Brightwood

Chapter 11

She was floating on a cloud, surrounded by lavender, breathing was easy again. She felt something silky against her skin and didn't want to open her eyes. She ran her hand down her front; her rib seemed fine; she was wearing a silk nightgown. She reached up and touched her hair; it was clean, and smooth. Slowly, she opened her eyes. She was lying under the most comfortable white bedding she had ever slept in. Its downy softness surrounded her. Above, on the ceiling, was an elaborate mural of flowers and vines, so lifelike, she could imagine reaching out and stroking the soft petals. Rolling to her side, she could see sunlight coming through the window draped in a blue gauzy fabric. The outside world looked cold and grey, but in this room, it was bright, and warm. The room wasn't large, but it had more comforts than she had ever known. There was a fireplace at one end, its mantel ornately decorated with more flowers, logs roaring within. The floor was made of a solid white stone but a large rug kept her feet warm as she placed them on the ground. Standing, she saw a wardrobe in one corner of the room with a full-length mirror on it. It had been weeks since she had looked in a mirror, and she was expecting to turn away in horror, but was surprised to find she looked healthy. The sallowness that she expected to see was instead her normal, healthy, creamy white complexion. The dark circles that should have been under her eyes from the lack of sleep were noticeably absent. She was grateful when she realized her mother's necklace still hung around her neck. She inspected her body further and noted that all bruises, cuts, and scrapes had vanished. In fact, she felt strong, as though all of the time in the woods had been physically erased. She'd deal with the emotional scarring later. In one corner of the room was a large cushioned chair. All of her things were piled neatly on it. Her clothes had been washed, boots cleaned, and nothing was missing. Her bow was there, with a stronger string, and quiver full of new arrows. The shafts were made of ash, with thick black feathers and sharp polished heads. They were of a higher quality than any Adrie had ever seen. She set them down and walked to the wardrobe. Letting her curiosity get the best of her, she opened it. It was full of long flowing gowns of all colors. Some had very elaborate designs with crystals sewn into the bodice, and others were simple, soft cotton, but they were all beautiful. Adrie touched the fabric. No one in her village ever wore dresses like these. The only time she had seen the like were in the memories of her mother. Adrie's eyes widened. "This isn't a dream." She thought. "Somehow we made it to Sorhel's." She closed the wardrobe and quickly changed into her own clothes. After folding the nightgown and placing it gently on the bed, she grabbed her pack, bow and quivers, and cautiously opened the door to her room. She was in a hallway, and there was no one around. Adrie could see that the hallway ended to the right, with more doors branching off of it, and to the left, it opened up into a larger room. She headed left, and as she approached the end of the hall, she could hear voices, two men.

"How much longer do you think it will take her to recover?" She heard Evandur's voice. The relief she felt surprised her. She hadn't realized how worried she had been for him, despite the fact that she seemed well cared for. She had no idea what had happened after she returned to camp, poisoned by the water. Evandur might not have made it.

"It is hard to say. The poison had worked its way through her entire system. If I had found you any later, she wouldn't have survived." There was a pause. "You might not have survived." This voice was not one she recognized. He sounded older, maybe her father's age. His voice was warm, but authoritative.

Adrie peered around the corner. The two men were seated in front of a fire in a large sitting room. The furnishings were luxurious; several rugs covered the same stone floor that ran throughout the house. They were made of a plush fabric and were colored in shades of blue and green. The chairs were a dark mahogany wood with cushions of green. On a small table between them, there were a couple of cups of tea, and a small plate of cheese and fruit. Adrie unconsciously licked her lips. She was hungry. She had no idea how long it had been since she had last eaten, but her stomach growled at the sight of the food. She ducked back around the corner in case she had been heard. She wasn't ready to reveal herself yet. She wanted to hear what they were talking about. After giving herself enough time to be sure they hadn't heard her, she peeked around the corner again.