Welcome To Kientol

Terrano stopped on the lip of the Kientol crater and let out a low whistle. The depression was large, filled with a tall, seedless, grass he'd never seen before. The grass blades shortened drastically as they approached the building across from him. A building that looked smashed against the other side of the crater. To his right were many stone benches. Benches—he'd gathered from rumors—that had once been used for spectators to sit while they enjoyed some sort of entertainment below.

But it wasn't those rumors that he'd chased. Terrano had heard that the crater had become a healing compound. A place where those who had been unable to overcome their illnesses with the help of the local doctors came and found healing. A place he hoped to be able to put his knowledge of herbs to better use. Terrano's eyes scanned the bowl. He hoped someone else was here. As his eyes swept over the hill to his left, a female voice asked.

"Here to work?"

Terrano turned toward the sound, but did not see her. "Where…?"

A green cloak rose out of the tall grass less than two feet from where he stood. He jumped back. Her cloak was the same color as the grass, but how had he missed seeing her? The young woman turned to him. She wore a brown and tan tunic with matching pants. Clothes that fit her small frame nicely. She lifted her head to look up at him, but he could not make out the color of her eyes. The shadows created by the hood of her cloak were too dark.

"No need to be afraid," she said, a small smile gracing her lips. "Let me show you to Headmaster Perditio."

Without waiting for a response, the young woman turned and started down the hill. Terrano followed after her. They crossed the bottom of the bowl to the building. As they neared, Terrano started to see a few more people. Some wore the green cloak, while others did not. Was the cloak significant? Terrano stumbled when they entered the building. While there were lights in here, they seemed very dim compared to the midday sun. The young woman pulled the hood of her cloak down. Her long, black braid shifting slightly as they turned down another hallway.

She continued on, not bothering to see if he still followed her or not. Terrano tried not to slow when he started to realize how big this place really was. He almost ran into her when she stopped outside two large doors. She knocked.

"Enter!" a male voice called.

The young woman stepped inside and Terrano followed.

The room was not overly large, but large enough to fit a double wide bed. There were two sitting chairs and a small table placed against the far wall. This is where Headmaster Perditio sat. He was a middle aged man. Brown hair. Brown eyes. His expression was thoughtful as he observed them.

"A new healer, Headmaster Perditio," the young woman said, motioning to Terrano.

"Thank you, Iris."

She inclined her head respectfully. She turned away from Terrano and left the room. Terrano watched her leave before turning back to Headmaster Perditio.

"Welcome to Kientol Healing Compound," Headmaster Perditio said.

"Thank you, Headmaster."

"What skills do you bring with you,…?"

"Terrano. Terrano Greenfield."

"Terrano."

"I have studied and utilized many of the local herbs over the last several years. I hoped the rumors of this place were real since there is not much need for my skills in Oaktrail Village at this time."

"The rumors are true enough," Headmaster Perditio smiled. "We do not have many who are trained in plant medicine. We'd love to have you here."

"Thank you, Headmaster."

"I will have Iris take you through initiation and partner you with a trainer."

"Trainer?" Terrano asked.

"Yes. All of the healers here are trained in many forms of healing. This training allows for greater depth and breadth to the healing you can offer to those that seek it. It should take you no more than six months to get the other techniques down proficiently."

"I look forward to learning more."

"You are dismissed."

Terrano bowed his head as Iris had done. Then he left the room.

Iris stood in the hall, her head bowed and her eyes closed.

"Iris?" Terrano asked.

Her head came up slightly. The light illuminating a light blue eye before she turned down the hall. "This way."

"How did you know to wait?"

"The healer that brought me to see Headmaster Perditio upon my arrival waited for me. That is the way of things here."

"How long have you been here?"

"Three months."

"So you are still in training," he surmised.

"No," she replied as she opened another door. "Please remove your clothes and sit on the stool."

"You… what?"

"Please remove your clothes and sit on the stool."

She turned and pumped water into a bucket. Her attention then turned to the shelves not far from the pump. Terrano removed his outer clothing, but he was hesitant to remove his under garments. Especially in front of one as young and beautiful as Iris. Had she done this before? Where she had only been here three months, she was still new to all of this, right? He stepped toward the stool when Iris spoke again.

"Undergarments, too," Iris said.

He turned her.

She turned back to the shelves.

Terrano reluctantly removed his undergarments. He covered his partial erection as he sat with his back toward Iris. He turned slightly as she approached. He jerked when she set a hand on his shoulder. Her hand was freezing.

"My apologies," she said. "I forget my hands are cold."

"I… It's fine," he said, pulling his legs together a little more.

Iris dipped a sponge into the bucket of water and started to run it across the back of his shoulders. The water was warm. Something he didn't expect from pumped water. He tried to quiet his thoughts. Tried to keep them from wandering. Keep them from focusing on how being naked in front of Iris made him feel. He kept his hands over his genitals until Iris calmly and gently moved one of his arms to wash it. He cupped his hand back over his genitals before Iris took the other arm to wash. Her face revealed no emotion. Her eyes remained lowered, but never wandered from the place she was working. It felt nice to have the three days worth of dirt washed off of him.

Iris dipped a smaller sponge into the warm water and washed his face. Then she resumed working with the larger sponge to wash his neck and chest. She knelt and shifted his arms slightly to wash his sides and hips. Terrano's arms relaxed some as she took special care to wash his legs and feet. She dipped the sponge one last time in the water before holding it out to him.

"I will let you wash the rest," she said.

Terrano took the sponge, but didn't start to wash the rest of his body yet. Iris stood and stepped behind him. He turned to see her inspecting his clothes. Then she stepped over to a set of shelves he had not seen in the dim light. He finished washing then waited. Not sure what he was meant to do next. He jerked when Iris appeared beside him once more. She had been so quiet, he hadn't heard her footsteps cross the floor. How had she done that? He handed her the sponge. She took it and set it in the bucket. He turned slightly as something scraped across the floor. Iris held a bowl in her hand. Using her fingers, she mixed a paste. It smelled like something, but Terrano was having a hard time placing the scent. The edges of Iris' mouth turned down a little before she stepped behind him.

"I can finish washing myself if you would prefer, Iris," he said softly.

"What makes you think I want to be somewhere other than where I am?" she asked as she worked the paste into his hair.

"The edges of your mouth turned down."

"They always turn down while I work."

"Do you not enjoy your work?"

"I would not have come to Kientol if I didn't."

"Can I ask where you are from?" he asked when Iris stopped scrubbing his head.

"Tip your head back," she instructed.

Terrano did so. His eyes scanning her face as he waited for an answer. But she remained focused on her task. Kept her attention on rinsing the paste and dirt from his hair. She set the bucket down one final time then rubbed a cloth over his head to absorb the excess water. The towel was soon placed over the bucket. He winced. Iris was combing his hair. She combed it one way to get the knots out then combed it into the precise manner he had it upon his arrival. Terrano turned to her as she stepped around to his side again.

She handed him a stack of clean clothing—including a green cloak. He took them. Iris gathered the supplies she used and returned to the water pump and shelves to clean and put away what she could. Terrano stood and pulled on the clean undergarments and pants while her back was to him. Then he pulled the tunic shirt over his head.

"Are you going to answer my question, Iris?" he asked as he clasped the green cloak over his shoulders.

Iris turned to him. He could see now that she had two different colored eyes. Her right one the light blue he had seen, but her left was a deep, much darker green. "…One day," she replied. "Come. Let me introduce you to Sirus."

She opened the door and stepped out into the hall. Terrano followed, nearly losing sight of her as she weaved around healers and patients. He caught up to her. He remained close enough that he could smell the mint she had used to condition her hair. Spearmint, his favorite. Now he really wanted to get to know Iris, but before he could open his mouth to ask her another question, she turned sharply to the right. Terrano turned and found himself in a very large, open, dining area. Iris was already halfway across the room. He picked up his pace to catch up with her once more.

"Good afternoon, Sirus," Iris said to a much older gentleman who had just finished conversing with another healer.

"Good afternoon, Iris," he replied. "Who is this?"

"Terrano," Terrano said, shaking the older man's hand.

"Pleasure to meet you Terrano."

"If you gentlemen will excuse me," Iris said, bowing her head.

Sirus bowed his head in return and Iris turned away.

"Iris," Terrano called after her.

She turned back to him.

"Did you ever know a girl named Rosa? It's just…. Your eyes…."

Her expression—her eyes—betrayed nothing. "I hope you catch on quickly, Terrano. Excuse me."