Cottage House IV

Had my behaviour towards Walma been inappropriate? When I saw her, I would have to apologise for my actions. I dried myself thoroughly with a towel and put on the clean clothes that had been given to me. Left alone in the room, I realised I would have to search for Arwa myself, as I had no idea which room she was in.

Despite being a countryside house, the dwelling was quite large, though its adobe structure meant it was in need of renovation. In winter, an adobe house would bring many problems. Regardless, as I walked down the corridor, I felt the warmth emanating from a room, leading me to believe it was where the sick girl was being cared for.

At last, I found Arwa. The room was tidy, with only a few furnishings. My eyes instinctively searched for Walma, but she was nowhere to be seen. Instead, Arwa was there, alongside Ruseppa—Walma's stepmother—and a young girl who was clearly unwell, lying in bed.

"Alek, are you well, child? Do you feel alright?" she asked, sitting on the stool beside the little girl.

"Thank you, Arwa, I feel perfectly fine," I replied.

Ruseppa, who sat by the sick girl, cast me a meaningful look, making it clear that she was not pleased with my presence.

"The clothes you're wearing belong to my husband. Don't think they're yours. I've lent them to you out of goodwill. Once you're done with them, return them to Walma. By the way, where is that girl? Her sister, our poor sick princess, is nowhere to be seen. That girl always has her head in the clouds. Honestly, she'll be the death of me," the woman muttered irritably.

"I don't know where Walma is. Also, madam, I appreciate you lending me your husband's clothes. I will never forget your generosity," I said.

The woman looked momentarily surprised before pursing her lips.

"My generosity is well known, child. I'm sure you'll never forget it," she remarked sarcastically.

Arwa, seemingly incredulous at the woman's words, let out a deliberate cough.

"I'm glad you're feeling well, child. Now, let's check on our little patient," she said.

I walked over to her as she placed her hands on the young girl's forehead, gauging her fever. The child slept peacefully—or at least, I hoped she did.

"As you can see, child, her condition is quite serious—her fever is dangerously high. I've placed damp cloths on her hands, wrists, and forehead to help reduce her temperature. Now, we need to prepare a special remedy to bring down her fever. Do you know which herbs we should use?" she asked, motioning towards the basket beside her stool.

"I do know which herbs might be beneficial. If you permit me, may I take the basket and prepare the medicine?" I asked.

Hearing this, Ruseppa shot me a glare and furrowed her brows.

"Mother Arwa, I called you here to treat my only daughter, not your apprentice, who can barely walk straight. How can I possibly trust him with my child's well-being?" she scoffed, glancing at the sick girl.

Ignoring her words, I began sifting through the basket of healing ingredients.

"Ruseppa, my apprentice may not have made a good impression on you, but I trust his knowledge completely, and if necessary, I will assist him in preparing the remedy. I will check to ensure he makes no mistakes," Arwa reassured her.

The woman was clearly displeased, but she had little choice. In truth, she was fortunate to have found a healer for her child at all. In these times, people often did not live long due to inadequate medical care.

I selected thyme, turmeric, and dried jida leaves from the basket. Arwa's face lit up with approval as she observed my choices.

"Well done, my boy. You've done exactly as I taught you," she said.

As I showed the ingredients to Arwa, I realised—thanks to Siri's assistance—that by combining these elements, I had discovered an effective compound. It included a plant resembling wild rosehip, rich in vitamin C.

"What are you planning to do with the rosehip, child? Don't tell me you intend to use it?" Arwa asked curiously.

"Yes, Arwa. I plan to add it to the remedy, even making it the primary ingredient. I'm certain it will be highly effective in reducing fever," I said.

"Child, I may not understand why you're so confident, but if we are to proceed, you must obtain the mother's approval. Even if the herbs you've chosen are not poisonous on their own, we cannot be certain they won't become toxic when combined," Arwa cautioned, resting her hand on her chin.

With Siri's knowledge and my experience from the old world, I had already tested various plant combinations. I knew rosehip dissolved easily in water and, through my experiments, had discovered its richness in vitamin C. This vitamin was effective in reducing fever. However, I had no idea how to explain this to Arwa in a way she would understand.

"I assure you, I cannot allow my daughter to consume some unknown drug. If anything were to happen to her, my husband would beat me to death," Ruseppa said sharply.

She seemed uneasy every time she mentioned her husband's name.

"Ruseppa, Alek has never disappointed me. I trust him completely, and I believe his new remedy will be effective. By the gods—especially Tarhun-Tata—I swear that we will not allow any harm to come to your daughter," Arwa declared solemnly.

Ruseppa tried to ignore Arwa's words, but she could not bear the thought of losing her child. It made me realise how difficult it was to make decisions when one was desperate.

She remained silent for a moment before finally nodding her approval.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she knelt by her daughter's bedside.

"Oh great gods, hear my voice. Do not take my firstborn, Essa, from me. Almighty gods, who hold the power to rid us of suffering, heal my daughter. You are the sole givers of life and health. There is no other healer but you," she murmured, burying her head into the bed as she wept quietly.

"Alek, now that you have her approval, we must begin preparing the remedy as soon as possible. Don't worry—I will assist you wherever needed," Arwa said with a sigh.