Elysia paid no heed to what went on around her. The little lass was turning blue and that meant she could not breathe. Something had to be lodged in her throat. She slipped her slim end finger carefully into the lass’s mouth and probed down her throat as far as possible, hoping she would feel something. She worried if it was too far down, she would not be able to get it out. She felt something thick. She withdrew her finger and reached in her basket and grabbed the long slender bone with a slight curve at the end that she had yet to fashion into a needle.
Carefully, keeping her finger hooked on the bottom half of the lass’s mouth to keep it open, she inserted the curved end of the needle into her mouth, and gently lowered it down her throat. She maneuvered the needle delicately and buried it, hopefully, deep enough into the object that she would be able to draw it out. It seemed like it took forever, but she knew it had been only a matter of seconds. With a steady hand, she drew the needle back and felt the object move. She got the object up where she could see that it was a chunk of bread and that was when the needle slipped out. She quickly tossed the needle aside and, while she often cursed her own wee size this was one time she was grateful for it, since her small finger was able to hook the wad of bread and snatch it out. A couple of seconds later Cybill started wailing.
Elysia eased the little red-haired lass up to sit so that her breath could grow strong. Roanna reached for her and Elysia cautioned, “Let her sit up some. She needs to release the trapped air.”
Roanna’s face was soaked with tears that still were falling as she slipped her arm around her daughter’s tiny waist and rested her wet face on the top of her small head.
Tears pooled in Neil’s eyes as he nodded at Elysia. “Bless you. Bless you.”
“Cybill likes her bread,” Elysia said with a nod to the chunk of bread on the table.
“She’s like her da. Sees me taking great chunks of it,” Neil said, shaking his head and taking the blame. He wiped at his eyes. “I am grateful for your steady and skillful hands, Elysia.”
Cybill started coughing and fear stuck both parents.
“You need a bit of a drink,” Elysia said with a smile. She hurried into the cottage and returned with a small wood bowl filled with liquid and handed it to Roanna.
The lass finished it all and smiled. “Good.”
Her parents smiled and Cybill reached her arms out to her da.
“No more sneaking huge chunks of bread, lass,” Neil scolded lightly and melted when his daughter’s skinny arms wrapped around his neck and kissed his cheek.
Roanna grabbed Elysia’s hands. “Bless you, Elysia. Bless you.” She hurried after her husband and daughter.
Elysia watched them walk away, then turned, shutting her eyes tight and gripped her trembling hands. An arm slipped gently around her waist and urged her to walk, guiding her steps.
Saber closed the door behind them with the shove of one foot once inside the cottage, freeing his other arm to close around her to hold her tight.
She rested her head on his chest ever grateful that he held her as fear rushed through her, sending her body trembling. She had had no time for fear while tending Cybill, but now that it was done and the little lass was safe, fear struck like a wrathful hand and if it wasn’t for Saber holding her, she would collapse. Cybill had come close to death and it terrified her that she had held the little lass’s life in her hands.
“Please. Do not let me go,” she begged and not caring that she did. She needed him, needed his arms, his strength.
“Never.”
The word was soft but she heard it and she wished it was true, that he would never let her go.
Elysia did not know how long they stayed like that or how long they would have remained that way if a knock had not sounded at the door.
Saber kept his arm around her waist as he walked to the door with her, but stepped behind her when she reached to open it.
“Lendra,” she said surprised to see her and surprised at the excitement on her face.
Lendra grinned from ear to ear. “Tongues are wagging like crazy and the news has reached Chieftain Emory that you have saved his niece from death. He wants to see you immediately.”
She had forgotten that Neil was the chieftain’s brother. He was a quiet, unassuming man who lived peacefully among the villagers.
“This could bode well for you,” Lendra said. “Hurry while he is grateful. You never know what he may grant you.”