The Two Sides of a Sword

Chapter Twenty-One

Comfort.

That word was on Rocki's mind when she woke up the next morning. The bed was comfortable. The room felt comfortable. Her wings felt comfortable on her back for once. It was even comfortable knowing that Kofi had been next door all night, making sure she stayed safe.

At this hour of the morning, the moment when she first awoke, everything was warm and soft. There was only a very faint glow filtering in through the frosted windows, giving the space gentle shadows and highlights.

There wasn't a sound around her. The world was silent except for the noise of her breathing through one congested nostril. The sound was actually beginning to annoy her, so she parted her lips to breathe through her mouth instead, wondering how different things would be if people just didn't need to breath at all.

Kofi's room was silent as well. He probably wasn't awake. He seemed more like a night owl than a morning bird.

Kahinu was a morning person. She recalled. He liked getting up and going right away. Her mind flashed to the memory of him getting ready to leave. Just like he did that day. Got up and left. I wish I knew what he was thinking that day ...

She didn't like stewing over those thoughts, so she threw herself into a sitting position and stretched before getting out of bed. She got ready as quietly as she could since she didn't know how much Kofi would be able to hear in the adjoining room, and he needed sleep almost more than she did.

Her leg was still injured, so it still hurt to walk on it, but the limp had decreased significantly. She took a shower with the bandage on, but afterwards checked to see how the wound was doing. It seemed to be as well as it could be, so she wrapped it tightly again.

Just my luck that I would be injured and have someone trying to kill me. First the stupid lopenants had it out for me, then some unknown person. Why would anyone want me dead anyway? I'm supposed to be their savioress. I'm going to at least try to end the war. Who wouldn't want that? She groaned a little as she sat back on the bed, wishing for her life back home, as rough as it had been the last month.

Her eyes caught on her glasses she had left on the entry table the first night she slept here. Another reminder of her life back home. I don't miss wearing them exactly, it's nice to see without needing glasses or contacts, but it's weird knowing that I don't need them anymore. I traded my glasses for a pair of wings. She spread those wings now, smiling a little. That would make a good hook for a story.

She sat on the bed for a while, letting herself relax alone with her thoughts. She was sure it would be another hectic day, so she wanted to enjoy the quiet while she could. During her quiet time, she figured out how to put her translator back in her ear. She had let it charge all of last night, so hopefully it would work for a long while.

After a time, her stomach growled, forcing her to walk over to the kitchenette in search of food. As she searched the cupboards for something appealing, she heard a knock on the adjoining door before Kofi let himself in.

"Welcome to the day," he mumbled, stretching his wings as soon as he was fully inside the room. He looked a mess. His long golden hair was splayed out in all directions from a bad case of bedhead, and his clothes were rumpled from sleeping in them. His usually bright and playful eyes were hazy as he shuffled over to her, dropping his head onto her shoulder with a moan even though he had to double over to do it.

"Hey—" she said, not expecting the sudden contact.

"Why did you have to get out of bed so early?" he muttered, letting his arms dangle towards the ground like the cord of a ceiling fan.