Silenced Screams; Owtheedge {Eve]

It was a cruel thing to leave someone to die, but the world itself was cruel. He just saw himself as just another part of it. Maybe that incantus would have been annoyed with him if he let one of her little dolls break, but that was a bridge a person crossed when they came to it.

His mind was already miles and miles away. Traveling was just the rest of him catching up. But before that, there was that distinct thud-and-jingle of a bag of money being dropped. That was enough to stop Heinrich in his tracks.

"What's that you say?" He leaned over, and his head could be seen at the end of the wagon on one side. She had a little life left in her.

He put it to a stop, hopped off the side and picked up the bag to count up just how much her life was worth to her. Truth be told, he was tempted to just take the money, hop on back and keep riding anyways.

So much so, he had even took steps to do just that. But what stepped him?

Well, it was the ethics of it. It was was one thing to leave a stranger to die of exposure and sleep easy while they do it. But to accept money for a job and not finish though with it?

Why, that was a black mark against him, and anyone else who claimed to be a professional! That wouldn't do.

"Fine, fine. Come here."

Oh, right, she was probably so sick standing was impossible.

"No, I'll come to you."

He bagged the money and marched over to where she lay. It was a simple matter to scoop her up and take her into his wagon.

Now then, what to do…? Obviously he had to fire up the oven again and drop her down next to it, wedged between a couple of blankets. The top one being some downy pelt from a woolly beast of some sort.

Next? He supposed it would do no good if she died on him, after all? He had a pantry of medicinal. He had a cordial that was good for breaking fever and fighting off colds. It tasted awful but the runny dark green bitter contents of the cork stoppered glass vial were shoved in her hand.

"Drink this then." He didn't look at her, he had other things to do. Did he have enough potable water saved for a pot of tea? Yup.

That was put on the stove top and he folded his arms and scowled. Just because he'd accepted the money and agreed to the job didn't mean he was in any way happy about the new arrangement.

"So, I guess we got a minute then. What were you going on about last night?" Hell no, he didn't bother to remember all that. It was no coincidence he just labeled her as 'Eve 2.'

Success! It didn't make perfect sense to Fēowertīne, but she had apparently managed to save herself with the money she had been given. Heinrich had taken the bait, and though the moment of hesitation gave her concern, he eventually scooped her up and carried her in. Her body was a little sore from the night of cold weather, so a little grunt escaped her as he more or less unceremoniously dropped her onto the blankets.

Her hand gripped the vial shoved into it, and at his command, she struggled to bring it up and begin drinking. Despite how horribly bitter the concoction was, she downed it all without complaint nor hesitation. Only once the last drop was gone did she lower it from her lips and offer the now-empty vial back. He had asked her a question, and she had to answer it... well, she had to try at least. Again, she struggled to sit up, the medicine having started to bring the sense of warmth back to her body.

"I... am here to obsherve you, ash Nigon did," she oncemore explained, her words slurred by her pitiful condition as she managed to oncemore extract her hand out from under the pelt, her fingers tightly clenching the leatherbound journal she had read the night before. From the deathgrip, it was fairly obvious that she wasn't willing to let him look through it. In all honesty, she didn't trust him with Nigon's journal. Even in her current state, she knew it wasn't exactly safe to let him take possession of the book, not only because of the information, but also... "For the pasht four monthsh.... haah... my shenior, Nigon, watched you shilently... ah... ah..." the small girl's face scrunched up, and for a moment it looked like she was about to sneeze, but she managed to hold it in and oncemore opened her eyes.

"In thish journal ish her findingsh... from how she found you from one of your huntsh, to the night she left her room at the inn and... and... ended up in the cave," she added, returning it to the safety of her cloak. "We all... have one like thish, and are ordered to write in them. Becaushe I am taking over for her... hah... I wash given her journal to shtudy. ... Ish my anshwer shatishfactory...?" She could no longer resist the calling of her impromptu resting place, and fell back against it, pulling the pelt that rest atop her up to her face, in an attempt to warm up.

All this talk of some dead girl who was evidently stalking him was getting old. Apparently he was now brought into the orbit of some Incantus and her merry band of warlocks.

"I'll tell you right now, you're barking up the wrong tree. I didn't have anything to do with how she died. If she screwed up and wound up a corpse for it it's her own fault."

The water was boiling away, so he prepared the rest of the tea, the boiled water was poured into a beaten copper cup, and a tightly wrapped cheesecloth filled with leaves were put inside, once steeped, he offered it to her by the loop on the side.

"I'll take you to a healer to be looked over next village. And we're going to do it quick as I'm already behind schedule. If at any point you're getting in the way again, I'm leaving you by the wayside."

Having made himself clear, he'd leave Fēowertīne to stew for a bit as he left for the outside of the cart.

After a few moments, said inside of the cart were violently jostling along as Heinrich pushed his mule to its limits to get moving faster.

A look of frustration grew on the sick girl's face as she listened to Heinrich talk. He was missing the point, despite how sure she was that she was explaining it properly. Still, he gave her a cup of tea, which she quietly accepted and weakly sipped. The man explained their next course of action before starting out, but while the urge to just accept it and continue sipping her drink was tempting, Fēowertīne couldn't help herself; as he opened the door, she called out to him.

"Nigon dying ishn't the reashon you are being obsherved," she said, "That happensh... quite a lot. We are expected to throw ourshelves into danger to tesht the resholve of thoshe we watch. Whatever it ish Nigon and Eve shee in you, I... I don't think it can overcome how much of a loushe you are!" The door closed, and she glared at it for a few moments before finally breaking her gaze to continue drinking the tea. In the back of her head, she was obsessing; it didn't make sense, how this horrible man had gotten Eve's attention, despite showing no redeeming qualities.

For the first time in her life, Fēowertīne could not agree with her master. She would obey her orders, but she believed that they would have a better chance finding the Answer Eve was looking for in something more respectable, like a bandit or a flea. This man was infuriating, an emotion she wasn't very experienced in. As she thought about it, the cart suddenly jostled, the hot liquid she was sipping spilling out onto the pelt and her cloak. Quickly, she put it down and frantically extracted Nigon's journal, checking it over to make sure it was safe. Yes, it seemed none of the fragrant liquid had gotten onto it, instead soaking through to her skin, leaving small red splotches. A relieved sigh escaped the small girl.

"... I don't undershtand at all."

A quick (or exceedingly long, if you were trying to balance a scalding liquid as a cart that was no means built for speed was tearing down bumpy and occasionally twisty unpaved roads) ride later, the cart came to a stop.

The door opened. "Alright, Eve 2. Time to see a doctor. Won't do to have you drop dead of consumption on me so long as you're paying the observation fee!"

Observation fee? Of course there was! Heinrich was the bashful type otherwise, but silver opened all doors~

In a more practical term, if he was gonna get stalked by warlocks, he was at least going to get a premium out of it.

The tea had done wonders for Fēowertīne, who had finished it up (or at least whatever was left in the cup) and, though still red in the face, sounded a lot less congested. n fact, she had even managed to ride to her feet after Heinrich called her out and step out of her own power. Sure, stepping onto the ground was still a struggle, but she made it, with her best stiff upper lip present on her face.

"...." If looks could kill, well, Heinrich would still be standing. It was hard to give a glare with puffy eyes. Still, though, she didn't recognize where they were, This was a doctor's office? A hospital of some sort? This wasn't a trick was it? No, possibly not. Nigon had written that Heinrich seemed to actually value his word when money became involved. He was no humanitarian, but having one thing working for her to keep him from getting her killed was pleasant.

"Do get a move on then. Your observation subject has places he needs to be and this is an unscheduled detour." Sanguine and chipper as ever, he seemed to prod her along with a sing-song quality to his voice.

"Yes, that's right, one foot in front of the other~"

It was a doctor's of course. The slight, slim woman with fair hair sat up from the frontroom of her home now working as a makeshift doctor's office as the front door was left open.

[color:8a6e=#fff]"Um… C-can I help you?"

"Just a moment miss, the fool who camped out under the stars is on her way in."

Fēowertīne, to her credit, took the prodding in stride, her face having returned to the emotionless mask she wore by the time she stepped in. Upon seeing the woman, she gave a respectful bow.

"Good day, I am... unwell," she explained as her cough returned, causing her to lean against the doorframe as she attempted to silence the raspy sounds escaping her. Once it was done, she stepped further into the office, opening up her cloak and pulling up on the shirt she wore underneath to reveal the splotches of burned skin. "I also have suffered injuries. Though minor, in my current condition and lack of--" oncemore her cough silenced her, and for a moment, it seemed she might topple over.

"... L-Lack of knowledge in this matter, I presumed it may be in my best interest to seek your opinion on this. I... can afford whatever you may ask. I just beg of you... please..." Another coughing fit caused her body to start to feel tingly, her body swaying slightly as she felt her head growing light. "... Do not let this horrid man leave me to die alone again."

It was taking every ounce of her strength to keep from toppling over, the rough coughs having damn near caused her to faint, as she looked back at Heinrich with a small glare.

"... For his sake, as well as his wallet's."

The doctor was left nonplussed by the exchange. She looked from the clearly ill and upset girl to the rather unconcerned man and finally got over the bizzare scene.
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"Wait, please! Come here! I have a bed, We'll lay you down and I'll do an examination and- where are your parents?"

A soft warm bed awaited the so-called Eve 2. And with it, both treatment mundane and Cartic for what ailed her.

"I've none," was the girl's quiet reply as she shuffled over to the bed and climbed onto it. There was no need for hesitation; nothing out of the ordinary, just a girl with a cold.

By the time they were finished, she awoke from a small nap to find... well, of course, Heinrich had ignored her warnings and run off, leaving the bill for her.

"..." After assuring the woman she would be paid for her services and keeping her promise on the matter, the newly revived girl once more headed out. The day was young, and she had to find that slovenly louse of a man still.