Why the villainess ran away

chapter 15

"-ake up... WAKE UP. Are you alive? Please wake up!"

That dream was horrifying. It was never-ending agony. She- she could not remember what it was... but she felt something taken from her just as she was woken up. A jolt of pain. Anxious, her eyes search for the source and see nail marks on her palms.
Ah... that will be a pain when I'm going to train... or use magic,she thought. Because of that abrupt notion, she endeavoured just that, but-

Another jolt of pain slashed her and her view twirled.

The pounding headache she awoke to had to have been the worst she has ever experienced... in this life.

She kept her eyes shut against the harsh light streaming through the window. The reflection of the moon on the oddly calm sea instilled an odd anxiety within her.

Someone nearly shouted from her side, and she was startled,eyes flying open.When she moved,though, she felt a tug underneath her skin. Squinting against the light, she "Please open your eyes miss! Please wake up!"

As she adjusted to her new, less-white environment she noticed a concerning pain. A pain of having a nearly empty well of power. As is well-known, when one's power well drains completely, you die a very painful death. You drown in your own power.
She recollected her thoughts and memories.

THIS IS THE THIRD TIME I FELL TO MY PROBABLE DEATH THIS WEEK. It's getting OLD.

A young maiden-like girl stood, hunched over at her side. Worry crossed her plump, rosy face... She might be the cutest character in this novel! Forget the heroine.  From under long chestnut bangs shone eyes the tint of deep mulberry, and below that a nose so freckled that the brown splotches overlapped much like fall leaves after a wind storm. Her smile was warm with a hint of shyness. Lilith loved her already.And this little creature somehow rescued her. Nice move, god of the sea, knew I could trust you.

The girl sighed, obviously relieved,"I'm so unbelievably glad you're well! I couldn't believe my eyes when someone just dropped in the lake right next to my boat! ". She leaned in closer, one arm on the bedside table to my left. She looked as if she was actually worried for Lilith's life; someone who only just met her and who had no idea what she was like.
"You really scared me!"

Lilith decided to finally say something, still leery, but willing to at least try.However, one hand was already curling up into a fist, just in case, because she was not about to admit defeat only because of lack of power. "Well, I am naturally terrifying. Never mind that, what's your name?"

"It's Kiara. Well, it's actually Kiara Viggo", she announced,"but you can call me Kiara". She beamed, a mole decorating one of her full cheeks. She looked healthy, in good shape,probably because of vigorous and laborious work- work that greedy nobles plan to exploit.  Her life, she wondered, perhaps consisted of daily washing, mopping, moving barrels and helping on a farm, by the slight calluses in just the right places on her hand.
"Are you okay?" She tells Lilith.
"I'm- moderately functional." It was the truth. Lilith was an honest person. Sometimes.
"I'll take that as a no"

The fact she saved Lilith astounded her. She was happy to start again for a moment, more than happy. However, now that the rush of the moment was over, she was nearly terrified of the idea. How could she ever think so?
Ditran must be furious-it really does serve him right. At least now her family will be assured she has passed away, and she'll be rid of nuisances. Shame, though, she thought he seemed trustworthy enough... She did not sense any malice coming from him at the start, did she?

Kiara interrupted her thoughts,"This was certainly an experience, it was like you were a miracle falling from the sky."

"It would have been less painful to be a miracle that stayed on the ground, I think I broke my knees... twice?" Lilith mumbled.
Kiara then crept to the kitchen stall, and began preparing a fire, to brew tea, or stew, on.

Lilith stood to look around the house more, and search for any exits, or attempted to, as a massive wound stopped her in her tracks and made her fall, not so gracefully, back onto the bed. It was probably Kiara's bed, if truth be told. She seems so amicable as to let a complete stranger into her house and help them, no matter if she is expecting anything from Lilith, at least she helped.

This was when the dagger strapped to her thigh came into view. Lilith tensed but relaxed after seeing her stance. "I see you're always prepared for battle, I could take quite a liking to you."
What will be her reaction?
"So I must." She went back to violently stabbing cucumbers in little quarters.
"Hah, your manner of cooking is perhaps... one I have not seen before, would you care to teach me it...?"

She gave a lopsided grin,her nose crinkling slightly and her cheeks suddenly aflush. It was strange, acting so with a near stranger; but the fact itself they could act like this, made it seem as if they were soulmates.

The soup was the colour of the autumnal vegetable garden outside - deepest green.  Yet the hue was softened just a bit with the addition of cream and cheese.

"As mother always said, "Everything tastes better with cheese." It was a motto she cooked by, but maybe that was the west-country farmer's daughter in her. She cooked to the seasons and to the pantry - always generous servings, as if the diners had just walked in from a hard day working on the land. "

Lilith inhaled the air, stomach rumbling as she watched the soup ladled into dark wooden bowls, her mind already dunking in a hunk of fresh bread.

Kiara started, "some strange ginger magician keeps looking for you across town, he is making such a ruckus about a certain blonde, and I quote: very petty and easily frustrated woman. He also put up billboards warning to never aproach you, but to avise him where you are."
Lilith gaped at her for a mid-second and then burst out laughing uncontrollably. Oh, how she missed this euphoric feeling. She had forgotten the last time she laughed so freely. "I'll show him petty and easily frustrated."

After a while she asked again,"Kiara...Why- why do people think I'm so intimidating?"
Kiara grinned and lifted her nose in the air,"First let me ask you this. What's the first thing you notice when somebody tries to approach you?"
"The audacity", she answered, no hesitation.
"There's your answer."

Huh. And here I thought it was because I was just so lovely. 

She lifted a fitted wooden spoon filled with the broth to her mouth and-
-
A crash sounded through the house. Two, fully-covered by balaclavas of some sort, burglars broke through the window. They spent one look at us; noticing me in bandages on a patient bed and her, a delicate girl standing over me. We looked borderline defenseless;even I would call us pathetic. Kiara and I exchanged one look, as if to say what the hell is going on.
"We are going to get our asses kicked,"said Kiara, clearly revealing her inexperience in fighting.
With a soft scoff, I replied,"No, if anything you're going to get your ass kicked. I can hold my own, and because I somewhat like you, you'll be fine too",and started to move.

I was just about to pull myself out of bed and throw anything I could at them, no matter my suffering after, when Kiara put a hand to her thigh, her covered dagger, and smirked.

Authors note:
Okay I haven't done these in a while, and it's nearly Christmas, so MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! I'll probably update before New Years for you all. I hope you're enjoying the story, for now I need to build up the foundation... but next chapter you'll get to see the male lead!! Okay I love you all and I love seeing all your comments, good and bad. There's always room for improvement in my work so please do comment!