Marienne's life was completely undone when her village went up in flames. Badly burned and her eyesight lost, she awakes in a strange place, with no knowledge of how she arrived there. Her savior was the enigmatic and alluring Victor, the Lord of Az...
Author's Note: I'm three chapters in now and really starting to enjoy this journey. If you've made it this far, thank you for giving this book a shot. Writing is my passion and it means a lot to have the opportunity to share my hobby with others. This chapter you may also notice Marienne has experienced a change in her condition. I wonder what it could mean for her future? Feel free to speculate by leaving a comment or two!
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When I next opened my eyes, I could see the soft gray linen of my bed sheets. It was not defined, and the only way I was sure of what I was seeing was the texture of them as I ran my hand over them. Early morning light also filtered in the room, painting everything with a soft golden hue. I still couldn't make out much more than the color of the objects around me, but it was much more than I could have ever hoped for.
I had been so certain that my eyes had been so badly scarred by the fire that I wouldn't regain any of my sight. But gradually, slowly, it was returning. In fact, if it were to never get beyond this point, it was already so liberating I began to weep at the sheer and utter shock of it.
I saw movement from the corner of the room, and soon what had been a mostly white shape coalesced into the fuzzy approximation of a face. I reached out to it with total reverence. "I can see you." I sobbed, so grateful for this sudden gift.
"You can, Marienne? Are you sure?" It was Amelia. Hearing her voice only confirmed what my fingers told me; she was soft and sweet and feminine. The details of her face alluded me, yet she was happy to hold still in that moment and let me become sure of myself.
"Yes, yes I can. Only, your face is very indistinct. It hardly looks like a face at all, and your form barely appears as human to me, but I can make out the white of your apron, and the dark brown of your dress." I told her, squinting my eyes as if that would help me see more. It didn't, naturally. It only obscured her further, but I couldn't help myself.
"Oh, Marienne, that is so wonderful. My lord and I thought- well, we were sure that when you didn't regain your eyesight immediately, it was going to be lost forever. I am so happy for you that it wasn't." I could feel Amelia smile as my palm rested against her cheek. I smiled in turn, just as overjoyed as she was.
I let go of her, and began to push my way into a sitting position. I no longer felt weak, but maybe it was just the sheer happiness of finding out not everything was lost that strengthened me. Still, would it be that awful to try and walk a little?
I swung my feet around the bed, and let my toes find the floor. The aches in my body had long since passed away. I was ready to begin life anew, wherever that may lead me. I slowly pushed up, scanning myself patiently in search of any lingering weakness in my limbs. I was pleasantly surprised to find none. Before I knew it, I was standing on my own two feet for the first time in what felt like an age.
Amelia was quick to be by my side. One hand clutched my shoulder, while the other held my hand, ready to guide me forward. "Oh, you're taller than I imagined you would be." She remarked.
