The Lost Life of Laraine

Chapter 21

I woke up from sneezing, not even noticing I knocked heads with someone who was hovering right over me. 

It wasn't until there was a burning sensation in my head that I noticed Harken rubbing his forehead. With a surprised but happy expression. 

"Morning," he sheepishly smiled, "Or I guess at this time it's night." 

"Harken?" I croaked, my throat felt like I swallowed several handfuls of sand and chased it down with a healthy handful of more sand. "W-water." 

"Oh right!" He released my hand that I didn't realize he was holding and rushed to the nightstand where there was a pitcher of water and he didn't even bother pouring it into a cup. Once he brought it close enough to me, the water lifted itself out of the pitcher and straight to my mouth so I could sip it slowly. "Are you feeling better?" 

"Yeah, how long was I asleep?" I sit up more, feeling the soreness of my body from not moving it in so long. Though now that I was awake, I was able to use my magic to reduce the atrophy, even fixed the bruise on my head. Bodies are made of water after all. 

"4 days," he answered simply, "My dad and the others went ahead to finish the mission so I stayed behind to make sure you were warm." 

"What?!" I shot right out of bed, ignoring the coldness on my toes when I made contact with the floor, "I missed the whole thing?!" 

"Well you took out the big ones, so I'd say you did most of the work," Harken remained at my bedside in his seat, watching me panic as I threw my stuff around, trying to find my mission clothes. "Stop it Lara," he was suddenly by my side, gently removing my hands from my luggage, "Go back to bed, you need to rest." 

"I've rested for 4 days!" I felt like crying, just everything that has happened to me rushed forward and soon the waterworks started, "Harken, I've missed so much." 

"Laraine," he softened, patting me gently on the back, going down with me as I felt the strength leave my legs and I slumped to the floor. "Everything is going to be alright." 

"No," I whimpered, trying to rub away my shame, "F-first my family starts acting all weird and my only escape is t-this b-but I missed all of i-t, it, and I just wanted to be an adventur-er-er." 

I was becoming a stuttering mess. Something a lady should not be but I just couldn't handle it. This was so childish of me. 

"It's okay Laraine," he whispered, trying to comfort me, "Everything is going to be alright." 

"How do you know?" I spat, glaring at him with as much might I could muster. Though I'm sure I was not as intimidating as I'd hope. 

He smiled, a warm one that I wasn't expecting, especially paired with a new determination in his eyes, "I'm going to make sure of it." 

I just sat there on the floor, stumped. A lady is not supposed to be rendered speechless. A lady isn't supposed to be sitting on the floor as a blubbering mess. A lady is certainly not supposed to be an adventurer. 

Well screw being a lady. 

At least when I'm outside of that hell hole. Excuse my language. 

"Your right," I sniffle, gathering my strength to stand back on my feet, "I'll have hundreds of other adventures and missions to go on," I try to puff my chest in pride, and to my surprise, Harken didn't seem that amused by my actions, rather something in his eyes told me he was... sad? "Harken are you alright?" 

"You're really something Lara," he stood up, patting me on the head, "I'll let the others know you're awake." 

With that, he left. I found myself unconsciously rubbing the top of my head, his warmth still lingering where he touched me. 

It only took seconds before my door flow open to reveal a teary-eyed Vadallea. 

"Lara!" She cried, falling into my arms when she dove for me. I was barely able to keep up both standing, only for her to be pulled away and another set of arms wrapped around me. 

"Don't do that to me kid!" Flontina cried, burying her face in my hair, "I was worried sick about you." 

"I'm sorry," I mumbled into her chest, seeing how she was suffocating me with it. 

"Flontina you're going to kill the poor child," Parter pointed out, and she instantly let me go but held onto my shoulders, her eyes were red with unshed tears, "We're glad to see you awake Lara," Parter smiled, leaning down to my eye-level, "You did a good job, but if this always happens when you use your magic I think you should take a break from adventuring." 

"No!" I shouted at the same time Harken did, and we exchanged looks for just a moment before I stood up straighter, turning to look the rather scary man in the eyes. He was not as scary as my father though, Parter has so much warmth in his eyes. "I'm sorry, but I just wanted to push my limits and help those people. That's the only way I'll be able to be stronger." 

He was about to say something, opening and closing his mouth with no words coming out. 

"Then we'll see you on the next adventure," A sudden hand roughed up my hair, more than the bedhead has, and Kent actually cracked a small smile. "But for now let's get you home." 

I felt my stomach drop at the thought of home, but I kept a brave face and smiled through the anxiety. 

"Sounds good!" I prayed that my voice was as strong as I thought and everyone seemed to buy it. Or at least they pretended for my sake. 

But Harken was the only one not smiling, but when our eyes met he gave me a half-hearted curve in his lips. 

He seemed to know my real identity, as the the disgrace of the Fortunith family.