Iridescent

4 | Being Cared For

Everything was slow and hazy, like walking in a fog with no sense of direction. Even as I opened my eyes, I thought I was still in the mist and no escape route presented itself clearly.

Then, slowly, the colours came to me. The ceiling was the colour of ivory, there was a gentle warmth of sunlight, casted from the windows, and a breeze fluttered through the air, and I felt the hair around my forehead shift.

I moved my hand, the bedsheet against my bare skin was soft like cotton.

I turned my head, and what I saw next made me jump.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," Marty said, looking guilt-ridden. He came close and carefully sat down at the edge of the bed. "Are you feeling better?"

"Marty?" I strained my back. I wanted to sit up, but a sudden strike of pain forced a groan from my throat.

"Does it pain you?" Marty got up from the bed. "The healers have healed you. Your pain should be better..."

"I feel so much better-"

For some reason, that made him angry, and the slight narrow in his usually gentle gaze confirmed it.

"You're not!" He said, raising his voice.

I stared quietly at him, and his expression slowly loosened.

"Sorry. You... really scared me. You looked dead when I found you."

I closed my eyes as a throbbing headache threatened to surface. "I'm alive, though. I want to know what happened."

He slowly sat down on the bed again, with a more rigid stance than before. I wanted to chuckle at his cautiousness, and at the same time, touched by the small, subtle gesture to do his best to minimise my pain – even if it was by a little.

"You must know?"

"Absolutely. Must." I winced.

He sighed, "if it brings you peace, then. Ted and Will came to find me after they sent you off. I searched around the forest where the Mirror Palace was located. Normally there would be staff here during the Mirror Palace Challenge Season, but this was not in season! You can imagine how shocked I was to hear that you were there."

I licked my dry lips and Marty noticed. He got up and poured a cup of tea. "Eventually, I did find you. You looked terrible."

I briefly imagined how I terrible I looked, but it must have been bad, given Marty's expression. And why would Ted and Will go look for Marty? Marty wasn't even our troop leader.

"I carried you to the nearest medical centre," he reached out his hand, adjusting the pillows as I made an effort to sit up. I winced, cupping my hands around the cup. "Healers are understaffed. They'll rest up and come heal you later."

I sipped carefully, "thank you so much, Marty. I didn't know what would have happened if no one found me. It's terrifying to imagine."

"It's all over now," he gave me a smile. "Kristen's here too."

I raised my brows in surprise.

"She had watched over you the whole time. The person you should really be thanking is her."

There was a knock on the door that drew both of our attention. "That must be Kristen," Marty got up, looking at me with a grin. "I'll let Ted and Will know you're alright."

"You're leaving?" I blurted and then closed my mouth. "I mean, of course, you can leave... you've done so much for me already. I wasn't asking for more, I swear."

Marty chuckled, "if you did, I assure you I will do my best."

He opened the door to reveal Kristen standing at the door. I stared with weary eyes as the two exchanged a few words before Marty left.