A Wild World- A Witcher FanFic

Chapter 14

Cass' everything felt like it had been run over by elephants. Every inch of her was sore, and didn't want to respond. She was so cold.

"Oh gods, I knew pulling out that last tube would be trouble," A bright female voice fretted in a hushed tone. "Eskel there may be damage we can't see, so just hold on there before you go panicking.  I'll need to restablize her-"

"Cass, please fight back to us."

The female voice uttered an odd string of words Cassiopeia couldn't understand.  As the chanting approached the end the intonations of the female voice changed into a slightly higher register.  A tingling feeling dispersed across Cass' chest making her inhale sharply.

The warm air made her flinch.  Her lungs seemed to shudder in response to the sudden intake of air, making her cough roughly.  It was if she hadn't breathed in a long long time.

As her chest rose and fell it slowed into a steady rhythm and she opened her eyes rather sluggishly.  Her eyelids felt as if they were made from lead.  Once she had opened them fully she took in her surroundings.  

Glancing around she was lying on a small straw mattress in a cozy room. The lighting was low but she couldn't tell what time of day it was.

Trying to move her arm to scratch an itch on her wrist, she found the cause.  Bandages covered her arms from the wrists up, and they hurt.  In fact, all of her was seemed to have some form of bandaging; from her arms down to her legs.  Warmth from a crackling fireplace nearby did make her wriggle her toes in joy though.

A thick woolen blanket was unexpectedly pulled up and over her, and a rough hand gently squeezed hers, holding onto it tightly.  Twisting her neck to see who it was, her eyes met with those she missed, maybe even the most.

"Eskel?" It came out in a rough whisper. Her throat was insanely dry.  "Please, please tell me this isn't a dream, and I'm here."

She shook slightly, the memory of the nightmare still real in her mind. 

"It's not a dream," he replied soothingly. "You're safe."  He gave her hand a gently squeeze.

Returning his strong gaze something broke inside of her.  She wanted to be strong, to be positive in all she did, but it was a lie.  How powerless and hopeless it all was.  Small tears rolled down her cheeks.  

"I know it wasn't real but it felt so real.  I was back in my world but it was all wrong.  I wanted it so badly to be home, my home, but it was nothing but a nightmare, a real nightmare. I forgot everything. This is all my fault," Cass whimpered as the tears continued.  "Everything that's happened so far is because of me, I am so sorry Eskel-"

"Cass, you don't need to feel sorry." He wiped a tear off her cheek, but his touch was so careful, as if he worried he could break her.  After having seen her lying there: tortured, frail, and so unlike the enthusiastic self he had come to know over their journey had scared him.  "This was not your fault, none of it.  Being kidnapped would have happened even if I wasn't with you.  I should be apologizing to you for taking so long."

His eyes flickered briefly with pain in the firelight.  Sniffing Cass let out a sniveling sigh, choking back tears.

"Eskel you have nothing to be apologizing for either," she countered propping herself up into a sitting position.  

Then taking both of Eskel's large calloused scarred hands in her own she held them closer together.  His eyes widened by the sudden contact but only for a moment.  "You've saved me so many times on this trip I've lost count, and I wouldn't be here today."