Erden and Haleth's official first interaction
After being injured in the arena, Erden wakes up to find someone tending to him.
515 words
(she's not explicitly introduced but she's there I guess?)
Erden awoke to an ache in his chest, piercing with a dull aftertaste. Soon, it spread into every other inch of his body, drawing a groan from his lips. The thick fog in his head slowly started to lift, making room for the return of memories.
Those only increased his suffering though. Panic shot through his veins, his heart rate picking up. He could remember that he screwed up badly and lost the match.
Erden groaned again. He could still feel where the blade had torn through his flesh, digging its way deeply into his chest, getting stuck somewhere between his ribs. He had tried to keep going, but blood loss and exhaustion had taken their toll on his body.
And now…what? Was this what death felt like? A major disappointment then. He couldn’t move, his entire body was aching in the most infuriating and nauseating ways.
No, he was still alive, Erden tried to convince himself. He was still here. Whatever ‘here’ meant in his case. Was Pontifex Vulgora going to strip him of his position and take away all his privileges?
Was he locked up in a dark, stinking hole now, lying in his own blood and excrements while he waited for his punishment?
Carefully, he tried to regain control over his senses. No, this was not the cold, hard floor of a cell. He could feel something softer instead. A bed maybe? Something was covering his bare body. Probably a blanket. Then there was this smell. Herbs? He couldn’t identify them, but the Count usually didn’t keep his losing fighters in deliciously smelling rooms with warm beds.
Gritting his teeth, Erden forced his eyes open. Neither complete darkness nor blinding light greeted him. Only candles offered a warm glow. He had to blink a few times until his view cleared enough for him to see. He frowned in concentration as he tried to figure out where he was.
Only then did he realise he wasn’t alone. His eyes widened as he stared up at her. She sat by his side, leaning in as she noticed he had woken up eventually. A young woman, sweet face, long hair, concerned expression.
“Where…where…” he started, his body shaken by a coughing fit that tore through his sore body like a knife. “Where…am I? He swallowed hard, tasting blood. “Who…are you?”
She gave him a pitiful look before a soothing smile lit her face. “Shh,” she said quietly, reaching out for him. Erden tensed at first as she touched his head, but the tension quickly eased when she started to run gentle fingers through thick hair.
“I…need to…” he made another attempt, but once more, words failed him. She spoke to him in that quiet voice, ignoring his questions. And despite his best intentions, Erden felt himself settling down. The ache got less disturbing, he felt relaxed
But before he could urge himself any further, his body claimed what it craved the most. He fell asleep with a mixture of shouting men and soft eyes in mind, once again lost in the dark bliss of unconsciousness.
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