Sienna woke up in the middle of the night to the feeling of pain. The medicine wore off and she felt it was still sensitive and swollen. It looked like, these potions were just painkillers and had no other healing effects! She felt so dizzy!
She went to the bathroom and to the mirror to check it. It was blue and purple. "I definitely need antibiotics for this. But where to get them?"She sighed. It felt so weird to her to stare at that wound. It made her upset with Tyrell a lot. She did not even want to imagine how would she look like if Marco did not save her!
In the moist and dark wetlands, Sarcos was training with Ramse at night when a wild owl dropped the injured mockingbird into his hand!
"I'm sorry," the owl howled." I wanted to eat him, but he said he got a message for you from your queen," she landed at Sarcos's other hand.
Sarcos walked with the injured bird and owl to his room. He fed the owl in the kitchen on his way and let it fly back to the forest. Then he had a look at the mockingbird. The owl pressed its neck too much and ripped its wing.
He put him on the table in his room and got a little pot from his clothes. He put a potion on the bird's neck and wing to heal it almost miraculously!
The bird stood up and chirped happily.
"So you have a message for me from my queen? Cheeky bird."Sarcos smiled. He was thinking the bird just tried to save its life cleverly.
"I do. "The bird chirped. And then he started talking in Sienna's voice! He repeated everything she told him. Everything! Even the sobs! It was like listening to a recording tape but with better quality!
Sarcos listened carefully, he could see in front of his eyes Sienna begging under a huge white tiger and his heart was burning in anger.
"She was supposed to be with Marco in his mountains!"Sarcos raged upset. But then he understood Sienna did not see Tyrell for too long and wanted to spend time with both of them. His heart ached for her. Sarcos took the bird into his hand and went out in a hurry.
He rushed down to see Xander and Ramse. He took them to the Marath's laboratory.
"What have you got?"Xander asked curiously staring at the bird.
"A message from Sienna."Sarcos sighed as he sat the bird on the table. The mockingbird started singing the message again and the kings stared a bit shocked. It sounded just like her!
"I need to make my magic healing potion for Sienna fast."Sarcos sighed.
"Ramse, you go pick the herbs!" Sarcos gave him the instruction. Ramse nodded quickly and went out.
Mathyas heard Sienna's voice around, so he came in and stared at the little bird talking."What happened to her again?"
"Tiger's Eye Star," Xander said."It affected Tyrell and he bit her neck wanting to mate roughly. She is in pain now."
"But is normal for tigers, no?"Mathyas shook his shoulders.
"You don't understand. She is human, she can get an infection. The pain will burn as fire down her bones and it might poison her blood." Sarcos shook his head. "The medicine they got in Crystal City is not good enough for her. They are just painkillers. Sienna does not have antibodies in her blood as tigers do."
"Anti what?" the Mathyas with Xander stared.
"Whatever, "said Sarcos, "Too long to explain. Magic stuff."
"But you are making her a special healing potion, so she will be alright, no?"Xander asked worriedly."I can help you to get the things ready for it till Ramse returns with the herbs," he offered.
Sarcos looked at Xander seriously."I will need some of your panther's blood. You are the closest feline I have here. I like to use magic in your blood. Your mesmerizing stars have a calming effect. It will help her to rest."
"Sure, just do it."Xander nodded.
"But if her wound is serious, you might get after-effects when Sienna will use it. It might transfer her injuries to you. Are you content?" Sarcos looked at him.
"Sure.Anything for my little dove. "Xander said resolutely.
"As a reward, you might see her in your dream after she uses her potion," Sarcos grinned at him a bit uncomfortably.
"Great."Xander's eyes lit up. He was happy to help and he will do anything for Sienna anyway." Can I keep that mockingbird for a while?" he asked a bit carefully.
"If it stays with you?" Sarcos chuckled and started to prepare the vials to boil the medicine in.
Ramse came back with herbs shortly. He was rushing thru the forest like crazy. Sarcos cleaned the herbs and boiled them lightly in water. The herbal smell lingered in the laboratory. Xander kept cringing his nose. He was too sensitive to the herbal smells!
Sarcos siff the cooked herb's leftover bits out and put his potion mix into a lightly heated vial. He started to chant some spells and mix his concoction slightly. It made it change colour rapidly from brown to green to bright blue! The kings stared. Then he added some melted beeswax, coconut oil, echinacea oil and sweet-smelling spice mix.
When the mixture cooled down to a half-melted state. Sarcos looked at Xander.
"How much blood do you need?"Xander came closer to a little pot with his dagger out.
"Silly panther, few drops," Sarcos chuckled.
He pitched Xander's finger with a sharpened feather and added three drops of Xander's blood to the mixture.
"Why are you using feathers?"Xander wondered.
"So you can see her in your dream, you silly panther. The sweet dream on the swan feathers wings," Sarcos chuckled and put one drop of his blood in it too.
"Is your blood also magic?"Xander asked curiously.
"Yes, and I want to see her too."Sarcos nodded longingly. He mixed the potion properly and stuffed all of it into a small jade stone pot. He covered the pot in the soft fabric and added a note for Sienna in it as well, then he tie it up with the string tightly, to make it easy for a bird to carry.
"Why did you make so little?"Xander asked still thinking. "We should make more for her."
"This is more than enough, she needs to put it on just once."Sarcos smiled."It should work almost immediately." he noted and went out. Xander with Ramse followed him curiously.
Sarcos went outside the fortress and whistled loudly. Two strong wild eagles landed on his forearms. "King Sarcos, to your service," they screeched.
"I have a mission of great importance. I need you to deliver this balm and note to my queen to Crystal City," he said and tie it on one eagle's leg.
"Sure."The eagles screeched.
Sarcos said a spell over them."You will fly much faster now. Rest for a day after you give the packet to my queen." he threw them up in the air. The eagles screeched and flew away really fast.
"How is he doing it?"Xander shook his head. He could understand wild animals as well, but they would not listen to him so blindly. Only the wild panthers would.
"All the wild animals listen to him."Ramse nodded."He could order them around as he got his Flaming Scorpion."
"That is so cool."Xander nodded.
The next morning in Crystal City, Sienna was still in pain. She could only sit and watch clouds from the window when two eagles landed on her windowsill.
"Bran!" she called.
Bran came inside and looked at two strong eagles. They looked exhausted! He took the note from them and gave them some water.
"Important message from King Sarcos. We flew here just overnight." the eagle said to Bran.
"How is that even possible?"Bran opened his eyes wide.
"Magic spell."The eagles screeched. Bran noted. He opened the fabric packet and gave a little note to Sienna;
"My beloved Sienna,
put the balm on your neck immediately. No one else should touch it just you. Use everything in the pot at this one time. I will count for everyone what is right when I will come back!
Love you more than my life.
Sarcos"
Sienna teared up as she saw the note. She asked Bran to put the balm on her neck with a back side of a little silver spoon. She sat at her vanity table and held her hair as Bran spread the lotion on carefully.
Sienna felt the balm on her neck as a warm wave. It relaxed her whole body, so she lay her head into her hands leaning at the table. She felt her blood flowing to her head making her dizzy. She closed her eyes for a moment when golden falling stars were suddenly as a sparkly veil in front of her eyes like in a sweet dream!
"Xander?" Sienna whispered.
The handsome panther's face was smiling at her in her dream.
"Get better fast my, little dove. We all miss you." she almost heard his smooth manly voice talking to her. It felt so calming.
Then she saw Sarcos. He was murmuring some spells. Sienna ran to hug him but he always stood in the distance like she could not catch him however fast she run."Sarcos!" she called in desperation. She did not like this game! Suddenly he was in front of her. Sienna felt how he hugged her.
Sienna went to kiss him and then she saw herself in Sand City. In his gardens, resting on cushions and eating sweet fruits. It feels so nice." she sighed. Suddenly she realized she is not supposed to be there!
Sienna opened her eyes abruptly. She stared at Bran who was sitting next to her.
"How long I was sleeping?" she asked a bit disturbed but happy inside.
"Just a few minutes."Bran stared at her neck. "It is all healed. You look like it never happen. It just closed itself and smoothed out somehow." he pointed at her neck.
"Really?"Sienna touch it and looked in the mirror." Aww. Sarcos is so amazing." she smiled."It is all gone." she beamed happily.
Meanwhile, Xander woke up in the wetlands all stiff. He was lounging on the tree in the garden when he blacked out and fell off. He saw Sienna for a sweet moment and then he felt as if a fire burned thru his muscles right to his bones! He dragged himself back into his room and passed out into his bed.
Sarcos came to check on him in a few minutes.
"How are you feeling, Xander?"Sarcos was curious to see his state.
"Like on fire," Xander noted. His eyes shine even more in a fever." I need a day of rest. "he said tiredly.
Sarcos bit his lips." A day is too much! He hurt her too much." he clench his jaws in quiet rage. "Thank you, Xander, you took it over before Sienna got worse. "He looked at him, " It was good timing. "He nodded.
"Why are you so upset then?"Xander was staring feverishly."I will be fine tomorrow."
"One day for you is two weeks for her," Sarcos noted." She should not even be there in the first place." he raged. Sarcos looked at handsome Xander thinking darkly." Do you think if I let her have you she will get over Tyrell's death?"
"I will not go there." Xander shook his head painfully."She loves him a lot. And you the most. Don't break her heart. She can still have me when I got stronger."
"Hm," Sarcos looked at the pretty panther."Just rest. I will train Mathyas with Ramse today in your place."
"Thank you," Xander nodded.
"Hm," Sarcos glanced at Xander and went out.
Xander looked at the mockingbird. It sat in his silken clothes comfortably and stared at him.
"At least sing for me again," Xander asked it with feverish eyes.
The birds started to sing and Xander could see Sienna's beautiful face in front of his closed eyes. It made his heart feel warm. He did it for her!
Suddenly Ramse sneaked into his room. He made Mathyas busy and wanted to hear the bird again too. He brought raw deer liver and meat cuts in the big bowl for Xander to get better faster. He met Sarcos on the way from Xander's room and wanted to help him out a little.
He sat next to Xander and listened to Sienna's voice as well.
When the bird finished singing, Xander opened his eyes abruptly. He stared at Ramse."What are you doing here?"
Ramse looked at his sorry state. "So Xander, how does it feel to be mated by a tiger?" he smirked at him.
"Bitten, not mated!"Xander reddened up.
"Here come eat something."Ramse pushed the big bowl closer to his face.
Xander smelled the blood and raw meat, so he changed into a panther and gobbled up everything.
"Thank you."He growled.
"I thank you. I'm so glad you are able to get the pain instead of Sienna."Ramse grinned.
"I will do it anytime."Xander nodded satisfied.