Well, haven't been getting lots of feedback, so all I can say is I hope, emphasis on hope, you guys are enjoying this! ;) so, uh, yeah. Review please? Cuz my sisters are sick and it would make them really happy?
Lindreanna had no idea how long she slept. But every time she awoke, her face was numb and wouldn't move. She had no idea where she was, but could only assume it a hospital. There were primarily two doctors that kept checking on her, but occasionally she could hear other voices in the background. She wished she could open her eyes, but all she could seemed to move was her lips. It was very frustrating. She missed her sense of sight. She was a well-trained kunoich, yes, and took much pride in it. She could very easily make out a good deal about her surroundings.
She could feel a comfortable mattress beneath her, and a thick, fluffy blanket, mostly made of polyester and cotton. If she listened hard, she could tell by the echo in the room that the space was about ten by twelve feet, with an eight foot ceiling, roughly. Her sense of smell was muddled with illness, but if she really focused, she could pick up the scent of soothing incense and hot herbal tea. It was a start, but it wasn't enough.
She missed her sight.
She missed her sisters. She needed to see them, needed to know they were alright. Her mother had left her in charge! She was supposed to be responsible, supposed to take care of her sisters, just as she'd promised her father-
Tears pricked her closed eyes, and she swallowed down the dry feeling in her throat. No, not the time to think about that. She needed to see her sisters. Needed to see them, hold them, touch them, hear them… anything to know they were alright. For all she knew they were dead. She never seemed to be able to summon the energy to speak. Every time she woke up, she had no idea how much time had passed. It was always one of those deep, dark, dreamless rests, where time was impossible to measure. It could have been three seconds, it could have been three decades, and she'd of had no idea.
The fourth time she woke up, she felt very disoriented. Her chest felt heavy and her throat was dry nd impossibly tight. "H…" she coughed weakly. "Hello…?"
There were footsteps, heavy but carefully controlled. "Yes miss? Are you alright?" the voice was calm and kind but carefully reserved.
"I…" she moistened her lips, raising a shaky hand to over her mouth and coughing. "I… wh-where are my… sisters…?" she couldn't seem to get her breath, and just the simple question seemed to wind her.
"Perhaps you should sit up, ma'm," the voice suggested. "It may help clear your chest… may I assist you?"
The corners of her mouth twitched, but that was the closest she could get to smiling. Ah… a gentleman. "Y- Yes… please…"
Hesitantly, he pulled the blanket back, first sliding one hand beneath her head, the other to the small of her back, right beneath her shoulder blades, in the center. "Here," carefully, he eased her up, leaning her against the headboard, before tucking a pillow between her head and the wall, and another for her back. "Alright. How's that?"
"Th- Thank you…" she coughed into her hand, struggling to clear her throat.
"Oh. Miss, I've prepared tea; it will help your throat, if you'd like some."
"Th- Thank you… I love tea. Don't suhh…" she coughed again. "Suppose you have any jasmine with mint?"
Leo blinked, surprised. "Its… my favorite."
"You're not serious."
"No, really." He gently set the tea cup up to her lips, and she took a shaky sip.
"Mm…" she gave a pleased sigh, her nerves instantly soothed, her throat losing some of its rough, dry coat. "Oh, thank you sir. I greatly appreciate it."
"My pleasure, ma'm." he replied evenly. "I'm just relieved to see you in decent enough health. We were beginning to worry you might not pull through."
She gave a thoughtful hum. "What of my sisters?"
"The one known as Mikayla is recovering quickly; her temperature has just about corrected itself. Danica is enduring a respiratory infection, but she's doing much better."
"And the last one?" she insisted, asking another offered sip of tea. "What of Reyna? Is she…"
"She's… alive," he said uncomfortably. "She hasn't woken up yet-"
"Is she in a coma?"
"No miss, no!" she sighed in relief. "Nothing like that, I assure you. Her body is taking time to recuperate, her mind and body alike are rejuvenating."
"Unconscious long-term meditating?" Lindreanna supplied. "Doesn't sound like the Reyna I know. Hopefully, this will do her some good in the long run."
"Quite possibly," he agreed. "Ah… miss?"
"Yes?"
"if I may, um… is there, a particular reason you've yet to open your eyes?"
She noted he sounded… nervous. That raised a couple red flags; why? She suddenly wondered if these people were lying, if her sisters were dead, if they were going to hurt her. "I would, sir, but you see, I can't."
"Why is that?"
"I really can't… I can't move anything above my lips."
…
"Alright, can you feel this?"
"No."
"And how about this?"
"No."
"And," there was the sound of pencil scribbling on paper. "What about this?"
"Slightly," she admonished. More pressure was applied, this time at the base of her neck. "Yeah, I can feel that."
"Well," the new voice was kind but nervous. "I have good news and bad news, ma'm. Any particular order you'd like ta' hear them?" she stayed silent, her expression regal and poised, unfeeling, blank. He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Alrighty then. The bad news is, you're suffering some facial paralysis from the Foot's poison."
The other voice spoke up, the one that shared her tastes in tea. "And the good news?" it prompted.
"The good news is, it won't be damaging to any of her senses and its only temporary."
She gave a barely controlled sigh of relief. "What about my sisters?" she insisted. "I want to know about my sisters. I want a thorough explanation and evaluation."
So he told her. Lindreanna was horrified to learn poor Danica was temporarily blind, but was grateful, at least, that she was alive. She allowed their hosts to explain the situation, what had happened, how they'd been rescued. She listened, her breathing silent and controlled as she'd always been taught. Even sickly and weak, she managed to look composed and regal, sitting there in bed.
"And, you're certain you've left nothing out."
"Nothing at all, ma'm."
"Mm…" she reached up, fiddling with the long, ice blue, silk ribbon that held her hair in a tight bun. She undid it, and her perfect auburn tresses tumbled to her shoulders. Tossing her head, she folded her ribbon. "And, my sisters are in capable hands?"
"Yes."
Even with her eyes closed, Leonardo could feel her burning stare. "Do you swear?"
"Yes."
"On your honor?"
He froze for a moment. Honor, true honor, wasn't exactly a popular, or often thought of thing anymore. It was sad really. But the way she said it… when she asked, he knew exactly what she was referring to. It wasn't just a phrase to this young woman, but a thing. A precious possession any good person must have. She must have sensed within him that he valued it dearly.
Just who was this girl?
He moistened his lips. "Yes."
What happened next very much surprised him.
Faster than anyone could blink, she'd whipped her ribbon up, hooking it around his neck like a noose and dragged him down with surprising strength. She shoved her face to his so they were nearly nose to nose, forehead to forehead.
"Careful now," her voice was a soft, hissing coo. "Most people don't take honor seriously. But let it be known that I do. And if one hair is out of place on my sisters, I will find you." He could feel her staring, intense gaze behind her eyelids. "Those girls are the single most important things in my life, and if you, or your comrades, do anything to hurt them, I will see to it that something is done about that." She breathed softly, and he could feel it hit his face; a soft, delicate, controlled puff that smelled like cinnamon and vanilla. "Am I clear, Leonardo?"
He gasped softly as she released him, backpedalling a few feet. "How… how do you know…?"
Her smile was empty, vacant, and he could practically see another unconscious spell coming over her. "I know plenty, Kame. I know plenty." And she lost consciousness, slumping forward onto her own lap, limp and helpless. Her blue ribbon fluttered to the ground.
He gasped again.
Well, there ya go! A little mystery beginning to be sprinkled in! Like I said, please review, cuz it'll make my six and nine year old sick little sisters feel better. Please?
And if that's not enough incentive, my next new reviewer will get a sneak peek into the next chappie. And a free cookie! ;D c'mon, you guys gotta review with an offer like that! XD