D.E.M.O.N.S: Getting Summoned Weekly isn't so Bad

Chapter 2011: Chapter 2011 Two Pieces of Hale

--- Kat ---

They were let into the guard station without any fanfare. The place had been mostly repaired as far as Kat could tell. The ’mostly’ part came in due to the fact Lily could sense the enchantments on the place hadn’t been fixed up yet. Considering all of the best enchanters, or at least ones the King had on call, had been readying the warehouse for the tunnel that wasn’t a major surprise.

Steeping inside, Ramor waved at them on the way to his office but didn’t otherwise stop or comment. Kat actually found that second part a bit of a surprise, but seeing as Steel didn’t react, she didn’t mention it. Eventually they wound up back in the infirmary. Angie was sitting in one corner, while a guard watched the door.

Kat felt a touch awkward, ”Hello Angie. Sorry we didn’t make use of that appointment to look into enchantments for you.”

”It’s ok, Ramor told me not to worry about it after everything that had happened. I’m fine enough waiting, for... certain reasons,” Angie returned, finishing the statement with a large nod at Kat. The most she was willing to acknowledge things.

”So what’s the plan here?” asked Kat as she gestured towards the sleeping Jen.

”Well the initial hope, and the reason you were let in early was to see if the noise would wake her up. Next we will bring in some basic food. Nothing too heavy yet, but fragrant enough to hopefully rouse her from her sleep. If that still doesn’t work we’ll take more drastic measures. Lin should also be arriving soon and may wish to override those orders, but we can accommodate that,” explained Angie.

Kat nodded along, ”So... is that better if we accidentally wake her?”

Angie made a ’so-so’ gesture. ”The problem is that the first time she woke up we mostly just had snacks on hand not a proper meal but she was still somewhat delirious. The hope is that being lightly roused by discussion will be better for her. Plus it would give her a bit of time before the food arrives. The next step is the food itself and the last step...

”Well I say that it’s a single more drastic step but really it’s just us escalating in our attempts to wake her. Likely starting with some smelling salts and loud noises and ending with a magical shock enchantment designed to wake people up,” admitted Angie.

”Why not use the enchantment if it’s designed to wake people up?” asked Kat.

Hedera laughed, causing Kat to look her way. ”Assuming it’s the same one I think it is? It’s because the enchantment is essentially designed to prevent soldiers from slipping into comas from head injuries. It’s a safe-ish way to wake people but it’s a big hit of adrenaline and we don’t want Jen to freak out massively and try to book it upon waking. Not only would catching her without risking her injuries be a pain but she is likely going to be FAR more freaked out about it the second time.”

”Hedera is correct,” acknowledged Angie. ”Considering she nearly died in our care we really would rather not make her memories of the place any worse. The event has been traumatising enough.”

”Alright... but why would it be a risk to her injuries?” asked Kat. ”I thought she was already healed up?”

”For the most part sure, but remember her brain and likely her nerves are still in a rather delicate place. If she manages to pull a muscle the nerve signals could be cripplingly painful. Perhaps pinching a nerve? Or it might just be that she knocks her head again and winds up in another coma. Not making things worse is very much the plan here. I’d want to give her at least a few days of normal activity before I call her completely healed,” explained Angie.

There was a knock on the door in that moment, ”Come in,” said Angie. The door swung open and a guard in civilian clothes stepped in with a moderate sized chest. Kat could vaguely smell the scent of food wafting from it but the box kept it well contained. ”Just place it down on the spare bed. I’ll open it in a moment,”

The guard nodded, ”Sounds good. I made sure the place I got it from made it all extra fragrant and shoved it straight in the box. Got the full order as well so it barely fit.”

”Alright great,” agreed Angie as the guard placed the box down and made his way back outside. Angie turned to the girls. ”So, before I open this I’d like for Hedera and Lily to be either out in the hall, or at least hidden somewhat in the room. We’re not trying to freak Jen out. We want her mostly calm when I start asking questions.”

Angie was about to continue with what she was saying when the door was thrown open. Kat wasn’t surprised to see that it was Lin standing there in the doorway. ”Someone trying to wake up my Grandchild without me here?”

”Technically-” Angie tried to say.

Before Lin cut in with. ”I get she’s not QUITE my Grandchild but it’s rather rude to point out. Plus, you were moments away from starting.”

Angie sighed, not willing to argue with the mostly correct assumption. ”I suppose we were. Would you mind using something to hide Hedera and Lily? If not they can simply wait in the corridor.”

”Oh? No comment about Kat’s presence?” asked Lin.

”She’s here as an extra guard,” countered Angie. Kat detected it was even, mostly, the truth. *I wonder if I should use my calming aura? It’s not something I’ve brought up in the city... mostly because I haven’t been thinking about it. Could be worth mentioning though.*

”I can also, somewhat forcibly, keep her calm if you want,” Kat volunteered after a few more moments of thought.

”Only if she attempts to run,” said Angie as she glanced at Lin, waiting for the older woman to interject. When nothing was forthcoming, Angie glanced at Hedera and Lily. [Guess we’ve got no special hiding artifact. Or at least, none Lin is going to admit to having.] Hedera shrugged and headed off into the hall.

Angie waited for the door to close before placing the lunch box, emphasis on the box, on the side of the bed close to Jen’s face and opened it up. A big burst of flavours shot out from what looked to be just a bit of soup and a few diced vegetables in a bowl. Even still, the pungent aroma was enough to cause Jen to stir a bit.

”GET UP BRAT!” shouted Lin. Jen’s eyes immediately snapped open and the poor girl literally threw herself out of the bed. Stumbling a bit on the floor before nearly falling over, only just barely catching herself on the bed. This didn’t quite stop her panic as she danced along the floor for a moment until her feet were finally steady.

Jen looked around the room, flinching at the assembled people. Angie was shaking her head, with a pair of fingers rubbing her eyes. The guard in the corner was still. Kat was trying to look normal, while Lin just looked subtly disappointed at her ’granddaughter’.

”Err... um... hello Lin?” stuttered Jen.

”Jen. Good to see you’re awake. What’s the last thing you remember?” asked Lin.

Jen clearly got lost in thought for a few moments before she paled rapidly. ”I... I nearly died didn’t I?”

”Yup,” said Lin, no hesitation or attempt to soften the blow. Jen shivered at the answer, tears welling up in her eyes as she glanced around the room looking for... something perhaps? Regardless, she didn’t seem to find it, and slowly sunk down onto the bed. Angie moved swiftly to grab the food to ensure it didn’t spill over... but that swift movement was enough to spook Jen.

The woman let out a soft eep and launched herself back up off the bed... and right into the wall with a thwack. Kat felt like she really should be using her calming aura because this was getting a bit depressing. She’d expected a somewhat composed thief, but that wasn’t to be. She seemed like a child in front of Lin’s intense glare. Eventually, Jen recovered somewhat from knocking her head into the wall and Lin asked, ”Do you have any idea who would’ve tried to kill you?”

Jen gave Lin a flat look before glancing around the room. Lin shrugged, ”What? Just because I don’t have the best opinion of the guards doesn’t mean I think they’re bad at their jobs. If they’re happy to help out in finding who tried to kill you I’m not going to stop them.”

”Thanks for the vote of confidence,” snarked Angie.

”Yes, perhaps I’d have more complimentary things if it seemed like you’d slept some time in the last decade,” countered Lin.

”Fair,” acknowledged Angie. Unconcerned by the truth.