When they returned to the cabin, they heard an unnatural sound. A pained scream sounded from inside, and Helen rushed in immediately.
Luke was laying on the bed, writhing in pain as he screamed.
“What’s wrong?” Helen asked Skylar, who was sitting on the ground by the bed.
“It’s alright,” she reassured them, “We got the crystantheum and gave it to him. But after he was asleep for a while he started screaming. I think he’s having a nightmare.”
Helen glanced over at Luke as he groaned, the shaking slowing down. He was drenched in sweat, his wet shirt and jacket taken off and laid by the fire to dry them off.
Helen shivered herself, taking off her cloak as she sat near the fire.
“Luke, it’ll be alright,” Helen heard Skylar whisper, “Please, just relax. It’s me, Skylar. I’m here. It’s alright.”
Helen turned as she heard Luke’s breathing slow, and he breathed, “...Skylar?”
“Yes, Luke, I’m here.”
Luke weakly lifted a hand to Skylar’s cheek, his face tired but content. He made a small smile, and Skylar covered his hand on her cheek with her own.
But the moment they shared was short-lived. Luke closed his eyes and his breathing picked up again, lost in a dream he couldn’t escape.
She heard Skylar sigh, then whispered to him, “It’s alright, Luke, you can rest.”
Helen turned back to the fire, wishing that she could make up with the incident that had happened earlier with Richard. She felt wrong for listening in on Skylar and Luke’s conversation, but she felt it told her how much you can love someone, to stay by their side while you didn’t know if they’d be okay, still holding out hope that they would survive the night.
That was what Richard did for her.
He stayed by her side while she went through the knife wound back in Hilgaria, not knowing if she’d make it through the night. But he stayed there, only leaving if she told him to.
He loved her.
And she loved him back.
Which was why she hated it when the merchant began to question Richard about his scars. She had seen what it had done to him, turning him to feel like he was a monster.
After the incident, Richard had become quieter and more guarded about his feelings, and nobody ever really brought up the scars or bandages except when explaining to Skylar the events of the weeks before.
Richard had been changed by the accident, not just by the scars on his face, but also by the scars in his heart.
He had become very conscious of the way he looked and would itch at the bandages whenever he became nervous. And even though Skylar said that he wouldn’t need the bandages on for much longer, he still kept them over his face, covering the scars.
“Dinner is ready!” the woman yelled from the kitchen.
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Helen looked down hungrily at the bowl of vegetable soup, glad to have a hot meal again. The last time she had soup was in Hilgaria.
Helen glanced over at Skylar, who was still sitting where Luke lay. She tried desperately to wake him up to feed him some of the soup, but he was out cold. The brief moment he woke up was the only sign he might even survive.
Helen felt worried, too. She didn’t want to lose Luke, just like how they almost lost Skylar. It was so painful to know that she had been out there, alone, and she didn’t even get a chance to say goodbye. All Helen had known was that Skylar was there one second and gone the next.
And she had been alone.
Just like all those years in the forest.
Abandoned.
Alone.
Without anybody to help her.
It was a wonder she’d even learned how to talk, but somehow, when she saw Alice that first day when she had been kidnapped, she knew all the words to say. She knew how to talk.
It was as if a feeling had passed over her, allowing her to communicate. And at first, she didn’t quite understand what all the words meant. Every so often, there’d be a word that would fly over her head, unsure of what it meant. Almost as if she only knew the basics of the language, but not all of the words.
And now she could talk to everybody, sharing her feelings and thoughts, unlike what she could ever do before.
The dark feeling she’d felt when she was alone was no longer there. She was filled with light and happiness.
And she had to keep the group happy as well.
Helen smiled as Richard sat down on the floor next to her, the table too small to fit all of them to sit at.
“Hey,” he said quietly, setting his bowl of soup on his lap. “Can I talk to you?”
“Sure.”
Richard sighed, blowing on the hot soup before saying, “You didn’t have to do that, you know.”
“Do what?”
“Standing up for me,” Richard continued, “I don’t need you to be there, yelling at merchants because they ask why I have bandages covering half of my face. I’d be curious as well.”
“But, he was taunting you!” Helen dropped her spoon into her bowl, “He called you ‘scar-face’ and wouldn’t stop asking about your scars. You can’t just be fine with that!”
“Helen,” Richard tried.
“No,” she answered, “You can’t just let people push you around like that. I know that I’m usually forgiving about things like these, but that was disrespectful and uncalled for. He shouldn’t have done that, and you shouldn’t have let him.”
“Helen!” Richard said louder this time, “I don’t need you to stand up for me. But…” Richard covered Helen’s hand in his own, “I appreciate what you did. And I understand why you did it.”
Richard let go of her hand, returning to his bowl of soup. “But I’m not that person anymore,” he continued, “I don’t want to seek justice for every little thing that happens in my life. We have a bigger mission now, and I don’t need people worried about how I feel about the way I look. I just want to make sure we get this done.”
Helen was taken aback. Richard had changed. He was no longer the snobbish boy she’d met so long ago. Now, he was more focused on their mission than a man making fun of his appearance.
“And I’d like to thank you, Helen,” Helen looked into Richard’s eyes, the dark spheres glowing from the light of the fire, giving them a warm, brown look. He was dashing in the dim light, his jaw strong and handsome.
His lips looked fuller, as he continued, “I know I’ve already said this before, but I’m glad I met you. You’ve made me understand things, and understand how to love and care for people. Thank you for that.”
Helen’s heart thumped in her chest; her cheeks red as she resisted an urge as she stared at his handsome face.
“You’re…you’re welcome,” Helen leaned her head forward, closed her eyes, and softly put her lips against his. Richard kissed her back, his hand once again finding hers.
As Richard pulled his head away, he lightly brushed some loose hair away from Helen’s face, tucking it behind her ear.
“I…” he started to say, then dropped his eyes. “Sorry.”
“What?”
“I just…” Richard struggled to say, “I wish you the best, Helen, but I don’t…” he sighed, “I don’t know how…to say it. I’ve only…I’ve only known you for two months, Helen, but I…I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
There was a whoop behind them, and Helen turned to see Peter cheering for them while Alice tried desperately to get him to quiet down.
“Yeah, go Relen! Woohoo!”
“Peter, quiet.” Alice hissed, then gave Helen a small smile.
“...'Relen'?” Richard raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah!” Peter grinned, “You know, Richard and Helen?”
Richard rolled his eyes, his face a flaming red as he turned back to his soup.
“Great,” he muttered, “Now he has a name for us.” But Helen could see he was fighting a smile.
“Oh, I have names for all the relationships!” Peter shouted from behind them, “There’s Palice, which is me and Alice…”
Alice was trying not to laugh. “Oh my goodness," she muttered under her breath, “let me guess,” she said louder, “Luke and Skylar are Lylar?”
“No, they’re Skuke.”
Helen smiled, glad that they were having fun. But her smile faded as she glanced over at Skylar, her face dejected and concerned it immediately saddened Helen.
How could they just sit there laughing while she was in one of the worst times of her life?
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