Ersia: Raven Dawn

Viena was curling up in pain when Randia tried to touch her belly for the second time. It feels more than a little sting. It's a sensation of having her stomach ruptured deep and gouged out. She is on the verge of tears but Randia has no plan to stop anytime soon.

"Bear with it, Viena."

"N-No . . . I can't! It hurts so much!"

"You have to try."

"No! I don't want to! Stop . . .! You are hurting me!" Viena starts kicking and clawing Randia's hand.

Randia decided to step back and give the little girl some space. He lets out a big breath but doesn't seem to be surprised. This is not the first time he has seen something like this and that is even more of a reason for him to deem it necessary to be treated as soon as possible.

"If I tell you what happened to your body, will you promise me to be brave and do what I tell you to do?"

"I . . ."

"It's your choice, and your life depends on it. Yes, or no?"

There is fear as clear as the sky in her trembling eyes. However, Randia was right. Also, it's the first time someone cared for her this much since her mother. Minutes after minutes had passed, and Viena finally nodded her head albeit feeling hesitant.

"Do you know why there are more women being wizards than men?"

"It's because females, along with their ability to procreate lives within them are magic themselves. Hence they have much better aptitude for it as a bearer of miracles."

"While females are commonly blessed with natural talent, men make up for the difference in nature by their capability to understand the complex principles of magic. The arcane formulae, and the manipulation of Meta and Anima."

Viena slowly pulled herself up and sat down. Randia lends a hand to her, supporting her waist carefully so she won't scream again like she did not long ago. The pain stings still, but she is able to hold it in.

"That's the reason why, when Yarna is committed without the proper procedures and limitations, it will take its toll in the most undesirable way."

"Do you know where babies come from?" Randia continues.

". . . No."

"There's a 'room' inside your stomach, right under your belly button, and that is the price for practicing Yarna carelessly. If you continue to use that power recklessly, I'm afraid you won't be able to conceive a baby. Your connection with the miracle itself will be burnt away."

Viena loves infants as they bore no ill will towards her, though she only had the chance to interact with them a few times when her mother was still alive. The little girl starts to shed a tear for real when she hears that she won't be having one of her own. On the other side, Randia kind of regretted his choice of words. That's why he let her take her time, and wait until she calms down.

"*Sniff . . . Sniff . . .* I'm sorry, Ran . . ."

"Do not be sorry. Be brave. It is not too late, we can fix this."

When Viena finally sheds her last tears, Randia gives her his waterskin to drink before she lies back on the ground once more.

"Here. Put this in your mouth. Although we are far from people, we should still be careful not to attract any unwanted attention."

Randia took an apple from his backpack. He was planning to have it for his breakfast, but now that things have come this way, he has no choice but to make it as Viena's bite block.

"I'll do it slowly. One spot at a time. Tap my leg if it's too much. Nod if you understand."

Viena nods, and therefore, the recovery process begins. Randia conjures his intricate spells very carefully. To his eyes, the magic that circulates within Viena seems like entangling bundles of black thread that need to be straightened up and washed away so the body can be relieved of its festering toxin.

"Zhan ahmra Vesna. Tamnu Ihm Duara. Kel Sisya Shanara. Zhin ahmra Nirna. Tamnu Anh Balta. Kel Sisya Shalba . . . ."

Randia showered Viena's body with mist, and suddenly she felt a little numb on the lower half of her body. Right after that, she sensed crunches from her solar plexus down to the belly button. It sounds crispy like she was munching on a cucumber, and somehow feels like Randia is tearing her clothes apart with a sharp knife.

"Imagine things that can make you feel relaxed and happy."

Viena obeyed Randia's instructions. She closed her eyes and imagined the things she liked. Things such as star storms, the twentieth day of spring, or the meadow queen flower her mother used to always bring home every week for the whole summer. Things that become medicine for her often lonely heart.

Unfortunately, all that imagination fades into nothingness as soon as Randia's finger touches her skin. The pain is absolute for Viena. It feels like every fabric of her muscles and guts is being toyed on. Sometimes they feel as if twisted painfully, and sometimes they feel like being scraped off of something very sticky.

Randia gives her a span of time to relax from time to time, but the treatment puts heavy stress on her mind nevertheless. The man is not unaware of this, and he still proceeds to go further with the treatment knowing that the suffering is inevitable. He is even sure that Viena couldn't last more than ten minutes.

Half an hour later, the treatment is complete. Randia catches his breath and wipes the sweats off his brow. Meanwhile, Viena had covered her eyes with her arm since the beginning as she bit off the apple in her mouth. Her bold determination impressed Randia as she didn't tap his leg even once during the entire process.

"It's done."

Still covering her eyes, Viena took the apple from her mouth and nodded.

"Let's get back and have some breakfast."

"I can't feel my legs, Ran."

Randia almost forgot. It's but a certainty for her to feel that way. Numbness is a common thing for people who aren't used to being exposed to magic, especially those who are not of their own.

"Come."

Randia kneeled and showed his broad back to Viena. The little girl slowly crawls up to his shoulder. She puts her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. Despite the great difference in size, Randia managed to give Viena a comfortable piggyback ride.

It was at this moment, that Randia could feel how weak Viena was. She is basically weightless, and her limbs are limp. Her heartbeat is slow and she breathes faintly.

"What do you want to eat?"

". . . Roasted duck."

"Anything else?"

"I want . . . to sleep . . . can I?"

"Yes, you can. Good work."

The apple fell from Viena's hand. Randia catches it in a quick reflex and finishes the bites that Viena had started.

***

That noon is another feast for Viena, albeit not as grandeur as the previous one due to financial reasons. Like a newly freed slave, she eats voraciously without a pause. Only to stop at the end when he remembered that Randia once again had not taken any single bite of the meal in front of him.

"Legs? Wings? Or do you prefer a neck maybe? It tastes good also!"

"Mind your manners. Do not make a mess of the table."

"Ugh. Manner this manner that! What good does a manner do? It doesn't fill your stomach!"

"It does, on a certain occasion. Besides, manner and morals are what separates us from animals."

Viena rolled her eyes and kept herself busy with her food. When the brunch is finally done, she chugs a whole glass of water before relaxing. However, her lower stomach ached a little when she was about to lean her back on the chair.

"Ouch. It still stings a bit," said Viena.

"Your condition is bad. It is beyond me to heal your body completely. I can only lessen the harm the magic has done."

"Oh no . . . I can't have a baby, after all, can I?"

"That is hard to say for me, as I'm not capable enough. But at least for now, you are safe. Though when you reach adulthood you might experience more pain every month than it is supposed to be."

"More pain every month? What are you talking about?"

Randia ignored her question and stood up to check his backpack before walking towards the door. His journey is not done yet, and now it's time that he has to be on his way. However, Viena immediately jumped off her chair as if the pain was completely gone and rushed to him.

"H-Hey! Wait!

Viena immediately follows after and holds Randia's cloak hostage.

"I said wait, Ran! Where are you going?"

"I've stayed for too long than I had planned. I must hit the road as soon as I can."

"Where to?"

"You don't have to know. That is none of your business."

Viena turns furious, or more accurately, distressed. The fear of being left alone pumps a surreal amount of adrenaline into her system, and her pain is completely erased like it was never there, to begin with. She hits him, pulls his big backpack, bites his hand, and basically everything she can think of so that Randia cannot leave the place.

When Randia was too occupied by Viena's persistent nagging, he didn't realize that there was a convoy of horsemen going on his way. When they came into sight, Randia immediately recognized the emblem in their red vexillum. The four-winged black Heyrim. A mythological bird that is said to be last seen in The Second Age.

The convoy moves fast, and their intimidating look makes every pedestrian stand aside as far as they can. The frontmost cavalryman pulled his rein as he stopped in the middle of the public square, and took off his helmet. What was hidden beneath the chipped helmet is even more frightening.

A mustached man with phthisis bulbi in his left eye, gaze into the busy streets of Londerstead. His horse reared as his adjutant blew a trumpet.

"By the order of His Imperial Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Queen, we demand all of Londerstead's citizens to search and report of . . . ."

Without any delay, Randia walks away in haste, brushing Viena aside. Still, the little girl follows right behind him, refusing to be left behind.

"(For the sake of-! Go away, you stupid brat!)"

"(What's wrong? Are you a wanted man?)

The two whispered to each other as they walked away from the mustering masses.

"(Yes! Yes, I am! And I will kill you if you follow me!)"

"(No, you'll never do that.)"

She continuously bothers Randia until he feels frustrated and starts to fasten his walking pace. Viena followed him, and at one point, accidentally stumbled on a stick that held a big crate full of fruits. As the crate was knocked down, the fruits poured down the street. The merchant went mad as passersby were taking the opportunity to loot the goods, and a scene was made. Eventually, one of the knights noticed and looked on their way.

"Hey, you there! The one in a black cloak! Halt and turn around!"