The Search for Soul in Everything

Chapter 7

Vanora's eyes fluttered open, trying to adjust to the sun above her. The rays of sunlight were still hard to adjust to. The only light she was ever allowed to see was just before sunset, where the sun and the sky turned a bright orange before disappearing not long after. Day was much more harsh than she could remember.

She sat up slowly, stretching her arms up to get a satisfying 'pop' from in between her shoulders. The morning air was brisk, nipping at her fingertips. In the forest, birds of all kinds were singing into the air, cutting sharply through the hushing trees that swayed in the wind.

She looked over to Astarion, who was still sleeping soundly on his bedroll. It must be hard for him, staying awake all day when he's usually awake at night. Not only that, but neither of them have gotten much sleep in the last few nights. She can only blame herself, guilt wrapping around her mind.

She sighed, standing up finally to stretch again. Her tail flicked as she pulled at the tense muscles on her sides. The clothing draped over her skin felt... wrong. "I need to wash this." She whispered to herself, picking at the tattered cloth of her shirt. The pink stains felt crusted, and the dirt covering the outside made the fabric heavy.

For a moment, she looked around. She didn't see any water, but she could hear it running just over the hill. There must be a river over there, right? She could wash her shirt there. Vanora walked toward the sound.

When Astarion woke up, the light of the sun blinded him. He squinted his eyes, trying his best to block out the sun with his hand. He groaned, twisting his body to slowly pick himself up. He yawned, his eyes finally adjusted enough to open. He pauses for a moment, glancing around the campsite.

"Vanora?" He stood quickly, looking around the campsite again. "God this woman is gonna kill me..."

Just before he was about to go searching, he heard it. Humming. A sweet tune that carried all across the valley. He couldn't think straight, following the sound over the hill, toward a flowing river. Walking up to the treeline, he was shocked to see her. "Vanora?" He whispered to himself.

He watched as she bent down, scrubbing her undergarment in the flowing river, her shirt clean and hanging on a branch beside her. Red flows from the cloth in her hands. Her voice was radiant, pulling him toward her. He didn't move, too afraid to scare her if he did. He just wanted to listen more.

Her back was littered in scars. Deep slashes that twisted around her ribs and shoulder blades. They looked like they were angry once. Like they had throbbed and bled constantly, maybe had been infected. There were also burn marks, huge round swirls on her lower back. Some of the scars were old, faded to time. Some of them were new, like they had just healed not too long ago. Maybe when he healed her. He couldn't tell, he hadn't seen them then.

As he watched, her voice carried on. Dancing across the water and spinning into the trees, floating into his ears. Her voice was calm, like she had never known the burden of torture, or the weight of the world on top of her. Her voice, in this moment, radiated innocence across the valley. He had to lean against the tree he was hiding behind just to keep from taking another step.

Suddenly she stopped, lifting her head to look around. Astarion felt his senses come back to him. He quickly ducked behind the tree. 'What am I doing?' He thought to himself, shaking his head in frustration. Just as he was about to leave, he heard her again. He told himself to leave, she was fine. He didn't need to be watching her. But he found himself turning around to look again, drawn toward the sound.

She had her shirt back on, the faded pinks from the blood now completely gone. She stood, staring up at the wooded area. Staring up at him. He sucked in his breath, walking toward the girl. "I didn't mean to lurk." He called out.

She shook her head. "It was my own fault... Sorry if I scared you."

Astarion chuckled. "I wasn't scared, darling."