Should Have Been Drowned

Aliana was pleased that the stranger didn't resist her treatments. She took the extract and wolfsbane as instructed, and once the fear that the woman might try to commit suicide had passed, the queen began to relax more. The stranger's apology didn't make any sense to her, but Ali masked her confusion with a gentle smile. "Hush, you have nothing to be sorry for," she spoke in soothing velvety lyrics. She didn't know what "break" meant, but perhaps it had to do with some sort of trauma she'd endured. Chimera left and returned some minutes later with two sturdy pieces of wood that would make for an excellent splint. "Thank you," she said to Chimera, then turned back to him when he left to go sit in the door. "Don't go too far. I still need you." Ordinarily, Aliana would not be so direct with her king, but when it came to treating her patients, she reigned supreme here.

The stranger introduced herself as Reila and Aliana dipped her muzzle to her. "That's a lovely name. I am sorry for what I have to do, Reila. I hope you understand this is to help you heal." Aliana glanced back to Chimera once more. "Chimera, I need you now." She waited for the behemoth of a brute to come back to the makeshift bed while she prepared Reila. Her broken bone hadn't torn through her skin, so she had to resort to feeling across her foreleg with delicate paw pads until she felt where the bone had been fractured. Thankfully it felt like a clean break, so it should heal naturally once it was set. "Lie on your side, Reila." She waited for her patient to comply while she turned to Chimera to give him his instructions. "When I tell you to, I need you to put pressure on her leg right here. Not a lot, just enough to keep the bone set while I apply the splint," she explained, showing him with her paws where to hold. Then she looked to Reila and offered her the strip of leather she'd brought to bite down on. "I'm sorry, this will not be pleasant, but I need you to lie as still as possible for me, okay?"

With everyone set and prepared, she looked up to Chimera as she took the pieces of wood and cloth strips in her paws. "Okay, now."

"Aliana"