Ayda's Point of View

Library

There was a banging coming from the front door. My head was killing me. Crawling to my hands and knees, I got to my feet. Dragging myself out the door was difficult enough, but I also had to use some magic, of which I had very little left, to make sure no one would snoop or sense the magic. Cassidy was also unconscious on the floor back there.

“I hear you.” I said softly as I held my head, but the banging continued. “I hear you!” This time I shouted and instantly regretted it.

The banging finally stopped as I got closer to the door. Opening it made me hiss as the sunlight felt like it was burning my eyes. Squinting, I tried to see who was here and even figure out what time it was. My hands came up to shield my eyes with my forehead, but it did little. Thankfully, I quickly adjusted and saw Lady Rennal and Priestess Arceana looking at me, concerned. Several guards were with them.

Fear and adrenaline hit my veins like ice. No longer was my head the worst of my concerns. It was getting out of this situation. I felt a chill creeping down the back of my neck. Many scenarios started to run through my mind as my breathing seemed to catch. This only made them more surprised as they took in my appearance.

“Ayda…” My teacher let out in surprise. “You look…” She trailed off.

This was bad. “Priestess?” I said in a confused tone. “What time is it?”

“Not quite noon yet. Did you have a long night?” She asked.

With both of them here, I needed to do damage control despite how it might make me look. “Cassidy was drinking when I found her.” Rennal tried to look behind me at that. “We got a little carried away.” If the Priestess sees her now, “Remind me to never drink with her ever again.” I could be in serious trouble.

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Rennal eventually looked at me as I continued to squint. “Where is she?”

“Sleeping.” I told her and closed my door. “Cass is probably worse than I am. Let her sleep, and I will inform her you came by.” Then I looked at Arceana and pretended to clutch my head in pain. “Why are you two here? Did something happen?” It had to be believable, which worked in my favor because I definitely felt awful after last night.

Rennal deflated as Arceana answered. “I came to see how you were doing. Sergeant Ziah informed me you had not arrived this morning. We came to check on you.”

“Apologies, Priestess.” Then I pointed at my head. “Any chance you could help with this? Using magic right now is a little troublesome at the moment.”

My teacher smirked. “I believe that if you are willing to put yourself in such a condition, you must also be willing to deal with the consequences.” Naturally, I had to play along, so I groaned. “What happened that the two of you decided to drink so heavily?”

Lady Rennal tsked. “Cass is a known drinker, Priestess. Although, this does seem a little excessive, even for her.”

“More so for Ayda.” The Priestess confirmed, and her gaze turned back on me once more.

It made me a little sick to use them as an excuse, but it wasn’t really an excuse at the same time. “We started talking about my dad and Cassidy’s grandfather…” I trailed off, and the two women became silent at that.

“I see.” My teacher replied more solemnly. “Perhaps we should have a talk about how you are doing?” She offered.

Trying my best to sell the situation, I chuckled a little, which was very unbecoming. “Actually, Cassidy and I really had a heart-to-heart. It may have been a little different than what I expected, but…” Trailing off slightly, I added a small smile. “It was nice. Just being able to vent with someone who understands.” Then I looked up at the Priestess. “Not to say you wouldn’t-“

Arceana held up her hand to stop me, smiling softly while holding me in a warm embrace. “I know what you mean, Ayda. Believe it or not, I have been through similar situations. So, I understand finding solace in places you might not have been expecting.” Her hand hovered over my head before her magic ignited, and I felt my skull’s throb fade. “I will, however, be here to help whenever I can.”

My response was soft. “Thank you.” After all, it had been quite some time since she had held me like this.

“Given the situation, I think we can afford a little more understanding.” The Priestess stated and gestured to the library. “Should I also assist Cassidy?”

Controlling my emotions like this wasn’t my forte, but I tried to respond as nonchalantly as possible. “Let her sleep. She was up later than I was, but I will make sure to heal her when she does.” Then I turned to Lady Rennal Bimarr. “That is if you would allow it. I can also inform her you were worried for her.”

She gave me a thankful bow in return. “I would be grateful.”

“We can wait for a time, but I do have business with you and Floyd.” My teacher suddenly informed me as she continued to hold me close and rub my back. “Come to the Temple when she wakes up.”