Warrior Of Light [Complete/Editing]

Chapter Seven - Part One

It was much too warm; the heat was stifling. A great weight seemed to lie across Edileth's body. She struggled to open her eyes to see what was crushing her. A small, pained moan rose in her throat.

A rocky sort of ceiling loomed above.

Where am I?

She had a sudden vision of Yena, a healer from one of the port cities on the north-eastern shores of Gael-Narenth. Yena had always been in attendance at the larger Ferlian gatherings, and Edileth had liked her almost immediately upon their first meeting.

She has arrived, then, thought Edileth. Or else, it was another strange dream.

Hoping to confirm that Yena had arrived, Edileth struggled to make her aching muscles lift her into a sitting position. A dull, throbbing in her side sharpened into a stabbing pain and Edileth winced, dropping back to the ground.

She steadied her breathing and made a second attempt at sitting up. This time she managed to sit up – gritting her teeth and groaning – and glance about the little, partially destroyed enclosure she found herself in.

Just less than a meter beyond her feet, a little fire crackled. Yena slept to her right, and Edileth released a heavy sigh of relief. She lifted her hand to remove the blanket that had seemed so constricting. However, as she did so she noticed two things.

The first was that – at some point during her state of delirium – Edileth had been changed into a thin chemise of sorts. She gave a little shiver as she felt the cool air stir about her bared shoulders and arms.

The second thing which fell to Edileth's observance was that Joenek lay to her left. He was quite close and facing her so that, if she were to lie back down, Edileth felt certain she would land upon his face. A frown formed on her face, and she drew the blanket up to cover the low neckline of the chemise.

"You're awake, at last."

Edileth turned to Yena and revealed a small smile. She opened her mouth to speak. Instead, an awful croak grated from Edileth's mouth. Yena chortled and patted her hand.

"Let us quench that thirst," said she. "Here, drink this."

Yena lifted a waterskin to Edileth's lips. The cool water slid down her throat like a bit of paradise washing over her thick, dry tongue. She gulped the water hungrily, not wanting to stop until she was full of the divine liquid. Yena, however, pulled the waterskin away.

"Not all at once, my dear. We don't need you drowning."

Edileth nigh gasped for breath. She wiped the back of her hand against the droplets of moisture that had spilt onto her lower lip and chin.

"I apologize." Her voice came out as a rasping, grating whisper. "I couldn't seem to stop myself."

"You've no need to apologize, dear. Now, let us work on getting a little food in that belly of yours."

As Yena shuffled toward the fire, Edileth cleared her throat.

"How many days have passed since I fell ill?"

"Some three days," answered Yena.

"Truly? What of the others? They have not yet arrived?"

"No, indeed; 'tis troubling news. I pray they have not come against such trials as you have, for we shall have need of their skills."

"What skills are those?"

Edileth scowled when Joenek raised his question. She heard him moving beside her but refused to look at him. Yena smiled and addressed him.