Corpus Tamrielicum - The Imperial Library

128 2. THE ELDER SCROLLS CHAPTER 2: DAGGERFALL
They slept fitfully. There were often scrabblings at the door and in the walls, but nothing
entered their small closet. Moraelyn cast Heal several time during the night. By morning he
pronounced himself as fit "as a one-handed man can be." He unwrapped the sash-bandage and
inspected the wound. The bleeding was stopped; the hand was still warm to the touch; it no
longer hurt him nor was it swollen or discolored. But the wound was still open and the hand
useless. Nerves and muscles had been severed and some of the small bones broken. Such
repair was beyond his skill. Edward, feeling the daedra feed on the sight, turned quickly
away.
Moraelyn grinned. "You may as well let it feed; it's a harmless sort of feeding. The damage is
done."
"I mean to starve it," Edward said firmly.
"You can try to do that or you can learn to control it instead, and still walk with the gods. I
think we'd best go back to the Tower."
"Aye, they'll be able to heal you there, will they not?"
"I know not. At the least they'll be able to attach it more firmly than it is at present. Ah, do not
look so downcast. The skill to mend it is somewhere, if not in the Tower. Ssa'ass is good with
battle injuries and there are Temples which know more of the healing arts than the Tower
mages. Besides, it's only my left hand." He held up the wadded sash, stiff with his dried
blood. "The color's more practical than thy mother thought. Let's see if we can wash it out a
bit. Never have I come so ill-equipped on a journey. I might have been strolling down the
main street in Ebonheart. Thy mother will kill me."
"Right after she kills me," Edward sighed. "At least returning to the Tower will delay that."
They came out into the bright courtyard. The morning sun was already high in the western
sky.
"Not so. Edward, the Companions are coming now! I hear them. Mara, let me think of a real
good lie!"
Mith trotted into the courtyard. "Here they are!" he called back to the others. "By Torgo, you
ARE injured. Let me see that. We thought to row across to meet you; we saw the blood on the
shore and tracked you here. What attacked you?"
"A demon."
"A demon! What!? In the open like that in daylight? Gods, what was it carrying, an ebony
dai-katana?" Mith whistled as he inspected the injury. Aliera and the others ran up. She
hugged Edward, "Are you all right, darling? I was worried." then paled as she saw her
husband's hand.
"You must be slowing down. How'd you let a demon do that to you?" Mith demanded.
"It was the boy...he grabbed at my arm in fright and my shield spell failed. It wasn't his fault;
it was an accident. Ali, don't look at it. Edward, why don't you take thy mother to see the rat
you killed?"