Everything was dark and hot for awhile, but she knew something was happening. Distantly, she could feel herself being mended, being held. The fire of the poison in her blood faded until the pain was just a dull ache. There were other pains, but she couldn't feel those as much. No, what she could feel the best was a feather-light touch at her lips and then her jaw. It moved all over her face, and she wanted to reach up to hold his hand.

It had to be Aulfr. Who else would touch her so gently? She cursed the poison and whatever the healer had given her, because she could do no more than flutter her eyes in response to him. After awhile, she let herself fall asleep, succumbing to the drugs in her system and the weariness in her bones. She drifted in and out for hours, sometimes able to move a bit and sometimes completely limp. When she finally woke fully, the healer was standing over her.

He continued to check her bandages and stitches without care that she'd woken. She couldn't see Aulfr anywhere, and she felt strangely lonely. She didn't want some stranger touching her unless Aulfr was there. And almost immediately she felt like slapping herself. He was just the healer! Whatever was wrong with her had to be the drugs he was giving her for the pain. She felt sufficiently hazy, so that had to be the reason.

He dosed her again before leaving, and by the time Aulfr made himself known she was grinning and giggling to herself, staring at her hands in extreme fascination. She had such long fingers. She had spider fingers. "My fingers are spiders!" she exclaimed, flapping her slender hands in Aulfr's direction. She couldn't tell what language she was speaking. It sounded like Banta. She made an effort to speak in her own language, and repeated herself. "My fingers are spiders. Do you see them? Creepy crawly things."

She very suddenly wanted to be kissing Aulfr. He looked worried to her, or as worried as the stoic warrior could look. He hadn't shaved, and she wanted to rub her cheek against his stubble. He father used to do that after coming home from campaign. He'd rub his beard all over her face and neck, tickling her until she was laughing hysterically. She wanted to kiss his stubbly cheek and maybe bite it as well. Mm. That sounded very nice.

She started to roll over, but a sharp pain in her chest had her gasping. She fell back onto the blankets and the drug numbed the pain for her, but she looked sad. She held out her 'spiders' and motioned for him to come lay with her. "I'm lonely," she murmured, staring up at him with an open, almost childish expression.