The healer listened intently, her expression never wavering. "And during this time, they...?" she asked softly.
Lily's face reddened, and tears welled up in her eyes. She took a deep breath before continuing.
"Yes, Lady Healer. They... forced me into their lust. I'm ashamed to say it, but I didn't resist much. They were feeding,
The other prisoners were being fed to dogs or hanged from trees. In such dire circumstances, one's sense of honor means little when one's life is on the line."
Meanwhile, the healer kept listening with a grave face. "Continue," she said softly.
"One day, during their shift, I managed to kill one of them and escape. I was caught by the guards at the edge of the mountain and brought home, but the damage was already done.
I'm pregnant with an... elf child. It's unnatural, and I can't bear to carry it to term."
The healer sighed heavily, her eyes filled with empathy.
"I get it, Lily," she said gently. "What you've been through...it's not something anyone should have to bear. But dealing with abortion, that's a whole other level of risk. Especially when we're talking about the elven anatomy and the way they carry life.
I'll do my best, use our people's time-honored techniques, but there's no guarantee here. It could still...well, it could be lethal for you."
"I know, the risks are real," Lily responded, her words quivering on the edge of fear. "Yet if I stand by and do nothing, the villagers... they'll brand me an elf's harlot. They'll set me alight just as they did those women years ago."
"Alri..."
Abruptly, a chilling shriek sliced through the tranquility of the evening air, originating from beyond the confines of the cottage.
The shrill cry sent ripples of alarm through the guards, who promptly began to sprint in the direction of the disturbance.
Curiosity piqued, residents cautiously peered out from behind their curtained windows. The source of this sudden commotion was none other than the Jarl's residence.
Sasha and Lily's hearts pounded in their chests as they raced towards the source of the commotion. They were met with a grisly sight.
The Jarl's guards formed a tight circle around a bloodied body lying on the ground.
His head had been brutally severed, his eyes removed from their sockets and placed in his gaping mouth. His hands were frozen in an eternal grasp, holding onto his own bloody head.
The inhabitants of the village were stunned into silence, their minds reeling as they tried to comprehend what was unfolding before them.
As the guards started to put a cloak on the corpse, veiling him from view, murmurs began to ripple across the crowd.
"It's the elf! The elf has returned for vengeance!" one voice hissed through clenched teeth. Another retorted with scorn, "No, you fool! It's the butcher - remember? The man who took Dorothy's life."
"That butcher ain't no daft fool to off the jarl, he's just got a soft spot for them dish scrubbers. Now tell me, how in the name of Talion's whiskers can an ordinary folk pull off such a deed without the guards batting an eye? Smells like elf assassin work to me."
The healer turned to Lily, her eyes wide with fear. "We have to get out of here," she whispered urgently. "Now."
Together, they hurried back to the cottage. "Now they will think you are an elf spy Lily we must hurry up to get that abomination from you."
"Agreed, Lady Healer. Let the Gods protect us," Lily replied, her eyes keen and determined despite the terror that had gripped her heart.
Inside the cottage, Sasha hurriedly gathered various herbs and tools on a wooden tray. Her hands trembled as she lit a small flame underneath a pot of water to boil.
The room filled with a strange medley of scents as she started to prepare the concoction necessary for the procedure.
Lily lay down on the couch, her eyes flickering fearfully around the room, every shadow causing her heart to jump.
"Here, drink this," Sasha instructed softly, handing Lily a small cup filled with the bitter brew she'd just prepared. "It will help dull the pain when I use the embalming tool."
Lily took the cup with trembling hands, lifting it to her lips. The liquid was warm and tasted of bitter herbs and copper. She choked it down, grimacing at the aftertaste.
The healer carefully moved Aerovind's body to another room, clearing the space for the upcoming operation that she was about to perform.
She turned to Lily, who lay still on the couch, her eyes closed as she took deep breaths to calm her nerves. Sasha could see the fear in her face, but also the determination and courage that burned within her.
"Are you ready, my dear?" Sasha asked softly, placing a hand on Lily's shoulder.
Lily opened her eyes and nodded, steeling herself for what was about to come.
Sasha took a deep breath and began the procedure.
With meticulous precision, she sliced into Lily's belly, revealing the squirming monstrosity within.
The creature recoiled, emitting a chilling hiss and a guttural screech as the icy steel penetrated its alien flesh.
This bizarre elf-born was far from humankind's babies.
It possessed an uncanny awareness of impending doom and could perceive treachery with an almost sentient understanding.
It cast a malevolent gaze upon the healer, a sight that would haunt her forever.
Ignoring its unnatural stare, Sasha plunged the heated iron forceps into the gaping wound, trying to quickly snare the creature's umbilical cord.
However, this only served to enrage the thing further. With a strength that belied its size, it lashed out at her hands with its miniature talons, drawing blood.
"Lily!"
Sasha gasped, her concentration broken for a moment. Blood trickled down her arm as she tried to maintain her grip on the slippery instrument.
Gritting her teeth, Lily reached out and grabbed the creature's head, squeezing its alien features until its cries were muffled under her grasp.
The healer capitalized on this opportunity and finally managed to sever the umbilical cord.
The elf-spawn thrashed violently for a few seconds more, spattering the room with its blood, before falling limp in Lily's hands. He whispered his line.
""uoy erohw i t'now og yam ouy teg desruc uoy dna siht eslaf elssev"