Landing

She smiled and closed her eyes thinking firmly of only that clear water, the beautiful river that led to a waterfall and she sunk deep into water miles and miles away from that dastardly forest. It was a great thing she was already soaked.

She emerged from the water sputtering. She looked around brows furrowed, when she had visited this place it had been summer, now in the dead of winter coming here had not been her best choice. The splendor of the water was clearly tainted as she bled into it and the 12 degree weather was of no aid to her already mangled body.

Using the sword to steady herself she got up, and began walking thinking only of shelter and perhaps a fire. She didn't get very far before she realized something, she had not been focused enough and the river she had landed in was not one she recognized. "Great," she muttered "now I'm lost, so very useful you think you are."

She stumbled past a thicket wading through water out onto a dry bank her vision fading in and out. She could see steam rising out of the trees a couple of miles ahead. Signs of life, now if she could only get there.

She was a top of a small hill and as she attempted to cross she tripped, landing full face in the dirt. A groan escaped her mouth and as she lay contemplating her fate she realized she was being watched. She flipped over and stared into eyes, green, no blue, captivating, almost dizzyingly beautiful.

"Who are you?" The words did not come from him, she looked around, four more pairs of eyes swam into view. "Well, shit" was all she managed.

Everything turned black.

Too warm, it was definitely to warm, she sat up and a wave of vertigo rammed into her, a groan, an incoherent mumble and she plopped back down holding onto her head. Grey eyes blinked multiple times, attempting to adjust to the light, it was a couple of moments, or maybe minutes before the ceiling far up ahead focused in.

"So you're up?" A cheerful thin voice basically shouted to her left. "Boy let me tell you, you were so beat up we thought you had been mauled by a bear! But you were carrying a sword -a cheap one mind you- a sword!" The girl continued rambling on the words taking way too long to register. "Why would a tiny thing like you be carrying a sword? I swear you gave us all quite a fright! Oh! I'm Alex!" She shouted with a huge smile. "What's your name? Where did you come from? Was it a bear?"

Gray eyes focused on the face, "Ugh, mm, Violet."

"Our mystery girl has a name!" Alex shouted, to whom she was talking to Violet was non the wiser.

Suddenly the memories of hours past sprang into Violet's mind and she jolted up and out of the bed.

"Woah! Take it easy! You're going to re-open your wounds" Alex shouted dragging her back into the bed. "Mind you, Kil patched you back up and it's surprising of him to ever intervine, you're lucky he was in the mood, all of 47 stitches, you're going to yank-"

"fuck, okay okay okay," Violet interrupted while pressing her hand over Alex's way too talkative frame.

"Alex.." another voice interrupted, "she's been asleep two days, maybe let her think for a moment"

Violet looked around, while Alex had been causing a ruckus four others had entered the room. Two of them stood at the foot of her bed, the third had already reached Violet -he sat on the edge of the bed- a glass of water in his hands.

The fourth stood at the door observing with uninterested eyes. It was the eyes, the one she had spotted before she had blacked out. Upon closer inspection she realized they were like glass, a bright blue that glimmered attractively, yet they were cold and unwavering. If the eyes were captivating it with nothing compared to the face, high cheekbones, a sharp jawline, straight out of a magazine, hell even the magazine cover could not do it justice.

She looked back to Alex who was rolling her eyes mumbling something about "I'm being helpful asshole" Violet took the glass of water and looked towards the man sitting before her.

He held out his hand, " I'm Zen, nice to meet you." She took the firm hand and shook it. He pointed behind him to the two standing in unison, whom upon closer inspection looked identical, down to the freckle beneath their left eye. "That's Ted and Tom" the twins waved, "and behind them, that's Kieren" Kieren did nothing but look at her. Violet tried to contain her apprehension and nodded, "it's nice to meet you, I presume my gratitude is in order, you saved me, thank you."

Zen smiled, "you were quite roughed up, what happened?" The question was asked lightly, it was anything but. The atmosphere had shifted and all of them stared with unhidden trepidation, well except for Kieren whose expression was impossible to discern. Violet sighed, shook her head and looked toward the ceiling. "Listen," Ted called "you were bloody and mangled with an 'used' sword in your hands, we haven't called the authorities, but perhaps we should?"

"Theirs no need, I really do appreciate the help, ...my parents, they must be worried, I will be gone within the hour" Violet got up and was met with resistance. "You will only aggravate your injuries" Zen supplied a firm hand on her wrist. Violet smiled, "I'm a healer, they're mostly gone"

"What!" Alex exclaimed, "Healers are rare, I haven't met one that was capable of healing more than several paper cuts before needed to recover"

"Hmm, I'm a bit more capable" Violet hummed as she removed the bandage from her palm, the once bloody sword injury was all but gone, new skin growing, only mild traces of the previous wound remained. Surprise flitted across their faces and Tom whistled, "Now theirs something you do not see on the daily."

"Very well," Ted supplied, "phone number we can call for your parents? Have them pick you up?"

"No need, if you would possibly point out in a map where I am I'll be on my way"

"Violet?" Alex spoke out, "We just want to help"

Violet opened her mouth to speak but was surprised when Zen supplied. "Why don't you freshen up? There's some of Alex's clothes set up for you. Let's meet downstairs once you're ready and decide where to go from here."

They exited the room, except for Alex who waited for them to be gone before turning to Violet. "They seem intimidating but I promise they're good, we're all friends, the five of us. Its just that you're in the middle of no where. You came out of no where, and well... are you being hunted? Did you do something illegal?"

Violet turned to the worried eyes and smiled softly. " I do not play the victim Alex, I defended myself is all." Alex got up and with a nod left the room.