Eleven

Evensong looked grave as she inspected my legs; they were not good, smelling of infection, the flesh turning unimaginable colors in places.

She had been shocked when she first saw me, mouth hung open in a little ‘o’ of surprise, then she had shrieked with delight and run at me, flinging her arms around my neck as Elethor tried to yell for her to stop. It had hurt, badly, but I hugged her small frame back, and cried my tears of joy and let my laughter sing with hers.

Her beloved stood in the door, his bow out arrow trained at the floor his arms lax and mirroring the confusion in his dark eyes. Eventually he had cautiously stepped into the room and waited to see what Evensong did before making another move. My mouth was dry as I waited to see what, if anything he would do. Elethor spoke rapidly in Asmodian, presumably telling my tale as quickly as he could to ease the ranger that Evensong had mentioned as Haji.

Evensong sat in the chair beside the bed and held my hands as she and Haji listened to Elethor. They both had grown pale and very, very somber. Neither one interrupted Elethor save Haji just once to repeat something Elethor said once to make certain he’d heard it correctly, it was a word I recognized, a name actually… “Switchkin.” Evensong had blanched and gripped my hands tighter at the name, and Haji stirred uneasily in his seat. Both of them looked at me with a mixture of awe and concern at whatever it was that Elethor said next, exchanging a worried and knowing glance between them.

Finally all three went silent, and thoughtful. I studied Elethor’s face, he looked so far away lost in his thoughts, Evensong too looked lost, her own thinking tumbling through her sea green eyes. Haji stared at me, coal black eyes smoldering and intense. Evensong’s fingers twitched in my own and she looked at me.

“Let me see what I can do, I’m no Cleric but I learned how to heal too.” She spoke the old tongue for my benefit.

Haji stood at the foot of the bed, and stared at my legs, hands flexing, fingered opening and closing rhythmically as if he wished there were blades in them. His rich black hair spilled into his eyes, escaping the half-tail he had put it in. I did not think he wished me harm, but indeed he looked as if he wanted to hurt someone in that moment. It took Evensong saying his name once, then twice for him to snap from his reverie. She asked the two men to perform some tasks for her, which both of them silently left to do. Elethor returned with clean sheets, Haji moved the screen Elethor had changed behind to in front of the fire. Evensong turned to me.

“Haji is going to pick you up and put you behind the screen for me so I can tend to you.” She nodded at me as if to tell me all would be well. I gritted my teeth and felt my cheeks flame before opening my mouth to speak.

“No.” I said. “I want Elethor, no offense to Haji but Elethor has all ready seen the worst and I want it to be him to move me.” Elethor translated to Haji who looked relieved, I don’t think he had wanted to touch me, whether that be because of my being Elyos or because he wished not to be the one to cause me pain I didn’t know but I would not probe either.

Elethor came to the side of the bed and gently placed an arm behind my back and the other beneath my knees. I placed my arms around his shoulders and inhaled sharply as he lifted me with ease. He was warm, the silk of his robes soft against my skin and I admit I derived a guilty pleasure from being close to him. I immediately felt horrid, not from my injuries but from my betrayal. I thought of Aalairius, and where ever he may be in Elysea or Reshanta. Did my beloved think of me? Did he miss me? I chastised myself silently for my moment of weakness and remained very stiff as Elethor set me down on a clean sheet behind the screen.

Evensong knelt beside me and as Elethor rounded the bend and out of sight she called out “You boys change the sheets on that bed.” I heard cloth against cloth as the two set to work and turned to Evensong.

“What now?” I asked. Evensong looked sad.

“Now I hurt you.” She said; face sorrowful, as she began the delicate task of removing the bandages. I tried not to scream I really did, but when it started Elethor rounded the screen like an impending storm, held out a hand in my direction and uttered a word of command. I felt the world swallowed in a black void and I was never so grateful for an Asmodian sleep spell as I was then.

The temple bells clamored and the earth shook beneath our feet. I looked at Elethor Zenton, Claire and Evensong.


“They need more healers in the south! Claire, Sirona, go! Evensong Elethor and I will go north! We will find each other after.” Zenton and Evensong went to the commander where Claire all ready stood arguing with him. She looked at me, but my eyes were for Elethor and the stricken look upon his face, I had never seen an emotion so clearly displayed upon his features and it made my chest squeeze tight with emotion of my own… I did not wish to leave him. He came to me and we stood drinking in each other’s faces.


“After, I promise you we will see each other after.” He said; hand on my cheek, his thumb tracing my bottom lip. I nodded quickly, and jumped when the earth roared beneath my feet and shook us apart.


Zenton roared louder, “Elethor! There is no time for sentiments! We go now!”


Elethor took me in one last time before his hand slipped away and he was gone, swallowed by the rushing churning crowd of people. Claire materialized by my side.


“Aion preserve us Sirona, I don’t know that there will be an after.” She made the sign against evil on her chest and I echoed her hollowly.


“Aion preserve us…” and silently to myself… Aion, preserve him.

I lay on my back, in softness, my hair stuck to my neck, damp with sweat and a weight crossing my stomach keeping me down but not in a restraining fashion… just a simple, it was there fashion. The oil lamps glowed softly but it still took my eyes ages to adjust. It was silent, and the horror of earlier was gone, a faint shade of what it had been. Elethor could not keep the sleep spell indefinite. I had woken several times as Evensong had drawn knife, excising the infection from my legs. Haji had held me down, hands pressing into my shoulders until the imprint of them raised in deep purple welts. His mouth had been set into a grim hard line as his lover worked. She had done her best and then, with no other recourse, she instigated the fever as a means to drive the rest of the infection out.

Elethor had been by my side for as long as he could until a knock came at his door stilling everyone. He slipped out and had not returned, I vaguely remember Haji saying something about running a legion while hiding in your room. Finally my body, having had enough pain allowed my tortured mind to retreat into unconsciousness. I had dreamed then, but they were unpleasant. Nightmares about the cataclysm, I had never seen any of my friends again, in the south Claire and I had been separated, and she had been lost… In the north, everyone had been lost to us, so we thought. I had never dared dream that any of my friends had survived, I had never dared that I was anything but alone.

I looked down, to see what it was that held me. A dusky blue well muscled arm lay across my middle. I turned my head, Elethor lay beside me on his stomach, half his face was buried in the snowy white feather pillows, and the part that I could see looked careworn. His brow furrowed as he slept. I let my gaze trace over the smooth hard plane of his shoulder and along the mane that traced his spine, I was surprised to see it up close and I wondered if it was as soft as it looked. I let my gaze flick to my legs beneath the blankets, the splints were gone and I could feel the tight bandaging around my calves and ankles, but thankfully there was no pain. I twisted a bit, and lay on my side face inches from his and watched him sleep, pleased that he was whole and alive, and saddened at what could have been and never was.

Tears stung my eyes as I remembered the last moments we had together before the Tower fell. It wasn’t fair, but then again it was what it was in Aion’s way of things. I reached out, gently smoothing my fingers through his hair as I had done so long ago as we studied, letting them trail down his neck and through the mane at his back… it was as soft as it looked. I let my tears fall unbidden and watched him for I don’t know how long, I did not stop touching his hair, and I did not stop thinking of Aalairius either… He held my heart now. I loved him so much, but I still could not stop wondering about what could have been, and my trail of thought made my chest ache with sorrow and guilt.