The Gift
(Extended Version)

by Trystl

 Chapter Three

1

For a moment, Tereesan wasn�t sure if Serria could dominate Damian so soon after her effort with Leesha. The girl had fallen asleep easily enough, and at first it seemed that Damian would too. But something had given him the strength to resist; enough strength to get to his feet!

Tereesan moved closer, prepared to restrain the man if necessary, when Damian pitched forward into his arms. He looked over at Serria. Her face was pale, her breathing heavy.

�Are you all right?� he asked looking at her with concern. He was worried that the preliminaries had taken to much out of her; she wouldn�t have enough strength to finish it.

�Just give me a moment to rest,� she said.

He frowned. She didn�t look strong enough. The hardest part of the procedure still remained, and already she had been heavily taxed; but he didn�t say anything. Nothing he said would change her mind. �I�ll carry him down stairs,� he said.

Serria nodded towards the sleeping Leesha. �Give her something to keep her asleep first. I�m not sure how long she�ll be out, and I don�t have any strength to spare on her if she comes to before were ready.�

�Savyn, bring me my travel case of herbs.�

The woman nodded quietly and quickly left the room.

�How much time will you need to finish it?� He asked.

�About half an hour, to be safe.�

A moment later, Savyn came back with the travel case. Tereesan rummaged through it until he found the small bottle that held the extracts of Malipeesia�of all the soporifics that Tereesan knew, it was the most valuable. It was non-toxic, no matter how much was taken; and as a volatile, it was absorbed from the lungs into the blood stream very quickly, with little or no side effects upon waking.Holding a rag against the mouth of the bottle, he tipped it up, letting the liquid soak into the cloth; then he held the rag under Leesha�s nose, counting softly to himself until he was certin she had breathed enough, but hopefully not to much. He didn�t want to have to use something else to revive her.

�We�d better hurry,� he said slipping his arms under Damian�s shoulders. �Savyn, Shalis... help me carry him. We have to get him downstairs.�

Together the three of them carried Damian down the steps, and lay him on one of two tables set beside one another. Tereesan began to fasten Damian to the table with the straps that hung at it�s sides: tightening them just enough to prevent Damian from fighting back if he began to wake.

Serria was right behind them, looking much better for her bit of rest. She turned to Shalis, and gently took the girl�s hand. �This is your last chance to call it off, my dear.�

Shalis nodded. �I�m ready,� she said.

�Good, then lay down and we�ll begin.� She looked up at Savyn. �Bring in the baby, but keep her covered with the status blanket.�

Savyn nodded and quietly went to fetch the stillborn child.

�Have you thought of a name for yourself,� Serria asked, leaning over Shalis and taking her hand.

The girl smiled nervously. �I�d like to be called Tuschel.�

�That�s a nice name,� Serria said. �You know it�s Eaparian?�

�That�s alright,� Shalis said. �I still like it.�

�Tuschel it is then.�

Tereesan looked up as Savyn came back into the room. She was carrying the infant, wrapped tightly in a full-sized blanket that glittered with little flecks of blue.

�Would you like me to explain what I�m doing?� Serria asked, patting Shalis gently on the arm. The girl nodded, gratefully; and Serria smiled. �As you know,� she said. �We�re going to place you in this infant�s body.�

�How did he die?�

Serria looked up and nodded for Savyn, to bring the baby. Taking the infant, she set him down on the table beside Shalis, and unwrapped the blanket so they could see him. His little body looked peaceful�there was no discoloration; and except for the fact that he wasn�t breathing, he looked like he might simply be sleeping.

�He was born without a soul,� Serria said softly, meeting Shalis�s eyes squarely. �His death was natural.�

Shalis sighed. �I�m glad.�

�I wanted you to understand that,� Serria said. �Without a life force he died within a few hours of his birth.� She picked up a corner of the blanket. �Put your hand on this,� she said.

Reaching out Shalis touched the shimmering cloth.

�Do you feel it?�

�Yes. It tickles my fingers.�

�It�s a special cloth made from the powder of several HealStones among other things. It can�t bring a person back to life, because a death involves the leaving of the soul, and this works only on the body; but this cloth can greatly help in the healing of severe injuries, and when someone dies it can prevent their body from decaying. Without it the muscles would begin to break down, and the mind would suffer permanent damage.�

�And that�s how you...� Shalis nodded to the baby.

�Tereesan convinced the servant who was assigned to dispose of the infant�s body to sell it to us. We immediately wrapped the body in this blanket; and fortunately we were in time, for if the body goes to long before the blanket starts to work its magic... well, HealStones can reverse some damage, but they can only do so much.

�Now, to transfer you into this infant�s body requires another magical stone, called a SoulStone! Have you ever heard of it?�

Shalis shook her head. �I�ve heard of HealStones,� she said.

Serria smiled. �HealStones are more common.�

�I thought they were supposed to be rare and precious?�

�They are,� Serria agreed gravely. �Tereesan could easily buy ten full-blooded females, almost a hundred mutts like you, for the price of a HealStone that you could enclose in the palm of your hand.� Serria smiled to take the sting out of her words, and held up the blanket again. �It took seven stones like that to make this blanket!

�The SoulStones however are much rarer, and much more dangerous!� Serria held up a small leather pouch. �SoulStone�s have been known to inadvertently steal a person�s soul. When that happens, without the proper guidance or a receptacle to send it to... Well, that�s why I keep it in this pouch when I�m not using it. The leather is coated on the inside with a specially treated metal that shields us from the stone�s effects.�

Shalis�s eyes had widened in frightened awe.

�When the time is right, I will guide the stone, so that it knows that it is your soul I want it to take.� Serria spoke softly, but there was a hard edge of finality in her voice. Once the transfer was done there would be no going back.

�Then,� Serria continued. �I will place you in the infant�s body. The same will be done with Damian, placing him in yours.�

�What about...his body?�

�I�ll keep it wrapped in the status blanket so it won�t die. He�s to useful for us not to use him, but we haven�t chosen a permanent replacement yet; we may not.�

Shalis nodded, and closed her eyes. �I guess I�m ready.� she said, taking a deep breath.

�Good,� Serria said, her voice low and soothing. �It�s time then. Breath deeply and try to relax.� She worked at the knots that bound the leather pouch, loosening them but not removing the SoulStone yet.

Tereesan watched nervously as Serria closed her eyes, letting herself slip quickly into the deep trance state that was necessary to control the enormous forces at work through the magic of the stone. Her eyes flickered for a moment as she passed into the deeper trance. It still amazed him how quickly she could reach the necessary state. He stepped back slightly, unsure if it made any difference, but he didn�t want to be any more of a distraction to the stone than he had to be.

He had watched Serria work her magic a few times before, and he had become more accustomed with his role, but it still made him uncomfortable when she took the SoulStone out of it�s protective leather pouch.

Taking the stone out now, she placed it on Shalis�s forehead, centered between and slightly above her eyes. A slight tension passed across Serria�s face; her eyelids moved as if she might be dreaming.

Shalis�s body was suddenly very still. Even though he had been expecting it, Tereesan still felt a chill when he saw the small, almost imperceptible signs of life cease; but he moved quickly, unwrapping the infant and handing him to Serria while he placed the status blanket over Shalis�s body and tucked it under her.

Looking over at Serria, he saw her press the infants chest to stimulate its breathing. Then she began examining the infant, moving her hand in front of his eyes. Something didn�t feel right. He was surprised that the transfer was over so quickly, but didn�t say anything. That wasn�t what was wrong. A transfer was always much easier with a willing subject.

�He isn�t crying!� Tereesan said suddenly realizing what had been bothering him.

�I don�t think it will hurt him,� Serria said. �I�m more interested in the fact that he doesn�t appear to be able to follow my finger.� She snapped her fingers in front of the infants eyes, causing him to blink. �If you can hear me, blink again. Do you understand what I�m saying, Shalis? Tuschel?�

�Do you think he understands?�

�I don�t know. It could be that he understands, but doesn�t know how to make his eyes blink; or he may hear us, but his mind hasn�t learned to understand what we�re saying. Here,� she said, holding him out to Savyn. �Take him to the nursery.�

Savyn took him carefully into her arms, softly cooing as she walked out of the room, rocking the tiny body.

�Now for the hard part,� Serria said looking pointedly at Tereesan. �You remember how I told you to do it?�

He nodded, fighting a growing nausea in his stomach. Following her, he walked around the table to stand between Damian, and Shalis�s body. He positioned himself next to Damian, and took the sleeping man�s hand in his. Then he turned and watched as Serria closed her eyes, slipping back into trance. After a moment, she took the SoulStone out of the leather pouch�where she had put it after transferring Shalis�and placed it between and slightly above Damian�s eyes.

�I�m going to start bringing him out of it,� she said.

Tereesan nodded, although she wasn�t looking at him. Reluctantly he reached for Damian�s hand, bending it forward at the wrist until he felt the pressure of resistance and knew that it would be causing the man a good deal of pain if he were awake.

�Go ahead,� he said, looking up at Serria. She swayed slightly, as if she was about to fall down, but he was used to seeing that when she was in trance.

Almost immediately Damian began to rouse.

She must have been holding him close to the edge of consciousness. That was much more difficult than forcing a deep sleep, but it required a little more time to revive the sleeper.

Damian groaned, and strained weakly against his bonds. He tried to move his arm to relieve the pressure Tereesan was applying to his wrist.Tereesan looked up at Serria. She was pale, her breathing hard and strained. Sweat had broken out on her face. Her eyes were darting wildly beneath her eyelids. She swayed, her body seeming to go limp on one side, and was barely able to catch herself.

Tereesan twisted Damian�s wrist harder, and pressed savagely on the tiny sensitive bump where the nerve was exposed.

Suddenly Damian�s body went limp. He was no longer breathing. Serria opened her eyes and leaned against the table, almost slumping to the floor.

�That was harder than I though,� she gasped.

�I was afraid I�d break his wrist,� Tereesan said, moving to help support her.

She nodded understanding, and waved him away. �Wrap his body in the blanket. I�ve got to rest a few minutes before I can finish.�

Tereesan did as she said, spreading the blanket over Damian�s body, but he watched as she walked over and slumped into the chair that sat in the corner. He was worried about her. She recovered quickly from her efforts, but this one had taken so much out of her that he was afraid she would need more than a few minutes to recuperate enough to finish the transfer. The second part of the transfer could be relatively easy. Many souls preferred a body, and entered the new one before they realized that it wasn�t their old one. But such an easy transfer was far from a guarantee.

He made himself busy with the blanket, then with checking the straps that held Damian. It bothered him that she was taking so long to rest. He knew it was best, but she was one to push herself harder than she should, and the fact that she was taking so long meant that she was probably worse off than even he had suspected.

When she was still resting after a few minutes he took the blanket off Damian and put it back around Shalis for awhile. Neither body could be left unprotected for very long, or it would begin to deteriorate.

At last Serria got up and returned to the tables. Tereesan quickly took the blanket from around Shalis and put it back around Damian. Without speaking Serria fell into trance; took the SoulStone out and placed it on the forehead of the girl�s body. It was easier this time, but the transfer still left her weak when she was finished; and Tereesan knew that she was still keeping Damian, in Shalis�s body now, from waking.

�I�m just glad this is over,� he said letting her rest against him as he supported her with an arm.

�Not yet,� she said.

He looked at her sharply. �What do you mean, �Not yet�?�

�Damian will be expected at his home,� she said weakly.His eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed in angry protest. �You didn�t say anything about that,� he accused.

�I told you we would use him,� she said. �And you know he has to be seen returning or we could be facing murder charges. You have to go to his house, set up a pretext for him to leave. He has business interests in Solali, it seems reasonable that he might need to go there in person for a visit. Or you could use the reputation of its workers of earth magic as an excuse...�

�I just didn�t think I�d have to do it so soon.� He fell silent. His argument sounded weak even to himself. He tried a new tactic. �And what about you? Do you think I don�t know how much this has taken out of you? Your to weak, you need a much longer rest before you do any more.�

�I can rest until I�m ready now that we only have one body to keep preserved. And it shouldn�t be to difficult to transfer you. If you�re a willing participant.� It was more question than statement.

Tereesan sighed and nodded. �I�ll try to be,� he said.

She was right. Damian had to be seen returning home by his house servants. Why had he failed to see that obvious fact? And why did the thought of entering Damian�s body frighten him so much?

2

Leesha woke to gentle rocking, and looked up to see Serria standing over her. Behind her, Damian was holding the young girl who had driven the carriage they came in.

Leesha sat up quickly, frightened for a moment that she could have fallen asleep, and wondering if Damian would choose to discipline her because of it.

�I didn�t mean to fall asleep!� she said.

Damian smiled. �That�s quite alright, my de...� he stopped, shook his head slightly as if he�d caught himself in a slip. �It�s not a problem. I�m sure our conversation was thoroughly boring for you; and at least you choose natural sleep over getting drunk and passing out so that it was impossible to wake you!� He indicated the girl in his arms with mild disgust.

�Don�t be so hard on her,� Serria scolded gently. �After all it was you who pushed the drink on her.�

�So it was,� he agreed.

�Come,� Serria said, addressing Damian with a pleasant smile. �I�ll walk you out to the carriage while Tereesan is fetching someone to drive you home.�

Damain turned and walked with Serria towards the door, leaving Leesha to follow after them.

The carriage was already waiting for them.

Damian turned to Serria in a parting gesture. �I apologize for all the inconvenience... asking you to supply me with a driver; and then return this child and her carriage to her home. So much could have been avoided if I�d known she couldn�t hold her drink.�

�Think nothing of it. It�s little enough trouble for such a profitable night.�

�Yes,� Damian agreed. �It�s been a very profitable night. I�m glad I came. And I hope to see you again soon.� He turned to Leesha. �Well, are you going to get in?�

She nodded and scrambled into the carriage.

Damian got in behind her; and setting the unconscious girl on the seat beside him, he let her head rest on his shoulder.

�Good night, Damian.� Serria closed the door then turned to her own driver. �Drive carefully tonight,� she said.

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