Moriana woke to the sound of quiet breathing.
She slowly opened her eyes and found herself in her familiar room, where the scent of herbs and medicine hung in the air.
She forced her head up, every motion strained. She turned to see Yulia sleeping on a worn bench in the corner of the room.
She tried to call out to her, but no sound came out.
She frantically tightened her grip around her throat as she tried again, but still, no sound came out. She reached for the nearby table and grabbed a clay water bottle. Her hand trembled as she lifted it.
Moriana tried to drink, but couldn't swallow. She choked, coughing violently as water dribbled from her mouth and nose.
The bottle slipped from her grasp and shattered on the floor. The noise she caused jolted Yulia awake. In an instant, she was on her feet, hurrying to Moriana's side.
She patted Moriana's back, her own voice rough with sleep.
"Easy, Mori," Yulia murmured. "Just take a breath. You'll be fine."
After a moment, Moriana's harsh coughs faded into shaky breaths. Her voice was hoarse and breaking.
"W-what... hap...pened... Yu...li?"
Yulia hugged Moriana tightly, pressing her head against her shoulder. Her voice was a choked whisper against Moriana's hair,
"A year, Mori... A whole year we've been waiting for you to wake up. Welcome back."
The truth hit her with the force of a physical blow, but her body was too weak to even flinch.
Yulia smiled, yet the smile trembled. Moriana's eyes caught the pale skin, the sharp lines of a face grown thin with exhaustion.
Moriana's gaze drifted around the room, her mind struggling to connect the fragments of memory.
Evandriel Inn - Valdar - Kingdom of Thranduil - Year 985
Seeing the confusion in Moriana's eyes, Yulia's voice softened.
"Everyone is waiting for this moment."
Yulia sat on the edge of the bed and continued,
"Gord headed to Skaldvin, looking for something to help you. He might be back late."
A sharp pain lanced through Moriana's temple, and she pressed a hand against it with a grimace. Yulia gently took her wrist and moved her hand away.
In her other hand, she held a bowl of a steaming, cloudy liquid.
"Drink some of this," she said softly. "Well, it's normal to have a headache after sleeping for that long."
Moriana tried to take the bowl with her trembling hands, but Yulia brought it to her lips instead.
"Don't bother, Just lift your head a little and try to swallow."
Moriana's gulps sounded loud in the quiet room. She swallowed the medicine with a grimace, her eyes squeezed shut against the bitter taste.
Yulia held out the cup again. Moriana sighed, lifted it to her lips, and drank, her eyes narrowing just slightly.
"It tastes... awful!"
Yulia pulled a small stool over and sat beside Moriana's bed.
"Sorry, Mori," she said. "But you know the truth—every gift has its shadow. Still, I think you'll welcome what it brings."
Moriana buried her face back in the pillow, the sharp, bitter taste still coating her tongue.
"Dammit Yuli... Your words are even more bitter than your medicine."
Yulia stared into the murky liquid, her own reflection a pale, distorted blur.
"It's from Willow Wood," she said, her eyes distant. "I brewed it back in Mimirvale, years ago. Somehow, it is miraculous on pain and fever."
Moriana sighed deeply.
"Such persistence... I guess that's you."
They smiled at each other. A few seconds of silence passed before Moriana broke it again.
"Yuli... what really concerns me is the way you look. Are you really okay?"
Yulia lowered the wooden bowl to her lap, her gaze fixed on the wisps of steam rising from it as she sighed.
"What do you expect after a year of Vida's terrible food and the life in Val—"
"Yuli, I'm serious," Moriana interrupted, her voice sharpening. "When you hugged me, you felt strangely cold… and you're way too pale."
Yulia looked back at Moriana with a faint, tired smile.
"No idea. Been worn out lately. Anyway, don't mind me—just focus on getting better."
Just as Yulia finished her sentence, the door creaked open. Vida entered, balancing a wooden tray under her left arm laden with a steaming pot of soup, fresh bread, and a pitcher. In her other hand, she carried a bucket of hot water, with a set of clothes draped over the rim.
Vida's attention was fixed on the tray to keep it steady. She looked up as she cleared the doorway, a soft smile forming as she began to say,
"Breakfast is rea—"
She froze, her eyes widening in silent shock as she saw Moriana. Her hands trembled, and the bucket slipped from her grasp. It clattered onto the wooden floor, splashing hot water on her toes.
With numb fingers, she set the tray down on a table, her movements slow and deliberate as if in a dream. She took a hesitant step forward.
"Ya...na?"
Her voice was a broken whisper. When she reached the bedside, Moriana met her with a faint smile and a small nod. The final step was too much. Vida's knees buckled, and she sank to the floor. Her head fell forward, her shoulders trembling.
She looked up, staring at Moriana. With a trembling, hesitant hand, Vida reached out and gently placed it over Moriana's, which rested on the blanket.
"Glad... you awake." Vida breathed, her voice thick with unshed tears.
The words seemed to release a year's worth of tension from her shoulders in a single exhale.
"Tell me… how do you feel?"
Moriana glanced down on the blanket, then looked up at Vida. A faint, weary smile touched her lips.
"Well… I've lost a year of my life… but… At least I'm awake."
Moriana placed her hand on Vida's head.
"Thank you both of you. Good to see you again."
Then, slowly, Moriana lifted the edge of her soiled nightgown.
"But I am a mess... as you can see."
"Exactly. You smell as bad as Hyran." Yulia smirked and walked to the tray.
"Even though we tried to take care of you all this time," Vida replied with a small smile.
Vida's gentle words landed like a stone in Moriana's stomach. Her shoulders slumped, her gaze falling to the worn blanket.
"I'm sorry for being such a burden, Vida."
Moriana then looked up, meeting Vida's tear-bright eyes with a reassuring smile.
"I promise, I'll make it up to you both!"
Yulia returned and placed the wooden tray on the edge of the bed. She sighed and said,
"Forget about that now and let's focus on getting on your feet as quickly as possible."
She picked up the soup bowl, brought it close to Moriana's face, and continued,
"Come on, let's finish breakfast and get you ready for the others. I won't let them see you in this state."
Moriana took the offered sip of soup, swallowing hard as the heat seared her throat.
"Dammit... easy, Yuli!"
***********
The next two weeks were miserable. Every day, Moriana struggled with her weak body, losing patience little by little.
She had to rely on Vida for even the most basic needs, a fresh indignity to suffer each morning. Yulia, for her part, supplied a steady stream of bitter tonics and restorative broths designed to ease the pain and mend her broken body.
Gord took it upon himself to feed her in the early days after his return from Skaldvin. Hyran and Zarius teased her nonstop, joking and betting on how far she could walk before stumbling.
One day, Moriana was leaning on Gord's solid shoulder, trying to bring life back into her legs. She dragged her feet through the muck and grime of Valdar's alleys, each step an exhausting battle.
Moriana grumbled constantly, panting and sweating despite the cold weather.
"FUCK! … It's like walking on nothing. I can't even use damned Exim on myself.."
Gord's grip on her arm was a steady, unyielding support. His voice, when he spoke, was as calm as ever.
"Why don't you let me ask your parents for hel—"
Moriana cut him off with a growl.
"Don't you dare suggest such a thing! I've had enough of those two... damn idiots."
Across the alley, Zarius and Hyran were lounging at a sidewalk table, drinks in hand.
Zarius took a long swig from his bottle before calling out,
"Still here all this time, Moriana? Watch your step, I saw a dog peeing there lately."
He tried to take another sip, but the bottle was empty. He let out a triumphant chortle, looking at Moriana with a grin.
"Looks like our bet is ending soon, Hyran."
Hyran replied with a wide grin, revealing his fangs. He sat across from Zarius, idly glancing over his shoulder at Moriana and Gord.
"NOT AGAIN!... Should I put some food at the end of the alley to motivate that fat failure to get there faster?!"
Zarius replied smiling with his eyes closed,
"Don't be stupid!... Seriously... this is the only bet with no loser. The way she looks is a victory in itself."
Hyran let out a hysterical, harsh laugh.
"You're goddamn right!"
Moriana's head snapped toward them, a glare cutting through her exhaustion. She gritted her teeth as a surge of pure defiance flooded her veins.
She pushed Gord away trying to walk on her own and shouting.
"Shut the hell up!"
But she fell to the ground, which only made Zarius and Hiran laugh harder.
As Gord moved to help Moriana, Hyran's laughter stopped. His grin faded, and his jaw tightened.
He turned his massive body to face Zarius,
"Alright, that's enough," Hyran said in a low, gruff voice, devoid of any humor.
Zarius raised his eyebrows.
"What's wrong? Can't handle a little more fun?"
Hyran replied in a cold whisper,
"Do you really think this is the time for fun?…
We are wasting time. Our trip to Arcadia was for nothing…
Yulia is getting worse.
We have to tell them!"
Zarius's sarcasm disappeared, and his face went tense with alarm.
"Have you lost your mind?!" he whispered, his eyes fixed on Hyran.
"Telling them now?... Are you drunk already?!"
He glanced over at Moriana, who was still struggling to find her footing.
"Can't you see Moriana can barely stand? And Yulia... Dammit, she's just pretending to be strong for all of us."
Hyran leaned at Zarius, snarling and showing his fangs.
"I get it—you're afraid of facing them. But don't forget, Moriana's a fucking Handler. She might be the one chance we've got to fix this!"
Zarius looked up, meeting Hyran's wide gaze.
"Yes, but… don't forget she's just a girl like any other."
Hyran's tone grew sharper.
"What the… hell is wrong with you half-breed!
Are you a warrior, a Handler, or a fighter?..
Or just a fucking coward who's only good at running his mouth!"
"I'm not getting into this kind of argument," Zarius said, shifting his face aside.
Hyran stood up from his seat, leaning his body further toward Zarius. From a distance, Gord saw what was happening but remained focused on helping Moriana.
Hyran kept pressing on.
"Get it in your head, Zarius! She's a damn Handler!... And Yulia, She's sharp and knows a lot too... They're not just some crying bitches!... Why should we carry this burden alone?"
Zarius shot to his feet, his own voice raw as he roared back at him.
"And what if I told them?! What would change?!..
Nothing!... Have you even thought about it for a second?!…
You really want me to look Moriana in the eye and say she's the one killing Yulia?"
Zarius slammed his fist against the nearby stone wall.
Suddenly, a soft voice cut through the surrounding noise.
"How about you two stop whining for a moment..."
Zarius and Hyran froze, looking at the voice. Yulia's green eyes gleamed like ice. She lifted a lock of her short hair, staring at them.
"You're... drawing everyone's attention."