Changes
About an hour later, I wake up in a bed right next to Rayla, quickly jolt up and begin to shiver. My fingers are still hurting but they hurt a lot less than before.
Rayla then sits up and gives me a hug, “It’s okay, it’s over. You’re safe.”
“R-Rayla?”
“Yes, oki I’m here. Sher Aka and John are safe too. They're just looking for a healer.”
“I-I wasn’t lying.”
“What?”
“I-I wasn’t lying! I’m not a li-liar!”
“I know, oki.”
“I-I’m cold.”
Rayla puts the blanket around us and gently puts her hand on my cheek, “Is that better?”
“I-I'm cold.”
“I know, oki. I’ll stay with you, let’s warm you up together okay?”
“O-Okay.”
About an hour later, there is a knock on the door putting me back into a panic, “N-no…Not again! I’m not a liar!”
Rayla seems really concerned, when she hugs me tightly, “Shh, it’s okay oki. It’s just John, Sher Aka and the doctor. Come in!”
The door opens and just like Rayla said, John, Sher Aka and a middle aged man with a bowl hat and glasses enter. The doctor then does some tests with me and afterwards heals me using water magic after which I pass out.
—----------------------------------------------
“Oki, hey are you okay? Doctor, what's wrong with him!?”
“Don’t worry he most likely just passed out from exhaustion. He needs the rest.”
“I-Is he going to be okay? Are his wounds healed?”
Pushing up his glasses, the doctor answers, “Yes, he is fully healed. It seems that together with the broken fingers he had signs of hypothermia and some bruises. The biggest problem now, is the wound on his mind and soul. He seems to have endured something very traumatic. He’ll need care by those close to him and rest. I recommend at least a week without work. Try to be available but not smother him, cook him some of his favorite food perhaps, especially if he loses his appetite.”
Sher Aka asks, “Do you think he can travel like this doctor?”
“What’s the purpose of the trip and how long do you intend to travel?”
“About a week and we’re trying to go to Murago, it’s important that we get there soon.”
“Hmm…A relaxing vacation would do him good…I’ll write you a doctor's recommendation for one week of vacation there, with that the cost of staying will be counted as a medical expense. If you need to go quickly you could go as early as today but I recommend you wait another day or two at least. The early days after a traumatic event are often what determine how many long term problems the patient will have, please keep that in mind.”
“We will. Thank you doctor.”
The doctor then writes a medical recommendation as well as a receipt for his services and leaves.
Once he's gone, Sher Aka walks up to Rayla, puts her hand on her shoulder and kindly asks, “You know him best. What is his favorite food? John and I will go get it.”
Nervously, she answers, “He likes vegetable dishes. But I doubt we can get those in winter.”
“It should be fine. They have greenhouses here which allows them to grow vegetables even in winter. It will be a bit more expensive but it should be affordable.”
“Huh okay…In that case, his favorite dish is probably that Elven one with the many sliced veggies arranged in a circle… What’s that called again?”
Sher Aka thinks for a bit, “Ratatouille? It’s actually not an Elven dish but it is popular in the south. I’m not sure they outright sell it here but I can cook it for him.”
“That would be great, thank you Sher Aka.”
—--------------------------------------------------------
Throughout the night, I wake up multiple times in a cold sweat. Rayla is there for me every time it happens and helps me calm down until I fall asleep again. Then, in the morning, I get woken up by both a nice smell of vegetables and a rancid smell of rotten garlic and onions.
Walking up to our bed with a pan in hand, Sher Aka says, “Good morning Thoma Ahad, how are you feeling?”
“Better but not great…Did you bring me breakfast? You didn’t have to…”
“I know but I wanted to do it.”
Rayla yawns, “Sher Aka spent all day yesterday buying and preparing it. It’s your favorite!”
“Wow…Thank you!”
She gives me a kind smile, “Don’t mention it Thoma Ahad.”
I then start eating it but before swallowing it, spit it out again and start coughing.
Sher Aka seems confused, “Is it not to your liking?”
“I…I’m not sure why, it looks amazing but cough it tastes absolutely horrible. I think the garlic might have gone bad.”
“May I try it?” Taking a fork as well, she picks some veggies up and tastes them, “Hmm…I can’t say that I taste what you taste.”
Feeling nervous, I force a smile, “Then it’s probably my fault. Maybe I’m a little sick. I’m so sorry Sher Aka you put so much effort into it.”
Sher Aka chuckles, “It’s fine. It won’t go to waste if you eat something else, I really enjoy this dish as well.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure. Is there any food you’re craving? I’m sure we can find something.”
“Some pork knuckles would be nice.”
She raises an eyebrow, “Pork knuckles as in multiple?”
“Yeah…Maybe two or three.”
Rayla looks at me slightly confused, “That’s a lot of fatty meat, are you sure?”
“Yeah, I’m really hungry.”
Rayla gives Sher Aka a questioning look and she answers, “It’s fine, I’ll buy three and I’m sure if you don’t eat them all, Rayla will help you out. I’ll buy some bread as well so we can all have breakfast together.”
Sher Aka then leaves and I’m feeling really cold, “Hey Rayla, do you mind if we sit down next to the fireplace? I’m still cold.”
“Not at all, here I’ll take the cushions and you take the blanket.”
We sit down next to the fireplace and I’m finally starting to feel like I’m warming up again so I let out a relaxed sigh.
Putting her arm around me, ane asks, “Are you feeling better now, oki?”
“Yeah, it feels like I can finally breathe again. I was so cold before.”
“That’s great, I’m gonna take my shirt off though the blanket with the hugging and the fire are making me sweat like a pig.”
“You don’t have to sit here if you’re feeling hot.”
Taking her clothes off, she answers, “I know, I want to though," She gives me a cheeky smile, "Also, when you sweat, you produce more scent which is good since I haven’t quite marked you yet.”
Some time passes and I smell the scent of meat and bread coming closer, “Sher Aka is here.”
And then, right on cue, she comes through the door, “I’m back. I managed to find everything, is John still sleeping?”
“Yep, still fast asleep,” ane answers.
“I’ll go wake him th-" she looks at us flabbergasted, "What are you guys doing on the floor? And why are you in your underwear, Rayla?”
“Thoma was feeling really cold so we relocated. It’s a bit too hot for me though so I undressed.”
Letting out a sigh, Sher Aka goes back to her usual kind face and answers, “I’m not surprised. You’re hugging right next to the fireplace with a blanket around you, you basically created a sauna.”
Sher Aka then puts the basket of food on the table, squads down next to me and puts her hand on my forehead, “You’re really hot too, Thoma Ahad. Are you not uncomfortable?”
“Nope, I feel good like this.”
“Hmm, well you aren’t sweating, maybe you’re dehydrated,” She hands me a pitcher of water and a glass, “Go drink a bit.”
“Okay.” I then drink some water while Sher Aka wakes up John.
After a few minutes, John walks past us, looks at me, then Rayla, sighs and sits down at the table, “I’m not sure what I’m more bothered by, that you feel like we’re close enough to walk around in your underwear or that I don’t mind.”
“Kekeke, well if you’re as beautiful as me I guess even a gay man doesn’t mind.”
John massages his forehead, completely ignores Rayla and asks, “So, how are you doing, Thoma Ahad?”
“Better. I’m warming up right now.”
“So that’s what this is gotcha... Are those pork knuckles? Did I sleep till lunch?”
“Nope, Thoma asked for three of them.”
“Really? I thought you didn’t really like fatty meats that much, Thoma Ahad.”
“Yeah, but today I just had a craving for it.”
“Huh, okay.”
Sher Aka places some empty plates and cutlery on the table, “Alright, breakfast is ready~”
“Would it be alright if I ate next to the fireplace?” I ask.
“Hmm, I don’t mind but are you sure it’s not more comfortable to sit down at the table with us?”
“Yeah, I'll feel cold if I get away from the fire.”
“Hmm…If you say so.” She then hands me a plate with a pork knuckle on it and some cutlery while Rayla goes to sit down at the table.
At first I eat it with the cutlery but my appetite is bigger than the time it takes to cut it up so I just take it in my hands and start to eat it off the bone and before I know it I finish the first one, “Can I have another one please?”
Rayla raises her eyebrow, “That was quick. Sure, you can have more,” she then hands me another pork knuckle which I quickly eat as well.
“Can I have another one?”
They look at me wide eyed and Sher Aka brings me the last pork knuckle, “There you go...”
I then also eat the last one, it’s a lot crunchier than the other two but still tasty.
Rayla in a concerned tone asks me, “Do you…Want us to get more?”
“No, I'm full now. I think I’ll take a nap now. I’m tired.”
In an almost whispery voice, she answers, “Uhm okay, but you should wash your hands and face first, they're quite fatty.”
“Oh, yeah I guess they are.”
I drowsily lick the fat off my hands, curl up and fall asleep.
—-----------------------------------------------
Sher Aka stands up and cleans up after Thoma Ahad. Afterwards, she points to her and John’s room and motions for the rest to follow.
Once everyone is assembled in their room she locks the door and Rayla whispers, “What the hell was that!?”
“He fucking ate the bone on the the last one right? Like I’m not crazy?”
“No I saw it too John, there were only two bones when I cleaned up after him. Also, I’m pretty sure I saw his teeth get more Beastfolk-like during his meal.”
“You saw that too, Sherry!? I thought I was hallucinating.”
Rayla sits down on a bed and puts her hands over her mouth and nose in worry, “What’s happening to Thoma?”
Sher Aka sits down next to Rayla and comforts her a little, “It seems like he’s going through some changes but I don’t think he feels any discomfort from them. Obviously Ifrit did something to him that’s slowly changing him but she did say it was a reward so it’s probably a good change.”
Tears flowing down her face, Rayla looks at Sher Aka and asks, “Does she even have any concept of what would be good or bad for us? She’s basically a godlike being. What if she’s turning Thoma into something weird?”
Gently holding her hands, Sher aka answers, “Then we’ll just have to deal with the changes accordingly. Let’s not freak out yet, what’s more important right now is that we make sure he feels at home with us so his traumatic experience from the last few days doesn’t set in too much. Anything else is secondary.”
“You’re right…Thank you for reminding me of what’s important right now.”
Sher Aka gives Rayla a hug, “Sometimes we just need a bit of guidance from a friend.”