ah heck. i cant believe youve done this
[tw: amputation and blood]
In the face of crisis, there was, on occasion, little time for proper politeness. From the first moment Maria arrived, the littlest princess of Macedon did not ask.
“Niles, let me look.”
The touch was gentle but firm, and the voice gentler still, steadied by the sudden onset of focus as she reached for his arm without receiving an answer. It was, very clearly, bereft of a hand, blood spilling freely to the floor. Another glance thrown to their surroundings, swift and fleeting as an arrow. Nowhere nearby, although she did see the finger; perhaps it was behind the now-closed door, with Edelgard... No, no time for that right now. Focus on Niles, who is here and who needs you.
She adjusted her hold on him, soft fingers curled over the front of his arm and thumbs cradling the sides. Slowly but surely, the light of white magic curled its wisping tendrils around her digits, a kind and formless glow that engulfed the exposed wound. The healing spells of Fódlan pulled not from magic stowed in staves; they were a mending of a different stitch, but the warmth felt the same. She understood how to kindle it, she did, but the magic reached desperately to connect to a piece that wasn’t there. It wouldn’t work without the actual hand back in their... hands.
“You know--” There was a waver in her voice, one tucked away with a minute bracing breath and gone by the time more words followed. It was her hands that were still and sure, blood and war made familiar to her too long ago already. How could she falter? He needed her right now, after all. She would be here for all those who needed her. “They’ve reattached fingers and hands with magic before. Did you know that?” Rosy eyes flickered to meet his, warm even in the paling light. “So when we find your hand, you’ll be just fine.”
She smiled at him a moment, then closed her eyes, though the curve of her lips remained. The magic continued, and though the both of them were stained with blood, it no longer spilled as gruesomely as before. “It’s still going to bleed until we get it back, but I asked Lana to bring us bandages. I’ll wrap it up for you when she gets here, and then I’ll go look. I promise I’ll be back soon!”
@filthtouched
