Chapter 37: A Strange Cure

By the time the group made it to the edge of the plateau, the storm had gotten worse. Fortunately, the trees screened the worst of it, but they were all cold when they finally made camp. Harnley quickly set about making a fire while the others started setting up their tents. Sharmon put more blankets over Cinnamon, and stayed with her until Muriel and Vanessa had finished erecting their tent. Then Sharmon pulled Cinnamon inside. Muriel joined her, and together they transferred Cinnamon from the travois into Muriel's sleeping bag, Sharmon's being covered with snow. Sharmon reluctantly left to shake out her sleeping bag, and remove the travois, while Muriel tried to bring Cinnamon's fever down.

When Sharmon emerged from the tent, Vanessa, who was getting ready to boil some broth when the fire was ready, took the sleeping bag and travois from her with a small understanding smile. Sharmon nodded in thanks and went back into the tent.

By this time, Lancos and Ernon had finished raising Ernon's tent. They'd erected it with the entrance a few feet from the entrance to Muriel's, but at a slight angle so it'd be closer to the fire. They were now erecting a screen between the two tents using the remains of Lancos's tent. The screen would connect both tents, giving them a common entrance, as well as keeping the wind and snow away from the entrances to the tents.

Ernon straightened and looked at Lancos. "Come, let's gather firewood while we can."

Lancos nodded, and together they gathered all the firewood they could find. They'd even dragged over a section of dead wood that had been used as a bench to be cut up if needed. Vanessa handed them some warmed meat and a cup of broth when they were finished. Then she took some broth into the tent for Cinnamon, Sharmon, and Muriel.

As they ate, Ernon said to Lancos, "You should go sleep when you're finished eating."

Lancos shook his head. "I'm too keyed-up to sleep."

"I'll send Muriel over to help you."

"I'd rather stay up a while."

Ernon shook his head. "Nay, Lancos, Cinnamon may yet need you in the morning, and you'll need to be well rested."

"Aye, Lad, the lass'll be needing ye in the morn," Harnley agreed, sitting down across from him.

Lancos looked up at them in surprise and then nodded in understanding.

Ernon reached over and gave Lancos's arm a friendly understanding squeeze. Lancos returned it, and continued eating with renewed purpose.

Vanessa came out, sat next to Ernon, and leaned against him for support. He put his arm around her, and asked, "How is she?"

"She worsens. I hope Rose, or one of her daughters, can help us. I fear for her and Sharmon both if they can't" She buried her face in Ernon's chest and cried as he held her.

Lancos stood, and Ernon asked, "Off to bed?"

"No, to get Cinnamon help."

"Sit, Lad, ye can do no good right now. Rest a while first, and then go."

"But Cinnamon needs help now."

"Aye, lad, but who will help her if ye collapse from exhaustion? Go rest, I'll wake ye when it's time."

Lancos reluctantly nodded and sat back down. As he did, Muriel came out and wearily sat down next to him. Her tiredness was plain for them all to see. Lancos opened his arms, and she stepped into them with tears in her eyes.

"Lass, how is she?" Harnley asked, softly.

Muriel wiped the tears from her eyes. "She's asleep, but she's rapidly getting worse. I can't stop it. I-I-I don't know if..." She began to cry.

"Isn't there a prayer somewhere in your book you could use?" Lancos asked, desperately, as he tried to comfort her while the others looked at her, alarmed. Cinnamon was much worse than they'd thought.

Muriel shook her head. "She needs her mother's milk, and none of us are her mother."

Lancos smiled. "That's it, then. You have a lactation prayer. Use it, and Cinnamon will get better."

"It's not that simple. Breast milk alone isn't enough. She needs mother's milk, her mother's milk. None of us are qualified."

"There's a prayer for that though, right?"

"Yes, but,,, "

"Then why don't you use it?"

"It's not that simple, Lancos! For that prayer to work, one of us would have to become Cinnamon's mother."

"So you become Cinnamon's mom, and let her..."

"Lancos, you don't understand. That prayer is very powerful. I've never performed a prayer that strong or complex. I've only assisted once! I'm not sure I could even do it on my own. Even if I could, I'd be too weak afterwards to care for Cinnamon," Muriel explained, with anguish in her voice.

"But..."

Vanessa interrupted him. "Lancos, it isn't just the prayer. Whoever becomes Cinnamon's mother will actually bond with her. She will become Cinnamon's mother. It's not just the prayer that's exhausting, it's the labor."

Lancos paled at the thought. "Couldn't you..." and he trailed off, not being able to ask Vanessa to take such a risk.

"I would, and I will if there's no other choice," Vanessa said, "but there will be complications if Cinnamon accepts me."

"Complications?"

"She's a vampire, Lad. If Cinnamon accepts her she'll become a vampire too. Not that that's a bad thing, mind you," he added, looking to Vanessa. She gave him a small understanding smile, and he continued, "but we don't know how Cinnamon will feel about it."

Vanessa nodded, sadly in agreement.

"Oh! What do you mean, if she accepts?"

The others looked down. Finally, Muriel took a deep breath. "The final choice lies with the one who's sick. If neither the birth-mother or the newly bonded mother are accepted,,, " Muriel couldn't finish, as she began to cry.

"Like Moira?"

Muriel nodded against him.

"Damn!" He swore softly. He hadn't been there, like the others, when Moira had gotten sick and died. He'd been away in the army at the time, and, like most men, he didn't know all the details. Men generally didn't have anything to do with things like this, especially since men weren't allowed to witness the ritual. When their loved ones became sick, they went to the temple and prayed while the ritual took place. The few that knew, either contracted the illness when they were older, or had waited outside while the ritual was performed.

"Even if she does accept, she's still in danger." Ernon said, quietly. As the others looked at him, he waved his arms and looked up. "She'd have a long recovery under the best of conditions. This weather endangers us all."

"What can we do?"

"Keep her warm, and get her to safety as soon as possible."

"Muriel" Sharmon's voice startled them, and they turned to see her rise up out of the tents. They felt their hearts sink at the pale sad look on her face.

"How is she?" Muriel asked, quietly.

"Fading fast. Can you do the bonding ritual?"

"I think so. I'll need some time to pray though, but who will be her mother?"

"I will."

"Sharmon, no!"

"Let's wait until we can get to the tavern."

"There's no time. She's fading too fast. I'll do it."

"Nay, Lass, ye can't"

"Listen to them Sharmon. It'd tear you apart if Cinnamon doesn't accept. I'll do it."

"And it won't tear me up watching her die?"

"I can do it, Sharmon."

Sharmon shook her head.

"But Sharmon."

"I love her."

The others looked at each other. Sharmon's confession settled the matter. They'd all seen how Sharmon had looked after her, now they knew the depths of her feelings. The others, of course, loved Cinnamon as well, but their love was the love of friendship. Sharmon loved her as a daughter.

Vanessa lowered her eyes and nodded. When she looked up she smiled. "I will help, though."

"I'm counting on it."

Despite the desperate situation, the others were smiling as well. After eight years, Sharmon had learned to love again.