Ciara’s mind returned from the black abyss of unconsciousness to the warm glow of sunlight on her closed eyes and the songs of morning birds. She would have taken it as the afterlife; if it wasn’t for the smell of smoke that broke the illusion. Ciara woke with a jolt, staring at the wooden ceiling of a small cottage. She looked around quickly to get her bearings. A warm welcoming fire blazed in a fireplace across the room; dancing enthusiastically at the fresh wood that was added to it. Medicinal herbs and flowers hung on the walls in a festivity of colors. Shelves overburdened with books and glassware took what space they could and a table against one of the walls presented a wide assortment of alchemical equipment. Coiling glass tubes fed a rainbow of various fluids through its many chambers culminating in a standalone red tinted bottle from which smoked, rose-pink out the open top.

     Ciara felt safe for the moment, even if she had no idea where she was. As she started to rise she felt abnormally light. Looking down she realized her armor and weapons were gone and she was in a simple nightgown. Desperately she scanned the room, trying to find them, when the door to the cottage clicked open. She tensed ready to fight. An Inamian girl entered the house with a quiet but pleasant demeanor as she carried a basket brimming with medicinal ingredients. She was unaware of Ciara until she had already set the basket beside the alchemy table and had turned around. “Oh, you’re awake,” she said happily. Ciara relaxed but still held her guard.

     “Who are you, where am I?”

      “Oh right, we haven’t been introduced yet. My name is Teva; I’m the apprentice to the village doctor Kaylen.” Teva’s bubbly personality could be mistaken for childlike innocence. But, she couldn’t be much more than a few years younger than Ciara. She was a cat Inamian to boot, giving Ciara the feeling of looking at her polar opposite. Her fur was an ivory white that was sharply contrasted by her blazing orange hair that was braided to the center of her back. Teva ran to a wooden pail on a table behind Ciara’s bed and quickly brought her a carved wooden cup, “Here Ciara, you need some water you’ve been asleep for some time; three days in fact.”

Ciara dropped her guard completely and gratefully took the cup, “Thank you, you have no idea how bad these past few days have been for me.” She started to drink the water when a sudden realization made her choke as she swallowed. Through harsh coughs she quickly grabbed Teva by the straps of her sage green overalls and pulled her in. “How do you know my name?” she said staring into Teva’s eyes, scanning them for any hint of treachery.

Teva, oblivious to the threat, happily answered the question, “That’s what the Edonian soldier that brought you here said your name was.”

“Edonian?” Ciara released Teva’s straps, making her almost loose her balance, “Where is he?”

“He’s probably somewhere around the village, helping someone with something. Oh-yeah! I was supposed to let him know when you woke up.” Teva excitedly headed for the door.

Ciara scrambled out of the bed, barely able to stand but managed to get across the cottage to slam the door shut with one arm just as Teva opened it. “Don’t trust him Teva; he’s a murderer.”

“What?” Teva looked in shock, her arms held defensively in front of her.

“It’s true, he just got done killing many of our people a few days ago. He’s the same as all humans, he hates us!”

Tears of sadness welled in Teva’s eyes. She looked down quiet in thought after a pause she looked back up at Ciara with resolution. “I don’t believe it.”

Ciara was astounded, “What do you mean you ‘don’t believe it.’?”

“Alaster’s not a bad person, I can tell by looking in his eyes; there is only kindness there.”

Ciara’s temper started to get the best of her after she heard her childish statement. “Don’t be a fool, I saw him killing many of my comrades in the battle we had; he wants us all dead.”

Teva took a step forward in defense, hands clenched, firmly pressed to her sides and eyes closed shut almost yelling her response. “If he hates Inamians so much, why would he save you then? Ciara wasn’t prepared for the question. Teva kept on the offensive. If he hated you so much he wouldn’t have carried you though that storm covered in wounds. Only to want you taken care of first.”

Ciara took a step back and Teva took another step forward. “He wouldn’t have stood on guard for two solid days only to stop when we let him know you’d be safe and he could rest.” Ciara struggled to come up with a way to reply. Alaster has been helping people around the village regardless whether they were Inamian or not.” Teva was winded because she never stopped to breathe as she had ranted.

Ciara took the moment to formulate a response. “Teva listen to me, he has taken me prisoner because he believes I know something about the Inamian resistance. He is convinced that if he brings me to the human capital he can get the information out of me. That’s why he’s protective of me.” Ciara started mustering fake tears to convince Teva it was the truth; in reality she seethed with contempt for Alaster and humans in general. She didn’t care that he had saved her again; she wasn’t about to forgive him for what he did. “I don’t want to be tortured to death for information I don’t have.”

Teva looked at Ciara with empathy. She had bought the lie, “What you need me to do?”

Ciara was relieved it worked and started formulating a plan, “I need my equipment; if I can get it back, I’ll leave as soon as possible.” Teva thought about it for a moment and nodded once in confirmation. She walked over to the simple oak dresser and retrieved Ciara’s armor which was neatly folded and had been cleaned.

“Thank you.” Ciara took her gear and set it on the bed. Quickly undressing from the nightgown, she started equipping herself in her armor with a practiced hand. “Do you have any food I could take?”

“Yes, give me a moment.” Teva left the cottage for a minute.