The Humanarium.

Chapter 9: The Gold Haired Beauty.

Harl shot up in bed, grateful there was no hard surface or pain, instead the bed he was in was warm and soft and he sighed with relief as the nightmare faded away. Just as he was about to sink down again, he noticed that the room was unfamiliar and his eyes widened to take it in.

The walls were a solid brick and mortar construction, closer to the look of the elder council's meeting hall than the solid logs of his own cabin. The room was decorated with ornate wooden furniture. Soft cushions rested in the chairs and the blankets covering him were thick and warm.

Faint voices drifted up from somewhere below the polished wood floor boards. Not raised voices as such but hushed frantic tones. There was a subtle difference in the accent to what he was used to but he was unable to put it down to anything in particular. There were two voices, a female and a croaky old man's. The old man spoke knowingly.

'They have been looking for him for two turns and it's only a matter of time before they come here.'

'Alright,' the woman said, 'we shall have to tell them, will you do it grandpa?'

'I will,' the man said. 'I'm sure they'll understand but there will be many questions for him. Is he awake yet?'

'I shall check him again,' she said. At that he heard footsteps on stairs coming up to the closed door set against one wall of the room.

Unsure what to do, Harl closed his eyes quickly just as the wooden door swung open. He kept them shut at first as he heard the light tread coming closer. Squinting a fraction, he saw the outline of a face and around it was a shimmer of gold.

'Are you awake?' asked a soft concerned voice.

He opened his eyes at the question and saw the same reflection he had seen so long ago, this time unblemished and solid; it was the white dressed, golden haired woman.

'W-where am I?' he stammered, then dragged the blankets up to his chin when he realised that he didn't have any clothes on.

She smiled.

'This is mine and my grandfather's house. Do not be afraid. We have tended your wounds and you are safe.' She moved across the room and pulled one of the chairs next to the bed.

'What happened?' he asked.

'I was hoping you would tell me,' she said sitting down on the cushioned chair. 'All we know is you were placed here from above and beyond and when I found you, you were unconscious in the deep woods nearby. I came upon you after seeing the great hand come down as I was heading home from picking mushrooms and there you were, lying on the grass in a grove among the trees. To be honest, I was quite startled, especially with your dark complexion,' she smiled down at him, covering something up before continuing.

'I got grandpa to come with me and we managed to get you back here. He says you are the first to come down in memory, and his memory is long. We have not mentioned you to anyone else but there are some from town who would be looking for you.' He flinched as she leaned over him to place her hand on his brow.

'So how long have I been asleep?' he asked, feeling her cool touch on his forehead.

'This will be the third turn,' she said, moving her hand away, seemingly content with his temperature. 'But tell me your name. I've tended you for sometime and I've been anxious to know more about you and how you came to be here.'

Harl sat up with a groan, feeling a deep ache in his body. 'Please excuse my manners,' he said, 'my name's Harl Eriksson and I'm deeply grateful for your care and tenderness.' He stretched, feeling the muscles unwind. 'It's just this is a big shock to me, my mind has been occupied with great thoughts.' He tilted his head as she nodded. 'We've met before,' he said. She looked thoughtful for a moment as if deciding to whether to acknowledge it. 'Yes, I remember seeing your face,' she said, 'which is one of the reasons I was so startled to find you in the grove.'