"Who is that…?" I asked Asel, trying to ignore my thumping head.

"My son. Abel. The boy's become a little adventurer, running around everywhere ever since he read the book Vim gave him," Asel said with a sigh.

Squinting up at Asel, I wondered if I even wanted to know which book he spoke of. If it was so thrilling it made children run around and be as noisy as this, then likely not.

"I'll tell him to quiet down. You though need to get some sleep. You're still healing," Asel said as he stood from the seat next to my bed.

"Mhm…" I groaned and nodded… and before I even recognized the sound of the bedroom door shutting, I fell back into slumber.

My dreams were odd ones. I dreamt I was back at home. Finishing up a part of the roof of a new section of my house. Then I dreamt I was lost in a huge storm, flying above a dangerous ocean.

Then came the dreams of blood and death.

Then followed dreams of me and Vim. Ones of us walking, likely heading to some Society village or something. I felt an odd sense of urgency… as if I needed to hurry, but Vim was walking so slow and…

"Idiot Vim…" I grumbled as I woke up, and was glad to find my head no longer felt like it was going to split open.

Too bad I couldn't say the same for the rest of my body.

"Well, I am an idiot sometimes, yes."

Blinking blurry eyes, I turned my head and frowned at the protector who was sitting next to my bed. "So it's your fault…" I groaned. He was why I had been dreaming those stupid dreams about us walking somewhere. And why I had been so frustrated. He had likely been talking to me in my sleep.

"What's that now?" he asked.

I ignored him as I tried to sit up… and instantly regretted doing so. I lay back down, glad that my wings were spread out behind me enough to not hurt as I did.

"You're hurt pretty bad, Lilly. Don't expect to just get up and fly off like it's nothing," Vim warned.

"I need to pee."

He chuckled at me. "Would you like me to help you to the bathroom, or do you want to use this nifty little device Asel has for you?"

"If I'm forced to use that bucket again I'll dump it on your head," I promised.

Vim found that funny as he went to removing my blankets. I didn't worry over him seeing my mostly bare body as he helped me up, and with gentle surety he helped carry me over to one of the three doors of this room. He helped me into the bathroom, but left me alone to finish my own business. Not that I cared, I was in too much pain to care much about anything at the moment.

Well… I cared about using that stupid bucket, I guess.

"I'm done," I said, and grabbed onto Vim's shoulder as he helped me back to the bed.

"You're healing well, Lilly," he noted as I laid back down.

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"Doesn't feel like it," I groaned. "I think I'm still peeing blood," I said.

"Likely are. But you'll be okay, you're in good hands," he said.

"I'm not being held up by you anymore, Vim," I told him as I relaxed a bit. It felt good to lie here… almost too good. Had Vim switched out the sheets and blankets while I'd been in the restroom…? They felt a little too clean and dry. And… yes. He had. There was a pile of blankets over near the door.

He really was kind.

"I meant Asel's," he said with a chuckle as he sat back down on the chair next to the bed.

"I hate that priest," I groaned. I honestly didn't. Asel was a very good man, and was indeed the only reason I was still alive. But he kept praying over me as I slept and it was giving me weird dreams.

"Odds are you hate everyone right now. Part of being in immense pain. Which by the way, I can help with. If you drink this it'll help ease the pain and let you sleep better, if you'd like," Vim offered.

I turned my head to see what he spoke of, and found a pitcher on the table nearby. There was a cup with a spoon resting upon it. "Can I gulp the whole thing down?"

He chuckled at me. "There's just water in it. The medicine is a powder, which I or Asel will mix for you. Last thing I need is for you to overdose.

Over what…? No matter. "I'd like some, yes," I said. If Asel had offered I'd likely have turned it down, but Vim offering it made me feel safe enough to take it.

He helped me sit up, and as I did I noticed how limp my wings were. They remained lying on the bed on both sides of me, as if limp.

Once I was up he went to filling the cup, and then used the spoon to drop some powder into it from a bag on the table. He stirred the stuff in the cup for a moment before handing it to me.

Taking the cup, I didn't drink it right away. I smelled its contents, and was a tad surprised to not smell anything… weird. I just smelled the water. At least it was cool.

"This will help me sleep?" I asked.

He nodded. "Will knock you out rather quickly. So if you got anything you want to say or ask, do it now."

"Will you be around? When I wake up?" I asked. He hadn't been here before I'd fallen asleep earlier.

Vim nodded slowly. "I'll be around for a few days, yes. You were really the only one hurt, Lilly. Feflo and the rest are already escorting the others back home. You did your job flawlessly," he said.

Oh. Right. I probably should have inquired about them too, I guess. "Kind of bums me out to know I'm the only one who got hurt," I said.

He smirked at that. "Want me to hurt myself?"

"Why, so you can heal all quickly? Stupid," I scoffed at him and then took a drink.

Gulping the whole cup down, I coughed and realized the stuff likely tasted nasty. It was hard to tell, but it felt like I now had blood in my mouth. Was my nose plugged up? It was. I just now noticed.

"Am I sick?" I asked as I handed him back the cup.

"You have a small fever, yes. But that's because you're healing. Lay back down," he said as he helped me do so.

Once my head was back on the pillow, I sighed in relief… and realized I could slip off into slumber at any moment.

"Well?" Vim asked.

"I'm sleepy," I admitted.

"Look it. Go on then, I'll be here when you wake I promise."

"Mhm…" I mumbled an answer, and then remembered something. Something I'd been wanting to ask him. "Hey Vim…"

"Hm?" I heard him, but didn't see him. My eyes were already shutting.

"Celine said there are some owls up north. She saw them once. I'd like… to go find them…"

I felt Vim's gentle hand pat my head, ruffling my hair and feathers as he did. "We will, once you're healed. Promise. Go on now, sleep and rest up."

Although I already knew I was safe here at the Crypt… I still found myself succumbing to a gentle and deep sleep. One without weird dreams or nightmares, as I had before. In the back of my mind, as if on a tip of a feather, I knew the reason. It was because Vim was here. I felt safe now. Secure. Protected.

It kind of annoyed me he was able to make me feel so, just with his mere presence… but I'd keep such a complaint to myself. For now, at least.

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