Shadow's Rose [Slow updates]

Chapter 9

Lucien's POV

Warmth. That's the first thing I registered as I started to surface from my death-like sleep. Or maybe I had died. I couldn't be bothered, all I cared about was the warmth that was wrapped around me like a blanket. If memory served me correct I'd last been so cold I never thought I'd be warm again but now...now those memories were drifting further and further away. I wondered if my body was still broken and hurt from the intensive beating I'd received. I was loathe to find out, to  break this comfortable cocoon I was in. Unfortunately my other senses were slowly returning to me. Sounds and smells, although confusing, were making themselves known. The fur blankets over me and under me were also becoming recognisable to my feeling sensors along with the breeze that tickled my cheek every so often. 'I'm alive,' I eventually managed to construct a thought, then, 'do  I want to be alive?' I tried to open my eyes so  I could scope my situation.

There was a shuffling beside me then a very familiar female voice spoke, "He's moving!" I had yet to decipher if the woman was a friend or a foe. There was more movement as, I assumed, someone joined her next to me. Perfect, more than one of them to deal with if they were foes. Not that I'd be able to if I was still beat up.

"You alive, LaChance?" another very familiar female voice asked, jabbing me with what I suspected was her finger. It could probably have been a stick too, if it was an enemy who didn't want to touch my mangled form. The poking didn't hurt though which led me to wondering if I was in fact hurt still or too numb to feel pain. Why could I feel everything else though? Maybe my brain was broken...

"Do-," my voice cracked to my imminent embarrassment, and I cleared my throat, "Do I want to be alive?"

The second woman responded, "Depends if you want a share of this treasure or not." Treasure? I tried to wrack my still clouded mind for what she could mean. Memories, fuzzy and mixed, dawned sluggishly through the fog. Something about a...contract with a friend? And someone being shot? Then I remembered...These women were obviously friendly because I knew them. They were from my Sanctuary in Cyrodiil and I was very happy to know that one of the two was still alive. Far happier than I was about the fact that I was safe and away from those Imperial idiots.  

"How?" I voiced the question, trying to force my eyes open, "How did we get out?" Antoinetta's face came into focus above me and just beside her was Caia. The elf looked unharmed and healthy oddly enough...she'd been so pale the last time I'd seen her. Or had that been in a dream?

"Well lucky for you, you agreed to bring Caia along," Antoinetta bubbled, her normal happy self as she sat back. Despite being happy to see two friendly faces, her laid back attitude grated me beyond anything.

Caia rolled her eyes, "You could've gotten them out of there on your own. Granted they wouldn't have survived without at least five healing potions each." Sithis, we'd both been that close to the Void? My brain tried to process the thoughts but it was still battling with the long line of memories it needed to register.

"Where are we?" I decided to try moving, propping myself up on my elbows. Nothing pained but every joint felt stiff like I hadn't used them in a long time. I probably hadn't because Sithis knew how long I'd been out cold. My hesitance seemed to amuse Caia and something about it made me want to slap the smirk from her perky features. I regretted the motion immediately, stuffing it into a dark corner of my mind.

"You're not broken anymore, Lucien. It took me a while but I fixed you both up," she moved off to where I suspected Bjorn was, apparently happy with the condition I was in. What I could see of my arms and legs were bruise free and spotless. My fingers told me there were no scars or wounds on my face or neck and I found I was still in my robes which were remarkably clean.