Lunansholt: The tale of the beginning of the wolves

CH 6 Coma

Astra walks into the infirmary and sits next to Leif's unconscious body picking at her fingernails. "You really thought I’d let you go huh?" She huffs picking up a towel from nearby then dabs his brow. "Gods if you weren't next in line to be Harald, I’d never give you the time of day. Such a weak human." She sits back throwing the rag on his chest and checks her fingernails of any dirt to pass enough time to appear to be a loyal mate to him. She hears a noise and whirls around to see the healer walking in with a small basket of herbs in hand.

He looks at her and smiles warmly, "Hello Astra, how is our patient doing today?"

She puts on a sad look but gives a small smile, "he seems to be doing okay. Still hasn't moved at all though. Are you sure he's going to be okay?" Her bottom lips begins to quiver for a second before she calms herself.

He drops the herbs onto the workbench and walks over to Leif. He bends down to test the temperature of his forehead with his hand and shrugs. "Honestly I’m not really sure. With him being human and suffering from dark magic it's different from us so I don't really know what to expect. For now, all I know is that he isn't currently dying."

Astra smiles at him and grabs Leif's hand. "At least he's not dying. I don't know what I would do if he did." The healer melts a little at her words. "He is very lucky to have you here to care for him. You've come every day to see him for the past week." She smiles at Leif and a single tear drops from her eye. "He means more to me than anything else in this world."

The healer smiles pats her hand and walks away "well I’ll give you time to talk with him alone. I'll be outside if you need me." She nods and leans back onto the chair again. She watches the healer leave and waits until he's far enough away and when he is she throws Leif's hand away from her landing on the mattress. "Disgusting" she wipes her hands on her pants and waits a few more minutes in silence then gets up to leave. On her way out she sees the healer and waves goodbye to him.

The healer waves back and watches her go until he's sure she's far enough away. He mindlinks his friend Sigurd, "Sig, I need you to come to the infirmary now but don't make it obvious something is happening. Just make it look like you're going on a walk to check on Leif."

He closes the mindlink and continues to pick herbs and weeds putting them into the same basket from earlier. After a few minutes he hears his friend address him from behind, he looks up and pretends to be surprised. "Harald! What are you doing here?"

"I came to see how my son is doing. Can we go inside so you can update me on his status?"

The healer nods, "Of course." He stands leading him into the infirmary then closes the door. He hangs a talisman meant to keep anyone nearby from listening to their conversation. Sigurd raises an eyebrow and the healer holds up a finger signaling him to wait. Sigurd nods and the healer moves to close the windows and the back door as well. "The talisman only works if access to the outside is shut off as well." Sigurd nods knowingly and moves to sit next to Leif. Finally, once the healer is satisfied, he moves to them and sits as well but on the other side of Leif.

Sigurd looks at him and asks, "Well?"

Laeknir chuckles "Well Leif has had Astra visit him every day he has been in this coma."

Sigurd nods "I know she’s such a good girl."

Laeknir clears his throat, "Well not really."

Surprised, Sigurd asks, "Oh?"

The healer again clears his throat. "I overheard her talking to him today. Pure chance that I happened to walk in through the back door today from the garden, so I was able to sneak up on her." He smooths out a few wrinkles on his robe and looks up at Leif then to Sigurd, "I overheard her calling Leif weak and that she would never waste her time on him if he wasn't your son, the future Alpha."

Sigurd scoots forward, "Are you sure you heard her correctly? You heard her say those exact words?"

The healer nods but continues, "After I walked in and she realized I was here I pretended to praise her on her loyalty to Leif and she put on the perfect act as if she was truly devoted to him. But as soon as I left again, she threw the hand she was holding away in disgust and even wiped her hand on her pants afterwards."

Sigurd nods, "Gods I loathe scheming women. To think I believed her act. Leif isn’t even going to be Alpha. He doesn’t have a wolf; he won’t be able to lead a wolf village without one. Leif knows this." He stands and paces the length of Leif’s mattress several times trying to decide what to do when the healer clears his throat again. Sigurd looks at his friend as he stands and walks over and places his hand on his shoulder, "we need to move Leif. He should move to his hut. Put someone you trust on guard at the door and I will have one of my thralls care for him while he's still rendered unconscious." Sigurd thinks on it then nods, "Bring the thrall you intend to care for him here to me now." He nods and his eyes glaze over indicating he is mindlinking them and a few seconds later a 5’4” thin woman with pale blue eyes, a straight nose, and a bow shaped mouth wearing a shaggy dress walks in.

She looks at Harald and Laeknir and bows as low as she can. Harald looks over her, "Look at me child." She does and he asks, "You have a wolf?" She nods "Yes my lord an Omega wolf.” Harald nods and moves toward her "Your name?" She answers, "Kona, my lord." He nods in approval, "Kona you are to care for Leif like your life depends on it. You are not to allow any women into his hut while you are there and you’re not allowed to speak to anyone regarding the health of your patient, outside of the people in this room and his bodyguard. If anyone tries to force you to break this command, you are to mindlink me and I will send someone to aid you." Her eyes go wide at the Alpha command, but she nods, "Yes lord." She tries to leave but Harald stops her.

"My child, if you are successful in caring for my blood, I will grant you your freedom. I understand that you are interested in medicine?"

She nods to him enthusiastically, "Yes, my lord. It has given me a purpose I long thought gone." He smiles at her "Then as long as it is okay with Laeknir I shall give you the title of Healer's assistant so that you may learn under him to one day have a chance take over the role of the village healer." Harald looks at his friend and sees him nod. "Do as you have been commanded child, and you will be rewarded." Sigurd nods to everyone then walks over to Leif kisses his forehead and leaves.