The Other Side

Chapter 1: Kindled Fire and Kindred Spirits

The fire was fading to embers.

She should sleep soon.

At sunrise, she would leave to Cair Paravel- or a page on the latest Meeting of Monies could wait another day...

But Leah was pulled from her thoughts by a knock at the door.

A visitor late at night wasn't so unusual, many of the Narnian species were nocturnal. What was unusual, however, was a knock.

Those who knew about her knew they needn't knock.

She stood from her chair, which had been placed carefully by the fire for the sake of the warmth and what little light was left, and crossed to the door.

She had no way of seeing who was there, and so grabbed her nearby athame. Though sacred in her Craft, the blade was a measly defensive weapon in the scheme of Narnian blades (but a defensive weapon nonetheless), and opened the door slowly.

Eyes adjusting to the darkness, she looked over her visitor with caution and a ready urge to slam the door shut if necessary, asking, "Who's there?"

At first there was no answer. Only a weak cough and a shadow in the door frame. Blue eyes looking up through the dim light of the cabin and an even weaker voice. "Sorry, excuse me?" It was hesitant, but desperate enough to be insisting, "I need help, please. I was told to seek it here?"

"Yes. Yes, of course, come in," Leah spoke instinctively, stepping back to allow the stranger in. It was immediately obvious that the individual was not a threat... or at least, likely not. "Has something happened?"

"Some... Something is wrong..." Another cough, "with me. I don't know what happened but it all became so much worse so fast." The strange girl put a hand on the door to keep in balance but she didn't step inside immediately. She looked on the brim of collapse. She stared at the floorboards trying to keep hallucinations away, but fighting whatever had ahold of her was impossible. "I thought it wasn't important. That it would just go away but slowly it got worse. And now..." She didn't say more before falling face down.

Hartshorn was Leah's immediate go-to, in which she poured into a handkerchief and held it beneath the stranger's nose. "Hey," She called quietly, "you haven't just died on my doorstep, have you?"

Her eyes flickered open and she fought the illness with all her power. "I haven't eaten in... a while... So hungry," She muttered, feeling every bone in her body ache along with her throbbing head. She needed something else to focus on. She coughed again and blood came up. But she needed something to go down.

"Okay, well, how about we see if you can move onto the bed because it's freezing out here?" Leah spoke, emptying the handkerchief and handing it to the girl to wipe off some of the blood before holding a hand out to the girl and placing a steadying hand on her back. "I'm- not entirely sure what's up, but these temperatures won't be helping."

The girl's vision was blurry, but somehow she managed to focus on the friendly face trying to aid her. She was human. The only human she had seen for months. The kind weasel who had pointed her in the direction of the cottage hadn't mentioned that. She fought her way to the bed and as soon as she laid down she felt a little better. The blood had access to all of her body and some of the colour immediately returned to her face. But she was still burning up, famished and felt like something as hungry as her was eating her up from the inside.

"Sleep." Leah suggested, holding the back of her hand to the stranger's forehead. Despite the near-freezing temperature outside, the girl's forehead radiated a concerning amount of heat. "Definitely sleep, even for just a short time," Leah decided, "I'll have something made to eat once you wake up."

And as if on command all of a sudden, the aching stopped. It was like the hungry beast had let go of her body and all there was left was her own hunger. The girl wasn't sure if she fell asleep or fainted, but she fell unconscious with a grateful mind and rested.

–

Just as promised, a steaming bowl of soup rested on the small, hand carved side table when the girl awoke, alongside slices of warm bread and some kind of small, seasoned fish.

She started eating before the smell had even properly hit her nose. She didn't have time to notice her surroundings or remember the illness that had had such a strong hold of her just hours before. It would have to wait until her stomach was full and content.

Suddenly, the winter wind swept through the small cabin- but only momentarily. Leah pushed the door closed behind her as quick as she could, placing down a battered basket of various greenery and shrugging her drenched cloak off.

"You're awake! Oh, good." She spoke, swiping alight a match and throwing it into the fire place, which roared to life immediately. "You definitely don't want to be going out there anytime, soon... or- perhaps anywhere soon. How're you feeling?"

"Uhm.. better. Thank you," The girl answered with her mouth still full of bread. In fact she was feeling a lot better. As if nothing had ever happened. She now looked at the girl who rescued her. Her hair was only a slightly darker blonde than Mare's, tied back only partly and loosely, framing soft features. She was quite beautiful even in the dim light from the fireplace. "I'm sorry to just come barging... but thank you..."

Leah laughed, "There's no need for an apology. I'd have preferred for you to be here than out there as you were. You're more than welcome here." She sat carefully at the bottom of the bed. "So, what happened?"

"Uhm... I guess it's hard to explain." The girl was contemplating whether or not she actually should explain, but there was something about this girl that seemed trustworthy. "It's been coming and going for a while, actually... But it's never been this bad or lasted this long. You see, I think..." She hesitated, not knowing how much she could reveal. "The thing is, I lost a part of myself and ever since that day, this illness has been grasping after me once in a while, and it keeps getting worse and worse."

"Oh." Leah replied quietly, thoughtfully as she surveyed the girl. A usual curiosity of what details were being kept from her washed over her, but she was long since used to folding up her curiosities, placing them neatly in a small part of her brain and reserving them for a better time. "Well, whatever it is, the weather probably won't be helping and... how long were you out there? I've never seen you around, either... not that many humans come by this part of the forest..." Well, she was reserving some of her curiosity. "Where are you from?"

"I'm not even sure. Months. Could be years if I'm being honest. I don't see many people. And they don't see me." The girl was hesitant; she didn't know how much she could say without something leading her in her direction.

"To whom do I even owe my thanks? You saved my life last night," She asked instead. Avoiding the question.

"If you're not sure where you're from... where do you stay? Surely somewhere... No one should have nowhere, that's-"

"Sorry," Leah cut herself off and gave a short, somewhat awkward laugh, "I don't see many people, either- Well, not humans to interact with... and so you don't owe me thanks, actually. Your company and a friendly face with how things have been lately is thanks enough. I'm Leah. I don't think I caught your name?"

The girl hesitated, and she swallowed, as if what she was about to share was not something she often told truthfully, "Mare." She said finally, shifting to hold out her hand to be shaken, "My name's Mare."