Did you hit your head?

"Well, you had to go through all that because of me. And I heard the condition you were found in. And when I felt all your bandaged wounds after you were finally out of danger, even I hated myself for making you go through it. So. . . . . it wouldn't surprise me if you hated. . . . . . " Helen said, her voice becoming lower with every word and finally trailing off.

Aria wanted to smack her forehead upon hearing this, or better yet, smack Helen's forehead. But she was in too much pain to put her violent thoughts into action, so Aria settled for rolling her eyes. "Don't tell me you hit your head while escaping from the night warriors hideout." she said.

"Huh?" Helen asked stupidly. Aria groaned in frustration and said, "Why else would you come to the conclusion that I hated you?!?!?! I did what I did cause I love you!!!!!!! Why would I hate you for the consequences of the decisions I made?!?!" Seeing that Helen still looked unconvinced, Aria smiled and said, "Besides, it's quite usual for me to end up injured at regular intervals. So you don't have to blame yourself for my usual self-destructive self."

Aria was relieved to see Helen let out a smile after her speech. She plopped back down on the bed as the latter chuckled and said, "You really do seem to spend a lot of time recovering." But she frowned the next second and continued, "But why on earth would you think that I would hate you??"

Aria blinked as she had a bit of difficulty understanding what Helen was talking about. The potion to reduce pain was wearing off and Aria was feeling the brunt of her injuries, each one separately and all of them together. She frowned as her mind worked over-time to spin a lie. "A well. . . . . . because. . . . . . umm. . . . . ." she shook her head and said, "Because well it was due to me that you got in dragged in all this in the first place. But I know I was being stupid now, must be all the potions."

Helen smiled and stroked Aria's hand for a few seconds. Aria could see she had something on her mind, but she needed to find out one more thing before the pain overwhelmed her or the sleep from the potion to reduce pain.

"Umm Helen?" Aria spoke, slowly turning her hand in Helen's and wincing at the pain in her fingertips and the back of her hand. "Yeah? What's wrong?? What hurts??? Miss Anhao!" Helen immediately got worried and called out.

Aria ground her teeth together. Why did she have to go and call Miss Anhao? But she went ahead with the question anyway. "Helen, I heard you and Miss Anhao talking. Why isn't anyone allowed in the ward?"

Helen seemed surprised and turned her head to look at Aria, "You don't know?" she asked. Aria frowned. Was she supposed to know? Maybe it had something to do with her being a monster after all. Maybe the water kingdom wasn't as superstitious and they would maybe give her a proper trial before sentencing her to death??

While Aria was lost in her own thoughts, Miss Anhao came hearing Helen's voice and shrieked upon seeing the two girls.