Fanfic:Among the Blood and Ashes
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Written for Border Patrol: Ambushed in the Blight
Mirin slogged through dirt churned up by the feet of hundreds of refugees. Her arms held a stack of ragged multicolor blankets and a large bag of water jugs was slung across her shoulders. The people sat in disorganized huddles. Their faces, tired and hopeless, barely showed a glimmer of gratitude as Mirin passed out the blankets and water.
She hated this. The stench of unwashed bodies and human sweat, the oppressive feel of desperation hanging in the air, the shouts and sounds of clashing steel that still came through the portals in the Traveling Yards, the crying babes and complaining children. As a newly raised Accepted, she had come to help with the wounded, expecting to learn Healing weaves from the Yellow sisters, not…this.
“Aes Sedai?” The voice was barely above a whisper. At first, Mirin did not notice, but then a hand tugged at the hem of her sleeve. “Aes Sedai?”
Mirin’s eyes widened. “I’m not an –” she began, but the woman cut her off.
“Please, Aes Sedai, I twisted my ankle and it is swelling terribly.” The woman lifted the edge of her woolen skirt.
Mirin bent to touch the woman’s ankle. With relief, she saw that it was not red or hot. Not infected, then. But it was tender. The woman bit back a moan as Mirin gently palpated her ankle and foot. A pulled tendon, or a sprain. A simple matter to Heal. But Mirin hesitated. She had seen the simplest Healing weave a dozen times while helping the sisters in the infirmary, but had never actually used it herself. But a glance around showed that there were far too many people for the Yellow sisters to tend. And they were busy with the most seriously wounded.
Even though the woman’s twisted ankle wasn’t life-threatening, it was clearly causing her severe pain. Mirin bit her lip. What if she made a mistake? But she couldn’t bring herself to say no. She opened herself to saidar and gently drew out a silver strand of Spirit. Next to it, she placed two more threads - one of Air and another of Water. Twisting the three together, she wove the braided circular weave for Healing and settled it over the woman.
Release. She watched with bated breath as the weave tightened. The woman gasped and stiffened as if she had been doused with ice water. Then, she looked down at her foot in wonder. She moved her foot experimentally, and then leapt up and threw her arms around Mirin.
“Oh, thank you, Aes Sedai! Thank you!” She grabbed Mirin’s hand and kissed the Great Serpent ring.
Mirin winced. The woman smelled terrible. But a small part of her felt a little brighter. The blankets in her arms and the bag on her back didn’t seem as heavy as before; the stench of the refugees didn’t seem as oppressive. She continued through the crowd, helping where she could.
