Chapter 13: Ch:13 Names and New Mornings
The morning light crept slowly through the small, square window above Dila's bed—just a narrow beam at first, like a gentle golden finger poking into the room. The heavy scent of herbs that once lingered in the air was now gone, replaced by something light and crisp... fresh morning air. It swirled through the cracks of the wooden door, brushing against Dila's cheek like nature's alarm clock.
She groaned softly, still curled sideways on the straw bed.
"Mmmmm..."
The covers rustled a little as she buried her face deeper into the makeshift pillow.
From outside, faint voices could be heard—soft at first, almost like background noise. But there was something about the tone... something familiar.
One was a calm, grounded man's voice. The other, a gentle but firm woman's voice. Both speaking in low murmurs with someone else. The healer, maybe?
Dila twitched slightly, her ear perking as her elf senses slowly caught on. But her sleepy brain fought back.
"Three more minutes..." she muttered like a stubborn child, face still smushed into the straw.
But then—
Her eyes snapped open, squinting toward the light.
"Wait a minute..." she whispered.