The Thorn and the Rose

Chapter 4: Rescuer

Slowly I come back to my senses, but I wonder if I'm dreaming. I feel so tired and struggle to open my eyes, but something feels odd. I snuggle a little into the soft bed and pillows, they are so warm and cozy. I was expecting to wake up on a cold stone floor, or maybe even not at all. 

I think hard about what I can remember. ‘Maybe it was all just a dream, a horrible, horrible dream.’ I sigh happily with that thought. I really hope it’s true. 

But something’s wrong. I stretch out and don't feel the edge of the bed. ‘That’s odd, I only have a single bed. Where’s the edge gone? and why is everything so squishy?’

Finally, I force my eyes to open and look around me with shock. This is definitely not my bedroom, or my bed, probably not my house either. The first thing I notice is the four thick oak posts and soft blue silk drapes hanging around me and the size of the bed. I’m not sure I've ever seen such a big bed. As I look around slowly, I take the room in more fully. The bed dominates it for the most part but, as a whole, it’s got a very medieval style to it, as if I had been transported back in time and am in a castle. The walls are clad in a rich wood and the floor is stone with thick fur rugs thrown around the bed. There's a cosy little fireplace which crackles gently, above which the mantle holds a small clock with brass horse statuettes either side. Finally, there’s a man sitting beside my bed with a laptop on his lap, giving away that I had not been transported in time. He was sitting in a wicker chair with a look of deep concentration on his face. For a moment, I stared at him, he’s very handsome with sharp features. His warm brown hair is shoulder length and tucked neatly behind his ears, he has emerald green eyes which were focused on the screen intently. From his sitting position, I can only guess at his height but he looked very toned and lithe under the simple t-shirt and jeans he is wearing.

Suddenly, it fully twigs that I am indeed not in my apartment and there is a strange man sitting beside my bed quite able to see me clearly. I looked down at myself and found I am basically wearing only bandages and panties and I panic a little, struggling to tuck my wings under me and pull the covers up. Moving my wings is painful to say the least, the membranes pulling at the skin where the monster had struck. I yelped, drawing the attention of my bedside companion.

“Oh, thank god, you’re awake!” he says with a bright smile as he quickly closes his laptop, placing it on the floor and turns towards me.

I gulp. I definitely look terrified and he definitely notices. He holds up his hand in a non-threatening manner, trying to show me he’s not going to hurt me. “It’s okay,” he speaks softly, “you are safe, no one will hurt you here.”

I try to push myself further under the covers again, only causing myself more pain. The man sighs at me and heads out the door. I relax for a moment, trying desperately to remember what happened to me after going into the large chamber in the cave. I remember a dancing light as I concentrate, like fire hovering in front of my eyes, but nothing else. I huff at myself, irritated that I can't remember how I got here, who he is, or even where I am. 

A few moments pass and he comes back into the room. “I’ve called the doctor, hopefully he has something for the pain.” He smiles softly. It’s a nice smile, friendly, warm, it makes me think he’s not such a bad person, but I'm still scared, I’ve never had anyone know what I am. “I’m Eric, by the way. I really am glad you are finally awake, you had us all worried.”

My eyes widen at his sentence. ‘Us all.’ Who else now knows about me? I look up at him with wide eyes and say nothing. I don’t even know what to say really, I guess I should introduce myself but I just don’t want to talk, I don’t want him to hear how scared I am.

He sighs again. “You’re Candria right?” He taps my purse that sits on a small table I'd not noticed until now. “I found your ID card so I could let people know you were okay. You’ve been out for almost 5 days.” 

“It’s not the weekend?!” I suddenly blurt out, shock clearly in my voice and face. “Effing hell, I’m going to be in so much trouble.” I think of all the work that’s piling on my desk at the office and pale a bit. My manager, Claire, hates tardiness and being off for longer than a couple of days is a big no-no unless it's a booked holiday. 

Eric places his hand on the bed in a comforting manner. “If you are talking about your work, it’s fine, it’s all sorted, don’t worry. That’s why I looked to see who you are. I’ve told them you were in a terrible accident and not to expect you back for a while.”

He helps a little with his words but not much, he didn’t understand how strict she was. I thin my lips, he seems so confident with his words that it seems like it won’t be worth arguing.

He patted my shoulder, trying to be comforting but really only succeeded in knocking my back. I winced a little and he immediately pulled away with an apologetic look. He opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by a loud bell. “Ah, that must be Bates, that was fast.” He left the room, I assume to go answer the door. I hear three voices from outside my room, all masculine. One in particular sounds very excited, it doesn't take a genius to guess why.

I once again struggle to shift in the bed, trying to cover up even more, it hurts but I feel much safer under the covers. By the time the men come into the room, I have only my head and fingertips in the open, having finally wiggled the rest of myself away. 

Eric enters the room with his friend Bates. Looking at me tucked in, he frowns a little but steps aside for the newcomer. “This is Doctor Bates. He’s…” 

“Yes, yes, enough with the introductions, Eric, let me see my patient.” Dr Bates cuts Eric off with a rush of words, moving quickly to my bedside. “Now, how are you feeling my dear? How fascinating. Come, come, sit up so I can take a look.”

Eric took hold of Dr Bates’ wrist, pulling him away from me. “Bates, calm down, you're scaring her, she’s still a little confused and…” 

Dr Bates tugs his hand away, looking irritated with Eric. “Now, don’t be silly, Eric, she’s fine, aren't you, love? Now, let's take a look at your wounds.” I, of course, am in fact, terrified, especially as he reaches out towards me. I squeeze my eyes shut and whimper in pain as my body tenses, pulling at the wounds on my back.

I wait for his hands to grip me but they never come and I open one eye to take a peek, finding the two men arguing with each other, their voices shouting over one another so I can’t make out a single word. The shouting doesn’t help my stress levels and I feel like a little girl again, my parents shouting over me rather than two strangers. I quickly give in to my childish instincts and yank the covers over my head, hiding from the world, waiting for the noise to stop. I probably look a little silly, a full grown woman hiding under the bed sheets like a child scared of night-time monsters.

It takes another moment before the two notice my defence strategy and stop their shouting. I feel a weight sit on the bed and I hold the covers tighter, scared they, my only defence, would be pulled away from me. 

However, rather than the harsh voice of the doctor like I am expecting, I hear Eric’s more calming voice. “Candria? It’s okay, Bates is just a little over enthusiastic. He doesn’t mean to scare you, he really is here to help.” Eric keeps talking as if knowing I wasn’t going to respond until I came out from under the sheets. “He’s a specialist on non-humans, that’s why I asked him to help. When I found you, you were in bad shape. You had large claw marks and I knew that meant really only one thing. Bates is the only man I know with a cure and knowledge on how to deal with your kind of injuries. I trust him, he saved your life. Please, trust him too and let us help.”

As he spoke, the last words I finally pulled the sheets down and looked up at Eric with tearful eyes. I don't know what to say or do, I feel trapped. I slowly nodded my head and slowly sat up, revealing my rather unique body. I looked at Bates with worry but he smiled more gently this time.

“I’m sorry, I should have perhaps made it more clear I was trying to help.” He stepped up to me as Eric left the bed. He was clearly still excited, though was holding it in much better check this time. “You see,” he continued, his excitement building a little again, “you are the first of your species I've met. Of course I’ve read about you extensively, but I’ve never got to meet one before, I have so many questions.”

I looked at him in confusion. “My species?”

He looked back at me with a small amount of regret and sadness. “Ah… perhaps that’s why you were scared, you… you don’t know anything but the human world.” He looked at Eric who shrugged, not having had enough time to talk to me before the doctor’s arrival. I continue to look confused and look between the two men before Bates speaks again. “Well, anyway, let's have a look at your injuries and re-bandage you up.” He sat on the side of the bed next to me. “May I?”

I look at him unsure but nod. He smiles and begins to work, first taking away my current wrappings. His hands are surprisingly gentle and his movements smooth. The bandages cover me almost completely, he has also treated the wounds to my side, he begins to speak as he worked, his professional side taking over as he asks questions to understand where the wounds came from.

“Now I saw that you attempted to close the wounds on your side, they were made before those on your back?” I nodded my head, seeing no reason to lie. “You did good work if it had been a normal wound, I assume you learned first aid?” I nodded my head again. “A good choice when living in the normal world. Did the same wolf cause both sets of wounds?” Here I shook my head, thinking about how Dean had actually tried to protect me the second time. “Interesting, and unfortunate, encountering two wolves so close together.” 

As he finishes unwrapping the bandages, I look down at my side. The doctor has removed the stitches I’d done, leaving the wounds open and red, the flesh around the claw marks looks grey and dead. I pale as I see it, imagining myself turning into a zombie with the colour of the skin.

He looked over my side first. “Though not as deep, trying to close them has caused you a few issues, I think it will heal fine, though you will always have scars here.” He brings his bag up, putting it on the end of the bed and pulls out a small jar of cream. Taking some out, he begins to very gently smother it over my side. I flinch a little at first, but, once again, his hands turned out to be gentle and well skilled, barely touching my skin as he smothered it over the marks. The cream itself is cooling and soothes over the angry gashes.

 “Okay, now let's look at your back. Hmm, yes, much deeper. Eric said he found you in a puddle of blood, you are very lucky he came along. See, the claws of the wolves are rather nasty in that they have toxins coating them, causing a wound to continue to bleed, stops any clotting.” He gently poked at the wound causing me to yell out in pain as I feel warm blood oozing down my back. “Terrible stuff.” He took out a different pot of ointment and began smoothing it over my back. I hissed as it touched the wounds, the liquid setting my skin on fire. “Sorry, yes, should have warned you, unfortunately it’s still bleeding a little so the toxins are still present. It’s nasty stuff and lingers. The oil I’m putting on you helps to neutralise it, but with a wound so deep it will take time. I can however tell you that once it does heal there shouldn’t be too much of a scar, your scales will regrow in theory, covering any evidence.”

I gulped at that, his talking reminding me again that I wasn't normal. “Now I’ve been doing this every other day, and I will need to continue to do so until the bleeding stops and the flesh on your side recovers,” he remarks as he pulls out fresh bandages. “During this time you are not to exert yourself in any way, that means no strenuous exercises and definitely no flying. The membranes will put too much strain on the wounds, so keep your wings in.” I nodded at his words. It's not like I go flying anyway, I’d only just learned I could. 

Once the bandages are back on, the doctor, having done an amazing job of getting them all tight, even with the wings in the way, sat back to look over his work, and me. “A living sample of your species is just so incredible, especially one of such strong lineage,” he spoke and his excitement came back as I look at him with confusion again. “Oh, I have so much to tell you and so many questions.” He smiled. “But for another day I think. For now, you need rest.” He dug around in his bag for a moment, pulling out a small tub of pills. “You will need to take one of these once a day and you must not forget. You do have human parents, after all, so I don’t know if the wolf will infect you, these are to be sure.” I nod though I don't really know what he is talking about. I’m beginning to feel tired all of a sudden, so much has happened to me it’s begun to get overwhelming again. I see Eric place a hand on Bates’ shoulder and Bates nods. “Yes, well, get some rest. I’m sure Eric will also find you some food, that will help too. I will be back in a couple of days.” He reorders his pack, stands up and leaves the room, Eric leading him out. By the time Eric gets back, I am fast asleep, mind and body needing more rest.