Aliza managed to get out of her room the next morning and journeyed downstairs for breakfast. She forgot she was still in her nightshirt but for all she cared, she was covered up. Getting to the dining hall, it was as if last night didn’t happen. The table that the catfolk broke on impact was repaired. There is no fur or blood to be seen anywhere. Even some of the wait staff who were there that night were back and greeted her with kindness.
This can’t be normal…
“Miss Menona. Glad to see you came down.” Tohea called out from the bar. She gestured for Aliza to approach, which she did but slowly and slumped. “I’m so sorry for what happened last night. Rolim and Olif called me about it after his arrest.”
“Ahh… so he was arrested. I thought he would be slumped on the streets after that beating he took.”
Tohea softly chuckled. “Well I’m sure he’s slumped but he’s in a cell awaiting trial,” Aliza smirked but quickly disappeared recounting last night. “I assure you this is not a regular occurrence. The bastard was lucky I wasn’t here.”
“Why weren’t you?” Aliza asked bluntly. Tohea’s lips curled and one of her brows raised. “I’m… sorry. I just… I thought the Innkeeper… lived in the Inn.”
Tohea’s brows furrowed as she continued to wipe down the bar. “Not that it's any of your business but I have a niece and a nephew that I raise. So I live somewhere else entirely while I have a night manager taking care of my guests.”
Aliza’s cheeks flushed and she started fidgeting her hands. “I’m sorry. Just… I thought I escaped such hate. It seemed as if it followed me here and I don’t know how to feel about it.”
There was an awkward pause between the women before Aliza adjusted herself to step away. With a grunt, Aliza’s exit came to a pause.
“Listen Miss Menona. I don’t give a fuck where you are from or what you have been through. Neither do most people here. I’ve seen every type of person cause chaos in my Tavern and where they are from did not matter. I won’t even ask who started the confrontation because it's clear as day. But if you're going to let that one stupid person get to you then he got the exact reaction he was looking for. Furless or not. I would throw more appreciation to the people that kicked his ass for you than the prick rolling the slur but that’s just me.”
Aliza hung her head as she clasped her shaking hands. She wanted to scream that she didn’t know what she was talking about. If only she knew what she experienced back in Icurus. What her experience was. But it would just be a circle game at this point. She wants to move on from her past and not be constantly reminded of it. And until people could understand, there was no use talking about it.
“I understand. And… thank you.”
Tohea nodded and continued with the cleanup. Aliza went to her usual corner table and ordered breakfast that just consisted of porridge, toast, and ale.
Aliza stayed in her room for the majority of the day just constantly playing that night in her head. It was becoming daunting and annoying to replay like a broken record. Tossing and turning, trying to think of something else to occupy her mind. Anything else! Argos? Why think about that depressing despair of a city? Her father? Brothers? Rather not be reminded of them.
Mother? Our farm. It seemed so long ago now. I miss our little herbal garden. Our small cabin by the sea. Her flowing hair. Her smile. I wish you were here.
“My favorite melody,” her mother called her. The memory of her lullaby came to mind as she closed her eyes and hummed her senses back in order.
Aliza spent days in her room only coming out for her meals. Eating in her usual spot in her plain clothing and her hair wrapped in a bun. Looking around the dining hall to see smiling and joy-filled faces both made her angry and envious. Part of her wanted to mingle but her feet were frozen and her mouth dried at the thought. What if the next person calls her a disgusting slur too? A few people walked by her table and eyed her, only to look away quickly.
Not good enough for them anymore?
Fed up with the people and her own mind, Aliza paced out the Inn to go for a walk. She didn’t know where to go, just as long as it was away from there. She wandered timelessly in the streets looking down at her feet, barely ever looking up to observe the settings around her. Even amongst the growing cold autumn air, it was no match for how hot her body was regulating. Her head buzzing and aching, the voices never silencing.
Listen you Ick! Inbred Ick… BACKSTABBING B-
“Enough!” She shouted in the air.
She opened her eyes and realized that she recognized none of the buildings around her. The sun had already set and all the colors of the town were now in shades of blue like the night sky.
“Fuck… How did I… Did I black out again?” She growled to herself. Taking another - more careful - look around, she looked to be in a residential area. Small family houses were close-knit to each other, a street light on each corner of every block, and every other house had a huge tree in front of it. “Ok… I could just go backward from where I came from. I remember… umm… maybe that way?” She walks back up to the closest intersected block from her and follows the street, for several blocks. Making turns everywhere she could, nothing that she saw resembled the market square, the docks, or the Twin Barrels. Panic started to arise, then froze when she glanced down an alley and saw a tall shadowy figure of a man, just standing there.
Aliza’s eyes squinted as she took a few steps toward the ally. Praying that it may be a guard… or someone… who could redirect her to the main streets.
“Excuse me!” She called out.
The figure said nothing. Continued to stand there.
“Hey there! Umm… does that street lead to the market square?”
The figure said nothing.
“Excuse me, sir?”
Stolen story; please report.
Aliza took two steps in the alley when the man slowly turned his body toward her. Aliza stopped her pace to observe the man's next move. From the quick side profile of his shadow, she saw strands of short coily hair at the front of his head. Her blood stilled, her feet cemented in place.
“There’s…there’s no way…” she said breathlessly.
The man took one step towards her, she took a step back. Her body was shaking beyond relief. He took another step, Aliza stepped back. She looked all around for a guard, a pedestrian, anyone. Then… the man sprinted to her. Aliza gasped and ran from the alley. Blurs of yellow light and dark blue buildings filled her sight. She turned to other streets desperate, trying to find her way back but failing. She barely looked back… and the figure was gone. Heavily breathing while leaning on a light pole, she gripped her heart tightly, her legs numb, her blood cold as ice.
Was that… it couldn’t have been. He’s-
Before Aliza could think further, she looked up to see that same figure standing 20 feet away from her. A wicked smile grew on his face. She tripped and fell backwards and scurried back on her feet running opposite of this figure. More blurs of lights and houses crossed her vision but all that was screaming at her was to get away. Far away. She took another turn and darted down an ally. Dashing down and throwing some rogue crates over to slow her pursuer. Daring to look back again, she tripped on her skirt, rolled on her shoulder, and tumbled 10 feet into the side of a fountain knocking her head into it.
Barely turning on her back, vision blurred, her body in prickling pain, a figure stood over her. In a weakened tone said, “Jal… please… don’t…”
“Miss? Miss, are you alright?” The figure touched her head. “You're bleeding! Help! Someone, she needs a doctor!”
Several lights blurred together, several voices melding into a ring, and then… darkness.
Two days later…
“Uggghhhhhh…. What… where am I?” She groaned out as bright lights hazed her vision.
As it adjusted, she saw a figure in all white with seemingly a hat with a red symbol on it.
“Dr. Fahana! She’s awake!”
Closing her eyes and taking deep breaths, she tries to focus her mind. All she could think about was the writhing pain her head and arm were in. Opening her eyes, she saw a flash of a man with ebony skin and coily hair. Her eyes widened and she gasped for air as she willed herself in the far corner of a… bed?
“Please don’t!”
“Whoa, there ma’am! I’m here to help not hurt.” The man spoke to her. His voice was low and smooth, very calming. Aliza’s vision cleared and what was in front of her was a man with a distressed look on his face. Ebony skin, Long pointed ears, square jawline, curly hair, blueish green eyes, and a doctor's coat. “Ma’am please, that blow to the head is serious. I don’t want you to strain yourself.”
Aliza lightly nodded and flinched as the pain riled up again. She tried to correct herself but almost fell over on her left side. The doctor caught her in time. As she looked down, she saw her arm was in a sling and bandaged. The doctor and nurse carefully adjusted her in bed, propping her up on a soft cushioned pillow.
“I’m… I’m sorry. I thought you were… someone else.” Aliza groaned out.
“From what the witness said that night, it sounds like you were giving your pursuer one hell of a chase. You give cheetahs something to strive towards.”
Aliza breathly chuckles cringing through the throbbing pain.
“What is… your name?”
“Fahana. Dr. Cailu Fahana.”
“Fa-ha-na.”
“There you go. Mind if I ask yours?”
Aliza slowly blinked, fighting both the pain and staying conscious.
“Aliza… Menona.”
“Lovely name Miss Menona. Or is it Mrs.?” She shook her head at the question. His bright white smile managed to calm her and make her return hers. She went to scratch her forehead when she felt the bandages around her head.
“Mmmm… what happened to me?”
Dr. Fahana’s face fell to a serious expression before sitting beside her.
“You took a nasty fall. Fractured your shoulder and wrist. Finally hitting your head on the side of the Market Square fountain. Left a small laceration on your scalp that we had to stitch up. Lucky for you, your arm was the only thing fractured.”
Aliza’s brows furrowed looking down on her fractured arm and lightly grasping it. That shadow figure flashed in her mind… with that wicked smile. Dr. Fahana noticed her eyes dilate suddenly. But he knew that it was not because of her injuries.
“The witness also said that as he approached you, you called out someone’s name. Was that the person pursuing you?”
“He is…was… someone… I knew… a long time ago. He… he…” tears began to fall down her face. Silent sobs started to grow louder, and a vacant blank stare crossed her face. Dr. Fahana then placed his hand on hers, and a warm, bright light emanated from him. The radiating glow brought instant comfort like a mother’s embrace. Her sobs grew silent, and her head became light and painless. She looked back at him with curiosity.
“I’m sorry. I’ve been a devoted cleric for a good portion of my adult years. It looked like you needed comfort. I apologize for overstepping.”
Aliza’s head tilted closer to him, “To whom… do you pray?”
“Tendia. Let's just say the person I was before would be swimming in the seas of the Abyss. I was given a second chance, and I took it. Now… now I get to help souls like you get their second chance.”
“How do you-”
“I don’t Miss Menona. But judging from the distress this person gave you, speaks volumes. No one deserves that. I don’t know your story, but I hope that you heal from your past.”
Aliza slowly blinked and smiled at the kind doctor. She squeezed his hand never wanting that warm embrace to go.
“Thank… you.”
“You’re welcome. We’re going to keep you here for the remainder of the week for observation. Want to make sure you're sane in the membrane before we free you, Ok?”
Aliza chuckled hard enough to flinch but it was worth it. She gently nodded her head and the doctor's grasp released, leaving the air cold once again as he walked out the door. The nurse stayed and looked over Aliza’s vitals and bandages, all with a warmth in her smile.
“Are you a woman of faith Miss Menona?” she asked.
“No. Haven’t practiced my faith in a long time,” she answers plainly.
“Oh. I apologize. I was going to suggest our chapel if you ever wanted to visit. I just thought…”
“I thank you… for the suggestion miss. I’ll consider it.” her voice grew very tired and weary. She looks to the window behind the nurse’s station, the cloudy sky and the whistle of wind blowing the branches every way it could.
The nurse nodded and the awkwardness stilled the room. The whistling wind made the pain in her head rile up again. “Ahhh… isn’t there a healing potion you can give me?”
“Those are only regulated to soldiers and miners, Miss.”
“Really? Why?”
“They are meant for quick healing on a battlefield or when there’s no physician close by. Plus all the addictive chemicals in it make the body less reliant on itself to heal the more often you use it.”
Aliza stiffened as her brows furled letting out a soft growl. The nurse pauses hearing this while also seeing Aliza’s freed fist clench.
All those years… Rakkan you son of a bitch.
“Miss… I should inform you of something.”