Hallowed Healing |
Summary: | Havelock sets about the routine of cleansing and likely aggravating his wound for good reason. Good reason for those of a holy nature at least and no doubt those who aren't. |
Date: | 1866-07-06 |
Related: | All logs pertaining to the retaking of Gendiel. |
NPCs: | {$npc} |
Players: |
The quarters were discreet enough to offer the wounded Reliant some measure of privacy and yet easy access into the city proper that was now under the control of the Northern forces. Modest, exceptionally modest if anything, furniture gave the bare room some measure of a lived in look, a bed, a chair, a cracked mirror and a table with a washstand, though little else. The chair was occupied with a pile of armour and against the wall his warhammer and shield rested.
Clad in little more than his breeches and boots, Havelock stood before the cracked mirror and stared at the odd wound that adorned his abdomen, five puncture marks that gave the appearance of having been stabbed with a farmers fork, yet the Reliant remembered all too well what caused it. A claw. An inhuman claw attached to an oddly human figure. A demon.
His own fingers slipped from one puncture wound to the next, a faint flutter and a twitch of his abdomen marking the wound as still sore, "That is one tale the Church will never believe." The words muttered softly beneath his breath as he reached across to the washstand to tip some bottled water onto some fresh wadding, the water blessed and soon dabbed over each wound as if to cleanse the wound of something beyond dirt and infection. Again with each application the Reliant's firm form twitched and tensed, the pain offering some measure of relief that he was still alive to tend to his wounds and the wounds of those who had suffered during the retaking of Gendiel.
"The One, who art watching over us, hallowed be thy name."
A hiss, the wadding now slightly bloodied progressed from the first puncture to the second.
"Grant us strength as we battle your foes…" The Reliant paused and added his own little addition to his gently spoken prayer, "… in this world and from realms unknown to us."
"Fill us with your righteous fury as we cast your enemies down and grant us your wisdom as we deliver your judgment."
Again he hissed, Havelock's hand slipped from the second puncture to the third, the wadding reddening under the blood that trickled from each freshly cleaned wound. Muscles twitching and sinew tensing under his harsh aid.
"Grant us the fortitude to press on through the darkness when all light has dimmed, and when our faith is shaken and our body falters."
The fourth wound was soon bleeding once more as the holy water daubed wadding sought to cast out whatever taint the Reliant believed may well have been left behind. The faintest of intakes of breath escaping him, the waist of his breeches stained dark from blessed water and blood.
"And may your light guide us through those… these dark times."
The fifth puncture was cleansed and the bloody wadding cast into the bowl on the washstand before fresh bandages were applied and awkwardly bound about his own person. Binding the fresh bandages tight against his waist to stem the renewed bleeding before finally tying off the bandage at his side and again into the mirror he stared, a finger tracing over the bandage that covered his abdomen, stopping over the five pinpricks of blood that stained the gauze already.
"Amen."
The final word spoken reverently, head bowed and with but a final glance into the mirror before he moved to settle upon the bed and stretch out as much as the wound allowed. A couple of hours rest should be enough…