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.
"Good evening, Joenek. The hour grows late, but as you can see, our dear Edileth has finally risen."
Joenek's eyes bored into Edileth. She finally turned, then, and glared at him. A lopsided grin appeared on his face.
"I am glad to see you awake. I wasn't sure you were going to make it."
Edileth lifted her chin and returned her gaze to Yena. The healer, in turn, responded to Joenek's question.
"Those who are to come have been selected by the Fíthni for their abilities. We shall soon be in the company of a scholar, an inventor, a Kenim Naduhl, and an animal-speaker."
"A Kenim Naduhl?" Joenek nearly bounced beside Edileth. She looked askance and lifted a brow at his exuberance. "I am an apprenticing ranger – or was before I left La'el. I can hardly wait to meet this elf."
Joenek turned his smiling face toward Edileth. His smile soon vanished under her withering gaze.
Yena brought a bowl of broth to Edileth and offered to serve Joenek, as well. He declined and Edileth was left to eat in quiet while Yena worked on some sort of herbal concoction. When Edileth had finished her small meal, Yena came to her side again and retrieved the bowl.
"Joenek, dear, might I persuade you to assist me in moving Edileth to a more comfortable location?"
"I do not require his help." Edileth's reply was sharp and quick. She attempted to stand but found that her limbs ached more fiercely than they had when she first woke.
"All evidence would point to the contrary, my dear."
Edileth grumbled, but in the end she acquiesced. Joenek squatted behind her and placed his forearms beneath her arms. As he gave a lifting tug, she fought the urge to cry out in agony. She barely managed to reduce her expression of pain to a strangled groan, her face contorting into a tight grimace.
"Oh, dear-dear," said Yena. "I'm afraid this simply will not do. Edileth, child, can you manage?"
"I can," Edileth ground out. "Do it quickly and let's be done with it."
Joenek resumed pulling her. He brought Edileth to lean against the corner that the wall and a large block of rubble made.
"Thank you, Joenek," said Yena. She then proceeded to shoo him away. "Now, if you please, leave this place. Perhaps go and bathe; there is a natural hot spring on the opposite side of the town. It is the largest tunnel on the North wall and goes straight to the baths, so you need not concern yourself about becoming lost."
Though she was annoyed by Joenek's presence, Edileth could not keep the smile at bay when he looked down at himself. Yena seemed to be hinting that he needed to do something about his grungy, unkempt appearance. Grumbling something under his breath, Joenek snatched his pack from the floor and left the alcove.
"I thought you might prefer some privacy. And, of course, I must check your wounds and rebandage them."
Edileth expressed her gratitude and allowed Yena to lower the blankets.
"I am sorry about your indecent attire," Yena said as she noticed the look on Edileth's face. "However, I needed to tend your wounds easily, and this sort of chemise works splendidly for such purposes."
Yena placed her supplies down and unbuttoned the side of the chemise. Edileth felt an odd shiver trickle up her back as the gossamer fabric glided across her arms and down her back. Though a fair portion of her torso was wrapped, Edileth still felt exposed.
She felt her gaze drift toward the entrance of their little niche, as if expecting Joenek to be standing there watching.
Working with hands that had healed countless injuries, Yena made quick work of redressing Edileth's wounds. She had checked the cracked rib on Edileth's left side, cleaned the gashes, put fresh herbal paste on them, and wrapped everything again with fresh linen.