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[agnes_nitt]

Agnes is asleep, for now. Suzi's been giving her Transfer whenever she wakes up, just to keep the pain at bay. But it takes so much energy for Agnes to magic the selyn into something usable, so she usually falls right back to sleep.

The Sime has stepped out for the moment, probably to have something to eat or spend time with Whistler. If Agnes were awake, she wouldn't mind. If she had to sit with a dying her, she'd want to be somewhere else, too.

The Transfers haven't fixed the problem, haven't even slowed it down. It's just to make her comfortable at this point.

Shouldn't be much longer now.

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[not-only-wisdom.livejournal.com]

It's taken quite a lot of reading (and even more experimentation), but Nynaeve now has a solid understanding of what might be going on with Agnes, and how it might be fixed.

This discovery, given the note Bar gave her with lunch, seems to be very well-timed, and so it is that Nynaeve strides briskly up the stairs and down the hallway to Agnes' room.

Her knock is also brisk, and very loud.

"Agnes."

[agnes_nitt]

Loud is good. Loud's necessary, given how soundly Agnes sleeps.

She rolls over, wincing as she does so. Suzi probably locked it behind her, and there's no way that Agnes is getting up.

Her head is throbbing, but she focuses her will at the door. Not to unlock it, because that's too much effort, and if Granny's taught her anything, it's never to expend effort you don't need to. No, all she really needs to do is wrap her mind around causality. If she thinks maybe Suzi forgot hard enough....

"'S open," she croaks.

[not-only-wisdom.livejournal.com]

"Good."

The door opens halfway, quick and precise, and Nynaeve steps through.

She pauses, lips narrowing into a tight line as she catches sight of Agnes, then moves purposefully over to the bed.

"Well, child, you'll doubtless be glad to know I believe I've made enough progress to be going on with."

[agnes_nitt]

The chuckle is dry and raspy.

"Doubtless. So, more tests, then?" Agnes nods. "I'm hardly in a position to argue."

[not-only-wisdom.livejournal.com]

"You don't look to have time for more tests, Agnes."

Nynaeve's voice is firm and sure as she sets out a packet of herbs (tea?), then smooths down her skirts.

"Which is not as bad as it might be, as I've found where the problem seems to be located, and I have several ways of setting it as it should be."

One thing Nynaeve has always known is that a Healer must be sure, for the patient's sake at the very least.

And surety has alwas bred steady hands.

[agnes_nitt]

"And if you're wrong?" she asks automatically. Agnes was never a fan of optimism. But she waves her hand weakly to cut off an answer. "No, never mind. Just promise me this. If you get in there, and whatever it is doesn't work..."

She has to swallow and lick her lips to finish the sentence. "If it doesn't... make an end to it. I'm tired. And I'm draining Suzi to the dregs just to maintain. If you can't fix it today, let me go."

Another hoarse chuckle.

"But no pressure."

[not-only-wisdom.livejournal.com]

Nynaeve's chin tilts up, sudden frown smoothing out into a remarkably certain expression.

"I've Healed what many in my world said could never be Healed, girl. You need have no fear that I can't do what I say I can."

But she doesn't protest Agnes' request. Starvation is, indeed, a very terrible death.

But it won't come to that. It won't.

"Are you ready?"

[agnes_nitt]

Agnes lays back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. There's pressure in her left palm -- the closest Perdita can come to holding her hand.

"I'm ready."

[not-only-wisdom.livejournal.com]

"All right, then."

Nynaeve, as it happens, is ready as well.

She opens herself to saidar, golden glow springing up around her, bright as a small sun.

She leans over the bed, cupping Agnes' face in her hands and frowning in concentration. Yellow-silver threads spin from her fingertips as she Delves, doublechecking that everything is where she thought it to be, keeping the diagram of where things should be at the forefront of her mind.

Yes. There--.

[agnes_nitt]

There's the feeling of two pairs of eyes watching her from within. Both Agnes and Perdita follow along the threads, curious to the last. When Nynaeve stops at one particular point, it's as if the two pairs of eyes blink and look at each other.

How in the worlds did that happen?

[not-only-wisdom.livejournal.com]

Even if Nynaeve could hear the two of them it wouldn't change her focus which, as happens every time she Heals, is absolute.

A delicate lacework of green and red and blue folds in on itself, settling gently over Agnes' skin and sinking in.

Even as that pattern is woven Nynaeve starts on another, a thin, knife-sharp blade of yellow and blue and red--and it is this that cleaves through the breach that does not belong, opening up pathways that have long been disused.

Hard on the heels of that weave is a lacy net of all five colors, sealing off the ragged edges that resulted from the previous work and neatly holding it in place, at least for the moment.

Sweat beads Nynaeve's upper lip and forehead when finally that brilliant golden glow fades, and she sags down to sit on Agnes' mattress, sharp brown eyes looking over the girl intently.

"That should have taken care of the worst of it."

[agnes_nitt]

Heat floods Agnes' body as the remains of the malicious magic are seared away. She throws off the covers the instant the Healing is complete, gasping.

The girl is still very weak from malnutrition, and without the covers, it's clear that the damage to her body will take some time to repair. But even so, there is a hint of color to her cheeks that wasn't there before. It's a small thing, but a sign that her body is starting to learn how to function properly again.

"I... I think it worked. I can feel the difference."

[not-only-wisdom.livejournal.com]

"Let me have another look, and we'll know for sure."

Again that golden glow springs up, a little more muted this time, and Nynaeve Delves deep.

After a moment she lets go of Agnes again, nodding sharply.

"It looks to be done, right enough. And you're feeling better? Good."

She reaches over to the side table, holding up the sachet of tea she brought.

"This should help keep your stomach settled until your body is used to food again. Drink the tea once a day until you're able to keeep a normal-sized meal down with no trouble."

This instruction is accompanied by a rather gimlet-eyed stare. Nynaeve does not much trust other people's common sense, it seems.

[agnes_nitt]

"Feeling better, yes," she nods. "It's a long way from healthy, but better. Thank you, Nynaeve. Do you have any idea how it was done?"

[not-only-wisdom.livejournal.com]

Nynaeve frowns again, one hand tugging lightly at her braid.

"Not that I can tell--there are quite a few forms of magic I'm not familiar with here--not to mention the kind of surgery practiced in the infirmary. Do you know who or what was the cause? That might give some clue, I'd imagine."

And Nynaeve, of course, would like to give whoever did this a piece of her mind.

And probably a taste of her fist, as well.

[agnes_nitt]

Agnes screws up her face in thought.

"It must have been while I was under the yuppie spell. So much of that is hazy to me now. I dimly remember there was a woman who offered to help with my dieting, but I don't think I ever got her name. Or, if I did, I don't remember it now."

She does manage a vague description, though.

[not-only-wisdom.livejournal.com]

Nynaeve stiffens momentarily, brown eyes blazing, hand yanking hard at her braid.

"Ah. Well, then. I'll be sure to watch for her--she should be brought to task for such carelessness."

Those angry eyes fix on the girl, then.

"And so should you be, as well, Agnes. Such foolishness is fit for younger girls, not ones as old as you. Do be more careful in the future, or things may go the worse for you."

It was, perhaps, a closer thing than Nynaeve is prepared to mention, in some ways. And then one of the Forsaken seems likely to have been involved--the Lady of Pain.

Agnes was lucky. Very lucky.

[agnes_nitt]

"In my defense," she says with a hint of annoyance, "I was under a spell. I wasn't in my right mind. I would have done anything to be thin. And apparently, I did. But the point is well-taken, just the same."

[not-only-wisdom.livejournal.com]

"Good. I've no wish to watch anyone kill themselves if I can help it--purposefully or no."

She means that, it's easy to see.

"And I might also advise you to take care with the woman you spoke of, not that I suspect you need telling."

[agnes_nitt]

She nods.

"I'll add her to the list. But for now, I think I'll have a cup of that tea and get some honest rest. You look like you could use some, too."

[not-only-wisdom.livejournal.com]

Nynaeve manages a slightly strained smile.

"You're not wrong. I'll leave you in peace for the moment, but I'll be back to check up on you tomorrow, and I expect to find you in bed."

She nods again, sharply, then turns to head for teh door.

[agnes_nitt]

"I have evening shift downstairs tomorrow," she begins, then catches Nynaeve's glare and quickly amends, "which if you would be so good as to leave a note for Elaine cancelling, I would appreciate it."

Agnes eases herself out of the bed to go get water for the tea.

"Thank you again. I would have died, you know, if not for you."

[not-only-wisdom.livejournal.com]

"I'll leave Elaine the note, you can be sure of that."

This time her faint smile, while crowned by stern eyes, is a little more natural.

"Oh, I know it well. But you didn't, and the trouble is over, for the moment. Now get some rest."

But she hesitates fractionally on the threshold, turning to look back at Agnes.

"And you're welcome."

And then the door clicks closed behind her, cutting off the sound of hers and Lan's voices intermingling as they head back down to the bar, and then to the House of Arch.

It's been a long day, and the Forsaken may be about.