[b]Miriam
Chapter 11: Scars[/b]

Sarah gasped and had already made to try and catch the girl as she fell but wasn't much help and the girl now known as 'Ellie' hit the floor with a whimper. Miriam quickly rose her head, leaving her current train of thought. The last hour she had been recuperating well, whatever had hit her, it hadn't left its mark. Not like it had affected Eliana. The girl had been passing in and out of consciousness for a while now, her face pale and eyes fluttering in constant pain. 
	"Sarah, the water." Miriam cooly called out, as she sprung out of her gloomy seat to approach Eliana. She bit her lip in hard focus while descending onto her knees, she dragged Eliana up and placed her golden head in her lap. The girl curled up into a meek ball, her ailment was clearly taking its toll on her. Sarah returned quickly enough and timidly gave Miriam the damp piece of cloth, Miriam used it to dab Eliana's forehead with. She then spoke with what she hoped was a soothing voice. "I've got you. We'll get you some help, alright?" Miriam wasn't certain the Spirit-Walker could hear her, but speaking helped her think and thinking would help her help, hopefully. She looked with concern down at the frail Eliana and couldn't help but think about the coincidence of meeting her. Also, how Nathaniel had lied to her, claiming that the Walker had been an old man. Miriam shook this thought away and refocused on more urgent affairs, ensuring that she survived. She didn't know exactly what was happening but she could recognize magic and the terrible effects it could have on people. She quickly looked up to Sarah while still dabbing Eliana's forehead with the wet cloth. Wiping away the trickles of blood. "Do you have a wheel-barrow?"

The sun was dawning on Lowburg and its frosted streets. Miriam carefully guided the wheel-barrow in front of her down the streets she had come the night before, in it lay Eliana, head swaying and state worsening. They passed a few stragglers from the parade on the streets, bums who had spent the night in a street corner or people who had simply passed out drinking, and now woke up to their shame. Miriam was for once envious of these people, as they probably had an easier headache than she did. She was thankful for her time and to be outside again, it meant she could run the events through her head: She had been attacked by that shadowed figure, how she could not exactly remember. Eliana had somehow gotten involved and must have saved her and gotten hurt doing it. Whatever magic was going on, it must have been the cryptic warnings that Nathaniel had given, and now she needed to get Eliana some sort of help. It was her obligation after all. 

Miriam led the wheel-barrow around a corner and down the main street, as they went down it they caught up with a man walking the same direction. He gave Miriam a cheery smile and a light wave. 
	"Good morning, Miriam." Miriam turned her head quickly to look at Walter, she stuttered out a flustered word and then tripped painfully over Eliana's wheel-barrow. She tumbled into it and fell over Eliana in a heap. The girl fell out of the wheel-barrow onto the cold ground and gave off an unconscious groan, it wasn't worse what she was already suffering though. Miriam was quick to roll off Eliana and jump to her feet to point an accusing finger at Walter. Only, he wasn't there. Miriam let her finger sink and then scoffed irately up at her messy bangs. She spared a quick glance around the street but the old man was nowhere to be seen, so she returned to helping Eliana. 
	"Come on, I've got you..." Miriam ensured as she tediously dragged Eliana back into the cart again. She then carefully placed the girl's staff next to her, sighed out and caught her breath a short moment, before continuing on. Keeping an extra eye out for Walter.

---
Tea, thank whatever Gods had invented it. Miriam sipped greedily from the cup given to her by Anathema, savouring the bitter, yet healthy taste of herbal medicine. She looked over to Eliana, lying on a blanket by the hearth, then at Anathema by her side on her knees, investigating the barely conscious girl's shoulder for the third time. Miriam felt something butt against her hand and she instinctively started to pet her free hand over Leia's snout and head while still looking at the Mage and the Spirit-Walker respectively. 
	"Is she going to be alright?" Miriam finally asked in some concern, she was admittedly somewhat surprised at herself, how much she cared. Anathema rolled her head back and sighed, slowly and somewhat wearily getting up to her feet again.
	"The power of the Soul is past me. All we can do is keep her warm and safe until she comes outta it herself." Anathema sighed yet again, looking over Eliana where she lay, she folded her arms. "[i]If[/i] she comes outta it..." She then glanced to Miriam. "What's her name?" Miriam paused, look from Anathema to Eliana by the fireplace and worked her lips in a small pout across the edge of her teacup. "... Ellie." She said, at last.