Jonen paced the temple halls impatiently as he waited for their conversation to end. He disliked being turned away from helping Mira. If he was at least in the room, he could try to comfort her. As the temple prepared for a calm night, he sat on a pew closed his eyes. This was all his fault. He shouldn’t have left her to fight Isaan alone. His stomach churned with anxiety and guilt.
After all, Mira was in this position because of him. If she hasn’t helped him to the temple to heal his wounds, Jonen would be dead. He sat at one of the pews and tried to rub the grogginess from his face. The fatigue washed over him like waves on a beach.
He hoped that he would still be stationed in Zrud come her recovery, or he would not be able to concentrate. Jonen didn’t know why he had become so obsessed, except that he felt that way about Shayleigh.
“Goddess,” He exhaled, “Do… do I love her? I’ve only known her for a few weeks… but…”
Jonen shook his head at the thought. Mira had saved him. He was indebted to her. Her being a gorgeous warrior made no difference. The fact that he couldn’t concentrate when she smiled at him shouldn’t matter. Not to mention that now he could only think of their future when she awoke. Jonen felt a calming energy wash into him again. He looked up to see Irae giving him a soft smile and her hand on his shoulder.
“It’s hard be in love with someone again, you know?” She smiled, “Goddess willing, she’d let you love again.”
“How did you…” Jonen looked to her.
“I lost my husband nearly a decade ago,” She clutched the bundle of rings on the chain around her neck, “Sunodagh’s nephew was my soulmate. I hope to find another just like him. I don’t believe he would want me to be lonely. Until I met my next mate, I work for the Goddess and pray she handles his soul well.”
“Oh,” He looked away, “I shouldn’t feel this way about her. I just… I feel crazy. She barely survived the day, and my mind is just buzzing with thoughts.”
“You’re no longer worried she’ll die,” Irae shrugged and pointed upwards, “Now, you want something happier. You want to be with her. You may just be in luck.”
“What do you mean?” He watched as Irae sat on the pew next to him.
“In the few years we’ve known Mira, I have never seen her let anyone care for her. She only allows me to heal her if I claim it is for practice. Yet, she danced with you. Openly held your hand during the festival. She let you carry her to the temple. Hold her while she was injured. Young Mira doesn’t know much about others, but I haven’t seen her trust someone as openly as you.”
“She couldn’t walk—”
“She brought you here,” Irae motioned to the temple, “The safe haven she had for herself. She brought you here to help you. Any other, she would have let die.”
“I don’t know what to do,” Jonen’s heartbeat increased at the thought, “Now that she’s alive… I have to think about how she kissed me earlier and –”
“She kissed you?” Irae blinked in surprise, “That’s new.”
“Isaan ordered her to kill me,” He touched his lips and hoped to actually understand what happened, “And she kissed me instead and told me to run. I don’t know how to –”
“Be honest with her,” The half elf chuckled and shrugged, “As one halfling to another, we don’t know what our lifespan will be. Once we hit the elven aging, we will have little time. You’re young. Be honest. Be patient.”
“How is she?” He ignored the advice, “Am I allowed to see her again?”
“She’s alive,” The healer patted his shoulder lightly, “She’s sleeping right now. Nara is too. They’ll need lots of rest the next few days. Both barely escaped death.”
Jonen tried not to run down to the infirmary, but it was hard to control himself. When he pulled the curtain back and saw Mira sleeping peacefully, his heart slowed down to a normal pace. He noticed her skin seemed softer, livelier, and had a tremendously less amount of scarring. She looked so much younger than she had before.
In a cot besides her was the High Priestess. Nara’s bronze skin had regained is normal glow, but black roots twirled around her wrist like they had on Mira’s throat. It blended better into the darker skin, but it was still noticeable. Both of the women were bundled in blankets and healers doted on them.
“Jonen, did I do good?” Tella’s soft voice caught his attention.
He looked over to see Gimma placing a bag of icy water onto the large bump on her head. He smiled at her.
“Tella, I am truly amazed at how great you did today.”
She smiled proudly then winced, “My head hurts really bad. Gimma said I’ll need to rest a few days. I didn’t know what I did.”
“You’re suffering from magic fatigue, as well as hitting your head on the floor,” The older woman tsked, “Knight, you might suffer the same thing if you haven’t used much of your magic before. Let me check.”
Jonen sat on the bed next to Mira, wanting to keep her close. Gimma’s glowing hand flowed over his chest. She shook her head and the tussle of grey hairs waved behind her.
“You’re dangerously close to it too,” She looked over his other wounds, “You better sit on the bench by the girl while I get more cots. You will need at least a day’s rest as well.”
As Gimma grumbled about dumb warriors and battling, Jonen walked over to sit by Tella on the bench. She seemed dejected and exhausted. Jonen patted her shoulder to show his appreciation.
“Thank you for saving Mira and the High Priestess, Healer Tella.”
She shook in giggles, “I am a healer, now, aren’t I!”
“I want you to come get lessons more often,” Gimma chuckled from across the room, “You’ll be a proper healer in about a decade, Tella.”
“Yes, Master Gimma,” Tella yawned, “Can I go to sleep yet?”
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
Jonen listened to the pair talk openly about lessons as more temple priestesses came in to greet and gather healing supplies. Irae popped in regularly to grab things. On one trip, Jonen reached out to grab her attention.
“The other men, did they make it?” He asked.
“Sunodagh… He lost an arm to the beak,” Irae looked away, “I couldn’t reattach it. A few others… were not as lucky.”
Irae’s soft brown eyes looked over to Tella. The girl’s eyes were closed.
An instinctual curse lift his lips and he apologized, “Sorry. I just hoped everyone was okay.”
“Many other suffered typical battle wounds. Nothing too major. I can handle it with the students,” She smiled softly, “Gimma has more experience with magical wounds and will take care of the High Priestess and Mira.”
Jonen sighed relief, “The world has lost a great blacksmith today, then.”
Irae’s gaze lowered as she nodded, “He is coming to terms with the situation. Words from a fellow warrior might help.”
“He can do that tomorrow. He’s fatigued. He needs rest,” Gimma chimed in, “Sunodagh needs to rest too. Make him sleep if you can. The old coot can find another retirement hobby.”
Irae laughed guiltily and Nara’s eyes fluttered open. She looked around to see everyone in the room before falling asleep again. Irae looked over to Jonen with a slight smile.
“If you’d like to sit for a while, I can bring in a few more beds and everyone can stay in here,” She looked between him and Mira, “I understand that Tella probably would want to share a space with Mira, but I don’t think you’d mind the next spot.”
Jonen felt a slight blush on his face, but it could have been from the fever, “Thanks. I think I should be able to help as well.”
Pallik the bundle of linen and ran to his little sister with a concerned face.
“Tella, what’s wrong? You’re pale,” His hand ran to her face to check for a fever.
“She overexerted herself,” Irae tussled the boy’s hair, “In another week or so, she will be back to normal. Until then, it’ll be like she has the flu.”
“I should take you home,” He frowned, “Mom and Dad aren’t going to be happy about this.”
“I don’t think Mira would want either of you leaving without an escort,” Jonen chimed up, “Maybe I can take you once I’m healed.”
He looked down to the burn on his arm that Mira made to keep him from bleeding out. He touched it lightly, almost as if he expected something to happen.
“Oh, sorry,” Irae rubbed her head absent mindedly, “I guess with all the commotion, I forgot to check on you as well.”
Irae’s soft hand landed on the burnt flesh and Jonen felt an unfamiliar surge of energy form around the tips of her fingers. The flesh weaved together like a cloth. He was impressed at the speed and delicacy. The handprint cleared away as she healed his arm.
“How long have you been a healer?” Jonen looked up from her hand, “I haven’t met many this talented.”
“I was about Tella’s age,” She shrugged, “It takes a long time to figure out what your niche is.”
Irae looked over to see Mira’s eyes flicker around under their lids. She walked over and placed the back of her hand on the sleeping woman’s forehead.
“Can I sleep with Mira?” Tella’s sleepy voice came from the corner.
“I don’t see why not,” Jonen walked over to lift the girl and place her on Mira’s cot, “Just be careful.”
The small girl curled up against the unmoving woman and the movement behind Mira’s eyelids slowed. Her arm curled around Tella protectively and pulled her closer. Tella yawned once before closing her eyes.
“It’s going to be a long night,” Irae set up another cot for Jonen to sit in on Mira’s other side, “You need to rest too.”
“I’ll wait until everyone else has beds,” He smiled softly then looked to Mira, “I want to make sure she’s alright.”
“She’s not going anywhere tonight,” The pink healer nodded, “You need as much rest as everyone else here. Lay down.”
Jonen hesitated only a moment before he complied. Irae brought a bundle of blankets to him as he got comfortable.
“Don’t you need rest as well?”
“Yes, but my bed is –” She pointed to the doorway in the back of the room, “—directly behind there.”
“Aren’t you exhausted? I heard you fainted earlier,” His concerned look caught her off guard.
“Tella’s outburst gave me a bit more energy,” Irae yawned, “But you’re right. As soon as you’re asleep, I’ll lay down. Now, close your eyes.”
Jonen did as she commanded. He felt her hand over his face before the relaxing spell flooded his mind. He tried to fight to stay awake before he heard Irae chuckle. The spell strengthened and his consciousness drifted into the field back in Saceida.
Grass swayed in the gentle breeze tickled his pointed ears as he stared into the midday sky. Wispy clouds floated far above, and he heard a giggle next to him. He looked over to view Mira pointing upwards.
“I heard that some people compare clouds to other things,” She smiled, “That one, I think, would be a rabbit.”
He followed her finger and saw an oddly shaped cloud that did not in fact look like a rabbit, “I don’t see it.”
She sighed and rolled over to face him, “A rabbit without ears.”
“That’s not really a rabbit at all then,” He grinned, “Maybe a fat rat.”
“But it doesn’t have a tail.”
“I feel like a rat without a tail is better than a rabbit without ears,” He moved a curl from her face as she pouted, “But, just this once, I’ll agree with you.”
The pleasant dream felt normal, obtainable even. He cupped her face in his palm and looked into her amber eyes. She blushed and looked away from him. Jonen chuckled and moved his hand from her face.
“Why so suddenly shy?”
“You have pretty eyes. I like the way they look at me,” She paused then smirked, “It’s nice to know you dream of me this sweetly.”
“I would never tell you if I’m awake,” He rolled onto his back and looked up into the sky, “You might think it is odd. Especially with how often I kiss you.”
“It is,” Her hand played with his golden hair, “But, what if I dream of you too? Wouldn’t you want to know?”
“Of course,” Jonen caught her hand and kissed it softly, “You dreaming of me would make me happy if it was like this. I shared dreams with Shayleigh often. Many soulmates do. I think it’s a way our souls share while we sleep.”
“The one you bonded with?”
“Yes,” Jonen sighed, “I care for you in the same way. It’s hard to know if your feelings mirror mine.”
“Ever since we met, you’ve had some odd spell about you that hindered me from thinking clearly. Besides, I kissed you, didn’t I?” Mira teased, “I think you said you owed me a thousand if I survived, right?”
“I did,” He grinned, “When you’re ready, I’ll work on my debt.”
She laughed and fell to her back. Her auburn curls clouded his vision as she placed her head next to his. He moved the hair from his face and looked to her. He pulled her close to him and kissed her again. Even if it was a dream, he would do anything to keep her there next to him. He laid her head against his chest and rubbed her shoulders. She closed her eyes as her face fell to a frown.
“What’s the matter?”
“Jonen,” She sighed, “What if… what if you found out something bad about me?”
“Mira,” He turned to face her and placed his hand on her side, “I know that Isaan forced you to do bad things. I won’t hold that against you.”
“Promise?”
“I promise,” He nodded firmly, “I’ll do my best to protect you.”
She opened her eyes and looked around. She sat up and searched the grassy fields for something he couldn’t hear.
“What is it?”
“He doesn’t like that I’m here,” Mira frowned.
A dark figure stood out from the bright day. Jonen recognized the wraith instantly and protectively held onto her. She squirmed under his grasp.
“He won’t hurt me,” She shook her head and stood, “He just wants me to leave.”
“Why do you have to listen to him?”
Mira reached a hand to her temple and winced, “He is screaming at me to leave.”
“Even in my dreams, I can’t keep you for long, can I?” Jonen sighed.
“Perhaps in the next one?” She rested her forehead against his, “Goodbye, Jonen.”
Her hand cupped his face, and she kissed him gently. He greedily kissed her back and held her close. She pulled away with a red face and shook her head in embarrassment.
“Come back soon,” He sat up and watched as she walked away.
The wraith’s black mist enveloped the grassy plain as Mira walked to him. She turned once to wave goodbye as the dark figure approached her. Jonen watched as she crossed her arms and discussed something with the wraith. The emotionless mask looked to him, and the wraith shook his head. The mist wrapped around them and faded away as they disappeared.
Jonen woke up and felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked to see Mira looking at him with sleepy eyes. She blinked a few times and yawned.
“You really do have such pretty eyes,” She mumbled as she fell back asleep.
Jonen felt his heart flutter and grabbed her hand. He kissed it softly and closed his eyes. With any luck, Mira really was in his dreams.