Grumpy Ones: Part CI

When Derrik was closing his eyes – either because he was unconscious or worse – Varania sobbed and Aidan cursed, activating another healing spell.

"Why isn't it working?" Ayumi asked, her voice tense and her face pale while crouching next to the mages.

"There is blood on his lips", Fenris heard himself answer. "Probably a rib has punctured his lung." He had seen injuries like this before, when he had been Danarius bodyguard.

"I am afraid that is exactly what has happened", Aidan murmured and checked Derriks pulse, looking even more worried when he pulled his hand back.

Fenris eyes went to his sister who was stroking Derriks hair and looking completely different to the controlled magistra he had been able to watch only minutes before. Somehow, seeing her like this calmed him down and let him start to think about the possibilities they had.

His eyes went back to Derriks face which was becoming paler with every second.

"Fenris, isn't there anything we can do?" Cassy asked quietly, standing close enough that their shoulders touched.

He shot her a short glance. She had been a good fighting partner, quick and concentrated and ruthless. Now she looked as worried as the rest of them and he really wished that there was something he could do. He might not like Derrik, but he certainly did not wish the mages death…

"Can't we combine our magic?" Varania just said under tears. "Please, Aidan, we have to DO SOMETHING!!!"

Aidan shook his head. "Healing magic won't help when the source isn't removed, Varania." He sounded helplessly and desperately, slowly losing his usual controlled demeanor.

A thought came to Fenris mind. It would be a risk, but on the other hand they did not really have another option.

Crouching down next to his sister, he looked at Aidan and then at her. "When I was with Danarius, I saw him one time using his magic to… torture one of his slaves who was supposed to be a spy for another magister. He broke his bones with Force magic, but once he was hurt too badly, he restructured them and broke them again, sometimes using healing magic to … extend his agony…" They had all become silent, and he could clearly see their eyes lying on his face, horrified. He could also hear the unspoken words in the air: Why he hadn't done anything against it.

Not able to look at Cassy, he turned to Varania. "I have no idea how he did it, Varania, but maybe the same idea could work here to help Derrik, the other way around."

"I", she inhaled deeply and looked again at Derriks face. "I don't know how!? What if I hurt him even more badly??"

"Varania", Fenris heard himself answer, sounding calm, but also strict, the voice he had used back in Minrathous when talking to other guards or sometimes when talking to Hawke in Kirkwall; "he will die anyway. I know that you can do it. Aidan is here to support you with his magic, right?" Looking at the other mage, he saw him nod, looking calmer again.

"I would do it by myself, Varania," Aidan said, "but you know that I am no expert in offensive magic." His hands removed Derriks robe and moved over his costal arch, suddenly stopping. Then he took Varanias hands and put them on Derriks skin. "Here, do you feel it? Do you feel the difference?"

Varania nodded, hectically wiping the tears from her cheeks. "Yes, I can feel it."

"Alright", Aidan said and looked thankfully at Fenris who was still crouching next to his sister. "Try to pull the rib back. I will heal him once it isn't in his lung anymore. Alright?"

Varania did not look as she was alright at all, but did not say anything, but simply was squaring her shoulders and nodding. A strange feeling was growing deep inside of Fenris, and he knew what it was: Pride. For her.

When the two mages started to work, he was slowly raising his eyes to Cassy, fearing what he would see in them after he had revealed this ugly part of his past.

He was taken aback by what awaited him. There was no reproach in her eyes, and also no pity. Instead, he saw something he had never seen before: The look of a person who was proud of him.