Pure

Finten glanced around the table at his men. It had been a long time since he’d seen them so relaxed and happy. He smiled and looked down into his bowl of porridge. Early this morning he, Maigred, Conall and Cathal had talked over ideas for getting Sinead out of town and away to another Lady’s land. They had the rough workings of an plan that they would build on in the next few days. If all went well, Sinead would be out of town in six days, and safe in another land in ten.

Maigred came over to the table carrying a mug. She leaned on the back of Finten’s chair and reached over his left shoulder, setting the steaming drink in front of him. “Make sure you drink all of this.”

He turned his head and leaned back slightly, answering her in an undertone. “I will. How are you feeling?”

She leaned closer, touching her head to his briefly and took a deep breath. “I’m terrified and relieved all at the same time. I’ll feel better when everything is over.”

Finten nodded and looked up at her to assure himself that she was indeed doing okay. Maigred looked tired, but she smiled softly at him and patted his shoulder. “I’ll change your bandages as soon as you’re done eating.”

She’d had bad dreams last night and had woken up with her heart beating wildly. She hadn’t wanted to talk about her dream, she just started getting ready for the day.

“Okay.” Finten nodded again.

“Good morning, tarasque.”

The cold voice froze his insides. Finten swallowed and turned to see Alvie standing on the other side of the table, one of Hadeaon’s men was standing behind her. Alvie’s eyes moved to Finten’s left and swept Maigred up and down, then moved around the table and came back to him. “Aren’t we having a cozy little breakfast this morning?”

Finten’s hand clamped into a fist under the table. He took a breath. “Good morning. What can I do for you?”

“You haven’t been coming home, FInten. I was worried. Your health is of the utmost concern to Hadeaon and myself. I came to make sure that you were doing alright.”

“I’m fine. Maigred has been taking care of me. I’m going out to work today. I’ll be back at the manor tonight.”

“Oh, I can see she’s been taking care of you.” Alvie said with a raised eyebrow. She unbuttoned her gloves and pulled them off, handing them to the man behind her; who took them without comment. She pulled out the chair opposite Finten and sat in it. She looked up at Maigred. “Bring me some black tea, girl.”

Finten’s jaw tightened.

Maigred’s hand briefly squeezed his shoulder. “Of course.” She left the dining room.

The conversation at the table around them had died completely. Finten’s men were subdued, eating quickly and quietly, their eyes trained on the food in front of them.

“Other than cavorting with that slut, what are you really doing here, Finten?” Alvie leaned back in her chair leveling her gaze at Finten.

Finten took a breath, trying to keep calm. The last thing they needed was for Alvie to become suspicious over what might be happening at the inn. “You heard right. I wasn’t doing well, Maigred doctored me. I’m on my feet now. I’ll be leaving as soon as breakfast is over.”

“She doctored you, did she? With what?”

Finten blinked. “Herbs. Bandages. Food and sleep.”

“Hmm. Well, before you go out and start working again, I’m going to have to take a look at your injuries myself. Like I said, your health is of the utmost concern to Hadeaon and myself. Why didn’t you come straight to me, with your little health issue? Or was it something that only a slut could help you with?”

Finten’s jaw tightened. He saw a quick movement from his left and looked over to see Conall’s hands were in his lap and his head was bowed. Luaren, Gusan, and Devlyn all had furious looks on their faces. He turned back to Alvie. “You need to stop insulting Maigred. She’s been nothing but good to us an-”

“So it was that kind of doctoring, hm?” Alvie grinned.

Devlyn shot to his feet and left the inn. Luaren got up and followed him at a slower pace.

Finten leaned towards Alvie. “What do you want, Alvie?” He asked in a low voice.

“I told you Finten, I’m worried for your wellbeing. I heard that Ehir went rogue. You had to put him down. All of a sudden you and the boys aren’t eating at home anymore and then you stop coming home altogether.

“What am I supposed to think? Of course I was worried for you.”

“You have nothing to worry about. Everything is fine.” Finten forced himself to start eating his porridge again. He remembered that Maigred wanted him to drink the tea too. He took a large gulp and almost spewed it out again. It was still too hot. He hastily swallowed the too hot tea. His tongue didn’t heal all the way, but the sharpness of the pain passed quickly leaving only achy numb patches. He carefully placed the mug on the table and ate more porridge.

“Here you are.”

Finten looked quickly up as Maigred set a tea service on a tray in front of Alvie.

Alvie put her hand on Maigred’s wrist. “Sit with us for a moment, Maigred.” Maigred glanced across the table at Finten before sitting in the chair next to Alvie. “I don’t want our esteemed doctor to leave before I can get a good look at your work.” Alive poured out a cup of tea into the delicate china cup on the tray. She picked it up and blew softly across the surface.

Finten realized he was staring. He ducked his head and began eating again. He took a few careful sips of his tea, until it was cool enough to drink. Then he gulped it down. “I’m done eating.”

“Alright.” Alvie got to her feet. “Is there a room we can use, Maigred, or should we examine your patient here in the dinning room?”

“There’s a room we can use. I need to get my bandages and ointment.”

“I’m sure there’s someone who can do that for you. Your daughter perhaps?” Alvie smirked at Maigred.

Maigred let out a breath and went to the entrance of the kitchen.

“Brolach,” Alvie said, motioning towards Maigred.

The guard that had come with Alvie followed Maigred to the kitchen. She didn’t go in. She spoke briefly to Aoibh who disappeared into the kitchen. Maigred waited for Aoibh to reappear then came back with a basket of bandages and ointment. Aoibh followed her with a large bowl of water.

Maigred looked up at Finten. “Come on.”

There was a sort of fierce determination in her eyes. He nodded and followed her and Aoibh from the dinning room, up the stairs and then into a room near the head of the stairs that Miagred unlocked with the ring of keys she pulled from her pocket. Alvie and her guard came crowding into the room behind them.

The room was bigger than Maigred’s. There was a bed with a small bedstead next to it against the wall and a fireplace opposite. There was a chair in front of the fireplace. Maigred dragged the chair closer to the bed.“Sit here, sideways; and take off your shirt.”

Finten nodded, unlacing his shirt and pulling it over his head, then sitting sideways in the chair so that Maigred could get to his bandages without the chair-back getting in the way.

His hands were shaking. He wasn’t sure why he was so nervous. Alvie would see his back, and be on her way and he would be on his. He would distance himself from Maigred and the inn for as long as it took to get Sinead safe. There was nothing to be nervous about. But when Maigred began gently undoing his bandages, her hands were shaking too.

Finten’s heart ached for her. He wished he could comfort her, but he didn’t want to draw any more of Alvie’s attention towards her.

Maigred unwrapped his shoulder first. “You’re doing much better. All that rest really has done you good.” Her hand smoothed gently over where the wound was, there was barely any soreness. “I’m going to add more ointment, but the wound is all closed up and seems to be healing nicely.” She started unwinding the bandages she had wrapped over the rest of his back.

She stopped suddenly. “Oh, Finten,” She breathed. She gently, almost reverently ran her hand across the bare part of his back.

The way her skin felt against his back was odd. Finten craned his neck. “What?”

Alvie shoved Maigred away and roughly unwrapped the rest of Finten’s back. She let out a breath and stepped back. “Well, shit.”