The Operation

 

Alithea reached into the drawer and picked up a gleaming metal scalpel. It was slimmer than she was used to, but the blade was sharp. There was a curved sewing hook and some thread to close wounds. She turned to the queen. How to sign for a cleaning solution? She made a scrubbing motion with her hand and the queen nodded. The queen pushed against a part of the wall and a door opened. She must remember to tell Fallon about this. He would admire the craftsmanship and the design.

There were several small cylindrical containers on a shelf inside the opening. The queen paused, then reached for one of them. Alithea’s suspicions were aroused. Did the queen know which was the cleaning solutions? What was in the other containers?

Taking the container, the queen showed her how to remove the lid. These hairless creatures were clever! Alithea lifted the container to her nose and sniffed. The astringent fumes made her withdraw quickly. The queen handed her a curved dish and motioned for her to pour some of the liquid into the dish. After Alithea did so, the queen put one of her fingers in the liquid, then turned Alithea’s palm upward and placed her finger in the center. It was cool to the touch and did not burn.

The queen turned Alithea’s palm so that it faced the floor and touched the fine fur on the back of her hand. She stroked Alithea’s thumb, bending the tip slightly, then held up her own hand to Alithea’s palm to palm. Alithea’s hand was bigger and longer, the skin thicker than the queen. The thin white cloth had fallen away from the queen’s wrist and Alithea could see the veins of her arm. How did these creatures stay warm? The clothes they wore would be vital in cooler weather. Out of habit, Alithea catalogued every detail.

She scrubbed her hands with the cleaning fluid, then turned to the injured woman on the cot. Inspecting the arm, she realized that the tourniquet needed to be removed quickly. As she untied it, the woman cried out in pain and pulled her arm back. The queen came alongside the woman and held a cloth to her face. There was an odd smell then the woman fell asleep. Alithea leaned forward to hear the woman breathing, then felt for her pulse. She pointed to the cloth and gave the queen a questioning look. The queen shook her head and pointed to a small vial on the shelf. What strange powers these creatures had discovered!

Alithea cleaned the wound, cut back the fine hair along the edges and the wound, then sewed it up with the curved hook and thread. The woman stirred as she was finishing, then her head fell back again as the queen held the cloth to her face again. She opened another drawer and withdrew a bandage cloth. Alithea applied more cleaning fluid to the closed wound, then wrapped the wound with the bandage.

The queen turned and called out. One of the Fae warriors came into the room with some water and cloths, then began to clean up the floor below the cot. Alithea wiped the blade and curved hook with the cleaning fluid, then pointed to the instruments and made sewing motions and held out her hands in a palms up gesture, hoping the queen could understand. The queen put her delicate skinned hands together and laid them next to her cheek. Alithea pointed to the injured woman and the queen shook her head no. She reached up and closed her eyelids, then put one hand over her eyes. Dead. What had killed the doctor? Alithea held up one finger. The queen shook her head and held up two fingers. Two doctors, both dead? What had happened? Oh, Fallon, I need you to help me understand this strange place! The queen pointed to Alithea, then at the instruments. She wanted Alithea to be the doctor now.