After the fall

Chapter 6

When Lapisa woke up she was laying on a hard surface and the ground was bumpy. Feeling disoriented and nauseous she turned to the side and threw up, but all that came up was clear liquid and saliva. She opened her eyes and took in the wood floor and the fabric shielding her from the outside world. For the first time in what felt like forever she was feeling calm and protected. She looked around her with her slightly blurred vision and noticed some hay bales stacked on top of each other as well as a few boxes littering the crowded space. She pushed herself up on her trembling arms and noticed that the cape she was previously wearing was now draped over her and was slipping off her shoulders giving room to chilling air. She sat up properly and took hold of the cape and draped it over her shoulders to keep the cold out. Her vision gradually cleared up and she noticed that she was alone, and that she was on some type of a carriage.

Panic slowly began creeping into her veins as she looked around for any type of life, to show that she wasn't completely utterly alone. Behind one of the boxes she saw a foot sticking out and her anxiety disappeared a little. Slowly she began crawling towards the body laying there and as she looked behind the box she came face to face with Lan. He lay there slightly slouched with his bag used as a pillow and breathing evenly indicating that he was asleep. His hair was ruffled and pushed back, showing that he had run his hand through his hair multiple times to get it out of his face with only a stray piece hanging over his face. Slowly but carefully, Lapisa took her trembling hand and reached out to push the piece aside and when her fingertips were mere millimeters away from touching the hair, Lan's hand shot up and took a harsh grip on her wrist stopping its movement. Surprised, she let out a yelp and drew her free hand back and threw it at Lan's unsuspecting face. As her hand made contact with his face she immediately regretted it. This was the man that saved her, how dare she use violence towards him, doesn't she know how to be grateful?

Lan woke up with a jolt and his hand that was still holding her wrist tightened its grip which would probably leave behind a faint bruise in the future. A red patch slowly began showing its color on his cheek from her slap and he took his unoccupied hand to rub at his face, slightly winching at the action. "Man, you sure know how to throw a punch." Lan said, his voice slightly hoarse from his sleep, and let his eyes wander to Lapisas shocked face. "I- I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to... you just grabbed my hand all of a sudden and surprised me. I didn't mean to..." Lapisa said quietly as she stared towards the ground, not daring to look up.

Lan's grip on Lapisa's hand softened but still held on while he slowly lowered it down until it lay against his thigh. "Hey now, it's fine, really. BUT if you really feel bad, then you can owe me a favor in the future." There was a slight hint of amusement in his voice as he voiced her concerns and gave her wrist a soft squeeze. Lapisa suddenly felt a soft stroke of a thumb going over her wrist trying to comfort her but all it did was unsettle her. She pulled her hand away from the calloused hand in response, clearly shocking its owner. Lapisa took her slightly aching wrist and rubbed at it with her other hand while she looked off to the side. Lan gave an awkward cough as he stared dumbfounded at Lapisa and took his now unoccupied hand and scratched at the back of his neck.

"Well, it's at least half a day left until we reach town so you can rest up till we get there." At the suggestion, Lapisa shifted over from where she sat in front of Lan to lay down at his side with an arms length distance. Turning her back towards him, she pulled at the cape that was around her shoulders closer to her and closed her eyes.

The day passed by slowly and the sound of wooden wheels hitting gravel drifted through the open gap of fabric and high green grass could be spotted, the evening sun gleaming on the sky. Despite the constant noise from the outside, Lapisa couldn't stop her thoughts from running in miles.

"What... happened?" Lapisa said out loud in the silent carriage. "All I remember is the wolf and then nothing." For a while, silence was the only answer she got until she heard a deep sigh behind her. "Well..., nothing much really. You just passed out from exhaustion I guess and I had to carry you to the road so we could catch a ride." Lan explained vaguely. "And I did manage to catch a ride, did I do a good job?" There was a hint of delight in his tone, clearly seeking some kind of retort. "Wasn't I heavy? You already had your bag." Lapisa mumbled, too tired to play to his amusement. "You, heavy? No no, you're as light as a feather. Like, what do you eat?" Too tired to try and keep up with the conversation, Lapisa closed her eyes and slowed her breathing, feeling sleep beginning to wash over her. Lan's voice began mixing in with the surroundings until it all but became a buzzing noise to her ears and let herself succumb to the darkness.