Giant's Dream

The Infirmary

When Assa opened her eyes, everything was blurry. The room was dim and shadows moved just outside of her vision. She became aware of a slight tingling in her face and lifted up her hands to touch it.

"Don't move, you insolent child!" A voice shrieked from across the room. Assa startled and put her hands back down. Someone hovered over her, muttering and placing cold things on her skin. She noticed that her hands and legs were also tingling and cool.

"Where am I?" Assa wondered out loud. "Where's Tantus? Why am I here?"

"Be quiet. You've caused too much trouble already. Your friend is injured because of you, so don't go wondering about him." The voice answered sharply. Assa felt her legs being rearranged, but it felt like the belonged to someone else. Everything felt like it belonged to someone else, and Assa was just watching.

Suddenly, something stuck her in her arm. It felt more like a prodding finger than anything in particular, but soon she could feel flooding ubdetneath her skin and she drifted off.

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"Assa?" A voice called to her. She opened her eyes and her head swam. Everything about her was sore, and she felt heavy and crusted. Assa turned her head towards the voice, wincing in pain.

Tantus sat beside her bed, his small forehead pursed in worry. He was clutching her bedsheets and one of his hands was wrapped in a bandage. He smiled at her. "Hey Assa, how're you feeling?"

She groaned. "Like I fell off a cliff. What's going on?" Assa lifted up her hands and peered blearily at them. They were coated in a brown sludgy crust. "What is this?" A dull pain radiated from them.

Tantus frowned. "You burned yourself really bad. You're in the infirmary. Minder Tila brought you here, she saved you." He waved his bandaged hand in the air. "Sorry, I couldn't get the curtain in time." He smiled apologetically.

Assa struggled to sit up, looking around the dim room for a nurse. "What about class? What time is it?" She asked, cradling her hands in her lap.

"We don't have to go since we're hurt!" Tantus exclaimed. "Everyone is going to be so jealous!" He bounced on his chair, unable to contain his childish excitement at the good news. Class was never canceled for the orphans, and they only got one day off a week.

"Ow! Tantus!" Assa cried, the jostled sheets rubbing her sore legs. The pain was starting to really dig it's teeth into her.

"Children! You should both be in bed!" A voice shouted from across the room. Tantus looked guiltily around. A nurse was angrily rushing over to Assa's bedside, and she grasped Tantus' shoulder harshly. "Since you're feeling  so much better, young man, perhaps you should go to class today."

Tantus slumped and stared at Assa with mounful eyes. "Yes ma'am." He muttered, his excitement gone.

"Tell your minder that I sent you back and you are not to have any more free days." The nurse gave him a shove towards the doorway and he slunk away, looking back at Assa sulkily.

The nurse turned her attention to the girl in the bed. Assa gazed up at her, fighting the urge to ask questions. Children were expected to be seen and not heard. The nurse tsked and started rearranging the blankets, spreading her palms over Assa's skin.

Assa let out a sigh. A coolness swept over her, the frost magic of the giants. It was powerful and could be used for many things. Assa didn't have a drop of it. It soothed her aches and she settled back into bed.

"You need to rest Assa, you're badly hurt. You were a very stupid girl, and put a lot of people in danger." The nurse chuckled to herself. "But what do you care, we aren't your people. You think you're invincible just because you're different. Now everyone will know you're not."