Legends of Belariath

Michelle LaRoche

The winter had hit hard on the lands as ever. The snow of the last weeks lay thick on the roofs of the tiny villae in the mid of no where. There had been only several douzensof cottages and most of the families had to stay at home. The squealing of children playing in the snow the only noise in the winter silence, well there is one other noise. A woman in labor or right after them for a baby can be heard wailing. In the small cottage the young mother can be sen smiling as the midwife hands her the little girl and she asks the young mother. “How will she be called Sarah?” The young mother with her baby in her arm smiles and strokes the girl softly. “Yes we have. Pere and me decided to call her Michelle.” The young mother smiles and looks at the midwife to see her reaction... The midwife has been one of the first to suffer from that curse that came upon the small village. Till today nobody knows where the illness started at where it came from or who brought it to the small town. First people began to get the sniffles which seem to turn out as a flu, then they seemed to begin to burn fron her inner self. One after another died, people without any relation to one another began to get sick. Even as healers and clerics were send from other cities it didn't stop. Michelle was six at that time. The time her parents got sick. It was as it has been at so many before. The family were brought to the rooms where so many others Quarantine they called it, but it was a place where people died. Nobody came there except an old man who checked on the sick ones and cared for them, tried to help. No matter how much the old man tried to help. She didn't understand why she was taken away from her sleeping parents. She didn't understand that everybody seems to fall asleep and she didn't understand why that old man took her away from her family. Michelle cried for days. Of course. What else could a small girl do then cry seing everybody around her pass away. The old cleric took her under his wing, raising her like a father would. Mcihelle had to watch the village she was born to die out. Seems there was nothing that could help. She was ten when she first asked her soon to be mentor why every body died but she. The old men smiled at her and just answered. “Destiny Michelle, desteny. Nothing more.” Michelle just gave a shrug and wondered why the gods had been so cruel. They took them away from her all of them. Her friends her family, but then. Haven't they given her someone else to follow? Not much later her mentor began to teach her the codex of the healers. His codex. Never harm anybody, except in selfdefense. Never deny someone in need your help. Never let your feelings interfere with your work. Do what ever is necessary to help your patients. This was the first she was shown, the begin of the destiny she was born for. To become a healer, one of the best ever. She was twelve when he first introduced her to the terrors of being a healer. Both her mentor, who was a wanderering cleric who went to where he was needed and Michelle roammed through the country, never far away and mostly staying at places where poor people needed help. Michelle got tought the basics. Nothing as good as she would get tought it in a school or guild but enough to rise her knowledge above that of a midwife or a nurse. She never had time to meet friends on their journey, whenever she had time between her studies and helping people she had to move on again. Not that it was something she seeked for. She found her work more and more fullfilling.

Duties The forrest lays quite and calm in the midsummer heat. Not even the birds dare to move more then necessary. In the shadows of the woods all kind of animals lay silent trying to be close to the cool ground or near waterplaces. Not even the predators are on hunt this day. A cople of noises are heard then stop again, then the noise of hooves is heard again followed by a mutter of the rider of it. A red haired woman in a also red seductress robe, sighs and makes an annoyed face while glaring on a map and twisting and turning it. “God not again. Did I miss that blasted crossroad again?” *another long sigh escapes her mouth and she whipes sweat of her forehead closing her eyes groaning. She glances up and around to figure out where she is making her horse move to a small nearby river to let her horse dring some while studying the card and suddenly blinking astonished as she sees the fort in the distance then looking to see if she can find it on the map* “Where in the neme of the emperor am I? Since when do we have a fort here?” *her finger moves over the map, moving to a point on that map.* “In the nam of the Emperor! With what have I deserved this fate over three ours away from the road I should have moved off to my place.” *she groans once more and taking seat on a boulder taking off her shoes and put them into the water sighing in joy.* “So good!” *the young and quite beautifull 5 foot anf 5 inches tall copper haired woman lets her glance move once again move over to the fort then looking at hr watering horse* “What do you think “Winterbreath” Wann try our luck over there and see if they can direct us back top our home more fast?” *The mare in pure white just snorts and swats its tail and she giggles a little* “I guess that is the best answer I can get yes? Now to figure out if that is a yes or no, huh? But let us do this another time I'm not up for teaching right now.” *she smiles and moves to pet the animal and let her hand glide through the mares long mane snuggling with the horse, the moves to mount the mare by sliding into the sidesaddle and slowly trotting over to the fort. The forehead of the woman is thrown in furrows as she moves closer and the stench of blood grows strong with every step. She hops into the saddle of her horse and makes it trot towards the fort where she bangs a fist onto the door. It took a while until a boy maybe fifteen or sixtten in age opens up. He is stuffed into some uniform and looks up at Michelle. “Ma'am, is there something you wish in this place?” *she boy looks tieren and Michelle nods* “I believe I can help you. My name is Michelle La'Roche and I am from the Healers guild in Nanthallion. Might there be something I can help you with? *the boy's eyes widen and he nods eagerly* “Yes miss we need a lot of help here. Please please come in and go to the Captain he will be the one to talk to miss. Please come in.” *Michelle leads her horse inside and her eyes narrow at the sight. Nearly all the people in the fort had been injured and she moves faster handing the reigns to the horse to some boy* “Where do I find the Captain of the place, dear.” *the boy motions to the barracks and speaks up* “He is in there miss...” *the seductress smiles and moves into the building looking for the said man. There are injured everywhere and a man steps up in front of her looking her up and dow. he is dressed in a breastplate with some clawslash upon* “Can I help you ma'am.” *she blinks at the sight and looks at him* “I was told the captain is here, somewhere. I am a healer from Tantallon.” *the man blinked* “Yes yes. Great how did they know we need help? We haven't been able to call for help,yet. I am the man you are looking for by the way.” *Michelle blinks and nods* “Well, I would love to say I was send here but I am afraid I wasn't. My name is Mcihelle La´Roche, may I inquire to know what happened here and if I am able to help you sir?” *she moves to the man in his breast plate and looks him over checking the arm he has in a loop and scans it over* “Just a little dislocated. I will care for this later, yes?” *the man nods* “My name is Kelvan, we got attacked last night. Undead, we where totally caught by surprise.” *he sighs and nods watching as Michelle begins her work* “But please, care for my men first.” *Michelle nods and moves to the worst cases first using her powers on them but just healing those really bad wounds before moving to the next. There is some soldier whe dragged in to help her ordering him to walk and see what supplies are available while she takes care of some of the patients. It didn't took her long to realize that the supplies would never last for all of the men in need. She sighs and completes caring for the worst wounds mostly using her magic, but all the time pausing and caring for some light wounds fixing dislocated limbs and bandageing wounds. She moves to Kelvan* “Show me that arm of yours!” *he hasitates* “Please take care of my men first, I can live with this.” *Michelle makes a face and narrows her eyes* “Gimme that arm now or I'll take it. Should there be any attack your men will need you at all your strength, so shush now and get here.2 *she points to the floor and the strong man sighs moving over to the healer. Michelle looks him up and scans his arm over* “We need more supplies, you know that... Just a dislocation, I'll handle that.” *Kelvan nods* “Yes I know that. There is a vilage not far away, maybe 30 minutes with the cart. I take it you wish to go there and see if the Apotecracy there can provide some supplies?” *Michelle nods and moves behind him pulling at his arm so it pops back to where it belongs. Kelvan bites away a yelp and nods to Michelle* “I'll prepare everything.” *he waves for one of his men and sends him to ready the cart and the horse of Michelle also providing someone to steer the cart, then he turns to Michelle* “You should go as soon as possible, miss.” *the heaer smiled* “Oh I will I have shown one of your men how to properly bandage people so he can care for the worst.” *Michelle moves towards the outside and spots the cart with the boy sitting on it and her horse waiting. She slides in the saddle and smiles at the dumbfooled grinning boy and beginning to ride towards the gate leting it open by another onely barely man. The two head of towards the town chatting idly oin the way. It tuns out that the boy is called Jay and seems to have had some bad expereancesduring that last night sounding quite confused and smiling over the most dumb things, she pities the boy but would concentrate on the more important task, getting supplies. Soon the two will reach the village and guid the horse inside* “Jay let us try it at the majors house yes?” *she moves her horse to halt and asks some random woman there who directs her to the house of the major* “I thank you miss.” *the two move on ever followed by glances and turned head following the seductress. Upon arriving at the house Michelle dismounts and sways over to the door knocking upon it and wayting until a servant opens the door* “Good day, may I ask you if the major is at home?” *Michelle asks and is given a strange glance* “The sir is not at home miss. I don't know where he left to either miss.” *Michelle makes a face* “Well... we have to deal with that then, say where can I find healers or some supplies. the nearby fort has been under attack and we need supplies.” *the servant ponders a second* “Miss might want to try her luck at the apothrcacy down the mainstreet.” *the healer nods and smiles* “Oh and can you spread the news that there is a threat of undead here? Some people might want to leave for the better, or out of concern.” *the servant nods and Michelle turns to head to Jay and her horse sliding back into the saddle* “Back up the street and to the apotacracy, Jay.” *the two begin to move down the street and Michelle just sighs as she aware a coughing shape, a beggar* “Jay can you hold for a second?” *she would dismount and move towards the obviously fevering man as he lays there shivering. Jay has stopped the cart while Michell emoves to the beggar and cast a spell to figure out what ails him onto the man. She gasps and quickly casts clean onto him* “Jay fast get over and help me here.” *she drags the man towards the cart to put him onto it* “To the apothecracy fast.” **she has seen this illness before studied a lot on it. Its been the same that has killed her family nearly the whole village and she heard a lot of it, but this time it seems to be far worse. The two reach the store fopr herbs and the like and Michelle darts in* “Hello someone here?” *she spots the and begins to talk* “I've got a serious case of some fever out there. If it spreads this village is going to be threatened badly.” *she watches the apothecracy employes dash out caatching eyes of one of them a young woman which she stops and then examines, she figures to have the fever* “Darn she mutters out and the girl looks concerned* “You got it too.” *the young woman looks even more concerend and now the other two come back in one of them speaking up* “Miss. the man died...” *Michelle closes her eyes* “Okay. I need the following and I need you girl..” *she looks at the infected woman* “To lay down there so I can see how to cure you.” *she hands a list of stuff she needs for helping the soldiers at the fort to the older employees of the local shop, then begins to scribble something down while waiting for the young woman to lay. Once Michelle the young woman placed herself onto the table Michelle begins to cast some spells a cure dicease spell , but she figures out the sickness is more harder to keep in dam then she thought and she mutters speaking up to the young woman* “Okay. I made your go back to the first symptoms. Take this.” *she hands her the letter and her HG ring* “You will take my horse and ride as fast as you can towards the Healers Guild in Nanthallion giving thisto the healers there. They will come here as fast as they can and even heal you. Okay? It is just a few hours and my horse is very kind.” *the young woman nods and moves after Michelle pats her rump shortly then turning to face the other employees who had finished to pack the cart with the needed thing* “Well. Please come here. I cannot help alone here and need to go back to the fort. In a few hours there should be some healers here. Meanwhile you will have to make this tea. It will not stop the sickness but slow it.” *she scribbles something down again. A recipe she had learned from her metor, the one who saved her from those sickness that is so very similar to the one this village is facing now* “This is the recipe. Make as much of it as you can and hand it out to the people. You heard me? I will return as soon as I am done with the fort ad help you. Also see that you part sick people from helthy ones if they have a yellowish shimmer in their eyes they got the yellow sickness. It is a liver decease. Also see that people who are feeling dizzy are checked over double, yes?” *she moves outside and onto the cart biting her lip being drawn between two duties. Nevertheless she is specialized to heal wounds better then illnesses* “Jay let us head to the fort there is much work to do.” *the boy nods and the two begin to move on once more soon approaching the fort. Michelle smiles some a little astonished that she is happy top see that Kelvan guy again. After thinking about it she figures out what intrigues her so on this man. One of the few who tries not to be influenced by her. Anyways the work has to come first and after they entered the fort she begins to direct the helpers she has seized to store the things and help her. she directs the helpers to the persons that still need to be bandaged showing them how to do it while she starts to do her work healing those who are in the worst need. The captain moves up to her after the sun starts to sink closer to the horizon* “Miss La`Roche? Before the sun sets you will go away.” *his words are stern yet concerned and michelle blinks* “Why should I do that?” *there are like 8 hours passed since she arrived back in the fort with the supplies* “Cause if those walking corpses come back I couldn't stand it knowing that you might be in danger. Take this as an order miss.” *she arches a brow and looks at the sun* “I have another hour then right?” *Kelvan nods* “Yes, you have.” *Michelle resumes her work with even more eagerness then before* “I'll return after sunrise and you better make sure you are here!” *she snaps out then working her way keeping silent until she needs to go. A horse is given to her and she would speed out of the fort looking at it once before riding swiftly over to the village where the young woman she has send waits together with her horse. She brought stwo healers specialized on diceases and Michelle smiles hugging the girl* “You are back good.” *she nods but looks sad* “There are a lot of people dying...” *Michelle nods and hugs the girl more tight* “Yes and that is why we will help now..” *she takes the girls hand and moves to care for the people who aren't able to help them self handing out tea and directing others. There is not much sleep and after the sun is to be seen the next morning there are a lot of dead but also a lot of saved people. Beaten and sad Michelle makes her way towards the fort finding it unharmed and not being attacked. She was wrong with her decision but what if she would have left the soldiers for the ill people. Would she have been able to care for the sick people more then for the soldiers? Questions that need to be figured out in the future or maybe never*

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