Loving Care POV:
The unicorn mare lit her horn and slowly peeled off the bandages from her patient's chest. She winced at the ugly burn scar seared into the skin of the unconscious pony. The blackened flesh marring her otherwise gorgeous azure fur.
As the most experienced healer in Valley Dale, it had fallen to Loving to see to the healing of their town's unexpected saviour.
When Starry had first arrived, Loving had initially been highly sceptical of the mare. Valley Dale had experienced its fair share of travelling charlatans and the traveller's claims to immense power and grand lineage had bordered on the unbelievable. However, after the battle, she felt like a fool for ever having doubted the Mage. Her efforts to turn the tides of a hopeless battle had likely saved Loving's life, as well as the lives of her family.
It made the unicorn healer feel all the more useless that she couldn't do much to assist in the recovery of the mare. She had diagnosed the Mage's injuries quickly enough: five cracked ribs, minor electrical burns across her back, major internal bleeding, a collapsed lung, a U-shaped third-degree burn on her chest, some sort of heavy metal poisoning in her blood, as well as extreme physical and magical exhaustion.
However, stunningly enough, not only was Starry in a relatively stable condition but she was actively healing at a far greater rate than any of her treatments could have offered. One of her more scholarly and learned colleagues suggested that perhaps her highly enchanted cloak was responsible for the unicorn's unprecedented regeneration. Some sort of healing enchantment.
Unfortunately, there wasn't any unicorn in Valley Dale educated enough in the magical study of enchantment to confirm his hypothesis, so Loving decided not to take any chances and forbid her staff from removing Starry's cloak.
All that was left for the healer to do for the Mage was to make her comfortable, change her bandages regularly and apply burn salves to the worst of her scars.
After applying the salve and fresh bandages, Loving was startled by a knock at the bedroom door. The door crept open to reveal her husband. The tall, white-furred, red-maned earthpony bore a concerned expression.
“How is she, dear?” Red Cross asked.
Loving Care gave a brief look over the bandages, making sure that they couldn't come loose before sighing.
“She is recovering quickly, even if I'm still not entirely certain why. There is little to do but let her rest.” The unicorn replied.
“You have been in here with her for hours. The clinic is overcrowded and many others need our attention.” Her husband gently admonished.
“I know. It's just that… She has done so much for us, for everypony. Doesn't she deserve our undivided attention and care?” Loving replied.
Red gave a sympathetic smile. “You said it yourself, there isn't much we can do to help her. Let us focus on those that we can help. Our clinic staff could use some assistance.”
The healer sighed in resignation at her husband's logic. “You're right, you're right. Let's help the others so long. Hopefully Starry will wake soon.”
She took one last look at the mysterious unicorn before leaving the room with her husband.
They walked in silence through the hall of their home. Since their house connected to the back of their family-owned clinic, Loving decided to make her home available to treat the heroic mare, rather than trying to fit her in the overburdened clinic.
After a few moments, Red spoke up.
“The town council just announced that they are planning to hold the mayoral election next week.” He stated.
Loving's eyes widened in surprise. “It's only been two days since the attack. We haven't even had a funeral for Wind Chill yet. Why are they rushing this?”
The stallion just shrugged. “Maybe they think that an election would improve unity and boost morale in the town. Maybe they want ponies to be reassured by the stability of having a definite leader rather than an interim council. Or maybe one of the councillors is angling for the job themselves and this is part of some backroom scheme.”
Choosing to ignore her husband's cynicism on that last point, Loving shook her head at the answer. She never understood the nature and machinations of politics, nor did she wish to. She was always content enough in her clinic, tending to those who needed her help the most.
“Speaking of Wind's funeral, have they set a date yet?” The mare inquired.
“Not yet, but likely before the election. The council is planning a mass funeral for everypony that died. It takes a while to arrange that sort of thing, especially with so much chaos and destruction that still needs to be sorted out.” Her husband replied.
As the director of their clinic, he had always been more in the know about the various politics and ongoings in Valley Dale.
Loving sighed mournfully. “Sixty-five dead and two hundred injured. There hasn't been a loss of life like this in thirty years, not since the floods.”
“It could have been worse, a lot worse,” Red remarked. “The raiders were more focused on ransacking and looting than mass killing. Starry also drove them off before they could do worse. Smoke inhalation killed more than blades did.”
Loving felt a shiver creep up her spine at the assertion. She tried not to think too hard about what the likely outcome of the attack would have been if Starry had not saved them when she had.
“Although, the harm done to our little ponies doesn't end with those that lost their lives.” Her husband continued, coming to a stop outside the door to the couple's guestroom. The door was closed but Loving was almost certain that she could hear quiet sobbing coming from within.
After her mother's death, Wind Scale was inconsolable. She had refused to leave the mayor's side until they needed to move her to move her body to the mortuary. After that, she had spent hours sitting by Starry's bedside. Eventually, after the filly had fallen asleep from sheer exhaustion, Loving moved her into one of her spare guestrooms, where she had remained ever since.
“Poor dear…” The unicorn lamented sadly.
“This town wouldn't be what it is today without the Wind family. It's a damn tragedy.” Her husband agreed.
“What will happen to her now?” Loving asked.
“One of Wind Chill's assistants apparently heard her mention something about Wind Scale getting an apprenticeship with Starry. Although, we'll probably have to wait for the Mage to wake up to get more details. Failing that, Cloud Chaser said that his family would be willing to take her in.” Red Cross answered.
Loving surprised at the answer. Starry always struck her as a lone wolf-type pony, not the sort to take an apprentice. Though, if any pony had the political wiles to get her to agree to it, it would be the mayor. The unicorn preferred not to think about what sort of strings Wind Chill had to pull or deals she had to make to get the Mage to accept her pegasus daughter as an apprentice.
“Even if they did agree to such a deal and Starry is still willing to honour it. Do you think that this would be what's best for Wind Scale? To pack up, leave her home and venture into the unknown with a practical stranger, especially so soon after she lost her only family.” Loving challenged, though with no real heat in her voice.
“Wind Scale has always been unhappy here in Valley Dale and I have no doubt that her mother's death will only compound her misery. Letting her venture out into the world to explore new places and meet new ponies… away from painful memories. It might not be the worst thing for her mental health. Most teenagers begin their apprenticeships around her age anyway.” Her husband offered in reasonable tones.
Loving wasn't entirely convinced by the argument but the filly's future was not hers to decide. If Wind Scale planned to leave Valley Dale, the healer wasn't sure anypony could stop her.
“Let's tend to our patients.” The mare declared. Content to leave the conversation where it was. Endless speculation over hypotheticals wouldn't help them.
Her husband gave an understanding smile, before stepping over to her side and lovingly nuzzling her neck.