski Isles!”
“Never heard of em’. I’m guessing y’all need a place to stay?”
“Yeah. Not sure how we ended up here, but we did.”
“Thank you for your kindness, Juno. I’m not sure what would have happened if we hadn’t met you,” Jem said.
“It’s no problem at all! I’m a doctor because I love helping people.”
The three talked and talked until they finally decided to sleep for the night, Karo and Jem sleeping in a guest room upstairs where Juno lived while Juno slept in Kimi’s room to keep an eye on her.
Comments (0)
See all