Numb as Fury

For the "Learning comes through suffering" prompt.



It's a spell she has never used before, and between the initial announcement and the final betrayal she has so little time to complete it, so she works day and night, febrile and precise.

She submerges pieces of cloth into the solution, and lays them onto her skin: she starts high up, on her left shoulder.

The first time, it barely stings, but leaves behind an ugly red spot; the second time, the liquid flares up and burns as soon as she approaches her hand. So she tries again. And again. And again. Her mind goes numb long before her abused body, but silently, she keeps repeating the words of the spell, like a mantra, and she won't forget that.

Later, she puts the colourless ointment on the treads, and even as it stings like thousand needles, patiently waves the spell into the dress.

As morning breaks through, she stand up and washes; she uses her strongest perfume to cover the scent of burnt flesh, and dons a dress with long sleeves, and has her wedding present sent to Glauce.