Chapter 10: Orc’s Rest Town

 They didn't find a cave. What they found was both better and worse. Orc's Rest Town. Population six thousand and nine hundred. With two whole inns… and a mass of gray flags waving like battle banners from every building.

"The symptoms are coughing up blood and coughing, correct? I have dealt with this case just a couple of hours before. Let me inside, and I will even point you to the source of the sickness," Edwin said to the guard.

"Healer's permit," the guard repeated, not impressed. "Or are you a charlatan?"

"I may be a hedge healer, but I am not a charlatan," Edwin said. Suddenly, his boot clad feet were very fascinating to him.

"Hedge? So, a charlatan. I tell you what, there are some prisoners working in the fields. They are as sick as anyone else, but who cares? Heal one and I will put forward a word about you with the captain," the guard said. "This way."

And the three of them were off. Edwin was led to a field with people laying down on it, blood staining their lips. They may be prisoners, but this was inhumane.

Edwin turned to rip the guard a new one, when he saw him looking at the prisoners with remorse.

Edwin had to pick his battles, just like this guard had chosen to do so. But he needed blood root. And to get his patient out of the elements.

"I would need dried blood root and a dry place to stay. I can pay for the blood root," said Edwin, and Hadrian waved his coin purse in front of the guard childishly.

"I'll pay, not he," Edwin said as he untied his coin purse.

"Nonsense, don't listen to Eddy. I'll pay for the blood root. Here you go, keep the change," Hadrian said, and he placed a single gold coin in the guard's outstretched hand.

"I don't care who pays, really. I will get you the blood root. Wait here."

"What are you doing?" Edwin snapped at Hadrian when the guard walked away.

"I am not a charity case, Eddy. You saved me from starving to death. You risk all kinds of health conditions by feeding me your blood, yet you continue to do so. I told you already, your meals and whatever you require are on me. Just like my meals are on you," Hadrian said, then he flicked Edwin's nose and ruffled his hair.

"How old are you, Hadrian? Five? Behave with some decorum!" Edwin said, although there was no bite in his voice.

"I'll have you know I am three thousand and fifty years old. If I behaved my age, I would be yelling about young ankle biters, you ankle biter," Hadrian said cheekily. The guard came back with a single blood root and handed it to Edwin.

"Just one more thing, quack," the guard said as he pointed at the sick prisoners. "If any of them die, it will be murder. You will be trailed and put behind bars. Then made to work these very fields. The same goes for you too, vampire."

And the guard turned his back to them and marched off.

"He seems to be somewhat adequate as a guard, considering he realized what I am," Hadrian said, sounding impressed.

"All the farmers from Mitestone to here knew what you were," Edwin reminded him.

"Yes, but I wasn't trying to hide it then. Look at me, what is different about me?" asked Hadrian. Edwin turned to look at him. There was nothing wrong with the small, straight nose. No fangs were poking out of Hadrian's mouth.

Wait, he saw it!

"Your eyes don't glow anymore," Edwin said. Then he looked around. "The guard didn't provide me with a sick room! Darn him!"

Edwin let out a storm of curses as some prisoners looked at him. One, who seemed to still have some strength to his limbs, moved towards them, dragging his chains with him.

"Are you a new one?" the prisoner asked. "You are two clean to be a new one."

"I am a healer… hedge. But I am competent, and I can heal you," Edwin said with more certainty than he felt. After all, just because Bern was now well didn't mean that he could replicate the result out in the elements.

"You hear that, boys? The guards want to see us all in the grave faster!" All prisoners began to laugh, bar one.

The grim boy, one missing a hand, the sure mark of a thief, stepped forward.

"Can you really heal?" the boy asked. He, just like everyone else, had blood on his lips.

"I already healed a patient with similar symptoms. Do you have a cooking area?" asked Edwin. The boy turned and walked down the road, and Edwin saw shacks in the distance.

"What are you in here for, my boy?" Hadrian asked.

"I am not your boy, you old fart. I was the best thief in town. Stole from the merchants to feed my siblings. But with the plague, the merchants all went home, and as it turns out breaking and entering is harder than weaving through stalls," the boy said bitterly, then he doubled over and began coughing.

Hadrian went to his side and picked him up and cradled him in his arms.

"We will get you healed. And we will get you out of here," the vampire said. Edwin turned to him. How was Hadrian going to do what he just promised? The boy was a thief. That was a five-year sentence.

"Right, Eddy?" Hadrian asked with his lopsided smile. Edwin didn't want to promise something he couldn't deliver, so he promised only what he could.

"We will get you healed," Edwin said, and Hadrian looked at him with deep disappointment in his purple orbs.

They entered a shack and found that there was a moth-eaten bed in the corner. Hadrian placed the boy down and pulled out a small pick, and then proceeded to get the child's chains from him.

"What are you doing? We will get in trouble for that," Edwin said. Hadrian just shrugged.

"I'll pay for a new trial, not that the little sunshine was given one in the first place. Right, little sunshine?" Hadrian said as he removed the chains from around the boy's legs.

"I am guilty, old fart," the boy said, brows furrowed, and mouth set in a thin line.

"Yes, but can they prove it?" Hadrian asked, as he smiled in such a dazzling way that even the boy cracked a grin.