A Servant Lost (Alys Book #1)

Chapter 19

Esme, Dimia and baby Joss were all present when Alys awoke the next morning.

Esme sat with baby Joss in her lap, her eyes full of un-spilled tears as she met Alys' blinking eyes.

"Oh thank God," Esme let out a sigh of relief, closing her eyes and causing a few tears to escape. Dimia was also close to tears. She leaned forward in the stool she was on and reached for Alys' hand.

"You had us worried my Dear." Dimia tried to smile despite her sad eyes.

Alys tried to speak, but she found that her voice would not work. She frowned, unsure of what was happening.

"No, Don't try to speak!" Esme ordered, quickly passing the baby off to Dimia and coming to kneel beside Alys' bed. Alys looked at her friend in bewilderment at her instructions but complied.

Esme stroked unruly hair from Alys' face and spoke to her soothingly, "Warrick and Aldyth have agreed that it is best that you don't try to talk for a few days. There might be permanent damage to your voice, and talking now might make it worse."

Alys nodded slightly to let her friend know she understood.

But there was one thing she needed to ask about. She knew she did not want to hear the answer, but she could not bear to lay there in the unknown.

Alys kept her eyes locked on Esme and mouthed a name to her friend. Esme frowned in concentration and Alys tried again. Once she knew what Alys was asking she smiled "Rohan is alive."

Alys squeezed her eyes shut as tears of relief swelled up.

Thank you God, thank you.

The tears made her eyes sting worse than anything she had ever felt, causing her to groan.

Esme squeezed Alys' shoulder in comfort.

"He is in a deep sleep," Dimia added, sounding hallow and scared, "Aldyth says she doesn't know which way he will go yet, but they are trying everything they can."

Alys's eyes overflowed as she opened them. They did not slide down the sides of her temples as she would expected, which made her reach a hand to her face. As soon as she made contact with her skin she was met with a burst of pain. She snapped her hand back in shock.

"Don't worry," Esme was quick to reassure her, "Warrick said it should not scar. It will be tender for a few days yet though."

"You should get up and walk," Dimia said softly, "It is not good to lay in bed for too long."

Alys nodded again and sighed.

Esme helped Alys up to a sitting position, "Do not worry, Aldyth knows we are going to take you for a walk, right after we get you something to eat."

    Whatever Alys was given to eat was horrendous. Esme explained that there was some sort of medicine mixed into a soup. Aldyth did not want Alys chewing and causing the skin on her cheeks to become more aggravated.

The walk Alys took was short but sweet. Before even making out of the infirmary, Alys learned that her entire shoulder was discoloured with harsh bruises and was very sore; a result of trying to knock her bedroom door down.

Regardless, Alys was determined to walk around. It was a quiet walk, as Alys was not able to speak and Esme did not wish to overwhelm her friend. They walked out into a private garden that Alys had not been to for a while, then headed back. It was hard for Alys to walk continuously, because her breathing came in short, painful gasps. By the time the two young women had gotten back, Esme was fussing about feeding baby Joss, and Alys was rewarded with a kick from her baby; a very welcome sign. Despite how much crying hurt her eyes, Alys could not help but shed a few tears of joy.