Dragonstone 3

Chapter 3
Arin and Samurai Chick assert their status as protagonists and shove through the crowd to Egil, and the Vikings let these two strange, foreign women in outlandish outfits, one with two drawn swords, check on their wounded comrade, because . . . 
Because shut up, that's why. \~/ Also, we get three separate references to Samurai Chick being “yellow” in one page. \~/\~/\~/
Thar the healer appears, but Arin ignores him since he's not a protagonist. We learn that Egil's left eye was destroyed by a cut, and although the Vikings bandaged it, “He ripped it off in his nightmares.” And they didn't bother to restrain him, and instead just figured, eh, open wound, whatever. \~/
Arin notes that the remains of the eye have to come out, and Thar kowtows to her, saying “He be y'r patient, Lady.” Never mind that she's a foreigner, a woman, unknown to these people and not even human, much less that no one present has any clue as to her actual skill. Never mind that Thar is the village healer, and is presumably known and trusted by these people. Arin is a main character, so she has to be the one to do it.
So Arin sets people to getting her supplies, then lectures Tharon why using leeches is a bad idea, because if the topic of nonmagical healing comes up in a fantasy novel, some back-assward character must insist on bleeding the patient. It's, like, the law or something. Fortunately, Arin somehow has a working knowledge of modern medicine, and is able to correct poor stupid Thar and his stupid savage beliefs.
Arin sends Samurai Chick and some nameless extras off to gather some blue flowers – well, at least it's not generic “herbs” for once – which she says will fight the fever. Again, Thar is the local healer. I'd expect him to know what local plants are useful in medicine, especially something as simple and basic as a fever.
Arin decides to stick a red-hot knife in Egil's eye-socket, ostensibly to . . . actually, it's never specifically stated why she's doing this. Maybe she's secretly a human-hating sadist and sees an opportunity to torture a human without repercussions. Egil's half-drunk shipmates see no problem with the nonhuman foreigner stabbing a red-hot dagger into the eye of their friend, so six of them hold him down for her.
We also learn that Thar can't even make a sleeping draught or basic anesthetic: “Egil'll j'st ha'e t' bear up.” How is this loser a healer? What does he do, aside from slapping bloodsucking swamp worms on people? \~/
Also, more linguistic butchery. \~/ If I took a drink for every example I'd be dead now, but I can't let that one slide.
So Arin stabs Egil in the face with a red-hot knife and the chapter ends.
Drinks: 7
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