A unlikely Ally

[Selphia Dek]

The time spent upon the forest floor was unknown. When Selphia awoke she was laying upon a comfort bed of straw. Several blankets had been laid beneath her, as well as, over top of her. Her head turning from side to side, then up and down, before she was about to look entirely about what appeared to be a makeshift hut. Where was this hut? She was last in the middle of the woods. Now she was somewhere else. How could that be? Where was Veryan?

“Veryan….” She whispered, she would then shift her form. That was when the pain struck her. She pressed her head back against the straw bed and grunted at the pain as it cut through her. She became dizzy from the pain. Quickly slamming her eyes closed as she willed the pain away. It was easier to think then for it to happen. When the pain ceased she looked about her. Veryan was nowhere to be found. What happened to them? Where was here? More importantly where was she?

The soft footfalls outside the hut announced her guest, or was it keeper? She didn’t know if she was in fact someone prisoner. Upon that thought her hand darted to the centre of her chest. She felt the ridge, which gave her easy to believe that she was not a prisoner. For if she had been the gem would have been cut from her body long before now. A thought quickly came to bringing comfort rather then panic.

“Aye your awake.”

She turned her head to find a middle-aged woman standing at the door. With her hands a mug, steam ebbing off the top. She could smell something sweet. Trying to move so that she might sit up caused a hold different kind of pain. Her leg felt as if it were on fire due to the pain. “Ayyy…. Ugh…”

The woman took a couple quick steps to Selphia’s side. Placing the mug to the small space next to Selphia. She placed her hand to Selphia’s shoulder.

"Where is Veryan?"

[Veryan Lithônion]

The woman gently tended to her wounds, however she smiled down upon her and said, “He is on the next tent to your right, let me just finish with your leg and you can go and see him.” She was rather worried for the young girl’s leg and if she leapt out and ran it would be much worse. Of course she was not saying it would not mend, she knew it would, but it was a strange wound and so it needed more time.

She looked at her and said, “He is still asleep, in a state we cannot bring him out of, perhaps a friend can…” she was obviously referring to Selphia, perhaps she could bring him back, make him awake or something. They tried every means possible, even magic, but his wounds were severe, surely that person Veryan confronted fought to kill.

It was a beautiful morning, warm and the lands were green and damp with the morning dew. The birds sang merrily and the gipsies and enjoyed their freedom concealed in the forest of Balor. The only pity was that Veryan was not awake to enjoy it, and they both had failed in reaching the woods unharmed by the trusted now his friend, Selphia would be safe, he had done a good thing in defending her against those ruffians and one day he would give them what they deserved, till then he would have to protect Selphia for he had promised her and Veryan was a man of his word.

Veryan was inside a tent, in deep slumber though a tortuous one, it looked like a nightmare for his brow was covered in sweat despite how the two maids were doing their best to heal him and revive him from the realm of dreams and mysteries.

[Selphia Dek]

Selphia could not focus on two things at once, especially when one of those things was to keep all the voices out of her head. With the pain pretty much tearing through her leg it was all she could feel. It hurt to do anything. She wanted to get up and search for Veryan. She didn’t trust this woman, namely due to the fact that she didn’t know her. She could have stretched her thoughts forth but the pain had her thoughts too scrambled to even concentrate on invading the woman’s thoughts in order to learn her true nature. Selphia lay back down simply due to the woman’s hand upon her shoulder forcing her to do so. There was something tight about her thigh. They had seen to her wound? Her gaze traveled down, then back to the woman when she spoke of Veryan.

He was in the next tent. Which tent was that? The next one, but which? Her gaze darted from the woman’s face to the tent’s entrance way. She could stand and limp to the door. It didn’t seem far. “Is he well? Is he hurt?” She wanted to know what had happened to him in the woods. Collapsing like her had. She figured it was the over use of his abilities, she felt it rush through her when he used it. She felt everything. She would lift her gaze to where the woman was diligently working upon her wounded leg. Tying the wrap tight. Her head pressed back into the pillow with a deep breath that she was about to expel, only to suck it back inward. She had never experienced such pain before such as this. And never again did she wish too.

There was a reason she had the abilities that she did. She was not good with pain tolerance. Her brother called her a baby for even a splinter in her finger. She was soft, and would admit that she was. She didn’t see then need to pretend she was something she wasn’t, brave, strong, these traits belong to her brother, not to her.

A concerned look came to Selphia’s pale features. It was only then that she realized that her robes had been removed. Self conscious about her appearance washed over her as she lay there before the woman. Her pale gaze would look away as if not to draw attention to herself, but she knew that she had. She just hoped that the woman would look pass it. ~Veryan was not waking. ~ She did not know the reason as to why that would happen. She looked at the ceiling, staring pass the woman as if to give it deeper thought. ~Could it be the amount of magic he used? ~ She pondered for a moment before bringing her attention back to the woman. Pale eyes search that of the woman’s.

Selphia was not entirely aware of the degree to which Veryan was fighting off Selphia’s pursuers. She had witnessed some of his fight to the point of his collapse, but she had blacked out as well, her thoughts were daze in both regards. Her pale eyes studied the woman while she sat there. She took note of her attire, a rather plain gown. Her hair was neatly brushed yet it was braided and held tiny beads at the bottom of three braids. Selphia wasn’t entirely sure just who she was, but the vide coming from her was a peaceful one. Could she trust the woman?

Possibly.

“Can you take me to him.” she asked, hoping not to be forced to remain in the bed for much longer.

[Veryan Lithônion]

The lady noticed Selphia was worried, in fact she seemed to be upset of being there and being so close to someone she did not know, however she told her to try and ease her worried mind, “You are safe here, you reached the druid camp, milady.” It was true that they had both fallen unconscious in the middle of the woods, but it had been the druids, the friends of Veryan the ones who recognized the fallen blacksmith and interpreted both were friends or at least acquaintance and so they immediately took them to some tents and worked on their wounds, however Veryan’s wound on the side seemed to be of a strange nature, the druids did not seem able to know what to do with it.

She then smiled at Selphia and added, “You are much lucky, milady, Veryan is a loyal friend and he would do anything to protect you, however his skills with the sword are not that great he practices and I am sure that the time will come when his magical abilities as well as fighting skills, will be well developed.” She tried to scare her weariness away and tried to think Veryan would soon awake and would be fine, Selphia already looked weary enough for this situation to aggravate her. She knew Veryan would not have wanted her to worry too much about him, but to rest and recover.

She seemed to be eager to know exactly what had happened to Veryan in the woods, however the druid did not feel she could tell for she did not know. All she knew was that they had found him with a few scratches and a severe wound on his right side, surely acquired when facing one of their attackers, or perhaps more than one.

She noticed that worried look in Selphia’s eyes and then added, “Once again dearest, worry not, any friend of Veryan is a friend of ours, no one has seen your secret but the person you wish to show it to, that was why when checking for wounds we only deemed it right to make sure you were not wounded any further, but the clothes you now wear are clean and comfortable, please do not take it as an offence.”

“Can you take me to him?”

She smiled at her and nodded to her request. She then said, “Put on this cloak, milady, it is quite a cool morning.” She then extended her arm to help Selphia stand up and walk with her, it would be a painful walk for Selphia but Veryan’s tent wasn’t that far off. She led her through the cool morning due in the grass and then into Veryan’s tent.

Though he seemed to be wearing clean clothes, as well as Selphia, and his smaller wounds seemed to recover slowly, he still looked in deep slumber and his main wound seemed to get worse, his forehead was covered in sweat and he move his hear from side to side as he remained in the realm of slumber and nightmares. He whispered Selphia’s name form time to time yet he did not awake. The druid who had been tending to his wounds look a tad worried however he nodded to Selphia allowing her room to stand close to Veryan.

[Selphia Dek]

It was hard for Selphia to focus. Voices seemed to be circling about her. Waiting for others to leave her so they could slip in. Her body trembled as she tried to steady herself where she now stood. Looking at the woman that wished to aid her. Did Selphia really need help? She would say yes, her brother would tell her that she could fend for herself. That she didn’t need anyone to help her. It was thoughts like this that confused her so much. Galeon had spoke of trust at the hands of others. How quick it could turn on one. Trust was a very strange trait. Selphia took note of those whose company she was privy to be in. Somewhere trusting like Veryan. Galeon was wrong, or was Veryan waiting for a chance to wrong her, to give her secret away as freely as one gave a smile. These kinds of thoughts were dangerous to Selphia when in this state.

Her pale gaze lifted from the wound that the woman had seen to wrapping. She had not realized where the pain had come from until she looked down at her leg. A confused looked crossed her pale features. She pondered for a moment as to where the injury had come from. Selphia’s eyes refocused upon the woman as she explained how they were found, Veryan and herself. “Your Veryan’s friends.” It was more a statement then a question. It was like she only just now realized just who this woman was. A slight smile came to Selphia’s lips, but was quickly forced aside as she listened to the woman explained how lucky she was. It was at the mention of Veryan’s lack of skills with a blade that she felt guilty for Veryan being injured due to helping get her safe.

The mention of her secret caused apprehensive to rear its head again. Her pale eyes locked upon the woman as if to question her, on how she came upon this information. She glanced down briefly. Her arms came up and curled about herself. She was in a plain gown of strange fabric. It was soft yet heavy, which made it warmer for the most part. It was in this moment that she realized that she was bear. No cloak to hide beneath. Her long pale locks fell straight about her shoulders. Her hands moved to touch the fabric. Hand coming to rest together in the center of her chest. She made sure to cover the very spot that the gem sat. The woman state stated that her secret was safe. A look of sheer panic came to rest upon the woman. Selphia felt that she should trust the woman, that Galeon was wrong about all. If what the woman said were a lie. Then she would be dead right now, but she is not. Perhaps the druids were trustworthy.


Upon her request to seeing Veryan then woman did so right away. Offering a robe to Selphia, possibly to avoid unwanted stares. Selphia took it, carefully wrapping it about herself. She had forgotten briefly about her leg. When she took a step her knees buckled. She did not fall for the druid woman had caught her. She smiled briefly and allowed the aid as they went to see Veryan.

Once they entered the tent, Selphia could not help but gasp at the state that Veryan was in. Her emotions were so great that she in fact faltered to the ground. “Veryan…” She whispered, “ This is my fault.”