Do Not Go Gentle

Throwing Pillows Solves All Problems

I had fallen asleep and felt the pressure in my eyes that told me I had been crying when I passed out. My ears picked up some footsteps and the sound of a door being unlocked, and then the low creak of a door opening.

"Oh, Persie, it will all be well..."

I tried to open my eyes, open my mouth, let them know I wasn't fully sleeping... but I couldn't move a muscle. I was too exhausted to move, let alone try and fully awaken.

However, I didn't need to open my eyes to know that there were people surrounding me, and I felt two strong arms lift me and bring me to my bed.

"Annon allen, honeg."

Alma? What is she doing here?

The strong arms laid me down carefully on my sheets. "Nunna, nethig."

Nethig... sister? Aldarian?

A calloused hand, Aldarian's hand, caressed my arm gently. "Losta, mellon nin."

"We will watch over her," Arwen's hauntingly beautiful voice spoke from my other side. "You should go back to the feast, ada nin will want to know how his hûnneth is."

"I think it is lovely he claimed her as his heart daughter," Gerda's soft voice spoke from my feet. "She will need his support."

I felt Arwen's soft touch on my hand. "She will need all of us, mellon nin."

"Now get out so we can get Persie into her nightclothes," Alma's voice raised over the others, and I heard a slight scuffle from where she and Aldarian were standing. "You did your job in carrying her from the door, now let us take care of her."

I heard his deep sigh and tried to open my eyes to thank him, but the lids were too heavy to open. "I will tell the others she is in good hands."

The girls gave their thanks to Aldarian, and I heard him take his leave before I let myself fall back into the dark abyss. I was in good hands for now.

---

The next thing I remember is the feeling of warmth, and not just from the blankets that were draped over me.

I felt pairs of arms wrapped around me, and the heat that surrounded them brought warmth not just to my body, but to my heart. If this was some form of elvish healing, I was definitely all for it.

Slowly, I started to revive myself and tried to move even though everything was aching. I must have had a larger power explosion than I thought.

A low groan rang out from my mouth, and immediately the arms wrapped around me stiffened, and started to move.

"Persie, you are awake?" Arwen's melodious voice chimed.

I forced my eyes open, only to be met with three pairs of eyes looking down on me. "Hey," I rasped, only to be drawn into three different hugs.

"I am glad to see you with your eyes open," Alma muttered into my hair, just as I felt Gerda nudge my shoulder with her nose. I never took any of them to be the cuddling type but I guess the power of friendship does really move mountains.

"What happened?" I heard myself ask, which caused the others to slightly stiffen and move back to meet my gaze. "I feel like I was hit by a train."

Alma tilted her head. "What is a train?"

I pursed my lips and used my arms as leverage to push myself back into the headboard and sat up to see their faces better. "It's like a really, really big horse."