Sleep came easily for her. Once she layed down her mind was eager to get away from everything. This time she didn't dream about her now deceased brother trying to kill her or about a woman in robes telling her things she didn't understand. Thankfully she didn't dream at all. By the time she woke up light was spilling in through the windows lighting up the single room house she was in. When she opened her eyes pain like nothing she had ever felt before throbbed ceaselessly through her entire body, especially her neck. She found it harder to breathe today than it was yesterday. Most likely when that man had strangled her he had made her neck injury worse.

Not bothering to look around she layed there completely still. The only way to tell she were alive was by the slight rise and fall of her chest. She didn't feel paniced when all the memories came flooding back, by now her mind expected the horror of her new life. Silent tears streaked down the side of her face wetting the stiff pillow she was resting against. She watched dust particles moving through the air blankly. From the silence in the room she could tell she was alone. She didn't know how long she layed there silently crying but after what must have been a few hours she fell back into sleep once again forgetting the pain.

When she awoke again it was no longer day time. Shadows enveloped the room keeping their distance away from an orange glow coming from the corner of the room.

"I see you're finally awake, I was wondering how long you were going to be out."

That familiar deep accented voice caused an unpleasant shudder to roll through her body. Earlier she had hoped he had forgotten about her and left her there to die.

"Your body is considerably weak, I'm going to need to change your bandages at least once a day until it closes and starts healing properly. I'm sure you must be hungry too. I brought you some bread and fresh water."

The man walked over to her side sliding a chair in place next to the bed. He sat down next to her head and leaned over. She didn't dare move. She knew if she moved the aching in her body would intensify double. He slowly lifted the bandage that was wrapped around her neck and peered at her wound. It was so dark in the corner where she lay she wondered how he could see her injuries at all.

"Tsk, its healing very slowly. I forgot you humans have such frail bodies. We'll probably be stuck here for two or three weeks until you're healthy enough to move again."

She wanted to speak. To tell him to get his filthy hands away from her. To tell him to leave without her and let her die in peace but she just couldn't muster the energy, so she lay there silently as he put the bandage back in place.

"I'm going to help you sit up a little bit so you can drink some of this water. It might hurt a bit to move but you need to drink something."

He slid his arm behind her shoulders and lifted her up enough so that she wouldnt choke when he pressed the water cup to her lips. He was right, it hurt like hell to move just those couple inches. She moaned in protest but nothing came out of her throat. Slowly cold water was poured into her mouth. She opened up her throat and drank the sweet water he was giving her. It took great effort to swallow but she finally drained the cup after a minute or so. He pulled the cup back from her moist lips and settled her back in the position she had been lying in.

"Alright get some rest, Ill give you some food tomorrow. You're not ready to chew anything yet so i'll have to make you a broth."

Sleep came easier to her then expected. Before she knew it she was back again to forgetting the pain.

After a couple days had passed she completely lost track of the date and time. Night and day were now the same thing to her. She never stayed awake more then a couple hours in its twenty four hour span anyway. She noted that the monster who had murdered her brother was always there. He would consistently change her bandages and always spoon fed her a watery broth that held no flavor. At first the pain refused to let up but after many many days she could gradually feel her body becoming stronger.

After one of his usual check ups on her bandages he looked down at her with a truimphant smile on his face.

"You're becoming healthier."

This was the first time she had actually looked at him since that day he almost killed her. He was no longer gaunt and sickly in appearance. His face was full, any hint of his sunken in cheeks and the bags under his eyes were completely gone. His hair was no longer tangled and straw like but but full and wild. It was such a huge transformation she had to keep staring to make sure it was the same person. His honey eyes were the same hue they had been and his voice deep and rich with an unfamiliar accent, those attributes were confirmation enough. But for some reason it still shocked her that he looked so much younger and healthier in such a short time, and here she was still bed ridden.

"Do you think it would be too painful to try and turn your head a bit? It might be good to work those muscles so you can loosen them up a bit. Your muscles are stiff from not being used."

Averting her gaze from his leaning form she began to slowly turn her head to the left. He was right her neck was extremely stiff and not to mention the pain. She stopped almost immediately, if she were to turn her head any further it would hurt too much.

"That's as far as I can go..."

Her voice was weak but at least she could finally speak without it taking all her energy.

"That was still progress, I'm glad you're getting better."

With that said he left her side and walked over to the corner of the room where a rickety wooden table stood, paperback and hardcover books were piled on the floor around it. Whenever he wasn't sitting at that table reading he would be by her side nursing her back to health. Sometimes he would leave but when he did she was usually asleep. Everything was so confusing. She didn't understand why he was being so nice to her. The first night she had woken up here he had tried to kill her... But since then he hasn't spoken about delvay or her brother.

She remembered something Delvay had said to her. For some reason the words kept popping in her mind.

"This act of kindness he's showing towards you has to be his most shocking and questionable act yet."

Why was it so shocking? Who was this 'person'?

If she ever got better she had a thousand questions that he needed to answer...