Hi all! Hope there is still someone reading this story… I decided to post this chapter and the epilogue in one shot, as it was done.

Chapter 5. Recovery

Anomen didn't leave her much. He had to go sometimes to eat something, otherwise he would have fainted, but he stayed by her side most of the time, reading or looking at her, or more often, worrying if she was ever going to recuperate and be herself again.

The third day, she was able to speak at a normal volume and was able to sit a little more upright when she woke up; she was unable to do so without help later in the day, but there definitely was progress. The priests expulsed Anomen out of the room while she was receiving a little visit from Sarevok and Imoen. Some of her students came to take of her news and Morul, once he learned that she was not going to the sphere because she was sick and not because Anomen was back in the city, almost didn't left the Temple. Nara and Larz also came to see how she was doing, and the young mages that had been her apprentices were permitted to see her for a short moment on the fifth day.

Romasso and the other courses' helps came to take of her news and Imoen ended up giving them advice with the classes they had to give while the teacher was not available.

By then, Anomen was so overjoyed about her definitive, but slow, recovery, that he actually took some time away from her, in the nursery with his children. The nurse very kindly showed him how to feed and change them, not even smiling at his nervousness and clumsiness.

Amousca was slowly claiming back her strength. She fought everyday to do something more than the day before, rested a lot, but she was getting restless, having to stay in bed for a whole week. So, while no one was in her room, tired of the useless wait, she sat and flung her feet of the bed. She didn't try to stand right away, because the blood rushing down to her feet apparently deserted her head, and she was really dizzy. After a while she felt better, and tested the strength of her legs on the step of the bed. Definitely, she could not stand by herself. She sighed and pushed on the step for a while, so that her legs did some exercise, before pulling back her feet on the bed with great efforts. Well, at least now her children were left in the room during the day, so she could see them and hear them and see Anomen and the nurse feed them and change them and console them if they were crying. She was also now strong enough to hold them by herself, though not for long, and she suspected it would not be long before she was capable of feeding them. She didn't know before then what "maternal instincts" meant, but she quickly learned how strong it was a calling. She was overwhelmed by the love she instantly felt for the little ones the first time she remembered holding them. It was almost too much to bear that they were taken out of her sight for the night; she knew she needed to rest, but there was this irrational worry about them when she didn't know what was happening to them…

She was also frustrated about her weakness, because having a nurse care for her children was not really how she had imagined the first days of her offspring into this world. But she couldn't really do something about it, now, could she? She lay down in bed and waited. Anomen was so happy to see her getting better that she was sure he didn't notice her frustration; she admitted to herself it was probably better that way, otherwise he would have started to worry again.

The next day, Anomen came into the room suddenly, not according to his usual schedule, and found Amousca sitting on the edge of the bed, her feet on the step, swinging dangerously, as though she was about to faint and fall head first on the floor. She lifted her head to look at him and by the angry look on her beautiful, elven face, he realized she was not as close to fainting as he feared. He tried not to run to her, but calmly walked to stand in front of her and smiled.

"I always knew you were headstrong, my love, but do you not think you are exaggerating just a bit?"

"I know I can't stand by myself, Anomen," she sighed with despair. "I only get a little practice at sitting and pushing on the step to test my legs."

Anomen believed her; he knew she wouldn't give up trying to stand, but wouldn't try if it was hopeless.

"Let me help you, then, my lady."

He again used his cleric skills, although he knew little about physical rehabilitation, to help her exercise her legs. She soon laid back on the bed, exhausted, and he helped her feet up.

"I'm lucky to have a cleric as a husband," she said smiling at him. "They're a real pain when they tell you to take care of yourself, but they're so good when you are in need."

Anomen laughed and stayed with her for a while, before actually fetching the new blankets the nurse had asked him to get.