Eat soap?

*POV* Cassy Iris Aleera

I awoke with coughs raking my chest. I was pushed over as water came up through my nose and mouth. My eyes won't open and all I could do was cough as someone pounded on my back.

I wanted to tell them to stop, as pain exploded through me as my senses returned. I stopped coughing and reached for air. I took short quick breaths.

"Breath." Someone told me. "Slower." I tried but I couldn't stop the quick succession of my breathing.

Some time passed as I continued to gasp for breath, And soon I passed out. Darkness filled me and with it pain. "We are okay." Monique's soft voice filled my head.

"What happened!?" I asked her. She sighed. "Well it seemed that the soldiers were told to send us down the great river after the spell." Surprise filled me.

I awoke, as my eyes came into focus I stared into dark blue eyes. "Here eat some soap." I stared in horror as the old woman held out a palm size soap bar out to me.

"Eat, I will be right back." I stared at the bar and looked around the room in confusion. On the bedside table a bowl of soup sat. I reached for it and placed the soap on the table in its place.

"Maybe she is crazy? Or blind?" I thought as I brought the spoon to my mouth. It tasted of lie and lanolin, I started spitting which led to coughing and the old woman rushed to take the bowl from my shaking hands.

"Oh dear!" She sat me back and placed the soap bar back into my hand. "I said the soap darling not the soup!" She grabbed a napkin and wiped my mouth as the coughing slowed.

She stepped back and watched expectedly and I looked down at the bar in my hand. I made eye contact with her as I slowly brought the soap bar up to my mouth.

I took a small nibble and as soon as the smooth texture touched my tongue flavor exploded in my mouth. Beef and vegetables in a smooth broth, it tasted amazing.

The woman's eyes twinkled, and she moved from the room. "Get some rest, dear, I will be back in a bit." I took more bites of the soup bar and wondered what was even happening.

"She is crazier than I remember." Monique laughed. "You know her?" I asked as I finished the bar. "She is the grand lightning mage." My mouth hung open.

"Lightning mage?" Monique smiled, her cat-like grin. "There is more power in this world than just the 4 elementals Cassy." I stared at the wall in awe.

"Like what?"

"Well there is lightning which not many humans possess, you only have it because of me."

"I what?"

"You have lightning, Cassy. You and I are bonded, just like you and Seal." I placed my hands on my chest.

"And the rest of them?" Monique was silent for a second. "There is also light magic and dark magic, which is like what the king was trying to do."

"The spell? It was dark magic?"

"Yup, dark magic is never something to mess around with. Once it is brought into the world it is hard to get rid of."

"That sounds scary." Monique shook. "It is." The woman walked back into the room. "Oh dear, you should be sleeping. The river did a number on your body which will take time to heal."

She moved to pick up the spoon from the soap soup, she stirred it for a second before she pulled long stockings out and glanced at them for a second before placing them back inside and turned to me. Disgust filled me.

She moved over and gently pushed me down into the bed, pulling two pillows out from behind my head, and pulled the blankets to my chin.

"Now rest!" I did not protest and snuggled down. "When you wake up we will talk. It's not often that I find someone still living floating down the great river." I watched her fuss about me until she finally felt the room.

I stared up at the cracking ceiling and thought about all that had happened, and how it had become easier to talk with Monique in my mind.

After a while my eyes became heavy and my mind started to fog with sleep.

I woke up with a groan and stretched my aching muscles. "Good morning dear!" A chipper voice greeted me. And I looked to the door of the overly crowded room.

The bed stood against the wall under a window and the rest of the room had three dressers and two chairs lining the walls with a large wardrobe beside the door with the bed side table.

The older woman walked over to the bed with a plate in hand. She pulled at one of the clothes covered chairs and plopped down. "I may as well eat with you." She said, handing me a bar of food.

I started to wonder how she made them. And why she didn't just eat like normal people. Why boil everything down into a bar shape? "I never have friendly visitors." She smiled and started eating.

"Try and talk to her." Monique suggested. I nodded and tried something. "What is your name?" I asked, thinking about talking directly to her mind.

I thought maybe she would jump, but she didn't and she calmly watched me before she answered, inside my mind. "I am Vivian, and you my dear?" I smiled, no. I grinned. "I am Cassy!"

She smiled too. "It is great to meet you Cassy. Let's get you on your feet. Some meditation should do us both so good."

"I don't think I have ever meditated, would you show me." Vivian laughed. "Cassy, we are gonna be best of friends." She slapped at my knee as she got up smiling like a mad person and pushed her chair back in place.

I sat up as she moved to help me up, as my feet touched the floor, pain shot up my body and I winsted in pain. "Pain is only in the head, tell yourself that and you are fine and you will be." It was harder than she made it sound.