The Sailor's Delight

Ariana woke feeling significant pain.

Yet she didn’t sense any danger.

Everything around her seemed muffled and blurred. She could make out fuzzy shapes around her and sounds that felt familiar. 

Her skin felt like it was under constant tension, and any errant movement would rip it from her body. Her tongue felt like a razor in her mouth, and her throat felt as though the slightest breath would tear it open. 

The sounds around her weren’t clear in the slightest, but something about them felt comforting despite the pain. 

She faded in and out of consciousness several times, and the shapes and sounds became clearer each time. She could almost make things out. The shapes were probably people, and the sounds were likely their voices. She thought she recognized them.

One of them was thin and black, and they held her hand. It still stung to touch, but it was clear that this person meant well. 

Two others had glowing hands. The contact felt awful, and the light almost burned. It was torture. 

She was grateful for whoever was holding her hand.

She lost consciousness several more times.

At one point, she could actually make out who was speaking to her.

Ellie was sitting next to her, holding her hand. 

Ellie looked her over as if searching for something. “Can you… hear me?”

Ariana smiled at her.

Ellie smiled back and shouted. “Sophie! Hayden! She’s back!”

The others ran to her side. 

Hayden chuckled. “Well, look who finally decided to get up.”

Sophie smacked his arm, and he laughed. 

Ellie leaned down to hug Ariana. Sophie did the same.

Hayden sat down next to her on the opposite side from Ellie. “We got a lot to catch up on. First, everyone’s safe. Second, we got your stuff. Third, you should be fully recovered soon. Lucky for you, demons are resistant to most poisons.”

“There‘s more than that,” interjected Sophie, muffled by Ariana’s chest.

Hayden nodded. “Don’t wanna overwhelm her. We’ll tell her the rest when she’s ready for it.” 

Ariana rested an arm across the two. She was reminded of a time long ago now when she was terribly sick. Alex would do the same thing when he came to visit her. She felt a warmth in her heart again and closed her eyes.

The next several days, Ariana was recovering. In a day, she could speak again with some difficulties. On the third day, she could walk around with some assistance. All the while, the others cooked for her. 

Hayden often made pancakes, though he insisted they were flapjacks. 

On the fourth day, she could taste and smell again, and oh, how she missed those senses. 

Regaining olfactory sensation allowed her to enjoy the soft warmth of Hayden’s flapjacks. They tore easily, had a pleasant golden brown, and an earthy yet sweet flavor. Apparently, they were made using flour from an elven grain. 

On the sixth day, the pain was mostly gone. She went on walks with the others to regain her strength.

On an evening walk with Hayden, he shared the rest of the news with her. 

“You’d been out for a week before this.” He said, “A lot’s happened in that time.”

Ariana’s expression became serious. “What happened to the people who attacked us?”

Hayden pocketed his hands. “My snooping dug up some foul things. The folks who attacked us were some kinda crime family. They made a living stealing core amber and selling it to the demons.”

She thought for a moment about the events that had led to this point. She recalled the confiscated bag. “The blue kind? 

He nodded. “Turns out it’s real damn potent, using it to boost your power isn't safe, it’ll tear your body up if you don’t use it right, but it can charge a mage for a long time or real big spells.”

Ariana thought for a while. “So… what happened to the last one, the woman?”

Hayden was quiet. “You won that fight. That’s what matters.”

Ariana shook her head. “Did she-“

“Other than that,” he interrupted, “those folk ain’t gonna be an issue anymore.”

Ariana was quiet.

Hayden broke the silence. “Did y’all have mosquitoes?”

She looked at him, puzzled.

“Mosquitoes, real bastards. They suck the blood outta you and spread diseases. Haven’t seen them around in this world.”

Ariana tried to remember. “I haven’t either… where are you going with this?”

“Thing about the bite is… only the females bite, and only the pregnant ones.”

“Are you… implying something about a circle of life?”

“No, nothing like that. So, would you let a mosquito bite you, knowing that it’ll make you sick, and knowing that it’s got a baby on the way?”

“I… no…”

“Why not?”

“Well… people die from those diseases.”

“Right. And you nearly died of poison.”

Are you… saying that I should think of this like I would swatting a bug?”

He stopped to lean against one of the rope fences. "This might be coming out wrong." 

Ariana joined him. "Take your time, I'm listening."

Hayden rubbed the back of his neck. "You made the same choice any living thing would make. When something's trying to kill you or eat you, it's fair game to return the favor."

Ariana looked at her hands. "It didn't have to be that way... we're not animals." Her gaze tilted back to look up into the canopy. "The longer I've been in this world... the more it feels like it wants us to kill. These 'level' things only happen when something dies." 

Looking at the canopy, the specks of light that shone through seemed like stars. Her hand settled against her chest. "It's so violent... it makes me a little sick knowing I gave in to that and was... rewarded for it."

Hayden nodded. "That's a way to look at it. You could also say you were given a trial and you came out the other side of it a better woman."

Ariana turned to Hayden. 

"You are a strong, incredible woman, and that's not just all the magic. Everything you do is for others. They wanted to make an example out of you." 

Hayden turned to her. "They stepped all over each other to get you; you fought tooth and nail for those girls. That's what I think was rewarded."

Ariana searched Hayden over. She smiled sweetly, small tears welling in her eyes. 

She leaned close to embrace him, and his arms went around her in turn. 

She giggled a bit. "I think we need a better flour for those flapjacks of yours."

He let out a hearty laugh. "Maybe we should hit the road, then. I hear they got the real stuff over in Farbour."

Ariana's head settled against his chest. "First thing in the morning, then. There's... still some time tonight..."