Mending

Rionara could barely sleep through the night. Not because she slept on the floor, but because she couldn’t close her eyes more than a few minutes before nightmares would strike her mind with a vice grip.

Not wanting to wake Priscilla up from her peaceful rest, the young woman decided to leave the room and head downstairs. It was still very early in the morning, the doors were locked from the inside and only a faint bit of dawn light entered through the windows. The cold wooden boards left her feet with a tingling sensation as she made her way to one of the chairs.

Obviously nobody was up, so it was only her sitting by a table in the corner. Her heart was still racing from the nightmare she woke up from.

Her scars ached, no matter how much her body grew, they were still there. Faint, but each whip and blade still marked her back’s fair skin.

‘Pris…’ Her heart felt like it was being wrung from inside out. ‘You’ve saved me so many times before but… all I could do was watch someone help you…’

She felt bitter. A sensation of helplessness combined with guilt made her close her eyes in anguish.

Images of Priscilla laying motionless on the bed struck her mind and her eyes snapped back wide open.

“Haa… ha…”

Her hand grabbed the cloth over her chest and gripped it tightly, so much so that her fingers started to ache. As she fought her own demons, firm footsteps echoed from the side of the kitchen and before long, the young woman heard.

“Who’s there?!”

A striking female voice came from her left side, as she turned towards the voice, she could see Karla holding up her wooden club.

“Ah! Miss Karla, it’s me Ri-“ Her voice cracked as she caught herself almost saying her real name. “Jeanne. From yesterday.”

“Oh. It’s you…” The innkeeper lowered her weapon. “What are you doing here so early?”

“I… I couldn’t sleep.”

“Hah, I don’t think anyone would have more than twenty winks after what happened yesterday.” She went over the counter and grabbed a rag and the bucket of water before setting it down near the tables as she started to wipe them. “But, you should be the one getting some rest, young lady.” The way she spoke was firm, but there was a sentiment of sympathy in her tone. “If you were to collapse, what would happen to your friend?”

Rionara looked down as her hand softened the grip on her own chest. Her palm was red and it tingled from the lack of circulation. Karla’s words rang true, if she was to keep helping Priscilla, she had to be in shape to do so.

But even with the truth staring down at her, she couldn’t help but feel useless. If she wasn’t captured in the first place, if she wasn’t so powerless, nothing would have happened to Priscilla and that was a fact she couldn’t just bring herself to forget. That memory was just as painful as the scars that tainted her back.

“I… I wish I could do more. I haven’t paid what I owe her yet.”

An exasperated sigh made the young woman lift her head up as Karla approached her table with firm steps.

“Listen here.” The innkeeper loomed over the table as she planted her open hand on the table with her brows furrowed in disapproval of Rionara’s attitude. “If it wasn’t for you, your friend might have actually died. Be proud of yourself! You saved a life for goddess’ sake.”

“But-”

“No buts!” Her firm tone made the young woman flinch. “A fine young lady such as yourself ought to have more confidence in yourself!”

Rionara was averting her gaze as she brought both hands up as a barrier between them.

“Miss Karla, you’re too close…”

“What is this ruckus this early in the-” Gerolt appeared on the doorway from the kitchen and he stumbled on Karla grabbing Rionara’s cheeks and pulling them. “What in the world are you doing to her?”

“Teaching her some manners.” She let go of her cheeks and sighed before glancing at him. “She said she didn’t do much to save Priscilla, can you believe it?”

A trickle of sunlight started to come from the upper windows, illuminating the interior with a muted gold hue. Rionara massaged her reddened cheeks and while being bathed in sunlight, she looked at both Gerolt and Karla looking at her—not with a pitiful gaze, but with pride and happiness as if she was their own daughter.

“You have done plenty, Lass.” The man that used to tower above her before, was now kneeling with a serene look on his face. “You did what none of us could, find a way to save a person. That alone is a miracle of its own.”

Hearing those words at first felt strange to Rionara. For a moment, her timeless suffering had finally come to an end. The wall she put between the pain and crushing guilt she felt throughout her whole life began to crumble.

Her stoic posture and quiet expression betrayed the tears that began to overflow from her eyes. It took a few more seconds of her mind processing what was happening before she reached her falling tears with both hands.

“H-huh…? Why… why am I…”

The droplets sparkled against the sunlight before they hit the dirty linen robe covering her now grown body. She didn’t know why, but Gerolt’s words had finally allowed her to move on. Time had finally started to tick again for the high elf.

“You fool.” Karla hit Gerolt in the back of the head with a slap before pulling a piece of rag from her apron, though it wasn’t used, it was still a cloth made for cleaning instead of drying away tears. “Don’t make a woman cry like that.”

“Ow!”

She pushed him aside and started to gently dry Rionara’s tears away.

“But, what this old fart said is true.” The innkeeper had a faint smile on her face as she cleaned the last droplets running down her face. “You being beside her is what saved her in the end. We are proud of you, Rionara.”

Karla calling her from that name made her look up with disbelief.

“Huh…? How did you know…?”

“Hah, do you take me for a fool? We never spoke before you came into the inn with Priscilla and yet you called me Miss Karla, who else but the young Rio would know my name?”

“Huh?” Gerolt looked shocked at his wife. “What?! Are you telling me this young woman is-!”

“Yes, dear.” She frowned her brows as if telling him to shut up. “I swear, you are dense as a brick sometimes.”

“S-sorry…”

That made Rionara chuckle a bit before bursting into laughter. Both adult’s expressions softened upon witnessing her finally show that cheerful side of her.

After calming down, the young woman’s eyes were still a bit red from crying, but at least she was now smiling as she looked at both of them.

“Thank you.” Rionara spoke with sincerity. “I… I didn’t know how I would explain this to either of you.”

“I’m just glad that you two are alright.” Karla said softly as she slowly resumed her morning cleaning. “When you brought Priscilla yesterday, I didn’t know what I would do to help her.”

“Aye.” Gerolt agreed as he pulled a nearby wooden stool and sat down. “But one thing still bothers me. How’dya grow so much in so little time?”

That question stung Rionara’s heart. Despite not knowing the answer herself, she felt something was off.

“I don’t know…” She looked at her own hands. Her palms still looked alien to her, but not in a good way. “I blacked out and the next thing I knew my body had grown like this.”

“Hmm…” Gerolt had a pensive look on his face as he shook his head slowly. “This ain’t good. Folks are going to start to look at you weirdly.”

Rionara raised an eyebrow.

“Huh? Why?”

“An elf is already a rare sight.” Karla continued as she kept cleaning the tables and stools with her rag. “A beautiful one is bound to make heads turn, especially in this inn.”

The young woman started to scratch the side of her head as Dame Phoebe’s words echoed in her mind.

“She’s a high elf, no doubt about it. Her ears aren’t developed yet which doesn’t make sense given her age…”

Instinctively, Rionara reached for her own ears and upon touching them, she could feel they had grown quite a bit. Where they used to be covered by her hair, it was now poking out considerably through her bangs.

‘High elf…’ She thought as she rubbed her fingers against the tip of her right ear. ‘Does that mean…?’

She glanced at the yawning man beside her and asked.

“Sir Gerolt, could you accompany me to your brother’s shop?”

He turned with a raised eyebrow.

“Eh? Why do you want to go back there?”

“I was supposed to get my order yesterday, but after everything that happened, I ended up forgetting about it.”

“Ah…” He briefly glanced at Karla, but she just shrugged. “Well… I guess I can.”

“Oh, thank you.” She stood up with a faint smile on her face. “Then let’s go.”

“Oi, wait up.” The innkeeper stopped her from walking towards the doorway. “You are not going outside wearing that.” She pointed at the linen robe she wore. It was less of a robe and more of an oversized rag with how torn it was around the edges. “Come with me, I’ll lend you some clothes.”

“Huh?”

Without so much as a word, Karla grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her to the back of the inn, leaving Gerolt with a smirk on his face as he waited.

A few minutes later both women came back. Rionara was now wearing a simple worker’s uniform consisting of a faded beige shirt, dark green trousers and high leather boots. Her jet black hair was tucked inside her shirt with a piece of faded cloth covering her head, concealing both her face and her ears.

“Here.” Karla said as she handed her a basket. “As long as you carry that around, nobody should pay any attention to you.”

From an outsider’s perspective, it did seem like the high elf was but a simple village girl. Gerolt clapped a few times while nodding along as he praised.

“Oh, good thinking.”

Karla patted her shoulders as if getting her ready before saying.

“Have a safe trip. If you feel something is wrong, just run back here or to the guild, you hear me?”

“Mhm.” Rionara nodded once. “Thank you, Miss Karla.”

Gerolt and the high elf proceeded outside. The early morning sun was warm and soothing. Residents of nearby houses were coming out into the street in order to head to work or to the central square to buy fresh produce from the stalls since it was the beginning of the week.

At first Rionara was conscious of her appearance. Walking around amongst adults while looking like one was a new experience to her. Her fidgeting and side glances made it obvious how nervous she truly was.

“Don’t worry, Lass.” Gerolt said with a calming tone, reassuring her that she fit the picture of a local. “Nobody will come after you.”

“Ah… was it obvious that I am nervous?”

“Anyone could tell. Just focus on where you’re going. It’ll help keep ya calm.”

“O-okay. I’ll try.”

She took a deep breath and visualized the way to the blacksmith shop. But even inside her mind, all she could imagine was Priscilla walking by her side—which made her chest tighten.

Although she was left downtrodden, her quietness did help in making her less conspicuous. She was now truly just a simple village girl.

That calmness didn’t translate well for Rionara however—she was made even more aware of her own body with each passing step.The distance of each stride, the new center of gravity, the length of her arms and even how the basket sat on her forearm, it all felt alien.

“Good morning, Gerolt.”

“Aye, good morning.”

A local greeted him which made him stop for a brief moment while Rionara kept going, absorbed in her own world.

“Did you hear about what happened in the slums yesterday?” The local man gossiped. “Some folks found dead people near Father’s shack.”

“Dead people?”

“Yeah, sounds like it was a gang war. Both sides killed each other, it was gruesome.”

“A gang war… as if violence wasn’t enough already.”

“Yeah… some guys told me that Father got mixed up with them and was killed.”

“What about young Eleanor?”

“Nobody found her body so I guess she should have escaped.”

“Thank the goddess. Things are bad as they are, if thugs were also going out of their way to kill children, now that would be screwed up.”

Absent-mindedly, Rionara strolled to the front of the blacksmith shop by herself. Her gaze rested on the doorknob, but her mind was elsewhere. There was a mix of uneasiness and anxiety—where her younger self would blatantly open the door and head inside, she caught herself faltering to take the next step.

There was a sense of apprehension that she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. What would Geralt say if he saw her? Would he accept it like Karla and her brother? That dread turned into a gnawing sensation in the back of her mind that she couldn’t help but run away from.

“What are you waiting for, Lass?” Gerolt approached her and looked at the door with a raised eyebrow. “Let’s go inside.”

“Ah, wait-”

Her nervousness spiked as he pushed the door and motioned her to head inside. The doorbell rang and like rain after dark clouds, Geralt appeared from the back of the shop.

“Welcome. I’ll be right there with ye. Jus’ gimme a moment.”

While dreading the encounter, Rionara headed inside with Gerolt. Hammer strikes against metal echoed from the back and in a few minutes, the blacksmith came to the counter in order to meet his customers.

“What can I get fer ya?” Geralt spoke casually before he noticed his brother standing beside this lady he had never seen before. He narrowed his eyes while leaning backwards. “Wait… ya ain’t havin’ an affair are ye? Karla will skin ye like a deer if she sees ye with ‘nother woman.”

“Oi. I take offense to that.” His brother hit his clenched fist on the counter and leaned forward with a nasty stare. “This is-”

“I-I-I came here to pick up an order I’ve made a d-day ago…”

The blacksmith turned from his brother to the girl with an even more puzzled expression.

“An order? I woulda remember if ye came here, young lady-”

Gerolt sighed as he shook his head and pointed at Rionara with both his open palms.

“This ain’t just any ‘young lady’, this is young Rio.”

Both the blacksmith and the high elf remained silent for a couple of seconds before Geralt started to chuckle.

“Brother, ye better get over ye drinkin’ habits. I think it startin’ to make ye crazy.”

“N-no, it’s… um…” Rionara was fidgeting with her hands before she shakily pulled the cloth hood out of her face. “It’s true…” As her black hair, long ears, and distinct azure eyes came into view, she simply couldn’t bear to look at his face. “It’s me… Rionara.”

“Lass, I’ve seen all kinds o’ stories but yer is…” The blacksmith began trailing off as he took a closer look at her. While he couldn’t say he had seen her before, there was a sense of familiarity that he couldn’t put his finger on. He glanced at his brother with a serious expression. “Were ye tellin’ the truth all ‘long?”

Gerolt gave him a stinky eye as he slowly shook his head.

“I should slug you in the face for doubting me.”

“Ye can’t blame me.” He turned to Rionara with genuine worry in his voice. “If ye tell me that lil’ squirt turned into this fine Lass, I say I need to get me eyes checked.”

Rionara clenched her hands into one another. She felt her chest tightening, her insides were trembling—an uncontrollable twitch of her muscles made her shift her weight around each foot in order to mask it, but Geralt easily saw through it.

“Oi Lass, don’t get ye knickers in a knot.” He motioned with his hand to calm her down. “Gerolt, close the shop will ye?”

As both brothers went opposite ways around the room, Rionara remained quiet in the middle while trying her hardest to not let her nervousness show. In a couple seconds, Geralt came back from the forge with a leather roll. Distinct metallic clinks came from it, as if he was carrying coins, but instead of currency what was inside the roll made Rionara widen her eyes.

“I got ye order right ‘ere, Lass.”

As he spread the leather open, it revealed a set of chainmail, a one-handed sized tong with flint and steel hammered on each end and one—albeit too small—wooden sword.

“But eh…” He scratched the side of his head as he eyed the chainmail. “I ‘pose ye can’t wear it now.”

Rionara picked the chainmail and the metal links barely covered halfway to her belly.

“Oh… that’s true…”

“Eh… if ye give me a day I can fix it fer ye.”

“It’s… ok.”

She settled the chainmail back on the leather sheet and grabbed the wooden sword. However, her supposed practice sword felt more akin to a toy as she could lift it effortlessly. The dark and heavier wood would’ve made the perfect fit for her younger self, but with her body developed as it was, she wouldn’t be able to get any meaningful training done with it.

Though she seemed excited at first, disappointment was becoming apparent on her face as she settled the sword on the counter as well. It left Geralt somewhat apprehensive as he pushed the custom made tool forward for her to see.

She picked it up without saying a word. She turned it around a few times and clamped it once. A shower of metallic sparks came out of the flint as it hit steel. That moment her eyes regained a bit of that glint of wonder.

She pointed the tongs to the end of the shop where there wasn’t anything flammable in her path and closed her eyes.

Though not seeing it, she could vividly feel the mana in the air as she used some of her own mana around her wrists to ‘shape’ the ambient to her will. Once she had the immediate vicinity saturated enough, she clamped the tongs and as sparks flew out—a large ball of fire erupted in front of her for a brief moment, shocking both brothers.

“Woah!”

“Ey! Don’t burn my shop will ye?!”

Rionara’s eyes snapped open as she turned to him with widened eyes.

“S-sorry! I just wanted to test something.” She then glanced at the tool in her hand. “I’ll… I’ll take this.”

She reached for her pocket where Karla told to leave her coins in while she was changing and then she placed twelve silver coins.

“Here.”

The blacksmith looked at the counter and raised an eyebrow before picking only two coins and pushing the rest to her.

“Ye only getting the flint an’ steel aren’t ya? No need to pay fer the other things you won't use.”

“Ah, but then…” Her eyes trailed to the barrel of swords on the side of the counter. “Could I afford a weapon with this much?”

She pulled the last five silvers she had and placed it together with the rest.

“Fifteen silvers? Hmm…” He went over to the barrel and started to sort through the blades. “I think I might hav’ sumthin’ fer ye…”

Gerolt had his arms crossed beside her, but his facial expression was of surprise.

“I have to say… I never expected to see you to be able to cast a spell like that.” He turned to her and asked. “Where did you learn it?”

“My… my father taught me.” She answered with her left hand clenching into a tight fist before she eventually let it go. “I know a few more elements too, not just fire.”

“It would be mighty useful to use magic to dry the sheets at the inn. Those take forever under the sun.”

Rionara didn’t say anything, but she did smile—finding the idea amusing if Priscilla were to see her doing something like that.

“Ah, found it.” Geralt uttered as he pulled a longsword out of the barrel. He then returned and placed it on top of the counter. “This will run fourteen silvers. T’was a sword I made a while ago. Got passed ‘round like ale at a bar, but it should serve ye well fer training.”

“Can I?”

She pointed at the weapon.

“By all means.”

The high elf stepped closer to the counter, leaving the basket on it as her right hand grabbed the weathered handle. She lifted it.

It was heavier than the practice wooden sword, but not so much that she couldn’t swing it. The dull steel blade reflected the blurry reflection of her face as she inspected it.

‘My weapon…’ That thought was accompanied by a momentary flash of Priscilla’s bedside, a swirl of emotions grew inside her stomach. ‘If I want my words to mean anything… I must change.’

Her hand clenched the handle tightly as she brought her other hand underneath her right. After turning the flat side towards her, she placed her forehead against it and took a deep breath.

‘Priscilla…’

Rionara remained like that for a few minutes until she placed the sword back on the counter and said firmly.

“I’ll buy it.”

Geralt nodded before grabbing a cheap belt sheath that was only a rectangular piece of leather attached to a belt and a pair of padded leather gloves. Both had seen some use as the texture of the material was faded and worn.

“Use this to carry the sword.” He said while sheathing the blade into the slot in the belt. It only served to hold the blade as the rest of the sword beyond the guard was left exposed. “And this is fer ye.”

He tossed the pair of gloves in her basket.

“Ah, thank you, Geralt. How much?”

He shook his hand.

“On the house, Lass. Now, I’m fairly sure ye ain’t familiar with a blade so I think I need to tell ye. Be careful with it—the edge is dull, but it doesn’t mean it can’t cut, ye hear?”

“Yeah, I will.”

She grabbed the one silver coin left on the counter and pocketed it. In the meantime, Geralt was finishing cleaning the counter while still giving her pointers.

“Also, don’t go wavin’ it ‘round town, unless ye want to talk with ‘em guards down at the barracks.”

“Okay.”

“Good. Tell Priscilla I’m waitin’ to forge her new iron plate when she gets better.”

Rionara smiled warmly.

“Will do.”

Gerolt grabbed the belt with the sword and tied it around his own waist before glancing at Rionara.

“I’ll carry it for you. The last thing you want is people looking at you weirdly for carrying a sword.”

“Oh, good thinking. Thank you, Gerolt.”

“It’s nothing.” He ruffled her hair through the hood before moving towards the door. “Take care of yourself as well, brother.”

“Aye.” Geralt chuckled briefly as he turned towards the back of the shop. “I’ll go back to me work. Don’t push yeself too hard, Lass.”

“I won’t. Thank you.”

“Aye.”

Rionara picked up the basket and followed Gerolt outside. The central square was bustling with customers looking for the best product while merchants haggled their produce. Fruits and vegetables were rather abundant, almost every stall had something different to offer—most of which was unfamiliar to Rionara.

“Young lady! Young lady!” One man wearing an apron was motioning at her in order to get her attention and when she turned at him, he showed her a vibrant yellow pear. “How about a fruit treat? Only for five coppers!”

Rionara was stunned. She wasn’t expecting someone to approach her out of nowhere.

“Oi, oi, oi. What is that price?” Gerolt whipped his head around as he heard the man’s voice. “What kind of scam is this? That’s basically half the stay at an inn.”

“Tsk. Gerolt…” The merchant clicked his tongue as other customers started to look at him. “H-how about three coppers, young lady?”

She turned to the innkeeper to ask.

“Do they taste good?”

“Well…” Gerolt’s eyes glanced from her to the man selling the fruit. He didn’t particularly know the guy so he raised his shoulders. “You could try it for yourself, but I’d buy it from somewhere else if I were you.”

“T-two coppers, young lady! How about it? I promise this will be the best fruit you ever had in your life.”

All the noise from the street faded as she was lost in thought. All she could think about was how she would help Priscilla recover.

“I… I’ll take three.”

The merchant’s eyes lit up in joy as he turned to his stall.

“Coming right up!” Her basket was filled with three vibrant yellow pears and one bright red apple. “Since it’s your first buy, I tossed in an extra for you, thank you for your patronage, young lady!”

“Thank you.”

She bowed slightly before walking away. Gerolt accompanied her—walking quietly beside her.

“Huh… sir Gerolt?”

“Hm?”

“Sorry…”

“Eh? For what?”

“You told me to buy it somewhere else but…” Her eyes trailed to the fruits gently bouncing around the basket. “I ended up buying it anyway…”

“Oh, no, it’s fine. Most folks selling their produce tend to do fair business there, but you’ve got to be on the lookout for people trying to get you to pay more.”

He spoke as if he had gone through that several times before.

“I see…”

Once back at the inn, they both were met with Karla setting the sign outside the inn while sweeping the sidewalk.

“We’re back.”

Gerolt approached her while waving his hand.

“Welcome back.” Karla’s eyes went from Rionara’s basket to the sword on her husband’s hip. “What are you doing with that?”

“Oh, I was simply carrying it.”

He unfastened the belt and wrapped it around the guard of the blade before handing it over to Rionara. But before she would hold it, she reached inside the basket and grabbed one of the pears she bought.

“Here.” The high elf spoke with a soft voice. “It may not be much, but I wanted to express my gratitude for helping Priscilla and me.”

That made Karla stop sweeping and Gerolt to stand there in a bit of a daze. Both adults had to take some time in to process what she just said.

“Are you telling me-” Gerolt pointed to the fruit in her hand. “-that you bought it for us?”

Rionara nodded with a faint smile.

“Yeah. I thought maybe you would appreciate it.”

Karla turned around and began sweeping again, facing away from her as she spoke in a firm tone.

“You shouldn’t spend money on others.” Her hands tightened around the broom. “But… I, no, we appreciate it.”

Gerolt smiled at his wife before turning to Rionara and nodding once, but firmly.

“Thank you, Lass. We’ll be sure to enjoy it.”

The high elf nodded before grabbing the sword off his hand and heading inside. Gerolt approached Karla and touched her shoulder.

“Maybe we should give a bit more effort with their dinner tonight.”

“Yeah…” Hiding behind the tough exterior, the innkeeper wiped away a few tears forming in the corner of her eyes before turning to him with a stern expression. “Back to work with you! We have a lot to do!”

“Yes, ma’am…”

Rionara stepped inside the empty hall and her eyes automatically trailed to the staircase. She couldn’t keep her excitement and anxiety in check as her legs brought her atop of the first floor before she could even realize it. Standing behind the door of Priscilla’s room, she knocked twice on it softly.

“Pris? It’s me, Rio. Can I come in?”

She heard shuffling from inside before hearing the door unlock from the other side.