Shards of Silver

ELEVEN

Hell. She felt like hell.

Isren could barely open one of her eyes. The other one remained shut, refusing to open and she struggled to even sit up on the bed. Her whole face felt swollen with bruises and her body ached and screamed at her as she tried to rest her back against the headboard of the bed. A bed that was not her own. Or really anybody's since the room had a row of beds along both sides of the walls. She almost didn't notice Calvan sitting there at her side or Aerelle resting her head at the edge of the bed, face hidden by her folded arms.

"You shouldn't be getting up," Calvan whispered to her. He shifted in his chair and moved closer, this time more in Isren's line of vision. His blond hair was tussled and poked in different directions, probably from his habit of running his hand through his hair whenever he was frustrated. He, too, had bruises on his face. He had faced Tresha, too, hadn't he?

"You have a few broken ribs," he continued as he helped her adjust her pillow. Isren gasped in pain when she leaned forward and her hands flew to clutch at her side. Even drawing air into her lungs hurt so much. She had to take in shorter, smaller breaths.

"I feel like my entire body is broken," she rasped. Greaters, talking hurt her. She tried to lick at her lips to wet them. She felt tired, sore, and dehydrated. Calvan gave a small ghost of a pitiful smile as he sat back.

"I know," he replies.

Isren looked down at her arms and at the messy bandages that covered the cuts she got from sword-fighting. The bandages that wrapped her hands looked worse but they managed to stay. Did the Esteral healers even know a thing about bandaging a patient?

Calvan seemed to read her thoughts. "The healers didn't heal you."

"I can feel that," Isren said, coughing as she tried to clear her throat. The pain burned through her as she tried to suppress her coughs. Calvan stood up to get her a glass of water from the nearby sink. She awkwardly coughed as Calvan tried to hand it to her. She could almost see his face flush when he had to sit down beside her and bring the glass to her lips. She gratefully drank down the cool water while taking small sips. As soon as she was done, he pulled back.

"Aerelle had to bandage you the best she could. She cleaned your cuts but she couldn't add any herbal salves. She doesn't know which ones to add." Calvan's eyes went to Aerelle's direction. The girl was sleeping soundly. Isren pitied her. Aerelle had to take care of her and Calvan.

"I'll teach her. Teach both of you." Isren's raspy voice got better. She looked at herself again, ignoring the bandages and did her best to lift up her shirt to see the bandages around her waist. The bandaging was better there, however, still sloppy. Her ribs hurt so much though. She almost wanted to cry from the pain.

"I didn't see anything. I promise," Calvan coughed, refusing to make eye contact. The tips of his pointed ears turned a light shade of red. "I had to help her get you into the bed and sit you up so she could clean you. I closed my eyes."

Isren's cheeks burned in embarrassment and in shame that she had lost and had to make them help her. She was supposed to be the healer. She had been under the surveillance of her mother since she was young to make sure that she knew every salve and potion to help the healing of the body process faster. She was supposed to be doing the healing.

"Wake her up," Isren tilted her head in Aerelle's direction. Calvan called her name and then shook her shoulder when the girl didn't stir. Slowly, Aerelle lifted her head. Her hazel eyes were ringed red from the lack of sleep. Her eyes widened when she saw Isren was awake.

"You're up? You're going to hurt yourself even more." Aerelle yawned and sat up, stretching out her arms. Out of the three of them, she looked less beaten up. "Do you need anything?"