Chapter 50 - Healer

Lisle and Healer Deloren stood in Gareth’s small room where he sat on the side of his cot, looking back and forth between them. Lisle could hardly stand still. She clasped her hands behind her and tried to settle herself down. Deloren was going to teach her the healing technique that she did with her hands. Lisle had seen Deloren use this healing method a number of times and was thrilled to be learning it now.

Her thoughts tumbled over each other in her excitement.  As Ell’s Hand, Lisle would need healing skills to aid those who needed her. She would be like Healer Deloren. Not only that, but as Ell’s Voice, she was learning all that Bryllint could teach her about the Book of One and the history of Gaea and the Guardians. It was all so exciting! Happiness bubbled up inside and Lisle started to bounce up and down on her toes.

Deloren looked at her, her lips curving upward and dimples appearing in her cheeks. Then she turned her attention to Gareth. “Gareth, thank you for agreeing to help with Lisle’s initiation.”

Gareth’s smiled in response. A smile which widened considerably when his attention was caught by the movement of Lisle’s anticipatory bouncing.

“Gareth?” Deloren drew his eyes back to her own. “Remember how I held my hands over your leg and it felt warm?” Deloren demonstrated by holding her hands, palms down, just above his leg.

“I remember. Eased the pain. Made all the difference.”

“Just so. The body utilizes the energy according to it’s need.” Deloren turned to Lisle. “Lisle please hold out your hands, palms up.”

Lisle managed to stop bouncing and did so, looking up at Deloren to see what she would do next. Deloren took several deep breaths. Lisle could feel the stillness that radiated from Deloren. Without conscious intention, Lisle mirrored her and took several deep, calming breaths.

Deloren’s smooth alto filled the room around them. “Thank you my One, for the Blessing of Healing given long ago. Thank you now, for bestowing this Blessing upon your daughter, Lisle, that she may serve as healer for those in need.” Then Deloren lifted a hand and drew a circular pattern with her first finger in the air before her. She made the same motions again, drawing the circles on the palms of each of her own hands. When she was complete, she gently took hold of Lisle’s hands one at a time, and drew the pattern with her finger in the same manner on Lisle’s palms.

Deloren released Lisle’s hands and looked into her eyes. Lisle felt like she dove into a vast lake of sapphirine blue as Deloren’s eyes enfolded her in a loving embrace. Mesmerized Lisle didn’t respond when Deloren instructed her to place her hands in the air just above Gareth’s leg.

Deloren’s lips twitched, and she repeated her instruction. Lisle looked at Gareth shyly, then ducked her head and held her hands above his leg.

“Gareth, would you show Lisle the location of the wound on your leg?”

Gareth pointed to his thigh and Lisle moved her hands over the area he indicated. As she did so, Deloren placed her own hands above Lisle’s, just barely touching the backs of Lisle’s hands. The healer stood quietly, eyes closed. Lisle closed her eyes in response and wondered what would happen. Would she feel anything?  Her question was soon answered as she felt Deloren’s hands rapidly heat up. Lisle could feel her own hands tingling and pulsing with warmth. Deloren moved her hands away. Lisle felt increasing heat now radiate from her own palms. Her hands felt burning hot. Could that be right?

She opened her eyes and looked to Deloren for assurance, even as Lisle still held her hands in position above Gareth’s leg. Deloren smiled and nodded assent.

“That’s warm,” said Gareth. “as warm as Deloren does it, Lisle.”

Lisle looked at her hands, expecting to see them reddened and burned. But they looked perfectly normal, despite the fiery heat that radiated from them.

“The channel is open Lisle, and you can do this on your own now. Practice as often as you can, on yourself and others.”

“C…can I d…d…do this for Ell?”

“Yes, it will be very good for her. And once you and Ell have undergone the Ritual of the One, you will be able to channel this healing energy even more strongly through her, as her Hand.”

Lisle felt the heat leave her hands and she dropped them to her sides and moved away from Gareth.

Gareth looked back and forth between Deloren and Lisle, “Is that all I get today?”

Deloren chuckled, “Now you’re just being greedy. I’ve seen you traipsing all over the tunnels without even a stick for support. You hardly need healing energy anymore.”

Gareth grinned and winked at her. Then he groaned and grabbed at his leg. “Oh, the pain! Ow, it’s terrible!”

“Get on with you.” Deloren cuffed him on the shoulder. “Come on Lisle, we’ve real injuries to attend to.”

“Ta!” Said Gareth to their retreating backs.

Out in the tunnelway Lisle turned to Deloren. “W…we do?”

“No, but we can’t let him think he’s our only one, now can we? Besides we’ve gathering to do.”

“G….gathering!” Lisle skipped ahead down the tunnel to get her pack and waved at her teacher as Deloren took a different turn to pick up her gathering supplies.

“Meet you at the Mouth,” said Deloren.

Having grabbed her pack and a warm outer layer, Lisle raced out the tunnelway and waited at the entrance leading to Guardian Cavern for Healer Deloren. She shivered as the early morning chill seeped through even the outer layer she had pulled on, and gazed out over the mountainside, out to the horizon, way off in the misty distance. Lisle felt her gut tingling in a happy way. This morning is filled with wonderful things, she thought, as she took a deep breath of the fresh morning air. First the initiation and now we’re to hunt medicinal herbs for making a healing balm for Ell. Deloren told her yesterday that dragon skin required the healing herbs that grew in the grey stone outcroppings surrounding the base of Guardian Mountain. It was best to harvest the herbs in the early morning. That’s where they were going now.

Lisle clasped her arms, slapping her hands against her upper arms, and walked from one side of the tunnel and back again. A fall chill was in the air this morning, marking the time for the Ritual of the One almost upon them. She felt her stomach give a lurch. She had so much to learn and so little time to learn it.

Deloren sauntered along the tunnel toward her, a smile playing about her lips. “Ready Lisle?”

Her calm, friendly manner put Lisle right at ease, and she skipped up to Deloren, abandoning worry. As they walked out together into the early morning mist, Lisle saw the sun, a flat, white disk that would soon burn off the mists leaving the day so bright she’d need the hat she had stuffed into her pack.  As she skipped along beside Deloren, Lisle’s thoughts ranged ahead to where they would gather the herbs. Then they would take them back to the kitchen to make into balm for Ell. Perhaps Terris would have something nice for them to munch on while they worked.

A familiar, loud buzzing caught her attention and she looked at her shoulder knowing she would see Moss settling onto her accustomed seat atop her pack.

“D..Day of the One M…Moss.”  

Moss reached up an arm, burnished spring bright green by the strengthening sun and patted Lisle’s neck.

“Thank you for joining us Moss. You’ve a sharp eye for the herbs and we’ll welcome your help,” said Deloren.

Moss chittered in response, her sharp-chinned face looking forward eagerly.

They settled into a rhythm, hiking down the stony mountain path and Lisle’s mind filled with thoughts about healing herbs, and making them into poultices, balms and teas. She thought about how she was now initiated into energy healing and how she could help Ell and others who might need her. A new feeling arose within her. It started slowly in her heart, a gradual expansion and a growing excitement. Maybe she was more than she had been. Maybe she was someone who could make a difference.

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In case you missed a post, or if you've just tuned in to Lisle's story, 
​here are links to previously posted chapters to save you scrolling all the way through.  
Introduction  Prologue  Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 ​Chapter 5 
Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 
Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20
 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 
Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 
Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Chapter 39 Chapter 40 Chapter 41 
​Chapter 42  Chapter 43 Chapter 44 Chapter 45 Chapter 46 Chapter 47 Chapter 48 Chapter 49

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​​​​​​Check this page next week for another exciting chapter of Contract With a Guardian!