3 Awakening

Chapter 3, New Beginning

17th March, 86AC

Pain. The first indication that Jaera had that she was still alive was just that; pain. Everything ached, and as she reached out with her senses to evaluate the severity of her injuries it only got worse. When she attempted to open her eyes only her right opened, with her left apparently taped shut. As her one working eye slowly adapted to the bright light around her she looked down at herself and her surroundings. Everything around her was white. White sheets, white floor, white curtains surrounding her, and white bandages wrapped most of her body. The only color she could see was dark red seeping through her bandages in places. All at once the general ache in her body resolved itself into points of hot stabbing pain as her brain combined what she was seeing with the discordant screaming of her nerves.

"Doctor…!" she cried out, or attempted to. Her voice only came out as a sort of croak. After trying to make a sound for what seemed like minutes, she saw a bell to her right, hanging from a small rod protruding from the wall. She slowly reached out her arm. It screamed out in protest, but she pushed through to grasp the string and gingerly tug. A light and airy tinkle came from the bell, and a few moments later a set of footsteps could be heard not too far away. Jaera was surprised to see not a nurse or doctor, but instead a large man in a well tailored blue uniform, the green tree sigil bordered in gold adorning his broad chest marking him as a member of the temple guard.

From under his featureless mask he spoke.

"You're awake." He stated flatly, but with a hint of what Jaera judged to be surprise. "I thought for sure you were a goner, no point in guarding a corpse I told my searge-" He cut himself off abruptly, realizing what he was saying. "Sorry ma'am, can I get you anything?"

"...water…" Jaera managed to croak out. The Guard quickly crossed the distance between them, and produced a flask from his waist. He removed the cap and held it to the injured woman's lips, allowing the liquid to trickle out. Jaera greedily gulped at the proffered drink, a sting on her cracked lips telling her that there was probably something other than water mixed in.

"I hope you don't mind ma'am, it's not just water" chuckled the man, "maybe it will take a bit of the edge off". When the young lady pursed her lips to indicate she had had enough he removed the flask and returned it to his hip. He was silent for a moment and then spoke again, "I'll go fetch a doctor to let them know you're awake." He slowly balled up a fist and struck his chest with it in a Sperovian solute "Sperovia Forever" he intoned, before walking out of the ward.

"For her glory" Jaera whispered.

For the next half an hour a doctor checked her vitals and ran a battery of cognitive and physical tests on her, while a couple of nurses diligently removed her bandages one at a time, cleaning her many wounds and then wrapping her in fresh, white rolls of gauze. Whenever she got a chance to look away from the doctor's cards and instruments she was horrified by a new gash or slice across another part of her body. Deep gashes littered her legs and torso. The doctor saw where she was looking and spoke to her unspoken questions

"You were lucky to survive, even luckier to keep all your limbs" he said, his professional tone belied a level of disbelief. "A mortar went off a few meters ahead of you, you're lucky the Midlanders use impact fuses or else you would have certainly died. The cone of shrapnel hardly spared an inch, you lost an ear and an eye on your left side, but besides that you are expected to make a full recovery..."

The doctor continued on but Jaera couldn't hear a word. An ear? An eye??? Someone like her couldn't live without those! Her beauty had always been one of her best assets. It made people naturally gravitate towards her, it made it easy for her to make friends and allies, advance her career. By the Martyrs, it had even gotten her Vitalus. And now it was all gone!

"Let me see" she almost shouted, and immediately regretted it, she could feel the expression pulling at the stitches in her face. The doctor stood silent for a few seconds, clearly conflicted over it, before reaching down into his leather bag to retrieve a small palm sized mirror. He gestured for the nurse on Jaera's left to remove the bandages over her face, which she reluctantly did.

Jaera's one working eye widened at what she saw. Her face was pockmarked with small wounds, but those were nothing in comparison to the coup de grace; a deep red gash which extended all the way from the right side of her chin, running across both her lips, and up further, terminating just above her left eyebrow. Her left eye was taped shut, but she knew she would never see out of it again. It was too much. She had nothing to compare this to, her emotions went dull. 

The rest of that day passed like a blur, her mind detached. A few hours later, after managing to swallow down a liquid meal, she drifted off into a dreamless slumber.

When next she awoke she found her father standing at her bedside. His face was almost expressionless, but Jaera thought she saw a few flickering across his face; disgust? Disappointment? His face was so much like her own. Sharp cheekbones and a strong jaw, his piercing blue eyes boring their way into the soul of anyone who looked at them. His pale face was topped by a nearly full head of blonde hair, touched by only a tinge of gray. The man settled on a professional look of fatherly sadness and regret. "I'm so sorry baby" he said. "Your mother and I pray for your full recovery". You never should have pushed yourself like this." Jaera tried to muster a response, but her lips felt frozen shut. Her father looked at her for a few moments then stared off into the middle distance for what felt like minutes. Finally, "Once you're better you can come home and we'll make everything like before." He stated, his face softening as he bent down to kiss his daughter's forehead.

"I'll let you rest now, sweetie. I've made a donation to the hospital to make sure you have their undivided attention and the best of treatment. Send a letter to me at the estate when you're ready to come home." With that he turned and headed out of the room, he didn't turn to look back.

Jaera's mind raced. All this work and this is what it has amounted to? Her military career was cut short and she was again being dragged back to a life she had fought so hard to escape. All the dinners and events, a well dressed centerpiece to be seen and appraised like some pre-war sculpture in a museum. Her eye burned, and she closed it as a burning tear escaped and trailed down her cheek.