Support For My Best Friend
Trigger warning: This chapter deals with sexual assault.
POV: Alexandra
I had just sat and quietly listened to a disturbing story from my best friend about something so heartbreaking to experience. I had known for a while that she was out of sorts but every time I had asked her about it, she would simply brush it off as being tired. A few things made sense now that I knew what she had been through. I remembered not long after her run under the moonlight she had bristled when anyone tried to touch her. I had asked her about it one time when I tried to hug her and she stated that her muscles were sore from the run. She had a way of hiding her trauma so that no one would question her further. It pained me that she couldn’t come to me sooner to open up about what had happened to her but I told myself then and there that she needed the time to process and cope on her own. Now that she told me, I would rally around her and help her with anything she needed. I never had a best friend growing up but I had assumed this was the best thing I could do for her. I had imagined that she said something because Seraphia had told her something about her future that would lead her on the wrong path had she not told me. I sighed and looked down, “Is there anything I can do to help you, Jess? I’ve never experienced such a thing myself so I might not be much help but I want to do something.”
Jess got up from her cot where she had sat before telling me her story, she sat next to me and placed her head on my shoulder, “Honestly, Xan, this is so healing that I wished I had done this sooner.” I leaned my head on top of hers, “What did she tell you?” She sighed, “I can’t really tell you specifics since this would be destiny-altering if I told you but basically if I didn’t tell you and Derek about this that I would regret it for the rest of my life, especially since what I went through will have lasting damage.” I lifted my head from hers and looked down, “What do you mean?” I could hear the sadness in her voice as she simply said, “I can’t have children.” Realization dawned on me, “Is that what the letter to Teddy was about?” She nodded, “He said he had something he wanted to try when the time was right for us to have kids. I think it might be surrogacy or some form of it here in Vellum.” I gasped, “Wouldn’t that have an effect on your bonding with your babies? I read about lycan children and they are imprinted with their mother from conception and that has effects on whether they can bond with their mothers. I have seen cases where an imprint didn’t take with their children and they had no relationship with their mothers whatsoever.” She sighed and nodded, “That’s the problem. We would have to decide if it is even worth having kids. I wanted to give them to Derek but it may not be possible.”
I sprang up from the cot and started to pace, “I can’t let this happen, Jess! One thing I always knew you’d be great at was being a mother. I am going to ask Doc about it when I see him tomorrow. Discreetly, of course, it isn’t my story to tell.” Jess smiled up at me, “Well if there’s one thing I can ever count on in my life is that my best friend will come up with a way. I have faith in you, Xan. I always have and I always will.” She pulled herself up from my cot and crossed back to hers and laid down, “I hope you don’t mind but it’s been an emotionally exhausting night and I need some sleep.” I shook my head, “Hey, I don’t blame you. Get some rest. I think I’m going to do so myself, I want to seek out Doc early on.” I reached over and turned off the lone lantern lighting up the room and settled in. Jess sighed from her cot, “Good night, Xan.” I snuggled my pillow and replied, “Good night, Jess.” I laid there in the dark silence and closed my eyes to force myself into sleep. Thankfully it wasn’t long before it came.
The next morning I was awake and dressed before Ronan poked his head in to wake his soldiers. He startled me when I ran into him while exiting the tent, “You’re up really early. I’m told they usually have to drag you out of bed.” I quietly giggled, “I’m not a morning person, normally. Today, I’m on a mission. Do you know if Doc is up and about?” Ronan nodded, “Yeah, he’s in mess. He usually likes to get there before everyone else so he can have breakfast and make his rounds.” I looked around the tent to see if anyone was awake and then asked, “Can you do me a favor Ronan?” He shrugged a quick shrug, “What do you need?” I smiled up at him, his tall stature looming over me, “If you see Elder Edgar, can you send him to the medical tent and let him know I got an early start since I wanted to pick Doc’s brain?” He chuckled, “No problem, I’m actually going to his tent to wake him next. I’m loving your enthusiasm.” I shuffled by him and walked to the mess tent.
I poked my head in the tent and sure enough, as Ronan had said, Doc was quietly enjoying some sort of porridge and reading a book. I grabbed a juice and a bagel, toasted it with my magic, and put cream cheese on it. I made my way over to the table Doc was sitting at and smiled down at him, “Good morning Doc, may I sit with you?” He looked up from his book and smiled, “Of course, Your Grace.” He closed the book and leaned his head in his hand, “You’re up earlier than usual. I imagine you wish to have a talk with me?” I nodded, “Yes, I had a medical question.” The smile on his face broadened, “Oh? I am curious as to what you would like to ask. Go ahead.” I huffed out a breath to prepare myself to ask, “I know that my magic can be used to cauterize and you stated that my magic could be used for more medical practices right?” He nodded, “Yes, I did say that.” I took a sip of my juice before continuing, “Say I know someone who cannot have children, would I be able to use my magic to heal her?” He thought about it and shook his head, “Not possible, your fire magic would likely make it worse.” I sighed and looked down, “I was afraid of that. I just wish there was a way I could help this person.” He shrugged, “I wouldn’t feel like you should be limited to normal magic though. I had heard that some who are touched by Gods have different sorts of element magic.” I thought back to when I felt a jolt through my body when my brother rescued me from Loki. Lightning magic was not a thing in Vellum yet my brother used it to eliminate the curse in my body. I had wondered if I could use the power of love or the sun to help. I would have to talk to my soul parents to see if they could help me cultivate it. I nodded at him, “I think I understand. I will look into it. Thanks for your insight Doc.”
Just then another person came walking into the mess tent and Doc rose to his feet, “I need to go make my rounds before the whole camp wakes up. I’ll likely see you over there. I don’t imagine Elder Edgar will allow you to work elsewhere.” I shook my head, “I wouldn’t want to be reassigned anyhow.” The person that had walked into the mess tent was Elder Edgar. He walked towards me chuckling and shaking his head, “I had never imagined that Alexandra Batiste would be up before most in this camp but here we are. Are you ready for your assignment today?” I nodded, “I am, sir.” He sat down next to me, “I know that you likely have something against the person I am assigning you today but I would like to see how you operate with difficult situations. I am assigning you to attend to Countess Kastilidan today. You will help her with her every need.” He looked around confused, “I will chide you, Your Grace.” I looked up at him, “What about?” He sighed, “Your life is in constant danger yet here you are without a guard. You cannot head over to the medical tent until one of your guards show up here. I will also have to report this to His Majesty and the Elder Council. I’m honor-bound. I hope you understand.” I left out of the tent so quickly and on a mission, I hadn’t even thought about my own life. I gasped, “I didn’t even realize. This is a consequence of my waking up unnaturally early.”
We heard a panicked noise outside of the tent where a woman was shouting, “Check the mess tent! I’ll go ask His Majesty if he’s seen her!” It was Jess yelling to who I assumed was Derek. Edgar gave me a knowing look, “This is the cause of your carelessness, Your Grace. Try to remember yourself in the future.” I bowed my head at him, “I understand, sir. I will try my hardest not to repeat this.” He nodded and rose to his feet. Unfortunately for Edgar, he was trying to exit the tent when Derek came barging in. Edgar fell to his butt shortly after. Derek gasped, “Oh my Gods, sir! I am so sorry. Let me help you up.” Edgar was laughing on the ground as Derek helped him up, “You look like a man with a mission. She’s here and I have already lectured her about her carelessness.” Derek shot a glare at me then nodded at Edgar, “Thank you, sir but she’s not out of the woods with me.” Edgar nodded back at Derek, “Try not to make her cry.” He left the tent and Derek strode up to me, stopped in front of me, and folded his arms. He glared down at me, “You really have a death wish, don’t you?” I sighed, “I was so curious about asking a medical question of Doc that I just sort of forgot.” He clenched his jaw, “Forgot?! You forget to lock your front door, you don’t forget that your life is in danger, Lex!” I nodded, “I know Derek but my mind was singularly occupied with how I could help Jess.” He relaxed just a bit, “Did you find anything out?” He took a seat next to me and I shook my head, “Not entirely but I think I have a path to a solution provided by the Gods themselves. I just need to ask some questions and put the theory into practice. I’m not sure how I’m going to do it just yet but I can guarantee that I will find the solution.”
