It was done. Lei'lira had difficulty wrapping her head around the fact that she owned another person, but Eri now belonged to her. She preferred to think of it as Eri being a part of her family, and as the "big sister," Eri was her responsibility. And right now, she needed to get Eri somewhere safe where she could rest and recover.
"I'm not from around here. Is there an inn you'd recommend?"
She hated to ask the man for anything, but she didn't want to drag an injured Eri all over the city in search of an inn. The man raised an eyebrow at her, but told her about a place called the Ye Olde Inn. It catered to rich and poor alike, had good food, and the prices were reasonable. And for an additional fee, she would be able to arrange for a place for her horse, too.
It didn't take long for Lei'lira to collect Eri, and get her mounted on her horse as comfortable as she could. Knowing that the girl was in no condition to control the mare, Lei'lira took the reins, and led her out of Low Town. As she led Star through the streets of Andaris, Lei'lira saw an herbal shop. Hoping to find something that would help Eri, she tied Star to a post nearby, and left Eri with her while she entered the shop.
"Welcome! I'm Hannah Yavich, the owner of this shop. What can I help you with?"
Lei'lira smiled tentatively.
"I hope so. I need something that will help someone who has a...a bad burn. Three burns, actually. Preferably something that will help ease the pain, as well."
Hannah's eyes narrowed.
"A bad burn, huh. Would this someone be you, then? And would this "bad burn" be a slave brand?"
Lei'lira flinched.
"You have it partly right. It isn't for me, but it is for a slave I bought today. She was branded just a little while ago, and I want to make sure that it heals properly."
"I know the law. I'm not about to help any runaway slaves!"
Lei'lira shook her head.
"I'm not a slave. Look...Eri is sitting on my horse just outside your shop if you want to go look. And I have her papers right here. See?"
Lei'lira showed the shop keeper Eri's registration papers, and the other woman examined them carefully. Then she nodded, satisfied that Lei'lira was telling the truth.
"Okay, then. I think I have something that will help you. Aloe is good for burns. Fresh aloe is better, but dried will do if it is all that you can get. With fresh leaves, you just have to mash them up, and spread the juice on the burn. And with dried leaves, you let them soak in water for several breaks, then mash them up, and put the mixture onto the burn. You'll want to do this for two or three trials, but not more than that. If you use it for too long, the brand might be too faint when it heals up. You want the brand to be clearly visible, or they'll insist on branding your slave again. It's also very important to keep the brand clean. A brand is a wound like any other; if it gets dirty, it will become infected. It isn't necessary to bandage the brand with gauze, but it would help."
Lei'lira nodded. Although she hadn't known that burns could become infected, she had learned all too well about the dangers of infection, and the importance of keeping a wound clean last Vhalar when she'd gotten caught up in the war among some of the Immortals.
"As for the pain, willow bark tea will help to take the edge off, but it isn't strong enough to do more than that with the kind of severe pain a brand will cause. Problem is...you'd have to go to the infirmary for the really strong stuff, and I'm guessing that you don't want to do that if you're coming to me instead."
Lei'lira nodded. She really didn't think that a doctor would be willing to help a slave.
"Right, then. You're in luck. Normally when someone needs an herb, I take their order, then go to the people I buy my herbs from. But I had an order for some aloe leaves that the person who ordered them doesn't need any longer. I can sell you those leaves if you want?"
Lei'lira nodded again, and thanked the woman. Hannah told her what it would cost, and Lei'lira handed her the nels without even trying to haggle for a lower price.
"Do you have any willow bark?" she asked hopefully.
"Unfortunately, no. But it's a common enough herb. I should be able to get some fairly quickly. Would you like me to let you know when I get some?"
"Yes, please. We'll be staying at Ye Olde Inn until Eri recovers enough to be comfortable riding back to Warrick."
"I'll see what I can do." Hannah said with a smile.
Lei'lira made her way out of the shop. As she made her way towards the inn, she couldn't help but over hear people around her talking about someone attacking a temple. No one seemed to know who was behind the brutal attack since they were wearing masks, but one monk was apparently killed, and another was seriously injured. Hearing what was was said reminded Lei'lira why she disliked Andaris so much. Life was much calmer back in Warrick. Even more so on her little farm.
When Lei'lira finally reached the inn, she quickly asked for a room. When given the choice of what kind she wanted, she asked for a luxury room. She figured that with three of them sharing it, bigger was better. A nice view would be good for Teirue, and better quality beds and blankets would make Eri feel more comfortable while she was healing. She decided to pay for a ten trial stay now since she didn't know how long she would need to stay. Depending on the weather, and how quickly Eri healed, she could always pay for a longer stay later if necessary. She handed the innkeeper the money, and watched with some anxiety as a groom came to take Star. Normally, she would see to her mare's needs herself. But now she needed to see to Eri even more. So she got the girls up to their room, and settled Eri into the bed. Eri was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. With Eri settled, Lei'lira turned her thoughts to Teirue, and towards making plans for the next few trials.
