Scavenging

"I would've told you not to do it," Claudia said for the umpteenth time, carefully wiping the burnt skin off with a towel. "Really, you were fine as you were... honestly!"

"I understand, Claudia! I understand, so stop rubbing my skin! It hurts!" Edelgard complained, wailing as Claudia ruthlessly rubbed more excess skin off her body.

"We need to do it now, rather than later. Gosh, there's so much!"

"I'm sorry, Claudia! Ouch! I'm sorry!"

Claudia sighed, laying down the cloth. Edelgard was red all over. More air reached her skin, cooling it, while an unpleasant heat radiated to the top. There was a strange glow to her skin, and Edelgard didn't like it.

It looked like her skin had been ripped apart and glued back together with tree resin.

She hoped it wouldn't stay that way.

"We better wash it off in the river, too... The only positive I can see is that your case seems to be less dire than others I've heard from. This looks like it would heal back up in time... don't wear that hopeful expression, you should consult the elders about that! Oh, I don't want to know what they will say about that... though one of them did this, so maybe..."

Mumbling like that, she pulled Edelgard to her feet, supporting her as they walked to the river and climbed down to bathe in it.

"Will it hurt?" Edelgard asked, fearing the answer.

"Definitely." Claudia crossed her arms. "Just go in like that. You don't need to-"

"Yeah, I know," Edelgard interrupted. The adrenaline and fear had made her insolent. "The holy body of a woman may never be undressed in front of a man she's not married to... or something. Starkus explained it, once."

"I see. Then go in."

"But, Claudia. I'm currently looking for the best place to put my foot, and the river looks somewhat faster than usual, maybe-"

"And now you fall," Claudia predicted, causing her little prophecy to come true... with a forceful shove. "Have fun."

"It burns!" Edelgard exclaimed, hugging herself in reflex. It didn't help. "I really don't know about this," she argued but fell silent when Claudia glared back.

A few minutes passed like this.

She didn't even feel the burn as much anymore, but she didn't dare to get out. Shooting pleading glances at Claudia, she stayed in the water, watching as more and more of her skin got washed away.

A rather large part of her brain was occupied with thinking about the consequences of all her skin washing away... and what would remain.

The mere thought made her tremble.

"I've never seen someone lose so much skin before," Claudia mumbled, watching from the shore. "Your skin looks young as a baby," she mused, cocking her head with a grin.

Edelgard looked down.

The skin has stopped coming off, and what remained was mostly red with more red. She had to fight the urge to scratch it.

"I would describe it as more of a vulnerable state," she returned, hopefully looking at Claudia. "Can I come out now?"

Her body tensed up, then relaxed. She even uncrossed her arms. Claudia sighed.

"Fine, we'll take a bath in the bathing tree, then. It has divine properties, after all."

"Divine?" Edelgard asked, stepping out.

Even in the cold water, her body didn't feel chilly. It burned up from the inside as if a fire had been lit on her skin. She didn't like the feeling.

"Yes, divine. I cannot stress this enough, you shouldn't have done such a thing. I'm sure Starkus would've been against it, too!"

"Sorry, Claudia," Edelgard said, meaning it, "but this time, I wouldn't have stopped, even with you two against it."

"... Why?"

"I had to do it."

"I heard you the first time, but why?"

Edelgard had no immediate answer.

They walked to the bathing tree in silence, quietly undressed and entered the bath without a word. There was an awkward distance between them.

Edelgard knew that her next question could deeply hurt her friend...

Claudia leaned against the wall of the tub, her eyes closed. It was a shame that Edelgard had to disrupt that peaceful scene.

At least her skin was in bliss.

This water truly cooled it, and the heat was forgotten.

"Say, Claudia?" Edelgard had to ask at some point... Everything depended on it. "Can you teach me how to scavenge for food?"

"If you're worried about causing us trouble, don't be. We're glad to help you."

"That's not it..." This was harder than she thought. "I must grow up at some point, don't I?"

Claudia opened one eye, in curiosity.

"Is this another one of your crazy ideas?" she asked.

Edelgard shook her head.

"There's so much I don't know. I don't feel like I ever grew up. I never lapped the 176 trees, I have to depend on you, I don't have your dignity... what am I but a worse version of you?" Edelgard was thankful for the water around her, for it hid the tears that rolled down her cheeks. "I need to become worthy of living with you," she concluded.

"..." Claudia was visibly shaken. She opened her second eye, her mouth opening slightly. "Does that mean you don't want to live with us anymore?"

Edelgard shook her head.

She was hurting as bad as Claudia was.

"I want to tell you that I can't live with you anymore."

"But why? We had so much fun, didn't we? Didn't you like it with us? Do you... not like us anymore?"

Claudia was crying, too.

Damn it, Edelgard thought. So she can see my tears, too.

"... You are unfair," Edelgard said. "Don't lay words in my mouth, Claudia. That's... unfair." They both let go of their dignity, embracing each other with tears streaming down their grimacing faces. "I just need to go. Don't you understand?"

"No! I don't want to understand, Edelgard! Don't leave us," she wailed, sobbing violently.

"We can see each other all the time," Edelgard soothed, trying to suppress her sobs.

"It's not the same!"

"I know it's not the same-"

"Then don't leave! Edelgard..."

She had never seen her friend like this. If she'd known how this would end... no, she wouldn't have changed anything about it.

"I'm going to live alone," she explained. "I'm going to live in a hut... just like you. I'm going to become an elf... just like you. You will see..."

"Edelgard, Edelgard..."

She smiled.

Being loved felt good...

But because she knew that, she understood her mission. She wanted to make him feel loved, too... and she couldn't do that while living with Claudia and Starkus.

Edelgard glanced at the waterfall.

"I heard you take showers, too, these days... want to go there?"

As she didn't receive an answer, Edelgard carefully led her friend under the waterfall. Together, they went inside, and their tears became indistinguishable.