Months passed with the soft rhythm of routine, each one blending into the next like the turning of pages in a book too familiar to feel the weight of its words. Raven found herself moving with ease through the space that had once felt foreign, now a part of her own quiet world. The books, scattered carelessly across the room when she first arrived, were now neatly arranged along the shelves, each spine aligned with purpose. It was a small act, but it brought her a sense of accomplishment—a feeling of tending to something other than her own survival.
She paused in front of the bookshelf, fingers trailing absentmindedly over the cover’s soft edges as she admired her work. She was glad Loriathan had relented, finally allowing her to give back in some way. It had been bothering her how much care he had to give, while she remained sitting idle.
She jumped when Amaranth brushed against her leg as she passed by on her way to Loriathan. A playful meow escaped her lips as she trotted mischievously to his side. Loriathan welcomed her warmly, making space on his chair for her to sit comfortably by the hearth.
His face looked tired. Slack with exhaustion, his once-warm complexion now seemed pale. She was noticing it more recently, now. The wrinkles that bore into his face were deepening. It had only been a month or two, and yet his arms moved more sluggish than before. He had never been spry, as he put it, but Raven couldn’t help her concern.
"Done for the day?” she questioned; voice soft not out of expectation but habit. Loriathan appeared startled, before the same easy smile graced his face, ”Ah, lady Raven,” the warmth resonated through his timbre even as exhaustion crept in. “I suppose so, if you would like to take the time to continue your Elvish lessons, I would be happy to oblige.” His eyes twinkled as he pet Amaranth, who purred appreciatively “The Elvish vocabulary won’t learn itself, after all”
She smiled back, the familiar banter comforting her worry. “Of course, I’ll be just a moment”. Her hands moved automatically to sort the papers she had been organising that lay scattered across the floor. The movements an instinct, not a chore.
She settled them quickly before returning to Loriathan who had settled deeply into his chair. His gaze reached further than the fire as he contemplated times gone by. Muttering as such as he lay lost in thought. The sound of his soft chatter filled the room in the “silence” she had grown to love.
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His mouth turned upward at her return, “You have done such a magnificent job with the books, child”. His voice was quiet, almost reverant as he gave the praise. Raven reciprocated the tone, “Of course, Loriathan. I am always astounded at your incredible collections. It is truly a joy to be surrounded by such an abundance of knowledge”.
Loriathan smiled appreciatively, “You, young girl are much too kind”.
Raven felt a stinging guilt hammer through her chest. Loriathan was the one who had allowed her to continue to stay in his home. With the cold season having constant storms too treacherous to pass through alone. He was the one who was too kind.
Before she could reply, Loriathan reached for an Elven text, fingers carefully flipping through the pages to reach where they had left off the day before.
Their elvish lessons began simply. With Loriathan first incorporating Elvish into daily language and explaining the menaing of words as they went. Yet as time continued, Raven’s innate talent for the language shone, and she began to pick up the words and their meanings increasingly quickly.
They progressed efficiently, talking together in simple sentences making Raven feel more connected to the world beyond the walls of their home.
Their home. She was getting too comfortable here. She could feel it. The slow-paced mornings filled with elvish alchemy and food was far too enticing. Their cozy comradery had become precious to her, and now she felt reluctant to let it go.
But the dwindling howling of the harsh elements outside brought Raven back to reality. The thaw came earlier than expected, a subtle shift in the air that Raven only noticed as she reorganized the last of Loriathan’s books. The once-stubborn winds lost their bite, and the ice that had gripped the mountains for months began to retreat, leaving darkened earth exposed beneath patches of snow.
She couldn’t stay here indefinitely, could she?
No matter how much she wanted to, she’d be taking even more advantage of Loriathan’s kindness. His earnest desire to help others, and the comforting way in which he had treated her was not something she would allow herself to get swept away by.
Their lessons flowed with the same familiar ease. Loriathan taught her with patient enthusiasm, but tonight his energy waned quicker than usual. His pauses to catch his breath grew longer, his words trailing off mid-thought. Raven tried to ignore the tightness in her chest, attributing it to the late hour or the lingering effects of winter.
As they wrapped up the lesson, Loriathan stood to fetch something from a nearby shelf. He swayed suddenly, his hand gripping the edge of the table for balance.
“Loriathan!” Raven leapt to her feet, her voice rising in alarm.
He waved her off with a faint smile, though his expression betrayed his struggle. “I’m fine, Raven. Just a bit... dizzy.”
But the tremble in his legs betrayed him. Raven’s heart clenched as she took a cautious step closer, her voice soft but insistent. “Please, sit down... Loriathan!”