Naivaria Sunspell

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Naivaria looked down at her sketchbook, a little smile on her face.  “Lady Blackwood intimidated me at first.  To be honest, most nobles do.  I suppose I never saw myself befriending any of them–and even now when I find myself in the company of more than one of noble blood I find myself nervous.  I am not a noble, and I keep feeling as if rubbing elbows with them is frowned upon.  Still, she surprised me in the best way, in that she was incredibly nice… and seemed nearly as shy as I was about meeting someone new.” 

25. Mun’s choice!

For Arandoros, of course.

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Somewhat disoriented, she rose from the bed and shuffled over to the bathroom to push open the door, freezing when she happened upon Arandoros in nothing but a towel–tall, lean, a little lanky, and decidedly damp. At the very least, at least he was wearing something.  He had just finished raking his hands through his wet hair and leaned back against the counter, fixing her with a worried expression.  “You’re awake.  How are you feeling?” Her eyes widened, and she managed a quick, “uhh,” before she whipped around and pulled the door swiftly closed.  There was a second of silence before muffled laughter could be heard on the other side.  She looked frantically around the room.  A large bed dominated the room, flanked by two nightstands.  A small settee was against the far wall, and a desk just next to her with a comfortable-looking chair tucked into it.  There was an immediate problem with this room–one that made her cheeks darken. There was only one bed. There were going to be questions asked when he put some clothes on.

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She found the lunch that Theylia had left for her–bread, cheese, and grapes–and set to work on it before her stomach could get any other ideas.  She knew that she needed to eat, and if by some miracle she was to be pain free–or at least in far less pain than she normally was–then she needed to take advantage of her hunger. It didn’t take her long to polish off the majority of what Theylia had left, and when she had packed up the rest for later she turned to look at the curtained window.  It was a bit stale in here as far as air went.  Maybe she should open the window–or better yet, go outside.  Deciding on the latter, she went about doing the things that one normally did at the start of their day, and when she was finally clean and dressed and ready to go out, she reached for the door handle and paused. What if the tonic stopped working?  What if she couldn’t get back inside?  Sighing, she decided against taking a walk, and instead returned to her bedside long enough to grab the book that she had been reading: A text on magical theory.  Oh, she had no talent with the arcane, but it was interesting to read about nonetheless.  Returning to the door with the book tucked under her arm, Naivaria tugged it open and stepped outside.  She would only go as far as the stoop, and read for a while in the fresh air of the Bazaar. The light outside was so bright after weeks of being inside that she had to squint for a good long while before her eyes adjusted.  She didn’t care, though; settling up against the banister on the top step she cracked open her book and began to read, warmed by the sun and sporting a smile that was genuinely happy for the first time in what had seemed like forever.

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“You look worse than the last time I saw you,” a deep voice rumbled; and though she knew that he was only making conversation, her lips turned downward into a frown.  She said nothing, only concentrating on the warmth radiating from the man’s hands where rested; one gently enveloping her forehead and the other resting on her belly.  It was the latter that helped the most, his warmth touching her limbs as it flowed through her.  “Have you been eating?” “Yes.” “No.”  The sisters replied in unison, and Naivaria opened her eyes to glare at Theylia for her traitorous comment.  The other woman shifted, sitting down on the mattress that lay next to Nai’s on the floor, staring right back in a way that suggested she would hear no argument from her younger sister.  “She’s been avoiding meals.” “Loss of appetite, or nausea?” the man asked.  When Naivaria just frowned, he knit his brows together. “Both,” she answered honestly.  A small sigh escaped her lips, and her stomach rumbled as if to contradict that statement.  Her cheeks flared crimson.  “I feel like I could eat a horse right now, though.” The man smiled down at her, his kindly eyes lined with the pain that he was surely feeling now.  “We will just have to get you something to eat, and I have good news for you.”  He leaned down then, whispering in an almost exaggerated manner.  “I’ve got a tonic for you that will help you get some sleep.  I want you to take it for the next week, eat, and recover what you’ve lost.” Theylia smiled, though that worried crease never left her brow.  “That’s excellent, Master Skyshard.  Do we owe you anything for it?” “No,” he said sternly, looking toward her sister.  “It’s on the house.  I’ve more than enough to pay for it; and besides, I have a friend who makes them.  I can get them cheap.  The only downside is that she can’t take them for too long, or the effects will begin to diminish.” “Isn’t there anything we can do to heal her?” Theylia asked, and Nai sighed and closed her eyes.  There she went again, talking like Nai wasn’t even there. She waited for the words that she knew must come; the words that the healers had told her over and over again. “This, I am afraid, is beyond my capability to heal.  It is much more complicated than a simple injury.  This is something that is so deeply ingrained that it’s going to take a lot of time and special treatment to sift it out of her… and then she’d be in the same boat as those who fled and never came back to the city.”  The man sounded tired.  Her heart beat a sad little rhythm in her chest, for the mood of the room had suddenly spiraled from tension to despair, and she felt it more acutely now that it hung in the air between the three of them like a thick fog. Theylia buried her face in her hands, going silent for a long time. Naivaria wanted to reach for her, wanted to get up and wrap her arms around her and tell her that everything was going to be okay.  But she couldn’t move, her limbs having gone weak as the man worked his healing into her strained muscles. “I’m sorry,” he said to no one in particular.  “I can keep coming back to give you relief from time to time, and you have my word that I will look into treatment for you.  You’re a sweet girl.  You deserve better.”  His hand stroked her forehead now, the soothing motion easing the turmoil that she felt swirling inside her like a tempest.  When she finally managed words, they were not the words she wanted to say, but they were heartfelt nonetheless.   “Thank you.” When the session was over and the healer reluctantly left the two sisters with instructions for his tonic, Theylia returned from seeing him out to crouch near Nai’s bed.  “We’re going to get you better, Nai Nai,” she said gently. “I’m tired, Thia,” Naivaria replied.  They were the only words that she could muster, for her eyelids were already closed and sleep was fast descending upon her.  Still, she felt her sister’s concern–even moreso when she climbed into the bed with her and hugged her tightly. “Rest,” she urged.  Nai’s arms came up to find Theylia’s, and the two sisters held onto each other for a long while, until Naivaria finally drifted off into dreams. Dreams of making her sister happy again.

“Oh, Lord Phepenos is a wonderful man!  Kind and thoughtful–ah, can I combine them into one thing?”  The grin that she gave was nigh-infectious, and for a moment she sat there thinking.  “I feel as if perhaps his worst quality is that I suspect he can be rather impulsive… though I have yet to know him well enough to make that statement truthfully.”