Chapter Text
Emi
As much as the squirrel unnerved me, Lavina came first. I would get over my dislike of rats with bushy tails forever it meant healing Lavina permanently. As much as I hate to admit it, I honestly don't know how I would live with out her.
Sure she's been a thorn in my side since the day we met. But she has a way of squirming her way to your heart. Kind of like Stockholm Syndrome. I first met her when I was 12, it had only been about 5 years since the last fae had been killed and we both shared the dream of escaping.
But that dream turned out to be a nightmare. So far it's got us, stabbed, beat up and forced to follow an annoying fae. Sure this forest was pretty, prettier than the ones back home but that didn't mean I was just going to carelessly follow a very disturbing fae.
I believe she wants to save Lavina but I also believe that if she doesn't like our answers to her many questions then she won't be too bothered about more blood on her hands / claw thingys.
Soon, the mossy floor turns to cobblestone. The dark shades of the flowers morph into lighter ones like lilac and cyan. The mushrooms we had been following were replaced with gentle, peach coloured ones and the leaves on the trees grew softer and less malicious.
We follow the path to a little cottage. It is overgrown, with roses winding around the windows and curling up, onto the roof.
"Here we are, the place to fix all your problems" the fae says with a flourish
I knock on the door whilst the fae adjusts her grip on Lavina. I flinch when the fae almost drops Lavina but the fae is unfazed. I don't know what I expected from the fae but this certainly wasn't it. I hoped that not all fae were like this. Me and Lavina would not survive if they were.
The door creaks open and a fae's face appears. She has doe like eyes and beautiful, braided white hair. Her hair stands out against her caramel skin tone. Her face is decorated with plenty of nose ringes, lip rings and other kinds of pretty jewelry.
Apart from her pointed ears she mostly looks human. Sure her clothes were a bit unique to the depressing stuff people usually wore. She looks confused until she sees the fae carrying Lavina and she cries out "Echo! I've missed you! " she runs past me and hugs the fae called Echo.
Huh, so that's what the shape-shifting fae was called. Echo. I cleared my throat, "Lavina appears to be turning ever so slightly purple so is there any chance we can maybe save the reunion for after? " I ask, mustering up as much politeness as possible.
The other fae turns and regards me with a puzzled look before glancing back at Echo. Echo simply shrugs and I follow the other fae back into the cottage. The inside is cluttered and messy. Oak shelves line the walls teeming with overgrown plants and jars full of liquids that do who knows what.
Honey brown wooden floors are obscured by many mulitcoloured rugs. Stacks of books pile up on every available surface with names like 'how to identify these 50 top most deadly poisons'.
The new, unnamed fae, opens her door wider, silently inviting us in. Her eyes are trained on Lavina. "Put her on the table" she opens the door all the way, gesturing to the only empty surface in the entire cottage.
Echo strolls in, eyes wandering all over the cottage "Bit cleaner than usual" she remarks "What's got into you?" She sounds appalled.
I snap my finger in front of her face "Table, focus" I instruct. She makes a face and puts Lavina onto the sturdy table, she quickly makes herself at home on the closest armchair.
The new fae rushes over to where Lavina lays, balancing salves and plants in her arms. Seeing my questioning face she explains "contrary to popular belief, healing isn't painless so these will numb all the effected areas so she doesnt have to experience her skin knitting itself back together"
Echo winces "trust me, it really hurts without it". With no further explanation she starts spreading the green sticky slave all over Lavina's wound which, thankfully, lead Lavina signing in releif.
Next thing i know the new girls hands are glowing and she's making gestures in the air, almost like she is wrighting words or reading the secrets of the universe. Carefully, she places her hands on Lavina's wound and all the missing pieces of tissue, nerves and skin start to regrow making gross squelchy noises.
I groan and look away, luckily it's over within a minute. Lavina is still asleep but her face is relaxed now instead of agony. Seeing her safe I begin to feel better, safer even. I express my gratitude to the healing Fae and ask her name.
"Avery, but please call me Ave" She tells me, a bemused look on her face as if names aren't important. I nod, smiling.
"How long will it take for Lavina to heal?" I ask innocently, secretly wondering how long before me and Lavina can go off on our own. Avery shrugs. Helpful.
I don't push and instead ask where I can sleep for then night, exhausted from the fight and walking all day. She gets up and I follow her down the hall. She points at the door and I open it.
The set up is pretty basic but nice. Two twin beds opposite each other and an oak bedside table in between. There's ivy along the walls and mushrooms climbing up the window.
"Once you friend is better, you can both stay there" she refuses to name Lavina for some reason. I thank her again and say good night. I choose the bed on the left, closest to the window. I rest my satchel on the table and don't bother changing into anything else before going to sleep.