This morning was colder than he was used to, the freezing wind manouevering its way through the cracks in the damaged wall of the small room he had gotten. The owner had apologized for the state of the room, but it was the only thing he could offer and the doctor had to make due.
A few patients had made their way to visit after the young doctor had announced he'd be offering some aid to the current healer there. Supplies were low and the local healer had become overwhelmed now that the flu had started to crop up with the season.
Along with preparing medicine to help with the treatment, Elias took time to tend to a few injured; whether it were workers working on building up the town or the fighters pushing back the threat on the other side of the wide span. He hadn't seen any death yet, but he was prepared for it alongside the town's undertaker.
The work kept his mind distracted for a brief moment, but once he moved on to work that he knew inside and out, his mind would drift back to Bree, to the infirmary and the work that stood idle and waited for him. This hadn't been the plan, he was meant to forget the work and all the oddities that had been plaguing him for the past month and longer. He had planned to find some peace in this new environment and change of scenery. This is what everyone had been recommending, so why wasn't it working? It was only making this worse.
It has been a quiet day and while the old healer rested, the younger visitor stepped outside. The sun was out and shined brightly, scaring some of the cold out of the winter air. It was pleasant enough that Elias sat himself down on the raised wall, feet dangling off the edge and his mind drifting off while he stared at the passing clouds above.
The familiar voice of the man who travelled here with him woke the doctor out of his daze, greetings exchanged and the companion coming over to join him.
Elias wasn't certain if he had the mood for conversation, but there was something different about the exchange this day. The words and thoughts flowed with more ease, there was no need to wonder about the weather or how the season would be, there was no topic forced into place just to keep the conversation going. It was pleasant and it was a relief.
In the time the two spent talking, Elias' mind was quiet. He forgot about his work, the infirmary, the woman and others who had been lingering his mind, all for different reasons.
He was thankful upon the realization. The sun was vanishing behind the surrounding mountains as the two parted ways again, darkness slowly crawling over the haunting landscape and the cold following close behind.
The doctor had begun to shiver, strangely aware of his nose now that the frost had gotten to it. He sniffled and headed on inside, seeing that the old healer was still asleep and the fire had gone out. Elias made his way to the fireplace to rekindle the hearth, hoping to bring some heat back into the small room before the night frost would come and claim what it could.
The week he had planned was nearly over and soon he'd be returning to Bree-land. He felt conflicted. He didn't want to stay here, but he wasn't too eager to return either. He knew what waited for him there and there was a certainty that the obsession would return. If he could keep himself busy enough until Maddoct's return, then maybe it wouldn't be too bad.
He sat down, watching the small flames dance around the cold logs, slowly overcoming the dry wood and the fiery tongues growing. The popping and crackling of the blazing wood felt soothing in the flickering light. Elias sank further into the chair, wrapping the tattered blanket around himself and listening to the sounds, enjoying the wave of heat that bathed him and slowly drifting off into a light sleep.
