Kate resisted wrapping her arm around him. She took a deep breath and released it once he was asleep and his body relaxed and his breathing eased. The mage knew the hardest part was over. She won him over. The next few days were not going to be easy. She reached for another blanket and covered Syn and herself. She removed the packed gingerbread and ate it. She hoped Ann would have hot chocolate. Her gift, this elf, no dragon was now her responsibility. He was out of harm for now. Her thoughts turned to Malora. Why would her aunt send this battered and broken gift? Was this a test of her healing? Was he sent to harm her or family? If Syn is a water dragon what make her want him to fight. They are gentle creatures in Ann's stories.<br/><br/>It began to snow by the time the carriage pulled up to the manor gate. Her gift was still asleep. She did not have the heart to wake him. Peel turned into the drive and stopped in the back of her home. She opened the carriage a blast of frigid air hit her. Peel faced her she motioned the man to get Syd. Kate stepped down out of the carriage with the blanket around her.  Peel entered the carriage and cradled Syd in his arms and stepped down quietly. Kate hopped inside and gathered her bag and basket. She followed Peel into the manor.<br/><br/>The three passed the huge kitchen buzzing with servants. Kate found the cook taking gingerbread cookies from the over. "Ann I need you right away. Malora gave me one of her pets. He hurt badly. Peel is carrying him up to my room."<br/><br/>She ran into the main hall."Peel, Please take Syd to my room and place him face down in my bed. I need to tend to his back."<br/><br/>Ann scurried behind Kate up to Kate's room. Kate removed the covers as Peel placed him in the mage's bed. Kate covered him with her covers. He was out cold. For a solid hour, she and Ann tended to deep wounds by whip and blunt weapons. Kate cleaned his hair with oils and several towels. He was a mess of dried blood, sinew, and rotten vegetable matter. What the sailors did to him left little to the imagination.<br/><br/>When she was done stitching deep wounds, she coved his back with a large silk cloth and poured healing potion over it. She layed next to him until supper time. Ann returned back to the kitchen and brought her two trays of beef stew, noodles, cooked carrots, green beans, slaw, gingerbread cookies and hot chocolate.