Chapter 7

Palus helped me get dressed. She clearly realized my youthful discomfort of being naked with her, and she refrained from any teasing, quietly chatting about tendering the other wounded.

Over the next three days I let my body rest and recover. I enjoyed spending time with Tharin and worked on his strained feelings. He would talk about the progress of the cabins and the success of the hunters and fishermen. It seemed that our small clan was happy with easy access to food, wood and the prospects of building more permanent homes. I had Coven manage the people's activities and whilst he was still a young man, he was very encouraging to others. He had a gift for motivating and organizing people.

Palus and Swarta remained my nightly bed warmers, albeit all of us partially clothed; however, I found it strange they left me alone during the day. Most of the day everyone was so busy, I started to feel bored just resting, so I turned my thoughts to planning clever devices to protect my people, sketching on the few pieces of paper I owned from the escape pod. Simple images from my nightly dreams filled the pages.

The homesteads routine became livelier on the fourth day. Ten dugouts arrived full of young men and older widows from the marsh. Each boat held two people and their meager possessions. I was particularly happy to see a number of net fishermen. The sea harvest in this area was great and it would ensure these new people could be fed.

After providing the "clan welcoming speech," I turned them over to Coven and Tharin to organize. Most of the clan's people did not approach me, they went to Coven and Tharin to ask permission or get disputes settled. The mineral water stream was a particular hit with our newest members and the new strange taste was named wizard water. I spent a large portion of my day by the mineral pool. The old archer's boy, I nicknamed Sparrow, often referred to the granite pool as the wizard's pool, and the local name for the water was taken up. He took the role of the wizard story teller with the new arrivals, citing fantastic stories about the battle of the barge. I decided to make him the Village Crier, so he ran around the hills and work sites shouting my short official announcements. Someone even made him an ornately carved oak staff of office, so he was one very happy, little boy.

I had fun playing up my wizard image that evening by boiling water in my iron pot and making various hot drinks for the newly arrived widows. Palus and Swarta attended me like apprentices as soon as they heard about it. One or the other would whisper questions in my ear, asking what the secret ingredients were for each concoction and what the drink did for the user. I explained the Pine Needle tea to all the women and how it had fortified me to survive the nights alone in the marsh during my trek. I declared it a cold remedy and a winter energy drink.

One of my night dreams had pointed me to the juniper berries from the trees surrounding us, as a medicine with broad application. The juniper berries were purple-black with a pungent and piney taste. The local medical knowledge was limited, so I went with simple uses and whispered additional bits of lore to Palus and Swarta. I declared the crushed juniper powder with hot wizard water would help with certain severe headaches, a woman's monthly fatigue, tiredness, loss of appetite and for people who bruise easily. Palus called it a wonder drug and kissed me fully on the lips. I think she was marking her territory in front of the new women. Swarta just smiled slyly at me. I liked the feeling of this wizard image; it felt comfortable. To make the drink sound really special I explained that this was a clan-woman secret. I was pleasantly surprised how much they loved to have been singled out for this secret and how it empowered them in a small way.

I told the growing crowd of women, "I presented this hot tonic last for a reason. It is dangerous if mixed incorrectly or if too much of the medicine is taken at once. Listen carefully and learn. I will only give the correct mixture to healers and women I declare clan lore masters." With a serious tone, I said, "The knowledge of what this tonic does is not a secret. How to use the tonic is not a secret. This is my gift to all who suffer Marsh Fever."

A collective gasp echoed around the clearing as Marsh Fever was a common sickness in the summer months in the marsh villages. All of the women had lost family or friends to this disease. People suffered shaking chills, high fevers, hours of profuse sweating, and severe headaches, all of which repeated every few days. The children were hardest hit, usually suffering tremendously before finally succumbing to death. I spoke softly, quiet enough for Palus and Swarta's ears only, "This is the dried powder from cinchona bark." I enjoyed the feelings from their glowing eyes which beamed warmth.

Later, in our bed Palus said, "I have to get the Marsh Fever tonic to the Galit's village soon."

I nodded my understanding saying, "In a week I will return on the barge. Then we leave for a visit of Convey as I promised Lady Derwen in exchange for her aid in setting up our homestead." Her youthful delight brightened when I said, "We will take a large pile of dried bark for you to train other village healers." I pulled Swarta into an embrace under the blanket, and said, "I need a woman willing to learn, with our healer, certain lore or secrets. Would you accept such a responsibility?"

She kissed me firmly on the lips saying, "I will serve you willingly my Lord." I felt her hand slide across my torso under the blanket, "Of course, Palus and I have already shown a willingness to help you with your needs." I groaned at her. Palus laughed at my discomfort and rolled over. We all slept in a tight embrace, with Images of ancient weapons of war flipping through my unconscious mind.

The following morning, I strapped on my water reservoir, fanny pack and rucksack for the first time in days. My girls had carefully cleaned their exteriors of the dried muck sometime over the past few days, but they had been afraid of opening the packs, so the insides smelled bad. At the spring I cleaned them up with boiled wizard's water. The girls were protective of my wizard secrets, so both of them kept people out of the pool clearing while I did my cleaning work. They told the curious I was doing something dangerous, and that led to quick departures. No one wanted to be around if I did something like fireballs or lightning strikes. Our Village Crier, Sparrow, even started a rumor I was working on my Sea Snake summoning and reminded people these dangerous snakes appeared out of the ground to magically eat people whole. His stories were always changing, and referred to things people believed had already happened.