The real Wraithvine meets the fake, the mummer. And confronts them about the prisoner.
The real Waithvine sits with the prisoner to tell the truth of what happened, of their situation, of who their jailer was. And helps them to truly begin to heal.
@internutter/challenge-03864-j212-to-cease-evil -- Anon Guest
[AN: I think the details of what Wraithvine did to the false one are left up to the imagination. It's way more terrifying that way.]
The water was cool and sweet. Ribbons of red flowed away from the both of them as Wraithvine poured water gently over hir latest charge. Magic didn't heal wounds, exactly. It helped accelerate the healing of wounds with extra energy from the universe and the planes that made it work.
This poor wretch had no reserves to help along. Wraithvine had to treat them the much slower way.
Which included giving them small amounts of food, very slowly, so that they wouldn't be sick. And, as now, gently washing the wounds before very carefully bandaging them. Warm soup to keep their hands occupied and therefore to stop them trying to ingest the herbal simples that Wraithvine had open for hir healing work.
Only once the last simple was packed away did Wraithvine attempt conversation again. Giving hir patient a slice of good bread to chew on. This time with a light coating of herb infused oil. Getting nutrition to stay inside them was the ongoing battle. "Do you have a name?"
Haunted, searching eyes. Fingers caressing the invisible charm. A habitual flinch. "I... don't... know?" Cringe.
Wraithvine daubed their next slice of bread with some honey. "That's an interesting answer," ze said. "Many people find their own name over time. Some find it through convenience. Some name themselves after that which they hold dearest to their hearts and souls. You can do the same. It's allowed."
They pointed out a sprig of lavender in Wraithvine's hat band. "I like that one. The smell is... calm."
Wraithvine took down the sprig. "This is called 'lavender'. Would you like to be named Lavender?"
"Yes," said Lavender. They flinched. "If... that's allowed."
"It is very much allowed. Thank you, Lavender, for sharing your name with me." Now for the hard part. "I am... the real Wraithvine. And I should hope that I have demonstrated that there is no need to fear."
"How do you pay the balance? Who suffers for the greater good?"
"If I'm doing it right," said Wraithvine, "the people who pay are the people who committed the greater evil."
[Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash]
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