47 Elon Awakens (3)

Adom came back in with a fresh pot of tea. He noticed that the shaman had disappeared and sat next to A-Narah.

"Are you okay?" he asked her. He wasn't sure what had been said once he left, but Ara looked unlike herself.

"Yeah, thank you. I'm just confused is all."

"Anything I can help with?" He grabbed a cup and poured her a cup and handed it to her.

"Thank you," A-Narah said taking it. "I'm not sure. Can you solve the mysteries of the world?" she joked.

"I can't in five minutes, but give me six and we will see," Adom said cracking a rare smile.

"You should do that more," A-Narah said to him.

"Do what?"

"Smile. It makes you less standoffish."

"Being standoffish is good."

"How so?"

"I don't have time to deal with unimportant matters."

"What unimportant matters like fun? Friendship? With your usual face you are practically screaming that you don't have either."

"After knowing me for all of three days you are so sure of your conclusion?"

"Well tell me then, who are your friends and what do you do for fun?"

A-Narah waited for a few seconds and he didn't answer.

"You don't know?"

"I know! I'm just thinking of which to say."

"Let me guess. Your friends are all the other warriors and your fun is training."

"Yes my friends are the warriors and I do enjoy training."

"That's work though."

"Who said work and fun were exclusive?"

"The definition of work means that it isn't fun."

"I disagree." Silence lengthened between them again.

"I thought you were going to say it was fun because of all the girls who come and watch you, screaming your name" A-Narah teased.

A pinkish hue dyed his cheeks at her comment and A-Narah giggled.

"You have spent so much time with daggers and spears that you have no idea how to handle girls. I can help you; you know. It's simple. All you have to do is smile at the girl you like and I'm sure you can capture her heart in an instant."

"I don't have any issues."

"It's alright. Feme told me. If you just avoid them all the time you won't get any better at it. Girls aren't all that different from boys. Well I mean there are differences, but we are not different species."

"Ara, I don't know what my mother told you, but I don't have a problem."

"Okay, sure. But trust me, you should smile more."

"He's awake if you want to let your friends outside know," the Shaman said coming back to the center of the tent.

Adom got to his feet first and said, "I will let them know," and escaped.

"That lad. Brings the tea, but doesn't pour me a cup," the shaman mumbled to himself. "Well are you coming?" With a cup of tea, the shaman walks back to the area that Elon is being kept and doesn't wait for A-Narah.

A-Narah scurries to her feet and trots after him.

"Elon!" A-Narah falls her knees by his side. "How do you feel?" The area was as dark as before, but she could see the shine of his opened eyes.

"A—A—Ara," Elon croaked out with his hoarse voice.

"Here give him this." The shaman passed A-Narah the cup of tea. A-Narah lifted Elon's head and slowly titled the clay cup to his lips. Letting the liquid dribble in.

Elon winced as he lifted an arm to stop her when he had had enough. "Thank you, my lady," Elon said more clearly. "I am much better than before."

The others rushed in. "Elon!" they all cried. Adom came in behind them and saw A-Narah holding Elon's hand. Elon and A-Narah looked up at their entry. "He is awake," A-Narah said happily. She scooted over, making room for the others.

"Doctor how much longer before he can get up?" Launched asked the shaman.

"He will need time. He should be able to walk in the next day or two. He just needs to regain some strength. But I'm afraid that traveling won't be an option yet."

"It's fine. We will wait no matter how long," Uri said thickly.

Elon turned his neck to so he could look at the shaman. "Sir how can I repay you?"

"No need for such things. The God's will is what brought you to us. But as you recover here you can help me with some of my work. Adom you don't have to come around anymore. I will have a new helper." The shaman said before Elon could agree. "And also go tell that chief that I will need to barrow his tent for a bit longer," the shaman said in a honeyed voice.

Adom left to do as instructed.

"Don't spend to much time bothering him. The patient needs rest," the shaman said. The shaman then left the area to give them come privacy. The men began talking. Catching Elon up on everything that had happened since their deadly encounter with the wolves. Elon was soft-spoken by nature and contentedly listened silently as his friends jabbered on.

While he had been comatose state, ridden with pain. He had had odd dreams and images. When he awoke and found himself just past the borders of the Endless Desert, he hadn't been surprised. Somehow all of it felt as if guided by nature. That they were where they were exactly supposed to be. He didn't understand it himself, but he was happy to be well and to see the faces of his friends around him.

He was grateful that his friends had decided to come all this way to save him, but he was worried. They had diverted from their planned route. No one knew where they were now. Ira, their captain, was off somewhere. Unaware to the current situation and most likely still clueless that they were no longer following him. Or aware, but no idea where to find them. And Lord Talley wouldn't know what happened to his daughter, probably thinking the worst. Everything was a mess. But he thought that it could all still be worked out. He just had to work hard and focus on recovery and then they could be on their way. First, they would have to find and meet up with Ira.