#&rep

“Hm?” Perched on a conveniently placed log with small palms extended towards a crackling fire, Fai’s breath fogs from the cold, eyes widened in surprise before the faintest wisp of amusement shows on fair features. “Come now stranger, surely you don’t need me to spoon feed you? I’m not your mother- eat up if you wish. Serve yourself a bowl and make yourself comfy... I thought that much was obvious? Evidently not.” There’s no malice behind her passing comment about the other, eyes curving upwards with a sweet kind of mirth, oblivious as to whom she has stumbled upon.

She hates it. Hates the way tears brim and her heart clenches, stomach churning with unease as dark eyes look anywhere but at the other and fists curl. Teeth worry at her soft pink bottom lip and Faina hates how weak she is. The woman isn’t cut out for fighting, too soft, too timid- too this, too that.

And everyone seems intent to remind her of her shortcomings.

“Is that possible anymore? Everything is so broken and yet we find some way to continue to tear each other apart. That’s why I stand here and you stand there; water and fire never can co-exist peacefully together.” Faina isn’t sure how this circumstance has come about. Here she stands in a clearing, horse braying nervously beside her and a Suryan only meters away. She’s young, cheeks still plump with youth and eyes alight with something that tugs at her heartstrings because she too has been aged by the ongoing war. Stripped of youth and forced to fight for God knows what;

Faina is tired. 

And so is the girl before her, if her words are to be trusted. Anxiously, slim fingers grip her reigns tightly a her free hand runs a calming hand along her horse’s neck. Her breath fogs up in front of her, pale tendrils that indicate that Winter is well and truly in full swing. 

“I won’t fight you, though. I don’t want to. You’ve done no wrong and I’m simply just in search of plants to re-stock my supplies… You seem far too young to be travelling alone-” Hesitating, she adds on, “Do you need some food? Nobody has harmed you have they?”

Some would say it’s treason to aid a Suryan but Fai can’t ignore just how human the stranger is before her. No dragon breathing fire nor monster out for blood; she can’t turn her back on someone whom might need help, no matter their origin.

“You don’t remember?” Murmured as nimble fingers prod gently at blossoming bruises, Fai’s brow is furrowed in concern as she assesses the damage. “Well your Royal Highness, from what the missive that I received detailed that when in battle, you were struck down by an unknown weapon and were very, very fortunate that a field physician managed to attend to you when he did. Broken ribs, possible internal bleeding and quite impressive gouge marks. The information is outdated of course-” Her monotonous spiel is cut off by a sharp intake of breath as the sullied bandage that was wrapped around the male’s torso unravels just enough for her to get a proper look at that which she has to treat.

“You must be in so much pain.” There’s clear emotion in deep, brown eyes that search the other’s face for signs of discomfort as her hand reaches for his. “I’ll make you something for the pain, it won’t take long. You’re alive but well, this is going to be a long process because I may be a bender, but time is required to do it properly… You’ll be okay.” With a soft smile and squeeze of his hand, she averts her eyes to the ground and pushes herself up, floor length skirt swishing around her feet as she walks over to the satchel in which she had hurriedly stashed supplies before she had left the city that morning.