Nasferas: The Begotten

7

Davidar's head swam and he listed to the left as he tried to sit up.  "H ... how long have I been out?"

Dram steadied him by the shoulders. "Whatever Ralia gave you knocked you out for quite a while. I saw you moving around and thought you might be waking up."

"Thank you." As his faculties returned, Davidar noticed someone had dressed him in a flight suit. "Please tell me it wasn't Ralia."

Dram smiled. "You wish. No. Alek and I dressed you before we went through the Third Plane."

"Third? Last I remember ... we couldn't find the entrance."

Family members hurried about. They worked on different tasks to prepare for their slumber. Ralia knelt with a towel, sopping up a serpentine of blood leading from Davidar's settle into the Med Room. Since it happened to be his blood he tried to get up to help.

Dram pushed him down by his shoulders. "Ralia's orders. You stay put."

Of course.

"How did we make it through the Third Plane?" The last thing he remembered, they couldn't find the portal.

Tarisha stood from a chair next to them. He hadn't even noticed her there. Her radiant red eyes glistened with tears as if she had expected him not to wake up.

"Are you okay, Mother?"

Her immediate silence answered the question.

She wiped her eyes with a dab towel and looked at Dram. "Prepare for slumber. I will fill Davidar in on our situation."

"Yes, Mother." Dram ran by Alek and punched him in the arm before he jumped into his settle and laughed.

"Boys." Tarisha's voice came firm and steady.

"Yes, Mother," they said in unison.

Davidar touched the side of her face with the back of his right hand. "I am truly sorry I frightened you."

"I will not lie. I did fear for your life. If Ralia had not intervened and stopped the bleeding ... well. We will not lose another member of this family. Do you understand, my sweet Davidar?"

He nodded in concurrence. "Tell me what happened. How did we get through the Second Plane's barrier?" 

"Your uncle flew brilliantly. After we emerged through the Second Plane's barrier, two Gnam warships emerged from the First Plane. They fired, but the barrier closed. Their ships exploded on impact with the Third Plane. We made it through unscathed."

"I wish I could have witnessed such a display." Images of the exploding Gnam warships clouded his mind.

Ralia returned from cleaning the Med Room. "Why would you want to stay awake for that?" 

"Sounds exciting." Davidar tried not to stare at Ralia in her skin-tight flight suit.

"Yeah, if you don't mind soiling your flight suit." Alek had escaped their mother's wrath.

Davidar reached over and gave Alek a pat on the shoulder.

Alek popped to his tiptoes and leaned over the edge of Davidar's settle. "Don't worry about Rauze," he whispered. "I found him before we took you to the Med Room. He's safe in the drawer. No one knows and I won't say anything."

Tarisha glared at Alek.

"On my way, Mother." He returned to his settle but not before he punched Dram.

Ralia elegantly strolled past his mother and bowed as a tribute to her elder.

Tarisha nodded back. "I will leave you in more capable hands." She kissed Davidar on the head and whisked across the room.