Fourth Day of August, In the Year of the Empire 6777 Continued

Sienna's Point of View

Mom helped me walk back to the mansion because I was unsteady. I can't think well. I was trying to remember what was going on.

We just came out of the house when I was shot in the chest by a crossbow bolt. It had yellow fletching, and it hurt. A lot!

I coughed up blood, and it tasted horrible.

Blood had bubbled out of my chest. Blood shouldn't have bubbles, ever.

Mom was crying and saying 'no, no, no' over and over. Mom was trying to hold me and warm me up because I was getting so cold.

Then there was a noise, it was loud, but I did not see what it was. I was getting sleepy then. Why would you get tired with a crossbow bolt sticking out of your chest with bubbling blood? It didn't make any sense.

Then Hartson was there, doing something that warmed me up a tiny bit. I saw his face then, he was angry. Not just upset at something, but furious angry. The scary kind of anger. He was not mad at me. I knew that. It was someone else that made him so angry.

Another confusing thing was that when mom helped me up, I saw that someone had chopped down a lot of trees. Like they just cut them waist-high, everywhere. I could see a nearby hill now that the trees weren't in the way. It looked like someone tried to chop down the hill too. There was a long line of dirt scattered everywhere upon it.

Dad was carrying Hartson, who was sleeping. Hartson never wants to sleep. He just wants to study and learn. He's weird that way.

"I like to sleep with my head on his leg, mom."

Her mom was looking worriedly at her, "Yes, dear, let's go get you laid down until you feel better."

"It's really com. It's really comfortable because I really, really, like Hartson, a lot mom."

Rita smiled, "Yes, you do. When Hartson brought you home to visit that first time, he is all you talked about, all afternoon. You did not want to talk about anyone or anything else."

"Yes. Hartson's a really nice boy, mom."

Other people started talking and shouting. It was too noisy, and I was tired. Then I was in my room.

"Mom, I have a secret. I have a room at Hartson's mansion."

When her mom didn't say anything, she asked, "Did you hear me, mom?"

Rita replied, "Yes, dear. Because you like him a lot, right?"

"Yes. How did you know?"

Rita laughed a little at her daughter, "You told me silly."

"Oh."

Rita pulled back the covers and helped me lay down.

"Hi, daddy. Is Hartson tired too?"

Her dad nodded, "Yes, he needs some quiet. He can lay down by you, but you have to be quiet hon."

"Mom, daddy is really nice. He brought Hartson to me."

Rita shushed her daughter, "Time to sleep Sienna."

Fifth Day of August, In the Year of the Empire 6777

Sienna's Point of View

I turned and snuggled against Hartson. It felt like I had had the best sleep ever and would just sleep a little more.

Hartson's breathing was slow and calming, and I drifted off again.

Sixth Day of August, In the Year of the Empire 6777

Sienna's Point of View

I stretched and yawned. Then burrowed into Hartson once more.

"Someone looks like they are comfortable," Jean said from a chair beside the bed.

I did not jump, not about Hartson and me, not anymore. I looked around and saw Jean. I sighed. "Yes, very."

"Ah, my throat is so dry, and my mouth tastes awful."

Jean got up and helped me sit up, handing me a glass of water. "Do you remember much?"

"I remember getting shot and Hartson saving me somehow. How did he do that? I should be dead, Jean."

Jean smiled, "None of us know how he did it. But we are all glad you're okay."

The taught struck me. I was going to die, really die.

I drank some more water and was feeling much better.

"So," Jean asked, "did you like sleeping with your man?"

I turned and looked at Hartson, still sleeping so peacefully. "Yes, I did."

Jean laughed easily.

Raising her eyebrows suggestively a couple of times and nodding her head at Hartson, Jean asked, "So, you going to take a look?"

I laughed, "You're just rotten."

"When will he wake up?"

Jean shrugged. "Your mom thought it might take a while. She said that he healed you with the mana he took from a rock or something, and then the magic backlashed on him. She is not sure."

Jean smiled, "Your mom has been checking on you both quite a bit. I'm not sure she has slept much. She keeps thanking him for saving you too."

I just looked at Hartson for a while. Then my stomach gurgled hungrily.

Jean laughed, "I'll go get you some breakfast. You stay here and watch him." With a conspiracy tone, she whispered.

"Get a good look."

"Thanks, Jean."

Mom must have seen Jean because she rushed in to hug me. "Oh, thank the gods. How are you feeling?"

"Mom, I'm fine. I feel great."

"Will Hartson wake up soon?"

Her mom sighed and went to feel his forehead. "He seems fine. He also has those rings on, so he will not get hungry or thirsty. I just don't know."

"Mom, I remember getting shot, but what happened?"

Her mom shook her head. "Hartson used a war spell to destroy the bandits as best we can tell. It nearly finished him, casting such a massive spell by himself. The foolish boy."

She came and sat down by me then. "He ran to you, even though he could barely stand. He tried to heal you, but he didn't have enough mana."

"He was angry, mom."

She was nodding, "Yes. Hartson could not stand to see you die, and he would do anything to save you at that moment. And that's what he did, somehow. He just pulled magic out of that rock."

"That makes a little sense then."

Her mom had her brows furrowed. "What makes sense, Sienna?"

"I'm not supposed to tell you, so you have to keep this a secret mom. Remember the stone house. You asked where the magic was coming from for the magical lights, and I said I didn't know. Well, in the basement, Hartson opened the floor and put a special rune down there to pull mana from the ground and put it into the stone somehow. He is doing amazing things with runes."

Her mom was lost in thought for a while when Jean came in with a tray of food. "Here you go, Sienna. Mother said you should eat slowly for now."

"Thanks, Jean. Thank your mom for me too."

Jean shrugged, "Sure, it's not like your pregnant or something. Right?"

Mom started laughing at that.

I threw a piece of toast at Jean smiling. "You're just rotten, Jean."

After I ate a little, I was not tired, really, but I just wanted to lay down and relax.

Mom and Jean left, and Jean said, "No, peeking."

Laying down beside Hartson again, I noticed something odd about him. Did he look a little older?

Hartson was still sleeping when mom came into the room again. "Sienna, quick, do you have some good clothes with you?"

"Yes. What's going on?"

"One of the barons is out front looking for the Viscount." She said quickly.

She was pulling out my clothes and said, "Quick, put that one on. I'll fix your sash."

Mom had Hartson's sash and was coping the Coat of Arms on to my sash. "Everything but the military rank. That will do it."

"Mom, what are you doing?"

She quickly handed me the sash, "Here, put it on. And we need to do something with your face and hair." Mom stopped and just looked at me like she saw something different.

"Mom?"

"Sorry, dear. Here you go." She used a spell to fix my hair and make it look like I had makeup on."

"Mom, what is this?"

Mom smiled and curtsied, "Well, my Lady Perrin, you have a visitor to entertain."

Glancing at Hartson, she said, "You're going to have to fill in honey."