M - Agony

WARNING: This thread contains material exceeding the general board rating of PG-13. It may contain very strong language, drug usage, graphic violence, or graphic sexual content. Reader discretion is advised.

she's here, right here on the altar

Word Count ✯ 300+ :: Optime, the Veri family quarters, some time past midnight.

It began to hurt in the middle of the day yesterday.

It got worse in the evening and she couldn't even eat.

She smoked a cigarette but each deep inhalation on the smoke made her face ache more.

When morning came, her face was hot and throbbing, the pain even radiated across her maw to the other side of her face now. When she went to the pond to get a drink of water her reflection looked distorted - like her face was bigger on the one side, and the eye on that side squinted against her own will. It made her look as ugly as she felt on the inside, and the fragile teen began tearing up.

Slapping her pale hand into the water as though she could strike away her reflection, she fled back to Fort Kingsbury and hid away in the Courthouse. Over the last several months, her foster mother, Veri, had managed to wriggle into the girl's suspicious heart, but her entire head ached so badly now, and she was mad from hunger because she hadn't eaten in a day, and she was growing so dehydrated because she could barely stand any water, that she couldn't stand presenting herself in such a sorry state to anyone. Not Damon, not Jace, not Honrin, not even Rumpa, and especially not Veri. Instead of seeking any of her family out, she just retreated to the family's usual room and hid away under the ratty covers of a bed.

She had extinguished any light source and shuttered all of the windows, and there the girl wallowed in her pain and misery, until nightfall. Even as night blanketed Casa di Cavalieri and most knights slumbered, Mercy remained awake, incapable of sleep. It was a night that would never end, for Mercy's agony distorted time and stretched the hours into eternity.

To the depths of midnight and beyond, Mercy lay trembling on the cot, held her face, and wept.

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The house had a quiet air to it when the healer finally returned to it once she'd finished taking a final stock of herb supplies in the Medic Office. Rurik had already gone to sleep, and personally Veri couldn't wait to join him. Isaac had come in sheepishly with a bleeding finger after nicking it with a butchery knife.

Then Darius had needed a antiinfection cream for needle puncture on his hand. Neither of these tasks were all that taxing; she'd gently scolded them for not being more careful after applying the needed materials and sent them on their way.

She'd made her rounds of the gardens to check on the plants there for harvesting, saddled up Elda for a check at the borders, and after coming back she'd taken the task of exercising a couple of the communal horses. She'd returned each animal to the pasture, then returned to the Medic Office to prepare Morty some teas and ointments for her joints.

Many other random duties aside, Veri was tired. However, every trace of fatigue vanished when she approached the door to the twin's room whilst heading to her own and heard the sounds of weeping. She didn't even think about acting, the healer simpler found herself opening the door to allow herself inside.

The cream matriarch hurried to the lump on the cot, kneeling at its side, only to flinch backward slightly at the fetid stench of infection as it assaulted her nose. Grimly the Medic knelt and placed a hand on Mercy's shoulder, squeezing gently to comfort her. "Hey, sweetheart. I need to look at that cut. Can you move to the kitchen with me? We can go nice and slow, but I need you to get up."

Though her words were soft and soothing to the young distressed girl, roiling in Veri's belly were the first beginnings of anger. She'd been told about the source of the injury. Iorek had tended to it, and she'd assumed his care had been satisfactory enough to not step in herself to double check it. She'd be having words with him later. But right now the priority before her took precedence.

Despite the quiet whimpers and protests, eventually Veri got her daughter into the kitchen and propped up on the counter that dipped into a strange metal basin. With the girl placed, the healer turned away to briskly start a small fire and heat some water. While the water worked up to a boil she searched through her supplies for any edible painkiller and placed it within the mortar and pestle.

She crushed all the items together as much as they could be and then uncorked a bottle of whiskey to add in some of the liquid. It would bind the regents together while also playing it's own part in numbing the pain her daughter felt. She brought the bowl with her to Mercy's side, grasping her shoulder to get her attention. "Hey honey, I've got something that'll help the pain, I just need you to open your mouth a little so I can pour it in, then you can swallow." she murmured coaxingly.

Stock: Hartwing HKD

she's here, right here on the altar

Word Count ✯ 500+ :: All of your minor PP's are ok, so it's fine if you need to in future posts too. If anything doesn't jive, I'll talk to you to fix it, but I doubt that'll happen!

The girl had no clue how long she'd been lying there before Veri came in, and for once she didn't even spare the energy to be annoyed that she hadn't knocked and waited or anything like that. If she was crying because of simple emotions, she'd have been furious about being barged in on – but that still didn't mean Veri was doing the wrong thing. Luca had made her Veri's ward, Veri took her as her daughter, and she treated her with the same compassion with which she treated all of her children.

All Mercy knew was that Veri was just suddenly there, gently pulling back the covers and peering down upon her in the darkness. Mercy didn't even move save for the involuntary trembling gestures of her crying, Thankfully, Veri didn't have to ask a hundred questions to find out what was wrong. She was a skilled healer, not just a 'medic' but a healer of both body and soul, and she seemed to easily glean how badly infected Mercy's injury had become.

I don't want to, she eked out weak words when Veri asked her to get to the kitchen. It wasn't that she didn't want to get better, but the thought of moving sickened her. The infection was spreading through her soft tissue, and was harming faculties that weren't even directly connected to her cheek. Still, with Veri's insistence and gentle help, the teen slowly sat up, and then stood. When she was up on her own two feet it felt like the world had abandoned her, like the earth just up and left and left her spinning. She grasped Veri desperately, and her eyes stared blankly as she swam in darkness for a moment, but eventually the blood settled and she regained her equilibrium enough to not have to be carried.

There were no more protests from Mercy as her foster mother led her into the kitchen and helped her up into a somewhat awkward, but kind-of comfortable position on the counter so her head was placed near the basin. When her mother stepped away to go through supplies and find the right medicines, Mercy clutched the edge of the counter and prayed that she didn't succumb to another bout of vertigo. Luckily, something went her way for once.

She had shut her eyes tight so could only know Veri's movements by sound, and when she urged her to take the medicine she complied, tilting her head and opening her mouth so the healer could feet her the analgesic. After she swallowed it, she coughed a sob. Now it was emotion more than anything, the psychological pain that went along with the trauma of an injury. It was just a scratch, she cried. Why is this happening to me?

Stupid! She was so stupid. It was all her fault for trying to hunt when she didn't know how. She just wanted to have something she could bring back to the pack, but instead she caused all this trouble for herself, the now-dead bobcat, Iorek and Teagan. Even if she hadn't shown much respect to those Cavaliers until now, she had still be out to try to prove her worth, to make something of herself, but instead had proven to just be that incessant nuisance that the Nightshade children were known to be.

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It took some coaxing, but gradually the healer had gotten her daughter onto her own two feet. There she had to pause as Mercy sagged in her grip, the girl's hands clinging to Veri for support as her head swam. Just as promised the scarred mother took her time, letting Mercy set the pace on when to move and how swiftly.

Finally the kitchen was reached, her daughter situated on the counter, the water rising to a boil, and the concoction she'd prepared in the mortar being carefully poured into the girl's maw. The following sob tugged Veri's heartstrings, prompting a hand to be lain across Mercy's forehead.

"I know my dear, I know. It was poorly tended to, I'll do my best to fix it and make you feel all better. I'll have words with Iorek later about his...oversight." her lips quivered with the sentiment, the roiling fury bubbling to the surface, but only for a brief moment. There was no time for such things, Mercy had to be cared for first.

An ear flicked backwards, the sounds of boiling water coming from the pot. Veri took her daughter's hand where it lay on the counter and squeezed reassuringly. "I've got to go prepare things for the cut sweetheart, but I'm still right here okay? I'm not leaving you." but she had to let go, at least, to do her duty.

The healer turned and opened the cabinets to grab three bottles of alcohol she'd been allowed to keep for reasons just like this, along with a knife she kept sharp and cleaned every single day, a candle with its stand, and an old leather toy the pups had played with while still interested in such things.

She placed all these items on the counter opposite of Mercy, on the other side of the metal basin, before turning to her herbal supplies and reaching out, only to pause when she saw how her hands shook. They clenched into fists and she glared at them momentarily, breathing shallowly through her nose. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm her nerves, her anger. When they reopened, the healer resumed her task with a new vigor.

Each needed element got taken and placed in the mortar, after it'd been thoroughly rinsed with some of the boiling water to remove any residue of the other mixture she'd done. The Master of Medicine's barely paused, taking only a moment to identify each herb before it was shifted to its new spot.

Her lips pinched as she ground all the agents together, pouring bits of whiskey into the mortar just enough so they would all bind as one. But this was the easy part, something she'd done many times. The next steps would be a little more harrowing. Mixture complete, the healer retrieved a thick cloth and dipped it in the boiling water to bring it to Mercy's side.

"Okay baby, here's where I need to you be brave for me. I'm going to press this hot cloth to the cut, this will make it easier for me to clean it. I've got to keep it there for at least a minute." she did so as she spoke, her free hand caressing Mercy's shoulder comfortingly. "But the next part I have to do after that will be extremely painful and uncomfortable, but I have to in order to get the infection all out. And while I'm draining it, I'm going to need to flush it out with the alcohol. Okay?"

Veri's hand shifted up from the shoulder to Mercy's head, ever so tenderly brushing the hair back. "I'm not telling you this to scare you, I want you prepared for what I have to do so you can feel better." that being said, the healer took away the now slightly stained cloth and picked up the recently alcohol doused knife, offering the leather toy to the girl's maw. "Here honey, you can clench on this."

But now the awful part began.

With the candle lit in its stand and settled in the basin by Mercy's head for maximum light, Veri bent and applied the knife's edge to her daughter's cheek to make the first cut of what might be many.

Stock: Hartwing HKD

she's here, right here on the altar

Word Count ✯ 600+ ::

Hot tears collected in her eyes as she lay there. It was so hard to keep still, but she knew she had to do it, for Veri's sake. For Veri's work. The medicine began to do its job – it was well made and absorbed into her blood through her stomach quickly, and it helped to calm her. It took away some pain, but not enough to Mercy to really tell the difference. It was like going from standing in the middle of a volcano, to just standing on molten lava – different, but still bad. Still, if she had to go back to the pre-medicated state, it would probably shock her.

Veri didn't want to leave her to do her work, but she had to. Mercy nodded her understanding, thinking but not saying the words. It's ok. I know you're helping. She couldn't make herself talk anymore. All of her energy was being eaten up with the pain, and with the shaking chills of her fever. She just wanted to close her eyes and go to sleep, but sleep would not come, and she was nowhere near the brink of death yet – though if this had gone on much longer, her body would surely have gone septic within the next few days. Without human technology and antibiotics, sepsis would be a death sentence.

Mercy didn't really notice the time while Veri stepped away. It was all one thing, all the same thing; a timeless, endless stream of pain and sickness. She just wanted to throw up. She just wanted to sleep. She just wanted to drink. She just wanted a smoke. She just wanted to drift away, whatever the implications.

Veri was back. Veri wouldn't let her drift away.

She didn't realize that she had not been focusing, but now she did, on Veri. Her eyes were clouded, but sharp enough to tell the healer that Mercy still understood; the patient was still sharp and alert, both a boon and a curse for her. The medic explained the procedure, and if Mercy's heart could beat any faster it would have, but it was already thrumming unnaturally because of the pain. She nodded her consent, not that Veri really needed it to proceed.

She barely noticed the hot cloth, the skin so red and inflamed that the cloth almost felt cool in comparison. But it still hurt, pressing the cloth against the wound. She whimpered softly, but mostly tried to bite back her misery. Then Veri had to move on to making the cut, lancing the wound so all of the fluids could drain. The moment the cool, sterile blade touched her wound she opened up her mouth and let out a loud yelp. She didn't even mean to, it just came, like an old house pet getting his tail stepped on by an unforgiving boot on accident. But Veri had given her something to bite on, so instead of yelping again she closed her jaws now and bit down on the toy, and it was better that way. Now her noises came in low whimpers and whines, but at least they weren't barking yelps that would scare Veri. Veri was hardened, she could do this even if Mercy was yelping or screaming, but she shouldn't have to. Her jaw clenched down on the toy like a lifeline.

Hot, green puss oozed out of the wound first, followed by viscous, old blood that had filled the wound. It smelled sickly sweet, and Mercy groaned when she smelled it. It was the stench of rot, of death, and it was coming from her. The psychological pain outweighed the physical, for that moment. She clenched her eyes shut as tears amassed at the corners of her lids.

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(680) Ooc pp permission of Rurik granted by Rath.

The sight of Mercy's tears did nothing to assuage the roil of fury that tore at her gut. It acted as oil on the flame, spreading the heat outward to the tips of her fingers until they shook with the ferocity of her desire to shake the former pupil that'd done this.

Veri took a moment to collect herself, forcing herself to focus on her daughter and lock away the wrath of a mother that so dangerously itched to be free. Right now Mercy needed the hands of a healer, not an avenger.

When she'd returned to the younger female's side, the tremors had notably disappeared from her digits while the hot drenched cloth allowed its heat to be soaked into Mercy's cheek. The girl took her explanation of the following procedure in stride, nodding that she understood despite how fever bright her gaze currently was.

The sound of Mercy's whimper tugged at every heart string she had, and this wasn't even the difficult part just yet. With a deep breath she unclenched her teeth and picked up the knife to begin making the necessary cuts to the infected flesh.

Mercy yelped from the first kiss of the cold, sharpened edge. Veri's tongue pressed against the front of her teeth to suppress a hiss of displeasure, every fiber of her motherly instinct screaming to just hold her child and will the pain away by force.

From the puffy, diseased flesh flowed trickles of putrid green puss. She did her best to make sure it all went into the sink with minimal getting on Mercy's fur, but if she succeeded completely that would have been too easy. Her lip curled from the acrid scent as old, viscous blood joined that of the puss.

Disjointed thumping could be heard from across the house, followed by footsteps rapidly drawing closer. She half expected Alaric to show up through the doorway, asleep as he'd been in the living room, but instead it was Rurik's concerned face that peered into the kitchen, his mane tousled and wild from just having woken.

Veri barely spared him a glance, but her mate blearily took in the scene before him and shook off what sleep he could. Having gone through the hell of his past, he knew what an infected injury smelled like, without even seeing it, and immediately took stock of the supplies she'd gotten ready.

He wasn't a medic but he'd picked up things, either out of necessity for survival or from little tidbits he'd observed from Veri. Now more than ever she was grateful for this as he began to prepare a few extra things on the counter for her, minimal items that would have taken her a moment to search for when required, but all the more appreciated that they'd now be in easier reach.

He took an extra, cursory look at the wound from over her shoulder, grimacing from the flow of more puss and old blood as she made a second cut, and then a third to slightly deepen the two she already had.

While Veri temporarily put down the knife, Rurik rifled through her medic bag for a bone needle and some sinew thread, which he placed next to a roll of cloth most likely intended for the poultice. Trusting in her mate to know the things she'd need, the healer had placed her fingers on either side of the wound to gently push more infection out, her brow creased with concentration.

The contents did not pour out, per say, but the flow did seem to increase. "You're doing good honey, so good." she murmured to Mercy, pausing, if only for a second, to nuzzle the girl's temple with her snout and gently pass her tongue over the corner of Mercy's eye so her tears were disguised. After this was all over she knew her daughter might be self conscious about having cried in front of her foster mother and father.

Stock: Hartwing HKD

she's here, right here on the altar

Word Count ✯ 400+ :: Now Veri is an impromptu dentist.

Black claws scraped at the counter top and she bit the leather strap ferociously to keep from crying out, but obviously the child was not a perfect, stalwart creature and could not keep her cries from ringing out every time. I just want this to be over, came the thought in her head, and as soon as that happened time seemed to slow. It made the process drag out even longer. Longer than it would have if she could keep her mind on fluffy clouds and buzzing bees and singing Row Row Row Your Boat in her head.

Her heart began to pound and she was breathing heavier than necessary because of the anxiety that was building. Everything was a blur but the pain, that was in sharp focus. She barely knew when Rurik entered the room, though she did know that someone was here helping Veri. There was no cheerful, excited voice... Veri wasn't having to explain things or shoo him away... at least it wasn't the puppy who'd come.

There was finally a pause from the procedure, and the pain subsided from the sharp, piercing wholeness that consumed her during the extraction and cleaning, to an intense throbbing, but in comparison the throbbing was far easier to deal with than the first. She managed to open her eyes, and now she didn't even know if she was crying or if they were just watering from the pain. Veri nuzzled her gently, and licked her tears, and that simple action of motherly love was enough to help Mercy relax and get a little control of her anxiety.

Her eyes, bloodshot and heavy, found Veri's visage. Something else was wrong and she needed to find a way to tell her. The pain radiated into her mouth, into her molars. She took the strap out of her mouth, which let her have a moment to pant and calm down, and asked, My... my mouth hurts. My teeth hurt, she held the strap up. Did I bite down too hard? Her words were labored because it was hard to move the muscles in her face now, aside from everything else.

Mercy's tongue prodded at her molars, but everything felt like it hurt. Maybe it was just radiating pain, and there was nothing wrong with her teeth at all. Then she tasted it... There's... that stuff, she said, her face contorting as she realized this was not as close to over as any of them had hoped. That smelly stuff, I can taste it in my mouth. It was her tooth, actually. At some point, Mercy had chipped a tooth. She had been lucky enough not to have much trouble with it before. But over the last few days, as the infection festered in her cheek, the bacteria from that had gotten into her mouth while grooming and found its way into her molar. The infection had spread into her tooth.

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