Chapter 5 - Confidences in the dark

I open my eyes.
I can still feel the pain on my side. I’m panting, sweating. I can’t move. The pain is real. Not in my lung, though. My side is burning. 
I try to calm down my breathing. 
It’s still dark. I can hear the gentle crackling of the fire. I wasn’t out for long. I try to get up, but my body refuses to move. 
Deep breaths.
I focus on the pulsing pain that comes with each inspiration. It’s not the agonizing pain of a bone spear piercing my side. It isn’t a broken rib either. It’s just a scratch on my skin, sending a jolt of pain through my body with each brush against my clothes.

The tree. I was sent flying. I may have landed on my side. 
I let out a relieved sigh.
I stare at the stars above. The nocturnal sounds of the forest, the smell of freshly watered moss, the dirt under my back. I let all those feelings in, embracing this moment of tranquility.
I close my eyes to take in more. The breeze howling in the branches, the rustling leaves, the acrid smell of marigold flowers, the small rock beneath my right ankle poking my skin, the light snoring of my companions… I exhale slowly.
I’m here, I’m me.
“You’re awake.”
Aurora’s voice startled Lumen. He stood absolutely still, hoping she would go away, but she sat down near him.
“It’s ok. I heard you groaning in your sleep… If getting knocked out against a tree can be called sleeping.”
Lumen opened his eyes. There was no point in hiding it. Slowly, he unfurled his fingers. He didn’t realize he was clutching his fists that hard. As he released the tension, it dawned on him that he had been paralyzed by his own stiffness. Letting out a sigh, he finally managed to roll on his side. In doing so, he loosened up his shirt, which stopped brushing against his side. 

“Are you here to make fun of me for being a coward?”
He was now facing her. Her body was glowing. Or rather, the glow of the bonfire behind her was cutting out her silhouette, hiding her face in total darkness. 
“No. You’re definitely braver than many.” Her voice was gentle, almost understanding, her smile carried by her tone. “You’re carrying a lot more than any of us. But I can’t say what.”
“I never left my village before you kidnapped me. I barely know how to fight. I have no idea what that prophecy is expecting of someone like me.”
She stayed silent for a few seconds, letting him sulk in his self-loathing.
“Your eyes.”
“Huh?”
“I can see it in your eyes. You’ve lived through so much. I’m not calling you a liar. It’s true you never stood on a battlefield. But your eyes don’t lie.”
It was his turn to stay silent. She could see his puzzled look, lit up by the fire. He couldn’t see, but she took off her armor and left her sword. She knew he could have overpowered her and fled. But also that he wouldn’t. Her show of strength earlier was a test. And he passed it brilliantly. 

He moved around, trying to find a comfortable position to sit up without his shirt brushing on his side again. He didn’t want to flinch or let any show of weakness out in front of her. 
“How is your side?”
He stopped, half sitting, one arm holding his torso up, the other one trying to compensate for the movement of the fabric.
“Morgan went a bit hard on you. You had two broken ribs. I patched you up, but it left a bad bruise. You’ll want to avoid too much movement for a few days.”
He sighed, fumbled around a bit more to sit up comfortably, holding his shirt away from his side. 
“I guess there’s no hiding anything from you?”
“I can’t read minds. But I’m an experienced warrior. I’ve been part of more wars than any of us. I led many to their deaths. I brought many more back alive. I don’t know why you’re like that. But I can’t fail my duty. And if it means making an enemy of you, I won’t hesitate.”
For a second, Lumen was about to tell her everything. Maybe she could understand? Maybe she would hear him out? But that last sentence was as cold as the steel of her sword.
“I told you. I’ll come with you. I’m still against this idea of a prophecy, but it’d be more comfortable to walk with you than be dragged behind you.” And besides, it’ll be easier to convince your companions if I’m not tied up and gagged.
She considered him. He wasn’t lying. He wasn’t saying the whole truth, but it was better than lying. 

She leaned down, plunged her hand into a bag he hadn’t noticed at her feet, and took out a pouch.
“Put that on the bruise. It should help with the pain while you fall asleep. And come closer to the fire. Nights get cold at that time of the year.”
He took the leather container she was handing him, still suspicious. She turned around and went back to the fire, where sleeping bags had been laid out. Two of them were already filled, and she slithered into one. One was still empty, waiting for him. He followed, trying to find a way to keep the nice-smelling pouch on his painful side.
He laid down in the sleeping bag, near the fire, surrounded by his newfound travel companions. For the first time ever, he hoped there could be a way. The remedy she gave him numbed the pain enough for him to drift off into a dreamless sleep.